ROC Anthem Intro

    Hello everyone! My name is Jason and I am currently a Communications and Media Studies major at Monroe Community College. I was born and raised here in Rochester, NY, but like many people, I grew to absolutely loathe my hometown. I spent most of my youth hating Lake Ontario, the low-rising skyline, and the Buffalo Bills. So, inevitably, at the age of 17 I left and joined the Marine Corps, desperately hoping to satiate my lust for travel. Over the next 5 years of my life I lived in California, North Carolina, and even Alaska for a short stint. I also completely left the United States for a couple of those years, living in Norway, Germany and various Middle-Eastern countries including Bahrain, Iraq, Syria, and Saudi Arabia. Yet, the more time I spent away from Rochester, the more I began to yearn for it. I craved Garbage Plates like an addict going through withdrawal. I came home about once a year for a visit, and each time my appreciation for The Flower City blossomed uncontrollably. I paid more and more attention to the things that really made Rochester special. Turns out, if you stop fixating on how much you hate somewhere and just try, and I mean truly try, to enjoy it, it isn’t that difficult at all.

    So, if it isn’t obvious already, this blog is dedicated to Rochester and all the things that make it so incredible. From the breweries, to the festivals, to the history, and the architecture, we’re going to cover it all. Of course we can’t forget about the food too, and I’m not just talking about Garbage Plates (though those will be discussed at length as well). Rochester is quietly the greatest food city in the U.S. and we’re going to prove it here! So if you feel how I used to, and have become entrenched in the monotony of living in The Roc, fret no longer, the winds are changing. Any place can be amazing if you just know where to look, and thankfully, here in Rochester, New York, you don’t have to look very far.