Buffalo Holiday Fun For The Family!

The holiday season in Buffalo offers families with so many great opportunities to get out and explore WNY without breaking the bank. I put together a list of my top ten family activities that are sure to get you in the holiday spirit! 

If you know of others, please feel free to share them on the comment section below :)

Krystal's Top 10 Family Outings This Holiday Season:

Hospice Buffalo's Outdoor Tree Lighting Ceremony: I attended this event for the first time last year and it brought me to tears. My family utilized the amazing services Hopsice Buffalo offers when my Grandma was battling cancer back in 2001. The tree lighting ceremony is a short, but important ceremony to remember and honor all those who have passed away. This year's event will take place on Saturday, December 1st at 5:00pm. The ceremony features singers, guest speakers, family testimonials and more. The trees are lit up outside CTG on Delaware Avenue, and the trees are filled with ornament tags  to honor loved ones. If you are headed to the event, look for me, and look for my Grandma Carol Sondel's name on the tree!

Admission cost: FREE to the public, free parking

Downtown Christmas Tree Lighting at Rotary Rink: For the 29th year in a row, Buffalo Place will light up downtown Buffalo during a wonderful tree lighting ceremony. The event will take place on Saturday, December 1st beginning at 5:00pm. There will be FREE ice skating for the family (there is a nominal fee for ice skate rental if you don't bring your own). The tree will be lit around 6:00pm. After the tree is lit there will be many children's activities, a visit from Santa and holiday gifts! 

Admission cost: FREE to the public (fee for skating rental if you don't have your own)

Ice skating at Rotary Rink: If you can't make it to the tree lighting, stop down during the winter and ice skate for free (nominal fee for skate rental if you do not bring your own). Ice skating hours vary by day (weather permitting) and the rink is closed on Mondays. Check out the full schedule by clicking the link above. It's the perfect family bonding activity, and can make for some great family photos! 

Admission cost: FREE to skate (nominal fee for skating rental if you don't have your own)

The Fairgrounds Festival of Lights: Last weekend, the Erie County Fairgrounds kicked off their annual Festival of Lights. The nearly two mile drive with over one million lights is the perfect way to get in the holiday spirit. Once you finish the trek through the light display, check out other activities on the fairgrounds. 

Admission cost: $20 per carload (bring canned goods too to support their food drive!)

Roswell Park's Tree Of Hope 2012: Join Roswell Park on Friday, December 7th for their annual Tree of Hope event from 4:30pm - 6:30pm. I had the chance to attend for the first time last year and was incredibly moved, and had such a blast! The event includes live music, horse-drawn carriage rides, face painting and other activities for the kids, a visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus, ice sculpting, free treats and hot beverages, a gingerbread house display and the tree lighting and candle lighting ceremony. NEW this year is a 13 minute lighting event set to music. 

Admission cost: FREE, parking is also free in the RPCI ramp


Day Out With Santa: The Adam's Mark Hotel in downtown Buffalo is hosting "Day Out With Santa" on Saturday December 8th from 9:00am - 3:00pm. Kids can get their pictures taken with Santa and enjoy many other activities throughout the day including a petting zoo, pony rides, bounce house and meet and greet with local sports mascots. Each child will also receive a gift.

Admission cost: Canned goods/non-perishable food items that will be donated to The Food Bank of WNY


Santa On The Carrousel: The Herschell Carrousel Museum in North Tonawanda is hosting Santa On The Carrousel for three Saturdays in December (December 1st, 8th and 15th). The event starts at 11:00am with lunch followed by an afternoon of activities from 12:00pm - 3:00pm. Activities include holiday games, crafts, carrousel rides and more. As an added bonus, at 1:00pm each Saturday there will be a live performance. 

Admission cost: $10 per person with lunch, $5 per person for just the activities


Hibernating Holidays: For nature lovers out there, check out Tifft Nature Preserve's "Hibernating Holidays" event on Saturday, December 15th from 2:00pm - 3:30pm. The event will share with you how wildlife at Tifft spend their holidays. It will be a hands-on activity that includes a craft and trail hike. Pre-registration is required. Check out the link above. 

Admission cost: $5 to non-members


Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Lancaster Opera House is offering interactive performances of Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer from Friday, December 21st - Sunday, December 23rd.

Admission cost: Adults - $16, Kids under 12/seniors - $13

Family Winterland Walk:  Tifft Nature Preserve is also offering this great Family Winterland Walk on Thursday December 27th from 6:30pm - 8:00pm. Explore the sights and sounds of the Preserve! Make sure you bundle up! Showshoe rental will also be available, weather permitting. 

Admission cost: $5 to non-members, $2 for snowshoe rental, weather permitting


Have a wonderful Buffalo holiday season!!!

Holiday Gifts for the Buffalover

I'm in the holiday spirit this week, so today's post is also holiday related! Do you have a hard to buy for Buffalover in your life? Looking for a gift that reminds ex-pat's about their hometown? Here is my shopping list of ten must buy items for the Buffalover in your life. 

Krystal's Buffalove Shopping List (in no particular order, they are all great choices):


1.) Buffalo Niagara Shop's "Buffalo's Cooking" print: Visit Buffalo Niagara launched an online Buffalo shop in addition to their location inside The Market Arcade. I'd be happy with almost any of the items on the website, but one in particular is Michael Morgulis' "Buffalo's Cooking" print. This great print is perfect for the foodie in your life. An even greater perk to purchasing from the Buffalo Niagara Shop: All the money you spend on items goes right back into promoting Buffalo! ($27.00)

Bonus item: I fell in love with the Buffalo ornaments (pictured below) inside the shop when I visited a few weeks ago. They are a great stocking stuffer or a fun splurge for your tree this holiday season. ($9.50) 

2.) Faces Of Buffalo's Buffalo Photo Alphabet: This great framed print spells out Buffalo by using historical architecture in the area. There are a handful of options on the website, featuring local colleges, other cities in the WNY area and can also be customized to spell whatever you want! It is a must buy for ex-pats who want to show their hometown pride. Also great for an office, mantle, or book shelf! ($18.00 - $32.00 plus shipping depending on style)

3.) Fridge Phrases: Buffalo Edition: This new product offered by the City Dining Cards in Fall 2012, has taken the local Twittersphere by storm! These great fridge magnets include over 200 words with a local flavor to them. Create sentences using "sponge candy", "Cheektavegas", "The Ralph", and more! If I had to pick one item on this list that you MUST buy, fridge phrases are it! ($20.00)

Bonus item: The City Dining cards are also a great stocking stuffer for Buffalonians. They include a $10 gift card to 50 local restaurants. If you know someone who has been wanting to check out the local dining scene, this is the item for them! The Dining cards were how I found out about a lot of my blog entries in 2012! 

     

4.) BuffaloHistory.Com Vintage Buffalo Calendar: The 2013 calendar offers a historical look back at Buffalo and is sure to give you a better understanding and appreciation for The Queen City ($14.95)

5.) Darwin Martin House Floor Plan Platter: Do you have someone in your life who loves architecture and also loves to throw parties? The Darwin Martin House platter is a gorgeous piece that was created by Niagara Ceramics exclusively for the Martin House and is microwavable and dish washer safe ($40.00) 

Bonus item: Pair the platter (or offer alone) gift tickets to visit the Darwin Martin House! ($15.00 for the basic tour, $30.00 for the extended tour)



6.) Subscription to Buffalo Spree Magazine: This magazine rocks. If you want to know what is going on in the area, where to eat, what is coming for the city, then you need to grab a subscription today! Order this soon to send to ex-pats looking for information on the city. The website currently offers a 2 for 1 special right now, so order today! ($26 for 12 issues plus special edition issues as well)

7.) Buffalo Neighborhoods Typography Map: All the Buffalo neighborhoods are represented on this awesome print designed and printed by local artists. There are limited number of these available, so get one today!! They come in three different color palates. ($20.00)

8.) Origami Buffalo: This great piece is a map of the City of Buffalo folded into Buffalo origami and mounted on a black stand. This is the perfect piece for someone who has everything. Great for display on an office desk, or on a mantle or book shelf at home. This item can be purchased at Thin Ice on Elmwood (or online!) ($18.00)

9.) Buffalo Memories Book: This book features 160 short stories about Buffalo through the years written by George Kunz! It can be purchased on Buffalo.com's "shop local page" or in bookstores throughout the area. &17.95, but prices may vary depending on store)

Bonus items: There are so many great Buffalo books I've stumbled upon this past year. Some other great options for book lovers out there: City on the Edge by Mark Goldman, The Complete History of Parkside by Steve Cichon, Buffalo Unbound by Laura Pedersen, Buffalo, NY: Cool Stuff Every Kid Should Know by Kate Jerome. There are too many more to list here!  

10.) Pride of Buffalo Gift Basket: One of my favorite stores to walk around in is Premier Gourmet on Maple Road in Amherst. They put together gorgeous gift baskets year round, but they are especially great for the holidays. The Pride of Buffalo basket includes great locally made products including Weber's mustard, Anchor Bar wing sauce, Waton's sponge candy and more ($49.99). 

Bonus items: Premier Gourmet offers other great baskets ranging from $39.99 - $159.99. They have a lot of other great Buffalo products in stock too!

Whatever you are looking for this holiday season, consider shopping local. Elmwood Avenue is my favorite place to shop during the holidays - many of the stores even do complimentary gift wrapping. 

Happy shopping, Buffalo!!

Small Business Spotlight: The Home Stylist

As the holiday season gets into full swing around Buffalo, I decided to sit down with Julia Dana from The Home Stylist to talk holiday decorating!

The Home Stylist is a Buffalo based interior decorating/home staging company. Julie offers home owners with a do-it yourself approach that empowers families to make the changes they are looking for without breaking the bank. 

When it comes to holiday decorating, Julie says to keep the color palate simple. "Work on picking out two or three colors and then all your accessorizing around the house will come together easier." So how do you pick which colors to choose, "Start with colors already in your house and work off of those - try to not to pick colors that clash like introducing red accessories into a burgandy palate."

Julie also noted that people feel pressure to have all the nooks and crannies in their homes decorated, but she said to pick three main focus areas in your rooms and decorate those. "Choose the mantle above the fireplace, sofa/coffee tables and the archway of doors. Your staircase is also a great place to choose. If those areas are decorated, it will feel like your whole house is without cramming different items in all over the place."

Julie has owned The Home Stylist for ten years after family and friends encouraged her to get into the business. "I was always decorating for my family and friends, so why not get paid for what I love to do!" Julie told me. "I love empowering home owners and helping them spend their money properly so they maximize their outcomes." 

Julie is also the author of "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Staging and Selling Your Home" In addition to interior decorating, Julie focuses on helping homeowners stage their homes. It is a buyer's market out there, and Julie says that what will set homes apart that are around the same price is how it is staged! Many homeowners will opt for lowering the price of the home before properly staging it, and while that can cost you thousands of dollars in the end, a properly staged home would cost so much less (Julie's staging plan costs $150). Julie shared one of many great success stories with me, "I worked with a client that had their home on the market for two years. They took the home off, I worked with them to stage it and once we put it back up, it sold 16 days later!"

"It can be overwhelming to homeowners on how to decorate and especially on how to sell their house. Making mistakes can cost money, and my goal is to make sure my clients spend the money they can allocate properly and give them a plan that is easy to follow!"

Julie's rate is $85.00 per generous hour, and most design plans can be worked up in an hour to an hour and a half. Julie also offers a 3 for $30 option on her website where you send her a photo of the room you are working on and she will create three great solutions to improving the room. 

Once we wrapped up talking about the business side of things, our conversation moved to Buffalo! While Julie is not a native Buffalonian (she moved here from Michigan over 20 years ago for love), she has found a home in Buffalo and can't imagine living anywhere else. "There is so much to do here! Western New York has it all; culture, arts, museums, kayaking/canoeing and great parks to explore. It is a great place to raise a family too!" Julie is also a docent for the Roycroft Campus and resides in East Aurora. 

Home decorating can be a lot to take on so make things simple and give Julie a call today! She will give you the practical and economical advice that will pay off for years to come!

Falafel Bar in Amherst

This year I discovered Falafel Bar, and after my first meal there, I couldn't believe I used to turn down dinner offers to this great Amherst restaurant. In fact, in a recent article I was interviewed for by Buffalo Spree, I chose Falafel Bar as one of my top 5 "cheap eats". It is that good AND budget friendly! 

In my younger, much stupider (or less adventurous) days, falafel didn't sound appealing to me, so I avoided the restaurant. The restaurant is a combination of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern food and up until a few years ago, I stuck to the same few restaurants and styles of food. My boyfriend had suggested going to Falafel Bar a handful of times (he already loved it), but it wasn't until about 6 months ago that I finally agreed to try it out.

The restaurant is located next to the Northtown Plaza on Sheridan Drive. The trendy and modern feel was right up my alley, and I really enjoyed all the artwork, decorative pillows on some of the wall seating and table settings. 

My first time there we ordered the mushroom hummus, and honestly, I can't get enough of the stuff. With sauteed mushrooms and caramelized onions over the hummus, the flavors are absolutely outstanding. The pita bread it is served with is delicious and always warm and fresh. The hummus in itself could be a meal alone for those who don't like a big meal. 

In the times since we have gone back, I've had the falafel (which is a great starter), cigars, salads, the shnitzel, shawarma, salmon and beef kabobs, and more. I haven't had a meal or even a part of a meal that wasn't above average. They offer a wide variety of menu items including sandwiches, plates, entrees and salads. They also have great daily specials. 

Our service has always been above average and it's a restaurant where the atmosphere is always fun and guests are always enjoying themselves. 

It is no surprise to me, that Falafel Bar has a wall full of awards; being given the coveted Artvoice "Best of Buffalo" award for years, as well as recognition from Buffalo Spree and others.

My only gripe about Falafel Bar, and to be honest it's really a gripe about most restaurants, is their kids menu. They don't offer any of the traditional Mediterranean items on their kids menu. Like in most restaurants the items include chicken fingers, hamburgers, grilled cheese, etc...I'd love to see some of the traditional items on the kids menu to help young ones branch out and expand their palate. If I was given those options when I was younger, it might not have taken me almost 30 years to check out one of my new favorites spots for dinner. 

If you aren't the adventurous type, Falafel Bar offers much more than the traditional Mediterranean and Middle Eastern options and can please the whole family. If you haven't checked them out yet, you are really missing out. I am so happy I finally decided to give them a try! Get there soon, Buffalo!

For more reviews on Falafel Bar, check out:

Rolly Pollies of WNY

In a time when the national obesity epidemic is talked about on a daily basis, it is important to get kids active at an early age. Rolly Pollies of WNY aims to start kids as young as six months to instill a healthy and active lifestyle. 

The infant program is just one of many programs offered at Rolly Pollies, but was one that I could tell owner Jim Fleckenstein loved to talk about. The program aims to help infants build their gross motor skills and strengthen their core for balance as they begin to explore walking. The group classes that include Mommy and/or Daddy often open parents eyes to what their young ones can do.  

All classes (offered at various age levels) are non-competitive and usually run in 9 week sessions with a specific curriculum. Class size is kept fairly small, working with a 6:1 ratio of students to instructors. Most classes max out around 20 participants to allow staff the chance to work with each student. 

In addition to all the gym classes offered for ages 6 months - 12 years, Rolly Pollies offers music and creative arts programs. During school breaks they offer short sessions to keep the kids moving, and offer other specialty classes & workshops throughout the year. They also have open gym hours where parents can bring their kids to play with any of the equipment in the gym ($10 - $15 per hour depending on age, $5 for each additional hour). 

One other great option for parents are their birthday parties.  Instead of trying to find a few hours worth of activities to keep a group of young ones occupied, Rolly Pollies offers the open gym and staff to help them with the equipment. 

They truly offer programs for all levels and work hard to not only give kids the time to exercise, but teach them about muscle groups, nutrition, and learning how to make healthy choices. Each class ends with a homework assignment where students are asked to keep track of healthy choices they made and then share them with their friends next week. 

I visited the East Amherst facility on Transit Road (they also have another location in Orchard Park) and was impressed by the colorful gym filled with so many wonderful pieces of equipment. Kids have the chance to work on the balance beam, trampoline, zip line and more. Rolly Pollies isn't your traditional gymnastics program, they offer so much more for students and parents. 

"Rolly Pollies has really become a tight knit community." Jim told me. "Families quickly become friends outside of the gym. Getting to watch kids come in when they were infants and still be with our program now makes them a part of our extended family." 

For owners Jim & Danielle Fleckenstein, owning a business in Buffalo was an easy choice, it was home. After living around the country, they both wanted to move back to Buffalo to be around family and to start a family of their own. There were no other gyms offering the services they could provide in Western New York, so they moved back and have continued to grow for the past seven years!

You can find out about all the programs they offer on their website and stay in touch with them on their Facebook and Twitter pages. 

If you have children and want to get them on the right path to an active and healthy lifestyle, a call or visit to Rolly Pollies should be on the top of your list! Now, especially as the winter months tend to leave us indoors more, Rolly Pollies can open a whole new world for the young ones in your lives. 

Pictures from around the gyms

Restaurant Week Recap #3: Mothers in Buffalo

My younger brother Richard just got engaged. Well, he got engaged about a month ago, but Thursday night was the first chance my boyfriend and I had to take them out to celebrate their engagement. I let them choose where they wanted to try (since they are as adventurous as we are), and they chose Mothers on Virginia Place in the city. 

I'd only ever been to Mothers once before, and that night we walked in and quickly walked out. We were looking for something cheaper and quick, and Mothers wasn't it. While many of the menu items looked amazing, we weren't in the mood to spend a lot of money and a Sabres game would be starting in about 30 minutes and we didn't have good sight lines for their television. 

I was excited to get back though, because I loved the atmosphere and have heard great things about the restaurant. We had a reservation for 6, and when we arrived  I was so glad I made reservations. The bar and tables were packed and it didn't let up the entire time we were there. 

Mothers has a very cozy feel to it. The dim lighting, gorgeous covered tables lit with candlelight and stone/brick interior make it a very romantic spot as well. The night we chose appeared to be girls night out, as we were only one of three tables that had couples at it. The bar was hopping with well dressed men and women enjoying happy hour. 

Their restaurant week special included a glass of wine (we all selected the Riesling and it was crisp and delicious), either the house salad or soup, and an entree. 

My brother, his fiance Jenny and my boyfriend all ordered the exact same meal, even down to the dressing on their salads. They had the generous 12 oz. sirloin steak which came served with mashed potatoes and snow peas.  I felt I had to be different so I went with the tenderloin tournedos, and learned a new word! If you aren't down with your beef lingo, a tournedo is the center most portion of tenderloin and is sometimes referred to as filet mignon in the US.  My dish was served with asparagus and roasted red potatoes and the meat was sitting in a delicious sauce with mushrooms. 

To put it quite simply, the meal was perfect. There wasn't a single aspect of the dinner that I can gripe about. The salad and soup (I chose the Mushroom Asparagus) were the perfect start to the meal. The meat was cooked perfect; tender, medium just the way I like it and seasoned well. The sauce it was in was outstanding and really complemented the meat. The potatoes and asparagus were great additions to the beef as well. I had a taste of the sirloin steak and it too was "melt in your mouth" good and I could have eaten all my boyfriend's mashed potatoes (and I'm not a big fan of mashed potatoes).

We had a great meal and all left the restaurant very satisfied and full. I don't get to spend a lot of time with my brother (like me, Richard is always on the go), so it made the night that much more special to share it with him.  

Mothers is the perfect "special occasion" spot, and a great option for happy hour in the city. It is tucked away on Virginia Place and parking can be limited, as there is only street parking available. If you are planning on checking it out, I would consider reservations. Even though it was Restaurant Week, they are often busy. 

My only gripe about Mothers is that they don't have a website, or really much of a social media presence. They do have a Facebook page with over 1,000 followers, but it doesn't look like they utilize it that often. That being said, Mothers wasn't hurting for business. They are also a popular hangout for local politicians, especially during campaign season. 

If you are looking for a great atmosphere and a delicious meal, Mothers is worth the price and a must try!

Sirloin steak (left) and the tenderloin tournedo

For more reviews on Mothers, check out:  

Restaurant Week Recap #2: Adam's Rib

Sometimes being Lovin' On Buffalo can put me in a tough spot. I consider it my job to boost Buffalo and local business as much as I can, but what happens when I go somewhere and honestly don't love it? That's what happened Wednesday night when my boyfriend and I went to Adam's Rib for a late dinner. Adam's Rib is within walking distance from my boyfriend's house. The restaurant has been a staple on Main Street for over 40 years. We always drive past it and wonder what it's like on the inside, so we took Restaurant Week as the perfect opportunity to finally go for dinner.

We didn't arrive for dinner until close to 8:30pm, but there were about 8 tables of patrons enjoying their meals still. My first impression of Adam's Rib was that it feels "old". With a lot of wood paneling and wallpaper coming off the walls, the atmosphere is quite different than the other restaurants within a three block radius (Siena, Brodo and Tabree).

We were promptly seated and looked over the menu. With the special you received a glass of wine. I ordered the white they had on the list, but they were all out of the whites (major bummer), so I had to settle for a glass of red. We each ordered a salad to get going and for our dinner entrees I ordered the prime rib (a menu item they are famous for), and my boyfriend went with the Tenderloin Tips Alfredo (tenderloin tips sauteed with baby spinach and mushrooms, tossed with penne pasta and their famous Alfredo sauce). 

With our salads came bread AND corn bread, and I quickly devoured the corn bread. It was absolutely delicious! Our meals came out pretty fast and we dug right in. Since my boyfriend cooks pasta dishes for a part-time living at a restaurant on the weekends, he was disappointed with his meal. The pasta was overcooked and the Alfredo sauce was not a true Alfredo sauce (I'm not a huge Alfredo fan so I'm taking his word here!). I ordered my prime rib medium, and it came out that way, but was a little bit tough. The side sweet potato was good and their walnut butter sauce was a very tasty topping. 

When a friend mentioned we should finally check out Adam's Rib, they did note we would bring the mean age down, and they were right. Aside from a twenty something who was there with his grandparents, we were the only couple under the age of 45 in the restaurant.

While I can't say I'll be going back for another meal, I did speak with the waitress who said that Adam's Rib is for sale and all the staff is crossing their fingers that whoever purchases it will keep them on and keep the restaurant. No word yet on if they will change the style of the restaurant or the menu. 

Restaurant Week is the chance to get out and explore those place you've seen for years but never patronized. I came to the realization that you can't hit it out of the ballpark every time, and this year we have already found so many outstanding restaurants.  I will say this, even though we didn't love the meal, Local Restaurant Week made it possible and solved a long running mystery.When we paid our bill, I was still happy to turn over the money and know I was supporting a local business. So, get out and explore Buffalo!!

Tenderloin tips Alfredo & Prime Rib with a sweet potato

For more reviews on Adam's Rib check out: