Five Things to do in June 2015

So, summer is (unofficially) here…what to do, what to do. You won’t have that problem in Buffalo – there’s always plenty to do here! Here are just a few things to check out in June around town.

2014 Parkside Garden Tour

Get your garden on – my favorite festival of the year has a new name – the National Garden Festival is now Garden Walk Buffalo Niagara! It’s still six weeks of gardening fun, education, walks, tours and more, and I’m sure it will still wear out my camera batteries!

Get fit outdoors – Fitness in the Parks is back at a number of parks throughout the area, including Bassett Park, Ellicott Creek Park and Artpark to name a few. If you’re downtown, there are all kinds of classes happening at Canalside – Pilates, Tai Chi, barre, yoga, bootcamp and more.

Get cultured with some free Shakespeare – one of the largest free Shakespeare festivals in the country is right here in Buffalo! Shakespeare in Delaware Park is in its 40^th season, and in 2015 presents Romeo and Juliet (June 18^th through July 12^th) and 12^th Night (July 23^rd through August 16^th). Performances take place, weather-permitting, Tuesdays through Sundays at 7:30 p.m.

Buffalo History Museum (2014)

Get out to a museum – the Buffalo History Museum offers its first Food Truck Rodeo of the season on Wednesday, June 3^rd and the first Party on the Portico for 2015 on Friday, June 19^th. At the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, it’s M&T First Friday on Friday, June 5^th and Art Alive on Saturday, June 6^th. The Buffalo Museum of Science offers the Buffalo Mini Maker Faire on Saturday, June 6^th and the Solstice Soiree on Saturday, June 20^th, and the Buffalo Niagara Heritage Museum will be open free of charge on Saturday, June 6^th during Planting Day in the Village.

Get in the race – help out a couple of great causes by taking part in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure at the Delaware Park Rose Garden on Saturday, June 13^th or the Ride for Roswell on Saturday, June 27^th throughout the Buffalo-Niagara area.

all photos: paulathompsonfreelance.com

Beyond Khaleesi’s Garden: Proven Winners

I was blessed to be contacted by Proven Winners, which produces some beautiful annuals that I’ve used for years, and asked if I would like one of their 2016 preview boxes. Um, yes please!

plants courtesy of Proven Winners

I was not expecting such an amazing collection of plants, some of which are still waiting for homes, but all in great shape. Here’s a sample of what I did with some of them (including a few extra Proven Winners selections I purchased myself).

Proven Winners provided me with a number of plants used in these photos. All ideas and opinions are my own.

all photos: paulathompsonfreelance.com 

Discover Buffalo 2015: A Sampling of Farmer’s Markets

paulathompsonfreelance.com

Head on out to one of these local farmer’s markets this year – support the local growers! Look for more farmer’s market listings here soon.

• Alden Farmers Market – Alden Village Plaza parking lot, 13119 Broadway; Saturdays from May 16^th through October 10^th, from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Blasdell Farmers Market – The Lake Street Plaza, 4271 Lake Ave.; Wednesdays now through October 28^th, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Clarence Hollow Farmers Market – Town parking lot at 10717 Main St. in Clarence; Saturdays beginning June 6^th from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Clinton Bailey Farmers Market – 1443-1517 Clinton St. in Buffalo; from May 1^st through November 1^st, Sunday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Downtown Country Market – Main St. between Court and Church; Tuesdays and Thursdays from May 14^th through October 22^nd, from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. each day.
• Hamburg Farmers Market – Village municipal parking lot, Main and Union Sts.; Saturdays now through October 31^st, from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Farmers Market in the Village of Williamsville – Island Park on Main St. in the Village of Williamsville; Saturdays now through October 31^st, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Discover Buffalo 2015: Frank Lloyd Wright tours

Architect, designer and writer Frank Lloyd Wright (1867-1959) was a leader in organic architecture and the Prairie School movement who designed more than 1,000 structures through the world. His designs would eventually earn him the title of “the greatest American architect of all time” from the American Institute of Architects (1991) – and you can find many of his classic works right here in the Buffalo-Niagara region.

Darwin Martin House
paulathompsonfreelance.com

If you’d like to explore Wright’s Buffalo connections, the All Wright All Day trolley tour is a great place to start. The trolley leaves the Margaret L. Wendt Archive and Resource Center at 2062 Main St. in Buffalo at 8:30 a.m., bound for Forest Lawn Cemetery. The next stop is the best-known piece of Wright architecture in the area, the Darwin Martin House Complex, where you’ll get an extended tour of the premises. After that, it’s on to the Pierce Arrow Museum, home of one of the newest Wright buildings, the Filling Station, which was originally designed for the Buffalo area in 1927. The next stop is the Fontana Boathouse, another newer Wright build, where you’ll also have lunch. The day wraps up with a trip to Graycliff Estate before returning to Forest Lawn to view the Blue Sky Mausoleum.

There are numerous dates available for the tour in 2015 – check out the above link for more information on this tour.

Fontana Boathouse
paulathompsonfreelance.com

If you’re interested in a shorter tour, check out Explore Buffalo’s tour of the Fontana Boathouse, also offered on numerous dates throughout the year. Find the calendar of this and other tours at explorebuffalo.org.

2015 Mother’s Day Brunch and Dinner Ideas in the Buffalo-Niagara Area

credit: freedigitalphotos.net/89studio

Don’t make mom cook this year for Mother’s Day on Sunday, May 10 – here are a few places in the area you can take her for a special meal for her special day. Some of these restaurants serve brunch, while others serve dinner, so keep that in mind when you’re making reservations.

The Ramada Hotel – located at 2402 N. Forest Rd. in Getzville, the Ramada is hosting a Mother’s Day brunch buffet in their Grand Ballroom. There are two seatings available – 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. – and the cost is $21.95 per person, $10.95 for kids 4 to 11 and free for kids under 4. They are also offering Mother’s Day dinner in the Embers Restaurant from 2 to 8 p.m. To make reservations for either, call 716-636-7500.

Glen Iris Inn – located in Letchworth State Park, the Inn is offering a Mother’s Day breakfast buffet with seatings available from 8 to 10:30 a.m. – cost is $12.95 for adults and $6.95 for children. A Mother’s Day dinner will be served from noon to 8 p.m., featuring a special menu of traditional favorites and Glen Iris Inn specialties. Call 585-493-2622 for reservations.

Elma Towne Grille – located at 6650 Clinton St. in Elma, the Grille will be presenting a Mother’s Day buffet from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. featuring more than 10 hot dishes plus carved ham, an omelet station, a salad bar, fresh breads and pastries and more. Cost is $17.99 (+ tax and gratuity) for adults, half-price for kids 4 to 8 and free for kids under 4 – call 716-651-4619 for reservations.

Martin House Complex - located at 125 Jewett Pkwy. in Buffalo, the Darwin Martin House is offering Mother’s Day brunch and a tour beginning at 10:30 a.m.; brunch will feature Roasted Tomato Basil Frittata, turkey sausage, herb roasted potatoes, baked French toast, fresh fruit salad, assorted pastries and muffins, coffee, tea, juice, mimosas and bloody marys. Cost for the brunch and tour is $55 for Martin House members, $60 for non-members – make reservations at 716-856-3858.

Brierwood Country Club – located at 5324 Rogers Rd. in Hamburg, Brierwood will offer four seatings for brunch – 10:30 and 11 a.m. and 1 and 1:30 p.m. The buffet will include a ham and roast beef carving station, an omelet station, salad, desserts and more. Cost is $26.95 for adults, $15 for kids 3 to 12 and free for kids under 3 – call 716-648-2700 x. 203 for reservations.

Hyatt Regency Buffalo –located at 2 Fountain Plaza in downtown Buffalo, the Hyatt Regency offers Mother’s Day brunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at its Atrium Bistro, featuring an omelet station, pancake and waffle station, carving station, assorted breakfast items, gourmet salads and more. Cost is $34.95 for adults, $20.95 for children, and free for children under 4 (with purchase of an adult buffet) – make reservations at 716-855-4830.

Salvatore’s Italian Gardens – located at 6461 Transit Rd. in Depew, Salvatore’s will offer its signature brunch presentation featuring Eggs Benedict, French toast, pot roast, poached salmon, a children’s buffet,  salads, an omelet station, a carving station and a dessert table. Cost is $31 for adults, $19 for children 5 to 11, $11 for children 3 to 4 and free for children under 3 – call 716-683-7990 for reservations.

Samuel’s Grande Manor – located at 8750 Main St. in Williamsville, Samuel’s will offer a Mother’s Day buffet (brunch or dinner) with seatings between 10:30 a.m. and 5 p.m., featuring carved roast beef, ham and pork tenderloin throughout the day and numerous other entrees for brunch (10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.) and dinner (2 to 5 p.m.). Cost is $21.95 for adults, $11.95 for kids 5 to 10 and free for kids 4 and under – call 716-634-8425 for reservations.