My Weekend
/Photos from this past weekend around town -B
Fun in the Sun
/With the nice weather upon us (except for today) I took to the streets with my friend Lacey to update photos for my blog. This time we hit up the Cobblestone District, Colonial Circle and Buffalo River Fest Park on Ohio Street. Stumbling upon Buffalo River Fest Park, I had to research more about the park as I never even knew it existed before last week. They offer a variety of summer concerts and events. It has great scenery and is an awesome place to go to read a book on a nice summer day. You can check out more on the park here.
-B
Here are just a few of my favorite shots, you can see more on my facebook page and on my photo gallery page (again modeling is not my forte, but I had fun). Thank you Lacey for taking the photos!! :)
WNY Events
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Here's a list of fun things to look forward to as you head into the Holiday weekend and finish out the month of May.
-B
Today (5.23.13)
If you're in any of these places this afternoon keep an eye out for the newest members of the Buffalo Bills Team as they take a tour of WNY: The Naval Park, New Era Cap, The Buffalo Zoo and Niagara Falls
Saturday (5.25.13)
Skills Camp at Williamsville South High School - Hosted by Buffalo Bill, TJ Graham
Sunday (5.26.13)
Buffalo Marathon - The Marathon kicks off at 7am this weekend
Tuesday (5.28.13)
Food Truck Tuesday at Larkin Square
Friday (5.31.13)
Love Buffalo? Then don't miss the Buffalove Fest at the Buffalo Zoo
Friday - Sunday (5.31.13 thru 6.2.13)
A Day Full of Animals
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One of my favorite places to go in town is the Buffalo Zoo - its nothing like the Toronto or San Diego Zoo, but I still love it. Everytime I go I'm just as excited as the little kids who may be seeing the animals for the first time. A most recent addition to the zoo is the Polar Cub named Luna. She is so adorable! The Buffalo Zoo puts on a wide array of events throughout the year. Everyone that I've attended has been fun and unique. The most recent event coming up is the first annual Buffalove Fest on May 31. Click here for more details about the event. If attending an event isn't your thing make a day of it with the family.
-B
Around WNY
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Looking for things to do around Western New York this weekend? With rain scheduled in the forecast here are some fun things to see/do indoors:
1. Donate to the Kiss Cares for Kids Radiothon. Support one of the best hospitals we have in town - Women & Children's Hospital of Buffalo. 100% of the proceeds go to the facility.
2. Have children? Nieces/Nephews? Godchildren? Attend the Buffalo Museum of Science, Bubblefest on Saturday from 10-4pm.
3. Decorator's Show House -The Buffalo News & Junior League of Buffalo selected The Knox Summer Estate at Knox Farm State Park as this years Decorators’ Show House.
4. Mother's Day is Sunday- looking to do something special for Mom? Why not take her to brunch at one of these fine establishments (call ahead for reservations):
-B
Refresh!
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Last week my Mom and I went to the Refresh event that was held at the Buffalo & Erie County Botanical Gardens. The event was put on by Buffalo Spree and all the proceeds from the event benefited the Botanical Gardens. It was full of flowers, unique fashions (kudos to Erin Habes for the fashion displays - they were awesome), plants, beauty and healthy living. It was a nice evening out to spend some time with my Mom. If you ever have a chance to visit the Botanical Gardens, you can make a day of it; take in the beautiful plants, flowers and scenery and enjoy a nice picnic in the park afterwards.
Check out more photos that I took at the event below
-B
Behind the Scenes
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Last week I had the opportunity to take a behind the scenes tour of WIVB (Channel 4) and the CW's Winging It, Buffalo Style! It was pretty cool to see how the newscast is produced and what goes into getting the news out to the public. Everyone that I met was so friendly and their very talented! A big thank you to my friend Jenny for showing me around and introducing me to everyone. I had a great time!
-B
The Draft Festivities at RWS
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The NFL Draft was this past week and I had the opportunity to kick off the festivities at Ralph Wilson Stadium with my gal Lacey. While I attended a draft party a few years back, it was held in the Field House the last time I went and I thought the layout was better than this past year. Don't get me wrong I enjoyed walking through the Jim Kelly Club and getting to walk on the field and see the locker room, but the layout was a little "off" and it seemed to appear that no one (including the staff) were aware that the event was taking place outside. It felt like I was at a home game in the month of December. In the future if the Buffalo Bills Organization would like to hire me as there event planner for events like these I would be very, very happy to offer my services (hint, hint). Overall, Lacey and I made the best of it and had fun and in the end that's all that mattered. I'm looking forward to football season. Here's to hoping for a great upcoming season. Go Bills!!
-B
"Larkinville"
/While I've driven down Seneca and Exchange St. multiple times before, I never actually had the chance to see the Larkin Building prior to last week when I was at the venue to attend a meeting for there upcoming Wednesday Concert Series. To my surprise there is a lot and I mean a lot they offer at Larkin Square. Not only are there free concerts, they also offer food from a variety of places - The Filling Station (open year-round), The Grill (open seasonal), Square 1 Sandwiches, and Larkin Ice Cream Cart (offering Lake Effect Ice Cream). Tennis courts and Stalls with a variety of vendors fill the outside area making it a hot spot to be on a nice day. Inside tenants of all sorts rent space. For more information on the history of the Larkin Building or for leasing opportunities click here
Make sure to check Larkinville out this spring and summer- its a great place to go with your family or friends. Its also a great place to go for a date night or if you have guests from out of town visiting this would be a great place to take them.
-B
Beer & Science
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Saturday night, the Buffalo Museum of Science hosted the fairly new event, Beerology. With a sold out crowd, over 500 people were in attendance to enjoy a variety of different beers, sample food, listen to music from DJ LoPro and walk around the exhibits in the Science Museum. They also offered an opportunity to win prizes if you tweeted during the event. It was an overall fun night out.
Food trucks Frank's Gourmet Hot Dogs and Sweet Hearth were on hand outside the building for guests to enjoy some one-of-a-kind eats before or after the event.
It was a night of firsts for me; It was my first time attending this event and it was great! I especially enjoyed the Blueberry Beer from Ellicottville Brewing Company and the Rasberry Beer from Harpoon. I have no complaints and overall is was enjoyable and unique. It was also my first time ever having food from a food truck in Buffalo and I was impressed with how good my food tasted.
I highly recommend you try a hot dog from Franks or grab some dessert from Sweet Hearth the next time you see them on the streets. Its cheap, delicious and you're supporting local business.
-B
More info:
- Buffalo Museum of Science on Facebook
- Buffalo Museum of Science on Twitter
- Franks Gourmet Hot Dogs on Twitter
- Franks on Instagram: FranksGourmetHotDogs
- Sweet Hearth on Facebook
- Sweet Hearth on Twitter
My List of "Must Go-To" Summer Events 2013
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With the warm weather starting to approach the Western New York area, below are a list of events around Buffalo for the Summer time that I personally love, love, love to attend. There are a couple that I will be attending for the first time this year and I'm super excited to see how they are. If you have a chance to attend any or all of them, I'd love to know what you think!
What are some of your favorite events to attend in the Summer time?
-B
(for more information on any of these events, click the title below)
1. Buffalove Fest (First year event)
3. Local Designer Fashion Show - June 15 at Ooo La La Boutique
4. Refresh
7. BrewFest at Coca-Cola Field (Check back for 2013 info)
9. Mash Bash
10. Starry Night in the Garden
11. Buffalo Spree's Best of WNY Party (Check back for 2013 info)
On a Cobblestone Street
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Located in the "Cobblestone District" Helium Comedy Club sits at 30 Mississippi St. A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to catch the Garfunkel and Oates Show. To be honest, up until that night I didn't really know what to expect, and didn't have any expectations. I was thinking it would be a regular comedy show, but to my surprise I was quite impressed with the venue and with the show. Kate and Riki (who is originally from Olean, NY) are two of the funniest gals in the business. It was a packed house and they kept the crowd laughing the whole night. Included with the show was a host and opening act, Sean Murphy, who both were very good as well.
The only downside of the night were the tables you sit at, they are way to small for a group of 4 or more. If ordering food, plan on having your plate on your lap. For a group of 3 or less there perfect though.
If your looking to do something other than just the usual "dinner and drinks" think of checking out a show at Helium. Wednesday nights are open mic nights. Tickets are reasonably priced (avg. $25 per person) and if you catch a show on a non-eventful day at the First Niagara Center, there's lots of free parking in the area. You can expect to have a night full of laughs.
-B
"Like" them on Facebook Follow them on Twitter
Mulligan's Brick Bar - Allen St.
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Looking for the perfect spot for a relaxed or fun happy hour out? Brick Bar (located at 229 Allen St.) in Buffalo has got you covered! With a big bar in the front and back of the building, darts, a pool table, televisions for you to catch a sports function, and unique decor choices, you could never say you're bored there. Its the spot to be. They have an outdoor patio located in the front of the building so you'll be able to catch all the action that happens on Allen St. without having to leave the bar. Its one of my favorite places to go on Allen. Friend them on Facebook and check it out sometime!
-B
Let's Go Buffalo! Blue & Gold
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A couple weeks ago I had the opportunity to attend the Buffalo Sabres game vs. the Boston Bruins with my Dad. The game was held at the First Niagara Center (FNC) which is located in downtown Buffalo.
While the Sabres lost the night we attended, it was nice to have the opportunity to sit in the 200 Level where we could order food and drink from our seats if we didn't want to go to the stands. It was a nice "luxury" to have for one night, since a majority of the time I am sitting in the "nosebleeds" 300 level section.
The FNC venue was formerly known as HSBC Arena, until the bank was bought out by First Niagara a year ago.
Did you know?!? The venue has been open since September of 1996 and since that time has hosted over 11 million people for a variety of entertainment and sporting events.
FNC is not only home to the Buffalo Sabres, but also another Buffalo sports team the Buffalo Bandits. The venue offers guests with the opportunity to have private functions held in a party suite. It also has a Sports Hall of Fame display located outside the Sabres Store and Sabretooth's (the Buffalo Sabres mascot) house, a fun place to take the kids before, in-between periods, or after games. To receive more information on these features, click here.
Right now if you make your way down to the FNC you will notice construction taking place. In efforts to revitalize the City of Buffalo's Waterfront, Terry Pegula, the Owner of the Buffalo Sabres, put a plan together for the Webster Block. Included in this project are two new ice rinks, a hotel, retail shops and restaurants. For more information or to stay up-to-date on the project you can follow it here: Harbor Center Development.
A tip of advice: If attending an event you may want to leave earlier than planned as parking can be difficult to find, also be prepared to wait after a game or concert if you parked in a parking ramp as traffic gets backed up. If you don't mind walking, finding a parking lot a couple blocks from the FNC is the best way to go. You'll get out faster, its cheaper, and you even sneak in some exercise.
While the Sabres and the Bandits haven't had the best seasons, maybe the revitalization down by Canalside will boost spirits not only for the fans and residents of Buffalo, but the professional athletes that play for our sports teams.Sometimes we all just need a fresh start and maybe this "project" is that step in the right direction.
-B
What is Dyngus Day?
/With it being a week since the Polish festivity I thought I would write about what Dyngus Day really is. Dyngus Day is a celebration held on Easter Monday in Poland. In tradition, boys dump water over girls they like and then spank them with pussy willows. In modern times, it is known as guys squirting girls they like with squirt guns and the girls chasing them away with the pussy willows. This tradition has been traced back to the 15th century. Dyngus Day in America is most notably known in Buffalo, NY according to Wikipedia. Other big Dyngus Day celebrations take place in Chicago, IL. "The Buffalo Dyngus Day celebrations only started in the 1960s as an effort by the Polish-American community in the city to find a new focus for its identity. It proved hugely successful, to the point that a local newspaper claimed that "everybody is Polish on Dyngus Day. It has become a fusion of Polish and American traditions, with polka bands and Polish food accompanying American patriotic songs sung in English.Party-goers dress up in the red-and-white colors of the Polish flag and carry balloons saying "Happy Dyngus Day" in English." (Wikipedia.com)
While there are a variety of places to go for Dyngus Day in Buffalo the east side of Buffalo is one of the biggest hot spots to go for the celebrations. The parade kicks off at the Broadway Market and makes its way down Fillmore Ave. to the Central Terminal grounds where this year they were host to the festivities outside the building due to renovations taking place. Below are some pictures of the new set-up. Food trucks lined the outskirts of the entrance before you made your way into one of the tents that served a wide array of alcohol and food.
Like people say "everyone is Polish on Dyngus Day." Mark it in your calendars, next years Dyngus Day is Monday, April 21, 2014.
-B
Happy Dyngus Day!
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Happy Dyngus Day! For more information on today's festivities take a look at the Dyngus Day Buffalo website below for all the information you need: schedule of events, times, locations and prices- Dyngus Day Buffalo
If you're celebrating today, don't forget those pussy willows and squirt guns!
Can't wait to share more on this Polish Celebration with you later in the week!
-B
A Little Celebration at 26 Virginia Place in Buffalo
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On a narrow and occasionally quiet street lies nestled a wonderful restaurant and bar called Scarlet . Located in the Allen district of Buffalo, I heard great things about this place from some of my friends so I thought why not kickoff my birthday celebrations with a happy hour there. For it being my first time and having a party of 20 come in unannounced, I didn't know what to expect, but to my surprise the staff impressed me. They were friendly, courteous and the prices are reasonable. Because of the good experience I had, it left me wanting to come back for another visit again soon. If you've never been I recommend it and if you have been there before what are your thoughts? I'd love to know.
-B
For more on Scarlet, "Like" them on Facebook: Scarlet Restaurant
St. Patrick's Day Buffalo Style
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St. Patrick's Day in Buffalo is always known to be one of the biggest events in town. Crowds of people, young and old, line the street up and down Delaware Avenue to enjoy the parade. Here are some pictures from yesterday's chilly parade day. If you attended the parade what did you think of it this year?
-B
Some Boutique.Bridal.Party Fun!
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Last week I had the pleasure of attending the Boutique.Bridal.Party at the Hotel Lafayette. For only $8 a ticket, my friend Shanna and I tagged along to show our support, give our opinions, and to check out all the pretty vendors while our friend Kate, the Bride, received more information from a variety of people.
Kudos to Anatomy and City Lights Studio for putting together a bridal boutique party that was pretty, classy, simple, and enjoyable all while showcasing some of the best people in the business and highlighting the gorgeous Hotel Lafayette.
Some of my personal favorites were Bella Belle Shoes, Love Mia, Elizabeth Dugan Hairstylist and Makeup Artist and LeeAndi's Designs
(For a full list of the participating vendors go to boutiquebridalparty.com )
-B
