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CITY Magazine. Arts. Music. Culture. •

The nation’s first founding farm animal sanctuary marks 40 years in Watkins Glen - CITY Magazine. Arts. Music. Culture.

It’s 1986, and Gene Baur is selling vegan hotdogs at Grateful Dead shows. Surrounded by the sounds of Jerry Garcia and company, Baur spends his time educating fellow “Deadheads” about the cruelties of animal agriculture, providing firsthand accounts from his investigations at factory farms, stockyards and slaughterhouses. 


Then Baur finds Hilda, a discarded sheep left for dead at a stockyard in Pennsylvania. What started as Baur’s act of compassion to save Hilda’s life transformed into Farm S...
CITY Magazine. Arts. Music. Culture. •

Local doulas make the birthing process — and beyond — a labor of love - CITY Magazine. Arts. Music. Culture.

It was the spring of 2004 when Christy Muscato and Julia Sittig met at a local doula training. Both pregnant at the time, they quickly became friends and that friendship evolved into Beautiful Birth Choices, a North Winton Village-based business focused on helping people navigate pregnancy, birth and their postpartum experience. Alison Spath joined their team in 2014 and came on as third co-owner in 2020. What began as a desire to create a space for community has grown to doula support services...
Home Publications •

Tall Pines Roofing

When it comes to roofs, there’s a lot to consider. Whether your home is in need of a few new shingles or an entire new roof, the process can be overwhelming. Tall Pines Roofing is here to help.Owner Matthew Hebert comes to this work with 30 years of experience. His wife, Jennifer, is co-owner, and sets appointments. His niece, Gabrielle, is the office manager. His son, Matthew Jr, works right alongside him daily and will eventually take over the business and continue the Tall Pines mission: to d...
CITY Magazine. Arts. Music. Culture. •

A therapist’s tips for sexual wellness, intimacy and empowerment - CITY Magazine. Arts. Music. Culture.

As a licensed marriage and family therapist, an AASECT (American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists) certified sex therapist and a sexual wellness and intimacy coach, Economides works to help others feel fulfilled and empowered in their sexual lives. Her private practice, Better Relationship Counseling, focuses on marriage therapy and couples’ counseling. 


She is also the founder and designer of New Intimacy Coaching, a signature coaching program for those with low...
Anxiousherbivore •

Two Things

A classic sandwich, if you ask me. I know you didn’t ask, but just in case. You’re the peanut butter and I’m the jelly. Compatibility smushed between two slices of bread — excitement!A roof-sticking gob of good that makes your 31-year-old self feel seven again. Or six. Is it strongly peanut butter with hints of jelly, or are we jelly avec a lil’ PB?Trick question. It’s whatever you want it to be. We’re talking about a damn sandwich here. The peanut butter and the jelly must have autonomy. They m...
Home Publications •

Megan Forness

Megan Forness is in the pursuit of empowerment.As an entrepreneur in Buffalo, she owns five businesses that focus on creating safe spaces for female business owners: Barretend, the Hiraeth House, Harbor House, Valvaere Collective, and She Gathers. Three of her businesses follow a collective model, where vendors are highly valued and have the opportunity to achieve success in a supportive work environment.Megan’s journey as an entrepreneur began in 2018 when she opened Barretend, a barre and yoga...
Home Publications •

DL Home & Garden

Today, DL Home & Garden welcomes out-of-towners and Rochesterians alike to explore the 11,500 square-foot showroom, the largest of its kind outside of New York City. Primarily a home furnishings store, DL Home & Garden opened in 2014 and is a place meant for exploration. Owners Bob Breissinger and Brian Coutu, along with their three additional team members, bring over 100 years of combined experience in interior design. “DL” stands for Designers Library, which spans the second floor above the sh...
CITY Magazine. Arts. Music. Culture. •

For the terminally ill, Isaiah House provides a soft place to land - CITY Magazine. Arts. Music. Culture.

To some, a home is synonymous with a house. A physical structure or a dwelling, varying in sizes and shapes, styles and sidings. To others, a home is the community of people who have taken residence within. They encapsulate the vibrancy of the human experience — a shared experience at that. 


At Isaiah House, there’s a lot of living going on.


This may come as a surprise, considering Isaiah House is a comfort care home for the dying. But to the residents, their families and the dedicated vol...
Home Publications •

Envisioning the Possibility Within

“If you can envision it, we can make it happen.” That is Julie Muscato’s motto. Owner of Julie Muscato Home & Gifts in Lockport, she makes it a habit of creating dreams for homeowners. The showroom, located at 1 Walnut Street along the beautiful and historic Erie Canal, is 7,000 square feet of inspiration. Along with a gift shop that ensures locals and tourists alike have the perfect gift for any and all occasions, Julie Muscato Home & Gifts is a staple in Western New York.As a women-owned small...
Home Publications •

Customized Menus - Food By DeLeo

As the premier catering service in Rochester, family-owned and operated Food by DeLeo Catering is in the business of creating unforgettable culinary experiences. Jason DeLeo started the business 23 years ago, and if anything, he and his wife, Nicole, along with their son, Antonio, are only getting started. Antonio is Food by DeLeo’s Executive Chef, and he and his father are both graduates of the Culinary Institute of America (CIA), one of the most prestigious culinary schools in the world. Anton...
Rochester Beacon •

Planting seeds for change: the Breast Cancer Coalition Research Initiative

With one in eight women living in the United States diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime—a startling statistic that impacts millions of individuals every year—the Breast Cancer Coalition has never believed that awareness is enough. On the contrary, the nonprofit organization has held an active presence in the community for more than two decades and believes in taking action to eradicate breast cancer through funding meaningful research.

Growing from humble beginnings where a group of br...
Home Publications •

From Wags to Weddings, Powered by Love

Agathi Georgiou-Graham is a fan of love. As co-owner of Arbor Venues, she makes it her business to create memories for couples on one of the most important days of their lives. Athi – as her friends and family call her – knows firsthand the power of such love. Her partner in business also happens to be her partner in life. Athi and Zach Graham fell in love in 2016, just as Athi was about to open her first venue, The Arbor Loft. In 2018, they were the first couple to get married at Arbor at the P...
Anxiousherbivore •

Here's What I Know

You would think that after 30 years of doing the thing, you'd get some hints. And perhaps there are some big ones that I've picked up on - like, more substantial than looking both ways before crossing the street. But even so, it's like, "what in the hell is going on" sort of vibes nearly 24/7. For a long time, I looked at life as something to figure out, something to master. If only I could figure out the right formula, solve for X, all of the pieces would click. Harmony would be heard and felt....
Home Publications •

Meet me on Monroe & Park

As a native Rochesterian, I take pride in spending time in my city. Even though I grew up in the area, Rochester is one of those places that seems to have endless discovery opportunities.To start my Saturday on Park, I went to Pearson’s Market and Café, a relatively new spot that quickly captivates. In addition to a large beverage menu, Pearson’s serves breakfast and lunch daily. General Manager Lisa Brayda says, “We value creating an environment that exudes warmth and the genuine care of hospit...
Home Publications •

Cover Feature - Intuitive Design that Inspires - July//August 2024 Rochester HOME Magazine

In 2010, two local building companies – Morrell Builders and Pride Mark Homes – decided to reinvent the new-build and home remodel experience for customers. Jeff and Scott Morrell, along with James and James Barbato, Sr., combined their years of expertise to create an opportunity for people in the Rochester and Finger Lakes areas to build the homes of their dreams.The Indē (intuitive + design) Studio came to life. Located at 1501 Pittsford Victor Road, Suite 300, Indē is so much more than a stud...
Finger Lakes Times •

GUEST APPEARANCE: Metastatic Breast Cancer Access to Care Act is what survivors need, deserve

ROCHESTER — The 118th Congress is currently in the second year of its two-year session. If a bill does not pass by the end of this year, it will have to be reintroduced in January. One bill of utmost importance that currently is in its third congressional session is the Metastatic Breast Cancer Access to Care Act (H.R.549/S.663). Time is of the essence to ensure that this time, in this Congress, this bill becomes law.

The Metastatic Breast Cancer Access to Care Act — a bill with bipartisan supp
(585) magazine •

Soulful Cinnamon – 585 magazine

One Rochesterian’s blend of art and advocacy

In a time when many things feel lopsided and low, it is nice to find moments of genuine human connection. For me, it’s these tiny moments in a day that spark joy and instill a sense of hope for a chance at something different or better or just a little less blue.

Sitting across from Joyce “Cinnamon” Jones in a coffee shop on a winter afternoon cures my blues in an instant. “I’m a queen—all day, every day,” she says with confidence and a laugh that w
Home Publications •

Naturally At Home

As of 2022, the two companies became 100% Employee-Owned as an ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan), which, according to Pioneer Millworks General Manager Alan Lamparella, means employees more equitably share in the successes that result from their hard work. It also allows the company to offer their team more competitive compensation and a comprehensive benefits package, which fosters long-term careers in domestic manufacturing and skilled trades.

Most recently, the company partnered with cele
Home Publications •

Rochester's Winter Wonders

On the flip side, we also know how to capitalize on activities during the colder months. This winter season is no exception. With many events planned over the next several months, make sure to mark your calendar for the Lakeside Winter Celebration at Ontario Beach Park, the Fire & Ice Winter Festival in Downtown Canandaigua, and the Ice Wine & Culinary Festival at Casa Larga Vineyards in Fairport.

One of the festival’s biggest crowd pleasers, check out the ice carving competition on Saturday, w
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