CITY NEWSPAPER: Drum of Seneca
A mystery echoes around the shores of Seneca Lake. Deep, rolling booms, like distant cannon fire, can be heard in centuries-old Haudenosaunee legend, the 19th century travel writing of James Fenimore Cooper and scientific reports in the archives of the University of Rochester. The most popular name for the phenomenon is the Drums of Seneca, a ghostly auditory apparition said to portend everything from divine judgment to societal change.
CITY NEWSPAPER: See Me Down the Road
A father and two young sons drive north, as they do every year, for Christmas in Rochester. Inside the car, the dad slowly rotates the radio’s tuner, seeking the strongest of patchwork and far-flung radio signals. The oldest son snoozes in the passenger seat. The youngest watches from the back, wrappers of twin Jr. Bacon Cheeseburgers at his feet (always the same Wendy’s on this journey, always the same order), flashlight and road atlas ready for action.
CITY NEWSPAPER: Cold Hands, Warm Heart
When the summer sun shines in Geneva or Seneca Falls, it’s not unusual to hear, somewhere in the distance, the “Super Mario Bros.” theme song. The nostalgia-inducing melody issues from a technicolor truck with a bubblegum-pink grille and rainbow-painted tires rotating lackadaisically at roughly five miles per hour.
ESQUIRE.COM: 18 Hours in the Epicenter of St. Paddy's Day
7:45 a.m. The streets of downtown Boston are empty — like a Walking Dead episode. Only the Black Rose is alive. A line of patrons stretches the length of the green-paneled, two-story building.
7:50 a.m. Christine Carroll, the first downstairs bartender we encounter, complains about a Facebook friend as she preps the first floor bar. "'St. Patties' is how she spelled it — like a burger! And she's Irish, too — like I'm about to delete ya!" She turns to us. "What's Esquire?"
8:00 a.m. Golden Guinness balloons are quickly inflated and tied to a banister that divides the first floor dining room from the bar. The manager, Terry, makes his final rounds, consulting staff and gauging their readiness.
BESPOKE POST: The Hot Toddy
Winter drinking can seem a drab affair. Summer brings to mind bokeh-flecked images of poolside spritzers, sangrias, and punches, while signature cold-weather cocktails are usually... rudimentary. Typical recipes go something like, “Add [spirit] to [recognized seasonal beverage].” You know, rum in your eggnog, bourbon in your cider, Bailey’s in your coffee, and, depending on the number of extended family engagements, perhaps vodka in your water bottle.