Five Things to do in November 2015

credit: freedigitalphotos.net/Feelart

November already?! The holiday season is fully upon us now – you can tell by the number of light and tree festivals on the schedule for November! Here are a few things to check out around Buffalo-Niagara.

Fairgrounds Festival of Lights – nearly two miles of light displays take over the Erie County Fairgrounds in Hamburg on weekends beginning November 27-29 and ending December 26-27 (also December 4-6 and December 11-13, plus extended hours December 18-23). New in 2015: The Great Lakes International Ice Carving Competition, taking place November 27-29, with pieces on display throughout the festival. Admission is $25 per carload, $50 per busload.

Light Up Lancaster Parade – a popular event to kick off the holidays, the annual fire truck parade begins at Lancaster High School at 6 p.m. and proceeds down Central Ave., ending at Braodway; stick around for the annual tree lighting ceremony.

Paint the Town at the Buffalo History Museum – get a head start on holiday shopping at this annual fundraiser on Thursday, November 5 from 6 to 9:30 p.m. at the Buffalo History Museum, One Museum Ct. in Buffalo. The event features artists with strong Buffalo ties, as well as live and silent auctions; tickets are $50 for Museum members, $70 for non-members.

Shea’s Shopping Soiree – get more holiday shopping done on Thursday, November 19 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Shea’s Performing Arts Center, 646 Main St. in downtown Buffalo. The sixth annual event features a variety of local vendors for pre-Black Friday shopping.

Festival of Trees –this annual fundraiser benefitting the new John R. Oishei Children’s Hospital takes place November 21 through December 3 at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Buffalo. Among the events that are part of the festival: the Black Tie Gala on November 21, the Designer Showcase Reception and Award on November 24 and the Haute Holiday Fashion Show on December 2; general admission to view the trees is free.

2015 UB Bulls Women’s Basketball schedule

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Salvatore Vuono

• November 3 – at home for exhibition against Clarion – 7 p.m.
• November 7 – at home for exhibition against Daemen – 2 p.m.
• November 14 – at home against LIU Brooklyn – 2 p.m.
• November 17 – at home against Canisius – 7 p.m.
• November 21 – on the road against Massachusetts – 5 p.m.
• November 25 – at home against Cornell – 2 p.m.
• November 28 – on the road against Central Florida – 2:30 p.m.
• November 29 – on the road against Clemson at UCF – noon
• December 3 – on the road against Hofstra – 7 p.m.
• December 6 – at home against Duquesne – 2 p.m.
• December 9 – on the road against St. Bonaventure – 7 p.m.
• December 21 – on the road against Niagara – 7 p.m.
• December 29 – on the road against Sacred Heart – TBA
• January 2 – on the road against Eastern Michigan – 2:30 p.m.
• January 6 – at home against Central Michigan – 7 p.m.
• January 9 – on the road against Kent State – 2 p.m.
• January 13 – on the road against Ball State – 7 p.m.
• January 16 – at home against Akron – 1 p.m.
• January 20 – at home against Western Michigan – 7 p.m.
• January 23 – on the road against Miami (Ohio) – 2 p.m.
• January 30 – on the road against Northern Illinois – TBA
• February 3 – at home against Ohio – 7 p.m.
• February 6 – at home against Ball State – 1 p.m.
• February 10 – on the road against Toledo – 7 p.m.
• February 13 – on the road against Bowling Green – 4 p.m.
• February 17 – at home against Eastern Michigan – 7 p.m.
• February 20 – at home against Miami (Ohio) – 1 p.m.
• February 24 – at home against Bowling Green – 7 p.m.
• February 27 – on the road against Ohio – TBA
• March 2 – on the road against Akron – 8 p.m.
• March 5 – at home against Kent State – 2 p.m.

Learn more about the UB Bulls at www.ubbulls.com. 

2015 UB Bulls Men’s Basketball schedule

credit: freedigitalphotos.net/
Salvatore Vuono

• November 6 – at home for exhibition against Daemen – 9 p.m.
• November 13 – at home against Pitt-Bradford – TBA
• November 16 – against Old Dominion at the Hall of Fame Tip-Off Classic – 7 p.m.
• November 18 – against St. Joseph’s at the Hall of Fame Tip-Off Classic – 7 p.m.
• November 21 – against North Carolina A&T at Hall of Fame Tip-Off Classic – 7:30 p.m.
• November 22 – against Niagara or Vermont at Hall of Fame Tip-Off Classic – TBA
• November 28 – at home against Canisius – 2 p.m.
• December 2 – at home against St. Bonaventure – 7 p.m.
• December 5 – on the road against Duke – 5:15 p.m.
• December 7 – on the road against Iowa State – 9 p.m.
• December 12 – at home against Binghamton – 2 p.m.
• December 19 – at home against Montana State – 2 p.m.
• December 22 – on the road against Virginia Commonwealth – 7 p.m.
• December 29 – at home against Delaware – 7 p.m.
• January 5 – at home against Akron – 7 p.m.
• January 8 – on the road against Kent State – 7 p.m.
• January 12 – on the road against Eastern Michigan – 7 p.m.
• January 16 – at home against Central Michigan – 3:30 p.m.
• January 19 – on the road against Miami (Ohio) – 7 p.m.
• January 23 – on the road against Western Michigan – 4:30 p.m.
• January 26 – at home against Ball State – 7 p.m.
• January 30 – on the road against Toledo – 7 p.m.
• February 2 – on the road against Northern Illinois – 9 p.m.
• February 6 – at home against Eastern Michigan – 3:30 p.m.
• February 9 – at home against Toledo – 7 p.m.
• February 13 – at home against Ohio – 2 p.m.
• February 16 – on the road against Akron – TBA
• February 20 – at home against Bowling Green – 3:30 p.m.
• February 23 – at home against Kent State – 7 p.m.
• February 27 – on the road against Ohio – TBA
• March 1 – at home against Miami (Ohio) – 7 p.m.
• March 4 – on the road against Bowling Green – 7 p.m.

Learn more about the UB Bulls at www.ubbulls.com. 

Discover Buffalo 2015: Mums at the Botanical Gardens

Can you tell how much I LOOOOOVVVVE the Botanical Gardens?! The sad thing is I didn’t pay much attention to it until I started looking for things to write about when I was covering Buffalo events somewhere else. Then I became a member, and the rest is history – it’s now one of my favorite places in Buffalo.

One of my favorite shows is Mums in the fall. I love what they do with them, especially the really tall, single stem plants. I also love the mix of colors.

No, this is not a mum, but it is probably my favorite flower at the Botanical Gardens. I love hibiscus, and I really want to add this plant (I’ve seen it called “Tie Dye”) to my gardens. #Obsessed #GardenerProblems

Remember Morty the Corpse flower? He’s got siblings! One is Morticia (so Morty should have been Gomez…), but the other one needs a name – go to the Gardens and enter their naming contest!

Here are a few more photos from Mums at the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens, located at 2655 South Park Ave. in Buffalo.

all photos: paulathompsonfreelance.com

The Botanical Gardens in November 2015

credit: paulathompsonfreelance.com

The Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens, located at 2655 South Park Ave. in Buffalo, gets ready for the holidays with these events in November:

• Arcangel Gallery: Buffalo Museum of Science Camera Club – now through November 22.
• Mums – now through November 8 – celebrate the fall season with different colors and varieties of mums.
• Veterans Day at the Gardens – free admission for all veterans with valid ID.
• Orchid Show – Saturday and Sunday, November 14-15.
• Medicinal Garden Feature – November 14 featuring Cancer Awareness and Flu Prevention.
• Poinsettias – Expect the Unexpected! – November 27 through January 3.
• Garden Railway Exhibit – November 27 through January 3.
• Arcangel Gallery: Nature’s Pallette – November 27 through January 10.

For more information on these events and others at the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens, visit www.buffalogardens.com. 

BfloGirlSports: Buffalo teams in November 2015

The Bills and the Sabres are joined by college hockey and – soon! – basketball in November – here’s where to see your favorite teams!

credit: freedigitalphotos.net/
John Kasawa

Buffalo Bills

• Sunday, November 8 – at home against the Miami Dolphins (1 p.m.)
• Thursday, November 12 – on the road against the New York Jets (8:25 p.m.)
• Monday, November 23 – on the road against the New England Patriots (8:30 p.m.)
• Sunday, November 29 – on the road against the Kansas City Chiefs (1 p.m.)

Buffalo Sabres

• Sunday, November 1 –on the road against the New York Islanders (7:30 p.m.)
• Thursday, November 5 – at home against the Tampa Bay Lightning (7 p.m.)
• Saturday, November 7 – at home against the Vancouver Canucks (1 p.m.)
• Tuesday, November 10 – on the road against the Lightning (7:30 p.m.)
• Thursday, November 12 – on the road against the Florida Panthers (7:30 p.m.)
• Saturday, November 14 – at home against the San Jose Sharks (7 p.m.)
• Tuesday, November 17 – at home against the Dallas Stars (7 p.m.)
• Thursday, November 19 – on the road against the St. Louis Blues (8 p.m.)
• Saturday, November 21 – on the road against the Stars (8 p.m.)
• Monday, November 23 at home against the Blues (7 p.m.)
• Wednesday, November 25 – at home against the Nashville Predators (7 p.m.)
• Friday, November 27 – at home against the Carolina Hurricanes (7 p.m.)
• Saturday, November 28 – on the road against the Predators (8 p.m.)

UB Bulls Football

• Thursday, November 5 – on the road against Kent State (7:30 p.m.)
• Wednesday, November 11 – at home against Northern Illinois (8 p.m.)
• Saturday, November 21 – on the road against Akron (TBA)
• Friday, November 27 – at home against Massachusetts (TBA)

Niagara University Purple Eagles Ice Hockey

credit: Wikimedia Images

• Friday, November 6 – at home against Penn State (7:05 p.m.)
• Friday, November 13 – on the road against the University of Michigan (7:05 p.m.)
• Saturday, November 14 – exhibition on the road against the USA National Development Team (Plymouth, MI) (7 p.m.)
• Friday and Saturday, November 20-21 – at home against American International College (both games 7 p.m.)
• Friday and Saturday, November 27-28 – on the road against Holy Cross (Friday – 7:05 p.m., Saturday – 7 p.m.)

Canisius College Golden Griffins Ice Hockey

• Saturday, November 7 – at home against Merrimack (6:05 p.m.)
• Friday and Saturday, November 13-14 – on the road against Ohio State (Friday – 7:05 p.m., Saturday – 4:05 p.m.)
• Friday and Saturday, November 20-21 – at home against Mercyhurst (both games 7:35 p.m.)
• Friday and Saturday, November 27-28 – at home against Army West Point (Friday – 4:05 p.m., Saturday – 7:35 p.m.)

Look for season schedules for college basketball over the next few days!

Celebrate fall 2015: One-stop Halloween guide!

credit: freedigitalphotos.net/Vlado

Autumn Fun:

• BeckerFarms
• Pumpkinville
• The Great Pumpkin Farm
• Cambria Corn Maze
• Kelkenberg Farm
• U-Pick Harvests
• Holiday Hollow
• Wheatfield Pumpkin Farm
• Buffalo-Niagara Heritage Village

Halloween Hauntings:

• Mason Winfield ghost walks and pub crawls
• House of Horrors and Haunted Catacombs
• Frightworld
• District of the Dead
• Nightmare Hayrides on Sommerville St.

Fall with the Family:

• Medina Railroad Museum
• Arcade and Attica Railroad
• Halloween fun for all ages
• More Halloween fun for all ages
• Safe trick-or-treating around WNY
• More Halloween fun in the Buffalo-Niagara area

Celebrate fall 2015: More Halloween fun in the Buffalo-Niagara area

credit: freedigitalphotos.net/digidreamgrafix

The Buffalo Central Terminal, located at 495 Paderewski Dr. in Buffalo will host Candlelight Parahistorical Tours on Friday and Saturday, October 23-24 and Thursday through Saturday, October 29-31; tour times are 6, 7 and 8 p.m. all nights. Learn about the paranormal history off the Central Terminal in the hour-long tour. Tickets are $20 per person, and tours are expected to fill up fast – find out more on the Central Terminal Facebook page.

For more family-friendly fun, the Village of Williamsville will host a Halloween Party and Parade on Saturday, October 24 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Williamsville Fire Department, 5565 Main St. in the village. The event will include a costume contest, plus free Munchkins from Dunkin’ Donuts and entertainment from the Checkers Show. On Sunday, October 25, there will be pumpkin carving at the Noll Center in Glen Park from noon to 3 p.m. – get more information at www.walkablewilliamsville.com.

Annual Candy Buy-Back – need to get rid of some of that Halloween candy? Winning Smiles Pediatric Dentistry will hold their annual candy buy-back on Monday, November 2 from 4 to 8 p.m. at both of their locations: 3476 Sheridan Dr. in Amherst and 3364 Southwestern Blvd. in Orchard Park. Receive $1 per pound for candy turned in and a free toothbrush – candy is donated to Packs4Patriots for care packages for deployed troops. Find out more at www.winningsmilespd.com.

Celebrate fall 2015: Safe trick-or-treating around WNY

credit: freedigitalphotos.net/Stuart Miles

Halloween Trick or Treat – Friday and Saturday, October 23-24 at the Buffalo Niagara Heritage Village, 3755 Tonawanda Creek Rd. in Amherst. This safe trick-or-treating event is for kids ages 3 to 12 and takes place in the Village’s buildings. Registration is strongly recommended, as times often sell out – Friday times are every 15 minutes from 5 to 7:30 p.m. and Saturday times are every 15 minutes from 4 to 7:30 p.m. Cost is $8 for kids and $5 for adults – find out more at bnhv.org.

Explore and More’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party – Sunday, October 25 from 1 to 3:30 p.m. at Explore and More Children’s Museum, 300 Gleed Ave. in East Aurora. Event is included with museum admission or free for museum members; register at 716-655-5131. Visit exploreandmore.org for more information.

Galleria of Treats – Thursday, October 29 from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Walden Galleria in Cheektowaga (lower level near Forever 21). Presale VIP Express Passes are $3 at Customer Service (upper level near Macy’s) through October 28 or $2 the day of the event; benefits Kids Escaping Drugs. Find out more at www.waldengalleria.com.

Mall-wide Trick-or-Treating – Thursday, October 29 beginning at 5 p.m. at the Boulevard Mall, 730 Alberta Dr. in Amherst – at participating stores while supplies last. Find out more at www.boulevard-mall.com.

Eastern Hills Mall Mall-o-Ween – Thursday, October 29 from 5 to 7 p.m. at Eastern Hills Mall, 4545 Transit Rd. in Clarence. Donation is $2 per child, which benefits Essential Care for Children. Find out more about the event at www.shopeasternhills.com.

Halloween at the Broadway Market – Saturday, October 31 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Broadway Market, 999 Broadway in Buffalo. Trick-or-treat through the Market from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., sign up for the costume contest and take part in the costume parade at noon. Get more information at broadwaymarket.org.

McKinley Mall Halloween Trick-or-Treating – Saturday, October 31 from 6 to 8 p.m. at McKinley Mall, 3701 McKinley Pkwy. in Blasdell. Find out more at www.shopmckinleymall.com. 

Discover Buffalo 2015: Way to Go Tours’ Best of Buffalo trip

A couple of weeks ago, my mom and I went on a bus trip tour of Buffalo with Way to Go Tours – out first time traveling with this company, and likely not our last. Among our stops: HARBORCENTER, Canalside, RiverWorks and Chef’s.

Inside HARBORCENTER - the Sabres!

The tour started at HARBORCENTER, which is a beautiful facility – made even better because Sabres training camp was in session while we were there! Thank you Terry and Kim Pegula for your ideas and money!

The big screen at (716)

We had time to take a quick walk over to Canalside, where we met Tim Horton and Shark Girl!

Sabres great Tim Horton - he of coffee fame!

Canalside resident Shark Girl

Next up was RiverWorks, otherwise known as the site of the Labatt Blue six-pack on the silos. Again, a beautiful facility, and home to a number of events including the Labatt Blue Pond Hockey Tournament and the Buffalo Roller Girls roller derby teams.

Inside RiverWorks - roller derby rack

That's a tall brew!

I'm ALWAYS taking pictures of flowers!

A view of the Canal from RiverWorks

Following RiverWorks we had lunch at Chef’s. I’m willing to admit my sins as a Buffalonian: this was my first time at Chef’s. Wow.What.I.Was.Missing! Spaghetti Parm forever! After a driving tour through areas like Solar City and the new medical corridor, we checked out one of the new hotels downtown, the Hilton Garden Inn, and made one final stop at Parkside Candy (sponge candy!!!).

The tour guide was great, and really knew his stuff when it came to Buffalo and what’s going on. I’ll be looking for this tour again next year, as well as checking out a few more!

**note – all travel was paid for by me, and all opinions are my own.**

 all photos: paulathompsonfreelance.com

Local Restaurant Week: October 19-25, 2015

credit: freedigitalphotos.net/arztsamui

The fall edition of Local Restaurant Week takes place Monday through Sunday, October 19-25 with nearly 200 local restaurants already signed up to take part.

The week-long event features independent restaurants that contribute to the Western New York culture through the use of homegrown products whenever available.

Among the restaurants participating in various areas around Western New York:

• Black and Blue Steak and Crab – 5493 Sheridan Dr. in Williamsville
• Scotch ‘N Sirloin – 3999 Maple Rd. in Amherst
• Ilio DiPaolo’s – 3758 South Park Ave. in Blasdell
• Brioso by Butterwood – 5195 Main St. in Williamsville
• Mr. Bill’s Restaurant and Bar – 1500 Cleveland Dr. in Cheektowaga
• Campobello’s Cucina Italiana – 9334 Transit Rd. in East Amherst
• The Roycroft Inn – 40 South Grove St. in East Aurora
• Sean Patrick’s – 3480 Millersport Hwy. in Getzville
• Rick’s on Main – 687 Main St. in East Aurora
• CRaVing – 1472 Hertel Ave. in Buffalo

Most restaurants will be offering a lunch or dinner special as part of Restaurant Week – find out more about it at www.localrestaurantweek.com. 

Celebrate fall 2015: Buffalo-Niagara Heritage Village

credit: freedigitalphotos.net/Stuart Miles

The Buffalo-Niagara Heritage Village, located at 3755 Tonawanda Creek Rd. in Amherst, will be hosting their annual Halloween Trick-or-Treat at the end of October, but there’s also some fun for adults at the Village this season.

The Halloween Trick-or-Treat will be held Friday and Saturday, October 23-24. This safe trick-or-treating event is for kids ages 3 to 12 and takes place in the Village’s buildings. Registration is strongly recommended, as times often sell out – Friday times are every 15 minutes from 5 to 7:30 p.m. and Saturday times are every 15 minutes from 4 to 7:30 p.m. Cost is $8 for kids and $5 for adults.

On Saturday, October 17 from 3 to 4:30 p.m. and Friday, October 23 from 10 to 11:30 p.m., BNHV hosts the Victorian Séance Series. Learn how Spiritualism impacted the area in the 19^th century in a program designed for BNHV by Buffalo History Tours’ Joel Dombrowski. Registration is required – tickets are $30 per person.

Learn more about these programs and others at Buffalo-Niagara Heritage Village at bnhv.org. 

Celebrate fall 2015: More Halloween fun for all ages

credit: freedigitalphotos.net/num_skyman

Spooktacular! – Saturday, October 24 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Niagara Power Vista, 5777 Lewiston Rd. (Rt. 104) in Lewiston. Games, treats, crafts, a haunted house, hayrides (weather permitting) and a costume contest at 2 p.m. – find out more at the Power Vista website.

Symphonic Spooktacular – Sunday, October 18 at 2:30 p.m. at Kleinhans Music Hall. The Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra presents music that depicts scary characters, superheroes, Disney royalty and Harry Potter – don’t forget to wear your Halloween costume. Find out more at bpo.org.

All Hallows Eve – Saturday, October 31 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Buffalo History Museum, One Museum Ct. in Buffalo. Activities include pumpkin and face painting and a costume parade and contest at 1 p.m. Find out more at www.buffalohistory.org.

Haunted Paintball – Friday through Sunday, now through November 1 at Holland Paintball Adventure Park, 11586 Holland Glenwood Rd. (Holland Speedway) – hours are 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. Reservations are required – call 716-418-7223 or visit www.hollandpaintballadventurepark.com for more information. 

2015-16 Rochester Americans schedule

credit: Wikimedia Commons

All Amerks home games are played at the Blue Cross Arena in Rochester except for the game on December 30, being played at the First Niagara Center in Buffalo.

• Friday, October 9 – v. Lake Erie Monsters – 7:05 p.m.
• Saturday, October 10 – v. Utica Comets – 7:35 p.m.
• Friday, October 16 – at St. John’s IceCaps – 6 p.m.
• Saturday, October 17 – at St. John’s IceCaps – 6 p.m.
• Wednesday, October 21 – at Utica – 7 p.m.
• Friday, October 23 – v. Toronto Marlies – 7:05 p.m.
• Sunday, October 25 – v. Syracuse Crunch – 5:05 p.m.
• Friday, October 30 – at Springfield Falcons – 7 p.m.
• Saturday, October 31 – at Portland Pirates – 3 p.m.
• Sunday, November 1 – at Hartford Wolf Pack – 5 p.m.
• Friday, November 6 – v. Binghamton Senators – 7:05 p.m.
• Friday, November 13 – at Lehigh Valley Phantoms – 7:05 p.m.
• Saturday, November 14 – at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins – 7:05 p.m.
• Sunday, November 15 – at Hershey Bears – 5 p.m.
• Wednesday, November 18 – v. Toronto – 7:05 p.m.
• Friday, November 20 – v. Bridgeport Sound Tigers – 7:05 p.m.
• Saturday, November 21 – at Toronto – 5 p.m.
• Wednesday, November 25 – v. Syracuse – 7:05 p.m.
• Friday, November 27 – v. St. John’s – 7:05 p.m.
• Saturday, November 28 – at Binghamton – 7:05 p.m.
• Friday, December 4 – v. Toronto – 7:05 p.m.
• Saturday, December 5 – at Albany Devils – 5 p.m.
• Wednesday, December 9 – v. Utica – 7:05 p.m.
• Friday, December 11 – at St. John’s – 6 p.m.
• Saturday, December 12 – at St. John’s – 6 p.m.
• Wednesday, December 16 – at Utica – 7 p.m.
• Friday, December 18 – v. Hartford – 7:05 p.m.
• Saturday, December 19 – v. Albany – 7:35 p.m.
• Saturday, December 26 – v. Utica – 7:05 p.m.
• Sunday, December 27 – v. Hartford – 5:05 p.m.
• Wednesday – December 30 – v. St. John’s at the FNC – 7:05 p.m.
• Saturday, January 2 – at Bridgeport Sound – 7 p.m.
• Sunday, January 3 – at Providence Bruins – 5:05 p.m.
• Friday, January 8 – v. Hershey – 7:05 p.m.
• Saturday, January 9 – at Binghamton – 7:05 p.m.
• Sunday, January 10 – v. Syracuse – 5:05 p.m.
• Wednesday, January 13 – at Albany – 7 p.m.
• Friday, January 15 – v. Binghamton – 7:05 p.m.
• Saturday, January 16 – at Binghamton – 7:05 p.m.
• Monday, January 18 – v. Syracuse – 3:05 p.m.
• Friday, January 22 – at Grand Rapids Griffins – 7 p.m.
• Saturday, January 23 – at Grand Rapids – 7 p.m.
• Wednesday, January 27 – v. Syracuse – 7:05 p.m.
• Friday, January 29 – v. Binghamton – 7:05 p.m.
• Saturday, January 30 – at Utica – 7 p.m.
• Friday, February 5 – at Syracuse – 7 p.m.
• Saturday, February 6 – at Binghamton – 7:05 p.m.
• Friday, February 12 – v. Albany – 7:05 p.m.
• Saturday, February 13 – at Albany – 5 p.m.
• Sunday, February 14 – at Hartford – 3 p.m.
• Friday, February 19 – v. Portland – 7:05 p.m.
• Saturday, February 20 – at Syracuse – 7 p.m.
• Sunday, February 21 – v. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton – 5:05 p.m.
• Thursday, February 25 – at Lake Erie – 7 p.m.
• Saturday, February 27 – at Toronto- 3 p.m.
• Friday, March 4 – v. Springfield – 7:05 p.m.
• Saturday, March 5 – v. Toronto – 7:35 p.m.
• Friday, March 11 – v. Utica – 7:05 p.m.
• Saturday, March 12 – at Syracuse – 7 p.m.
• Sunday, March 13 – v. Binghamton – 5:05 p.m.
• Wednesday, March 16 – v. Lehigh Valley – 7:05 p.m.
• Saturday, March 19 – at Binghamton – 7:05 p.m.
• Sunday, March 20 – v. Providence – 5:05 p.m.
• Wednesday, March 23 – v. St. John’s – 7:05 p.m.
• Friday, March 25 – v. St. John’s – 7:05 p.m.
• Saturday, March 26 – at Syracuse – 7 p.m.
• Tuesday, March 29 – at Utica – 7 p.m.
• Friday, April 1 – v. Grand Rapids – 7:05 p.m.
• Saturday, April 2 – at Syracuse – 7 p.m.
• Sunday, April 3 – v. Grand Rapids – 5:05 p.m.
• Friday, April 8 – v. Binghamton – 7:05 p.m.
• Saturday, April 9 – v. Lake Erie – 7:35 p.m.
• Sunday, April 10 – at Lake Erie – 5 p.m.
• Friday, April 15 – v. Albany – 7:05 p.m.
• Saturday, April 16 – at Toronto – 5 p.m.
• Sunday, April 17 – at Toronto – 3 p.m.

Find out more about the team and purchase tickets at www.amerks.com. 

Still The One: Shania Twain with Gavin deGraw at First Niagara Center

I don’t go to a ton of concerts each year – I pick and choose the best ones! After seeing Garth Brooks in March, I didn’t think my concert season would get any better, but it did Saturday night, October 3 when I got to see Shania Twain for the third time. This was billed as her final tour – which I don’t think it should be! – and since I saw her on her first two tours, it was a must-see show!

The opener was Gavin deGraw, which I thought was an interesting choice since he’s more pop-oriented than country-pop, but it turns out he’s based in Nashville now (and originally from the Catskills – New York represent!). I can’t say that I was surprised he was as good as he was, but I was surprised that he captured the crowd as well as he did. I don’t know a lot of his songs, but as long as he did “I Don’t Wanna Be” I was all good!

And Shania…what can you really say? Words can’t describe that show – well, maybe AWESOME (yes, in capital letters). And I just want to look half that good at 50. She said at one point she lost some confidence during her time off the road and away from music – believe me, you couldn’t tell – she needed confidence to pull off some of those outfits!

Here are a few more shots from the show!

All photos: paulathompsonfreelance.com.

Beyond Khaleesi’s Garden: The colors of fall

The gardens are looking a little sad as the days get cooler and shorter, but there is still some beautiful fall color to be seen - deep burgundy, bright red, yellow and orange featured on all different types of plants and flowers.

Sedum are a great fall plant for color, especially the beautiful Autumn Joy.

Coleus also have staying power as foliage plants with vibrant colors. A similar plant, the perilla, also looks great in a fall garden.

Color and height make zinnias a great flower for the fall garden – its colors compliment fall plants like sedum and mums, while taller ones provide a great color backdrop for shorter plants.

Dahlias continue to bloom in both tall dinner plate styles and shorter mum-like styles – the Dark Angel Star Wars dahlia totally reminds me of fall (and Mustafar…).

all photos: paulathompsonfreelance.com.

Celebrate fall 2015: Halloween fun for all ages

credit: freedigitalphotos.net/Stuart Miles

Haunted Fortress – Saturday, October 17 and October 24 from 7 to 10 p.m. at Old Fort Niagara in Youngstown. Learn about the haunted past of the Fort during this nocturnal tour. Admission is $20 per person, and advanced reservations and payment are required – call 716-745-7611 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Find out more at www.oldfortniagara.org.

Spooktacular Days at the Buffalo Zoo –Saturday and Sunday, October 10-11 at the Buffalo Zoo, 300 Parkside Ave. in Buffalo. Guests enjoy 16 treat stations, decorated grounds, Mother Goose readings and more. This event is free with Zoo admission; activities run from noon to 3 p.m. – find out more at www.buffalozoo.org or by calling 716-995-6133.

Halloween Happenings – Saturday, October 24 at the Aquarium of Niagara, 701 Whirlpool St. in Niagara Falls. Event will feature contests, crafts, prizes and the animals of the Aquarium. The Aquarium will be open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., and kids in costume receive free admission. For more information, visit www.aquariumofniagara.org.

Halloween Spooktacular – Friday, October 16 from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at Herschell Carrousel Factory, 180 Thompson St. in North Tonawanda. This family-friendly event will feature Halloween games, crafts and treats, plus a visit from the Buffalo Zoomobile at 7 p.m. Cost is $6 per person, $5 for Carousel Society members – find out more at carrouselmuseum.org.

Hard Rock Café Pinktober event – October 9, 2015

credit: freedigitalphotos.net/
scottchan

On Friday, October 9 from 5 to 11 p.m., the Hard Rock Café at 333 Prospect St. in Niagara Falls will present its annual Pinktober event featuring live music, merchandise and the sixth annual Living Ribbon across the Rainbow Bridge.

The international ribbon ceremony begins Friday at 7:30 p.m., followed by a free concert outside the restaurant beginning at 8:30 p.m. featuring the Buffalo Gay Men’s Chorus, K-Ride and Dirty Smile. Inside the restaurant, Mick Hayes takes the stage at 8:30 p.m. as well.

Find out more about the event at the Niagara Falls HRC website.

2015-16 Buffalo Sabres schedule

credit: Wikimedia Commons

• Thursday, October 8 – v. Ottawa Senators – 7 p.m.
• Saturday, October 10 – v. Tampa Bay Lightning – 1 p.m.
• Monday, October 12 – v. Columbus Blue Jackets – 3 p.m.
• Thursday, October 15 – at Florida Panthers – 7:30 p.m.
• Saturday, October 17 – at Tampa Bay – 7 p.m.
• Wednesday, October 21 – v. Toronto Maple Leafs – 7 p.m.
• Friday, October 23 – v. Montreal Canadiens – 7 p.m.
• Saturday, October 24 – v. New Jersey Devils – 7 p.m.
• Tuesday, October 27– at Philadelphia Flyers – 7 p.m.
• Thursday, October 29 – at Pittsburgh Penguins – 7 p.m.
• Friday, October 30 – v. Phildelphia – 7 p.m.
• Sunday, November 1 – at New York Islanders – 7:30 p.m.
• Thursday, November 5 – v. Tampa Bay – 7 p.m.
• Saturday, November 7 – v. Vancouver Canucks – 1 p.m.
• Tuesday, November 10– at Tampa Bay – 7:30 p.m.
• Thursday, November 12 – at Florida – 7:30 p.m.
• Saturday, November 14 – v. San Jose Sharks – 7 p.m.
• Tuesday, November 17 – v. Dallas Stars – 7 p.m.
• Thursday, November 19 – at St. Louis Blues – 8 p.m.
• Saturday, November 21 – at Dallas – 8 p.m.
• Monday, November 23 – v. St. Louis – 7 p.m.
• Wednesday, November 25 – v. Nashville Predators – 7 p.m.
• Friday, November 27 – v. Carolina Hurricanes – 7 p.m.
• Saturday, November 28 – at Nashville – 8 p.m.
• Tuesday, December 1 – at Detroit Red Wings – 7:30 p.m.
• Friday, December 4 – v. Arizona Coyotes – 7 p.m.
• Sunday, December 6 – at Edmonton Oilers – 8 p.m.
• Monday, December 7 – at Vancouver – 10 p.m.
• Thursday, December 10 – at Calgary Flames – 9 p.m.
• Saturday, December 12 – v. Los Angeles Kings – 7 p.m.
• Monday, December 14 – at Detroit – 7:30 p.m.
• Tuesday, December 15 – v. New Jersey – 7 p.m.
• Thursday, December 17 – v. Anaheim Ducks – 7 p.m.
• Saturday, December 19 – v. Chicago Blackhawks – 1 p.m.
• Saturday, December 26 – at Boston Bruins – 7 p.m.
• Monday, December 28 – v. Washington Capitals – 7 p.m.
• Wednesday, December 30 – at Washington – 7 p.m.
• Thursday, December 31 – v. NY Islanders – 6 p.m.
• Saturday, January 2 – v. Detroit – 1 p.m.
• Tuesday, January 5 – v. Florida – 7 p.m.
• Friday, January 8 – at Chicago – 8:30 p.m.
• Sunday, January 10 – at Winnipeg Jets– 3 p.m.
• Tuesday, January 12 – at Minnesota Wild – 8 p.m.
• Friday, January 15 – v. Boston – 7 p.m.
• Saturday, January 16 – v. Washington – 7 p.m.
• Monday, January 18 – at Arizona– 9 p.m.
• Wednesday, January 20 – at Colorado Avalanche – 9 p.m.
• Friday, January 22 – v. Detroit – 7 p.m.
• Monday, January 25 – at New York Rangers – 7 p.m.
• Tuesday, January 26 – at Ottawa – 7:30 p.m.
• Wednesday, February 3 – at Montreal – 7 p.m.
• Thursday, February 4 – v.  Boston – 7 p.m.
• Saturday, February 6 – at Boston – 7 p.m.
• Tuesday, February 9 – v. Florida – 7 p.m.
• Thursday, February 11 – at Philadelphia – 7 p.m.
• Friday, February 12 – v. Montreal – 7 p.m.
• Sunday, February 14 – v. Colorado – 12:30 p.m.
• Tuesday, February 16 – at Ottawa – 7:30 p.m.
• Friday, February 19 – at Columbus – 7 p.m.
• Sunday, February 21 – v. Pittsburgh – 12:30 p.m.
• Wednesday, February 24– at Anaheim – 10:30 p.m.
• Friday, February 26 – at Los Angeles– 11 p.m.
• Saturday, February 27 – at Florida – 3 p.m.
• Tuesday, March 1 – v. Edmonton – 7 p.m.
• Thursday, March 3 – v. Calgary – 7 p.m.
• Saturday, March 5 – v. Minnesota – 1 p.m.
• Monday, March 7 – at Toronto – 7:30 p.m.
• Tuesday, March 8– v. New York Rangers – 7 p.m.
• Thursday, March 10 – at Montreal – 7:30 p.m.
• Saturday, March 12 – v. Carolina – 1 p.m.
• Wednesday, March 16 – v. Montreal – 7 p.m.
• Friday, March 18 – v. Ottawa – 7 p.m.
• Saturday, March 19 – at Toronto – 7 p.m.
• Tuesday, March 22 – at Carolina – 7 p.m.
• Saturday, March 26 – v. Winnipeg – 1 p.m.
• Monday, March 28 – at Detroit – 7:30 p.m.
• Tuesday, March 29 – at Penguins– 7 p.m.
• Thursday, March 31 – v. Toronto – 7 p.m.
• Saturday, April 2 – at NY Rangers – 7 p.m.
• Tuesday, April 5 – at New Jersey – 7 p.m.
• Friday, April 8 – v. Columbus – 7 p.m.
• Saturday, April 9 – at NY Islanders – 7:30 p.m.

Get more information about the season at sabres.nhl.com.