2015 Buffalo Bucket List

Last year, I made myself a Buffalo Bucket List of places I wanted to explore in the area – I made it to five of the 10 places listed. Here’s my updated list for 2015 – five from last year and five new ones!

Carryovers:

• Erie Basin Marina Trial Garden – visited this on a Garden Festival bus trip a few years ago – hopefully this will still be on Garden Walk Buffalo’s drop-off route.
• Seneca Niagara Casino – I haven’t been to the casino in over three years – therefore I haven’t seen the updates!
• Buffalo Bisons game – I haven’t been to a Bisons game in years either – affordable fun!
• Buffalo Bites food tour – I saw a television piece on Ch. 2 about these tours a couple of years ago – I immediately said, “I need to go on one of these!”
• Buffalo Central Terminal – the Central Terminal is being renovated to its former glory – my uncle is one of the retired volunteer sheet metal workers who have already reconstructed some of the pieces.

New adventures:

• Canalside – this was actually one of last year’s items, and I did make it there – but that was before the HarborCenter, (716) and Tim Horton’s opened, and all the other changes! I need to go back!
• Lewiston Gardenfest – I always tend to hit the same Garden Walks – Amherst, Williamsville, Parkside, Capen – so this year I want to hit at least one new one, and Lewiston is such a beautiful area as it is, that’s my planned adventure (along with a few others I hope!).
• Darwin Martin House – I’ve looked at the outside while on the Parkside Garden Tour, but I haven’t been on the inside since I was in elementary school – before most of the work was done.
• Melting Point – a restaurant dedicated to grilled cheese sandwiches? Yes please!
• Buffalo Zoo – I haven’t been to the Zoo in a couple years, and I want to see the new giraffes and Luna and Kali’s new digs!

Welcome to Khaleesi’s Garden!

You may have gathered from previous posts here that I’m a bit of a Sci-Fi/Fantasy geek…OK, maybe more than a bit. One of the places I’ve extended this love to is my garden: what started with two plants – the Jedi Free Spirit daylily and the Dark Angel Star Wars dahlia – has become something of an all-consuming quest to find other Sci-Fi/Fantasy-themed plants and garden accents. Star Wars has been joined by Harry Potter, The Hobbit and A Game of Thrones.

The quest for garden accents – or garden art, as we call it in Buffalo – took a big turn when I spotted a Plow & Hearth dragon on QVC, and when I purchased it, it put me on a mission to find a couple more – making me, as my friend Patty calls me, the “mother of dragons.”

Thus, Khaleesi’s Garden was born. The number of plants – purchased based solely on their names – is over a dozen, and desperately needs to be moved from its small spot at the corner of my garage to a larger plot in the backyard to accommodate the dragons, a cool wind spinner (in shipment) and possibly a unicorn (which will claim its spot due to being Peter’s ride in The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe – and because unicorns are awesome!). 

I’ll be showcasing the garden art portion of the garden over the next few posts, and when the plants start arriving and the plot is finished, we’ll move to the backyard. I hope you’ll join me on this fun journey!

The Fever: Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood at First Niagara Center

I’ve been a Garth Brooks fan since the beginning – I remember being totally impressed the first time I heard “Much Too Young (To Feel This Damn Old).” I’ve got all the CDs, the box sets and DVDs…I just hadn’t seen him live :(

Check that off the bucket list!

Mom and I went to see Garth and Trisha Yearwood last Thursday, March 5^th, at the First Niagara Center, the first of six shows over four nights – I don’t know how he does it, that’s just crazy scheduling! Did we get to see the best show? I don’t know…we did in my mind, just because I was there!

The first time I looked at the stage, I looked at Mom and said, “Something’s going to happen to that stage by the end of the night” – I was right. I will never listen to “The Fever” again without thinking of that performance!

He only did three songs from the new album – the opening “Man Against Machine,” “People Loving People” and “Mom” – but as he acknowledged in the beginning of the show, he was there to play the hits…and I forgot how many there were! I was most happy to hear my favorite, “Callin’ Baton Rouge,” – that song is just too short! – and to finally hear the “lost verses” of “The Thunder Rolls” and “Friends in Low Places” live.

Garth and Trisha, you loved Buffalo, and we loved you back…so come back soon!

all photos: paulathompsonfreelance.com

February 2015 in review

Well, after surviving February, I have just one thing to say – I’m DONE with SNOW. Ugh…I spent more time in my snow plow than I did anywhere else – possibly even my bed! (OK, maybe not that bad, but it was close!)

This snowman is a little too happy...
credit - freedigitalphotos.net/bplanet

That said, February was kind of a bummer – I didn’t even have a chance to get to the Botanical Gardens for the Lumagination exhibit :(

March, however, has already made up for it in just one night – here’s a hint:

credit - paulathompsonfreelance.com

Buffalo Finds: Gridlock Lacquer - Loganberry

I don’t remember when I first heard of Gridlock Lacquer, but I remembered having previously heard about it when Beth at Just a Blonde in Buffalo did a feature on it. I love Buffalo-based things, and I have a slight nail polish addition, so this was right up my alley.

I finally got around to picking up my first bottle this weekend at the Hallmark store in Premier Place on Transit in Williamsville – it was tough, but I picked Loganberry, and I’ve gotten lots of compliments on it so far. It’s a great polish – I’m just learning all this nail polish vernacular, but it’s 5-free, which I’ve learned is a good thing, and beyond that, it’s made right here in Buffalo. It’s available in a number of stores in the area – here’s a list – and it’s sold at the Broadway Market from October through March.

There are a number of city-based collections, including Buffalo, Buffalo Neighborhoods, Niagara Falls, Pittsburgh, Rochester and Cleveland – there is also a wine and beer collection. I’m not sure what my next color will be, but I’ll definitely be trying more!

photos: paulathompsonfreelance.com

Five Things to do in March 2015

Be gone February! You were a monster! Bring on March – and hopefully it’s more lamb-like than lion-esque. Here are a few things to check out as Mother Nature hopefully decides to warm things up for spring!

Get your Zumba on – the first time I took a Zumba class, I thought I hated it – turns out I just didn’t like the instructor, because I’ve found plenty of great instructors since then. I was only able to take Cindy and Marisa’s class once when they were at my current gym, but they were awesome – now I’m seriously thinking about attending their Zumbathon on Sunday, March 22^nd at the Tonawanda Castle, 69 Delaware St. in Tonawanda. It’s for a great cause – Make-A-Wish – and sounds like it’ll be packed! Find out more here.

Maple syrup
credit: Wikimedia
Commons/
Miguel Andrade

Maple Weekends – spring means maple syrup and more, and Western New York is a great place to get it! At the end of March (March 21^st and 22^nd and March 28^th and 29^th, specifically), producers across New York State open their farms for demonstrations, sampling and more. Find out what’s available in the area at www.nysmaple.com.

Frozen on Canalside – ever wonder how people used to survive harsh winters on Lake Erie? Take a walking tour of Canalside – “Frozen In Time” – and find out how they lived on the waterfront. This 45-minute tour begins at 2 p.m. and takes place Saturdays and Sundays, March 1^st, 7^th, 8^th, 14^th and 15^th. Find more to do at Canalside at www.canalsidebuffalo.com.

Plantasia 2014
credit: paulathompsonfreelance.com

Spring? Really?? – I think it’s coming this year…at least I hope so, I really want to get into my gardens! Even if there’s snow on the ground, this will get me in the mood – Plantasia: Every Garden Tells a Story, taking place March 19^th through 22^nd at the Hamburg Fairgrounds. The annual landscape and garden show has some new elements this year, including a garden tea party, Painting with a Twist classes and a craft beer night. Find out more about Plantasia at www.plantasiany.com.

Everyone in Buffalo is Irish on St. Patrick’s Day – there are plenty of events going on throughout the Buffalo-Niagara area the weekend before St. Patrick’s Day (including a ScavengerHunt at Canalside), but the two biggest events are the annual parades. On Saturday, March 14^th, the 22^nd annual Old Neighborhood St. Patrick’s Day Parade takes place at noon, leaving from the Valley Community Center at 95 Leddy St. in Buffalo and winding through the streets of the Buffalo River Community, with viewing on South Park Ave., Smith St., Elk St. and more. Find the parade route and information about the “Hooley” following the parade here. On Sunday, March 15^th, the Buffalo St. Patrick’s Day Parade makes its way down Delaware Ave. beginning at 2 p.m. – get the full details here.

Winter break staycation ideas: Eastern Hills Mall, the Botanical Gardens and the Carrousel Factory Museum

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.

Summer in February at Eastern Hills Mall – Saturday, February 14^th through Sunday, February 22^nd in the Food Court at Eastern Hills Mall, 4545 Transit Rd. in Williamsville. There will be games and activities throughout the week for children 10 and under. Hours are Monday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday noon to 5 p.m. – find out more at www.shopeasternhills.com.

credit: paulathompsonfreelance.com

The Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens – there’s fun for all ages at the Botanical Gardens, located at 2655 South Park Ave. in Buffalo. The Lumagination light show continues Wednesday through Saturday night (Wednesday and Thursday 6 to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday 6 to 10 p.m.), and the Orchid exhibit continues during the day (10 a.m. to 5 p.m.). On Tuesday, February 17^th, check out the Plants We Eat Picnic (pre-registration required) from noon to 2 p.m., and on Thursday, February 19^th, it’s Kids Day at the Gardens from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Wegmans Family Garden. Get more information on these and other events at www.buffalogardens.com.

Herschell Carrousel Factory – the Carrousel Factory, located at 180 Thompson St. on North Tonawanda, will be open Monday through Friday from noon to 4 p.m., offering crafts, games and rides on the carrousels. Visit carrouselmuseum.org for more information.