Last night, the episode that Food Network host Guy Fieri, of Diners, Drive-ins and Dives shot at Sophia's aired at 10PM, followed by Fieri's visit to Grover's Bar & Grill in Amherst at 10:30.  The episodes were named "And the Kicker Is..." and "Dives Worth a Drive,"

What may be one of the city's oldest homes at 574 Michigan Avenue is on the market with an asking price of $69,000.  Oh, and that price includes two adjacent residences at 578 and 582 Michigan Avenue (image below).  The string of buildings are located on the east side of Michigan, south of Sycamore Street. 

The Hunt Real Estate listing says the combined properties have "over 8,000 sq.ft.and 104 feet frontage in the medical park area.  Many uses." 

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A visit to Sweetness_7 Cafe last night found owner Prish Moran sitting at the coffee bar, furiously writing out pancake add-ins and naming the concoctions with the help of Wyn, who was behind the counter cooking.  
A few weeks back, Prish presented us with a plateful of banana pancakes made with Amelia's fantastic batter.  It's the base that Prish is doctoring to create around 8 new decadent flavors of pancakes to mark today, Fat Tuesday (Mardi Gras) before Lenten Ash Wednesday, beginning a 40-day period of moderation

The Broadway Market has undergone a lot of changes recently, with a new Executive Director and revitalized plans for making the market a destination all year round, rather than the place to go in advance of Easter and Christmas. 
Along those lines, a small group of Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) graphic and industrial design students have been diligently working toward creating interior and exterior design solutions for the market. 
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If you're ever driving out along Route 5 (you know, the highway along our Outer Harbor that is still just as confusing as ever), or along Fuhrmann Boulevard (the other roadway that runs along the highway), and you see the kiteboarders out on the lake, be sure to pull over and watch the excitement. As much as I love to see these boarders in the summer time, I am even more fascinated by their winter showings. You might be surprised to hear that we have a legend among us when it comes to the sport - a guy who has been on the scene since the inception of kiteboarding (eight years ago), and who, to

Recapping last week, we talked about the Yahoo list of worst winter weather cities in this week's podcast of the Buffalo Rising Roundtable with WBFO News Director Mark Scott.  
Buffalo missed the list based on cities by size, not necessarily by weather.  Still, Newell points out that we have had a few mild winters, and he talks about his enthusiasm for using

By Scott Glasgow
There have been many lively discussions around the merits and feasibility of restoration and historic preservation here on Buffalo Rising. It is often argued the poor condition and unfortunate location of much of our housing stock prevents serious consideration of renovation and reuse.  In sharing the story of my project, I hope to demonstrate the potential and possibility that exists in so many of our old houses.                              

Queenseyes told you about Buffalo Alumni Society in this post a few weeks back.  In an effort to gather information from both expats and people currently living in Buffalo, the Alumni Society has added some discussion topics to their Facebook page, and they would like your input.
Under the "Discussions" tab,

In the midst of State and Federal fiscal crises, the Communicative Disorders & Sciences Department of the University at Buffalo came up with an innovative idea to raise funds that would help students enhance their education. 
The department pooled their resources (and recipes) of students, faculty and staff and prepared a cookbook to offer to the public for sale. According to a department member, "It is a delightfully colorful book with luscious recipes, cooking hints and tips, food terms and the "heart of the department" sandwiched within 124 delectable

PechaKucha Night was devised in Tokyo in February 2003 as an event for young designers and artists to meet, network, and show their work in public. It has turned into a massive celebration, with events happening in hundreds of cities around the world, inspiring creatives worldwide. Drawing its name from the Japanese term for the sound of "chit chat", it rests on a presentation format that showcases several disciplines creating a diverse and exciting display of creative work.

Of the many officially sanctioned cities worldwide who have embraced this unique mash up

Shutterbugs get ready to snap away at this year's Buffalo Powder Keg Festival. The photo contest is being sponsored by Delaware Camera Mart and is being headed up by local photographer Joe Cascio. The rules are easy - the images (JPG format 72 dpi) must be shot within festival perimeter and must be submitted to Joe by the following Sunday, March 7th (subject line: PK Photo Contest). Joe will announce the winner one week later.

Anyone is welcome to enter

Need a reminder that spring is just around the corner? Urban Roots is holding a series of workshops to get everyone ready for it. Several workshops are listed below, but be sure to RSVP by calling the store at 362.8982 or email them at workshops@urbanroots.org. 
Saturday February 27th, 2PM:  Seed Starting with Richard Price.  Back by popular demand, Richard will teach basic methods for starting seeds for spring planting.
Saturday

Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation (ECHDC) and Buffalo Place Inc. (BP) are seeking programming proposals from local non-profits and cultural groups for the upcoming summer 2010 season at the harbor.
Submissions for potential activities, events, and programming at Erie Canal Harbor during the summer 2010 season are being accepted now.  Applicants should submit completed forms to ECHDC/BP via email or postal mail at ECHDC, 95 Perry

It's not one in a million.  In fact, the odds of getting the chance to do a project just like this are much, much higher, but it's something David Steele (STEEL) passed on to us, and we felt we should share it.  Steele says this sort of innovative thinking needs to be promoted, and we agree.
Done in answer to an Architect's Journal Small Projects competition, this ruin on the music campus of Snape Maltings, in Suffolk, England, was converted with the placement

In an effort to raise funds for the South Buffalo Community Table (SBCT), a local soup kitchen on the South Side, run by Sister Mary Celeste O'Bryan, a group of local musicians is looking for a special "South Side Girl".
To make a nomination, write a short summary of who you think of as a true South Side Girl. Use no more than 200 words, and email here or mail it to South Buffalo Fresh Air Club, 86 Woodview Drive, Buffalo, NY 14127.  The deadline for

Buffalo would be perfect for this!  While we wait on word from County Executive Chris Collins and Mayor Byron Brown's offices, we pose this to you our readers - because you can vote us in too.
Google is looking for a trial locations across the country to test their ultra-high speed broadband networks.  At over 1 gigabit per second, Google networks would be over 100 times faster than what is available

The Merlin's project (posted yesterday) was certainly a step in the right direction for Elmwood's 700-block. It just so happens that there was some other great news for that commercial stretch that unfolded at the same time. Lu Modern Classics has opened a second city location (other is downtown) in the former Firebrand location. I was sad to see Firebrand go because they put so much work into the location,

Whether you like Forbes never ending lists of city data rankings, there is a new one that has just been released that I find funny. And so do other people because they keep sending me links to the Forbes information. Actually the link is a redirect from the Yahoo! real estate section that eventually takes the viewer to America's Worst Winter Weather Cities. I was so psyched to go there and find Buffalo on the list so that we could use the ranking to bolster the spirit surrounding the Powder Keg Festival. Where

More and more people are realizing that the DIY (Do-it-yourself) movement is really on to something. Making your own books, prints and other objects has a level of gratification that cannot be compared. In tight economic times, making your own gifts can be doubly gratifying. As the art of fine crafts shows (as seen at the recent Burchfield Penney Art Center Exhibit: Art in Craft media), craft can be much more than busy-work for kids. 
One specific

A local man is asking Buffalonians to go from "Backstage to Backwoods" this upcoming spring and donate money as part of a fundraiser for Theatre of Youth (TOY).  Toy's Head of Design Ken Shaw, along with his dog Gracie, is planning a hike from on the Finger Lakes Trail, from the Catskill Mountains to Allegheny State Park, in order to raise money for the Theatre.

Shaw plans to travel for 50 days as part of this "trip for a cause."  He and Gracie will set out on May 15th, and hike the 562-mile stretch of trail at a pace of approximately 8 to 18 miles every day. However, Gracie