It’s not been lost. It comes back time and time again as evidenced by the Supremes, Annie Lennox, Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye, Boz Scaggs, Bette Midler and more. It’s in our schools’ music curriculum. It’s on our televisions expounding the virtues of Barnes & Noble with Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett. The Great American Songbook lives on and is resurging once again as an art form to be cherished, desired and performed. Kerrykate & Chuck, WNY Cabaret artists performing now for 17+ years, make it their goal to perpetuate the art form in their performances. They know the importance of…
Author: Marilyn Rodgers
After being displaced by a fire late last year, Bikram Yoga Buffalo is alive and thriving at its new location on Elmwood Avenue. Bikram Yoga Buffalo is now located at 912 Elmwood Ave. near West Delavan. The studio had been located on the 4th floor of the Elmwood Parish Commons at Elmwood and West Ferry until a fire back in November severely damaged the building. Bikram moved to 912 Elmwood immediately following the fire, and over recent months has undergone extensive remodeling. While the Parish Commons is now being rebuilt, the Bikram Yoga Buffalo looks to stay at its current…
Many people think going organic is part of sustainability. They think that the use of pesticides and herbicides must be bad because ORGANIC is GREEN and GREEN is GOOD. Sustainability is about meeting the needs of the present and it was the Green Revolution and the increased use of pesticides which allowed agriculture to keep up with population. Without pesticides, irrigation projects, synthetic nitrogen fertilizer and improved crop varieties hundreds of millions would have starved since 1945 when it began. Hundreds of millions more would have died of disease as a result of malnutrition. However, one of the common mistakes…
Time to experience the heartbeat of community with Johnson Park’s first drum circle Tuesday evening, August 26 at 7PM. The beat of drums is inherent in every culture as it emulates the heartbeat. Let’s come together for this evening and celebrate the diversity of our community! In 1991, during testimony before the United States Senate Special Committee on Aging, Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart stated: “Typically, people gather to drum in drum “circles” with others from the surrounding community. The drum circle offers equality because there is no head or tail. It includes people of all ages. The main objective…
Often we are faced with news of friends, colleagues and loved being challenged by illness, disease and tragedy. It’s the strong who move forward, it’s also the kind, giving people of Buffalo who respond.. Receiving word of a remarkable woman as Margaret Roblin (Maggie), renowned community leader and philanthropist being diagnosed with ALS, otherwise known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, has made our community stop and ask why? It has also created an opportunity for all of us honor her tremendous strength, grace and giving spirit. Late last week Maggie was honored by the City of Buffalo by being named an…
Sophia’s – All in the Family I had breakfast at Sophia’s recently, and it seemed like I was the only one who didn’t know the owner by his first name. Everyone who came through the door greeted him. It’s not often that the owner is the same person who cooks your meal and brings it to you. But that’s what happened during my visit. When he brought my food I introduced myself and asked if he had a few minutes to talk so that I could interview him for this story. Our conversation had a few breaks because he had…
I’m not real up on blogging – but I have a story that I think is worth talking about. I’ve noticed that the city is horrible at composting. Even when people do take the time to put leaves or grass clippings in clear bags, the city will pick them up with the trash and land fill them. My understanding (and I have talked to the people at the mayor’s hotline several times), is that the only official composting effort that is made is in the fall. My observation is that the trucks go around once and that there is no…
“Ben Franklin once said, ‘In this world, nothing is certain but death and taxes.’ It may be time to add “free tax preparation services” to this famous quote.” If you’re earning less than $39,000 a year, you may be interested to find that you can take care of your tax preparations for free. United Way of Buffalo & Erie County’s CASH (Creating Assets Savings & Hope) have once again teamed up to offer money-saving help. This is the second year that the one-day program is being offered. The first year was so successful that “12,000 working families and individuals receive…
Photo: 2008 First Night by Joe Cascio Although Arthur, Tennessee and Louie (feline friends) didn’t appreciate it, the fireworks were the most spectacular I have seen in the past 14 years as a Johnson Park resident. A bad cold kept me in quarantine while welcoming 2008 this year, but I could not resist going outdoors as I and many of my neighbors have to watch the downtown spectacular. In previous years the pyrotechnics closest to the Niagara Mohawk Building were almost indiscernible, but they truly rose to the occasion this year towering high above the edifice and supported by those…
The attached photos were taken on Christmas Eve when Santa and Mrs. Claus delivered cookies for a local neighborhood to those who serve them throughout the year. Yep, that’s our mayor, our Citizen’s Services crew, our police chief, and one of the local firemen accepting a simple act of thanks for a job well done. But, there are so many others that need recognition. They are the real presents under the tree that work selflessly day in and day out to assure peace and goodwill. They could be the older woman down the street who watches out when the kids…