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

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

By Mike Farrell:
As a football fan, I have no problem with Tim Tebow. 
I don't care that he can't stand stationary in the pocket and toss a fluid downfield pass like Aaron Rodgers. I don't care that he can't methodically pick apart a defense like Tom Brady, and I'm not concerned that he doesn't robotically advance through his target checks like Drew Brees. It doesn't bother me that he's running the Denver offense like Major Harris ran

I must admit that one of my favorite gift destinations in Buffalo is Moda on Hertel. Every time I stop into Moda I see at least a dozen items that I would like to bring home with me. And I rarely walk out empty handed. Fortunately everything at Moda is vintage, so when I make a purchase it's basically a form of recycling. Browsing through Moda is a form of time traveling. To see the wonders of the world, throughout time is a marvelous thing. Owner Lucy Perrone-Mancuso has impeccable taste when it comes to fashionable accessories such as sunglasses, jewelry, pottery, lamps and all of the other items

Thanks to the Toronto Sun for sending more visitors to Buffalo... this time it's not for the restaurant scene. It's always nice to see the Albright-Knox recognized for the world renowned art destination that it is. A couple of weeks ago a friend and I made a stop over to the gallery for lunch, but before we sat down we set out to explore the hallways, lined with magnificent works of art that most people will only ever see in books and magazines. As we walked, my friend turned to me and said, "You know... you tend to forget just how impressive this gallery really is." It's true. When was

Elmwood's Greek restaurants have been stepping up their game over the past half decade. Mythos was the first to abandon its former ragtag diner image when it built out an attractive dining area and patio directly next door to its original location. Next came Panos, with a super-sized building and a flashy new LED sign. It didn't take long for Acropolis to throw its hat into the ring with an impressive remodel of the first floor as well as a facade redo (see interior, see

By Dyane Nunez:
If you happened to miss the recent Pandamonium fashion show presented by the Bales Clothing that took place at the Museum of Science, then you're still in luck because the local designer fashion movement is growing, and more people are starting to pay attention. The show featured five emerging fashion designers; Monique Edwards from Toronto, Tammy Cummings and Kimone Young from New York City and Bales Clothing spring and summer 2012 collection. Over 40 different

Seeing the steady progression on Buffalo's West Side, particularly the Grant-Ferry commercial district, is such a great thing for the city, and has been a long-time coming. On the corners of Grant and Lafayette alone, you have Sweet_ness 7 Café, Grant Street Gallery, Krudmart, Shakti Yoga, Guercio and Sons, 257 Lafayette Center--a conversion of an old historic school building into a mixed-use center--along with a few other businesses popping up. There is a lot to see and experience that points to the much-needed revitalization of this neighborhood, and it should make any Buffalonian proud

Toronto Maple Leaf Joffrey Lupul took some lumps for tweeting about his view from his Embassy Suites hotel room this past weekend.  City Hall, Statler City, New Era Cap HQs, federal courthouse and the 100 South mixed-use project can be seen from his south-facing room.  It is likely Lupul was soured by the two surface lots along South Elmwood Avenue across from Avant however. 

Today's holiday gift recommendation is a double-header. While thinking of the appropriate outdoor clothing shop, I was torn between the snowboard slinging Urban Threads or the downhill ski stocking Campus Wheelworks. So I figured that it would be best to showcase both businesses due to the nature of the outdoor merchandise as well as their close proximity to each other. 
Urban Threads has been kicking it for a couple of decades now, and each year the store continues stock a wide range of apparel and accessories that reflect the current trends in the fashion industry. Urban

By Becky Harbison:
Scattered throughout the City of Buffalo, many buildings stand tall and proud, shrouded by the mists of time, which renders them almost invisible to those who pass by.  Once filled with life, there are those that now stand in silent tribute to a way of life that was once the mainstay of Buffalo. At one time they were factories, banks, offices, and so much more.
"Buffalo's Legacy of Power and Might" is the latest offering by local author Michael F. Rizzo.  Each

By Randy Reade (aka Rand503):
Buffalo has a unique opportunity to recapture a share of the middle class and become a thriving city once again.  It's not terribly difficult, it's happening already, and the benefits could be enormous.  It just needs to market itself to the retiring baby boomers as a place to retire.
Yes, I know that everyone's grandparents couldn't wait to leave the ice and snow for sunny Florida.  But there are certain demographic tides that even the most cynical of people cannot ignore.  According

On the occasional Saturday I  feature an obscure architectural element found in the city, to see if someone can figure out where it is. Buffalo is filled will all sorts of obscure architectural details and hidden items if interest. 
There are no clues - just a photo depicting the item. I'm sure that there are a lot of BRO readers out there who have scoured the city and have seen just about all that there is to see. Others might learn about some real treasures found in the most unlikely places. Either way, I'll keep mixing it up from week to week to keep

Was it a coincidence that I randomly happened to stop into Fairy Cakes Cupcakery on National Cupcake Day? I don't think so. After passing by a number of times, and making a mental note to explore the business further, fate finally brought the three of us together. By the three of us I mean myself and co-owners Kelly Audette and Mo Torpey. Mo's family recently purchased a building on Parkside Avenue, a few doors down from S7 Cafe, and a crew has been busy getting it ready for the girls' business venture. Now

Buffalo Rising readers may recall a few posts written about Blue Sky Design Supply, Buffalo's showroom and consulting business that specializes in environmentally and socially sustainable products for home design and décor (read my original post and Newell's /city/index.html

The Ellicott Square Building has landed a fashionable clothing and accessories boutique. Owner Leanne Powers (lead photo), along with her buyer Kat Cosgrove (photo below), has done a smashing job in selecting fun-yet-practical, comfortable and stylish clothing lines that are super affordable. Leanne's concept is one that pulls from Buffalo's days of shopping glory. "I wanted to model the decor after LL Berger in the 60's," Leanne told me. "It reflects my taste in clothing - classic and retro. The style that you will find here is timeless and ageless. We carry hats and mittens, we have 200 scarves

The WNY Food Truck Association has asked that we share the following video with BRO viewers. We have added a few comments from previous posts, submitted from people living outside Western New York:
"I live in Washington, DC, and food trucks are now common. It isn't the wild west, and in fact our restaurant scene is thriving. The bricks and mortars had the same issues initially, but everyone seems to think it works out fine now." - Rand503
"Austin

To anyplace that considers itself a "global city" - New York, Chicago, etc - globalization and global competitive reality are the defining lens through which they see their present and future. I happen to think that with the exception of a handful of the most exceptional cities, this is to some extent unhealthy. These cities take too narrow a view. Yet clearly there is an aspect of this global city thing that's very relevant to them.

But to those smaller places that aren't global cities, globalization seems curiously absent from the radar. I would define a global city as a place that