Author: arenn

I can barely imagine Buffalo without the Labatt Pond Hockey Tournament. It seems like just yesterday when they announced that the tourney was going to be held on Gala Waters (Hoyt Lake). Then it was moved to the Erie Basin Marina where it has grown in number of teams and fans. Now in its fifth year, the pond hockey tourney is once again gaining momentum. This winter season, from February 10-12, there will be 20 additional teams added, and for the first time there will be games played at night under the lights. Another advancement is the size of the…

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As I have yet to see any renderings pertaining to the potential lighting of the Skyway, I figured that I would throw out this image of a similar-looking lit structure in Miami. Commentor ‘buffaluv’ added a link to this image following a post that I had written in which I pointed out the burned out neon on the (then) HSBC Center (see post). By the way, it would be nice to see the neon fixed at the top of the arena – remember the multi-colored neon waves? With new Sabres’ ownership and new stadium branding by First Niagara, the neon…

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If you’re attending a Sabres game this season, and you find yourself walking around the Cobblestone District, you might just happen upon this 30’x60′ mural that went up over the weekend. Although not quite finished (when this photo was taken on Saturday), the image will ultimately be that of the original Michigan Avenue lift bridge* – yes, the same one that was destroyed by an errant freighter as it veered off course. The bridge was never replaced unfortunately and that’s partially why it’s so hard to get the Outer Harbor (see more). Artist Carley Jean Parrish painted the image on canvas…

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A nano brewery is coming to the West Side (see history), and with it comes a new generation of micro brewers who will stake their claim in the Buffalo’s brewing tradition. “This is going to be the first in what will most likely be a number of nano breweries opening in Buffalo,” Ethan Cox (lead photo), President of Community Beer Works (CBW), told me. “This nano brewery started off with a few of us talking about starting a home brewing club. The more we talked about it, the more we felt that there was something bigger that we should be…

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I’m really enjoying all of the alternative holiday shopping events that we’re seeing in the city these days – many geared towards getting us to shop (and think) local, while staying away from the chains. Gaby DeRose reached out to me last week to tell me about a few of the special surprises that Buffalonians can expect to find at Pearl Street Brewery on Sunday November 20. Following is the lowdown according to Gaby, who is helping to organize the day’s activities:The first event (from 10:30am-Noon) is a Holiday Brunch featuring Pat Woyshner, owner of Woyshner’s Flower Shop and Woyshner’s…

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To tell you the truth I was not aware that there was an annual Kriskindlemart at the Broadway Market each holiday season. On top of that, I had never even heard of a Kriskindlemart, an event that is meant to attract shoppers looking to load up on seasonal goodies. I would imagine that this event is meant to do for the gift-giving holidays what the Thanksgiving season does for the Broadway Market. Too many shoppers are trained to head to the malls and the mega-markets the second the snow flies. This year, consider foraging for some local alternatives to share…

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Ives Pond Quidditch Club is heading to NYC this weekend to compete in the World Cup. Currently ranked #9 in the world, Buffalo will represent with 20 players on the team’s roster. I caught up with a couple of team members in their van moments ago to find out what they are anticipating to encounter at the tournament. “There are 100 teams and 2000 athletes appearing in what will be the fifth World Cup,” Assistant Captain James Maska told me. “Buffalo has played in four of the cups. Middlebury, the team that founded the sport and has won every year……

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If you’ve ever had a drink at Founding Fathers Pub, then you know that it’s almost impossible to escape being thrown a trivia challenge. Out of the blue, from the tender’s side of the bar, Mike Driscoll will suddenly test your wits with a zinger designed to make you squirm in your barstool. Most of Mike’s questions are based on worldwide knowledge of any and all subject matter. The bar has reached cult status for its trivia and Mike’s followers are many. Now Buffalo First! is going to mix it up in a way that will keep people guessing on many…

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A couple of weeks ago I told you about a sweet new culinary shop coming to Elmwood called Tuscany on Main. Since that time I have also learned about a second culinary destination opening next door (in the former Tabree location), which will be called Nickel City Cheese and Mercantile (NCCM). The opening of this shop rings a couple of familiar bells, and brings the urban culinary scene full circle in a myriad ways. The owner of this cheese business, Jill Forster, has just moved back to Buffalo after being away for 20 years – a return that appears to be…

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The West Side Bazaar is coming to Elmwood this holiday season. This past summer was a good one for Grant Street, as it marked the opening of an artisan market featuring goods from all over the world. Many refugees living on the city’s West Side supply the merchandise for the market, and in turn they learn how to operate a kiosk within the space. The bazaar is an incubator of sorts, giving the public an eye into the lives of the refugees while giving the refugees life lessons that they will carry on with them and pass onto future generations.While…

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