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Red Osier Landmark Restaurant

Millions of lights at Red Osier brighten smiles for children and restaurant's owners

By Howard B. Owens

It's a lot of work, Tim Adams admits, to decorate the Red Osier Landmark Restaurant in Stafford. But it's worth it when he sees a kid's face light up to see all of the sparkling colors that are spread around the property.

"We had a customer last night that called the display 'magical,' which is pretty cool," Adams said during Saturday's free Community Christmas event.

He spends five or six weeks putting up the lights each year.  He gets some help, but does most of the work himself. Christmas is his favorite time of year, he said.

"It's nice to see all the kids who enjoy and appreciate the lights, because there's really not a lot of places to go and see something like this," Adams said.

Adams and partner Steve Foster started the annual tradition seven years ago, about the same time the annual light display on Fargo Road was ending its long run as the county's premier Christmas light destination.  Adams and Foster decided the best way to show off their holiday light display was to host a free Community Christmas, which they did this past weekend.

They offered a food trailer, carriage rides, a visit with Santa, and, of course, a chance to walk through and around the light displays provided for free to the community. The holiday tour at the Route 5 restaurant came with some help from the volunteers of Stafford Fire Department.

"We wanted to do something nice for Stafford and our local communities," Adams said.

The tradition actually began about a month before the official season of Santa Claus, Foster said.

"I think what made it right for us, and it happens every year, is on Thanksgiving, we weren't having Thanksgiving dinner until later, and we were out doing Christmas lights, and a van full of kids came through and said, 'Merry Christmas. We love your Christmas lights.' That's why we do it," Foster said.

Red Osier is also once again collecting holiday-time donations. This year the donations are going to Toys for Tots, Western New York Heroes, Little Tots, and the community pantry at St. James Episcopal Church.

Photos by Howard Owens.

Red Osier's new outdoor dining and entertainment patio drawing weekend crowds

By Howard B. Owens

When Steve Foster and Tim Adams, owners of the Red Osier Landmark Restaurant in Stafford, come up with small ideas, they often grow into grand ideas.

In the spring of 2021, for example, the decision to clean up the area behind the restaurant -- move a dumpster to the back of the property and remove the wood structures from behind the building -- was supposed to be just as a clean-up project.  Once the area was clear, Foster thought maybe they could put some gravel down, install some tables and chairs and have a small outdoor dining area at a time when COVID protocols were still in place.

"A close local friend who was helping with the demo joked about a 'man cave' at the restaurant," Foster told The Batavian. "Tim and I agreed, but not so much a 'mancave' but an outdoor entertaining area that you would envision seeing in Florida -- an area that is not directly on a busy street, but a nice casual and inviting area to enjoy our country views.  We named the patio after our aunts, Valerie DiFalco and Lynda Bird. Both were very influential in our lives and loved the outdoors, and more importantly, loved to entertain."

So now what you will find out back isn't gravel and a few tables.  Rather, there is a full concrete patio, redwood cover, a couple of dozen tables, a bar with seating, and enough space for a small rock, country, pop, or jazz combo to keep the space hoppin'.

"As we built the patio, we had a mindset to have a big enough area where we could host live entertainment, something that is seen in a lot of patio bars in Florida," Foster said. "Our area is full of local talent and we wanted to have a nice space where they would be comfortable to play.  We wanted music that is not genre specific but goes with our casual fine dining feel."

The patio has seating for 65 patrons.  The seats are often all taken on Friday and Saturday evenings -- the nights when there is live entertainment on the patio.

"We offer a 'lighter eats' menu on the patio, which I believe has been valuable," Foster said. "We didn't want patrons to think they had to come out and get a prime and lobster dinner, although they can if they want to.  We wanted a salad and sandwich option.  There are already plans to add live entertainment to Sundays due to the overall success of the patio, along with hosting car cruises and tailgate parties throughout the patio season."

The Red Osier Landmark Restaurant is located at 6492 Main St., Stafford. Phone: (585) 343-6972 (the restaurant takes reservations). The restaurant is closed for dining on Mondays and opens at 4 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.

Photos: Le Roy HS's Mom Prom at Red Osier

By Howard B. Owens

Le Roy High School held its annual Mom Prom on Wednesday night at Red Osier in Stafford.

The event was put on hold for a couple of years due to the pandemic, but Le Roy Superintendent Merritt Holly said organizer Samantha Vagg "made it a priority to get this event back up and running this year for our students and families."

The event is a chance for seniors to invite a mother or other special person who provided support and guidance over the years as they worked their way toward graduation.  The event is usually held around Mother's Day.

Holly said 101 students and moms or special guests attended, which was held for the first time at Red Osier.   The event included a buffet dinner, music, games, and prizes. 

Photos submitted by David Russell.

Red Osier in Stafford opens new garden patio

By Howard B. Owens

Steve Foster and Tim Adams cut the ribbon on the Valerie-Lynn Memorial Garden Patio at The "Original" Red Osier Landmark Restaurant.  The patio was built in honor of Valerie Di Falco and Lynda Bird. It will provide the patrons of the restaurant with another option to enjoy the space. It is complete with outdoor heaters, seating, a patio bar, a full menu, and special patio appetizers.

Photo courtesy the Chamber of Commerce.

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