Creative Ambiguity

The circumstances behind the images are sometimes unclear, yet they have emotional power in a Light Work exhibit

Jason Lazarus didn’t take any of the photos presented in the exhibit. Instead, he selected them from an archive of photos submitted by other people. They sent in images with emotional resonance: snap photo showing a young woman with shots, a wedding album and other photographs full of meaning but simply too painful to keep in one’s possession.

Where Fantasy Meets Reality

Photo exhibit at Tech Garden features the surreal

Abandoned prisons, biblical battles on Interstate 481 and infrared orange groves are among the pictures that line the hallways of The Tech Garden on Harrison Street in downtown Syracuse. They are a part of the surreal and haunting exhibition of four Syracuse-based photographers called Dreamt Realities, on display 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. until Friday, May 24. It is the second exhibition organized by the curator of The Gallery at the Tech Garden, Maria Rizzo.

Complex Images

Artists examine people, relationships, emotions

The Szozda Gallery’s Discovery of Being features works by two artists who met years ago. For more than 25 years, Peter Mahan has taught art at Hannibal High School, where Lacey McKinney was one of his students. That link is just one of the connections emerging in this exhibition.

New York States of Mind

Several new artists make their Made in New York debut during the annual Schweinfurth showcase

Works from artists across the Empire State are on display during the annual Made in New York show at Auburn’s Schweinfurth Memorial Art Center. Each year, the jurors choosing the exhibit’s portfolio change, and the roster of artists changes drastically.

It’s about Collaboration

Cue the music. Syracuse University’s senior fashion design majors are set to debut their final collections in the April Senior Collection Fashion Show. The show will take place on Thursday, April 25, in Schine Student Center’s Goldstein Auditorium. There will be two shows, at 12:30 p.m.

High Fashion

Designer creates modern, edgy clothes for SU show

Her brilliant smile complimented her chic and polished style. She sat poised and welcoming, wearing a wool navy blue coat with appliqué stud sleeves. “Innovate, sew, repeat” is the formula Syracuse University senior fashion design major Casey Winston applies when creating garments.

Blasts from the Past

Everson exhibit offers a strong sample of 20th-century art

The new display at the Everson Museum of Art offers a sweeping look at art in the United States over the first half of the 20th century.

Exhibit Provides Outlet for Teachers and Students

Eureka Crafts links shows to city’s Th3 arts program

However, a series of exhibitions at Eureka Crafts has thrown the cliché on its head. For more than a year, the series has showcased work by artists who teach in high school or college or even in a private studio setting.

Staying Power

Within marks Arlene Abend’s legacy as a sculptor of note

Within, Arlene Abend’s one-woman show at the Redhouse Arts Center, is an apt title expressing...

Romancing the Stone

Community Folk Art Center partners with Stone Canoe to show off artwork from the journal

Creativity comes in many forms, and the latest edition of the Stone Canoe journal depicts that. Robert Colley, associate dean at...

A Sense of Place Within the Pages

It’s commonly said that reading has the power to take you anywhere, but books with a strong sense of place take that to a whole new level. Part of Baldwinsville librarian Holly Nichols’ rea

Jackie Unchained

A new book sheds a different light on an All-American hero

Syracuse University Press Jackie Robinson is a true American hero. No one can honestly argue otherwise. In Syracuse, we might even call him a local hero, if we were willing to stretch the meaning

The Write Stuff

Hamilton College is currently hosting an International Writers Week through Saturday, March 2, with an international book fair, panel discussions and...

Melting Pot

Bill Rezak’s new book profiles his European family’s immigration to America

Rezak, retired president of Alfred State College, shares his family’s journey in The Arab and the Brit: The Last of...

Cold Creature Comforts

Reading a good book helps make the season bright

Snuggle up for some winter reading

Spread the Words

The Downtown Writer’s Center gears up for another Visiting Author Series

Rochester-based poet Thom Ward delivers a line from his most recent poetry collection, Etcetera’s Mistress (Accents Publishing, 2011), in a deep, crisp deadpan baritone that gives weight to e

Fungus Among Us

Cornell physics professor Paul McEuen’s debut novel Spiral receives critical praise

She Shoots, She Scores!

Since hockey parents are generally awake at 4 a.m. to drive their kids to practice, they have plenty of time in the stands to read, pay bills and chat. “When I became a hockey mom I had a lot of free time in the stands,” says WSYR- Channel 9 morning news anchor Christie Casciano.

String of Pearls

Melville Clark’s multifaceted musical legacy to Syracuse gets star treatment in a new book Harpist Linda Pembroke Kaiser didn’t intend to write a book when she began two decades of research on Syracuse musician Melville A. Clark (1883-1953). But this man of many hats (and many harps)—former head of the 150-year-old family-owned Clark Music Company, inventor of the Clark Irish harp, and the first president of Syracuse’s first symphony orchestra—inspired Kaiser to don a new hat of her own. 

Marvin the Martian

A word of warning to those who plan on attending the upcoming book signings by Marvin Druger: Don’t ask him an open-ended question, or the sessions may run long. Make that very long. A telephone conversation with Druger, the wildly popular but now retired professor of biology at Syracuse University, with wife Pat commenting in the background, sounds like a version of The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show.

Shock Around the Jock

Members of Howard Stern's radio goon squad bring their raunchy shticks to Eastwood's Palace Theatre

Shuli Egar is more serious than expected on the phone, but that doesn't mean his sense of humor is absent - he's even funnier when the anecdotes nonchalantly slide into the conversation.

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Local Flavorings

Turning Stone’s new Upstate Tavern creates its menu from our own back yard

Travel to certain casinos in Las Vegas and it’s like the Rat Pack never left, where a time-standsstill ambiance continues to exist, one of swizzle sticks, the loosest slots in town and “jumbo” shrimp cocktails that, in terms of size, are more like those magic seahorses that would expand when kids tossed them into a water glass.

Bull & Bear Roadhouse

I had a great chat with Mark Bullis, co-owner of the Bull and Bear Road- house, before my arrival on a recent Monday night. He described the place he has opened with his business partner, Todd Blair, as an “undercover sports bar” serving a fusion of Asian/French Canadian/ south-of-the-border food.

At Asahi, Sushi Rides the Conveyor

Owner hopes business at new location won’t ebb and flow with the SU students

Conveyor belt sushi is the focal point at Asahi Japanese Restaurant, 508 Westcott St. The restaurant, which opened Feb. 19, offers sushi, sashimi, hot entrees such as chicken teriyaki and udon noodle soup. Asahi is open every day 11 a.m. to 11 p.m..

Chefs Compete, without the Food Fight

Students get expert feedback, not high-volume scolding

In some ways, the American Culinary Federation’s Northeast conference was a let down. There wasn’t a single chef dropping the f-bomb. Nothing needed to be bleeped. No one was throwing food or temper tantrums. It was so very unlike the behavior we’ve come to associate with some chefs as prima donnas from popular television shows.

Crustacean Cachet

Shrimp comes in many sizes, prices and even tastes

Buying shrimp is a little like buying wine. If you’re having a party and want to impress, without spending a lot of money, buy jug wine, and transfer to carafes, or check with your wine merchant to get the best deal for the price. Most people will happily chuga-lug the stuff, and even get a buzz on, no matter what the quality.

Bar Exam

Students learn to serve drinks. . . and especially to serve “guests”

Steven Flohr takes the glass to his right, transfers it to his left hand and scoops ice into the cup from the well. The cups goes on the mat on the bar as Flohr fills it from the vodka bottle in his right hand, beverage gun spewing tonic on his left.

Mid-Morning Glories

Four downtown eateries introduce Sunday brunch to their distinctive menus

While downtown bustles during the week, Sunday is a slower day. But with new brunch menus at four long-standing downtown restaurants, that will change.

Fish Cove

 On a freakin’ cold Wednesday night I grabbed my friend Patty and we headed to the Fish Cove, arriving about 30 minutes before closing time. We walked into this takeout-only fish joint and r

Thin Mint Nation

Despite some controversy, Girl Scout cookies are back and as tasty as ever

Business and baking join forces again with the return of Girl Scout cookies. While Feb. 8 was designated National Girl Scout Cookie Day, the goodies are...

FILLING

The Pre-Lent Vent The noise! The colors! The debauchery! Mardi Gras is known far and wide as a day of indulgence, with New Orleans as party central. French for “Fat Tuesday,” Mardi Gras

Losing Ugly

The future looked as bright as ever six weeks ago. The Syracuse University football team had just beaten West Virginia 49-23 in front of the biggest Carrier Dome crowd in two seasons. Its best player, defensive end Chandler Jones, had just returned from a knee injury.

An Inconsistent Truth

Syracuse got mauled by a team that was previously winless in Big East play on Friday, Nov. 11. It was the third loss in a row, and it was perhaps the ugliest all season. There’s no doubt that the 37-17 loss to South Florida is the low point of a season that makes a Quentin Tarantino movie seem predictable. Since there are two weeks before the next game, let’s look at how many times this year’s outlook has changed.

Can’t Spell Stumble Without SU

When I think Big East, I think of a conference where you can pick the winner out of a hat every Saturday. There is no identity for the conference, and seemingly no identity for many of its members. That’s what happens when there are three first-year coaches, two second-year coaches, and a third-year coach.

Say It Ain’t So

My next-door neighbor growing up went to college at West Virginia. I went to Syracuse University. We’re the same age and still good friends. We made a few road trips to see the Orange and the Mountaineers during our time at school. The night of Friday, Oct.

Best of Luck

In a tied game with just over two minutes left, a stunned Syracuse University Orangemen football team failed to convert a third down during its Oct. 8 game against Tulane at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans. Three-and-out, and the opponent’s hot offense was ready to come back and go for a monumental upset win.

OT Pays Off

With a 33-30 overtime win over Toledo, the Syracuse University Orange won back-to-back home games against Division 1-A opponents for the first time in five years. The second overtime game this season featured multiple lead changes, rotating quarterbacks, wide receivers throwing passes, and a butchered replay review.

Artists and Model

A gorgeous muse bridges the artistic generation gap in Renoir

Putting the “art” in “art-house flick,” the lush biopic Renoir (Samuel Goldwyn; 112 minutes; R; 2013) not only examines the twilight years of the Impressionist painter (1841-1919) but also the young female model who became his final artistic muse, as well as Renoir’s three sons, who embarked on their separate creative paths.

Finale Frenzy

Television finale season is upon us. Though a handful of shows had April endings, the real action comes in May. The week of May 12 to 18 is particularly packed, with 31 network finales, according to TVGuide.com’s Finale Calendar. Here are a few to keep in mind when setting your DVRs:

An Actor’s Life

Nathan Faudree, who plays Syracuse Mayor Lee Alexander in a new movie, talks about his rise, fall and redemption

A stage combat accident during a rehearsal for the Redhouse Art Center’s Noises Off left actor Nathan Faudree with a broken knee. Technically, he split his tibial plateau, and doctors had to operate and put three screws in his leg. Faudree had to drop out of the show, but he is looking forward to a movie premiere.

Booking the Big Screen

Tina Fey and Paul Rudd in Admission, based on a novel by Jean Honff Korelitz.David Lee/Focus FeaturesLiterature has long provided a wealth of material for film adaptations. Book lovers like to joke a

Growing Pains

Nuclear fears circa 1962 are part of Ginger & Rosa’s coming-of-age narrative

In one of the most unsubtle opening minutes in recent cinema, archival images of the atomic bomb’s mushroom cloud over Hiroshima are paralleled with the 1945 London births of the title characters of Ginger & Rosa (A24 Films; 90 minutes; widescreen; PG-13; 2013), as both babies literally define the concept of a post-World War II nuclear family.

Gearing Up for Game of Thrones

Created via JointheRealm.com Making medieval love and war has never been so complicated—or so addictive. HBO’s epic fantasy series, Game of Thrones, returns for its third season

Keeping It Reel

Forgotten flicks form the main attraction during Cinefest 33’s annual celebration of celluloid

The 2012 Cinefest auction, the annual Sunday-morning sale of movie-related artifacts, featured host Leonard Maltin in rare form. “Are you ready for excitement? Are you ready for fun?” the noted film historian asked the bidders.

Five TV Shows Worth Binge Watching on Netflix

Chances are, if you subscribe to Netflix, Hulu Plus or any other instant streaming service, you have binge-watched a TV series at least once (or perhaps more like once a week).

The Many Lands of Oz

Disney's new movie,

Oz may be the brainchild of Chittenango's own L. Frank Baum, but Disney is about to give the magical land new life on the big screen with Oz: The Great and Powerful

The Spy Who Loved Us

kyfall hits an all-time high in the James Bond franchise

 James Bond officially reaches the big 5-0 this year, at least in America when the 1962 British adaptation Dr. No opened nationally in spring 1963. (It opened May 30, 1963, at downtown’s Loe

The Brewster Inn

The Brewster Inn, Route 20, Cazenovia, a pleasant 30-minute drive from downtown Syracuse, is probably best thought of during the summer months, when you can sit outside and enjoy the breeze and vi

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que

When I mentioned at work that my next Syracuse New Times assignment was to take another look at Dinosaur Bar-B-Que, I was bombarded with unsolicited testimonials about the side dishes people lov

Dominick’s Restaurant

I have seen Dominick’s Restaurant daily on my commute to work along Interstate 690 and finally got to dine at this Syracuse institution, located on 1370 Burnet Ave., with some friends on a

Parisa

Parisa opened its doors near where I work at my other job (which is way less fun than visiting restaurants and eating out) so I had already been to visit for lunch and dinner before...

TOKYO SEOUL

When I was asked to visit Tokyo Seoul on Erie Boulevard East, my first thought was, “What is this Asian restaurant going to have to offer that is different?” Well, the answer is Korean b

Kyoko

One thing I like about writing these articles covering Syracuse’s “Local Flavor” is meeting and getting to know the local restaurateurs: their stories, their aspirations, and what t

Shhots

Shhots is a bar, but it’s not the bar that stood in its place since the 1960s.

Koto Japanese Steakhouse

Koto Japanese Steakhouse... A treat that lived up to all of our memories of fun times with our kids, yet also gave us a delicious meal and sent us home with leftovers.

Windows on the Green Bistro

Drumlins Country Club just reopened their restaurant, now dubbed Windows on the Green Bistro. It’s open to the public with plans to keep it operating...

Boulangerie Cafe

I paid a visit to Franklin Square and Boulangerie Café at the end of March, and the tree blossoms in full bloom in that lovely corner of Syracuse...

Local Hop

Reviews of I Am Fool and The Goonies

 I Am Fool. Freak In The Machine (independent).Looking at the cover art, a hilarious take on Theodoor Rombouts', A Lute Player, it's obvious that I Am Fool has a sense of humor. 

Party Animals

Skip Murphy and the Merry Pranksters ride again at the Westcott Community Center

Skip Murphy, a newly inducted Syracuse Area Music Award (Sammy) Hall of Famer, has been active in the Salt City music scene since the early 1970s. He's played harmonica with a wide variety of groups, emceed events, worked behind the scenes and written programs.

Social Commentator

Songwriting legend and activist Steve Earle uses varied creative outlet

In 1986, after years of club gigs and a few staff songwriting jobs at publishers in Nashville, the singer released his debut solo LP, Guitar Town (MCA Records). Earle’s neo-traditionalist country style and rock leanings—Springsteen fans dug him—made the record a hit.

No End in Sight

The Mike Estep Band celebrates 15 years by still going stro

Mike Estep never saw a 15-year run coming when the Mike Estep Band started in 1998. Now, he can�euro;�t imagine it ending.

The Fleck Effect

Bela Fleck and the Marcus Roberts Trio will bring the banjo back to the Westcott

There are plenty of musicians in the world that make cool instruments even cooler. Just think of all the sexy, idolized guitarists, vocalists and even drummers and bassists out there (I’m kidding, rhythm section. Relax).

Still Bleeding Orange

Garland Jeffreys is bubbling with excitement to revisit his alma mater and perform at the Palace Theatre

Garland Jeffreys is a New Yorker through and through - to the point that he states it within the first 30 seconds of an interview. (The Brooklyn accent gives it away, too.) But Jeffreys' New York City roots go further upstate than the borough he lives in.

‘The Party King’ reigns

Andrew W.K. brings his angry punk to the Lost Horizon

In 2001, the singer––his credit card applications read Andrew Wilkes-Krier–– released I Get Wet (Island), an epic solo debut stuffed with bombastic arena rock cuts, including “It’s Time to Party,” “Party Til You Puke” and the immensely popular single “Party Hard.

Doobie Bros., Taylor Dayne, Grandmothers of Invention Headline 2013 Jazz Fest

July 4 weekend will be red, white and cool

It might have been 30 degrees last night, but the sun came out today for the Syracuse M&T Jazz Fest announcement at M&T Bank downtown. The festival will celebrate 31 years with an all-America

Motivated by Mozart

Four organizations combine to celebrate Syracuse Opera’s The Marriage of Figaro

The word of the day is “collaboration,” when it comes to the first-ever Central New York Mozart Festival happening throughout this month.

20/20 Doesn’t Look Back

New Justin Timberlake album is lyrically light but has sonic depth

Timberlake, 32, is far removed from his post-*NSYNC, self-discovery days. Recording artist, actor, entrepreneur, fashion designer, sketch comedian, husband—the guy does everything. Karl Rove’s super PAC probably has some slick attack ads ready lest Timberlake runs for senator.

Pastel Pop Ups

  Who says bold is always better? That may be true when you’re rocking out on a bass guitar, but when it comes to fashion there’s always room for

As the Stone Turns

Sci-Fi Sexy

For those who are fond of Jane Fonda...

Amazing Grace

The buzz continues to build for indie singer-songwriter Grace Pettis, now currently on tour in support of her acclaimed sophomore album Two Birds (CD Baby). Catch her mix of rock, country, blues and f

Get a Clue

Rarely Done Productions kids around with TV cartoon conventions for Spooky Dog and the Teenage Gang Mysteries, a not-for-children spoof that runs on Friday, Feb. 15, and Saturday, Feb. 16, 8 p.m., at

Hands Up

Open Hand Theater’s “World of Puppets” children’s series continues this weekend with The Secret of the Puppet’s Book, a tale of wizards, rhinos, giraffes and even...

Under Hoopsnosis

The Harlem Globetrotters will again perform their comical basketball wizardry atop the wooden planks of Jim Boeheim Court at Syracuse University’s Carrier Dome, 900 Irving Ave., on Friday, Feb.

Mixed Metaphors

Sacred Paradox, featuring photographs of Onondaga Lake and its tributaries by Willson Cummer, addresses the current duality of our infamous body of water: It is both a Superfund cleanup site and a

Voices Carry

The Choral Collage event on Tuesday, Feb. 12, 8 p.m., offers vocals aplenty from various choral ensembles within the Setnor School of Music at Syracuse University. Among them: the SU Singers (pictur

Orange Juiced

Michael Davis PhotoIt’s the truth that the Syracuse University Orangewomen are ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 for the first time in two years. The other Carrier Dome denizens stand at

Free Will Astrology

ARIES (March 21-April 19) “There’s always one moment in childhood when the door opens and lets the future in,” wrote novelist Graham Greene. I’ll add to that: There are at least three moments in adulthood when a new door opens and invites the rest of the future in.

Free Will Astrology

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) In 1967, John McCain was a U.S. Navy pilot fighting in Vietnam. Shot down during a bombing mission, he was captured and jailed in the notorious Hanoi Hilton prison camp, where he was tortured. After being freed in 1973, he returned to the United States and eventually launched a political career.

Cheesecake Recipes

Tiramisu Cheesecake 1 package (12 ounces) vanilla wafers (about 88), divided  5 teaspoons instant coffee, divided  3 tablespoons hot water, divided  4 package (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened  1 cup sugar  1 cup sour cream 4 eggs  1 cup thawed whipped topping 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder  Preheat oven 325 degrees. Line a 13-by-9-inch pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides. Spread half the wafers onto bottom of prepared pan. Add 2 teaspoons coffee granules to 2 tablespoons hot water; stir until dissolved. Brush half onto wafers in pan; reserve remaining dissolved coffee for later use.  Beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Add sour cream; mix well. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended. Remove 3½ cups batter; place in...

Cherry Recipes

Easy as Bing Cherry Pie This recipe is from the California Cherry Advisory Board. Bottom crust: 1 9-inch refrigerated pie crust Pie filling: 5 cups fresh cherries, pitted 1 cup sugar 1 tablespoon tapioca flour Crumb topping: ½ cup regular rolled oats ¼ cup white sugar 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon butter, melted ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon ½ teaspoon salt Vanilla ice cream (optional)  Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Have crust ready. Pit cherries. Combine the pitted cherries in a bowl with sugar and tapioca flour. Mix well and spoon into the prepared pie crust. Combine the remaining ingredients (except for the ice cream) into a small bowl and mix until evenly distributed and crumbly. Sprinkle over the top of the filling. Place in the oven and bake at 400 for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 325 degrees and bake for another 30 to 40 minutes...

Tomato Recipes

Warm Roasted Tomato Bruschetta This third-place winner comes from Nadine VandeWalker of Cicero. 

Strawberry Recipes

Strawberry and Mozzarella Salad This recipe from Ellie Krieger is from www.foodnetwork.com. 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar ¼ teaspoon salt 1 heart romaine lettuce, torn or cut into bite-size pieces (3 cups lightly packed) One 8-ounce container of strawberries, hulled and sliced 3 ounces of part-skim mozzarella cheese, diced (about 3/4 cups) ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, cut into ribbons Whisk together the oil, vinegar, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Place the lettuce in a large bowl and toss with half the dressing. Place the lettuce onto 4 salad plates. Toss the strawberries with the remaining dressing and place 1/4 of the berries on top of each mound of lettuce. Top each with cheese and sprinkle with the basil. 

Tempeh Proven?e

Tempeh can be found at local grocery stores as well as the Syracuse Real Food Co-op, 618 Kensington Road (472-1385). ¼ cup olive oil 2 tomatoes, chopped 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 cup canned or bottled artichoke hearts, sliced lengthwise ¼ cup sliced kalamata olives 1 tablespoon capers 1 teaspoon sea salt  ¼ teaspoon black pepper ½ cup white wine 6 tempeh patties, each 2½-3 ounces, sliced thinly and sautéed 4 slices fresh lemon 2 tablespoons chopped parsley Heat the olive oil in a skillet and sauté the tomatoes and garlic for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the artichokes, olives, capers, salt and pepper and sauté another minute. Add the white wine and simmer about 3 minutes. Spoon on top of sliced tempeh. Garnish each serving with a lemon slice and parsley. Makes 4 servings.

Chicken Cacciatore Soup

Here is a recipe from www.foodnetwork.com that uses stewed tomatoes. 1 cup uncooked rotini  3 cans vegetable broth  2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 8 ounces)  1 (30-ounce) jar of extra chunky spaghetti sauce with mushrooms and diced onions  1 medium onion, chopped  1/2 teaspoon garlic puree  1/3 teaspoon Italian seasoning 3 teaspoons red wine (optional)  1 (14.5-ounce) can stewed tomatoes, cut up in juice 1 medium zucchini sliced  Cook rotini according to package directions, substituting 1 can vegetable broth for part of the water. Cook until done (about 10 minutes). Drain and set aside. Cut chicken breasts into a 1-inch dice. In a large pan, combine spaghetti sauce, 2 cans of vegetable broth, onions, garlic puree, chicken, Italian seasoning, red wine, tomatoes and zucchini. Cook...

Peppermint Cookies

  Peppermint Cookies These are a cool and refreshing cookie and a fabulous addition to your post-Christmas desserts. 1¼ cups crushed peppermint candy 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar, divided ¾ cup butter 2 eggs 1 teaspoon peppermint extract ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract 2½ cups all-purpose flour ¼ teaspoon salt Grind or crush the peppermint candies in 1/3  cup of the sugar until powdery (a few tiny pieces are OK). Mix flour and salt together in a small bowl and set aside. Mix the butter, eggs and remaining sugar together in a large bowl. Add in vanilla and peppermint extracts. Add the flour mixture 1/3 at a time to the butter mixture. Form the dough into small balls, about an inch wide. Roll the balls of dough in the crushed candy mixture and place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 8 minutes at 350 degrees. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for...

Linzertorte Thumbprint Cookies

Hazelnut butter is mighty pricey, so if you’d rather substitute almond butter, that’s fine. But the authors warn the hazelnut flavor will be less intense. 1/3 cup canola oil ½ cup packed brown sugar ½ cup hazelnut butter 1/3 cup non-dairy milk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1½ cups all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons cornstarch ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon baking powder ½ cup hazelnuts, finely chopped about 1/3 cup raspberry jam In a large mixing bowl, use a fork to vigorously mix the oil, sugar and hazelnut butter. Mix in the non-dairy milk and vanilla. Sift in the flour, cornstarch, salt and baking powder and mix well until a stiff dough forms. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Have a small bowl of water handy. Spread the chopped nuts onto a dinner plate. Roll the dough into a walnut-size...

Future Looking Bright for Orange LAX

Women's, men's teams both in top 10

Cold performances and iffy calls might have ended Syracuse men’s basketball team's run to the Final Four, but both SU lacrosse teams are gearing up for their seasons’ home stretches.

By The Numbers

  Check out the odds SU faces this weekend in Atlanta for the Final Four

The Coach Otto Know

Identity of students in the suit is secret, and consistency is key

“Otto is a long-standing tradition that continues to grow and evolve at SU, and the students that are selected to play the mascot all have to have a vibrant and outgoing personality,” says Julie Walas, coach of the Otto mascot team for six seasons and once an Otto herself.

Sweet and Sour

The Sour Sitrus Society pep band maintains class with brass

Members of the Sour Sitrus Society, SU basketball’s pep band, plan to travel in high style yet again for the Final Four festivities this weekend in Atlanta, Ga. This is a payoff for all those times they sat in front of sheet music for hours; those times when playing the flute in high school maybe wasn’t as glamorous as they’d hoped.

Varsity Madness

April's quickly approaching but March Madness isn't over yet. While some of your brackets may be falling apart due to some surprising

Syracuse v. Indiana: A Breakdown

Syracuse holds a 3-1 series advantage heading into Thursday night’s Sweet 16 matchup against Indiana, but the Hoosiers took the only one that mattered: the 1987 Keith Smart title game.Who wil

Grizzly Business

Get to know SU's first NCAA tournament opponent

Montana's mascot, MonteUSA TODAY Syracuse faces off against Montana Thursday night in the 2nd Round of the NCAA tournament (9:57 p.m. truTV). Here’s what you need to know about the Grizzlie

Best Bars for Big East Action

As we roll further into March, it’s obviously time to start thinking about college basketball. If you’re not able to make it down to New York City to watch the Orange in their final Big East

Weekend at Tourney's

The Syracuse Orange are preparing for post-season play after jumping out to a fast start, then faltering down the stretch.But it's not the team you're probably thinking of.

Sweet Scientist

The late Carmen Basilio rose from Canastota’s muck fields to become a ring champ

A little more than five years ago, on Sept. 19, 2007, a crowd of local luminaries, fight fans and boxing celebrities gathered at the Onondaga County Convention Center in Syracuse to celebrate wh

A Homer Run

A cast of one inhabits multiple roles for Syracuse Stage’s An Iliad

For several hundred years, the sprawling stories of western culture’s oldest epic, Homer’s The Iliad, were recited and acted out before they were written down. Even when seen on the page, certain pages seem to cry out to be spoken:stark verbal encounters and the hair-raising viciousness of battle.

Shakes It Up

Hamlet Cha Cha Cha kids the Bard in Central New York Playhouse’s musical spoof

As you can tell from the title, Hamlet Cha Cha Cha is not a tragedy about a melancholy Danish prince who can’t make up his mind. Strange to say, this Hamlet (Peter Dowling), sometimes called “Hammy,” speaks quite a few of the lines from Shakespeare. Like, “O! that this too solid flesh would melt,” only here it becomes a gag line.

Herstory Exam

Kitchen Theatre honcho Rachel Lampert mines autobiographical amusement with And, Lately. . .

It’s hard to tell where the curtain speech (comments about exit doors, cells phones and so on) ends and the action begins in And, Lately. . . . Actor-playwright Rachel Lampert, who is the producing artistic director at Ithaca’s Kitchen Theatre Company, asks for a show of hands, “There isn’t anybody here who doesn’t know me, is there?” One timid hand goes up. With a shrug of the shoulders, she then advises, “You will.”

Back to Bataan

Nurses experience World War II up close and personal in Appleseed’s Cry Havoc

In her program notes for Cry Havoc, fledgling director Lois Haas describes her campaign to get Appleseed Productions to mount the dramatic rarity as a “labor of love.” Haas, a stalwart at the company for many years, sees Allan R.

Hook, Lines and Tinker

Peter Pan soars in a new Redhouse interpretation

Newsflash: Peter Pan is actually a boy, or, rather, a strapping American adolescent with a certain amount of swagger. After a century of tinkering with the text, cartooning and musicalizing, Peter Pan has come to mean for many audiences a singing, 60-year-old retired female gymnast who flies around the stage on visible wires.

Breezy Does It

The SALT Awards hang 10 in a fast-paced ceremony studded with surprises

Starting just about on time at 7 p.m. on Sunday, May 5, at Eastwood’s Palace Theatre, the complete ceremony ended at exactly 8:34 p.m., more than an hour ahead of the usual pace. This somehow occurred even though there was live music on stage from retro-rock specialists The Coachmen and video clips of productions from last year’s season.

Southie Heads East

The South Boston-based comedy-drama Good People comes to Syracuse Stage

When asked if he considers himself “rich,” tall, graying Dr. Michael Dillon (David Andrew Macdonald) hesitates but admits he might be “comfortable.” This brings an immediate rejoinder from a scruffy visitor to his office, Margie Walsh (Kate Hodge): “That makes me uncomfortable.”

On the Road Again

A scarred young woman travels through the Deep South in 1964 in SU Drama’s unusual musical Violet

Gene Tierney’s eyes, Ingrid Bergman’s cheekbones and Ava Gardiner’s eyebrows. She asks her father if her cruel fate had befallen her because they don’t go to church. Making up for lost faith, she begins her trek in North Carolina’s Spruce Pine, crossing the South by bus to find deliverance in a Protestant Lourdes—with a televangelist in Tulsa, Okla.

Lingo Unchained

Kitchen Theatre’s Motherf**cker with the Hat gains a shocking power from its profane dialogue

There are more than 1.3 million Puerto Ricans in New York City, but their life on stage has been most visible as the Sharks and their girlfriends in West Side Story. That does not mean there’s no such thing as a Puerto Rican playwright. Miguel Pinero’s prison-based Short Eyes enjoyed a brilliant but brief career back in the 1970s.

Not-So- Simple Simon

Brighton Beach Memoirs celebrates Neil Simon’s Brooklyn childhood with poignant humor

Neil Simon’s Brighton Beach Memoirs, the first of the semiautobiographical, let’s-get-serious “BB” trilogy, has always been popular with audiences, but it is not often seen on local stages. That’s not because, unusual in the Simon canon, the laughter must make its way through layers of tears.

A Glacier Expert in Jamesville

Myrna Hall conducted pioneering study on melting

And the woman who pioneered computer modeling of a shrinking glacier lives right here in Central New York. Myrna Hall, of Jamesville, is a research associate in the Department of Environmental Studies at the State University College of Environmental Science and Forestry, where she directs the Center for the Urban Environment.

Glacial Change

Stunning film documents melting due to climate change

Try the film Chasing Ice, which is coming to Syracuse just in time for Earth Day. If nothing else, you will both agree that the 75-minute film tracking extreme wilderness photographer James Balog’s mission to record the demise of glaciers is a feast for the eyes.

Clothes Encounters

Even if you want to hang your laundry outside, you might not be able to—and here’s why

Which would you rather see out your window on a lovely summer day: your neighbor’s underwear or a natural gas drilling rig? That, in dramatic and simplified fashion, may be the kind of questi

Common Ground

Ithaca’s Eco Village is expanding its cooperative living options

Twenty-one years after its founding in1991 at the hands of Liz Walker and Joan Bokaer, Eco Village in Ithaca continues to grow, so much that the sustainable community seeks new members. Plans for

The Incredible Bulk

Buying from the bins saves money as well as packaging, making it a sustainable practice

To many, going green means changing out light bulbs, reducing herbicides on the yard or cleaning with...

All Aboard!

Northside UP’s Green Train program makes environmental sustainability financially sustainable

Green is the color of environmental friendliness. It symbolizes renewable energy, efficiency and global consciousness. But it’s also the color of cash.

Green Gems

The venerable Everson Museum of Art doesn’t seem a logical candidate for a sustainable makeover, but that doesn’t mean green changes aren’t

Perfect 10

Born in Syracuse, the Green Building Conference expands its scope

It’s not a fad, a movement or a trend: Green building is here to stay.

Bulb Breaker

With new federal regulations in place, now is the time to look at your lighting options

During the winter it seems the lights are on at home way more t

Hate That Dirty Water

The pollutant in that deicer is ethylene glycol, the same ingredient in antifreeze. In July 1993, the state Department of Environmental Conservation issued a permit to the city to study the chemicals that run off of airport property, including into the creek.

Apps & Downs

A look at the good and bad of new tech

Smartphone sales have been rising for 10 years. In the first quarter of this year, for the first time, more smartphones were sold than so-called feature phones (dumb phones), according to International Data Corp.

Turning Stone Features Boxing

On TV: Boxing at Turning Stone

Plus, a last look back at "The Office"

Turning Stone Resort and Casino punches things up with a live-on-Showtime boxing event June 7. Yes, live. From Turning Stone. For the first time.

Office Romance Comes to an End

The sitcom might have been set in Scranton, Pa., but it had familiar Central New York grace notes

May, in the digital calendar of the TV world, is the month of goodbyes. Failed shows fly. Series that have sailed their course sink—or sail into the Scranton sunset.

Mind Over Matters

Buddhist monk John Bruna will lead two meditation workshops in June

When John Bruna was growing up amid poverty, drugs and violence in Los Angeles, Calif., one of nine children of a widowed mother, he had one goal: to not go to prison like his four older brothers.

Sugar, Sugar Everywhere

Added to many foods, it can have sour effects on your health

I visited two local bank branches recently. At one, brightly colored lollipops adorned the teller counters. At the other, the ante was upped with lollipops and Tootsie Rolls, and employees commented on the tasty treats co-workers brought in to share.

Making Peace with Food

Mindful eating helps you listen to your body and know what you need

“Food is not the enemy or your best friend,” says local psychotherapist and mindful eating instructor Nicole Christina. Her co-presenter in an upcoming mindful eating workshop, Pauline Cecere—who, like Christina, is a licensed clinical social worker—agrees.

Beat Street

Heart Healthy Month is a good time for women to understand their cardiac risk factors

Feb. 1 was a snowy, blustery winter day when Anne Messenger, chair of the American Heart Association’s 2013 Go Red for Women campaign, led the Go Red walk through downtown Syracuse. Althoug

Choose or Lose

Enhance your health in 2013 with these easy-to-follow suggestions

With the New Year only a few days old, you still have plenty of time to make a wellness resolution and a whole year ahead to put it into action by making healthy choices. In every moment we make

Up With People

Connecting with friends and family is one sure way to make your season bright

The holidays may be stressful but they can also be joyous, hopeful and beneficial to our health and well-being. Reaching out to others and participating in social situations may be the key. Resear

Happy Days

Cultivate a positive attitude and you’ll likely feel better, both mentally and physically

Greater peace can be achieved by finding inner peace,” said the 77-year-old Dalai Lama, sporting an orange Syracuse University visor as he spoke during the Common Ground for Peace events last

Life Goes On

The late Amie Shaffer left behind three children, a husband and an extended network of friends-as-family

Eric Shaffer’s North Syracuse home is seemingly busting with love and zest for life. So it’s little wonder that it is often full: full of laughing children, full of supportive friends an

Full Recovery

For many women, reconstruction after mastectomy is an important step in the process

For Lynette Hall, a diagnosis of breast cancer in the fall of 2010 wasn’t a complete surprise. Her mother had died of the disease at age 36, when Hall was just 8 years old. Other women in the

Candid Camera

Photos of a Fayetteville woman’s ordeal with breast cancer highlight a weekend fundraiser

Whether you feel empathy or repulsion, there’s no denying the emotional impact of the photos of Ann Marie Giannino-Otis’ experience with breast cancer. They certainly are compelling, as