Author: Carolyn Batt

Carolyn Batt is a Buffalo marketing director by day and international traveler the rest of the time--although always returning to her home for the past 12 years in Allentown.

Every year the Irish Classical Theatre hosts the party of the year in true Irish style. One doesn’t have to be of Irish heritage to attend, only the spirit is needed!  According to Carrie Beth Wicks, Director of Development at ICTC, “You get the quality entertainment we are known for and a chance to let your hair down! Anything goes, and it is sure to be a terrific night to meet people and mingle with the actors and other theatre lovers.” Presiding over the proceedings for the fifth consecutive year will be the hilarious Father Malarkey (Don Gervasi of the…

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“Some may say that I couldn’t sing, but no one can say I didn’t sing” This past weekend I had the pleasure of seeing Souvenir at the Alleyway Theatre, based on the true life story of Florence Foster Jenkins.  I also spoke with actress Mary Kate O’Connell who reprised her award-winning role of Jenkins, whom she played in Glorious at the Kavinoky.  O’Connell and Company teamed with Javier Bustillos of Buffalo United Artist to produce this piece.  O’Connell said me that Javier saw this show in New York City, off Broadway, when it first came out.  “He called me during intermission to…

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On Sunday, November 16th, many Buffalonians woke up to reading a massive, and dare we say “glowing” article on Buffalo’s architectural treasures in The New York Times. The article titled “Saving Buffalo’s Untold Beauty,” published in what most people consider to be the holy grail of the media world, spanned two and a half pages and featured seven color photos of Buffalo-area architectural wonders. Like the Times article, a positive story published or broadcast on a national media outlet can have an immeasurable impact on its subject. In the case of the New York Times article, it meant that over…

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Looking for authentic Buffalo gear to hang on the tree, send to a friend or give to a special someone this holiday season? Head to the Buffalo Niagara Visitor Center, located on the first floor of the Market Arcade Building (617 Main Street). Besides offering maps, guides, and information on area attractions, the Visitor Center also doubles up as a great holiday shopping spot without the lines this season. “The Buffalo Niagara Visitor Center is a great source for local, regional and state information and has affordable Buffalo & I LOVE NY merchandise,” said Denise Drews, Visitor Center manager. “It’s…

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On Friday, December 12th, Will Holton will release his debut CD Always at the Tralf, along with 4-time Grammy nominee, Joseph “The Hands of Soul” Wooten. Alongside these performers will be Buffalo Bills cornerback Jabari Greer, who will double as a musician for the night. Recording artists Jimmie Highsmith, Joey Diggs, John Reed, and Dr. James Cornelius of 1400 AM with Big Jay hosting will also be present for the combination CD release and fundraiser. Holton’s career began ten years ago when he started playing the saxophone. In 2000, he had the honor of performing with Najee, as well as…

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Buffalo’s amazing collection of 19th and 20th Century architecture is featured on the cover of today’s edition of The New York Times Arts & Leisure section in an article aptly titled “Saving Buffalo’s Untold Beauty”. The article dominates the front page of the Arts & Leisure section with a breathtaking photo of the Ellicott Square Building as seen through one of the oval windows of the Guaranty Building’s 13th floor. The subhead makes the case for Buffalo right up front: “The Home to Some of the Greatest American Architecture Tries to Balance the Past With the Future.” The article is…

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Saturday marks the 4th annual Flash Party to be held at the Essex Arts Center. This night will stimulate your senses with an extraordinary multimedia visual and acoustical backdrop. Go-go dancers, video lighting, film, live bands including The If’s, and multiple djs will highlight the evening. The event will span throughout the multiple rooms and levels of the Essex Arts Center. This is a 21+ event and ticket price includes beer, wine and the chance to design your very own steel sculpture, which will then be plasma-cut by professionals for you to take home. Tickets are available presale at Terrapin…

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Looking for a way to bring your loved ones to Buffalo this holiday season? Now through November 17th, if you tell the Buffalo Niagara Convention & Visitors Bureau and Southwest Airlines why Buffalo is a festive place to visit during the holiday season, you will be entered for a chance to win two airline tickets to bring your family or friends home for the holidays. The Buffalo Niagara Convention & Visitors Bureau and Southwest Airlines are in the spirit of giving for the “Home for the Holidays” contest. In most contests, the winner is presented with a prize. In this…

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With no work and no school on Monday and Buffalo’s beautification in full swing post-October Storm 2006, there is much to celebrate this Sunday, October 12th. Two years after this devastating Western New York snowstorm, the First Annual October Storm Party is set to take place. Benefiting Carvings for a Cause, this fundraiser will take place at J.P. Bullfeathers from 7-10pm. With a lineup of carvings characters and celebrity bartenders, the night will also feature numerous food stations and the Carvings for a Causettes, the wonderful girls that help to beautify Western New York one tree at a time. Artist…

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In celebration of College Street Gallery’s 11th Anniversary, local artist Neil Mahar will be on hand to discuss his work and meet visitors at his exhibit’s opening at the Allentown gallery on Friday, October 10th from 8-10PM. Since 1997, College Street Gallery has opened its doors to a wide range of artists and to the community as a whole. Showcasing works of different mediums, with an emphasis on photography, the gallery has exhibited national and international artists and helped them to share their work with the Buffalo community. Inspired by painters David Hockney and James Ensor, Neil is an artist…

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