Rochester in the Fall

By Stephania Romaniuk

Ahhh… Fall in Rochester.  The best season there is. I have always loved the moment I see leaves turning yellow – just a peek here and there at first – because I know that the long, glorious weeks of colorful trees, crisp Fall mornings, and new adventures are about to begin.  Rochester really comes into its own in Fall.  The season lasts, and throughout it, the sky is magnificent.  Upper New York state must have a very peculiar atmosphere because the cloud formations here are unlike those anywhere else.  Expansive swaths of color move across the sky, dappled, and with an architecture to them that is wholly unique to this area.

Fall is also about adventure.  What will my classes be?  Who will I meet in them?  What are the professors like?  Fall zips around with a kind of novelty that somehow eludes the other seasons.  This Fall I made some great discoveries myself at the U of R and around Rochester.  For starters, I stumbled upon the book sale at Rush Rhees (the main library on campus).  It was a great surprise, especially because libraries are usually hard places to “browse” around – you really need to know what you’re looking for.  After about an hour, I walked away with four very different titles: Carl L. Becker’s Freedom and Responsibility in the American Way of Life, Russia and the West: Under Lenin and Stalin by George F. Kennan (the former United States Ambassador to the Soviet Union), Rollo May’s Man’s Search for Himself (I know, how deep…) and a collection of proverbs and sayings of Ireland.  What a stash, eh?

Actually, I’m not sure if everyone has my eclectic tastes for literature, so it’s a good thing that book sales aren’t the only events around here.  Some other things I discovered this Fall are a fantastic art supply store, some locals cafes, and lots and lots of art galleries.  In fact, on the first Friday of every month, many of these galleries open their doors in the evenings and anyone can walk right in and take a look at the galleries’ collections.  These aptly named “First Fridays” are a really fantastic way to check out some great (often local) art and have a unique night on the town.

Finally, if you have not already, definitely check out Groupon.  You can receive daily deals on local goods and services.  For instance, I recently received a coupon worth $12 at a local organic foods market. (Okay, so all I bought was a loaf of bread and some almonds), but the point is that local businesses offer great deals on their items, and these are often places you might not discover on your own.

So – Fall, Rochester, book sales, First Fridays and Groupon.  Get to know your city and all of a sudden you can take pride in the unexpected delights it has to offer!

Thanks for reading, and keep checking back for updates!

P.S. Just discovered a photo blog all about Rochester: http://www.flickriver.com/places/United+States/New+York/Rochester/Cobbs+Hill/ (Check out the pictures of the sky…)