I Heart Buffalo... Still

Niagara Square, City Hall and the McKinley Monument

Back in the day, I remember watching a 7th Heaven episode where the Jessica Biel character had been misbehaving, so as a counter measure she was shipped off to stay with her grandparents in... Buffalo.

I guess if you live in California, moving to Buffalo, NY may seem like moving to an arctic hell. But if you live in Buffalo, you know it's a great place to be, with lots of folks who have care enough and have enough pride to do their damnedest to make it even awesomer.

Elmwood Avenue Festival of the Arts

While I've been home this year, I haven't really done too much in Buffalo. But I did hit the Elmwood Avenue Festival of the Arts, right here in me own neighborhood, and I've also enjoyed the new and not-so-new shops of Elmwood while doing some omiyage shopping. I've been running in Delaware Park, and in an attempt to find parking downtown, came across a lovely little neighborhood with new but old-seeming homes built in an effort to revitalize the area. There was also National Night Out, which involved an evening gathering of neighbors in the closed off street: old friends I haven't seen in a long time, good food, and Good Times.

Pavlov's Togs, where you can get great original Buffalo shirts, hats and bags.
Next is Urban Surf Shop, Watson's Chocolates, Everthing Elmwood, etc.

Carving for a Cause's Buffalo
Outside the Lexington Co-op

Last October there was a big wet storm that dropped too much heavy snow for the still-green trees, snapping them in the night. Thousands of great old trees lost branches, many of them to the extent that they have had to be cut down entirely. What do you do with hundred-year-old tree trunks? Why turn them into sculptures and have them sponsored to raise money for retreeing Western New York. Human likenesses include Frederick Law Olmstead, Frank Lloyd Wright and the soon-to-be carved Teressa Bellissimo, mother of the Buffalo Wing.

Bear and City Hall

Big Fish in Niagara Square

I've only got a day and a half left in Buffalo before I head down to Rockland and then on to Japan next Monday. Unfortunately, today is "cold" and cloudy, but I'll get out there anyway.