Josh Shear

I sat down with Tracy recently and she reminded me that I needed to do another post about places I like. So, here are some of my current favorites.

Cafe at 407

I've written about 407 before. I'm actually sitting in the cafe writing this blog post, staring at the real whipped cream on top of a hot chocolate a child is drinking while waiting for the singer-songwriter to start playing. In fact, I'm sitting in an overstuffed chair on the wifi with a cup of coffee on the side table, remembering that this place raises money for a non-profit called Ophelia's Place, which deals with eating disordered youth and adults. There's a conference room in back, next to the employees' cubicles and an outpatient clinic. It's in the village of Liverpool. Go there.

Recess

Recess Coffee is celebrating their fifth anniversary this week. The cafe was packed the other night (that's where I had the aforementioned get-together with Tracy), and they are not going anywhere any time soon. Best hot chocolate in town (York, Almond Joy, peanut butter, and more), and a few really good whole-bean roasts.

Farmshed CNY

Farmshed CNY is a web-based app (that is, you go to the website, you don't download it) that will find you farms, farmers markets, restaurants, breweries, dessert, bakeries and more in Central New York. The idea is to have you buying local foods, drinking local beer, and considering where you're sourcing your stuff. And also it helps you find it, by determining your location by GPS. It's awesome.

Small Potatoes Marketing

Maybe it's weird to recognize a marketing firm, but Marty at Small Potatoes works hard to get Central New York food producers distributed into bigger venues. He started as strictly a shoe leather business, and eventually let himself be talked into a blog and Twitter account, both of which he's done really well with. Look for Better Brittle, Recess Coffee and Brooklyn Salsa at the CNY Regional Market thanks to Small Potatoes, and he's worked with a bunch of other locals you're starting to see more and more places, too!

Laci's Tapas Bar

You've probably heard of Laci's by now; they've been around a couple of years. Tapas is a food presentation that features appetizer-size portions of really beautiful, frequently creative food. The menu is excellent, the service is wonderful, and they're over in a part of town you never go to. Try them out!

What are your favorite hot spots this winter?

Every year someone has something stupid to say about the Old Newsboys campaign.

In case you're unfamiliar with this, a bunch of people go around "selling" The Post-Standard and asking for extra donations on a two-day campaign.

It looks very much like the newspaper is just trying to expand its reach, but actually, all those newspapers sold are donated. Even if you only give them the cost of the paper (75 cents), it all goes to a fund called the Christmas Bureau, which is a joint operation of the Salvation Army and United Way of Central New York.

Read: It helps people.

So even if you don't want the paper, give something. You don't have to take the newspaper.

The Old Newsboys volunteers will be out and about on Friday and Saturday this week (Dec. 9 and 10). Thank them for volunteering in our community, and give them something to bring back to those in need this holiday season.

"Who can tell me about chainsaws?" I asked the guy in the tools aisle.

"Actually, chainsaws are in garden."

Crap, that's all the way back where I came in the store. I guess that sort of makes sense, but I was on my feet for 7 hours at work. Eh, I have to walk that in the parking lot to get back to my car anyway. Sigh.

"Who can tell me about chainsaws?" I asked the guy in the garden aisle.

"Let me get you Tom. I don't have a walkie, but we can find someone who does. He's the second smartest guy in the store."

"Why aren't you getting me the smartest?"

"He doesn't know anything about chainsaws."

"OK, second smartest it is."

Tom came over, brought me to the chainsaws, and asked about my project.

Having figured out what I needed, he asked about my price range, and didn't even try to get me to spend an extra $20. He then scanned the chainsaw and discovered it listed zero in stock.

Then he opened a dusty case on the bottom shelf and discovered that zero wasn't quite true. But there appeared to be a lubricant leak in the case.

Tom then obtained a roll of rags, and as he cleaned out the case, he explained about the two-cycle engine, the sort of gas-oil mix I'd need, where to put the lubricant, and he replaced the crushed, leaking lubricant can.

And then he gave me a display-item discount on the saw, which has been cutting perfectly.

Rock on, Home Depot.

I got a tour recently of the Dey Centennial Plaza. It's a group of buildings at the corner of Salina and Jefferson streets in downtown Syracuse.

While the residential units are nice – hardwood floors, marble counters, lots of space, and nice appliances (stainless faucets, electric stoves and refrigerators; some of the units have wine refrigerators and all of them have washer/dryers) – residents pay a little extra for the building security and good parking (the single bedroom units run between $950 and $1200, while the two-bedroom units are in the $1600 range).

The thing I'm excited about, though, is a local market coming to downtown.

It's going to be a 12,500-square foot grocery (much bigger than C.L. Evers, its downtown competition), and all the food is going to come from within 70 miles of Syracuse. There will be garage parking with the first hour free, and the store will be open until 8 p.m., so people shopping after work will have a place to go.

The plaza is a series of five formerly vacant buildings that are quite old. The developers have a great vision for it, and seem to be excited to be helping to shape downtown (the tour was given by Paramount Realty, which closed on the building near the end of 2009).

This comes to me by way of the Alchemical Nursery and the Syracuse Peace Council. The Peace Council's dinner is this coming Saturday, the 25th.

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The Syracuse Peace Council will be holding their 74th birthday dinner this coming Saturday Sept 25th, 6pm at St Lucy's on the Near Westside in Syracuse.

SPC is a great organization here in Syracuse, and a group with much affinity to Alchemical.

The dinner will feature retired Col. Ann Wright, the highest ranking officer to resign in protest of the US invasion of Iraq. Ann Wright also helped to reopen the US embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan in 2001. For the past 7 years, she has been a tireless activist for peace - showing up everywhere a person of conscience might be needed. She traveled to Iran on a citizen diplomacy delegation, returned to Afghanistan in 2009 with a study group, joined the Freedom Flotilla to Gaza in 2010, and in September she will be an expert witness for the "Creech 14" trial of nonviolent activists protesting the Drones.

Sliding scale donation: $15-74

Make reservations ASAP to guarantee your place at the dinner! Walk-ins are welcome on a first-come, first-served basis.

6:00 PM - doors open, appetizers
6:30 PM - Dinner is served (featuring Middle Eastern cuisine, all dishes are vegetarian or vegan)
7:30 PM - Program

Ann Wright is is the co-author of "Dissent: Voices of Conscience" and one of the featured portraits in artist Roberty Shetterly's "Americans Who Tell the Truth" series (on exhibit at the ArtRage Gallery while Ann is in town, check their website for details on the September 26th book signing!).

Contact Jessica (315-472-5478, jessica@peacecouncil.net) to make your reservations, or make online reservations at www.peacecouncil.net/bday.

Clark's Ale House, which has been a local favorite since the mid-1990s, is closing on Saturday.

Let's first talk about Clark's. It's a small, two-level pub with primarily ales on tap. They're locally famous for their roast beef sandwiches, and for a while, that's all that was it for the menu. Just shaved beef, and if you wanted, onions and cheddar. Always on a roll, always with a shot of jus.

The only noise at Clark's is talking – no loud music, no TVs, just people getting together and doing what people do best: talking about whatever they talk about.

All About Beer named it one of the 125 places to have a beer before you die. In the world. Yeah. It's that kind of place.

In it's history, Clark's typically has done steady business, but you could pretty much count on not fighting a crowd to get a drink or a sandwich. This week, it's crazy; all that steady business is coming back for a final round.

Clark's has almost two years left on its lease, but announced to its employees last Friday it would be closing. It's not for lack of money (though that's one explanation for them not moving right away), and certainly not for lack of customers.

It's that the Landmark Theatre – a Syracuse institution since the 1920s (it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in the '70s) – owns the building and is expanding so that it can bring in deep-stage shows (as in shows that require a large set, like "The Lion King").

And you can't blame the Landmark for that, can you? It's really hard to hold a grudge against a live performance venue with a rich history. And kudos to Clark's for not spending two years fighting them, for recognizing that another Syracuse institution needs the space to survive.

I'm a little miffed that there's been nothing to this point on the Landmark's Twitter account, since that seems the logical place to host a discussion. [Maybe that's one reason they need the expansion.]

If anybody's looking for a good real estate investment downtown, try buying the former Stoop building in Armory Square and inviting Clark's to re-open there. Good things would come of that.

Last week, we asked you to take a survey about a Syracuse-area wiki. In all, 54 people answered the questionnaire. Just about everybody said they would use a local wiki, though only some would contribute to it. What it really came down to, though, was do we create a new wiki from scratch? The answer was no, we should work to really build out the existing one.

Admittedly, because this survey was promoted primarily on Twitter, the people who took it are pre-disposed to using online tools and aren't representative of the larger potential audience of a local wiki -- but those who took it are also among those most likely to help build out the wiki, and no wiki really survives if the community doesn't build it.

Next step: Let's get to work on SyracuseWiki.org!

We're asking you for some help, Syracuse-area folks! Take a three-question survey about using and contributing to a local wiki.

You can take it on SurveyMonkey by clicking here or answer these questions in comments:

1. Would you use a Syracuse wiki as a resource?

2. Would you contribute to a Syracuse wiki? (If yes, occasionally or frequently?)

3. Would you prefer to use an existing wiki, or see a new one developed?

Please share, and ask your friends, family and readers to take the survey as well!

After my post last week about coffee shops to work at in the Syracuse area, Jill asked if I'd write a post about places to bring colleagues and clients:

So here we are.

1. Freedom of Espresso, Franklin Square. OK, this was on my coffee shop list, too, but that makes sense, right? I sort of use it as an office sometimes, and this Freedom store is convenient to downtown, but outside of the bustle. And did I mention there's a hot dog cart across the street at lunch time? Well, when the weather supports it, anyway.

2. Alto Cinco. Alto Cinco, for you non-Spanish speakers out there, translates literally to "high five." If you need another reason to bring a client or colleague, try it yourself first. The atmosphere is cozy (they've avoided expansion though they could easily fill a room three times that size), the food is really good, and if you need a wine recommendation, they're right there for you. Bonus: It's across the street from Recess so you can grab some joe or hot chocolate on your way out. No wifi at the restaurant, but it's a good spot for a meeting anyway.

3. Edward Thomas Cigar. OK, this is kind of a boys' club. As in I'm not really sure they'd know how to react if a woman walked in (any volunteers?). But Edward Thomas's new digs are pretty sweet. Most of the space is now members-only; really a ploy to let people bring in some booze. There's a non-member smoking lounge with a big TV. There's no alcohol allowed and the wifi is weak back there. The rest of the place, however, has a strong wifi signal and members can bring a cocktail and a guest or two. The space includes a large room with a dozen flat panel TVs and leather recliners; computer carrels; a conference room; a poker room; and a more open room with one of those coffee tables with a top that lifts toward you.

4. Al's Wine & Whiskey. Al's made my bars to work from post last week. Pull up one of the couches, or take over the pool table in the back room. If you tip your bartender, s/he might even surrender the back room remote control.

5. Burnet Park. Again, no wifi, but Burnet Park has a zoo, a golf course, a pool, a skating rink, a basketball court and softball fields, in addition to some open space. And if you feel the need for food and drink, both Nibsy's and Coleman's are within a few blocks.

Yesterday we did my favorite coffee shops to work from in the area. Well, it's Friday and you're ready to get your weekend on, so where can you get a good brew while finishing up for the week?

1. The Blue Tusk. OK, so the Tusk is over-priced, has consistently mediocre food and a staff that could care a little more. They have a great beer list, and a back room with two little counters that have electrical outlets and wifi from about six different places. There's almost never anybody back there, and even the bar staff will forget you're back there if you stick around long enough. Just don't get locked in!

2. Al's Wine & Whiskey. You kind of have to sneak around at Al's to snag some electricity, but the food is excellent, as are the happy hour specials. They keep a rotating selection of 20 bottles of wine available for $20 each, and if you don't finish it, they'll give you the rest in a to-go bag (for realz). They also have decent beers and a fair whiskey and fine spirits selection, as far as the local scene goes (check 'em out). The place is comfy, and they managed to get entirely rid of the cigar smell from when they allowed that kind of thing. Just watch out for your mouse – they kept the holes in the counter where the ashtrays were!

3. Empire Brewing. Empire probably gets the two biggest thumbs up for food and drink. But the basement location means poor reception for some cell phones, and there's not much electricity. I'd take the last remaining hour of your laptop battery here and plan to spend a few hours "finishing up."

4. The Limerick. Terrible website aside, the Limerick is much bigger and much cleaner than you remember it. And those two cute little side counters across from the bar? They have lamps on them and electrical outlets below them. I get pretty strong wifi signals there from several different sources, and the place doesn't get crowded until 8ish. You'll also be the only working there (unless I'm there, too).

5. Syracuse Suds Factory. For the last time, no, the Suds Factory does not make soap. They make delicious beer (though, to be honest, not as delicious as Empire). It's got a great hardwood-and-exposed-brick atmosphere, and they're happy to share their wireless password if you show that you're buying while you're working. There's unfortunately only one outlet in the entire place and it's nowhere near the bar. Order some food, though; it's consistently awesome.

photo credit: Mike McCune