Photo: Director Ben DeJesus and host John Leguizamo on the set. Credit: NGL Studios

As we mark the 60-day milestone of my arrival and our “Bringing Us Together” campaign, I want to take a moment to reflect on what I’ve learned in my short time here in Rochester. This is a special community — one that values how WXXI shows up every day. You count on us to provide fact-based, balanced journalism, quality entertainment for the whole family, and educational opportunities that bring us together and keep us whole — no matter what our political ideology is. 

We do this work because Rochester deserves it. Because you deserve it. 

But right now, public media — including WXXI — is facing one of its greatest challenges. Federal funding, which has long helped sustain local public media stations like ours, is at risk. Proposed budget cuts and funding freezes threaten our ability to continue delivering the trusted news, cultural programming, and lifelong learning opportunities that serve every corner of this community. 

In a world increasingly divided by partisanship, WXXI stands as a rare and essential space that serves everyone — on radio, television, digital platforms, and in person. We are a vital part of Rochester’s civic and cultural life, and we need your help to ensure we remain strong. 

I’m asking you to share your story. Tell us what WXXI means to you. Your voice matters, and your testimonials can help protect the future of public media. Visit Protect My Public Media to add your voice and learn how you can advocate for continued federal support. 

Now more than ever, our community needs a trusted source for news, storytelling, and connection. And together, we can make sure WXXI continues to be that source. Thank you for believing in us. 

Warm Regards

Chris Hastings 
President & CEO
WXXI Public Media 

If you’re new in town or just looking for something different to do, WXXI’s staff has 10 amazing recommendations for people of all ages and backgrounds. Is there something we’re missing? Drop us a line and tell us and we might include it in a future installment. 

Make some memories you’ll regret on a bar crawl at East & Alexander
– Kseniya Kalaur, Digital Strategist  

Do you think there’s nothing to do in Rochester on a Friday or Saturday night? I got you covered. Head to The Daily Refresher for a slow start – grab a cocktail, dinner and a chat with your friends (if you have any), or just enjoy the demure and mindful atmosphere because it’s going to get loud. 

Then head to Murphy’s Law to check out one of Rochester’s best pubs. Grab a beer, watch TV and get ready for the next stop – which is Filgers! No matter if you’re in a big company or alone it’s always fun there. And it’s a great place to meet new people.  

I like to end my night in Swan Dive. First off, I really like the lightning and if it gets too overwhelming inside, you can chill outside. If you are looking for something even more club-like, head to Studio Lounge (a short walk from East & Alexander) or one of my local favorites, The Revelry (~5 min drive). 

Experience cinema history with “Silent Tuesdays” at the George Eastman Museum 
– Mona Seghatoleslami, WXXI Classical Music Director & Afternoon Host

The earliest movies, from the 1890s through the late 1920s, are known as “silent” films – they have no synchronized soundtrack, but that doesn’t mean they were meant to be experienced in silence. These pictures come to life when accompanied by live music. 

The George Eastman Museum has an amazing archive of silent movies, but the true treasure is Dr. Philip Carli, one of the finest silent film accompanists in the world, playing for us right here in Rochester. 

Carli improvises the music for these movies live at the piano, finding just the right musical phrases to underscore comedies from Buster Keaton and Harold Lloyd, grand sweeping epics, domestic dramas, eerie thrillers, and more. You owe it to yourself to experience a silent movie with Philip Carli playing piano – and you too may find yourself drawn back again and again as one of the dedicated fans who look forward to these magical Tuesday evenings every autumn. 

Discover the oldest trees around in this city forest 
– Alison Zero Jones, Director, Corporate Sponsorship

You can hike a seemingly infinite number of trails in the Finger Lakes, and all the possibilities often obscure the gems in Rochester city limits. The 26-acre Washington Grove in Cobbs Hill Park offers easy access to an old-growth forest, one populated with 100- to 200-year-old towering oaks, and loads of maples planted by Rochester school children back in the 1930s. 

This special sliver of Rochester is formally protected by the @oldgrowthforestnetwork, and @friendsofwashingtongrove kindly look after it. The ol’ green lung also offers access to artist-repurposed water towers where friends can argue over which work is best and/or debate freedom of expression – many options. Part of the glacially formed Pinnacle Range, this whole zone is a must-tread. Dreamy Nunda Blvd. leads visitors to its entrance.   

Destroy your arteries with Rochester’s OTHER signature dish 
– Gino Fanelli, Investigations/City Hall Reporter

While basking in the glow of the garbage plate’s grease-stained glory, one could be forgiven for thinking it is the only artery-clogging creation the Flower City can take credit for.   

But it isn’t. It’s not even the best. For that, you have to head to Country Sweet, the chicken and ribs joint defined by its viscous, sugary, vinegary, and slightly spicy sauce. Many Rochesterians know the sauce as “sweet and sour,” a disambiguation of Country Sweet to include pale imitators like Boss Sauce or Sal’s Sassy Sauce. But there is no replacement for the real deal.   

The offerings at the restaurant’s two locations, on Mount Hope Avenue and West Ridge Road, are preserved in amber: chicken, fish, and shrimp, all battered, dredged, and fried, placed on a bed of plain white bread to soak up the liquid, and then drowned in the signature sauce. It’s greasy, salty, sweet, savory, tangy, spicy, and the sort of thing a more responsible society would have you sign a waiver before consuming. And it’s divine.   

The sauce itself? Good on everything, and I mean that to the most extreme degree. Every time I’m away from Rochester, I miss it more than anything or anyone else. It’s irreplaceable, indescribable, and something any true Rochesterian needs to experience. In moderation.  

Pretend you’re a kid again and have a playdate at the Strong Museum 
– David Streever, Director of Digital Product

When’s the last time you really played? I’m a full-grown adult like you, not two children in a trench coat, but after having kids I realized I had been neglecting play for years. 

It’s hard to find the time – or confidence – to just let go and play as a grownup. But Rochester has the perfect place to remember what it’s like to be a kid: The Strong National Museum of Play.  

Go early on a weekend or a weekday, and you can play the arcade games of your childhood. If you feel weird, you can bring a kid with you and sit in for a story hour – but adults are welcome at any time. The historical exhibits are interesting whenever you can see them, but if you’re not good at taking turns and want to go when it’s just adults, keep an eye out for the semi-regular ‘happiest hour,’ when the museum shuts down for a 21+ evening.  

Bike the Genesee River on a car-free trail through the heart of Rochester 
– Katie Epner, Creative Content Producer

There’s no better way to get to know a place than on a bike. Growing up in Rochester, it wasn’t until I explored it on two wheels that I truly fell in love with our city. The Genesee River Trail is a fantastic place to start— and it’s only getting better with improvements from the @ROCtheRiverway project and the impending High Falls State Park! 13 [mostly] mellow miles between the Erie Canal and Lake Ontario take you through parks, waterfalls, boardwalks, bridges, forests and an overwhelming wonder that all of this exists within our city. Bike groups abound, and if you’re in need of wheels, the incredible volunteers at @r_community_bikes can hook you up. What are you waiting for? 🛎️ Get on your bikes and ride! 🛎️ 

We have the beautifully witchy vibes of The Unreliable Narrator (302 N. Goodman), top-tier breakfast sandwiches and the cutest cat pillow at Bookeater (836 S. Clinton), plus Writers & Books’ magically indie spot, Ampersand Books (740 University Ave.). Additionally, there’s Akimbo (714 University Ave.), which focuses on social justice plus international fiction, the queer-focused Archivist Books at 772 Monroe Ave. (“read gay books” is just a perfect slogan/piece of advice), and Hipocampo Children’s Books (638 South Ave.), which features books that represent the various cultures and languages of Western New York.   

There are also excellent spots for used books, including Rick’s Recycled Books (737 Monroe Ave), Greenwood Books (123 East Ave.), and Small World Books (425 North Street). Couple this with dozens of whimsical bookstores in the suburbs, plus the positively top-notch Monroe County libraries, and it’s clear Rochester is a haven for readers of all ages.