Wherefore art thou Romeo?

Wherefore art thou Romeo? A couple weeks ago my sister and I went to Shakespeare in Delaware Park to see Romeo and Juliet and what a crowd that came out- it was so packed! It was also a beautiful night to catch a free play and enjoy some wine and Shakespeare.

Starting on Thursday this week {July 23} Shakespeare in Delaware Park comes back for their second half of the season with an all male cast for the play the 12th Night. If you haven't been to a play before definitely check one out. It makes for a fun and affordable night out in the summer. For more information or to see how you can help the organization click here.

-B

At the top of the hill with a shot of the crowd

You can purchase Shakespeare swag at the stand. Money from the sales goes to help Shakespeare in Delaware Park

Getting ready for the play

Sun and Sand! A Guide to WNY Beaches

Its officially summer and one thing people like to do is head to the beach. When I was younger my family would rent a cottage for a week up in Canada. While we don't have the crystal blue water and white sand like other places may have, Western New York still has a handful of beaches that are enjoyable to go to. Here is my list of some to check out.

Beaver Island State Park {great for the little kids}

Mickey Rats

Sunset Bay Beach Club

Woodlawn Beach

Olcott Beach

Bennett Beach

If you have an enhanced license or passport a couple of my favorites right over the border are:

Crystal Beach

Sherkston

:: Some beach necessities, magazines {or book}, towel{s}, beach chairs, A volleyball ::

Other essentials for the day at the beach:

Coolers (if allowed)

A big beach bag to put all your belongings in

Snacks like fruit, sandwiches

Drinks like water, beer {optional}, iced tea

Sunglasses, Sun Tan Lotion, hats, big umbrellas, hand sanitizer or baby wipes and blankets

Toys for kids to play with (shovels, buckets, etc.)

What is your favorite beach to go to?

-B

A Recreational Place on Point!

While there are a lot of great things happening down at Buffalo's Inner Harbor, there are also a lot of great things happening at Buffalo's Outer Harbor, from the bike and running paths to the Lighthouses and Coast Guard Base, one place I checked out this past weekend was Wilkeson Pointe. Located on Times Beach Nature Preserve, this recreational spot not only has beautiful views of the water, windmills and wind sculptures, but also has slides and plenty of room to bring the family and spend a day playing games and having a picnic. It's probably one of my favorite spots to go {now}. While people are familiar with Wilkeson Pointe- its still secluded enough to make it feel like a "hidden gem." Making it a great place to go if you ever want to take a break from reality.

-B

#BuffaloLinks

This week I thought I would feature some Dog parks that are in Western New York - I personally have never been to one - my dogs are to hyper and crazy to follow the rules, but have you been to any of these places - do you have a favorite? -B

{The Paw Park -in Amherst, NY}

{Lewiston Dog Park - click here for more info}

{The Barkyard in Buffalo NY - click here for more details on this off leash park}

{3.5 acres of off leash fun at the Niagara Falls Dog Park}

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

Put Me In The Zoo

One thing I love to do is volunteer and over the last year and a half I have spent some of my volunteer time with the Buffalo Zoo. It is one of my favorite places to go. Not only is it a great place for me to take my niece and nephew, but if I find myself needing to just disconnect with "life" I enjoy walking around the zoo grounds watching the animals. On Friday I was able to meet up with some Zoo Keepers and ask them a lot of questions in regards to their roles and responsibilities as a Zoo Keeper. It was pretty cool to hear them talk about the animals and the personalities each one of them has. Even with the current construction going on at the Zoo, there are plenty of activities and events taking place and new exhibits to look forward to in the upcoming months.

-B

Here are some of my photos that I took from Friday. We stopped at the Elephant House, Sea Lion Exhibit and Tiger/Lion House.

{Mindy with Jothi and Surapa}

{Dallas the Sea Lion}

{Lioness}

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

Allentown Art Festival 2015

I hit the road and headed to Delaware Ave. and Allen St. this past weekend to go to one of my favorite festivals of the summer - the Allentown Art Festival. I am not an art junkie and I probably won't ever purchase an expensive piece of art work at least not anytime soon, but I do like to look at the photographers and artists work. This year I found myself liking more of the vendors participating in the "Allen West Festival" that takes place off of the main festival street by Nietzche's. Here are a list of some of my favorite vendors this year:

• Bruce Odell
• Mia Sohn
• PS Enjoy Yourself
• Jman Photo
• Axetreme Creations
• Geometrical Cards
• Everything Buffalo
• The Public
• Ella Rae Bowtique
• Vintage Chameleon
• Daggett Designs - awesome Buffalove work he had displayed

Who were some of your favorites? Did you walk away with a piece of art you love?

-B

Allen Burger Venture

Polish Eggs

Allen West Festival

The first piece of artwork I saw when I approached the festival

These cards are part of a perfect gift for a friends upcoming birthday. Thanks JuNxtaposition!

#BuffaloLinks

Today kicks off the North Buffalo Farmers Market. A place I'm looking forward to checking out this summer.

Also, tonight at 6pm Makers Buffalo is hosting their Grand Opening of their new space and Once and For All is celebrating their new line at Modern Nostalgia!

Saturday at Ralph Wilson Stadium is Namastadium - a yoga event with proceeds benefitting the new Children's Hospital. To learn more about the event click here.

I'm super excited for Bases Merloted this year! Wine, great weather, fun games and so much more. To find out more details go here.

Hello June!

It's June 1st! I can't believe summer is officially going to be upon us in just a few short weeks. With this month comes my list of "to-dos'."

- Bases Merloted Wine Event this Saturday - I'm looking forward to this event and all the new vendors participating this year!

- Celebrating some of my closest friends birthdays

- Exploring this wonderful City - with a few open weekends I want to just go on a day adventure exploring different places and meeting new people around town

- Attending the Buffalo Science Museum's Summer Solstice event on June 20th

What are some of the things on your "to-do" list for this month? Any fun events, adventures or travels you plan to take?

-B

Buffalo Marathon

{Buffalo Marathon prep}

Sunday morning 7,500+ people took to the streets of Buffalo to run either 26.2 or 13.1 miles. The course took you through all parts of town and the community came out to show their support. People lined the streets to cheer for loved ones and complete strangers. This was my second half marathon and my first time doing the Buffalo Marathon and doing it by myself. It was an experience and words honestly can't describe how I feel. The support and encouragement from complete strangers and the beautiful scenery I ran through makes me love this city even more. To everyone involved in the race, thank you for creating an event that I will always remember.

-B

{Lined up and ready for the start}

{Post race}

{My number one fan - My Dad}

{Mission accomplished!}

A Night to Remember

{A walk down memory lane - all 30 years}

A few weeks ago I celebrated my 30th birthday and all I really wanted was my friends and family that mean the most to me, all in the same room for just a few hours. Now a days its hard to get everyone together, so for people to share a Saturday night with me was really special. The party took place at the Foundry on Elmwood. I was a little nervous because I was receiving mixed reviews on the service and food, so I didn't know what to expect, but the night turned out to be everything I wanted {except that whole crying part, that was thanks to my friends}. Don, who was my contact went above and beyond to make sure I was happy with everything. I couldn't have asked for a better person to work with.

Before I knew it the night was over, but the memories and the smiles will be with me for a long, long time. So to everyone who came, words can't describe how thankful I am to have you in my life. xo

-B

{Group Shot}

{DIY Just a Blonde in Buffalo Candy Table - thank you Buffalo Cake Pops for the cookies!}

{Little favors with special messages in the bottle for people to take home}

{FYI this is such a simple and easy favor to make, check out my upcoming post later the week on how to create them}

Showin' Love at Larkinville

Larkin Square - aka "Larkinville"- one of the newest hot spots in Buffalo with so many food truck and social events that are taking place its one of my favorite places to go, especially in the summer time. For a complete list of upcoming things to do click here

-B

A Place to Be A Kid

A place where anyone can be a kid, the Buffalo Science Museum. Each year there is always at least a handful of events that draw me in. Today, its Messfest! Science is messy and today you can get ooey and gooey and have fun doing it! Have a great Sunday!

-B

St. Patrick's Day Parade

In honor of the St. Patty's Day parade that is taking place today, I thought it would be appropriate to share my favorite memories of the parade in years past. Its one of the most fun, insane and memorable parades to go to.

-B

Down by the Water

A lot has happened down at Canalside and the Naval Park over the last few years and you can't not feel the "Buffalove." Its one of my favorite places to go any time of year. I'm curious to see how their Scavenger Hunt goes this Saturday. For more info on the event click here.

-B

Delaware Park and the Elmwood Village

Another part of Western New York that I love is the Elmwood Village and Delaware Park. Being able to walk up and down Elmwood and visit different shops and restaurants can make for a fun day and if you're not from the area it can be a unique experience. What I love even more is walking around Delaware Park and making a pit stop at the art gallery or history museum. The amount of activities you can do in the summer months around the park is one of a kind, making Buffalo a pretty awesome place.

-B

Animals!

The Buffalo Zoo and Aquarium of Niagara Falls are two of my favorite things in Western New York. I love animals and to be able to learn more about them and visit them in our area is pretty cool. Some cities aren't lucky to have a zoo and/or aquarium, so when I hear some people say these places aren't as great as other big cities, we should be thankful we even have any in "our backyard." If you take the time the next time you visit the zoo or aquarium you will see they actually have more to offer than you think.

-B

Hello, March!

Hello March! Since its my birthday month I've decided that I'm going to share at least one of my favorite things about Western New York for the next 30 days. Yes, I know March has 31 days in it, but since I'm turning the "big" 3-0 in just a couple shorts weeks, I thought it would be the theme for this month.

So today I'm kicking off my first favorite thing - Buffalo Indie Weddings! Nope, I'm not married or engaged, but the ladies behind these fun DIY bridal parties are Ali {Made by Anatomy} and Erica {City Lights Studio}. They are creative and fun, offering a fresh take on those regular bridal shows that take place. I always love seeing what new things they come up with and more importantly I love meeting new people at their events {a majority of the vendors are local!}.

-B

{Check out their event today at the Foundry}