Weekly Rochester Events #437: Bumpkin the Shrub

Thursday, May 24, 2007

So last Thursday my parents came to visit and we went to The Lilac Festival. It was a great day to do so and we even got a chance to drive through Mt. Hope Cemetery (791 Mt. Hope Ave., the North Gate) for a bit. That evening we went to Sticky Lips Pit BBQ (625 Culver Rd.) with Ali. We got seated in the irritatingly noisy, small, and busy downstairs seating area but otherwise had a very good meal. I headed back out late and hung out at Lux Lounge (666 South Ave.) for a bit.

On Friday, before their trip home, we got lunch at Open Face (651 South Ave., right by the corner of Hickory) As always, the food is excellent and a proper meal-sized meal despite looking small in contrast with the American oversized meals we've become accustomed to. That afternoon I went out to The Distillery (1142 Mount Hope Ave.) with the MEETinROCHESTER people. Despite success on the last visit, I discovered that the quesadillas are excellent but most of the other appetizers are quite poor. Someone else ordered the pizza and I described it being "like Red Baron — only not as good."

Saturday I hitched up the bike trailer and headed to The Rochester Public Market (280 Union St. N.) I had a chance to dawdle around since I wasn't planning on meeting anyone for lunch at O'Bagelo's (165 State St.) It's actually been a few weeks since I've been there, and I think this coming Saturday is the Memorial Day Weekend so I don't know if it'll be open. Anyway, I ran into a couple friends and had some coffee then headed to Abundance Cooperative Market (62 Marshall St.) for groceries. I had a bit of luck at Goodwill Fashions (451 South Clinton Ave.) after that — I found a USB extension cord, a 12-volt cord splitter, and a DLO I TransPod® device that lets you transmit audio to a car stereo.

That evening, Ali and I got a late start out the door but amazingly made it from my house to the Dryden Theatre at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) in 10 minutes. They were showing The Pervert's Guide To Cinema which features a psychonalayst/philosopher who lectures about most of cinema, punctuated with demonstrative film clips ... with particular attention paid to Alfred Hitchcock and David Lynch. That and Freudian analysis of the whole thing (who knew the Marx Brothers represented the Id, Ego, and Super-Ego?) In all, it had long stretches of being absurd and boring, but interspersed generously with rather humorous, surprising observations.

While we were there we met up with my friend Rich and we all headed to The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) where I got to also meet some of his other friends. I thought Tom Foolery and the Shannanighans (not Shenanigans) did a really excellent show — their fiddler is now really prominent in their otherwise hard-hitting punk music. I ended up chatting most of the night and completely missed Jason Bennett and The Resistance who sounded pretty good from the other room, and I did stop in to see The Blastoffs with their new guitarist — still an excellent punk-rock band. Ali, Rich, and I headed to Mark's Texas Hots (487 Monroe Ave.) for plates afterward.

Sunday I checked out Goodwill Fashions (376 Jefferson Rd., in Jefferson Plaza) and spied a Commodore-64 in the original box for $5 but passed it over. Ah such memories ... Anyway, that night Ali and I joined Stacie, Scott, and Kate at The Lilac Festival for one of the last performances: the good bar-rock/cover-band Blue Jimmy.

Monday I took a crack at that barefoot running. I've been walking on-and-off trying to toughen-up my feet and it's been paying off. However, my calves are apparently not nearly strong enough because after just a quarter-mile or so of running (which, by the way, felt really good) I ended up with sore calves for the rest of the week. It'll be a slow progression but I think I'll make it.

Anyway, to finish up, that night Ali and I biked to The Memorial Art Gallery (500 University Ave., near Goodman St.) to see Geva Comedy Improv perform on the lawn. It was a pretty good show although their audio system needed a lot of help. On the way home we stopped at Grandma's Ice Cream Parlor (793 S. Goodman St., formerly Microworx) for a cone. It's a nice place and I hope they do well.

T H U R S D A Y

This evening at 6 p.m. in the Dryden Theatre at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) is a lecture with Jeff Dunas titled Six Major Projects From 30 Years. [source: Eastman House calendar] [all ages] Tonight at The Baobab Cultural Center (728 University Ave., formerly on Gregory St.) starting at 7 p.m. is a screening and discussion of Twelve Disciples of Nelson Mandela. [source: Baobab website] At 7 p.m. tonight in the Auditorium at The Memorial Art Gallery (500 University Ave., near Goodman St.) is a lecture by Louisa Ong-Lee titled Feng Shui: Balance and Harmony for You and Your Home. [source: Memorial Art Gallery calendar] [all ages] Over at Boulder Coffee Co. (100 Alexander St.) starting around 8 p.m. is Semen Seagal. [source: Boulder Coffee MySpace site] [all ages] Tonight at Lumiere Photo (439 Monroe Ave.) at 5 p.m. is the opening reception of a show with Thirty Regional Artists. [source: City Newspaper] Pure Kona Poetry Open Mic Night is at Daily Perks (389 Gregory St.) tonight starting at 7:30. [source: Daily Perks calendar] Tonight at 8 p.m. at Bodhi's Cafe & Lounge (274 Goodman St. N., in Village Gate) is an Open Mic. [source: the proverbial grapevine] Drinking Liberally meets at 8 p.m. tonight at Monty's Korner (355 East Ave.) [source: RocWiki calendar]

F R I D A Y

This evening at 5 p.m. at The Image City Photography Gallery (722 University Ave.) is the opening reception for Urban Influence by Richard Harvey, and Evelyne Albanese. [source: City Newspaper] Apparently The Critical Mass Bike Ride is tonight starting at 5:30 p.m. at the clock tower near The Wilson Commons at The University of Rochester (Library Road, #39 on River Campus Map.) to The Liberty Pole (1 Liberty Pole Way) at 6 p.m. and heading through the city from there. [source: the proverbial grapevine] Tonight from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the gallery at The Rochester Visual Studies Workshop (31 Prince St.) is the Closing Reception of the RIT CIAS Senior Show. [source: Visual Studies Workshop calendar] [all ages] Starry Nites Café (696 University Ave., formerly Moonbeans) will be hosting The Amanda Stone Band starting around 8 p.m. [source: Starry Nites calendar] [all ages] The Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) will be showing Psycho starting at 8 p.m. in which a woman checks-out from a creepy hotel and its owner. [source: Eastman House calendar] [all ages] Liz Stahler will be at Daily Perks (389 Gregory St.) starting around 8 p.m. [source: Daily Perks calendar] [all ages] Updated: Tonight at Boulder Coffee Co. (100 Alexander St.) is powerful jazzy rock improvisation from Pillowfight Accident (formerly Deadly Pillowfight Accident) starting around 8 p.m. [source: band e-mail] [all ages] Tonight at Dinosaur Bar-B-Que (99 Court St.) is fun 1960's-styled rock from The Hi-Risers starting around 10 p.m. [source: Dinosaur Bar-B-Que calendar] Tonight at 10:30 p.m. and tomorrow at 8 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. are performances of Geva Comedy Improv at Nextstage at Geva (75 Woodbury Blvd.) [source: Geva Comedy Improv e-mail]

S A T U R D A Y

This morning at 10 a.m. starting at Mt. Hope Cemetery (791 Mt. Hope Ave., the North Gate) is a "Famous Artists" Walking Tour. [source: Freetime] Today at 12 p.m. at Powder Mills Park (154 Park Rd., Pittsford) is a DIY Rochester Benefit show (for "feral cats and a garden") featuring Brain Car, Formaldehyde, The Spaztiks, The Kujats, The Die Hards, Black Bridge, and The Uta Hagens. [source: Rochester Music Coalition calendar] [all ages] This afternoon at Record Archive (1880 East Ave.) is excellent simple synth-and-vocals from Roger Houston, Ju-Jajuba, and A Wonderful starting around 4 p.m. [source: band e-mail] [all ages] Tonight at 8 p.m. at The American Association of University Women (AAUW) (494 East Ave., at the Perkins mansion) is the first of the Perkins Mansion Concert Series featuring Hungness (formerly Kill Myself on Monday), Sharp Sword, and great experimental acoustic rocker Gregory Paul. [source: band e-mail] Cash Mattock will be at Boulder Coffee Co. (100 Alexander St.) starting around 8 p.m. [source: Boulder Coffee MySpace site] [all ages] The Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) will be showing Red River starting at 8 p.m. in which a father and son vie for leadership on a cattle drive. [source: Eastman House calendar] [all ages] Tonight at Daily Perks (389 Gregory St.) is Nicole Christian starting around 8 p.m. [source: Daily Perks calendar] [all ages] The Dub Land Underground (315 Alexander St., formerly Whiskey) will be hosting Eddie Nebula and the Plague, and great Irish punk band Tom Foolery and the Shannanighans (not Shenanigans) starting around 9:30 p.m. [source: Freetime] The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) will be hosting excellent satirical gospel rock from The Lobster Quadrille, Daryl Fleming, and mellow, varied jazz-rock from Margaret Explosion starting around 10:30 p.m. [source: Bug Jar calendar] [21+] Tonight's another Betty's Sing-a-Long at Betty Meyer's Bullwinkle Café (622 Lake Ave., a.k.a. "Bullwinkle's") starting around 10.

S U N D A Y

The Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) will be showing The Red Shoes starting at 7 p.m. about a dance-obsessed woman. [source: Eastman House calendar] [all ages] Tonight at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) is Blood Bath and Beyond, and Warblade starting around 9:30 p.m. [source: Bug Jar calendar] [18+] Tonight and every Sunday at Boulder Coffee Co. (100 Alexander St.) is a Comedy Open Mic with Matt Rohr at 7:30 p.m. [source: the proverbial grapevine] [all ages]

M O N D A Y

Memorial Day Observed (half-staff until noon) Tonight at The Little (240 East Ave.) is another in the Emerging Filmmakers Series and featuring The Day, The Cure by Stephen Mead, Maze by Neal Dhand, Hate Preachers by Dave Puls, Lucky by Jesse Kross, and This Is It by David M. Korn. [source: Emerging Filmmaker e-mail] Bored? Why not check out 1980's DJ night at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) starting around 11 p.m. [source: Bug Jar calendar]

T U E S D A Y

This morning at 7:30 a.m. in the cafeteria overlooking the arboretum in Bausch and Lomb (140 Stone St.) is the Artists Breakfast Group meeting ... anyone interested in art or creativity is invited. Tonight at Boulder Coffee Co. (100 Alexander St.) is Robin Hood starting around 8 p.m. [source: Boulder Coffee MySpace site] [all ages] The Spider Bags, and The Apostles Of The Hidden Son will be at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) starting around 9:30 p.m. [source: Bug Jar calendar] [18+] Daily Perks (389 Gregory St.) is hosting an Acoustic Open Mic from 8 to 10. [source: Daily Perks calendar]

W E D N E S D A Y

Memorial Day Good reggae-dub from Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad will be at The Dub Land Underground (315 Alexander St., formerly Whiskey) starting around 9:30 p.m. [source: Freetime] Poor People United meets tonight and every Wednesday at 7 at St. Joseph's House of Hospitality (402 South Ave.) [source: the proverbial grapevine] There's an Open Mic for Acoustic Music at Boulder Coffee Co. (100 Alexander St.) tonight around 8. [source: the proverbial grapevine] Tonight at Café Underground Railroad (480 W. Main St.) is a Spoken Word/Poetry night starting around 9 p.m. [source: the proverbial grapevine]

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