Red Carpet treatment at the Syracuse Area Music Awards

The organizers of Friday night’s Syracuse Area Music Awards made sure the guests felt welcome. The lobby of The Palace Theatre in Syracuse included a red carpet staging area. They put a banner with the event’s sponsor logos on it, and pushed a big replica of the Sammys trophy on the side, too. In other…

A screen gems production

With the sun shining, I can’t walk through the kitchen without taking a peek out the window. And what should I spy but a bird on a wire. Are you a late winter bird? Are you an early spring bird? Let’s take your picture, satisfied sitting against the blue sky. Through the screen I shoot…

It’s so cold, and my life revolves around heating repairs

My whole life revolves around heat this morning. And I do not like it a bit. With our Syracuse temperatures well under zero, I awoke with a chill under my chin, the thermostat reading 65 and cold air blowing out of the vents. This, mind you, from a new furnace my dear wife Karen and…

Don’t give me no lies and …

Keep your hands to yourself! So sang the Georgia Satellites in a gritty little ditty that made the Billboard top five when Dan Baird and his mates in the Atlanta band gave it to the world in 1986. You know, younger folks, it’s the catchy song that’s made the playlist of the smarmy date who’s…

Snow Mountain, closed to skiers

This is getting old, this snowy winter. I promised Ellie B, aka Dogamous Pyle, a walk this Sunday morning. The theme came to me quickly as we got to the business end of our Syracuse city neighborhood of Eastwood. Where are they going to put it next? The four-day mini-melt of last week is long…

What I would look like if I hosted a Food Network show

I met up with two of my best buddies to enjoy the annual Syracuse Golf Show yesterday. We wandered the aisles and dreamed of green fairways, green rough, green greens, white golf balls, no snow. I’ll write more about the show Wednesday for my weekly community blog post for the Syracuse Public Media site. And,…

The outside story at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse

Earlier this week, I journeyed over to the Carrier Dome, walking inside the revolving doors of Gate B to the box office. It was quiet. My football season ticket renewal payment was handled in a snap, after I told the courteous worker that yes, I do want to settle up a month before the deadline.…

There is an across-the-street, I know it

As snow-experienced as I am from 31 years of living in Central New York, it still takes my breath away when the view from the window is snow and only snow. It had lightened up a bit by the time I went out on the side porch to snap a shot with my iPad Air…

When life gives you so much winter, why not make a fest?

It’s become a tradition for my dear wife Karen and I to make sure we head to the Syracuse, N.Y., downtown space called Hanover Square at this time of year. Since 1985, hardy and hearty Central New Yorkers have been given the opportunity to make the most of this cold, snowy season here in the…

They’re noisy birds, but I don’t mind

Every so often sitting in my living room here in the Syracuse city neighborhood of Eastwood these past couple of days, I hear a thump against the picture window. Ellie B, aka Dogamous Pyle, jumps on top of me on my recliner to peer out, and I hunch over to protect the family … iPad…