“I’m a self-supporting small business owner, a former arts & entertainment reporter and a Persian Gulf War Veteran (Sgt., USMC). Born in Brooklyn and on the move since age 11, I’ve lived just about any sort of place you can imagine: Major metropolitan areas, minor cities, small towns and overseas. Think Bolivia. Japan. South Korea, etc.

“In short, I know a little something about navigating unfamiliar territory.

“On behalf of other transplants to Rochester, I can’t say that finding our footing here is particularly easy. I personally arrived in July 2007 and have just recently begun to feel as if Rochester is home. This despite having lived in locations as diverse as Lower Monroe, NOTA, the Northeast Quadrant and, for a brief while, Greece.

“That’s partly my fault. As a freelancer, I work alone. My local sister is busy, too. Our paths rarely cross. Yet, I get around. It’s an easy city to do that in. I explore. I take meandering drives. I approach strangers. (I’m that girl.) One lesson I learned is that Rochester’s home to a slew of places which make getting out fun. En masse or alone.

“Rochester Public Market. Highland, Cobbs Hill and Ellison parks. Plus Durand Eastman! South Wedge, NOTA and Park Ave. Classic theatres like The Cinema, The Little and The Dryden. Quaint eateries from James Brown’s Place to Dogtown and Starry Nites. Art spaces like MAG, Artisan Works and the city’s streets, thanks to murals everywhere.

“As a struggling war veteran, it’s also comforting to know that Rochester offers a low cost of living and is home to a number of resources which are hard to find elsewhere. The Vet Center has been a lifesaver, offering counseling services free of charge to war veterans like me. The VA Outpatient Clinic and Veterans Service Center are others.

“I’m not from here—but I am here. I’m staying for the foreseeable future. I own a home. I love where I live. I volunteer with WXXI, the Rochester Int’l. Film Festival and other nonprofits. I’ve joined forces with the Alternative Music Film Society, Art House Press and other cool ventures. I love Record Archive, Bop Shop and record stores like them.

“The future looks good. With time and patience, it’s gotten brighter every day!”

—Christine G. Adamo, 14609 (border of Northland Lyceum & Homestead Heights)
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Image collage courtesy of Christine G. Adamo:
Top L to Lower R: At MAG, messing around in the Media Room | Maplewood Rose Garden | Lamberton Conservatory | with friend Ashley Black at a Red Wings game.