Author: Elena Cala Buscarino

Leave it to Buffalo ReUse to have a ReGifting party right after Christmas. The idea is simple – bring a gift you know you’re not going to use, and give it to someone else. Who knows? They might like it.ReUse’s Director of Community Programs Caesandra Seawell (left, in full story) greeted us at the door and showed us where to put the gifts. She pointed to a tree, strung with little tags with numbers on them, and surrounded by various packages wrapped in newspaper, recycled wrapping paper, old calendar pages, brown paper and string, and our favorite – a Walmart…

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Yesterday we told you about New York Times Bureau Chief for City Blog Sewell Chan’s visit to Buffalo, alerting you to stories he wrote about Buffalo’s Lower West Side and the Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site.Today we see that he posted another story, this one about the Olmsted Parks in Buffalo. Giving the article the New York City nod up front, Chan makes reference to users of Central Park in Manhattan, yet another Olmsted-designed park.Chan said his objective in coming to town was to drive around and explore, but he may have enjoyed a special feeling of discovery that…

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The Buffalo Edition of Extreme Makeover will air on ABC on January 24th as a two-hour special, from 8 to 10PM.The show, normally one hour long, is being extended to highlight the improvements that were made in the West Side neighborhood around the subject of the show, the demolition and rebuilding of the home of Delores Powell.There’s a “Stone Soup” quality to this story. Yes, we welcomed the out-of-towners with their high ideals (bless them), but we can be glad and proud that a lot of what the rest of the nation will see is Buffalonians, pulling together to do…

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When you’re very small, having your art work hung on the fridge is a badge of honor. But in the back of every young mind, there comes the question, “Am I a good artist, or is she just hanging my work because she’s my mother?”On to school. Many art teachers are tuned in to students with real talent and give encouragement along those lines. Maybe there’s a school art show, or maybe your work gets hung in the hallway. Still, every child who’s proud of their work and talents yearns for a bigger venue. But no “real” gallery hangs children’s…

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The next time you think about ordering snowboarding, outdoor and urban apparel on-line, think again. While shopping for clothes on the Internet might be easy, the ‘store’ that you’re buying your merchandise from is not plowing your commercial sidewalks. And they’re not decorating the trees in your neighborhood. They’re not even sweeping any sidewalks. Earlier today I ran into Urban Threads owner, Ward Pinkel, who was busy plowing the Elmwood sidewalks from Forest to Bryant. He was riding an Elmwood Association mini-plow, and I immediately asked if he was getting paid for the service. “Nope”, is all he said before…

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Following is a candid BRO interview with photographer Cheryl Gorski who, in just two weeks time, has organized a compassionate event meant to open our eyes to the pains and struggles of orphans within our community. I must admit that in this case, out of sight can tragically mean out of mind. During this holiday season we should all give thanks for our families and our homes. We should also spread the good word that Cheryl has captured through heart and camera. This is a real eye opener into the lives of the 850 children who live at Gateway Longview,…

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The owners of the proposed Colvin Estates subdivision in North Buffalo are in line for a nice Christmas present: $642,000 in City funds to build a new road through their 23-acre property. The subdivision will occupy former rail land connecting Starin and Colvin avenues between Taunton Place and St. Lawrence Avenue. The infrastructure work was reinserted into a City Council-approved capital budget which Mayor Brown can still veto. Given the unanimous Council vote in favor of the revised capital budget, any veto is likely to be overturned however. “It’s a project that, if done right, could produce tangible results,” Delaware…

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Buffalo’s favorite burlesque troop has released a 2010 calendar, chock full of colorful (in more ways than one) images that will keep you company throughout the year. Plus, you’ll have a constant reminder to see the girls live at Roxy’s each and every Thursday, starting at midnight. Kudos to Merjon Studios for effectively capturing these flamboyant characters in settings ranging from Forest Lawn to the Cobblestone District. The $10 calendar is available at Amy’s Place – one of the city’s best eateries where it just so happens that Miss April aka “Randy Dickener” works. The Stripteasers have been around for…

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A new shingle has been hung at the Hyatt hotel- “For Lease.” Pyramid Brokerage Company has been retained to refill the retail space in Six Fountain Plaza, a three-story building fronting both Main and Huron streets. Up to 12,000 sq.ft. of space is available on the ground floor and the sunken plaza level. The building opened in early 1985 2005, one year after the hotel. Both were constructed by developer Paul N. Snyder. Built as office and retail space and designed to complement the hotel’s atrium, the building was converted to a conference and training facility in 1997. M&T Bank was an…

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Downtown has a solid base of 50,000 or so office workers and an expanding downtown residential population, so where is the retail? If one downtown property owner has his way- retailers wanting to test the waters will have a low-cost opportunity to do so in the near future. The owner, wishing to remain nameless for now, is floating the idea of creating a retail incubator/mini-bazaar that will fill a void and allow small retailers to build a presence downtown. It is hoped that successes will move to fill other, larger space downtown. Reintroducing retail to downtown has to start somewhere-…

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