Q: Why are you doing the blog?
A: I’m doing the blog mainly to expose great restaurants in the city of Syracuse and provide a reference point for dining destinations in each of its neighborhoods.

Q: What motivated you to do it and write about the Syracuse area?
A: I got the motivation after moving to Downtown Syracuse from Boston a few years ago and finding that there wasn’t enough information online about local restaurants and that there were no dining blogs that focused on the city specifically. There’s a few nice blogs for the local CNY region, but I thought the city itself could use some positive exposure.

Q: How do you think the blog affects your readers or dining destinations?
A: The overall goal is to show that there are excellent places to eat in the city and to get as much information about each place out there to people who may be unfamiliar with it. I hope the readers can go into a place that I review with an open mind and just hopefully take what I have to say with a grain of salt. I don’t really consider myself a writer or a legitimate food critic, but I’ll do the best that I can to paint a picture of what a visitor would expect from going to a new restaurant and neighborhood.

I can be picky sometimes, so some restaurants may not get a good review. But I try to be as objective and fair as possible. I’m sure I have or will upset somebody within a restaurant’s staff, but everyone is entitled an opinion. I hope that they can just take mine for what it is: one person’s honest thoughts of a restaurant.

Q: What kind of feedback have you received about the blog?
A: Feedback so far has been good and better than how I thought it would be. I’ve done a few interviews, am collaborating with AllMenus.com, and the visitors to the blog that comment seem to genuinely care about the local dining scene. They’ll offer their own thoughts not only about my reviews but will offer tips on what other restaurants to visit in the city and what to order.

Q: What do you think about the connective corridor?
A: I think it’s really good for the city and can’t wait to see how it develops over the next couple of years. The plans that are online look great. I’ve heard nothing but positive things about the corridor so far.

For more information about the blog or to check out reviews visit Pulled into Syracuse.

On Nov. 19, The Warehouse Gallery will open “Lynette Stephenson: this Confederacy of Dunces,” on view until Feb. 20, 2010. For the Window Projects at The Warehouse Gallery, Stephenson created an installation about New Orleans consisting of 60 hand-felted wool dunce caps. The dunce cap, once used in schools to ostracize and discipline its wearer through shame and humiliation, now appears archaic and even humorous in this window exhibition by Central New York artist Stephenson.

A public reception for the exhibition will be held from 5-8 p.m. on Nov. 19, followed by a reception in the main gallery. The exhibition is intended for audiences of all ages.

On Feb. 18, at 6 p.m., the artist will give a talk about her installation at The Warehouse Gallery. All events at The Warehouse Gallery are free and open to the public.

This exhibition is inspired by John Kennedy Toole’s novel “A Confederacy of Dunces” (1980), set in New Orleans, where Stephenson’s family home was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina, and based on her previous body of paintings, The Red Cross Series, which led to the idea for this site-specific project. In this work, Stephenson engages in a dialogue about present-day social issues referring to New Orleans, the tragedy of the hurricane and the universal symbol of the Red Cross.

Historically seen as an iconic symbol of safety and comfort, the Red Cross emblem has morphed into ambiguous uncertainty after the corruption and inadequate care provided by the organization in regard to events following Hurricane Katrina. It now teeters between positive connotations of its distant past, and negative emotions entwined in the organization’s more recent actions. The placement of such a universal symbol on numerous dunce caps could be construed as an attempt to criticize the recent exploits of the Red Cross through this slightly satirical display.

Born in Seymour, Ind., painter and sculptor Stephenson lives and works in Hamilton, N.Y., where she is an associate professor of painting at Colgate University. Stephenson has exhibited numerous times in Central New York at institutions such as the Everson Museum of Art in Syracuse, Schweinfurth Memorial Art Center in Auburn and Munson Williams Proctor Arts Institute in Utica. Stephenson’s work is included in such collections as the Smith Robertson Museum in Jackson, Miss., and the Southwestern Bell Corporate Collection in San Antonio, Texas. Stephenson holds a M.F.A. from Georgia State University.

By SU News Services • (315) 443-3784

At first, it was a small program with five poetry and fiction workshops that would invite four writers annually. But with high neighborhood response the DWC has grown to host more than 20 writers and 40 various workshops yearly expanding into non-fiction and drama.

New creative writing workshops are interactive and aimed for all ages and writing levels. Their visiting author reading series expanded to feature new novelist as well as Pulitzer Prize-winning poets! Today the YMCA is looking into the future to expand and further renovate the Writer’s Center and Gallery Art space in order to adjust to the growing number of participants.

The Writer’s Center is only one of the many programs the YMCA offers; others include aquatics, health & wellness, sports, and music lessons.  To learn more visit, Downtown Syracuse YMCA.

For more information about all Connective Corridor venues, visit the Venues section of this website.

Each year, Light Work invites 12-15 artists to participate in its residency program, including one artist co-sponsored by Autograph ABP. Artists selected for the residency program are invited to live in Syracuse for one month. They receive a $4,000 stipend, along with a $500 credit for printing at Community Darkrooms. Light Work supplies an apartment to stay in, private darkroom space and 24-hour access to its facility. Light Work’s lab facility can accommodate just about any black-and-white process, from alternative processes to mural printing. The newly renovated, color-managed digital imaging lab features Macintosh G5 workstations equipped with flatbed & film scanners, calibrated monitors and dimmable viewing stations. Output includes two Epson 4880 archival printers, two 44-inch Epson 9900s (with matte black and photo black inksets), two 44-inch Epson 9800s (with matte black and photo black inksets), and one 44-inch Epson 9600. All digital printers run archival K3 pigment inks, and the Epson 9900s feature 10 color inks, including green and orange pigments. Artists use the latest versions of Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Acrobat Pro, Premiere, After Effects), and Macromedia Director Studio, Flash, Dreamweaver, Adobe Premiere, Apple Final Cut Pro and DVD Studio Pro software packages.

Participants in the residency program are expected to use their month to pursue their own projects, photographing in the area, printing for a specific project or book or other activities. Artists are not obligated to teach at our facility, though Light Work hopes that the artists are friendly and accessible to local artists. Work produced by the Artists-in-Residence will also be published in Light Work’s publication Contact Sheet.

While there is no formal deadline, Light Work completes reviews of portfolios every two or three months. All artists working in photography and related media are eligible to apply to Light Work’s Artist-in-Residence program. Artists should submit the following: a letter of intent describing plans for residency; a current resume, including exhibition record; an artist statement; around 20 images (slides, proof prints or disk) of their most recent work or current project, plus any supporting material they feel would be appropriate in evaluating the application (please avoid sending books); and postage for the return of materials, or note to discard material after review process (international artists can include credit card information for return postage).

Light Work is a nonprofit, artist-run organization dedicated to the support of artists working in photography and electronic media.

For more information about the Artist-in-Residence Program, visit the Light Work website at www.lightwork.org, send e-mail to info@lightwork.org, or call (315) 443-1300.

Written by Jessica Heckman

For this rich display of drawings that is a development of the work he’s just presented at two solo exhibitions in Buenos Aires, “Roth invents a
world of multiple figures, drawn to life in a Buenos Aires café while listening to stories about lost loves, departed pets and friends, and the refusal to go out and love again …” writes the show’s curator, Pedro Cuperman.

Born in Budapest, Hungary, raised in Buenos Aires, where he currently lives, Roth has exhibited extensively between Prague and Buenos Aires in venues such as the Laura Haber Gallery, Centro Cultural Borges and the Wussman Gallery, among others. His works can be found in collections of the Museo de Arte Moderno de Buenos Aires (MAMBA), Museo de Arte Contemporaneo Latinoamericano, La Plata (MACLA); Jewish Museum of Prague; Museo de Bellas Artes de Azul, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Museo Contemporaneo de Santa Fe (MAC); and the Jewish Museum of Buenos Aires.

For more information, call 315-443-2169 or visit PuntoPoint.org.

Written by Teresita Paniagua (315) 443-2169

UVP productions can be seen throughout Connective Corridor. Those traveling from the University Hill area or from Downtown can get off at Irving and E. Genesee Street to view the UVP Syracuse Stage display.

For more videos visit Urban Video Project on Vimeo.

Those interested in collaborating with UVP or for information on other productions, please contact Adam Brown, UVP associate producer, at adbrow02@syr.edu.

UVP can be found on Facebook or at www.urbanvideoproject.com.

There’s a bright golden haze on everything about this landmark musical, from Richard Rodgers’ vibrant score, to Oscar Hammerstein’s delightful lyrics and book, to the sparkling characters that populate a particular slice of the Oklahoma Territory. The high-spirited rivalry between the local farmers and cowboys provides the colorful background against which Curly, a handsome cowboy, and Laurey, a winsome farm girl, play out their love story. Although the road to true love never runs smooth, with these two headstrong romantics holding the reins, love’s journey is as bumpy as a surrey ride down a country road.

Directed by David Lowenstein. Presented by the Department of Drama at Syracuse University’s College of Visual and Performing Arts (VPA).

The engagement by the Taylor companies is a New York State Long-Term Dance Residency, funded by the New York State Council on the Arts. The residency and performances are also funded through a grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

At an age when most artists’ best work is behind them, Taylor H’86 continues to earn acclaim for the vibrancy, relevance and power of his dances. His works offer cogent observations on life’s complexities while tackling some of society’s thorniest issues. A native of Washington, D.C., Taylor studied art and was a swimmer at SU in the late 1940s. He discovered dance and studied at the Juilliard School, and by 1954 had assembled a small company of dancers and presented his choreography.

“We’re thrilled that Paul Taylor, a legend of dance, is returning to Syracuse this fall to celebrate his 80^th birthday with both a residency for his companies and the debut of a new piece,” says SU Chancellor and President Nancy Cantor. “This extraordinary moment is galvanizing our community of experts in the performing arts, highlighting our vibrant and longstanding creative partnership with the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra, which is esteemed in its own right and features many musicians who teach and perform as part of SU’s faculty. Paul is one of SU’s own, so this will be as much a homecoming as a birthday celebration for one of the world’s great artists.”

“We are very pleased to be working with Syracuse University and the Paul Taylor Dance Company to bring a new dance work to life right here in Syracuse. We are grateful to the University for suggesting this exciting partnership, and we look forward to collaborating with Paul Taylor Dance Company to present a terrific performance,” says Karen Gahl-Mills, president and executive director of the SSO.

One of the world’s most exquisite dance ensembles, the Paul Taylor Dance Company has performed Taylor’s works in more than 60 countries and 520 cities. It has represented the United States at arts festivals in more than 40 countries and has toured extensively under the aegis of the U.S. Department of State.

In 1993, Taylor established Taylor 2, a six-dancer ensemble, to accommodate performance requests, teach and provide community outreach. Under the direction of Andy LeBeau, an alumnus of the Paul Taylor Dance Company, Taylor 2’s repertoire includes dances spanning the broad spectrum of Taylor’s work that have been reworked for a smaller ensemble.

“There is a need in this community for young dancers to work in a consistent way with dancers of this caliber. The community residency by Taylor 2 is a wonderful and important aspect of this project,” says Carole Brzozowski, University Arts Presenter.

ByJaime Winne Alvarez (315) 443-3784

For more information, click here.

The report, Walking the Walk: How Walkability Raises Housing Values in U.S. Cities by Joseph Cortright, analyzed data from 94,000 real estate transactions in 15 major marketsand found that in 13 of the 15 markets, higher levels of walkability were directly linked to higher home values.

“Even in a turbulent economy, we know that walkability adds value to residential property just as additional square footage, bedrooms, bathrooms and other amenities do,” said Cortright. “It’s clear that consumers assign a tangible value to the convenience factor of living in more walkable places with access to a variety of destinations.”

Walkability is defined by the Walk Score algorithm (www.walkscore.com), which works by calculating the closest amenities – restaurants, coffee shops, schools, parks, stores, libraries, etc. – to any U.S. address. The algorithm then assigns a “Walk Score” from 0-100, with 100 being the most walkable and 0 being totally car-dependent. Walk Scores of 70+ indicate neighborhoods where it’s possible to get by without a car.

The study included 15 metropolitan areas, finding a statistically significant positive relationship between walkability and home values in 13 areas: Arlington, Virginia; Austin, Texas; Charlotte, North Carolina; Chicago, Illinois; Dallas, Texas; Fresno, California; Jacksonville, Florida; Phoenix, Arizona; Sacramento, California; San Francisco, California; Seattle, Washington; Stockton, California, and Tucson, Arizona.

To keep reading or to a download a full copy of the report visit CEOsforCities.