Weekly Rochester Events #406: See How the Flames Appear to Orbit Giordano

Thursday, October 19, 2006

This past weekend Ali and I took a trip to see her mother, brother and sister-in-law, and their new baby. We left on Thursday for Baltimore and got in around 4:30 or so. We got to meet the baby which is really tiny. That night we stayed in but on Friday afternoon we hit some stops around Baltimore.

First we got some good deals on things. The The National Aquarium in Baltimore (501 E. Pratt St., Baltimore, MD) is regularly $22 for adults but on Fridays after 5, they drop the rate to $8 ... fortunately we were able to get tickets in advance so we headed to The Capitol City Brewing Company (301 Light St., Baltimore, MD) for some appetizers. Well, it happened to be happy hour until 7 so both the beers and the appetizers were half-price. Afterward we headed back to the aquarium which was amazing. It took us about two and a half hours to go through it all (and that at a brisk pace.) We were amused by the school fish and adored the giant old turtle in the sharks-and-rays tank.

After a frustrating tour of the same loop around downtown, we finally made it to the "Federal Hill" area. We stopped first at The Thirsty Dog Pub (20 E. Cross St., Baltimore, MD) which Ali knew from when she'd visited her brother in the past. Their gimmick is to serve two half-pint-ish mugs for one price rather than regular pint glasses. The beer was quite good but we accidentally ordered a pair too many in the confusion. After that we walked around a little looking for some food. We stopped at a wine store and asked and was directed to Sobo Café (6 W. Cross St., Baltimore, MD).

On the wall behind the bar/waiting area was a chalkboard with their menu. All of the dishes included mouthwatering descriptions of their ingredients and preparation techniques. Except for one. That was what I was getting, no matter what. It simply read, "Chicken pot pie". I mean, with all that other stuff, how good must the potpie be?

We started off asking about wines at the bar while waiting and (presumably) the owner offered up an impromptu tasting that included the (presumably) two (presumably) regulars next to us. We ended up taking his recommendation which I don't remember and having dinner. The potpie was amazing — a perfect crust over a creamy mix of potatoes, corn, peas, carrots, and chicken picked from the bone. We headed home after that, getting in late.

Saturday we left Baltimore around noon and went to find my friends in Virginia — Mike and Tina, of early "LunchNStuff" O'Bagelo's (165 State St.) fame. We arrived around 1:30 and had a nice time catching up before hitting the road to go home. Our first stop was Cold Stone Creamery (1013 Edwards Ferry Rd NE, Leesburg, VA) for some ice cream — locally, it's Cold Stone Creamery (3349 Monroe Ave., Pittsford) if you'd like to try. Basically they scoop out ice cream onto a cold slab then add whatever toppings and ingredients you want mixed in. It was great. We got back on the road and continued our journey up Route 15 until we stopped for dinner around 8 in Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania near Susquehanna University (514 University Ave., Selinsgrove, PA). From the south, you get off at Market Street whereas from the north you just continue into town past all the strip malls and stuff — the (apparently) "old town" near the university had a bunch of shops. We stopped at the cafe but I was looking for more of a salad than their panini sandwiches — my food-for-the-day consisted of eggs, cheese, ham, bacon, and ice cream so I was dying for some vegetables. We stopped at a bar and their kitchen didn't open until 10 and only serves chicken wings. However, the patrons there insisted we go to the brew pub down the street.

So we went to Selin's Grove Brewing Co. (121 North Market St., Selinsgrove, PA) and had a delicious meal — Ali had the chili which was perfect along with a terrific ham sandwich with soft cheeses, and I had the veggie wrap which was great, and we finished up with coffee. With dinner I had some great blackberry wine and she had some great mead.

We got back on the road around 9:30 or so and after an hour or so, we realized that the both of us were quite exhausted — despite the strong coffee. We stopped along the way where some truck had stopped and took a nap. I had switched to the driver's seat and (although this never happened in the last two years and 12,000-odd miles I've spent crossing the country sleeping in my car) I woke with a start after 15 minutes or so thinking I fell asleep driving. We persevered and made it to a rest are near Corning around 11:30. We slept for an hour but it didn't really help. Less than 2 hours from home, I was determined to make it — it seemed stupid to stop in Geneseo and get a hotel room when my bed was just a little further. The next rest stop had vending so I bought a Diet Pepsi and had that and stayed awake enough to make it home. We got in around 2 and crashed right away.

On Sunday Ali went to take care of her cats and I got a chance to get back to the Rochester scene. That night I went to the Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) to see the films of J. X. Williams as presented by Noel Lawrence, curator for The J. X. Williams Archive (7 Avenue Trembely, Zürich, Switzerland). He was enamored of Williams' work when he first got a chance to see Psych-burn, the first film he showed. It's a short film that is a surreal adaptation of an acid trip gone bad. Next was Satan Claus, made in Williams' typical style of found footage; it was a witty take on the loveless consumerism of Christmas. The final short was a prologue to The Virgin Sacrifice — an abbreviated version of the 3-hour film, and a trippy take on Satanic ritualism. The main feature was Peep Show which was a remarkable, dark, imaginative 1965 pseudo-documentary in the style of Michael Moore — at least in the sense of using ham-fisted imagery to get his point across. The program concluded with The Showdown which combined footage from Dirty Harry and Bullitt, pitting the two leads against one another in a bloody showdown with a clever twist at the end. In all the program was enjoyable and I hope more of Williams' work can be uncovered and restored.

That's about it for this week ... I don't have any philosophy to share right now. Well, I could, but I've been in a pretty miserable mood and, well, that's not any fun to hear about. [all ages]

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 "Wish You Were Here" Photography Lecture by photographer and author John Sexton. [source: Eastman House calendar] [all ages] This evening starting at 7 p.m. at The Asbury First United Methodist Church (1050 East Ave.) is a program by The Rochester Genealogical Society featuring Stephan Clarke discussing The Palatines, Hank Jones, the RGS and Me then Gregory S. Spacher will present Civil War Research: The case of John T. Seiler and the 140th New York on researching military records and pension applications. [source: Rochester Genealogical Society website] [all ages] The play Lobby Hero will be performed in the 1510 Lab Theatre at RIT (One Lomb Memorial Dr., campus map) tonight, tomorrow, and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and then again on Sunday at 2 p.m. [source: RIT Events Calendar site] Over at Boulder Coffee Co. (100 Alexander St.) starting around 8 p.m. is Robin Hood. [source: Boulder Coffee MySpace site] [all ages] The Graveyards, impressive, organic experimental jazz from The Blood and Bone Orchestra, and The Suicide Revolutionary Jazz Band will be at A|V Art Sound Space (N. Union St. at Trinidad St., #8 in the Public Market, formerly the All-Purpose Room) starting around 9 p.m. [source: A|V Space website] The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) will be hosting Burning Daylight, Nick Young, Jesse Sprinkle, creative acoustic soloist Gregory Paul, and Ryan Beatty starting around 9:30 p.m. [source: band calendar] Pure Kona Poetry Open Mic Night is at Daily Perks (389 Gregory St.) tonight starting at 7:30. [source: Daily Perks calendar] Drinking Liberally meets at 8 p.m. tonight at Monty's Korner (355 East Ave.) [source: RocWiki calendar]

F R I D A Y

Today through Sunday at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) is The Photographic Historical Society (350 Whiting Rd., Webster)'s Triennial Symposium of "photographic history and the preservation of photographic antiques." [source: Eastman House calendar] [all ages] This evening from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Yoga with Estelle (34 Elton St.) is a Celebration of Life with a vegetarian potluck dinner at 8 p.m. [source: Craigslist Rochester events] Today and tomorrow starting every 10 minutes from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. is Ghost Walk starting at Third Presbyterian Church (4 Meigs St., at the corner of East Ave.) [source: Landmark Society calendar] This evening from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at The Rochester Contemporary Art Gallery (137 East Ave.) is the opening of the 2006 Electronic Media and Film Series titled Land - Tracking - Land. The exhibit closes on November 19. [source: Rochester Contemporary calendar] [all ages] Tonight at 8 p.m. at Boulder Coffee Co. (100 Alexander St.) is the opening of an art exhibition by Mike Twohig and with music by Tim Tibbitts. [source: Boulder Coffee MySpace site] [all ages] The Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) will be showing Five Easy Pieces starting at 8 p.m. in which "a concert pianist from a wealthy family of musicians who has been slumming on an oil rig" gets called home to a family emergency. [source: Eastman House calendar] [all ages] Tonight at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) is Death by Doll, and the terrific satirical gospel band The Lobster Quadrille starting around 10 p.m. [source: Bug Jar calendar] [18+]

S A T U R D A Y

The Bop Shop (274 N. Goodman St., in Village Gate Square) will be hosting Jesse Lege, and Bayou Brew starting around 2 p.m. [source: Bop Shop calendar] [all ages] Tonight starting around 5 p.m. at The Ant Hill Cooperative (960 South Plymouth Ave.) is another Ant Hill Pot Luck ... "bring a dish to share, a good story, a musical instrument, or a friend." [source: RocWiki calendar] Updated: This afternoon from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the gallery at The Arts and Cultural Council for Greater Rochester (277 N. Goodman St.) is the opening of a new exhibit titled International Art Exhibit: Rochester Art Club and Arts & Letters Club of Toronto which runs through November 9. [source: Arts and Cultural Council e-mail] Tonight at 8 p.m. at The Flat Iron Café (561 State St.) is The Sean Jefferson Quartet followed at 11 p.m. by Sabrina and Giorgio. [source: Flat Iron Cafe webstie] Tonight at Boulder Coffee Co. (100 Alexander St.) is Better Late Than Never 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 Mountains of the Moon starting at 8 p.m. ... filmmaker Bob Rafelson will be on hand to present his reenactment of explorer Sir Richard Burton in his attempt to find the source of the Nile River. [source: Eastman House calendar] [all ages] Updated: Tonight at 8:30 p.m. at Hot Shots (1046B University Ave.) is a Boarding for Breast Cancer benefit featuring great, fun surf-rock (and stage show) from The Isotopes and The Hounds of Hell. [source: band e-mail] Baba Yaga, The Lazers, and tight, technical hard rock from BML will be at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) starting around 10:30 p.m. [source: Bug Jar calendar] [21+] Over at Monty's Krown (875 Monroe Ave.) starting around 10:30 p.m. is The Do Bo Trio. [source: Monty's Krown MySpace page] [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

This evening at 7 p.m. at The Rochester Visual Studies Workshop (31 Prince St.) is a showing of Robert Greenwald's Iraq For Sale: The War Profiteers (more info at the official website). [source: the proverbial grapevine] [all ages] The Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) will be showing Blood and Wine starting at 7 p.m. in which a duo attempt a diamond heist, but one member's dysfunctional extended family causes things to go awry. [source: Eastman House calendar] [all ages] 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]

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 7 p.m. at Verb Café at Writers and Books (740 University Ave.) is 25 & Under hosted by Sally Bittner Bonn [source: Writers and Books calendar] [all ages] The Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) will be showing The Wedding March starting at 8 p.m. in which an "overbearing father insists that [his son] marry money in the form of Cecilia, the unattractive daughter of a well-to-do industrial baron. Fate intervenes when Nicky's horse stumbles into the poor but gorgeous Mitzi. A 35mm print that restores the original Technicolor™ sequences, courtesy of the Library of Congress, will be shown." Also featuring live piano by Philip C. Carli. [source: Eastman House calendar] [all ages] Over at The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) starting around 9:30 p.m. is 400 Blows, and crisp hard rock from Orodruin. [source: Bug Jar calendar] [18+] Tonight at 7 p.m. at The Flat Iron Café (561 State St.) is the Hot as Fire Spoken Word / Open Mic. [source: Flat Iron Cafe webstie] Daily Perks (389 Gregory St.) is hosting an Acoustic Open Mic featuring JoAnn Vaccaro from 8 to 10. [source: Daily Perks calendar] [all ages]

W E D N E S D A Y

Tonight at The Montage Live Music Hall (50 Chestnut St., formerly the Montage Grille) starting around 7 p.m. is an Open Mic. [source: Montage Live Music Hall MySpace page] Tonight starting around 7:30 p.m. at Water Street Music Hall (204 N. Water St.) is Chicks with Picks sponsored by The City Newspaper featuring good bar-rock from The Jennifer Heieck Band, Teressa Wilcox, The Katy Wright Band,and Teagan and the Tweeds. [source: Water Street calendar] [all ages] The Dryden Theater at George Eastman House (900 East Ave.) will be showing Babe: Pig in the City starting at 8 p.m. in which the resourceful pig heads to the big city to save the farm after his farmer falls ill. Unlike the soft-spoken original film, this one is much darker. The film will be preceded by the William Wegman short The Hardly Boys in Hardly Gold. [source: Eastman House calendar] [all ages] Over at Java's (16 Gibbs St.) starting around 9 p.m. is The Jeremy Siskind Trio. [source: Java's calendar] [all ages] The Bug Jar (219 Monroe Ave.) will be hosting Coffinberry, and a perfection of clean, crisp rock-and-roll from Tiger Cried Beef starting around 9:30 p.m. [source: Bug Jar calendar] [18+] 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 Milestones (170 East Ave.) is another The Comedy Block Party starting almost promptly at 8 p.m.

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