Impact Cycle

Smoothies and Spin, what could be better...

Motivation, Strength, Courage - these are just three things IMPACT Next Level does for anyone who steps foot inside their doors. IMPACT is located inside the HarborCenter in downtown Buffalo. While they have been around for a few years, whats new to the streets is their IMPACT Cycle and IMPACT Yoga classes that began last month. :) 

Thanks to my very good friend, Kelsey I was able to take a cycle class with Jason Jerome last night. If you know Jason you know how passionate, dedicated and encouraging he is and his ability to push you to do your absolute best goes above and beyond anyone's expectations.

The cycle class was fun, encouraging and challenging {in a good way}. So for all my fitness friends and/or friends that work in the downtown area, if you're looking to check out a new place or change up your workout, pay a visit to IMPACT. 

If you are taking a class note the cycle and yoga studios are located right next door to the Healthy Scratch {perfect for a post work out smoothie or meal ;)}. To see snippets of my class from last night check out my insta-story on Instagram at @bybuffalob. 

IMPACT also offers more than just cycle and yoga classes. To learn more check out impactnextlevel.com for class schedules, pricing and more. 

-B

Embrace the Chill

Curling 

Crew...

When I hosted my blog party last month I had a jar on the counter for guests to write down blog post ideas they'd like me to cover. Moving into the next phase of Just a Blonde in Buffalo, I want to focus more on sharing my experiences with you. I think it reflects where and what is going on in my life to a certain degree. 

I received a number of notes that said they'd like me to feature things to do in WNY during the winter time. Let's face it winter can be very depressing, with the cold, snow and lack of sunlight it can put a damper on things. If you're one that loves winter because you ski, snowboard or whatever it may be, that's great, but I think you are a rare breed and myself and probably others are jealous of you for that. 

Chris teaching me

In an effort to show those who may not necessarily like winter that it can be fun, I've attempted {I say attempt because I am no pro at the activities I'm about to post} a handful of fun wintertime things you, your family and friends can partake in. {Note that what I post this week, not all of these activities are outdoors}. 

Any who, today I'm featuring CURLING! I've never curled before, I don't know how it started or why, but I will tell you I had so many laughs and I still have some bruises {totally worth it}. This activity was a lot of fun and pretty much anyone can do it. 

Chris showing us the ropes 

Thanks to my friends over at Canalside - Todd, Mike and Erin participated in my "adventure" with me. Are curling instructor for the day was Chris and he started off demonstrating the proper ways to push off the block and slide the stones on the ice. He then showed us the right way to sweep the ice with the curling broom. 

From there we were ready to compete {everything turns out to be a competition with me}. It was the guys vs. the gals. The first few times I "took off" from the foot block was hysterically embarrassing. My stone didn't even make it to center ice, it wasn't until the 3rd or 4th try that I got the hang of it, needless to say I think everyone got a few good laughs in.

Look at that face... first time curling 

Thanks to Erin sweeping the ice and then accidentally falling over one, she was able to knock out the guys stone and we were on the target - that was how we got our 1 and only point and how we took the lead. We went back and forth for a few more rounds and how it ended - the guys won.  

Girls on the target 

SO here are the details if you  want to Curl at Canalside. 

1. Visit Canalside Buffalo's website to reserve your spot - Click here and it will take you directly to the Curling page
2. Sign the waiver before you arrive - this saves you time and give you more time on the ice 
3. Minimum amount of people is 4, max is 10 people per lane
4. Curling is 1 hour long 
5. Pricing during the week is $10 per person. Weekends {beginning 5 p.m. Friday} and Holidays is $15 per person 
6. Make sure to visit Canalside's website and social media to find out their hours of operation 

I honestly had so much fun, laughed a lot and didn't even think about the cold and dreary weather. Once you're done curling you can visit the warm Winter Lodge for beverages { alcohol and non-alcoholic} and snacks. 

-B

USS Little Rock Commissioning

If you've been down by Canalside over the last week or so you may have noticed the USS Little Rock LCS 9 stationed at the dock. This coming weekend it will be commissioned right here in Buffalo. Some of you may have tickets for tours and others may have plans to just come down to see the festivities.  Regardless, the ship is a true beauty, very advanced in technology and one of a kind. 

Last week a handful of co-workers and myself took a tour of the ship and below {and above} are some of the pictures from that. Anyone that is taking a tour this weekend, I'm sure you will enjoy it very much.

-B

A "thank you" to my work family as we say goodbye to summer

{the "original" Outer Harbor crew}

Its not the "official" end of summer yet, but with school starting back up and these cooler temperatures that have made there way thru to WNY its easy to say Fall is approaching. While we still have a number of events this next month, I must say this summer, especially this last couple of months have been a whirlwind. One thing I've learned is life happens, things change and there will always be problems and sometimes you may not be able to find a solution or answer to those problems, but you need to learn how to move on and be happy with yourself.

{always willing to help me out when it comes to important causes #BisonsFam}

Learning this lesson comes as a real challenge to me as I just want to please everyone whether it be in my professional or personal life, but eventually it will affect you and drive you crazy because you won't always have the answers or know why things are happening the way they are at those specific times. What I want anyone who may happen to read this post to get out of it is simple, changes take place in all different aspects of your life all the time, some times they are small changes, sometimes they are bigger changes and sometimes we may not know why the hell we are going thru them, but we have to accept them and learn to just live.

{fun times with the gals}

When you are in a career like mine you work very long hours and work becomes your second home. Your co-workers become your second family in a way; you fight together, laugh and cry together, but most importantly you have each others backs. When someone is down or needs help you are there to lift them back up and to let them know everything will be okay. If there is one thing I will stand by its that working together has a far greater reward than working by yourself - a lesson a lot of people could use in today's world.

{4th of July}

{Jack Craft Fair}

{Thunder at the Outer Harbor}

There are a lot of awesome things that took place this summer and it wouldn't haven been possible if we didn't work together. So to my work family at the Ballpark, Canalside and the Outer Harbor, thank you for having my back, making these summer months a very memorable one, picking me up and making me laugh when I've wanted to cry and reminding me that "I've got this" when I've second guessed myself. XO

-B

{the boys}

{2nd to last Bisons game of the season}

{Brunch fest}

{typical Brad :) }

#BuffaloLinks

Its the first #BuffaloLinks post for 2016. And with it comes a lot of fun events taking place throughout the rest of January. From outdoor to indoor events, winter in Buffalo doesn't have to be as dreadful as some make it. Whether you hit up Chestnut Ridge park for sledding, Fountain Plaza for ice skating, Riverworks for curling and ice hockey or Tifft Nature Preserve for some snow shoeing Buffalo has a lot going on. Here is a list of events that look like they are going to be fun to attend:

Chillabration at Canalside - January 15th

Be a part of the Guinness Book of World Records and take part in what may be the Longest Ice Line and help Make a Wish WNY. My cousin Nathan {wish teen} will be leading the line.

{photo- Canalside}

Makers Buffalo has a lot of fun DIY projects over the next few weeks. Check out a full list here

{photo- Makers Buffalo}

Learn all about energy at Energy Day at the Science Museum on January 23rd.

{photo Buffalo Science Museum}

Exercise and brunch- why not- Sip n' Stretch at Marcy Casino on January 24th is an event I have tickets to. Knowing I will be burning those calories so I can enjoy a mimosa afterwards is enough motivation for me to work hard during the class.

{photo Sip N Stretch event page}

Looking to learn more about this city and the history behind it. Explore Buffalo is the perfect place to go for tours. And on January 23rd they are kicking off a Winter Celebration to share all of the awesome things coming up.

{photo Explore Buffalo}

A light show and more is coming back to Buffalo's Botanical Gardens at the end of January. Lumagination was on my list of events to attend last year and never happened, so this year I've made it a priority.

{photo Buffalo & Erie County Botanical Gardens}

Friday Favorites!

{Volunteering - one of my favorite things to do}

{Getting to meet local business owners is one of the most rewarding things about my blog}

{WNY's Oldest Furniture Store- Scherer Furniture on Genesee St in Downtown Buffalo}

{A lunch break on the first day of Fall down at Canalside}

{Corpus Christi Church has a bowling alley that is still operable today - $2 per game!}

Cruising thru Buffalo on Water Bikes

One activity I wanted to do this summer was the Water Bikes of Buffalo, so with an extended Labor Day weekend my friends Annette and Chris joined me on my adventure.

Every time I would walk by the kiosk at Canalside there was always a long wait, but the nice thing was you could put your name and number down and if you were available great, and if you weren't that wasn't a problem because you didn't have to put down a deposit upfront.

We waited about an hour and a half for them to call us, but it was better than the original two and half hour wait time and we just walked around and caught up. It was $15 and you had the bike for an hour. There were some restrictions - like no standing while on the bike and not going to close to the edge because of seaweed, but not going right in the middle of the water either because of boaters. Other than that it was easy sailing or pedaling as I should call it. You could pedal as fast or as slow as you'd like and you could take pictures of the different scenery around you.

{Annette's photo above}

It was a lot of fun and I'm happy I was able to check it off my summer bucket list. If you ever have the chance to try it out, I highly suggest doing it. For more information on Water Bikes of Buffalo click here.

Until next time...

-B

{Annette's photo}

My Friday Favorites!

Another week has come and gone and between the local exploring, family time and work my week has been a lot of fun. While my weekend will be spent at the ballpark I hope everyone enjoys the Buffalo sunshine that is supposed to be around. -B

{A very dark and eerie hallway we got to see during the Central Terminal tour - it was actually pretty cool to see}

{My first visit to another minor league field - our neighbors to the East of us in Rochester - Frontier Field}

{My view from Buffalo Riverworks}

{A pit stop at the Erie County Fair during the day}

{Exploring Canalside with Shanna while she was in town}

Venturing through the Inner & Outer Harbor

Saturday I had two of my very good friends back in town and it has been a while since they've seen Canalside, so being the big "Buffalove" advocate I am, we went down to Canalside for the afternoon. The Saturday Artisan Market was in full effect along with live music from a variety of bands throughout the day. We grabbed ice cream from Clinton's Dish, went over to put our name on the 3.5 hour water bike list {which we didn't end up doing} and took some touristy pictures with Shark girl.

We ended up taking the Queen City Ferry over to the Outer Harbor where I showed Michelle and Shanna the Lighthouse before heading back to take them to Buffalo Riverworks where we ended the day. For me, I think I take advantage of Canalside and the development in downtown sometimes because I work down here and I see it on a daily basis.  To have both my Buffalo friends say how they can't believe how quickly the area has changed reminded me of how lucky we are to have these exciting things taking place.

Until next time...

-B

{Just enjoying the Queen City Ferry Ride}

{Canalside on a Saturday}

{Picturesque}

My Friday Favorites

This has been a pretty good week, and I'm looking forward to a fun weekend checking off some of the things on what feels like a never ending bucket list of mine. A pedal tour, brewery stops and a trip to one of my favorite cities - the Big Apple are on the list! Here are some things that made me smile this week. Enjoy the sunshine! -B

{Mark you calendars - next Wednesday is World Elephant Day}

{I loved the signs that were set-up along the Color Run course last weekend}

{A summer ale, jenga, sunglasses and Canalside - a classic Buffalo summer night}

{Turn the Park Pink 2015 is in the books and I couldn't have done it without the help of these lovely ladies}

{One of the best seminars I've been to with a powerful sports line up}

The Happiest 5K

Last Saturday a group of us headed down to Canalside for the Color Run -"The Happiest 5k" and it was a pretty fun way to start our morning. People of all ages young to old wore white and were ready to dance and be blasted with colored cornstarch. Below are some of my pictures from the event.

{Pre-Run}

{Walking to the start line}

{Canalside}

{The Blue-Tiful Color Spot}

{Blurry because it was in a Ziploc baggy, but at the yellow spot there was post-its and the happy wall}

{Think Pink}

{Post Race}

{Thumbs up}

{With the Color Run Unicorn}

8 Lunch Spots to Check Out Downtown

Today I'm talking about places to go on lunch if you work downtown. Its always nice to get out of the office and walk around if you can, so I've compiled a list of places to check out for your next lunch meeting or just to get out of the office for a little bit.

Code Blu Juice Bar - now at Canalside and offering salads as well as juice - tables are set-up over the bridge to sit and enjoy people watching to grab and go if you're in a time crunch.

Liberty Hound - a great place to take in the views while enjoying some great plates

Clinton's Dish - the stand has come along way offering wraps, sandwiches and salads and ice cream. Its a great spot to go.

Roux - Soup Bar & Café inside the Buffalo News Building (5th Floor) - offers soup and sandwiches and is a great place to go for a quick meal.

Pearl Street is always a good spot to go - especially if its nice out - the patio is a great spot for a work meeting or a lunch date with friends.

Vasilis on Main St. is always a great place to go as well - offering a wide array of food options.

The Archer is a great place to hold a lunch meeting for work.

Fables Café inside the Buffalo Erie County Library offers soup, sandwiches and salads. Enjoy a bite to eat and grab a book to read.

My Friday Favorites!

{So excited for Amy at Linwood Candles on being chosen for Urban Outfitters Dreams + Doers}

This week was full of fun family time, outdoor activities and much more. Have a great weekend!

-B

{ A little DIY project this weekend}

{I love walking past the mansions by Delaware Park and Lincoln Parkway - they are beautiful!}

{A little family trip to Canalside this past weekend}

{How cool is this - Red Box Books with the Buffalo & Erie County Library Downtown - take a book and leave a book!}

Just A Blonde in Buffalo {Fireworks Guide}

With the 4th of July on Saturday I thought I would compose a list of places I like to go to watch fireworks. Most places have fireworks starting at dusk {9-9:30pm}. Where are some places you like to go to watch fireworks?

July 3rd: 

• Coca Cola Field - if you're in the downtown area on Friday night - I'm sure you'll see these up in the sky
• Woodlawn Beach in Hamburg
• Niagara Falls Goat Island

July 4th:

• Canalside - Fireworks by the water - what can be more better than that!
• Cheektowaga Town Park
• Ellicottville {Summer Fest}

Festival/Tour Guide 2015

With summer officially here I thought I would put together a list of some upcoming festivals and tours happening around town that you shouldn't pass up if you have the time. Let's hope that it starts to feel more like summer as we approach July.

• A staple in Buffalo during the summer - the Taste of Buffalo
• Galbani Italian Festival on Hertal Ave. - July 16-19th
• Elmwood Arts Festival
• Shakespeare in Delaware Park
• Explore Buffalo Tour- they offer so many cool tours to take - there is something for everyone!
• Buffalo Pedal Tours - A cool way to see Buffalo and hang out with your friends!
• Boat Tours/Experiences - Canalside has plenty of options when it comes to exploring Buffalo by Boat
• St. Leo the Great Lawn Fete- July 25th
• Queen of Heaven Lawn Fete - July 16th
• Eden Corn Festival
• Williamsville Old Home Days - July 7-10th
• Erie County Fair - August 12-23

My Friday Favorites!

{I am obsessed with this sunset I was able to capture on my phone Wednesday night down at Canalside. Absolutely beautiful!}

This week has been crazy and I'm happy to say its Friday! While there was some sadness filled in the week with goodbyes, there were also some positive things that took place - like me running my fastest 5k and celebrating two of my really good friends birthdays. With the negative comes the positive and vice versa. I'm looking forward to the weekend and just enjoying the little things around me. I hope you enjoy yours at well!

And if you're at the Brewer's Festival tomorrow at Canalside, stop by and say hi! I'll be at the front table!

-B

{Love these cards from the Allentown Art festival}

{On the corner of Allen and Main St. are these rocks just plopped on the grass with a sign that says welcome to Allentown - welcoming those who visit the area, especially those who attended the art festival last weekend}

{Photo is from Visit Buffalo Niagara's Instagram - Buster was helping serve lunch on Thursday! #Buffalove15}

#BuffaloLinks

Larkin Links - a new activity to do down at Larkinville just opened earlier this week! can't wait to check it out!

Driving thru the Village of Angola, I never realized what a cute town it was and would love to check it out sometime this summer.

This Saturday at Canalside - bring your Dad out and celebrate Father's Day a little early at the Buffalo Brewers Festival!

An event at the science museum that I hope I can attend - the Solstice Soiree!

Fathers Day Things to Do

Father's Day is just around the corner and if you're like me, I prefer to spend the day with my Dad doing something he enjoys rather than buying him some gift that he will just put to the side. So, I thought I would compile a list of some things you could do and places you could go with your Dad.

Golf Courses:

• Diamond Hawk (Cheektowaga)
• Greenwood (Clarence)
• Harris Hill (Bowmansville) - I just found out this is not open because they are building condos where the driving range used to be - so disappointing.
• Delaware Park (Buffalo)

Brunch Spots:

• Cecelia's
• Providence Social
• Trattoria Aroma
• Elm Street Bakery

Other Activities:

• Canalside - kayaking, water bikes, boat tours
• Niagara Falls - Maid of the Mist, Cave of the Winds
• Brewery Tours - with Craft Breweries being so popular - go on one of your own brewery tours - Flying Bison, Resurgence, Big Ditch, Rusty Nickel are just a few to check out!

-B

Friday Favorites!

Happy Friday! The weekend is upon us and there are a lot of fun things to do this weekend. Whether you're relaxing and spending time low key or heading to the Allentown Art Festival, The Buffalo Zoo Catillion or Taste of Country, I hope you have a great weekend! -B

{I love the smell of these candles from Linwood Candles}

{My niece graduated from Pre-K and I couldn't be more proud of her}

{Classic Bases Merloted picture}

{I love walks to Canalside. The Dish is a pretty good lunch spot to hit up if you're looking for a place to go}

Friday Favorites!

Its the last weekend in May and there is a lot going on around town this weekend. Whatever it is that you have planned, I hope its great. Here are some of my favorite photos from my "adventures" around town this past week. -B

{City Hall from the Convention Center}

{Canalside Festival last weekend}

{My view from the Skyway}

{Buffalo & Erie County Botanical Gardens}