BY AMY BLEIER LONG PHOTOS BY AMELIA BEAMISH Fashion boutique Boom Babies, founded in 1986 by Lorraine Koury, is well known for its eclectic apparel and accessories, and its prom dress registry (no two students at the same school will ever be sold the same dress). Over the decades, hundreds of “Boom Girls” have assisted Koury in attending to customers, buying new apparel, merchandising and promoting the store. A decade ago, through a mutual friend who worked there, MacKenzie Wilkinson and Meaghan Crandall became Boom Girls and, subsequently, best friends. After COVID, when other staffers mo ..read more

On Friday, March 8 (International Women’s Day), we will be attending the CNY Women’s Summit hosted by CNY Women’s Network at the Oncenter. We’re very excited for the panels (our editor-in-chief is moderating the day’s first panel) and fireside chats with female leaders and entrepreneurs, and the chance to meet women from across Central New York. The Summit, which is in its third year and continues to grow, is just one way CNY Women’s Network founder Alex Canavan is reaching out to women. Her holistic approach to supporting women includes events that feature networking, breathwork and yoga, v ..read more

BY BECCA TAURISANO Candle bars have been all the rage, with four new locations launching in Central New York this year. Similar to a bar where friends gather to drink libations, a candle bar aims to bring people together through community and connection. The candle making process is similar no matter where you go: participants choose a single fragrance or create a custom blend and pour the wax and scent mixture into a vessel, allowing it to harden for at least 90 minutes before taking it home or having it shipped. These featured candle bars use soy wax and phthalate-free fragrances. Co ..read more

BY JACKIE PERRIN   What do two creative entrepreneurs who love gaming, two colleges, 11 area school districts and a museum have in common? They’re all partners in the next generation of video gaming in Central New York, says Matt Guernsey, co-owner of Elite Gaming, a three-year-old business he operates with co-founder Rob O’Connor. Located at the Milton J. Rubenstein Museum of Science and Technology (MOST) in Syracuse, Elite Gaming serves gamers from age 6 to 60-plus and it is poised to grow with the booming esports industry. Elite Gaming Arena opened in October 2022. The site, in th ..read more

CNY Art Guild will again host its Fine Art Show & Sale 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sat., Oct. 14 and Sun. Oct. 15 at Aspen House, Radisson, 8550 N. Entry Rd. Baldwinsville. Featuring artwork created by members of the CNYAG, live demonstrations and artwork for sale including acrylic and oil paintings, watercolors, stained glass, photography and ceramics, the show is free to attend. Proceeds from the raffle of three works will benefit Student Art Awards for high school seniors. Drawing will be held at 3:30 p.m. Sunday. Parking is free. For more information, visit cnyartguild.org ..read more

BY MJ KRAVEC To close our 2023 arts & entertainment issue, we went to costume designer Katharine Tarkulich, whose creations have been featured in film, television and local theaters including Redhouse Arts Center, Cortland Repertory Theatre and Hobart and William Smith Colleges. We wanted to know where she finds her inspiration and what Halloween was like for her as a kid. What time do you get up in the morning and how do you take your coffee? I generally get up anywhere between 6 and 8:30 a.m., depending on school schedules for my kids, whether I’m working from home or spending time at a ..read more

BY NICOLE MOSS UNDERWOOD Anyone who has been in Syracuse long enough likely remembers Party in the Plaza at the Federal Building. Starting in 1980, thousands of revelers would pack the block at 100 S. Clinton Street for warm summer nights, great bands, dancing, drinking and a good time. The event series, organized by the Updowntowners, enjoyed decades of success and profits benefited downtown charitable organizations. After a decline, organizers in 2009 turned the party into Obcityan, a more upscale rooftop nightclub on top of the Washington Street parking garage, but crowds did not show up ..read more

BY BECCA TAURISANO The ghost kitchen, or virtual kitchen, is a concept that existed before the COVID-19 pandemic in larger cities, but gained traction in Syracuse when customers demanded more options for takeout and delivery during the 2020 lockdowns. Ghost kitchens are primarily designed for takeout or delivery, typically through the use of third-party apps like Grubhub and DoorDash, and allow restauranteurs to operate in a smaller space with fewer employees and less overhead than a traditional dine-in restaurant. Across Syracuse, several virtual kitchen concepts have popped up in exis ..read more

BY BECCA TAURISANO When was the last time you created something purely for your own enjoyment? Most of us think of art as a hobby for children, but it has just as many benefits for adults’ mental, physical and social wellbeing. As Pablo Picasso said, “Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.” Our creative outlets as adults are limited as we become encumbered with the responsibilities of work, family and adulthood. Claire McKenney, owner of Right Mind Syracuse, says she noticed people were craving classes where they could be creative. “Most people will say they haven’t done a ..read more

BY MJ KRAVEC It’s a gray, cold, dismal day, and yet, the people scattered on the tennis courts at Elevate Fitness in Liverpool are all so sunny. At the time of this writing, it’s close to St. Patrick’s Day. Almost everyone on the courts is wearing something green — from sequins to t-shirts bearing a pickle — as they lunge, leap and dash for a little plastic ball with holes in it. Linh Daino, of Fayetteville, is dressed in a green sequin tie, green tennis skirt and neon sneakers. She jabs her paddle at a fellow player. “See this guy? He says his underwear is green.” The guy, John Spencer, of Li ..read more