Baseball fans, join me for a trip in the Wayback Machine to April 16, 1988. I’m 15 years old, and making my first trip to brand-new Pilot Field in downtown Buffalo to see our local nine, the Buffalo Bisons – American Association AAA affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Herd is facing the Denver Zephyrs in their third game at the new yard. My first reaction after entering the gates at Washington and Swan is astonishment at the difference between this sleek new park and the Bisons’ previous home, the cavernous, creaky, Depression-era War Memorial Stadium. Pilot Field, in contrast, was major league quality in every respect, and is the first ballpark designed with a retro aesthetic (Oriole Park at Camden Yards, the first MLB stadium to feature this style, opened in 1992). ![]() Photo courtesy of Buffalo Bisons Now jump back to today. The park has a new name (Sahlen Field), the Bisons play in a new league (International League), and have a new parent club (Toronto Blue Jays), but it’s still a great place to watch the national pastime. For the past few years, a couple of friends and I have taken the afternoon off to attend Opening Day. We’ll have a pre-game lunch at one the taverns near the stadium (last year’s choice was Washington Square), then head into the park. Once we’re in, first things first – beer. Sure, buy a macrobrew at one of the concession stands if you must, but I HIGHLY recommend starting at Consumers Craft Brew Corner, near the Swan Street entrance. Local and regional craft beers are on tap here, and start game day off on the right foot. My friend Dan always buys his first cold one from Conehead, one the Bisons’ long-time vendors, mostly for his assurance with every beer sold that it is, indeed, a cold one: “You’ve got the Conehead guarantee; Get some peanuts to pair with the brewski, and it’s time for the National Anthem (we sing both the American and Canadian versions here – Buffalo is a border town). After a couple of innings of non-stop baseball talk and enjoying the early spring sunshine, it’s time for more food. Luckily, Sahlen Field has terrific ballpark fare. My go-to choice is always a fried bologna sandwich – a really thick slice of every kid’s favorite lunch meat, topped with grilled peppers, onions and melted cheese, wrapped in a soft bun. But there are a lot of other choices as well, from standards like burgers, hot dogs and nachos to local favorites like Charlie the Butcher’s beef on weck, Ru’s Pierogi, The Original Pizza Logs and Nick Charlap’s ice cream. Now suitably sated, we’ll watch the rest of the game, jaw some more about the upcoming season and hopefully see the Herd victorious. One of my favorite parts of any Bison game is the race around the bases. A lot of ballparks have something like this – local food or characters transformed into mascots who race around the field between innings. It’s sausages in Milwaukee, pierogi in Pittsburgh and presidents in D.C. In Buffalo, it’s Wing, Atomic Wing, Blue Cheese, and Beef on Weck – the replacement for retired fan favorite, Celery. ![]() Photo courtesy of Buffalo Bisons The first game of the baseball season has always been special to me, as it symbolizes the end of winter and the onset of another spring and summer filled with outdoor adventures. My first glimpse of the carefully manicured infield dirt, crisp, unsullied white baselines and neatly mowed outfield grass fills me with happiness as I wonder what the new season has in store for my favorite team (hopefully, a return, and a victory this time, in the World Series). Hope really does spring eternal. The post Bisons Baseball is Back appeared first on Visit Buffalo Niagara. from https://www.visitbuffaloniagara.com/bisons-baseball-is-back/
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The tri-domed conservatory of the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens dominates the landscape of gorgeous Frederick Law Olmsted-designed South Park. The gardens are a perfect place for meditative strolls through sky-high palm trees, burbling water features, and hundreds of various flower species in every imaginable color. Visitors can scout out flowers on vines overhead, peeking out of the edges of cacti, and near the ground. A springtime visit to the gardens – when the buildings, especially the central dome, are teeming with blooms – is not to be missed. Spotted on a recent visit on a sunny afternoon were the following floral wonders. Each of these six flowers has a story. Croton Subtle are the rose-colored stems of the plant Croton, with layers of tiny red buds resembling nascent coffee beans (Coffea Arabica cherries, officially) that open into delicate yellow and green puffs. The mother plant is large and hearty with waxy oval-shaped leaves of green, red, black, and yellow. The woody stalk shows that this plant, near the central glass dome, has been happily at home here for quite some time. Anthurium Another plant that is familiar to houseplant lovers, Anthurium are seen throughout the Botanical Gardens. House 12 features an unusual pure white Anthurium plant, which features the species’ heart-shaped leaves and signature, pink stamen and is surrounded by lush and bright green fern plants. Needle Flower Tree A cousin of the coffee plant and in the madder family, Needle Flower Tree is native to Central America. The onsite specimen is in the Rainforest display underneath the eastern dome of the gardens, near the doorway leading to their events space. This tree has blossoms that are at face height, and up to twelve feet high. If you position your nose just right, and the flowers are at just the right bloom, you will smell its very subtle scent. Sky Vine Another plant that is up high is the impressive Sky Vine, with hundreds of lavender-colored blooms resembling orchids. This prolific plant, sometimes referred to as Clock Vine, has overtaken several poles in House 2 between the seven-tiered concrete fountain and the koi pond near the gardens’ famed waterfall. Sky Vine is a tropical perennial whose official name is Thunbergia, native to Africa. Cow Horn Cow Horn is in the building devoted to cacti. Volunteers have arranged this plant among rocks and other cacti resembling a desert landscape, and its next door neighbor is also named for an animal. Bear Grass, resembling an aloe vera plant, is a thin specimen of agave (fun fact: tequila is made from Agave Azul, also called Agave tequilana. Yes, really). Chinese Perfume Tree Here is another example of one of the most discrete and subtle flowers in the entire Botanical Gardens: the Chinese Perfume Tree. Located in House 5 and among the Medicinal Garden area, this shrub is in the Mahogany Family. The flowers are tiny bright yellow balls that do not open; their scent resembles lemons. Another aromatic plant, Yellow Jasmine, is its next-door neighbor. The post 6 Flowers to Seek Out at Buffalo’s Botanical Gardens appeared first on Visit Buffalo Niagara. from https://www.visitbuffaloniagara.com/6-flowers-seek-buffalos-botanical-gardens/ Buffalo is a city filled with beauty. Gorgeous architecture dominates the the Queen City skyline, the waterfront glistens as the daily setting for stunning sunsets and there is a wealth of natural treasures to be found throughout the region. One such example of Buffalo’s natural beauty can only be found around springtime. The bloom of cherry blossoms at the edge of Olmsted-designed Delaware Park has been highlighted in U.S. News & World Report as one of the best places to see this seasonal burst of pale pink and white flora.
Within walking distance of the festival, you’ll find the Buffalo History Museum, Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Burchfield Penney Art Center, Hoyt Lake, multitudes of walking trails throughout Olmsted’s sprawling Delaware Park, and the Buffalo Zoo and Frank Lloyd Wright’s Martin House just a bit further out. The cherry blossoms and the surrounding area are just another example of the unexpected delights you’ll find when visiting Buffalo. You can read the entire list from U.S. News and World Report here. The post Buffalo’s Cherry Blossoms Ranked Among World’s Best appeared first on Visit Buffalo Niagara. from https://www.visitbuffaloniagara.com/buffalos-cherry-blossoms-ranked-among-worlds-best/ It’s hard to beat taking a hike in Western New York. Sunny days and vibrant natural landscapes provide a stunning backdrop for exploring the region. Here are 7 unique hikes to take within an hour’s drive of downtown Buffalo to help make the most of this beautiful time of year: Eternal Flame at Chestnut Ridge – Chestnut Ridge Road, Orchard Park ![]() The Eternal Flame Akron Falls County Park – 44 Parkview Dr., Akron Knox Farm State Park – 437 Buffalo Rd., East Aurora Tifft Nature Preserve – 1200 Fuhrmann Blvd., Buffalo ![]() Tifft Nature Preserve Reinstein Woods Nature Preserve – 93 Honorine Dr., Cheektowaga Niagara Gorge – 3180 DeVeaux Woods Drive, Niagara Falls Zoar Valley – Forty Road entrance For more spring ideas, check out our Spring Guide here. The post 7 Awe-Inspiring Hikes Around Buffalo appeared first on Visit Buffalo Niagara. from https://www.visitbuffaloniagara.com/7-awe-inspiring-hikes-around-buffalo/ It’s time! St. Patrick’s Day celebrations have returned to Buffalo. It’s the beginning of Buffalo’s two-weekend-long hooley that you can read all about here. But don’t just read about it, experience it first hand when you head down to the Old First Ward, Buffalo’s Irish community, for the Old Neighborhood Parade. After the parade, carry on the rowdy Irish festivities with your new friends at any of these bars and pubs near or on the parade route: Gene McCarthy’s, 73 Hamburg St. ![]() Gene McCarthy’s – Photo by Eric Frick Lakeward Spirits, 65 Vandalia St. Ballyhoo, 211 South Park Ave. Adolf’s Old First Ward Tavern, 555 South Park Ave. ![]() Adolf’s Old First Ward Tavern Swannie House, 170 Ohio St. Marinaro’s Larkin Tavern, 131 Van Rensselaer St. The post 6 Pubs Near the Old Neighborhood Parade Route appeared first on Visit Buffalo Niagara. from https://www.visitbuffaloniagara.com/6-pubs-near-the-old-neighborhood-parade-route/ “Hooley” is Irish slang for a rip roaring party and hooboy, does Buffalo hooley the doors off both St. Patrick’s Day weekends. Here in Buffalo, buckle your chinstrap because we have two parades. In order to survive this year’s festivities, you’ll need to be prepared. Here now is my guide to proper celebrations of St. Patrick’s Day in Buffalo. After all there’s a reason Departures Magazine named Buffalo one of the best cities to spend Paddy’s Day in. Learn the Lingo Dress Accordingly ![]() ![]() Saturday : The “Old Neighborhood” Parade, Noon, Buffalo’s Old First Ward
While the big parade is on Sunday, any good Irish Buffalonian will tell you the real parade is on the Saturday in the city’s Old First Ward (read all about the neighborhood here). This is where many of the cities original Irish immigrants lived in the shadows of the grain elevators straddling the Buffalo River and where some of their relatives still live today. After the parade, head over to the Valley Community Center (93 Leddy St, Buffalo) for corned beef and salt potatoes. Want more hooley? Your destination is a variety of Irish pubs, like Gene McCarthy’s, Adolf’s, Blackthorn, Conlon’s & Doc Sullivan’s, around town. And several spots around Buffalo are renowned for their live Irish music. ![]() ![]() Sunday: Parade Day, 2 p.m., Delaware Avenue between Niagara Square and North Street
You and thousands of your closest friends will flood downtown for the biggest hooley of the year. Come early and find a good spot on Delaware Avenue to soak it all in. Let’s be honest, it’s a long parade and it’ll probably be cold. Pick a bar and warm up. After the parade, everyone who marched in it will join you (including the bagpipers who’ll happily play an impromptu song for you and your fellow patrons.) Stay long enough and I’m sure you’ll see a shirtless reveler river dancing his way down the street. Whether you plan to celebrate for a few hours or all weekend, the best way to experience St. Patrick’s Day is to forget the plan, grab some friends and see where the day takes you. Because there’s always a hooley to be had during both St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in Buffalo! The post A Buffalo Guide to St. Paddy’s Day Weekend appeared first on Visit Buffalo Niagara. from https://www.visitbuffaloniagara.com/hooley-your-face-off-a-guide-to-st-patricks-day-in-buffalo/ The last time I was in Wiechec’s Lounge on Clinton Street in Kaisertown was during the summer of 1988. My dad played softball on the diamonds across the street and afterwards my family and I would regularly head there for lunch. While the adults recapped the game, my sister and I huddled in a booth chatting away, eating pizza logs and drinking pop. It’s just what you did when your dad played bar-league softball. ![]() Photo courtesy of Jerry Tidd The first thing I noticed when I went back there on a recent Friday night was that the place hasn’t changed. The pool table still has the brass lions adorning its corners that I remember as a kid. Photos of long-time patrons hung on the walls and I think the same dart machine still stands in the corner near the front door. Larger than your average corner bar (the restaurant seats at least 60), the best way to describe Wiechec’s atmosphere is exactly how I remember it: welcoming. It’s a family-friendly place with an “everyone-knows-everyone” kind of vibe, which is how I imagine it’s been for more than 50 years – when they first opened their doors. Important to note that it’s a cash-only establishment and if you’re there on a Friday between 5 and 8 p.m., be prepared to write your name on a list and wait for a bit. It’s worth it though. Wiechec’s has an extensive menu ranging from your average pub eats like chicken fingers and their “famous roast beef” to handmade specialty burgers, grilled sandwiches, NY strip steak and pierogi dinners. ![]() ![]() With the Lenten season in full swing, locals ritually seek out the perfect fish fry – and Wiechec’s definitely delivers. If you go with a classic beer-battered fish fry dinner, a roughly 14-inch piece of fish that’s crispy on the outside and perfectly flaky on the inside will hang over your plate, accompanied by a healthy portion of shoestring french-fries, a vinegary coleslaw, and sweet and creamy potato and macaroni salads. If beer batter isn’t your thing, their Friday specials, served from 11 a.m. until 9 p.m. give you the option of breaded, broiled or Cajun blackened fish dinners. ![]() Photo courtesy of Jerry Tidd So, now that I’m tall enough to see all of the felt on the pool table, I actually understand the rules of darts and I’m old enough to enjoy a beer, I can definitely see my adult-self frequenting Wiechec’s. And the next time I’m there, I might just sit in a booth and order up some pizza logs – for old times’ sake. The post Classic Buffalo Spotlight: Wiechec’s Lounge appeared first on Visit Buffalo Niagara. from https://www.visitbuffaloniagara.com/classic-buffalo-spotlight-wiechecs-lounge/ It’s the kind of blockbuster exhibit that even the most casual museum-goer can embrace and enjoy – a celebration of the shimmering landscapes of Monet, the bold brush strokes of van Gogh, the arresting portraits of Cézanne and Renoir. The Impressionist masterpieces – and their post-Impressionist progeny – collected under the banner of the “Humble and Human” exhibit offer a visitor a visual feast of color, light and representational form that pre-dates the explosion of abstraction that was to come in the decades following the triumph of Impressionism. In that regard, the exhibit is comforting in its familiarity and endearingly nostalgic in its depiction of 19th century styles of dress and bucolic landscapes unscathed by 20th century modernization. ![]() Madame Cézanne, Paul Cézanne Assembled under the auspices of Buffalo’s Albright-Knox Art Gallery and the Detroit Institute of the Arts, the exhibition honors the memory of Ralph C. Wilson, Jr., the late owner of the Buffalo Bills and a lifelong resident of the Detroit area. Wilson loved and collected Impressionist paintings and his foundation has lent its support to the creation of the exhibit and a gorgeous coffee table catalogue. It’s all done with an eye toward drawing a visitor into a better understanding of the aesthetic, cultural and economic conditions that gave birth to Impressionism. What’s particularly interesting is the show’s contention that the artists who came to be called “Impressionists” were savvy entrepreneurs who were essentially launching a start-up and creating what we now call a brand. They also happened to be brilliant artists who created work that’s now considered a cornerstone of modern art. ![]() ![]() The show poses the overarching question, “who were the Impressionists?” In answering that query, the show’s curators take a willing visitor well beyond the brilliant colors, innovative technique and captivating 19th century scenery. It’s an inspiring trip that’s well worth taking. “Humble and Human, Treasures from the Albright-Knox and the Detroit Institute of the Arts” is on view through May 26th at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery. The post Making a Good Impression at the Albright-Knox appeared first on Visit Buffalo Niagara. from https://www.visitbuffaloniagara.com/making-a-good-impression-at-the-albright-knox/ In Buffalo, the hours from dusk until dawn are some of most magical. Sure, places like Allentown and Downtown are alive with music, good drinks and dancing, but what I’m talking about is the architecture. After dark, the Queen City takes on a whole new life. As Buffalo is known for unique structures and buildings designed by world-renowned architects, we’re showing them off through all hours of the night – and in dynamic, imaginative new ways. But don’t just take my word for it – seeing is believing. Below, you’ll see a gallery composed of beautiful Buffalo buildings that completely transform past twilight taken by some of our favorite local Instagram photographers using #TravelBUF. If you’re a bit of night owl, wait until after sunset, grab your phone or camera and upload your shots of Buffalo’s nighttime skyline using #TravelBUF. We’d love to see your photos! Featured #TravelBUF photo Ace Photography New York (@acephotographynewyork) ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() The post 11 Buffalo Buildings That Shine at Night appeared first on Visit Buffalo Niagara. from https://www.visitbuffaloniagara.com/9-buffalo-buildings-that-shine-at-night/ Like the saying goes, “Everyone’s Irish on St.Patrick’s Day.” But here in the (716), the strong Irish heritage that helped make this city what it is (awesome) has left a legacy of fantastic Irish pubs that you can hooley your face off at all year round. So pull that green t-shirt out from the bottom of your drawer. It’s time for a tour of some of the best Irish joints in town. Part One: St. Patrick’s Day Favorites Darcy McGee’s, 257 Franklin St., Buffalo Eddie Brady’s, 97 Genesee St. Buffalo Gene McCarthy’s, 73 Hamburg St., Buffalo Part Two: South Buffalo’s Finest Irish heritage is alive and well in South Buffalo, so much so that many street signs are also in Gaelic. This neighborhood has earned its own category. Let’s go. Doc Sullivan’s, 474 Abbott Rd., Buffalo Conlon’s, 382 Abbott Rd., Buffalo Blackthorn, 2134 Seneca St., Buffalo Potter’s Field, 425 Potters Rd., Buffalo Part Three: Overtime Last but not least, an under the radar pub that locals know well, and visitors are lucky to find. The Irishman Pub, 5601 Main St., Williamsville Brennan’s Bowery Bar, 4401 Transit Rd., Williamsville That completes our tour of the best Irish Pubs in Buffalo. Whether it’s Saint Patrick’s Day or a Tuesday, there’s always an Irish Pub in Buffalo to be explored. And chances are, wherever you end up, they’ll be ready to hooley. The post 9 Irish Pubs Perfect for a Pint appeared first on Visit Buffalo Niagara. from https://www.visitbuffaloniagara.com/buffalos-best-irish-pubs/ |