Today, Friday April 20th happens to be the 175th Birthday of the City of Buffalo. Who knew? I didn’t even have a chance to send a card! Being interested in astrology, I’ve always wondered about that. I knew that Manhattan was an Aquarius city; a city of continuous changes prompting the tag line, “the city that never sleeps.” That’s totally true. Anyone would know that. But Buffalo? This was tough. There had to be some clues into the psyche of our fair city if we could just take a look at Buffalo’s astrological chart. I do know that an awful…
Author: Charlie Quill
What does a stripper, her director boyfriend, a wack-a-doodle business man, a sniper, a coked-out mess from LA and the “Buffalo/Niagara Enterprise Communications and Marketing Director of Conventions and Visitors and Special Projects and General Vision Oversight, who also happens to be an adjunct to the University,” all have in common? They will be your tour guides through the complex yet facile mind of playwright Jon Elston’s new comedy, Buffalo Movie. Buffalo Movie is a very funny romp indeed. Elston and Road Less Traveled Production’s Director Scott Behrend tell the “untold Buffalo story’ of what it REALLY takes to maneuver…
Where?: The Buffalo Broadway Market When?: Saturday, April 7, 3:46PM Name?: Frank Wabbit: aka “The Easter Bunny” Where do you live?: In the neighborhood not too far from here; just down the bunny trail. What do you do?: I’m in the chocolate and candy business. What are you doing right now?: It’s my sideline. I work seasonally as The Easter Bunny. Maybe you’ve heard of me? I’ve been doing it for years. I’m kinda famous. Why are you here?: The Broadway Market hired me to help make the day fun for the kids. It’s a ball! What else will you…
For 27 years, the Tara Gift Shoppe has stood as a proud fixture in its South Buffalo neighborhood. Located just across from the Irish Center on Abbott Road, the shoppe and its proprietor, Mary Heneghan, embrace the Irish heritage that so many in its vicinity share. And with St. Patrick’s Day rapidly approaching, there’s certainly no better place to get in the spirit. Heneghan hand picks everything sold at the shoppe at the annual trade show in Secaucus, New Jersey, and on yearly visits to Ireland, where she and her husband both have many relatives -– in-laws, cousins, nieces and…
Keith Blakely doesn’t seem like the average A-type personality. Sure, he talks fast, he thinks fast, he finished two undergraduate degrees – in biology and psychology – in less than two years (before age 20) and he considers himself ‘late’ if he’s not in the office and at his desk by 6:30 a.m., all A-type personality traits for sure. But, in person, he seems pretty laid back. Perhaps it’s because Blakely, founder and CEO of Nanodynamics, a local company that specializes in utilizing nanoscale (1/70,000th of the width of a human hair) engineering and materials to address some of the…
So it’s Monday night and where is the place to be? Oh, babe, it’s Q at 44 Allen Street in Buffalo. HAKEOKE NIGHT!! Michael Hake comes in and sets up about 10:00 p.m., and the singers from Musicalfare, like Bobby Cooke, Lou Coliachiavo, Chris Kelly, Lisa Ludwig (not always) and Loraine O’Donnell start showing up. Bethany Moore of the glorious voice, Leah Russo, Ms. Maher (yes, Gerry’s daughter); Matt Bova (he of the South Park repertoire); and numerous others, Tim Finnegan and Mark Sacco, Kevin Kennedy, among them, show up to add their voices to the tumult. You will hear…
I don’t know what else Studio Arena may do this season, but OF MICE AND MEN is B R I L L I A N T!!!!!! And I am truly happy to be able to say that. The sets are simple and, conversely, rather elaborate. The first act is simple; the second act gets a little more tricked out. But it is all done with a realism that holds your mind. I don’t know if there will be a great deal of difference between what I saw tonight and what opening night audience will see…but if it doesn’t change at…
Went to Alleyway last night to see AIR HEART, the one woman production by Mara Neimanis. This is a one hour show (without intermission – act accordingly) written and performed by one pretty terrific woman. Upon walking in, you are looking at a stage with but one tremendous structure on it. Immediately, not being a complete fool, I was aware that it was the skeleton of a small plane. And a beautiful structure it is. Very impressive. The lights dim and when they come up, a buffed female is standing in front of you and the structure. When she starts…
I’m a sucker for ice rink food. Ever since I was a kid, one of the best reasons to go to the rink ,Aei aside from skating, hockey practice or a Sabres’ game ,Aei was the food. No joke. There’s something about the ice rink grub that grabs me. I was reminded of this during a recent visit to New York City. During our stay we skated at the Bryant Park rink, a dreamy sheet of ice slapped down in the shadow of the Empire State Building. During the summer months, Bryant Park is home to outdoor movies, sort of…
From Buffalo Rising Magazine, January ’07. Bob Franke pictured above. Justin Azzarella is really good at keeping a secret. Azzazarella, executive director of the Elmwood Village Association, knows about several new businesses that are coming to the Elmwood area in 2007, but he’s not saying what, he’s not saying whom, and he’s not saying where exactly. “I can say I know of four businesses that will be opening in the area that will fill a niche — things that you would have to go to the suburbs to find,” he said. “I think we’ll probably see them opening up in…