I love art trails. I'm not an artist, but I love looking at it in all its forms. On a trail, if something doesn't capture my interest, the next candidate is just another stop away. I've traveled the Ithaca and Naples trails. Both of them are worth the driving effort and I always plan for them. (Hopefully next year they'll use my suggestion of artsy mailboxes containing the maps, attaching them to posts, and placing them strategically near the stops.) However, neither of these prepared me for a visit to Anderson Alley's Gala on Friday, November 30.First, there's the signage.

Sunday night I sloshed out through the snowy rain to see Prog B of Garth Fagan Dance at Nazareth Arts Center. (Am I the only one who finds it challenging to read programs, especially when there are listings for three different programs in one book? They're like magazines; the index is 20 pages in, after the scratch-n-sniffs.) I don't have much to say since it was wonderful, as usual. I love the mix of different types of music with dances you wouldn't think would mesh. I love watching the dancers' heaving diaphragms as they catch their breath, and the taut muscles

The "Entrepreneurship, Hip-Hop and Def" lecture scheduled to be given tonight by musician/actor Mos Def has been postponed due to inclement weather. No replacement date has yet been set. For more information visit choiceticketing.com/rochester, or call the University of Rochester's Kearn Center at 275-1402.

Mos Def's postponement offered me the chance to catch the John Mellencamp/Los Lobos double bill at the Auditorium Theatre. I still can't get used to sitting at rock-ish concerts. Los Lobos got us standing a few times, but Mellencamp had us "at attention" throughout, even cell-ing our friends for a chorus of how life goes on. Check the Music Blog for a full report.I wasn't sure how the mandala dissolution ceremony this morning at Colgate Crozer Rochester Divinity was going to play out. The lit said the mandala would be swept into a nearby body of water. The closest water

I strolled the gallery circuit Friday with the rest of the beautiful people out for free wine and nibbles. The absence of Ed Vesneske at Image City Photography Gallery (722 University Avenue), left a void; he's usually a very strong promoter, greeting visitors right at the front door. Apparently, they no longer need an executive director, so Ed has become "less involved." No one knew what he's up to now.It's a mighty strange coincidence that I watched the movie "Everything is Illuminated" this weekend after seeing Jessica Marquez's master thesis show at Booksmart Studios. Both of them deal with collecting

The "Entrepreneurship, Hip-Hop and Def" lecture cancelled on December 5 has been rescheduled to Wednesday, December 12, at 7:30 p.m. Previously purchased tickets will be honored. The lecture takes place at UR's East River Rd Auditorium at 300 E River Rd. Call 275-1402 for info.

I was curious as to who the other travelers would be. What kind of people take a Volunteers of America bus tour? And although all of my friends thought it sounded like a great idea, none of them wanted to go along with me. They had their "excuses." I didn't really have any shopping to do, my only mission being to get the cheesiest holiday pin I could find for Tracey in Classifieds. Even I was hesitant to commit to a whole day held hostage on a bus. So I made plans to rendezvous with a friend half-way through. And

I was very disappointed that I couldn't wear my red coat. It's as red as a Santa suit and made of velvet, and so perfect for a night out to see "White Christmas." It has a wear-life of only about one month a year and in this month, and on this night, it was drizzling. Sigh. Whatever. To get into the spirit, I put the all-Christmas-music "oldies" station on the radio for my ride over. The weather outside might have been frightful, but I was looking to be delighted.I got my ticket from will call and began to climb to

Apparently I'm out of the hip-hop loop. Who's deaf? Mos Def. I suppose I could have researched, but I made a conscious decision not to. The people I know who knew of him gave him rave reviews so I decided to just go with it. Besides, he's really cute! The funny thing is, after I made that decision, I kept hearing little bits and pieces of who he was. In fact, right before I left for the venue I realized I'd seen him in a movie ("Pieces of April") as the boyfriend of Katie Holmes.This was certainly like no other

"I've always wanted to do that," is one of the most common phrases I hear. And it is oft repeated. I heard it again and again as I asked friends to accompany me to the Eighth Annual George Bailey 5K last night. Alas, they still feel that way. The GB5K is the brainchild of local filmmaker Matt Ehlers. A tribute to the Frank Capra classic "It's A Wonderful Life," it is an absurd charity event involving people of all ages dressing up as their favorite characters in the film (or not), and romping through the East End singing carols and

Anyplace that greets me with cookies is alright by me. And if they let me play with their toys, I'll probably come back. Edgerton's Model Train Room gets my version of a Gold Star for giving me both. Built way back in the 50's, it really is an entire room of model trains, but it's set up more like four rooms, each representing a season, and each with its own theme. During the 90's the Edgerton Train Club, which runs the room, left, and it fell into disrepair. Then about four years ago John Ciavarro, who was a member during