My Rochester Bucket List

If you haven't heard already via the social realms, Thom and I have decided to make a very big decision and leave our families, careers and lives in Rochester, New York behind for a brand new start in San Francisco, California!

We're both terribly excited for the new change of pace and for the opportunities there.  I can't wait to discover a new city and experience new cultures.  Last week, we made a very quick trip out [40 hours] to see the city and visit my grad school.

And yes, ladies and gentlemen, after two years of trying, 7 heartbreaking letters of rejection and one willful spirit later, I have finally reached a ginormous milestone in my photography career and have been accepted into a photography graduate school at the Academy of Art University.  And let me also just say, I cannot freakin wait.  Out comes my trapper keeper, highlighters and backpack...

And so this is the hard to keep secret I've had for a few weeks now.  I mentioned big changes that were going to occur in a past post and so here they are!  Thom and I seem to be domestic traveler extraordinaires.  Our lives will be continually moving back and forth from San Francisco to New York City back to San Francisco to Miami to Key West and finally back to San Francisco.  [And perhaps Rochester sprinkled in here and there]  Add the ill timed holiday season coming upon us and you might just have the perfect recipe for a very stressful move.

We both have realized this and the true reality of leaving our families and childhood areas.  So yesterday, I made a big decision and left my current job, knowing that I would be leaving them sooner rather than the later I had originally hoped for.  And now that I have finally told them, I can now finally tell others.  And it's a huge relief.  I am not one for keeping secrets for very long.  [Cue the visible sigh of relief]

So grad school for me for the next two years and Thom?  He found an amazing application developing job that will have him so close to Fisherman's Warf, that he'll not only smell the salty taste of the bay but also the overwhelming smell of the many hobos which San Francisco is infamously known for.  Horray for that!

With all that said, I am now realizing what I'll be missing and so I will not be taking Rochester for granted!  It's funny to know that simple things like the fall season and snow will not be something I will be experiencing soon in San Francisco.  (Think the last recorded snow fall in San Fran was like in 1978?)  Don't forget New York apples and hayrides too!  And what about chicken wings!  Becoming this nostalgic just makes me a bit sad to be leaving New York and because of that, I've decided to create my Rochester Bucket List.  A list of things that I should do/experience/taste before I leave.

I've come up with a few:

1.  Visit the Memorial Art Gallery one. last. time.
2.  Visit and eat at Donuts Delite up near Irondequoit
3.  Go see one last movie at The Little Theater
4.  Visit the Science Museum on East Ave.  (Never have I ever...)

I suppose I could open this up to the Buffalo area as well since that is where I grew up and I could think of a few places I've been wanting to see or experience or eat at.  Especially eat.  I'm all for great restaurants in the area.

So do you know of some things that aren't worth missing before I leave?  For instance, a great restaurant or place to see?  Leave a comment, let me know. 

And before I end this post, let me just say again that I will miss a lot of great things here in New York.  There are so many memories.  But I am excited for new ones, so it's been fun New York.  You stay classy.