“What’s NOT to love? I have traveled around the country and the world and keep coming back here. Rochester is a beautiful smaller city that has all of the amenities of a large metro area with few of the drawbacks like congestion/traffic. Our cost of living is one of the lowest in the country. We have delightful local eateries, shops, and other businesses nestled into our many unique and vibrant neighborhoods (especially mine, the South Wedge). We have wonderful parks like Highland and Seneca Park that contain hidden treasures many locals don’t even know about. (I have lived here my whole life and am still discovering them.) We have terrific colleges, artistic and outreach organizations, and a sense of resiliency and home that most cities only dream of. I could go on and on and on…

“I love seeing local musical acts (Buddhahood, ThunderBody, etc., etc.). Love the Neighborhood of the Arts. Love the many different neighborhoods and the fact that many of them are reviving themselves through grassroots efforts of neighbors and activists. Love our parks—check out the trails at Corbett’s Glen or Seneca Park. Love our museums, especially the butterfly museum. Love our eateries—the Dinosaur, Zeppa Bistro, Bacco’s … again I could go on and on and on … and what about the Rochester Public Market, are we blessed in this city or what?”

—Deb Zakrzewski, South Wedge 
Zak’s Avenue