The second annual Olmsted Flurrious! winter festival is scheduled to take place on January 21. The festival will kick off at 9am with a Fleet Feet fun run around Delaware Park's Ring Road (see details). Upon completion of the lap, runners will be treated with live music in the heated tent located in front of the Parkside Lodge. This year's tent will be 25' longer in order to accommodate a 12-hour line-up of bands and DJs with a wide range of music including acoustic, rock, folk,

This year marks the 24th year for The Ball Drop, and this year Buffalonians have a lot to celebrate including a newly restored and magnificently lit Electric Tower. Live entertainment kicks off at 10:30pm with music acts Caitlin Koch and the Jamie Moses Band as headliners. Once again, the Ball Drop will conclude with a fireworks extravaganza, which always "wows' the audience and gives us a spectacular photo by Joe Cascio. See last year's stunning photo in lead photo.
"In addition to welcoming the New Year, the 2012 Ball drop also ushers in the 100th anniversary of

Whether it "The Addams Family", "Mannheim", "The Nutcracker" or "The Lion King", Shea's theater is hot these days. So hot that the NY Times has run a feature on the theater's success. Greater Buffalonians know how solid our cultural scene is, because we're the ones that support the shows. You might think that Buffalo lands these blockbusters (and some duds) due to a travel route of convenience. That is not the true. Shea's is a moneymaker, and often helps to make shows a success (and investors some money). From the article:
"The industry has noticed how good it

It's December 24, the day before Christmas. I must say that I've had a lot of fun exploring the city with Katie Krawczyk this month. My only regret is that there were not more days to feature shops that we talked about covering and never got the chance to do so. When thinking about the business that I would feature today, with only a few hours remaining until the 25th, I figured that I would choose a place that I knew would have a couple of killer post-holiday items. That means, when you go to redeem your Walmart presents (that your great aunt in Kentucky sent you) for cash, there are a couple

As far as shopping destinations go, Elmwood is a heavy hitter. There are plenty of boutiques and restaurants to keep visitors busy for hours and hours. Despite the fact that Elmwood is such a strong destination, with sales skyrocketing this holiday season (according to many of the shop owners), I couldn't help but compile a 2012 wish list for the street...
1) I am really hoping that The Co-Op builds a second location on the Benchmark parking lot (see bottom photo). That massive parking lot is like a missing tooth in an otherwise good looking smile. 
2.)

While enjoying the holidays on Elmwood today I popped into Dolci Dessert Bakery and Gelateria to see how the new operation was working out (see history). I was happy to find that many of the improvements that co-owner Dave Simspon had set out to accomplish were in full swing. Along with the desserts, the cafe was also serving up soups, paninis, breakfast sandwiches and daily specials - today's specials included pulled chicken breast sandwich, fresh mozzarella salad and a classic lasagna. It's nice to

So rare these days do people go for elegance, class, and sophistication in their personal style. And that's probably because common clothing stores don't readily offer fine-made apparel that are both appealing and accessible to consumers. As a result, fine clothiers have become somewhat of a lost art form. Throughout the second half of the 20th century, these boutiques became scant, as more people turned to "throwaway" clothes, that sacrificed quality for affordability. The irony of this notion is you end up spending more money on inexpensive, lesser quality items than spending more

By Jamie Nash:
The Sabres may be struggling and the Bills may not be heading to the Super Bowl this year, but Buffalo is a champion when it comes to saving the lives of shelter animals. Animal shelters in the city of Buffalo and surrounding areas have become almost completely "no-kill" in the past few years, meaning that healthy and treatable animals can stay in the shelters until they are adopted, and will not be euthanized. 
The transition from euthanasia to the no-kill system has been going on for years, but the city shelters

The Ice Ball promises to be one of the year's signature events.  It will also allow thousands to see the work that Mark Croce has completed since buying the shuttered landmark just nine months ago.  New Year's Eve revelers will have access to nine different venues in the Statler that will feature five different bands, two DJs, a five hour long buffet by Buffalo Chophouse and five hours of premium open bar starting at 9 PM.  Over 3,000 guests are expected.

For months, work crews have been focusing on the Statler's public areas and banquet rooms to allow weddings, meetings

There's an artist out there for everyone. Some people like artwork that features frilly flowers, while others are drawn to works of art that portrays the more surreal and bizarre. In-between there are countless creations that lead us to discovering painted worlds the likes that only artists can conceptualize and deliver. 
Whether you're visiting an exhibit at the Burchfield-Penney or standing in front of a mural in Black Rock, artists manage to find a way to deliver messages to us in a way that is both intended and unintended. That's because art is subjective.

During a recent trip to Niagara Falls (American side) I was amazed to se all of the Indian restaurants that we came across. One could be found on just about any given corner. My wife and I are big fans of Indian food and are always looking for new places to eat. When I first heard that a new Indian restaurant was opening in Buffalo, I couldn't believe our good fortune. The restaurant is called Taj Grill and for anyone who has been following the Greater Buffalo Indian food scene, they might recognize the man behind the operation who goes by the name Sabi. 
What

Now that Christmas is only a few days away, I though that it would be nice to cover a business where you can cover a couple of bases. Chic an Sweet, one of Hertel's newest fashion boutiques, carries practical and hip everyday wear as well as fun seasonal selections. Don't forget that New Years is just around the corner, and that's the time to spice up an outfit. If you want to learn more about Sweet and Chic, you may want to check out this BRO article that came out over the summer. In the meantime, it's time to get

By Kyle Gunn-Taylor:
New Year's Day will bring yet another abominable Buffalo Bills campaign to a close, but in the spirit of the holiday season, let's relent and salute a player that has defined consistency for the red, white and blue over the last decade.
Most NFL franchises choose to build their teams around a quarterback, while others stack the defense with impact players, but the Bills have a strategy that bucks the traditional trends for building a team.
For the past 11-years the Bills have employed

Construction began this week on two major projects at Canalside. The Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation (EDHDC) started work on the Public Canal System that is set to open on the Aud block late next year, and Benderson Development initiated a redevelopment project at the Donovan Office Building. The projects will generate hundreds of construction jobs and significantly improve the area around lower Main Street and Canalside.

Work on the Aud block includes the removal of transfer beams and pile caps. The existing piles will be reused as part of the support the Public Canal System. 

Being a Santa in Buffalo means a lot more than just having fun. After writing about all of the different Santa walks, runs and crawls a couple of weeks ago, I learned that one of the groups was looking to donate proceeds raised during the event to a local charity. The group was interested in making a difference in the life of one person or family. They had $800 in pocket and reached out to me to see if I was aware of anyone that fit the bill. 
A couple of weeks earlier Paul Marzello

Fashion Maniac: Keeping tabs on Buffalo's fashion industry, including models, catwalks, retailers, designers, stylists, visual merchandisers and jewelers. 
The Dos and Don'ts of Holiday 2011 - Dressing by Phillip D. Johnson: 
If you are a society dame or a Junior League socialite, dressing for the upcoming holiday parties is a no-brainer. You are simply wearing more of the same clothing you wore to the Fire & Ice Ball in November, the three cancer benefits you attended in October, the Metropolitan Opera's Grand Opening

Plans to add a series of structured patios to the south side of the Lafayette Hotel have been slowed down.  The Planning Board on Tuesday tabled the proposal asking developer Rocco Termini to return with an agreement that would limit outdoor music or bands on the patios.  Earl Ketry, owner of Pearl Street Brewery, will be operating a restaurant and a three-room banquet facility in the former Lafayette Tap Room space and the small additions proposed for the backside of the hotel.  Carmina Wood

A New, Regular Post by Contributors of Preservation-Ready Sites:
Buffalo is a city on the move. After 50 years of stagnancy, neighborhoods, buildings and parks are coming back to life. However, there remain many sites throughout the city, whether they be individual properties or public spaces, that need some creative and forward-thinking inspiration.
Preservation-Ready Sites, an independent/grassroots media watchdog group comprised of citizens

In the spirit of giving and showing those we love how much we care for them, we would be remiss if we didn't offer gift ideas for our four-legged friends. Animal Outfitters is a pet specialty store that has been around in the Elmwood Village for about six years now. Originally located on Bryant off of Elmwood, Animal Outfitters moved to their current spot on Elmwood at Potomac about a year ago (see post), and doubled their size, as well as their offerings. The store is spacious, yet still encompasses

Often overlooked, but ever-present, is Buffalo's gay scene. Once again Torontonians are tuning into Buffalo's underground scene - a scene that might not be as underground as we may believe. This past summer I was talking to a couple of women after the Pride Festival who told me that they don't judge the alternative scene in Buffalo by the number of gay bars (as they once did). The reason? Being a bit older, the one woman expressed that they enjoy the freedom to pick and choose any public bar or restaurant to frequent, unlike in years past when they only felt welcome and comfortable in alternative