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

NY Yankees @ Cleveland Indians in pictures

It’s been an odd year – I only made it to one Yankees game (usually it’s two or three). Crazy summer schedules left me with just Cleveland’s Progressive Field for this year’s trip – my first game PD (Post Derek), but that’s fine – it’s an awesome stadium…with a really great food package (I probably shouldn’t have eaten anything for two days leading up to it!). Again, the best way to get there is on a bus trip (yes, I enjoy bus trips!). Here are some pictures from this year’s game (PD…).

I don't normally do food pictures, but this is just a sample of the eats in the suite!

They really look like they're up to no good...

all photos: paulathompsonfreelance.com

**note – Mom and I went with D&F Travel – all travel was paid for by me, and all opinions are my own.**

Watkins Glen International in pictures

Toyota's cool ferris wheel

Matt Kenseth

I don’t care what some people say – road courses are freakin’ awesome! Especially when there’s one in your “backyard” (i.e. – a couple hours away). Watkins Glen International is that track for me, and the best way to get there – unless you’re staying there – is on a bus trip: dropped off right in front of the grandstand gate, with lots of time to go explore the midway area (but still never enough!). Here are a few pictures from this year’s event.

Newman!

Casey Mears

Clint Bowyer

on pit road

mmmm...M&Ms!

on the starting grid

heading to the green flag

random tire rolling along (yes, the frontstretch was cheering on the tire!)

Joey Logano on fire! (literally)

all photos: paulathompsonfreelance.com

**note – Mom and I went with D&F Travel – all travel was paid for by me, and all opinions are my own.**

July 2014 in review

July is typically a busy month in Buffalo, mostly because we’re all trying to squeeze as much out of summer as possible! My busy July extended beyond Buffalo a few times – here’s what my crazy schedule looked like:

• July 1^st – Blue Rodeo and 54-40 at Artpark

  

  Jim Cuddy and Greg Keelor of Blue Rodeo

• July 4^th – Fireworks at Transit Valley Country Club
• July 5^th – Race of Champions Modified Tour at Holland Speedway

  

  RoC Mods at Holland Speedway

• July 10^th – Cleveland’s Progressive Field for Indians v. Yankees with D&F Travel
• July 12^th – Amherst and Capen Garden Walks
• July 18^th – Firematic Tournament at Main-Transit Fire Department
• July 19^th – Man Up Car and Bike Show at East Amherst Fire Department and Village of Williamsville Garden Walk
• July 22^nd – Know How Tours Buffalo bus tour to Fontana Boathouse, City Hall and Silo City

  

  Buffalo's grain silos

• July 24^th – Horizon Club Tours bus tour to selected gardens from Garden Walk Buffalo
• July 25^th – Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens
• July 26^th – Glen Park Art Festival
• July 27^th – Cooperstown, NY for the National Baseball Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony with D&F Travel

  

  National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown on
  Induction Sunday

And on July 31^st I took off on my first bit of August fun – but more on that later…

Life imitates blog: A visit to the Art of Gardening Garden

When you see something enough in the online world, you sometimes have trouble realizing it really exists in the real world. That’s what happened on the recent Heart of Garden Walk Buffalo bus tour from Horizon Club Tours with Sally Cunningham.

Jim Charlier, former president of Garden Walk Buffalo and blogger behind Art of Gardening, and his wife opened their yard and gardens to us just before Garden Walk Buffalo weekend, and suddenly everything I saw on his blog was real…

 …the succulent frame…

…the Harry Potter garden…

…the garden art…

It was all right there to see with my own eyes – and my own camera.

As always, I take waaaay too many ideas away from other people’s gardens, and this one was no exception. Some of my favorite things:

Coleus and hostas in pots – if only the rabbits and deer didn’t like both soooo much…

The “rock garden”…

…complete with a list of where the rocks came from

Coleus with sweet potato vines in hanging baskets – BIG hanging baskets!

I would like to thank the Charliers for opening their yard and garden to us and many other garden junkies throughout the National Garden Festival and Garden Walk Buffalo.

all photos: paulathompsonfreelance.com

NY Yankees at Toronto Blue Jays – Rogers Centre – April 5, 2014

It didn’t really feel like spring last Saturday on my way up to Toronto for the NY Yankees game at Roger Centre – in fact, I saw some snow! In spite of that, it was a nice day for a baseball game…in a dome!

Rogers Centre - Toronto, Ontario, Canada

One of my favorite ways to travel is by bus – D&F Travel and Know How Tours are how I head out on many of my excursions. This trip was with D&F.

Checking out BP - Coach Joe (top), Francisco Cervelli, Brian McCann

I’m amazed at how much the area around the stadium has changed in recent years – either that, or I just haven’t been paying attention! There’s now an aquarium across from the stadium, and over on another corner is Steam Whistle Brewery, constructed from an old train round-about, which is supposed to be very good.

Jacoby Ellsbury looks much better in a Yankees uniform

I, of course, went up to see Derek Jeter for one of the last times (I have at least one more baseball trip this year), and was hoping for a win, but that part didn’t happen – I did get to see The Captain, however :)

Derek Jeter :)

all photos: paulathompsonfreelance.com