As the weather gets colder and colder up here in Buffalo, I find myself missing the beach more and more. I’m from Massachusetts, and every single summer in August, I go down to Cape Cod for a week with my family. This week consists of going to the beach: long walks on the beach, (attempting to) tan, and lots of boogie-boarding. I’m currently suffering from severe beach withdrawals up here in the tundra. The tan I worked so hard on is long gone, and so is my (kind of) beach bod. I find myself frustrated with the fact that Buffalo has no ocean anywhere near it. Yeah, the Great Lakes are cool and all, but it’s simply not the same when you grew up in New England. And to be fair, they actually do have beaches here; but again, they’re just not the same! I need warm sand, cascading dunes, and big waves on my beaches. I believe that beaches have the power to clear your mind and make you forget about your problems for an extended amount of time. I always feel like I’m in a completely different world at the beach. It feels like nothing else in the universe matters when I’m there. The only thing that matters is the chilly salt water surrounding my body, the soft sea breeze on my face, and the warm sun on my skin.
When I try to think of something about the beach that makes it so irresistible and special to me, I struggle to find one that one thing. I think part of it is that the beach has always been home to me. Another part of it is the fact that all my worries melt away when I'm there. Yet another part of it is the feeling of peace that it gives me in my mind. It's like when you go hiking, and it sort of releases all the stress you have and gives you a chance to just take in everything around you and only worry about the present. I believe that beaches give you a kind of bliss that can't be compared to any other place. Whenever I want to escape from this crazy world, the beach is where you can find me. When I have a real job and enough to move out of my parents’ house in Massachusetts, I don’t know where exactly I’ll be moving, but I can tell you that it will be somewhere near an ocean. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve been loving doing all-things-Buffalo this semester, but it really has made me realize how much I miss the beach.
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This past Saturday, I finally made it to Canalside Buffalo for some ice skating. This is something I've wanted to do since first hearing about it my junior year at UB; and this time, it was really spontaneous! My friend Preston told me that he wanted to take me ice skating with his roommate, Andy and his roommate's girlfriend, Emma; so off we went! Before I get into the details of skating at Canalside, let me just say that I was not really dressed the best for this cold weather, outdoor activity. Yeah, I had my Burton ski jacket on, but I didn't bring a hat, gloves, a scarf, or anything else to keep me warm. I'm clearly still not a true Buffalonian after all this time in Western New York. After only about a 20 minute drive, we made it to Canalside where we parked nearby for $6 and walked across the street to the skating rink. Canalside was looking festive as hell, with white Christmas lights strung on the bridge, beautiful wreaths, decorated evergreen trees, and Christmas songs playing overhead. We got there right as people were getting off the rink for the Zamboni to clean the ice, so needless to say, it was quite busy in the walking areas. When we finally made our way to the skate rentals shack, we were then faced with the decision of what size skates to pick. I am usually a 7.5 and I mistakenly went with a 7, which were still too big unfortunately. I made the guys tie my laces really, really tight just so I wouldn't be as apt to fall. It was $5 to rent skates, and $6 to skate, so it was a pretty good deal!
Once we finally got on the ice, I immediately realized that this wasn't as easy as I remembered it to be. The last time I had gone ice skating was probably in high school, so I really wasn't in tune to it at all. As soon as I got on the ice, one kid with a metal cart to help him skate almost crashed right into me and took me out. Whoa, buddy! He clearly didn't need the cart to keep him from falling. As I clung to the sides with Andy and Emma, Preston whizzed around us trying to get one of us to be brave and start actually trying to skate. I was proud of myself for trying and getting the hang of it again. I only fell once during the about hour and a half that we were there, and that was because someone ahead of me was going very slow then just decided to stop, and I don't know how to do that on skates. Good thing Preston was there to kind of catch me or else I would've looked like a complete fool. Once you finally get the hang of it though, ice skating can be tons of fun. I can't wait til the day when I can skate backwards. I wish we had had more time to skate, as the skating rink at Canalside closes at 10pm. I definitely recommend this a very fun thing to do with friends or family before or after Christmastime though!
For this post, I decided to interview my dad who attended UB and lived in Buffalo for five years. During his freshman year at UB (in the early '80s), my dad lived in Fargo Quadrangle and met my mom, who lived across the hall. I thought my dad would be the perfect person to interview because of his love for Buffalo and all the funny stories he tells my siblings and I about his time at UB. I asked my dad to tell me about one of his favorite things he did in Buffalo while he was at school, and this is what I got!
https://storycorps.me/interviews/buffalove/
My dad used to drive up over the Peace Bridge to the Canadian side of Niagara Falls with my mom, and sometimes, with a few other friends. They used to go during the springtime, when it usually wasn't as busy, and they used to hang out at the falls and go to lunch at this place called "Rumours" for sandwiches and beers. They also used to check out the famous wax museum nearby. Going up to Niagara Falls is something I've wanted to do since I started writing this blog. The last time I went was when I was ten years old, so it has been a while. I don't have a renewed passport at the moment, so I haven't been able to go yet this year. I find myself still wanting to try to check out the American side of the falls, at least before the Buffalo winter hits. There is an amazing light show, with an illumination of the falls and fireworks happening on December 3rd. I went to my first brewery--ten months after turning 21--and let me just say that it was a fantastic first-time brewery experience. I went on a Friday night with a few friends: Preston, Andy, Sean, and Alison, and the first thing we saw looking in the windows from the outside were the huge beer silos hidden in a separate back section of the restaurant. Upon walking into the place, I immediately fell in love with the stunning, laid-back atmosphere and also found myself wanting to know more about why the place is called "Big Ditch." After doing a little bit of research on www.bigditchbrewing.com/about-our-brewery/#about, I found that "Big Ditch" was actually just a joking name for the Erie Canal back in 1825, which is when the canal was first beginning to be constructed. The canal ended up giving the city of Buffalo over 100 years of prosperity in trade and commerce. If you don't believe me, just go to the place for yourself! They have the history of the Erie Canal all over the walls right when you walk inside. As shown, Big Ditch is fully equipped two floors of seating for your brew-tasting, grub-eating selves. While three of the friends I was was with ate some food there, I didn't because I ate before going there, but it did look mighty tasty, and those couple french fries I tried definitely were A+ material. For beers, two of my friends got flights (consisting of 5 small IPAs), and three of us got regular IPA beers. As for me, I chose three beers (clearly I was getting real crazy that night), and they were called the "Cinnamon Apple", the "Golden Shovel," and the "Hayburner." FYI, these are all IPAs, because that's what this brewery is known for serving.
For the first one, the "Cinnamon Apple," let me just start by saying that this is the typical "Katie" beer to choose. With a name like that, no one was surprised that I picked it. As a 6.8% ABV amber ale, this beer has a really nice aroma and aftertaste. It is made with local apple cider, brown sugar, cinnamon, and even oatmeal! It's the perfect fall brew, and 10/10 would recommend. The second beer I sampled was called the "Golden Shovel," and with a name like that, you know it has to be a good one. This beer is a Belgian-style strong ale with 7.2% ABV and a bit of a tangy, sweet finish. The unique taste of this beer is most likely due to its unique ingredients: white grapes, tangerines, cloves, and freshly-cracked peppercorns. Finally, was the "Hayburner," which I admit, is one that I didn't really want to try due to its harshly strong smell, but my friend eventually persuaded me. This beer is a classic American IPA with 7.0% ABV, and made with orange, melon, and grapefruit! Despite its fruity components, this beer has a bit of a earthy aftertaste and totally lives up to its rebellious-sounding name. Having gone to school in Buffalo for over three years now, I've learned that one of the biggest talked-about rivalries is between Duff's Famous Wings and Anchor Bar: Who has the better wing? Having been to Duff's more times, I must say that I prefer theirs overall, but the competition is seriously too close. I just had to investigate for myself. The Buffalo wing was first invented in 1964 by an Italian family at the very first Anchor Bar, which is still standing in downtown Buffalo! A new Anchor Bar was built this past summer in Amherst, right on Sweethome Road, which is where I went out to dinner with my family the night they helped move my brother and I into our new living situations. Having had Duff's wings a few times prior to this, this was actually the first time I tried Anchor Bar's wings.
It was hard not to be influenced by other people's opinions that Duff's wings are definitely better than Anchor Bar's, but I tried my best to remain objective. I compared taste, crispiness, and hotness. Both Duff's and Anchor Bar's wings taste nothing less than exceptional; therefore, I really couldn't pick a favorite. Both have unique flavors and aftertastes. As for crispiness, Duff's 100% wins that prize. There was really no competition here, but all it really comes down to is if you like crispy wings or not. Anchor Bar's are simply more tender and juicy. And finally, the hotness award goes to Duff's. While both chains are dangerously Buffalo-style spicy, Duff's takes hotness to a whole new level. I came to the conclusion that I like Duff's drum wings better and Anchor Bar's flat wings better, but I am absolutely a drum person - no questions asked. But the BEST wing in Buffalo goes to.......... DUFF'S FAMOUS WINGS!!!! What's Halloween without a giant pumpkin, some toasted pumpkin seeds, and a little pumpkin carving? Nothing. For me, I love anything that has to do with pumpkins - and not just around Halloween time - all year round! This year, I've been enjoying going to Dunkin' Donuts and picking up a pumpkin muffin in the morning, or stopping by Tim Horton's and grabbing a pumpkin donut for a snack. Pumpkin products are just out-of-this-world good to me. I remember last year when I went home for Thanksgiving break, when I walked into my house for the first time in months and was searching through all the cabinets for something tasty to eat. I remember being in awe at the number of pumpkin products in my house at that point in time. My mom, dad, and sister had all gone on the pumpkin craze. There were pumpkin waffles, pumpkin spice oatmeal, pumpkin english muffins, and pumpkin flavored coffee all within my house. I too went on the pumpkin craze this past weekend with my friend Preston. We decided that Saturday was a good day to trek over to the Great Pumpkin Farm in Clarence, NY to pick us out two nice pumpkins for carving. But first, we stopped for lunch at Paulter's Drive-In (also in Clarence). In the summertime, this wonderful little diner is a great place to stop for ice cream, but we utilized it for fulfilling our cravings for grilled chicken sandwiches, which were very good but a little bit overpriced to be honest. The diner is closing soon for the winter season; therefore, they didn't have pizza logs, onion rings, or mozzarella sticks available. For our next stop, we made our way to the Great Pumpkin Farm. As we drove by looking for the parking lot, we saw a huge pyramid of pumpkins, a ferris wheel, and could almost smell the delicious cider donuts. We were so excited to get our pumpkins and cider, but once we walked up to the gate, we were hit with a $7 admission, which we quickly refused. We then were faced with the dilemma of where we would get our pumpkins now. Across the street a little ways up there's a little place called Joe's Farm Market, which is where we decided to go. We ended up getting two fairly large pumpkins outside for only $5 each! It was such a steal, and we picked the prime time to go. Inside the market's store, there was a nice selection of corn and bean salsa, peppers, acorn squash, and cider.
I can't even begin to tell you how excited I was for this day. I'd been wanting to go to Letchworth for such a long time, and this weekend, I finally got to! Anyways, Joey, Emily, and I set out for our day of hiking bright and early (aka 9am). We were all so excited because we knew that it was going to be a gorgeous, 70-degree, mid-October day. Letchworth State Park is in a town called Castile, NY and is about an hour and a half away from Buffalo. We got to Letchworth around at 11am, and one of the first things we did was ask one of the park rangers for directions to the Gorge Trail. We made our way to the St. Helena part of the park, and continued in the direction that (we thought) was the right way. We ended up getting lost about five times when we first got there; nevertheless, it was an adventure. Finally though, after asking many other fellow tourists if they knew where the Gorge Trail was, we approached this older couple who seemed to know anything and everything about Letchworth, and they helped us immensely. The Gorge Trail is absolutely breathtaking. Flat, winding trails through the forest bring you to spectacular views of the canyon around every corner. Back in Massachusetts, we don't have hiking places this cool. Waterfalls and gorges are nonexistent where I'm from, so every time I get to experience a place like Letchworth, I take it all in. I am completely convinced that we picked the absolute best day to go hiking at Letchworth. This is the prime time when the leaves on the trees start changing colors, and you get to see a beautiful display of reds, oranges, yellows, and greens within the foliage (insert heart-eyes emoji here). I felt like I was in a different realm of the Earth at this place - like nothing else in the world mattered besides the views... and taking zillions of cool photos on my iPhone 4s (quality) camera. Honestly, I know I keep saying this, but it's one of the most beautiful places I've ever been to. I kept thinking about just how peaceful all the animals are who live in the gorge and in the forests in the canyon. It must be such a paradise, since no humans can possibly ever get to them or their land. It gives me hope to see that there are still places in this world where the animals are safe, the plants are healthy, and the nature is 100% pure. We ended up hiking almost 11 miles. It didn't quite feel like that many, but two days later my legs are definitely feeling it. The Gorge Trail is relatively flat, except for a few steep hills and a couple sets of stairs. Now that the week has started, I have the sudden urge to go back to Letchworth immediately. I think it's so beneficial to get away from everything in life sometimes, and to just go to a place like this in order to relax and get everything else out of your mind for a little while. In the words of Ferris Bueller, "Life moves pretty fast, if you don't stop and look around once in a while you could miss it."
Last Sunday, I woke up with the urge to procrastinate my day away (or at least half of it) by watching the Patriots-Bills game. I am finally realizing just how broke I really am, and I'm currently trying to save up for the next fun, big Buffalo-esque adventure. Anyways, I invited myself over to Joey's and plopped myself down in the newest addition to his apartment: the ever-so-comfy Papasan chair. Joey is a die-hard Bills fan, and when I say die-hard I mean every time the Bills score he gets up and dances to the "Bills make me want to shout!" song with absolutely no shame. As for me, I grew up ten minutes from Gillette Stadium - so needless to say, I am a Patriots fan. Our friendship thrives on this Patriots-Bills rivalry, and sometimes things get a little bit heated between Joey and I when we trash-talk each other's teams. It's all in good fun, though... (usually). So we watched the game, as boring and disappointing as it was. It was embarassing to be honest, and I really didn't get the chance to talk any trash because the Patriots were playing so horribly. I mean, they were playing with their third-string rookie quarterback, but damn did it suck to lose to the Buffalo Bills.
If you know me, you know that I love the New England Patriots and Tom Brady probably almost more than life itself. So when they lose, I lose - and it's a severe shot to my ego. However, in my fourth year here in Buffalo for school, I'm used to being the sole Patriots fan in the room. I'm always getting bashed on for loving the Patriots, but I really have no problem with it, and feel like it's almost fun being the outsider. You can take the girl out of Boston, but you can't take the Boston out of the girl! This past weekend, my roommate Lindsey and I got trapped in Canada. Yeah, I know what you must be thinking: 'Wow. Seriously, you must be idiots.' But no. It was an honest mistake. My roommate was driving us back home from a night out in Allentown, when we accidentally took a wrong exit and wound up going towards the Peace Bridge. Yikes. Once we realized where we were heading, we started freaking out big time. There it was: the U.S. border, and on the other side of it: Canada. We couldn't find any possible way of turning around, so on we drove towards the gates. Here, we tried explaining to the officers that we were simply just lost and we trying to find a way to turn around, but they just decided to send us on through. That's when the F-bombs started dropping. We didn't have passports. We didn't have birth certificates. How were we supposed to get back into the country?! You see, it is very easy to get into Canada, but getting back into the U.S. is the hard part. Everyone knows that. After about an hour of sitting in the border patrol house trying to figure out what to do, my roommate and I started accepting the fact that we were about to become actual Canadians. We would be held there until we had a form of U.S. citizenship to prove that we are American citizens. Finally, one of the Canadian Mounties came up to us and offered us one phone call each. We were both extremely thankful - but what was this?! Prison? I called my friend Jade to get my birth certificate from my apartment and Lindsey called her friend Sarah to get hers. Both Jade and Sarah arrived with our birth certificates about 45 minutes later. They drove together, crossed the Peace Bridge, and rescued us from being trapped in Canada for the rest of our lives. As we crossed back into the U.S., we saw the "Welcome to New York" sign and immediately became teary-eyed and more ridiculously patriotic than we have ever been in our lives. Seriously, the night was one for the books. After drinking about a gallon of coffee on Friday morning, I made my way to class and simultaneously made plans with Joey to get lunch in the day. We chose to go to Lloyd's Taco Factory, and it was a beautiful decision - honestly one of the best I've ever made. The inside of Lloyd's is actually really, really cool. Very hip and modern with a delightful little bar on the left hand side. Joey and I are huge fans of any kind of fast, chain Mexican cuisine (Chipotle, Moes, Qdoba, etc.) so this was a dream come true for us. Joey ordered a burrito while I ordered the El Camino bowl - a mixture of spicy chicken, cilantro, pickled reds, romaine lettuce, black beans, and a little sour cream. Truly amazing. After our Lloyd's experience, Joey and I made our way down to Buffalo's West Side. Why, you ask? Joey had to go down to this office on Broadway Ave. to ask some questions about grad school volunteer work. Joey is from Elmira, and thought he could handle the hood of Buffalo. He was wrong. As we made our way into the literal ghetto, we sang along to Rascal Flatts. Did we have a death wish? Yes.
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