If your family (like my Irish/Sicilian/German/Native American/god knows what else clan) lets the booze flow on Thanksgiving, then you can go headfirst into the holidays with more joy and less dread. A few sips of Gram and Grandpa's raspberry cordial warms you, eases stress, and generally lubricates you for the tough-to-handle scenes of the season: kids' screams, distant relatives' awkward, probing questions, and the general caged-animal feeling that comes from being miles away from the familiarity and comfort of your day-to-day "normal" life.

I'm from the Rush/Honeoye Falls area, and though I travel farther for the holidays, last weekend I decided (in the spirit of the season), to see what my hometown bars are like. Not that I'd dream of escaping my family for a few drinks....

We always used to call the Rush Creekside Inn ( 6071 E. Henrietta Rd., Rush, 533-1250, rushcreeksideinn.com) "the biker bar" because, well, during good weather Harleys are lined up outside like dominoes (though the owners would probably not appreciate the comparison), and leather-clad guys and girls spill out of the place by the dozens. Sometimes hundreds of bikes fill the lot when a big ride heads out from there. But it was a cold Saturday night when we stopped by, so no motorcycles were parked out front, but the smell of spicy chicken wings was in the air, and the bar was full. Guinness was poured from a can, but infused with a "surge" device. A Jager machine was on hand, and though the cozy dining room was vacant, people sat at tables near the bar eating. The game was on, scratch-offs were available at the bar, and an Internet jukebox pumped out Stones tunes. Specials and upcoming events were posted behind the bar, and a mix of ages - 20s, 30s, 40s, and 50s - filled the place. It was surprisingly comfortable and relaxed. Back when I lived in Rush and worked downtown, this is where I should've stopped.

Over in Honeoye Falls (a few more miles south on 15A, and a left turn on Monroe Street) you have a few options. Cosmo's (7 West Main St. Honeoye Falls, 624-3915) is one of ‘em. If you park in the lot behind the bar, you might find the back entrance a little foreboding. Unmarked, it's just a door with a Jager sign (unlit) in the window. But we gamely walked in, and upon seeing a jolly-faced man setting up karaoke equipment, my friend Jenna remembered a dream in which the two of us took over all the suburban towns with our karaoke prowess. That didn't happen, and the bar-goers here were waaay ahead of us on drinks, so we did our best to converse with them and remain inconspicuous. It was someone's birthday, and though the vibe was festive, a few unmistakable regulars seemed comfortable just drinking their drinks and absorbing the activity.

Though it's on the small side, Cosmo's has enough options to keep you from being bored. Head here to hang out, play pool, darts, watch TV, and sing karaoke. If you run out of things to do, you can always head across the street to The Brewery (8 West Main St., Honeoye Falls, 624-7870) for a change of scene, but we were too caught up with the Cosmo's crowd to make it there.

Just one thing was missing from this trip: the awkward high-school run-ins I'd braced myself for. But then again...can't say they were really missed.

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