Winter break staycation ideas: The Buffalo History Museum, Explore & More and Canalside

Buffalo History Museum
credit: paulathompsonfreelance.com

Next week is winter break for many area schools, and if you’re staying in the Buffalo area and braving the cold, you can still have some family fun – check out these ideas.

Buffalo History Museum – on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, the History Museum, located at One Museum Ct. in Buffalo, offers Break Out! – Presidents Past, where you’ll learn about Buffalo’s connections to US presidents, go on a scavenger hunt, make a craft and more. Hours are Wednesday 1 to 3 p.m., Thursday noon to 3 p.m. and Friday 1 to 3 p.m. Friday is also M&T Third Friday, with free admission from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Find out more about the Museum at www.buffalohistory.org. 

Explore & More Children’s Museum – the East Aurora museum, located at 300 Gleed Ave.,  is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. On Monday, stop by from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and make a red, white and blue snack in honor of President’s Day; Tuesday through Friday, celebrate the Lunar New Year from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Visit www.exploreandmore.org for more information.

Canalside – for winter break, Canalside is open extended hours Monday through Friday, with open ice skating, ice bike rentals and curling daily from noon to 7 p.m. (ice bikes until 10 p.m. on Friday). You can also check out the Artisan Market in the Winter Village on Thursday and Friday from 2 to 8 p.m. Find a complete schedule of things to do at www.canalsidebuffalo.com.

January 2015 in review

credit: freedigitalphotos.net/Stuart Miles

January was quiet for the most part…except for those occasional bursts of snow. I did celebrate a rather quiet mid-week birthday – which is exactly how I like them!

I spent some time looking over my already-growing summer calendar – because it makes winter seem less…long. I’m looking at, as usual, quite a few day trips through some local bus tour companies, including some baseball games (it won’t be the same without Jeter, though!) and some regional exploration and, of course, the crazy auto racing schedule that just keeps growing and growing. I REALLY need it to be spring – at least! – NOW!

The decorating bug took a turn for the better (worse?) when I visited Hobby Lobby and JoAnn’s and found some inspiration in terms of wall décor, in the very colors I was thinking about for my foyer and laundry room – like it was meant to be, right? Just another project for the spring/summer/fall.

50 Things to do Before Spring

In about 50 days, it’ll be SPRING!!!!! (Isn’t this where Snoopy does his happy dance??)

I’ve always believed there’s always something to do in the Buffalo-Niagara area, and I’ve come up with a list of 50 things you can do before spring kicks off on March 20^th – because at that point, a whole new list comes out with things to do before Memorial Day!

• Visit Canalside – because there’s so much to do!
• Check out HarborCenter – there’s sure to be a game going on, otherwise check out (716) or Tim Hortons.
• Catch a game at the First Niagara Center – the Sabres and Bandits are both in action.
• Garth Brooks!! – ‘nuf said.
• Queen City Roller Girls – catch roller derby action at Buffalo RiverWorks.
• Lumagination – the Botanical Gardens’ annual light show gets reworked for 2015.
• Walk through the Olmstead Parks – there are so many to choose from.
• Visit the Buffalo History Museum – a little slice of history, plus Tim Russert’s office.
• Visit the Japanese Garden – right behind the History Museum (two-fer!).
• Visit Glen Park (or your favorite local park)
• Check out M&T Museum Fridays – Albright-Knox, Burchfield-Penney, Buffalo History Museum and Buffalo Arts Studio.
• Exhibits and events at the Botanical Gardens – orchids, lights, Victorian tea, yoga…something for everybody!
• WNY Home and Garden Expo – head to the Hamburg Fairgrounds and get ideas for your spring home shape-up.
• Buffalo Home Show – not enough ideas in Hamburg? Head to the Buffalo-Niagara Convention Center for more!
• Buffalo Auto Show – in the market for a new car or truck? Visit the Convention Center for this one too.
• Cavalcade of Cars – muscle cars, hot rods and motorsports – yes, please!
• Visit a local brewery – there’s a Buffalo brewing resurgence (yes, that’s one of the breweries!).
• HorsefeathersWinter Market – who says farmer’s-style markets have to be held outdoors?
• Great Harvest BreadCo. – I discovered this place at the Williamsville Farmer’s Market a couple of years ago, then visited last year after hitting Plantasia at the Hamburg Fairgrounds – delish! Located at 18 Buffalo St. in Hamburg.
• Larkinville Ice Festival – just another reason to go to Larkinville!
• Polar Bites – support the Buffalo Zoo at this fundraising event.
• Local Restaurant Week – pick a new restaurant or two to visit, then hit an old favorite for inexpensive eats.
• Go bowling – because it’s a Buffalo thing to do.
• Take a Buffalo tour – there’s so much you can learn on guided tours, especially about this great city.
• Check out Elmwood Ave. – shopping, restaurants, galleries, etc., etc.
• Plan a garden – because at least you can think about spring and summer that way.
• Check out Hertel Ave. – see Elmwood Ave…
• Walk the Village of Williamsville – spend the day discovering Main St.
• Binge-watch your favorite TV or movie series – because it’s a winter thing to do.
• Explore East Aurora – Vidler’s, Fisher-Price, the Roycroft Inn and so much more.
• Outdoor ice skating – check out Canalside, Fountain Plaza, or any of these.
• Test your swing at the Paddock Golf Dome – again, because it feels like spring.
• Plan your summer vacation – you don’t have to get out of Buffalo – plan a staycation! But if you do need to leave, it’s something to look forward to when it’s 10-degrees out!
• Rediscover downtown Buffalo – you haven’t seen Buffalo if you haven’t seen it recently.
• Check out Forest Lawn on Sundays – tours, speakers, music and more.
• Try a new workout – there’s more than just big box gyms in Buffalo – try BikeorBar or one of the new barre workout centers in Buffalo.
• Visit Niagara Falls – it’s in our backyard, but it’s underappreciated.
• Visit the Buffalo Zoo – yes, in the winter.
• Sample soup at SoupFest – February 15^th at the Buffalo-Niagara Convention Center.
• Support the team at the Chili Cookoff – the Lake Effect Furies, one of the Queen City Roller Girls teams, is hosting a Chili Cookoff on February 7^th.
• Indulge your sweet tooth at Sweet Charity – support the Food Bank of WNY on February 5^th.
• Support local pond hockey – the Labatt Blue Pond Hockey Tournament is at Buffalo RiverWorks the weekend of February 20^th through 22^nd.
• Make new wall décor at a paint-and-sip night – check out Paint on Tap, Pinot’s Palette or one of the events at PaintNite.com.
• Celebrate “fake” summer at the Eastern Hills Mall – take the kids to EHM for Summer in February, February 14^th through 22^nd.
• Visit the Niagara Wine Trail with your Valentine – “Be Mine with Wine” is a wine and chocolate pairing event February 13^th through 15^th.
• Preview spring at Plantasia – Plantasia begins on the first day of spring (March 19^th), but you can check out preview night on March 18^th.
• Support the Aquarium at SEAsonings – the Aquarium of Niagara hosts SEAsonings, the original “Taste of Niagara,” on March 5^th.
• Have some family fun at Explore & More – celebrate winter break and the Lunar New Year at Explore & More Children’s Museum in East Aurora, February 16^th through 20^th.
• Celebrate the final weekend of winter at Holiday Valley – March 14^th and 15^th, Holiday Valley and the Village of Ellicottville present their annual Winter Carnival.
• Sample maple syrup, sugar and more at Sprague’s Maple Farms – grab a bite to eat and check out the old-fashioned sugarhouse with tastings and demonstrations.

Five Things to do in February 2015

February already? Yep – and that means one month closer to spring! Here are a few things to check out in February to keep your mind off the cold that is bound to still make its way through the Buffalo-Niagara region.

credit: paulathompsonfreelance.com

Support the Buffalo Zoo – the Buffalo Zoo, located at 300 Parkside Ave. in Buffalo, is open year round – hours through June 30^th are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (with a few exceptions) – but if you’d rather support the Zoo indoors, check out Polar Bites, the Zoo’s annual fundraiser, on Thursday, February 19^th from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Buffalo-Niagara Convention Center on Franklin St. in downtown Buffalo. There will be food and beverages from some of Buffalo’s most popular establishments, plus basket auctions, silent auctions and visits from animal ambassadors. Find out more about the event and purchase tickets at www.buffalozoo.org.

Satisfy your sweet tooth – help out the Food Bank of WNY and indulge in specialty food, desserts, wine and beer tastings at the ninth annual Sweet Charity on Thursday, February 5^th from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Atrium at Rich’s, One Robert Rich Way in Buffalo. There will also be silent auctions and live auctions, and chocolate roses will be available for purchase. Tickets are $60 per person and available at www.foodbankwny.org.

Check out the Pond Hockey Tournament – the Labatt Blue Pond Hockey Tournament returns to Buffalo for its eighth season, and to its new site at Buffalo RiverWorks for the second year. The 2015 tournament takes place Friday through Sunday, February 20^th through 22^nd, and will feature approximately 1,000 players across 11 men’s and one women’s division. Hours are Friday noon to 8:30 p.m., Saturday 10:30 a.m. to 9:15 p.m. and Sunday 9 a.m. to 7:45 p.m. – find out more at www.labattbluepondhockey.com/buffalopond.

Sample some hot stuff – the Lake Effect Furies, part of the Queen City Roller Girls, will host their 2015 Chili Cook-off on Saturday, February 7^th from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. at Appliance Associates of Buffalo, 200 Amherst St. in Buffalo.  There will be meat and vegetarian categories as well as 50/50 and basket raffles – tickets are just $10, and more information can be found here. If soup is more your style, check out Buffalo SoupFest on Sunday, February 15^th from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Buffalo-Niagara Convention Center. Tickets are $5 and available at the door.

Buffalo History Museum
credit: paulathompsonfreelance.com

Kick off your weekends at a local museum – did you know there are now FOUR M&T Fridays at Buffalo-area museums? M&T First Fridays begins the month at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, 1285 Elmwood Ave. in Buffalo, followed by M&T Second Fridays at the Burchfield-Penney Art Center, 1300 Elmwood Ave. on the Buffalo State campus in Buffalo. The Buffalo History Museum, located at One Museum Ct. in Buffalo, hosts M&T Third Fridays, and the Buffalo Arts Studio, located at the Tri-Main Center (2495 Main St., Suite 500) in Buffalo,  recently joined in the fun with M&T Fourth Fridays. Take advantage of museum freebies in the Buffalo area!

Looking forward: 75 days until the Buffalo Bisons’ season opener

Coca Cola Field/credit: Buffalo Bisons

Need something to look forward to in these days of cold weather and snow? How about baseball season?! The Buffalo Bisons, the Triple-A International League affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays, open their home season on Thursday, April 9^th at 2:05 p.m. against the Rochester Red Wings, and you know you want to be there – just because it screams spring!

Tickets go on sale in March, but it’s not too early to take a look at the schedule and see which games you want to go to – check it out here. Tickets are really affordable for Bisons games, with no seat costing more than $14. Save money by taking advantage of one of the ticket packages the Bisons offer, or bring four people to the game with a Family 4-Pack for $68.

The entire promotional schedule has yet to be released, but a few of the important dates are out there – like the annual Independence Eve concert with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra on Friday, July 3^rd and the always-popular Star Wars Night on Saturday, July 18^th.

Keep up with all of the Bisons’ news and purchase tickets when they become available at their website.

Buffa-love and beyond: 2015 goals

I’m not a resolution person – I prefer to set goals. If you don’t follow through with a resolution, it feels like failure – goals can be broken into smaller pieces and it feels like an accomplishment when you complete something leading to that bigger goal.

Goals can include places to go, things to do, ideas to follow through on – that’s where I’m going with this list: exploration, self-improvement and business improvement.

Personal:

• Declutter the house – a strange thing has happened: I’ve become an HGTV addict (and not just because the Scott Brothers are easy on the eyes…but it helps!). I’ve been in my home going on 15 years, and I’m getting the redecorating bug. Part of that bug includes getting rid of some “stuff” – you know, “stuff.”
• Stay healthy – I’m at a crossroads when it comes to fitness: to stay with my gym or ditch it altogether. My favorite instructor is no longer at my gym, and I’m not sure the other instructors have what it takes to keep me interested. Leaving the gym would be cheaper, and I’ve got plenty of DVDs and equipment to keep me occupied at home…so while I make the decision, I’ve just got to keep on doing what I’m doing.
• Cook and bake more – I have another addiction: baking blogs…and cookbooks! I need to use my kitchen more often than I do – I love being there, but just don’t seem to have the time, which leads me to…
• More “me” time – when painting my nails becomes a chore, it’s time to step back and find some time for myself! All of the above items will only get done if I take more time for myself.

Business:

• Revamp my website – I’d had the same website look for at least three years, but now I want to focus the site less on writing and more on photography. I’ll still have links to my writing samples, but as I start covering more races and traveling more, I want to focus on the photography end of my business.
• Improve social media presence – I’ve gotten really good at posting things to Pinterest, and I’m getting better with Facebook…I’m not a huge fan of self-promotion on Facebook, because I don’t want to flood people’s timelines, so I try to focus things on my fan pages.
• Kick off photography business – now that I’m getting more comfortable covering races, I want to focus on getting some business from drivers, teams, series and tracks.
• Set a publishing schedule and keep it! – this has been tough, as I’ve been balancing my pieces for Examiner with blog posting and photography work – oh, and the full-time job, which is especially painful at this time of year. I will get better!

Travel:

• Third trip to Yankee Stadium – so far, it looks like a go – I need to get there again before too many more plaques go up in Monument Park!
• Visit 10 or more race tracks – last season, I hit seven, plus a museum. I think this is totally doable.
• Explore Buffalo – each year, I get to see a little bit more of the area I’ve lived in my entire life but have never really explored.
• Keep up with travel posts – this links in with my business goals as well. Last year, I missed a couple of trips, so the goal is to get this year’s explorations up within a week if possible

What are your goals for 2015?

2015 Queen City Roller Girls schedule

credit: www.qcrg.net

Buffalo loves ALLLLL sports – including roller derby! The Queen City Roller Girls are moving to Buffalo Riverworks, located at 359 Ganson St, in downtown Buffalo, for the 2015 season – the ninth season overall.

Buffalo Riverworks is the reimagined GLF grain mill site, now serving as a multi-purpose facility. According to the description on the Roller Girls’ website:

The 60,000 foot indoor event center will feature multiple bars & restaurants, a 5,000 person concert venue, theatrical productions, a 1,500 person banquet facility, and space for trade shows, corporate events, and conventions. The 50,000 square foot covered outdoor ice rinks serve as a venue for pond-hockey, roller hockey (in summer), box lacrosse, and curling leagues. An additional on-site brewery (from the folks behind the Pearl Street Grill & Brewery) will serve the center and a beach beer garden located in the ruins of former grain silos. The entire site is located a mere half mile from the First Niagara Center and Canalside and is along the Buffalo River including waterfront docks for recreational boaters.

I’m hoping to get down to a Roller Girls match this season and explore the facility and check out the sport!

• Friday, February 6, 2015 – Suicidal Saucies vs. Nickel City Knockouts
• Friday, February 13, 2015 – Devil Dollies vs. Alley Kats
• Friday, February 27, 2015 – Alley Kats vs. Nickel City Knockouts
• Saturday, March 7, 2015 – Roc City Roc Stars vs. Lake Effect Furies
• Friday, March 13, 2015 – Suicidal Saucies vs. Devil Dollies
• Saturday, March 21, 2015 – DC Rollergirls vs. Lake Effect Furies
• Friday, March 27, 2015 – Nickel City Knockouts vs. Devil Dollies
• Friday, April 3, 2015 – Alley Kats vs. Suicidal Saucies
• Friday, April 10, 2015 – Alley Kats vs. Devil Dollies
• Saturday, April 18, 2015 – Steel Hurtin’ vs. Lake Effect Furies
• Friday, April 24, 2015 – Nickel City Knockouts vs. Suicidal Saucies
• Friday, May 1, 2015 – Nickel City Knockouts vs. Alley Kats
• Friday, May 8, 2015 – Devil Dollies vs. Suicidal Saucies
• Friday, May 22, 2015 – Devil Dollies vs. Nickel City Knockouts
• Friday, May 29, 2015 – Suicidal Saucies vs. Alley Kats
• Friday, June 12, 2015 – QCRG Playoffs Doubleheader
• Friday, June 19, 2015 – QCRG Cup Championship

Information about tickets and starting times will be announced soon – check out www.qcrg.net for more details.