Mucho Gusto

Truth be told: Rochester and Italy are not one of the same. Where are the gondola's? How about the Sistine Chapel? Have you caught sight of any of those world class fashion houses lately? Okay, okay enough cynicism. There just so happens to be a slice of Italy that has endured this garbage plate haven, Gusto, located at 277 Alexander Street. 

The menu is the love child of good food and comfort which in terms of offerings means plenty of: pizza, pasta, paninis, soups, salads, and without a doubt, dessert. Furthermore, even gluten-free offerings abound. Stop by on a Tuesday evening  for conversational Italian classes, the perfect accompaniment to any cannoli. Side note confession: Gusto gelato is the stuff dreams are made of. 

Tying Up Some Loose Ends

And I am back from outer space... 

  Face it, summer is fading along with your sun-kissed glow and your right to wear white (bee tee dubs it’s a cardinal rule.)  So it’s back to classes, back to books, back to teachers' dirty looks. Why don’t you just cry me a freakin’ Genesee river?

However, even if you aren’t gung-ho about easing into the whole swing of things, aka forsaking class and homework in exchange for a romp in GVP and a night out on the town, you might as well dress the part. Thank heavens, Thread has got your back. This boutique located at 654 South Avenue, in the artsy South Wedge, has a knack for showcasing independent designers on both the local and national scale. It’s a meeting-ground of the trendy and the hipster sensibility. It’s a funky monkey.

Sew, what are you waiting for? 

Arigato means "Thank you"

"Welcome to Arigato," the friendly host greeted me and my friend, E. "We have an all-you-can-eat Sushi buffet and a hibachi menu." I looked at my friend and grinned. "Hibachi," we said simultaneously. Great minds think alike.
Hibachi.
The food was cooked in an open Japanese-style BBQ in front of the patrons. Here, the chefs are not only responsible for tasty food, they also entertain the guests with humor. Here, playing with your food is not only encouraged, but also a part of your Arigato experience.
After a hard day of shopping, E and I enjoyed watching our food cook in front of us, with sizzling displays of fire (all under control). Our cook was hilarious and our food, once cooked, was delicious beyond words.
Seriously, how did I, who love food a little too much, just find out about this gem on W. Henrietta?
For a college student, however, it might be a bit pricey.
But the show, atmosphere and food made it well worth it.
And besides, who doesn't like hibachi or sushi?
A little something else I picked up, Arigato apparently will put the birthday girl or boy in traditional Japanese clothes. I've never worn Japanese clothing, but I definitely will next March!

XOXO,
RED hottie dos.

Bagel Bin Cafe

I pulled into the parking space, feeling a load of pressure drop from my shoulders. I finally reached my destination.
For the past 30 minutes, I was traversing the in and outs of Monroe County, attempting to find Bagel Bin Cafe in order to pick up gift certificates for this month's Wilson Common Wednesday. I am notorious for easily getting lost and I breathed a sigh of relief as I stepped into this Cafe.
Immediately, I saw a busy crowd hanging around. Some were waiting for their coffee, others were sitting at tables, reading the paper or catching up with an old friend. I liked the serenity of this atmosphere--busy and noisy, but calming. From observing its clients, I noticed that Bagel Bin Cafe is sort of like a haven away from real life where one could relax.
I walked to the counter and asked for the manager. He greeted me politely, with a smile and after inquiring about my business, handed me an envelope containing the gift certificates. The process was smooth--the manager knew what he was doing and the staff looked friendly as they helped customers.
"Good job, Bagel Bin," I thought. I got back into my zipcar (zipcar, BTW, is another RED partner) and checked the time.
"Crap!" I have 10 minutes to get to campus and return my car. Let's hope I don't get lost on the way back.

XOXO,
Notorious R.E.D.

To Kill Two Birds with a Bowl of Noodles

"Rochester every day? What is that?" she asked, sounding slightly out of breath. Whoops. I called during rush hour. "We don't have Rochester every day, sorry." She hung up, leaving me to wonder if I had imagined the student discount the previous time I went to Aja Noodles. Fortunately, my phone had internet access, even if my buddy Sue B. didn't. I checked the RED website (that's http://www.sa.rochester.edu/red/index.php for y'all) and found to my delight that Aja Noodles did indeed have a discount. I called up my friend "Michael" to grab some food off-campus in celebration of the end of finals. Aw man this interview rocks, I thought, I get to release stress by eating off campus to qualify for a sweet job that has "blogging" in the job description.
The food was delicious, as always. Michael and I ate, catching up with our lives. I subtly observed the other people eating in the RED-struant. They all looked happy with the food and service. Who wouldn't? The food was great and the service decent. As I was paying the check, I talked to the manager and asked her a few questions. Apparently, discounts apply for all college students, not just U of R students. And yes, SHE knew what RED was. So who was the employee who picked up the phone and didn't know what Rochester every day was? Maybe they just didn't know that it stood for the acronym RED? Thank goodness for the website! I don't think we students give enough credit to the people who make it possible for us to save money. And not just a little amount. It adds up. Think of all the students who have cars and go out to restaurants, or salons in the city, all under the RED program.
I pondered this thought and left.

Some New Blood (Not in the Twilight sense)

As mentioned in a previous post, I am busting out of the good ole USA for my semester abroad. “What will happen to the RED Hottie?” you inquire apprehensively. Don’t sweat it, cause I got you covered. There’s a new RED Hottie in town and the word on the street is that she likes pina coladas and getting caught in the rain. Hit up her first post (featured above) ‘cause I think it’s stellar. Keep using your RED sticker for discounts in the Roch.

And for now peace out homies. See you in September. xo