Friday Favorites!

{Thank you Kate Spade for having the best phrases to start my month off right. #GoalsforFebruary}

Yay for Friday! I'd be lying if I said I wasn't happy that the weekend is almost upon us. I'm looking forward to hitting up the wineries on the Niagara Wine Trail tomorrow with some of my favorite people. Here are some things that made me smile this week. I hope you have a great weekend! -B

{A look at the frozen lake and Peace Bridge in the background}

{Catching up with a friend on my lunch break. You can't go wrong at Globe Market on Hertel}

{My husky, Sabre, he is the only one I know right now that loves this cold, wintery weather we've been having}

Thursday's Thoughts

There are some people that come into your life and leave an impact, one of those people was Ray Marks. He was a professor of mine at Buff State during my junior year. While I was in college I really didn't know what I wanted to do with my life, I entered the communication department - focusing on Broadcasting at the time. It was when I entered his class that my world changed.

He pushed not only me, but all of his students to go find what we love to do and do it. He encouraged us to do internships and see if we really like what we're studying to do. If it wasn't for him I don't know what path I would have went down in my career. Yesterday, I found out the news that he passed away and while I'm sad, I'm celebrating his life and remembering him in spirit. It was with his help - he encouraged, inspired and guided me to where I am today and I will never forget that.

He was a good, good man who taught his students to believe in themselves and find their passion and go out and do it and for that I thank him.

-B

#Itsjustfun My Ellicottville Day Trip!

This past Monday my friend, Annette and I took the day off and decided to make a day full of fun in Ellicottville. We knew we were going to grab brunch at Katy's before heading to Holiday Valley to try out the ski boards. As we got closer to the date, we decided on either doing cross country skiing or tubing to save a couple bucks {because I'm "living on a budget" more now a days}.

{I love these coffee mugs at Katy's}

When we arrived in Ellicottville it was a little later than planned {this was my fault because I arrived late to Annette's house}. Katy's only serves breakfast until noon {note to self if you plan on doing the same thing}. So we grabbed lunch which was pretty good {I had the Firecracker Panini and Annette had the Tannenbaum Panini} and then decided to go to tubing.

{Holiday Valley Tubing - Open Thursday thru Sunday}

We went down the street {because Holiday Valley tubing isn't located on the main resort that the skiing and snowboarding is on}. When we arrived, the parking lot was plowed, but no one {I mean NO ONE} was there. To our surprise they are closed Monday thru Wednesday. Yes, I say to our surprise because I assumed it was open the same hours as the main resort is {don't ever assume}. So we decided to head to the main lodge and get an adult beverage and then decide if we wanted to hit the slopes. When we arrived, the bar was closed {we literally laughed out loud at this point}. We then decided to just head back in to town and grab some drinks at EBC {Ellicottville Brewing Company}.

{Some of the slopes}

{The view was so pretty}

{Beer flights at EBC! I found some new beers I like beside my go to Blueberry Wheat}

While the day didn't go as we planned, we still made the best of it and had a fun day off { #itsjustfun - Holiday Valley's tagline}.

As much as I dislike and never really post anything negative about places I go on my blog, I am always honest with what I share and share my opinion, so here it goes... I love Holiday Valley, I think its a great place to go, but I do think that their website is a bit confusing and isn't as "straightforward" as it could be. I feel like it takes multiple clicks and pages to get to the information you are looking for.

I will also say, it seems {comparing to my last year's snowboarding experience} that weekends and nights are their busiest time, so instead of having coupons geared for more of the Canadian clientele or offering coupons for your peak hours, why not offer coupons or discounts for those "off peak" hours. There wasn't nearly as many people on a Monday afternoon as compared to a weekend.

I understand Holiday Valley is ranked in the top 10 for best resorts in the East, but for those people on a budget and not as experienced in skiing or snowboarding {like me}, it can be expensive and steer people away. While are plans for a adventure packed Monday didn't go as we had planned, we still made the best of it and have new memories we made.

Until next time.

-B

#BuffaloLinks

Kicking off this Saturday for a limited time, Curious George at the Buffalo Museum of Science. The exhibits portray buildings and locales from the book - Let's Get Curious. Definitely something I'd like to take my niece to.

A new restaurant {to me} on Connecticut Street that makes me want to check it out - The Black Sheep

LP Ciminelli is celebrating Black History Month with a Black Tie event on February 27, 2015 at the Tralf. For tickets and more information click here.

February To-Do

We are in the second month of the year and not to get to boring, but the beginning of 2015 hasn't gone exactly as I wanted {yes, I know that's how life goes}. While I focused so much on what I didn't do and what didn't go right for me, I need to think of what did. I met some amazing people and did some pretty cool things. I, {like I think most people are}, am my worst critic, I focus on always improving myself and the things that I didn't do, that I don't take the time to enjoy what I've accomplished.

February is about getting back to me - focusing on my goals and enjoying the things I do for me and not being so hard on myself {or at least trying to - this isn't going to be an overnight switch-a-roo}. So today I'm kicking it off by heading to Holiday Valley for the day. I took the day off and am looking forward to a day of Ellicottville fun with Annette.

A  couple other things  I have on the calendar that I'm looking forward to this month are trying some new fitness classes out {Barre at Catalyst, Pound at BikeorBar, incorporating a little yoga in my life - if you know of a good studio to go to let me know! and learning more TRX at Revolution Buffalo}, a Makers Buffalo Class is always fun!, a Niagara Wine Trail wine tour for a friend's birthday, the Polar Bites event benefiting the Buffalo Zoo and planning the finishing touches for my 30th birthday party next month. Who knows what else will come up, but sometimes its those "unplanned" adventures that make the best memories.

What are some fun things you are looking forward to this month. Leave them in the comments section below and I'll pick a random person to win a gift card to 716!

-B

Friday Favorites!

Yay, for Friday! I hope all of you had a nice week and enjoy this weekend and the Superbowl {for those watching it}. Here are some things that made me smile this week. -B

{I just love looking at all the buildings on Delaware Ave.}

{Downtown, Buffalo}

{Prepping for my 30th Birthday Bash. I'm trying to "embrace" turning 30 this year}

{Sometimes I wish my real life could be a fairytale.}

#BuffaloLinks

{ A local pizza place on Grand Island that I'd like to check out. Why you ask, because of the comic book café! Say Cheese! Pizza Company}

{Another place to add to the thriving "Beer Boom" in Buffalo... the World of Beer {based in Florida} announced they will be opening a location at the Walden Galleria Mall}

{An event I wish I could attend this coming Saturday at Larkinville - the Ice Festival. Offering a variety of activities for friends and family!}

A Saturday Morning Well Spent!

Over the last couple of years I've grown more "in love" with farmers markets in the area. Being that we live in Buffalo and it would be difficult to hold one during the winter, outside, I have had on my list of places to go, The Winter Market at Horsefeathers. What an awesome place! A couple weeks back my Dad and I took a drive down to Connecticut St to experience the indoor market. From fresh eggs at Prudom Farms to delicious pierogi and polish sausage from Betty Crockski. Maybe its the unique building and the unique concept of bringing local farmers and vendors {like The Public, Lockhouse Distillery and Public Espresso} inside each week that make it a neat place to check out, I'm not sure, but its definitely a place to go on a Saturday.

The best way to stay up to date on what's going on each week is to follow on social media. Facebook  Twitter  & Instagram

-B

{Green Heron Growers}

The Broadway Market

Growing up on Fillmore Ave, the Broadway Market has been a permanent staple in my life since I was a child. While it was more of a "booming" neighborhood when I was younger, now it is only a hot spot to go during the Easter season. People {I lose that word loosely} are scared or have a bad perception of the area where the market stands in their head. While I will agree that the neighborhood has deteriorated as I've gotten older, the market still has a lot to offer. The last few weeks I visited the market to pick up some essentials, such as meat from Lupus Meats and homemade pierogi's from Pott's Deli. Not only are these staples that have stood still at the market for years, there are also wineries that offer wine sampling, Gridlock Lacquer offering handmade nail polish for sale and Hands and Paws Cookie and Treats that offer doggie treats for man's best friend. There are also a handful of other local stands that sell seasonings, baked goods and misc. items.

Its sad to see what I think is a staple in Buffalo, falling apart and not being able to get the funding it needs to replace the roof or fix the cracks in the floor. Sometimes you need to put a little more into a building than just a coat of paint. I think the City of Buffalo should put more than just a few hours of their time into this Buffalo staple and market the Broadway Market as a place to go throughout the year and not just at Easter time...

Its great to see all the great things happening down at Canalside, but in my opinion there are other areas we should focus are attention on as well and not just half ass it {excuse my language}. The Broadway Market is just a short trip away and my hope is that people can see the life that it still has and what it could be if it just got a little more TLC.

Broadway Market on Facebook and Twitter.

-B

{Those are some big pickles!}

{A look inside the market}

{They have plenty of horseradish if you need any}

Friday Favorites!

{I'm looking at you}

This past week has been a crappy one for me to be honest. I've been in a funk and just can't seem to get out of it. I don't know if others go through times when they just need to "refocus" and reprioritize their goals, but that's where I'm at right now and its frustrating. Even though I haven't been in the best of moods, Tuesday I spent my afternoon at the Zoo helping put auction items together for their upcoming Polar Bites event. I took a break to go see Tiberius, the new male lion, but the two females were out instead and let me tell you they scared me a little {look at the picture above}. It's childish for an almost 30 year old to say this, but just being at the Zoo for a little bit this week took my mind off of things I just didn't want to think about. I  think its important when you are in a funk, to go out and do something you enjoy, whatever it is, because sometimes you just need to get away and enjoy some fresh air.

Until next week! Have a great weekend!

-B

{Just hanging out on a Tuesday afternoon}

{Walking into the zoo, one of the first animal I saw was this Monkey}

{The beautiful Ellicott Square Building}

#BuffaloLinks

A place that has been popping up on my social media list has been Bally Hoo. Located at 211 S. Park Ave in Buffalo. They don't have a website site or FB page, but from the pictures their drinks look good and its definitely a spot I want to check out!

Blue Table Chocolates, a vendor at the Winter Market at Horsefeathers, puts a unique twist on chocolates. Offering a range of flavors that high end chocolate can offer, they do custom orders and much more. Check Ben's business out!

Sticking with the caffeine trend and calling all coffee lovers, a new favorite place of mine is Public Espresso, a small batch roaster in Buffalo, NY. You can find their coffee at a variety of places in WNY {click here for the list}.

Across the border on Niagara on the Lake is Chateau Des Charmes, a winery that I'm planning to pay a visit to at the end of next month. What wins me over outside of the great customer service, is their support of local non profits. I can't wait to taste the wine!

{Women Who Move Buffalo} Katie Jordan at the Buffalo Zoo

This week's Woman Who Moves Buffalo is person who is not only a colleague of mine, she is a friend and mentor and overall wonderful person, her name is Katie Jordan. Katie is the Senior Events Director at the Buffalo Zoo and not only shares a passion for animals, but she loves Buffalo!

Katie graduated from New York University in 2008 with a bachelor degree in Media, Culture and Communications.  She didn't really have a clear idea of what she wanted her career path to be until she started working with a small firm in New York during her senior year. It was made up of two women who had just started an event business in Manhattan. Since it was only a two person company at the time, she was able to really dive into the business and get some great experience out of it. They relied on her to be part of their team and also gave her the creative freedom to bring her own ideas to the table. Through this, she found her path and learned to love being a part of the events world.

Katie has always been someone who looks to better the community and really wanted to come back to Buffalo and use her career to do so. "Non-profit work isn't glamorous, but the end result is definitely worth it. To see your work benefit someone or something really puts everything into perspective." To have your work mean something is very important to me. Animal conservation is very important to me, and working for the Buffalo Zoo has given me the opportunity to use my skills and expertise to help a cause I am very close to. I am able to raise funds for the Zoo, while also educating and providing awareness to the Buffalo community about why the Zoo is so important to our city and to the survival of precious species around the World."

Other than seeing her work mean something, having a job that allows Katie to work closely with some of the most beautiful creatures on Earth is incredible. From being able to feed elephants, getting kissed by a sea lion, working up close with a baby rhino or introducing a baby polar bear to the public, her job is unlike any other and she couldn't be more grateful for it.  Each day is unique and she never knows what to expect.

When I asked her what she loves about Buffalo this is what she said: "When I moved to New York City, I didn't expect to come back to Buffalo so soon. After living in Manhattan, I appreciated what I had left in Buffalo right away. Unlike other cities, Buffalo is a place where life long friends can be found on any given day. I've learned this first hand and can thank community spirit and friendliness for it. Not only are great things on the horizon for Buffalo as a whole, but more and more people are recognizing that the positives are outweighing the negatives in our city, and that is something to be proud of."  

So working with the Zoo is a pretty neat gig and has a lot of memorable moments, but for Katie she says, BuffaLoveFest, {which she created in 2013 along with a team of community leaders} would have to be her best event/most proudest moment so far. "We wanted to have an event that celebrated everything we love about our city, at the most unique venue in town, the Buffalo Zoo. I really wanted to take advantage of the "BuffaLove" movement so we gathered a group of popular food trucks, Buffalo themed artisans, Buffalo trivia and more."  If you've attended BuffaLoveFest, you've seen tents around the Zoo including a variety of locally crafted beers and entertainment acts (rest in peace Lance Diamond). In it's inaugural year, this event brought in over 1,800 people and raised more than $30,000 for the Buffalo Zoo. This was above and beyond Katie's expectations, but once again proved to her that Buffalo is a supportive community. "A lot of hard work, sweat and even some tears went in to this event, but it was all worth it in the end."  Now Katie and her team are headed into the 3rd annual BuffaLoveFest planning and the event seems to be growing with even more support each year.

Anyone who works in the event business knows that you never stop working. You are always looking for new ideas or trying to make something bigger and better. The events business is demanding since things are always changing and you are always planning ahead and rarely living "in the moment." Because of this, Katie doesn't get to attend as many other events or fundraisers run by organizations as she would like. She would love to go out and support more organizations and check out what they are doing because there is some great work out there that she would like to support.

Overall, Katie is a driving force for a lot of events and activities that take place at the zoo. Some of the most popular being Polar Bites {coming up on Feb. 19} and Wines in the Wild {July 22}. If you ever go to the Zoo or attend one of these events and see Katie make sure to stop and say hi to her! Thank you Katie, for letting me share your story and for all that you do  in our community and for Buffalo's Wildest Place in Town.

{Fun Facts about Katie}

1. I have coached women's basketball at Amherst, which is my Alma mater, for 5 seasons.
2. I started dog sitting over 10 years ago and now "pup-sit" over 30 dogs each year.
3. I live in North Buffalo with my two rescued cats, Agnes and Arlene.

Comics and Coasters

I have to give credit to my brother for this post. Over the holidays I ran into a local artist Sal Sciandra, who was at the Queen City Market. He was selling these comic book coasters that I eventually purchased for my brother. There was a huge selection to choose from! I thought what a neat concept and idea this is for those who love comic books.

Check out his website here. And "Like" his Facebook page here.

Do  you have a favorite comic book character? Let me know!

-B

{The coasters I purchased for my brother}

A Little Sake at the Saigon Café

With everyone's busy schedules now a days my friend Nicole and I try to meet up at least once a month to catch up at a new restaurant in the area with wine and food. A few weeks back we met at the Saigon Café {which happens to be in a new location on Elmwood since Oct. of 2014}. While I was waiting I figured I would get a sake flight {its been a while since I had one and it took me back down memory lane when I visited my cousin in Japan}. The Black and Gold was my favorite!

Once Nicole arrived I ventured over to wine, we stayed at the bar and order a bunch of food!{See what we ordered in the pictures below} I had never been to Saigon before so I was going off of Nicole's expertise {she did an awesome job, everything we had was delicious!}.

{Vietnamese Hot & Sour Soup}

{Pad Se-Ew with Chicken}

We also order the Curry too, but I didn't snap a pic. of it. ..It was a Tuesday evening so while the bar area wasn't that busy, the dining area had a decent crowd. People had also been coming in and out, picking up the take out food they had called ahead for {I think this is a nice service to have and gets bonus points in my book!}. The overall feel of the restaurant was cozy and nice. I loved the lighting, and the windows, Saigon is located on the corner of Elmwood and W. Utica so you can see everything going on outside, which I liked.

If you've ever been what are some of your favorite dishes? What are your thoughts on the new location? Do you like, don't like? Share them with me!

-B

Friday Favorites!

This week's favorite things are a recap of my favorite fitness places from this past week. Each one is unique and fun in their own way and makes me enjoy going there. Thanks to those of you who shared your favorite places with me and suggested new places I should try! Have a great weekend!

-B

{Revolution Buffalo}

{BikeorBar}

{Barre Centric}

{Catalyst Fitness}

Thursday :: Tone : Tighten : Tuck at Barre Centric

Continuing with my favorite fitness places in Western New York, today I'm highlighting a place I featured a few months back, Barre Centric. Offering two locations, one in Clarence and one in Buffalo, Rachael and her team offer a wide array of classes to help strengthen, tone and tighten your physique, all while making it enjoyable! Their studios are very clean and time flies when you take a class. If you haven't taken a Barre class, Barre Centric is the place to go. Check them out!

-B

Wednesday's Women Who Move Buffalo {Revolution Buffalo}

Today on the blog I'm sharing my excitement and love for Revolution Buffalo, a newer indoor cycling studio located on Delaware Ave. Check it out below!

{ "We are not tired, we are strong" - Rachel McCrone }

Behind these green doors are three women who are strong, smart, talented, an inspiration and above all else, kind. They have created a positive atmosphere that no one can break and its called Revolution Indoor Cycling {or as I call it Revolution Buffalo}. Rachel, Amanda and Colleen took on this new adventure, a fitness studio that combines these three things :: Mind, Body and Community.

I had the privilege of taking a class this past Saturday with Rachel before interviewing Colleen and I was scared and excited. I didn't know what to expect. While I've taken spin classes before I was opening my world to something brand new - TRX and let me tell you, what an awesome class it was! It was tough, but fun!

All three women met through the fitness industry and mutual friends and have wanted to open their own studio. Amanda and Rachel were the masterminds behind the project and reached out to Colleen to join in on the fun! What makes Revolution Buffalo different from other studios in the area is they want to be a part of something big. Not only do they offer intimate classes, everyone who attends a class has something in common, they want to be healthy.

Revolution promotes "an active lifestyle, social engagement and community good." So even though they are known for and pride themselves on a combination of both spinning and TRX, after you take a class you can go down the street and volunteer at the Ronald McDonald House with them. Its about doing something different,  spreading good vibes in the community after you spend an hour working out together.

What I found exciting during my interview with Colleen was, she is from Rochester and came to Buffalo for school and once she arrived, she didn't leave. When I asked her what she loves best about this area she said it has to be the people. She said she feels more at home and part of a family here. We are a special community and we latch onto other good people and create great things. She also added she enjoys the food and entertainment this area offers.

If you take anything away from this post today take away this: Revolution Buffalo has amazing clientele. It doesn't matter if you're the fittest of the fit {if that makes sense} or if you're just starting out, you are accepted for you! All three women make you feel comfortable and motivate you! When you end you workout and leave Revolution you not only feel great about yourself, you have a better outlook on your day ahead. It creeps out into all aspects of your life and that's that biggest takeaway anyone could have.

Revolution offers a lot of amenities -  a shower with all of the bells and whistles {local toiletries from Renew Bath & Body, shower towels, hair ties, blow dryer, mouthwash, q-tips - anything you may forget and need to get ready post workout}. They also clean all of the equipment after each class for each client. These are little things that add up and help clients get back to their families, jobs and homes faster and more efficiently.

On top of the pretty amazing amenities Revolution offers, they have student and military discounts among other specials you can find on their website. They will also be hosting Rev Community events and challenges throughout the year so the best thing to do is follow them on social media {Facebook, Twitter, Instagram}.

From the moment I walked into Revolution Buffalo I was greeted with smiles, hand shakes and hugs. All three women are amazing in their own way and offer something unique to the business they're in. I feel lucky to have had the opportunity to share their story and have them in my life. Not only do they do great things for the fitness world, they are doing great things in the community. If you haven't taken a class with them or are looking for a place to go, I highly suggest Revolution. From the moment you walk through the doors you'll fall in love and feel stronger with each step you take.

Thank you ladies for letting me share your story!

-B

{The wonderful Colleen, showing us some work on the ropes}

{I love the décor they have in their studio}

{The studio}

{Amanda getting her spin class ready to ride}

Tuesday Toughness!

Today's fitness center I'm featuring is a pretty popular one. Catalyst Fitness has 4 locations located throughout Western New York and offers more than just group fitness classes. They have cardio areas, weight training, juice bars, personal training, a child center for children to hang out in while you work out and much more. I've been a member at Catalyst for a number of years and outside of being clean, I love that the staff is personable and friendly.

While I would only take a group class here and there, now I find myself wanting to take more and the one and only reason being, Morgan is the Group Fitness Director. Yes, I may be showing a little {or a lot} of favoritism, but she is one of the best. I know I will get a good workout and I won't get bored with it. It helps that she has a great outlook on life and it rubs off on you when you take anyone of her classes too.

For more info on Catalyst check out their website and see what they have to offer! And make sure to follow Morgan on Instagram! and Sweat Buffalo!

-B

Motivation Monday!

I thought I would kick off this week by giving you all a little motivation for the next 5 days. For a lot of people a new year, means getting healthy, working out and joining a gym. With that said I've decided to highlight my favorite places to workout in Western New York. All locally owned and awesome to go to. Each place that I will be talking about this week is unique in their own way and have a lot of Buffalo Pride.

But!...Before I do anything else I just want to put this out there, I will be the first to admit, I am not a size 2 and for as much as I workout I still find a lot of things challenging. There are times I'm scared to try to take new classes or go to a new place because I feel like I may not be as good as the others are in the class, but you can't be scared to try new things. By not trying you don't accomplish anything. I am no fitness expert, but I will say since taking different classes and switching up my workout from time to time, I've learned to be more comfortable in my skin and yes I still may get a little nervous taking a new class, but at the end of the day its your life and you should do things you want to do and not let nerves or fear stand in your way.

With that being said, today I'm featuring an all time favorite of mine BikeorBar! Alex and her team are amazing! They motivate you to reach your goals and get the workout you're looking for. Located in the heart of the Elmwood Village, BikeorBar offers more than just indoor cycling {known as spinning}. They have CrosSpin, Barre, Rowing and newer classes :: Surfset, Tai Chi and Pound {I haven't taken this class yet, but it looks awesome!}.

These are fitness classes that you can't find at other places. The classes are affordable and fun making you want to come back and take more. One of the things I love best about BikeorBar is that they take a chance on trying different fitness classes. They bring in new ideas, if it works they keep it and if it doesn't they think of something better. If you haven't checked out BikeorBar yet, well what are you waiting for?!?

For their class schedule click here.

Make sure to follow them on social media {Facebook, Twitter, Instagram}

-B

{*Please note the photos posted today are from BikeorBar's Instagram Account.*}

{New wall décor! I love their Buffalove!}

{Fitness Cocktails that they feature at Savoy Buffalo on Elmwood}

Friday Favorites!

Well the first full week of January in WNY has been a very cold one! But that shouldn't come as a surprise to Western New Yorkers. While we move to the weekend I hope everyone enjoys whatever it is they may have planned. Here are a few things that made me smile this past week. -B

{Its just a simple piece of mail, but the way its addressed is what makes it special to me}

{Bringing life back to the Broadway Market during the winter months. I'm hoping to stop by this event next weekend}

{I was finally mentioned in one of my favorite blogs by one of my favorite people. Check it out Forty74}

{Nothing beats reading books on a rainy Saturday and a lit candle by Linwood Candle Co.}

{Reading Business First this week and I love this picture I came across. Main St. in Buffalo during its hayday}