The O-town Scene

January 12, 2012

The O-town Scene - Oneonta, NY

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102 Chestnut St., P.O. Box 250, Oneonta, NY 13820 Vol. 2, No. 14 Scene the O-Town www.otownscene.com FOUNDING EDITOR/DESIGNER Cassandra Miller editor@otownscene.com, (607) 432-1000, ext. 255 COMING EVENTS/CALENDAR/COPY EDITOR Adrienne Wise arts@otownscene.com, (607) 432-1000, ext. 206 CONTRIBUTORS Amy Alkon, Mark Boshnack, John Champlin, Emily Ernsberger, Ashok Malhotra, Robin Nussbaum, Monica O'Leary, Raul O'Toole and Benjamin Patton ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Sean Lewis slewis@thedailystar.com, (607) 432-100, ext. 235 EDITOR'S NOTE It's the experiences that make the job Each issue of the Scene feels like a fun school project (yes, I was one of those kids who loved school projects). I spend hours hunched over a notebook brainstorming and planning, and then I spend hours losing a bit of my eye sight every day working at the computer, and more time out and about talking to people for features. It's a lot of work, but it never feels like work. Sometimes I don't even believe myself when I say I have to go taste-test a cocktail and chat with a bartender or check out an art exhibit "for work." For this month's cover story, plumber/singer turned barber Randy Miritello let me hang out at his barber shop, where some men came in for shaves and trims, some to play chess at the formica table at the back of the shop, and others brought guitars for an after-shave music session. The Crystal Palace Barber Shop in Oneonta is a manly place. It's also a musical place. Randy's Americana band, the Horsheshoe Lounge Playboys, rehearses at the shop, where there's a drum set and microphone stands set up on old rugs in front of large paintings by Randy's artist friends. It feels like a hip friend's living room, except there's also a row of retro barber chairs. Read more on Pages 16-17. Down state Route 28, another Randy sets a friendly atmosphere at his place of work. Randy Beers bartends at Cooperstown's Alex and Ika Restaurant, a charm- ing and stylish eatery owned by Swedes who have decorated the walls with vintage mirrors and serve creative, delicious dishes and cocktails. Randy served me the Lukas Monster Margarita, a tequila and fresh-squeezed juice concoction named for owners Alex and Ika's children, who were toddlers when the drink was conceptual- ized. That recipe is on Page 7. There was a theme of family and friends at every place I visited for this month's is- PUBLISHER Armand Nardi anardi@thedailystar.com, (607) 432-1000, ext. 214 EDITOR OF THE DAILY STAR Sam Pollak spollak@thedailystar.com (607) 432-1000, ext. 208 The O-Town Scene is published the second Thursday of each month by The Daily Star Inc. Free copies are distributed throughout Oneonta, as well as parts of Otsego, Delaware and Schoharie counties. Member of The Associated Press and CNHI News Service 2 O-Town Scene Jan. 12, 2012 sue, including the Roxbury Arts Group, which opens an exhibit of the late Michael Fauerbach's paintings and three-dimensional works Jan. 14. Fauerbach's wife, Ellen, has worked closely with RAG, and the nonprofit's representatives were adamant about mentioning what a great friend she has been to the group in press releases and in person when I was in Roxbury taking photos of the exhibit. The show is hung throughout one of RAG's galleries and its large hall, and is worth a trip to Roxbury. My favorites were Fauerbach's three-dimensional pieces where he painted a city scene on a large canvas, and then attached a cut-out painting of a person or two that he then extended in front of the city scene, casting actual shadows on the acrylic streets. More information is on Page 11, and Casual Chit Chat with RAG's lovely new director, Jenny Rosenzweig, is on Page 10. This is my job. When I start getting down about the material aspect of what I do, I feel better thinking of the memory-making and enriching experiences I've had through reporting, writing and editing for The Daily Star and the O-Town Scene. It has been a good three years in terms of life experience. "Five myths of the Ameri- can Dream" on Page 14 of this week's issue says success is based on do- ing something you love and surrounding yourself with positive people. In those terms, I'm living the dream. I hope you are, too. Cassandra Miller is the founding editor and designer of the O-Town Scene. She can be reached at editor@otownscene.com.

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