Posts by AJ Shear

Author: AJ Shear

Tony Bennett famously sings the lyrics, “I left my heart in San Francisco!” If AJ Shear wrote that song, he would most certainly change the lyrics to “I left my heart in the Finger Lakes!” AJ is a former resident of Ontario County and used to sing the praises of the Finger Lakes every day as Communications Manager for Finger Lakes Visitors Connection. Although he left for new opportunities in nearby Rochester, he returns to the Finger Lakes as much as possible and now gets to see the area through the eyes of a visitor! AJ is passionate about exploring Finger Lakes music, food, wine, beer and spirits. In his spare time, he’s likely pickin’ a new bluegrass song on mandolin and drinking a Finger Lakes craft beer. If he gets to do that while sitting beside Canandaigua Lake, then there’s nothing better in the world!

Bluegrass music may have started in the southern Appalachian region of the United States, but it has

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I recently read a statistic that 45% of Americans make New Year’s resolutions. The top 5? It’s the usual boring stuff:

1. Lose weight

2. Get organized

3. Spend less, save more

4. Enjoy life to the fullest

5. Learn something new and exciting

I’m not too keen on these, so this year, I’ve decided to turn the top five New Year’s resolutions into Finger Lakes resolutions! Here’s how I recommend adapting America’s top 5 New Year’s resolutions to Finger Lakes resolutions.

Small Business Saturday falls on Nov. 29th. It’s a great opportunity to get holiday shopping done while supporting your local community and the businesses that need each and every one of us to flourish. In this weekend’s Pick Six blog, we share the Finger Lakes Insiders tips on where to shop for Small Business Saturday.

Looking for some fun things to do this weekend? Here are weekend picks from our six insiders at Finger Lakes Visitors Connection!

I have nothing against the Subway restaurants and their famous “Sandwich Artists” who make 100s of sandwiches day in and day out. But, I will say, I think Ontario County restaurants are home to the real sandwich artists! In honor of Nov. 3, National Sandwich Day, I’m going to give you a few Insider Tips on some of my favorite sandwiches!

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