Rochester so far

Well, I've now been a Rochester resident (again) for about 20 days. Stricken with the worst sore throat ever that left me unable to drink, much less eat, anything for over a week, I feel behind on the culinary exploration of the new region. Nevertheless, I do have some random thoughts I'd like to share with the sporadic food bloggers dear to me.

1. Today I ate a great bagel. This may be blasphemy, but I have never been a fan of Uncommon bagels. There are about 15 bagel places in the neighborhood I grew up in, so I feel like I'm not totally uneducated. I returned to said 'hood, to the place I frequented most back in the day. Good size bagel- not too big. Shiny and firm outside; perfectly dense, moist, chewy center.
2. Wegmans. I will probably write a lot about Wegmans later because it is so amazing. I could probably exist soley on their prepared foods, and may indeed try to do so since one cabinet in my kitchen has a very weird smell and I don't like to open it to get out pots & pans (which I only got around to unpacking today anyways.) I will refrain at the moment from describing the wonderful stuff I've had already. Let me just tell you that every time I go in there I think of taking photos on my phone to text you, but I don't do so for fear that they'll think I'm some type of corporate spy. Let me paint a word picture: Seafood counter probably 20+ feet long. Among every other thing that swims in the ocean, 5 or so kinds of shrimp behind the glass- raw, different sizes, some cooked & flavored. Each variety in a single layer on a tray. Each shrimp facing the same way...I am both afraid and utterly respectful of the person who's job it is to do this daily.
3. Public Market. I went with my mother yesterday. I didn't buy anything (pots & pans still boxed up at that point). But she goes weekly (and has done so for as long as I can remember) and she's got a fish guy, a cheese guy, some surprisingly hot tomato guys, and really knows the whole dealio at this Rochester institution. I found it inspiring that so many people still take time to argue the price of tomatoes and get super fresh ingredients. As many hick farmers as there were in Toga, I'd never heard the word "localvore" used as much as it is here. There's also food stands where you can get a snack, and I got an amazing totally fresh bacon, egg, & cheese sandwich for $2.
4. Chains. I feel like a phony putting this right after my Public Market section, but Rochester pretty much has every chain ever. Both a blessing and a curse. But I have never been to Red Lobster and I'm sorry to say that currently, going there is more important to me than finding a job.

Beyond Red Lobster, other pressing food goals include eating a Garbage Plate at Nick Tahou's and finding decent pizza. Sad state of pizza affairs here in The Roc. And I've already given up hope on finding a sub that doesn't make me yearn for Roma's, but I went to an absolutely huge/amazing/Wegmans owned liquor store today, so at least I can drink away my sorrows on that front until my next trip east.....and I still have a photo of the Roma's guys on my fridge!