BfloGirlSports: Buffalo teams in January 2016

Buffalo Bills

• Sunday, January 3 – at home against the New York Jets  (1 p.m.)

Buffalo Sabres

credit: Wikimedia Commons

• Saturday, January 2 – at home against the Detroit Red Wings (1 p.m.)
• Tuesday, January 5 – at home against the Florida Panthers (7 p.m. ET)
• Friday, January 8 – on the road against the Chicago Blackhawks (8:30 p.m. ET)
• Sunday, January 10 – on the road against the Winnipeg Jets (3 p.m. ET)
• Tuesday, January 12 – on the road against the Minnesota Wild (8 p.m. ET)
• Friday, January 15 – at home against the Boston Bruins (7 p.m.)
• Saturday, January 16 – at home against the Washington Capitals (7 p.m.)
• Monday, January 18 – on the road against the Arizona Coyotes (9 p.m. ET)
• Wednesday, January 20 – on the road against the Colorado Avalanche (10 p.m. ET)
• Friday, January 22 – at home against the Red Wings (7 p.m.)
• Monday, January 25 – on the road against the New York Rangers (7 p.m.)
• Tuesday, January 26 – on the road against the Ottawa Senators (7:30 p.m.)

Buffalo Bandits

• Saturday, January 9 – at home against the Calgary Roughnecks (7:30 p.m.)
• Saturday, January 16 – on the road against the Colorado Mammoth (9 p.m. ET)
• Saturday, January 23 – at home against the Toronto Rock (7:30 p.m.)
• Saturday, January 30 – on the road against the New England Black Wolves (7 p.m.)

Niagara University Purple Eagles Ice Hockey

• Saturday and Sunday, January 2-3 – on the road against Sacred Heart (both games 7:05 p.m.)
• Friday, January 8 – on the road against Mercyhurst University (7:05 p.m.)
• Saturday, January 9 – at home against Mercyhurst (7:05 p.m.)
• Thursday and Saturday, January 14 and 16 – on the road against Canisius College (Thursday – 7:35 p.m., Saturday – 3:05 p.m.)
• Friday and Saturday, January 22-23 – on the road against the Air Force Academy (Friday – 9:05 p.m., Saturday – 7:05 p.m.)
• Friday and Saturday, January 29-30 – at home against Army (both games 7:05 p.m.)

Canisius College Golden Griffins Ice Hockey

• Saturday and Sunday, January 2-3 – on the road against AIC (Saturday – 7:05 p.m., Sunday – 3:05 p.m.)
• Friday and Saturday, January 8-9 – on the road against Rochester Institute of Technology (both games 7:05 p.m.)
• Thursday and Saturday, January 14 and 16 – at home against Niagara University (Thursday – 7:35 p.m., Saturday – 3:05 p.m.)
• Friday and Saturday, January 22-23 – on the road against Holy Cross (both games 7:05 p.m.)
• Friday and Saturday, January 29-30 – at home against Air Force (both games 7:35 p.m.)

UB Bulls Men’s Basketball

credit: freedigitalphotos.net/
Salvatore Vuono

• Tuesday, January 5 – at home against Akron (7 p.m.)
• Friday, January 8 – on the road against Kent State (7 p.m.)
• Tuesday, January 12 – on the road against Eastern Michigan (7 p.m.)
• Saturday, January 16 – at home against Central Michigan (3:30 p.m.)
• Tuesday, January 19 – on the road against Miami (Ohio) (7 p.m.)
• Saturday, January 23 – on the road against Western Michigan (4:30 p.m.)
• Tuesday, January 26 – at home against Ball State (7 p.m.)
• Saturday, January 30 – on the road against Toledo (7 p.m.)

UB Bulls Women’s Basketball

• Saturday, January 2 – on the road against Eastern Michigan (2:30 p.m.)
• Wednesday, January 6 – at home against Central Michigan (7 p.m.)
• Saturday, January 9 – on the road against Kent State (2 p.m.)
• Wednesday, January 13 – on the road against Ball State (7 p.m.)
• Saturday, January 16 – at home against Akron (1 p.m.)
• Wednesday, January 20 – at home against Western Michigan (7 p.m.)
• Saturday, January 23 – on the road against Miami (Ohio) (2 p.m.)
• Saturday, January 30 – on the road against Northern Illinois (TBA)

Niagara University Purple Eagles Men’s Basketball

• Monday, January 4 – on the road against Iona (7 p.m.)
• Thursday, January 7 – at home against Saint Peter’s (7 p.m.)
• Saturday, January 9 – at home against Manhattan (3 p.m.)
• Friday, January 15– on the road against Fairfield (7 p.m.)
• Sunday, January 17 – on the road against Manhattan (2 p.m.)
• Friday, January 22 – at home against Canisius (7 p.m.)
• Tuesday, January 26 – at home against Siena (7 p.m.)
• Thursday, January 28 – on the road against Marist (7:30 p.m.)
• Saturday, January 30 – on the road against Quinnipiac (2 p.m.)

Niagara University Purple Eagles Women’s Basketball

• Saturday, January 2 – at home against Siena (3 p.m.)
• Monday, January 4 – at home against Fairfield (7 p.m.)
• Friday, January 8 – on the road against Saint Peter’s (7 p.m.)
• Sunday, January 10 – on the road against Rider (2 p.m.)
• Friday, January 15 – at home against Quinnipiac (11 a.m.)
• Sunday, January 17 – at home against Saint Peter’s (2 p.m.)
• Thursday, January 21 – on the road against Iona (7 p.m.)
• Saturday, January 23 – on the road against Marist (7 p.m.)
• Thursday, January 28 – at home against Canisius (7 p.m.)
• Saturday, January 30 – at home against Iona (3 p.m.)

St. Bonaventure University Bonnies Men’s Basketball

• Saturday, January 2 – at home against Davidson (8 p.m.)
• Wednesday, January 6 – on the road against George Mason (8 p.m.)
• Saturday, January 9 – on the road against UMass (noon)
• Wednesday, January 13 – at home against Rhode Island (7 p.m.)
• Saturday, January 16 – on the road against Duquesne(6 p.m.)
• Tuesday, January 19 – at home against Dayton (7 p.m.)
• Saturday, January 23 – on the road against VCU (2:30 p.m.)
• Sunday, January 31 – at home against Richmond (1 p.m.)

St. Bonaventure University Bonnies Women’s Basketball

• Sunday, January 3 – on the road against Rhode Island (2 p.m.)
• Thursday, January 7 – at home against Fordham (7 p.m.)
• Sunday, January 10 – at home against UMass (5 p.m.)
• Wednesday, January 13 – on the road against Davidson (TBA)
• Saturday, January 16 – at home against George Mason (1 p.m.)
• Wednesday, January 20 – on the road against Dayton (TBA)
• Saturday, January 23 – on the road against Duquesne (7 p.m.)
• Wednesday, January 27 – at home against Saint Peter’s (7 p.m.)
• Sunday, January 31 – at home against Richmond (12:30 p.m.)

Canisius College Golden Griffins Men’s Basketball

• Saturday, January 2 – on the road against Marist (7 p.m.)
• Monday, January 4 – on the road against Monmouth (7 p.m.)
• Thursday, January 7 – at home against Manhattan (7 p.m.)
• Saturday, January 9 – at home against Saint Peter’s (2 p.m.)
• Tuesday, January 12 – on the road against Dartmouth (7 p.m.)
• Friday, January 15 – on the road against Manhattan (7 p.m.)
• Sunday, January 17 – on the road against Quinnipiac (2 p.m.)
• Friday, January 22 – on the road against Niagara (7 p.m.)
• Sunday, January 24 – at home against Siena (2 p.m.)
• Friday, January 29 – on the road against Fairfield (TBA)
• Sunday, January 31 –on the road against Rider (1 p.m.)

Canisius College Golden Griffins Women’s Basketball

• Saturday, January 2 – at home against Fairfield (2 p.m.)
• Monday, January 4 – at home against Siena (7 p.m.)
• Friday, January 8 – on the road against Quinnipiac (7 p.m.)
• Sunday, January 10 – on the road against Iona (2 p.m.)
• Friday, January 15 – at home against Saint Peter’s (11 a.m.)
• Sunday, January 17 – at home against Quinnipiac (2 p.m.)
• Friday, January 22 – on the road against Siena (7 p.m.)
• Sunday, January 24 – on the road against Fairfield (1 p.m.)
• Thursday, January 28 – on the road against Niagara (7 p.m.)

Five Things to do in January 2016

credit: freedigitalphotos.net/IceHawk33

A new year means new things to do – here are five things to check out in January.

Visit the Buffalo History Museum, located at One Museum Ct. in Buffalo, and check out a few of their exhibits including: Quilts: Techniques & Styles explores notable quilts and their stories (closes in January); Our Buffalo: A Photographic Retrospective of Buffalo during the 40s and 50s (closes January 10); the John R. Oishei Native American Gallery traces Buffalo-Niagara’s history through its first inhabitants; and Inside Tim Russert’s Office: If it’s Sunday, it’s “Meet the Press.” Learn more about these and other exhibits at www.buffalohistory.org.

Head north of the border for a little icewine at the 2016 Niagara Icewine Festival, celebrating 20 years of “liquid gold” with a variety of events at a number of locations in the Niagara Region of Ontario. Dates are Fridays through Sundays, January 15-17, 22-24 and 29-31. Get a full schedule of events and other details at the Icewine Festival’s website.

If beer is your beverage of choice, check out Buffalo on Tap at the Buffalo Niagara Convention Center, Franklin St. in downtown Buffalo. There are three sessions this year – 6-9 p.m. on Friday, January 15 and 1-4 and 5-9 p.m. on Saturday, January 16 – sample more than 100 beers from some of the country’s top craft breweries. A VIP ticket ($75) includes the VIP Hoppy Hour on Saturday beginning at noon (full session noon-4 p.m.), a meal from Santora’s, a Buffalo on Tap hoodie, exclusive samples and more; general admission tickets for each session are $35.

For some outdoor fun, check out the second annual Larkinville Ice Festival on Saturday, January 30 from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. There will be festivities at Larkin Square, The Filling Station, Hydraulic Hearth, Flying Bison, the Larkin Center of Commerce and Army-Navy Outfitters, including live music, crafts, outdoor yoga (“Snowga”) and other weather-permitting activities. Find a schedule and more information here.

Warm up the next day, Sunday, January 31, at Buffalo Soup Fest at the Buffalo Niagara Convention Center – sample soups from more than 30 restaurants. Tickets for the event will be $5 at the door, and kids 5 and under are free with an adult – purchase soups with $1 “Soup Bucks.” Find more information, including times when posted, at www.buffalosoupfest.com. 

BfloGirlGeek: I find my lack of excitement disturbing…

I still remember the first time I saw Star Wars: I was at the drive-in with my mom and grandma, and I wasn’t there to see Star Wars (maybe a Herbie movie…?). But I was turned around in the back of the station wagon all night watching these space ships flying around, and while I couldn’t hear what was going on, I was a visually-stimulated 4-year-old at that moment, and that continued on for – yikes! –nearly 40 years now.

credit: imgur

Star Wars was special growing up: three movies in seven years, labeled Episodes IV, V and VI; obviously, I, II and III were inevitable, and – while they left something to be desired at times – they resparked the interest of the old fans and brought about a legion of new fans. Sequels, in the form of movies, weren’t really needed – the Expanded Universe (comics, cartoons, books and more) expanded on the stories quite well, giving fans a look back and a look ahead.

Then came Disney.

20+ years of writing and visualization in the Expanded Universe went out the window at Disney’s command – and there were some great stories in there (I really wanted to see Mara Jade in live action). Then they announced there would be six movies released in about five years, beginning with Episode 7 in December 2015. Six movies in 28 years versus six movies in five years = no longer “special.”

I really want to be excited for this, and part of me is – I want to see what this alternate Star Wars universe looks like compared to the old Expanded Universe. But that’s what it feels like right now – Star Wars meets Sliders (I loved that show): same world, similar characters, alternate universe. I feel like I’m going to see it just to get it over with.

I hope I’m wrong and it’s awesome – reviews have been literally out of this world amazing – but, to use a popular line from the original trilogy, “I’ve got a bad feeling about this.”

2015 Holiday Happenings: New Year’s Eve in Buffalo-Niagara

credit: Wikimedia Commons/parenting.leehanson

Whether you’re into music, food, large crowds or intimate gatherings, New Year’s Eve in the Buffalo-Niagara region has something for everyone: celebrate a new year in Niagara Falls, downtown Buffalo or the suburbs on Thursday, December 31.

Hard Rock Café New Year’s Eve Party – the Hard Rock Café Niagara Falls, located at 333 Prospect St., will feature the band Joyryde from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. – call 716-282-0007 for reservations. Find out more at the HRC Niagara Falls website.

First Night Buffalo – 5 to 10 p.m. at the Buffalo Niagara Convention Center, 153 Franklin St. in downtown Buffalo. For the 27^th year, Buffalo’s biggest drug- and alcohol-free New Year’s Eve celebration will feature family activities throughout the evening. Parking for the event is free at the Main Place Mall and Fernbach Ramps only; there will also be extended Metro Rail service until 2 a.m. Tickets are $10 pre-sale and available at Wegmans; tickets at the door will be $12 – find the complete First Night schedule at www.firstnightbuffalo.org.

Old Falls Street’s Family Fun New Year’s Eve – from 6 to 10 p.m. at The Conference & Event Center Niagara Falls, 101 Old Falls St. in Niagara Falls. This family-friendly event will feature a dance floor, inflatable obstacle courses, face painters, balloon artists, movies, costumed characters and more. Admission is $6 per person and is payable at the door. Find out more at fallsstreet.com.

Statler City Ice Ball – doors open at 6 p.m. at Statler City, 107 Delaware Ave. (entrance will be on Franklin and Genesee Sts.) in downtown Buffalo. The event will feature live music – including Boys of Summer and Jeremy Hoyle and the Strictly Hip – hot and cold food stations plus a dinner buffet and much more. Ice Ball tickets includes five hours of premium open bar, food, a champagne toast and seating for all guests. There will also be free parking at the Turner Ramp next to City Hall and free coat check at the Statler. Tickets are still available for the Golden Ballroom (single seats only) and the Terrace Room – celebrate with a “nightclub experience” at the Niagara Room (does not include Ice Ball access). Tickets can be purchased and more information can be found at www.statlercity.com/iceball.

Banchetti By Rizzo’s – celebrate New Year’s Eve with Nerds Gone Wild and more at Banchetti, located at 550 N. French Rd. in Amherst. The party begins at 7:30 p.m. with five hours open bar, includes champagne at midnight and food stations throughout the night. Joining the Nerds (performing in the Michelangelo Room) are the Buffalo 5 Band in the Rose Room and Bryan Berhalter in the café. Reservations are $90 per person – call 716-691-4045 for reservations, and visit www.banchetti.com for more information.

**More parties and activities are listed in Step Out Buffalo’s “Best New Year’s Eve Parties to Ring in 2016.”

2015 Holiday Happenings: The Aquarium of Niagara, Holiday Market at the Foundry and M&T Music Under the Dome

credit: Wikimedia Commons/hmbascom

The Aquarium of Niagara, located at 701 Whirlpool St. in Niagara Falls, is hosting Breakfast with Santa on Sunday, December 13 and Saturday, December 19. In addition to a visit from Santa, there will be prizes, crafts, a special sea lion show and other surprises. Admission is $7 for adult members – children of members are free of charge – or $14 for adult non-members and $11 for children. Get more information at www.aquariumofniagara.org.

On Saturdays, December 12 and 19, knock a few gifts off your list at the Holiday Market at The Foundry, 298 Northampton St. in Buffalo. Expect 20-30 local artisans to join current permanent residents, with products like repurposed furniture, metal work, jewelry, wood work and more.

M&T Bank’s Holiday Music Under the Dome kicked off this week, featuring high school groups from the Buffalo area beginning at noon on weekdays. On the upcoming schedule:

• Friday, December 11 – St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute Swing Choir
• Monday, December 14 – Canisius High School Ensembles
• Tuesday, December 15 – Mount Mercy Academy “Pure Magic” Show Choir
• Wednesday, December 16 – Bishop Timon-St. Jude High School Men’s Chorus
• Thursday, December 17 – Iroquois High School Choirs
• Friday, December 18 – St. Francis High School Senior Schola Cantorum

In addition, on Saturday, December 12, the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra will perform at 1 p.m. All concerts are free and open to the public at M&T’s One Fountain Plaza branch in downtown Buffalo.

BfloGirlWorld: Gift ideas from the heart of Buffalo

Loganberry from Gridlock Lacquer
credit: paulathompsonfreelance.com

A few last-minute holiday gift ideas and some places to get them for the Buffa-lover on your gift list.

Gridlock Lacquer – I’m a nail polish junkie, and I LOOOOOOVE this brand – not just because it’s made right here in Buffalo, either! My favorites so far are Loganberry and Nickel City, but I’m hoping to find The French Connection soon!

Buffalo Bites Food Tours – take a food and walking historical tour through the Elmwood Village or East Aurora. Purchase a gift certificate for a tour ($49 per person), which run Thursdays through Sundays, April through December at 11:30 a.m. in the Village and Fridays and Saturdays, April through November at noon in East Aurora.

BFLO Gallery and Gift Shop – looking for just about ANYTHING Buffalo related? This is one of the best places to go! Photos, memorabilia, things for the kitchen, Gridlock Lacquer nail polish (see above), books, t-shirts…so much Buffalo in one place!

The gift of membership – give some culture with a membership to one of Buffalo’s cultural icons – the Buffalo Zoo, the Botanical Gardens, the Albright-Knox Art Gallery and the Buffalo Museum of Science are just a few ideas.

2015 Holiday Happenings: It WAS A Wonderful Life and the Rich-Twinn Octagon House

Rich-Twinn Octagon House
credit: paulathompsonfreelance.com

Take a trip through history during Forest Lawn Cemetery’s production of “It WAS A Wonderful Life,” taking place in the Forest Lawn chapel at 1411 Delaware Ave. in Buffalo on weekends through Sunday, December 27. Join narrator “John Lay,” the first person to be interred in Forest Lawn in 1850, as he introduces you to the “friends” he’s made over the years. Tickets are $25 per person, and seating is limited for each performance, so reservations are required – call 716-885-1600 for reservations. Find out more at www.forest-lawn.com.

Check out some of the area’s historical architecture in full Victorian holiday regalia with a trip to the Rich-Twinn Octagon House, located at 145 Main St. in Akron. Sunday afternoon tours are available December 13 and 20 between 1 and 3 p.m. – admission is $5 for adults and $2 for children 6-10. Find out more about the Octagon House at www.newsteadhistoricalsociety.org. 

BfloGirlSports: Gift ideas for the Buffalo sports fan

credit: freedigitalphotos.net/Naypong

Looking for a last-minute gift for the Buffalo sports fan on your holiday list? Check out these affordable options from some of the area’s top teams.

Buffalo Bandits – affordable season tickets in pro sports? Absolutely – with all the action you would want to see as well. Season tickets for the National Lacrosse League Bandits start at just $108 per seat for a nine-game schedule that begins on January 9. Don’t want to commit to a full season? Individual tickets start at only $21 per game; all tickets go on sale December 5. One game to keep in mind: on Friday, March 11, Buffalo’s other No. 11 – John Tavares – gets his jersey hoisted into the rafters. Find out more at www.bandits.com.

Buffalo Sabres – the Sabres offer Hat Trick Pack, including two 300-level II tickets for selected Sabres games (see the list here) and a Sabres hat for $99. Visit sabres.nhl.com for more information.

Buffalo Bisons – the Bisons offer three Holiday Packs for the 2016 season, each including two tickets to the home opener at Coca Cola Field on Thursday, April 14. Pack No. 1 also includes two flex tickets, a Bisons ornament and Bisons Flag for $42; Pack No. 2 includes four flex tickets, a Bisons ornament and a Bisons polo shirt for $62; and Pack No. 3 includes six flex tickets, a Bisons ornament and a Bisons duffel bag for $82. Get more information here, and find out about other ticket packages and specials at the Bisons’ website.

2015 Holiday Happenings: Larkin Square and the Buffalo Zoo

Celebrate the season at "Larkinville" on Friday
credit: paulathompsonfreelance.com

Get into the holiday swing this weekend at Larkin Square, or get the kids to the Buffalo Zoo for an upcoming event.

Holiday Live at Larkin – Friday, December 4 from 5 to 8 p.m. at Larkin Square, 745 Seneca St. in Buffalo. The fourth annual event will feature music from Robot Holiday, a holiday marketplace, and food from some of Buffalo’s favorite food trucks. Earlier in the day, check out the Indoor Holiday Market featuring over 30 local craft and food vendors from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Get more details at www.larkinsquare.com.

Buffalo Zoo Tree Lighting – Saturday, December 5 at 5:15 p.m. at the Buffalo Zoo, 300 Parkside Ave. in Buffalo. Zoo admission will be just $5 per person beginning at 3 p.m., and the gates will remain pen until 5 p.m.; the tree will be located near the new Arctic Edge exhibit. Find out more at www.buffalozoo.org.

Breakfast with Santa – Saturday and Sunday, December 12-13 and December 19-20 at the Zoo. Santa and his elves will visit kids for two seatings, 9 and 11 a.m., each day; featuring a breakfast buffet from CJ’s Catering. Pre-paid, non-refundable tickets are $17 for adults and $14 for children (members receive $5 discount per ticket); visit www.buffalozoo.org for tickets and more information or call 716-995-6133.

BfloGirlBakes: Baking fun with Sift and Bake From Scratch

**Check out the new section of BfloGirlWorld - BfloGirlBakes!


The older I get, the magazines I like – especially the food ones – get prettier. Two of my favorites right now are Sift from King Arthur Flour and Hoffman Media’s Bake From Scratch – pretty pictures, great tips and delish recipes.

Sift’s holiday issue is the third edition of the new magazine, and if there’s one drawback, it’s that the recipes eventually end up on the KAF website (which is one of my favorites for baking). There is, however, so much more to the magazine – articles on bakers and bakeries around the country, tips, gift ideas…oh yeah, and pretty pictures. I’m really a sucker for the photographs, and wish I could master that end of photography like I have flowers and auto racing.

While I was looking for the holiday issue of Sift (available at local supermarkets and the KAF website) in one of the local supermarkets, I came upon the premiere issue of Bake From Scratch, which is actually a very similar style of magazine to Sift – pretty pictures, limited ads (which is nice, but drives up the price of both mags – around $13 each), lots of recipes that you will want to start making immediately, tips, tricks, baking-related articles. The upside – haven’t found these recipes online yet.

If you’re looking for a new magazine and don’t mind spending a little extra, I would recommend either of these. And once the holidays are done, I’m definitely trying something from these mags – I’ll let you know how things turn out!

photos: paulathompsonfreelance.com