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Dear Refrigerator,
I really enjoy your photos, man. Just a quick note on Latin Side of Miles. The trumpet player is Michael Rodriguez. Lynch didn't make it to the festival, and Michael played with Matt Wilson because Terrell Stafford couldn't make it.
All the best,
Jason
Dear Refrigerator,
I got to your site through ROCWiki. It's awesome! What a great approach to take towards our fair city. In your "Rochester's Radio City" article in Rochester Beat, you mention that the WHAM building is now WHEC. The Humboldt St. building actually became the home of WROC (Channel 8) after WHAM left. I work for WROC and that building is certainly a great piece of Rochester history, even if it's been over-retrofitted and just a few parts of the radio hall history still remain. WHAM moved out of there in the early 60's (I believe) but the general structure of the building on the interior is still reminiscient of the old recording studios. Large, wrap-around windows, high ceilings, and an enormous studio. Thanks for the great site, and here's a picture of my cat, Mr. Boots.
Alex Newman
Dear Refrigerator,
As for Cavacori's review. I beleive it is a great place to go. It has been a family tradition to go there and when you know the owners, waiters, and bartender, they take care of you. You already had a opinion before you walked in considering you are fan of Dominics but do they know you by name? Do they take the time to make your food just how you like it. Are you even italian? Who are you to judge a place you went to once, on one experience. All whining critiques know that.
Anonymous Contribution
Dear Refrigerator,
Could you please tell me when the 2006 weiner parade will be held?
Lynn
Dear Refrigerator,
As for your comment on LaRocca's.....the picture is not of the owners John and Cindy, they were working, but the picture is of Cindy's parents, who have passed away and had a lot to do with the restaurant. Don't know who you are.....but a restaurant critic with class you are not!
Dear Refrigerator,
I love your site. Do you have anything in tribute to Genny Beer?
Gregg
Dear Refrigerator,
Missing from Favorite Sons is Anthony Hecht, won Pulitzer Prize for book of poetry, the Hard Hours. Taught at U of R. Lived on South Goodman, last house before Highland Park. I delivered firewood to his house in 1972 and he gave me a $5 tip. Also missing from any site I've seen is arguably the most important person who lived here, or lived, period, in the 20th century. His absence shows where are heads are (at the movie theater and sports arena, mostly). His name is Arthur Kornberg. U of R physician who, with another U of R PhD Chemist (Paul somebodyorother), won the Nobel Prize for discovering/defining DNA.
Rich G
Dear Refrigerator,
I've enjoyed your site! I happened to notice that soap star Michael Park was not on your celebrity
list. He was very active with Blackfriars Theatre before leaving for the bright lights of NYC. Another Blackfriars alum, Donna Lynn Champlin, is a broadway star, and is currently in the revival on broadway of "Sweeney Todd" Good luck with your site, and all that Italian food.
Kat Fischer
Dear
Refrigerator,
You didn't mention the date of the Wiener
Dog Parade Parade and I would love to attend with my little
longhaired miniature dachshund this year. Any help you could
provide would be greatly appreciated.
Deane Schneider
Dear
Refrigerator,
Cool
slide show - just proves that art is really everywhere
and underfoot. I'll add your slide show to my link page and
if you're interested in submitting any pictures to the ManHole.ca
site, I certainly wouldn't mind.
Take care
Mark, Site Admin, www.manhole.ca
Dear
Refrigerator,
Subject:
Use of City Logo on you website
Hi, that's our city logo on your website. Please give me a
call so we can talk about it. Thanks.
Ted Capuano, Assistant to the Director, Bureau of Communications,
City of Rochester, New York
Dear
Refrigerator,
Subject:
Re: Registered Rochester City mark on website.
Hi, This is the second time I've emailed you about the use
of the City's mark on refrigerator.net. Please take down the
City mark from your website. If you'd like to discuss this,
please feel free to contact me. Thanks.
Ted
Dear
Refrigerator,
Great photos of Lyell
Ave. and East
Main. I'm a transplanted Rochesterian who lives in South
Jersey (I teach journalism at Rowan University in Glassboro)
and don't get back to the city much anymore. I use your site
to keep up.
I have to say, though, that parts of the city look awfully
atrophied. It's hard to believe...when I was a kid (I'm 51)
a lot of Lyell Ave. was vibrant and grand...ditto for East
Main. Although Ben's cafe (I think that's the name of it...near
Stillson, where you picture the site of the car bombing) was
about as seedy as it gets even 30 years ago. Where'd the cafe
go? Is it now the Burger Barn?
Thanks for the site.
Carl Hausman
Dear
Refrigerator,
I'm the food writer at the D&C and have come across your
web site, The Refrigerator, a few times.
I'm particularly interested in the Italian
restaurant listings, some of which are really funny.
Would you be available by phone to answer some questions?
Thanks! Karen Miltner
Dear
Refrigerator,
I love my Refrigerator
hat, but it's dirty. How should I wash it? I'm a little
nervous about fleece and hot things. Thanks.
Shelley
Dear
Refrigerator,
Truly sometimes I miss the horror of Rochester. There is a
wonderful misery to it, a shared quintessential desperation
that is all that is American.
Russell
Dear
Refrigerator,
The Rochester Jazz Festival can say I play poorly if they
want but when the festival calls
my kilt a skirt, now that's nasty.........Why do the some
Americas call it a skirt; when it's a KILT! We (The Scots,
Sean Connery, Billy Connolly, etc.,) fought very hard in the
European court, last year, to retain the the right to call
it a KILT!
The European Court wanted to standardise everything in Europe.
If I wanted to wear a skirt I may also desire other things.
Presently, that doesn't interest me. It's a KILT which represents
my family tartan and history, which is more than 800 years
old. I wear the Ancient Urquhart Tartan because it is my mother
and grandfather's name.
Best wishes Tom
Dear
Refrigerator,
How would you feel, having a camera stare into your
face, every minute of your commute, to & from work, every
day? How would you feel, if On*Star was mandatory in YOUR
CAR,
with a camera always on, staring at YOU?
Empire Vision helps fund constant surveillance on thousands
of innocent Rochesterians, doing nothing more than going to
& from work every day. If being treated like a suspect,
when minding your own business, would piss you off, please
see our boycott page:
Blank Reg
Dear
Refrigerator,
I love your web-site- it is a great link to Rochester happenings
and places. I would like to post my cats, Oscar
and Olive, on your cat index page.
E.
Rapport
Dear
Refrigerator,
I've been reading Bob Dylan's new memoir and he mentions that
John Koerner (aka "Spider"
John Koerner), a legendary folk musician, is from Rochester.
It was news to me, but I've since verified it.
Dear
Refrigerator,
Hello from England, where I have just discovered
your tribute pages
to Chuck Cuminale, about 3 years too late.
I was a big fan of CBJE from the first moment I heard 'Memphis'
played on the radio by John Peel. He also read out their address
so I wrote to them asking about UK tours and releases, and
was amazed to get a reply from 'CBJ' himself.
I saw them twice on tour, and I'll never forget the reaction
of the band to the reaction of the audience. They seemed genuinely
taken aback at being so well received. And every time they
stopped playing we called out for more, and more we got. They
played until the early hours - I had to leave eventually because
of the babysitter!
Alan Ford
Dear
Refrigerator,
Concerning "Favorite
Sons"
Tyson Beckford: from http://www.topblacks.com/fashion/tyson-beckford.htm
"Tyson was born in Rochester, New York on December 19,
1971. The city streets of Rochester show no mercy to anyone."
I might take issue with that second sentence.
Eric Mearns
Dear
Refrigerator,
I was just perusing your sight -- drawn there by the piece
on the R News Web site about Margaret
Explosion -- and noticed two of Rochester's best old mom-and-pop
Italian joints, Rocky's
and Antonetta's,
both on Jay Street, haven't been reviewed.
Anyway, love your site.
Richard Zitrin
Dear
Refrigerator,
Vic & Irv's
closed for good a month ago, done in, I suppose, by the big,
new, too-institutional Bill Gray's. Supposedly the owners
have gone to Florida to open a hot dog place there.
Matthew Caulfield
Dear
Refrigerator,
My friend Dave told me he was in Ft. Lauderdale recently
and pulled a u-e when he spotted a Vic
& Irv's. He said it was the same food, (Zwiegels white
hots too) when he asked the counter help about Rochester and
Seabreeze, they looked at him as if he was from outer space.
Dave Mohney
Dear
Refrigerator,
Well, I'm from Rochester, mostly, but now I live in Chicago-
but I wanted to tell you that I really enjoy your site. I
like it so much that I added a link to it on my website. Is
that okay??
So- also, I'm a painter and I would be really flattered/pleased
if you would check
out my stuff! At your convenience, of course. Thanks again
for the cyber visits home.
Emily Rapport
Dear
Refrigerator,
Whatta great site! It really captures the essence
of Rochester in so many ways. GREAT photos. I linked you guys
up to my homepage. I'm just sorry I didn't find your site
earlier!
Mike Murray
Whole
Loota Shakin'
Dear
Refrigerator,
Why don't you review the most real, authentic, and top-notch
italian restaurant in Rochester? Which is it you may ask?
Rocky's on Jay Street.
Anonymous
submission
Dear
Refrigerator,
Atlantic ave bridge....
the first one. I am not the kind of person who sees things
in things, But there is an angel there... if they could x-ray
it like they do Warhols and Johnss(sp?), there is probably
an entire nativity scene there also or a Simpson's animation
gel....ALL of them are like a little trip... frescoes and
Rochester is Italy, northern Italy
meaning in life
too rich-can only eat a little
bye, steve
Dear
Refrigerator,
what i like best about the refrigerator is it makes
me smile. i forget about everything that bugs me and i just
plain smile.
thanks, angela
Dear
Refrigerator,
I just spent far too much time at The Refrigerator
web page instead of working and thought I'd say hi.
Casey
Dear
Refrigerator,
You should have a section on this site called 'Bob
Lonsberry is the anti-Christ.'
Anonymous submission
Dear
Refrigerator,
How often do you update the site? Do you need more stuff?
I can send you lots of stuff. I have more bathtub stories.
I have other stories. I have wonderful sign pictures. I can
send you a scanned picture of my braid. I can crochet you
something out of dog hair. Let me help. OK?
Sincerely, Miss Suzie DeGrasse
Dear
Refrigerator,
It's Steve Orr at the Democrat and Chronicle. I just wanted
to mention that I'm going to plug your lovely Web site again
in my column this Sunday
Dear
Refrigerator,
Open suggestion to Hillary:
Forget Attack Iraq. Wouldn't it be more cost effective not
to mention humane rather to Titillate A Little Lady In Italy?
Pete
Dear
Refrigerator,
later this year, actually early next year in 2003, an old
Earring Records classic is going to be on CD for the first
time: Absolute Grey "Greenhouse" - maybe it needs
to be available on this Earring website??? , which last I
checked made no mention of the Grey or Greenhouse.
Pat Thomas
Dear
Refrigerator,
Wow! I'm so glad you turned me on to the refrigerator site.
I've been meaning to check it out for what seems to me to
be years now, always enjoyed the paper editions. I liked their
spontaneity and graphic character. Your website is so easy
to browse. It's an inspiration.
Brian
Dear
Refrigerator,
This weekend I was seized with a frenzy of cleaning which
evolved into plumbing the depths of my past. I found the first
mixed tape I ever made, on a 30 minute Radio Shack 'concertape'.
I found my daily calender from 1987. I found all my issues
of The Refrigerator and The Freezer.
I decided to spend my valuable work time going through every
single listing in my address book (the 1987-2002 one) and
look up those whom I no longer had contact with. One of my
oldest corerspondants lives, quite happily, on the streets
on San Francisco and has his own website. Another one suffers
from horrible vertigo and is part of an online support site.
Some have disappeared from the face of the earth, or at least
are no longer visisble via the internet. You can thus imagine
my pleasure (or maybe not) at finding the Fridge alive and
online. YIPPEEEEEEEEEEE!!!! I just want to say thank you.
Thank you. It's beautiful. I love it. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Natalie Attired
Dear
Refrigerator,
Re: Favorite
Sons
Isn't Divine (John Waters' big transvestite) from Roch?
H.B. Ward
Dear
Refrigerator,
whew I feel spent. where's the eggnog and I think you might
now own the record for holding my attention span on the net.
Growing up in Catholic school, we had to pray to KateriTekawitha
when our pastor had cancer. Now I read quite a few print zines,
and being from Rochester just 25 years, I was blown away by
your arts focus. Seems I went looking for that Chuck C memoriam
ages ago. I too am obsessive about the documentation of minutae.
Oftentimes I find myself going back to places here in 14607-land
with my camera just to collect everyday wonders, those I'm
guessing few people see, usually signage, characters, relics,
postmodern stuff like that ˆ the segment on sesame street
where they do the alphabet from various urban signs was the
best ever). And you appreciate the feline enough, as do I.
Sometimes I visit marge beth's speakeasy place there at the
seabreeze, also eat burgers across the street and though I've
only been to Mama Rosa's once, really can't complain. One
time this summer while on the dole, I was out at the Waring
Road plaza and atually dined at Gitanos ice creams. Prior,
I worked at a place whose claim to fame was the local city
billboards emblazoned violence=ignorance, but they since went
under in this rough and tumble economy. Speaking of boards
though, have you noticed just HOW BALD cellino is? (or is
that barnes? Talk about mr. clean right, I can't believe lamar
got him to agree with that) Also saw 4D mentioned a few times
too. I'd sent peggi F resume months ago... and that Coffee
Break story, did the dude from the Ferrel edge write it?
But
back on topic, yeah your site rules, I'm going to tell all
my friends to see it. Plus remember, we're indeed happy to
put those "bad ska bands" on community access TV,
because hey it's better than the undiverse 90% crop of storefront
religion funky jesus shows that saturate it. (Public Service,
ska band from philly does a song, "funky Jesus, homeboy
superbad" as its lyrics go...) All the critics see ska
as the googly-eyed, redhaired stepson of reggae anyway, but
actually it pre-dates it. Scale 2 design is right there on
the corner of gorham and St Paul, Gorham being where the RCTV
station is located; we call it 21 chump street. Such a web
we weave, I say. Our old neighbors across the hall used to
wash dishes at the Mex, but they packed up and went out west.
People can leave rochester all they want, but it continues
to baffle me why. I think I also have a collection of potholes
and street lids as well. Hours later, this plays as too surreal.
happy holidays, Johnny
ps:
here's my blurry kitty, W. Rey Derschowitz + a good Elmwood
& So.
Dear
Refrigerator,
How come Greg Provost is not on your famous Rochester people
list? or for that matter Artie Shawcrost or Armond Schaubrooke
or Dick Storms?
Jim Havalack
Dear
Refrigerator,
Was enjoying therefrigerator today, and saw the
water tank graffiti. I came across them last October,
and some new paintings are there, though not as profuse as
what you saw. I've attached a few of them. The site is beautiful.
I LOVE the manhole
covers!
Best wishes,
Carl
Dear
Refrigerator,
This site is the ultimate Rochester fix for all of us ex-pats
living outside the flower city. It's the culture of the early
80's music scene, all grown up and digitally connected to
the rest of the planet! Thank you from all of us.
Terry Baldwin Lautin
Dear
Refrigerator,
So it's 3:30 a.m. and I am in need of a refrigerator break.
I forgo the real refrigerator and go for the virtual one...
And I run into The
Lawyers. Thank you for bringing laughter into my pathetic
life. Of course, I laughed so hard that I peed my pants which
caused my new dog to go wild and chase the cat who jumped
on the desk and knocked over a coffee cup which shorted out
my computer which singed my hair and I had to go to my hairdresser
who is pretty crazy on a good day but it wasn't a good day
and he turned my hair a rather bizarre shade of pink so now
I look like the Pink Ladies who used to hang out at Sibley's
restaurant which put me back in therapy and while I was driving
there a car ran a red light which actually was sort of yellow
but I didn't tell the policeman that because he was giving
me a ticket for having no license or registration at which
time I tripped over my new shoes which I had to buy to match
my pink hair and I broke my leg, so I just wanted you to know
that I am suing you.
Kathy
Dear
Refrigerator,
Re: Peace
Thank you for emailing President Bush. Your ideas and comments
are very important to him. Unfortunately, because of the large
volume of email received, the President cannot personally
respond to each message. However, the White House staff considers
and reports citizen ideas and concerns. Again, thank you for
your email. Your interest in the work of President Bush
and his administration is appreciated.
Sincerely,
The White House
Office of E-Correspondence
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Dear
Refrigerator
