Elbert Hubbard: An American Original debut

by Carolyn Batt

The life story of one of the most influential and controversial American (or shall we say Buffalo) figures will air on Monday, November 23rd at 10pm. Elbert Hubbard: An American Original will be broadcast on WNED-TV in Buffalo and nationwide on PBS.

The documentary, narrated by actor Liev Schreiber, with Adam Arkin providing Hubbard’s voice, will chronicle the life of the founder of the Roycroft artisan community in East Aurora.

The ultimate non-conformist, Elbert Hubbard rose from anonymity to become an influential author, publisher, lecturer and entrepreneur. He influenced popular culture at the turn of the twentieth century, and led the Roycroft community to be at the forefront of the Arts & Crafts movement, which rejected industrialization and emphasized the hand-crafting of everyday objects.

WNED Producer Paul Lamont, who also produced Frank Lloyd Wright’s Buffalo for PBS, describes his latest film as “a story of love, art, passion and controversy set against the backdrop of the Arts and Crafts Movement.”

The Roycroft Campus Corporation is still flourishing today, currently restoring its original multi-building complex– a national historic landmark and the nation’s only authentic Arts and Crafts community.

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Main Street, Williamsville

by Carolyn Batt

Growing up in the Buffalo suburb of Williamsville, and having relocated to the city after graduating college, I find myself returning to my roots (if 15 minutes from the city is what you want to call it) often.

The Village of Williamsville has one of the most charming Main Streets in the area that is quickly becoming reminiscent of Elmwood Avenue. New shops, restaurants and cafes are popping up what seems like daily to line the streets of this quaint area.

It’s not hard to spend an entire day along Main Street. Begin with picking up a freshly baked pastry at DiCamillo’s, a Western New York bakery-staple for more than a century, and head across the street to the brand-new Spot Coffee for a unique twist on coffee.

If you’re looking for a great salon, Williamsville is chocked full of at least a dozen hair and spa locations. Capello, voted “Best Salon in Western New York” by Buffalo Spree is right in the heart of Main Street, along with Leon’s, Chez Ann Salon and Excuria, offering a complete spa experience.

For high-end shopping, Tony Walker offers the latest fall fashion with Citizens of Humanity jeans, North Face jackets and Juicy Couture purses. Pizza Plant—home of the pod, is right next door. Try the Wingy Dingy pod, a mix of chicken, ricotta, mozzarella, marinara wing sauce, cayenne and blue cheese for that wing fix if you’re tired of plain old chicken wings.

For dinner, it’s a toss up for two of the best restaurants in the area. Overlook Ellicott Creek and enjoy a gourmet dinner at Creekview, or head to the Eagle House, open since 1827 and a stop along the Underground Railroad.

The Village of Williamsville offers so much to see, eat and shop at, that you may find yourself returning frequently as I do to spend more than a day here.

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Extreme Makeover Home Edition

by Kathy Benzel

The last week in my neighborhood has been one of the best ever! What began as a TV project to build a new house is turning into the transformation of a whole neighborhood.

On Saturday, November 7th, the Extreme Makeover Home Edition bus pulled in front of 228 Massachusetts, just two blocks from my home on Buffalo’s West side. Although I wasn’t there for Ty Pennington to yell “Good Morning Powell Family,” I was there shortly afterwards and stuck around for the better of the first day, watching as 1,000 of the more than 4,500 volunteers arrived to start the demolition and renovation.

Delores Powell is a Jamaican immigrant and community activist whose home was barely livable despite the work and repairs she had poured into it over the past five and a half years. She lives with four of her seven children, and is instrumental in helping ensure our neighborhood gets better. This very deserving woman was about to see incredible things happen for her family and the neighborhood.

I was amazed on day four, because the house was already up with work being done on the inside, and many other homes had exterior renovations well underway. Volunteers and spectators filled the neighborhood, and the enthusiasm was everywhere.

I can’t even convey how thrilling it was to see the culmination of all the efforts on Saturday, November 14th. When that bus came back and blocked the home from the Powell Family’s view as they returned from their vacation in Disney World, the crowd was roaring “MOVE THAT BUS” and the community’s pride was palpable. To see this spirit of cooperation, and the great results of this immense project, brought tears of joy to my eyes, and to many others who were fortunate enough to be there.

From the very start, I could tell that this was going to be a catalyst for change in my neighborhood. I’m a lifelong resident of Buffalo and proud of it. Signs of tough times have fallen on many urban areas of the country, and we are no exception. This project has been so beneficial – not just for the Powell Family – but for many, many more on Buffalo’s West side. Click here to view a short slideshow of the process.

Special thanks to all the volunteers and organizations involved in this project. Some among them were David Homes, WNY AmeriCorps, PUSH, Buffalo Re-Tree, Buffalo ReUse, D’Youville College Upward Bound, and others we may never be aware of. Corporate sponsorships were also amazing.

I echo Mayor Brown’s comments I heard on TV this morning: “Let’s keep this going in the entire City of Buffalo!”

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Lions and Tigers and Bears…Oh My!

by Mark Utzig

This past weekend I took my semi-annual trip to the zoo with my nephews. The zoo never ceases to amaze me. You’d never guess the Buffalo Zoo is the third oldest in the country given the new exhibits and renovations. We started off by visiting the polar bear habitat followed by the sea lion cove. This was truly a remarkable new edition to the zoo. After doing a little walking around and stopping for lunch at the Pizza Post, we made our way over to the newly built Rainforest Falls. My nephews loved this spectacle, especially the brightly colored toucans and the enormous anaconda snake. After visiting this venue for a while, we strolled over to check out the Siberian Tigers and lions. The size and strength of these animals is impressive even for adults! After visiting some other exhibits, we ended our visit at the gorilla house. It’s crazy how human-like, gorillas are! Before leaving, we stopped in the gift shop for a souvenir. It was tough for my nephews to pick out just one item because there was so much to choose from. Clearly they remember that Uncle Mark is quite the pushover so we left with a stuffed version of our own little zoo! The Buffalo Zoo was a perfect Saturday delight for my nephews and with such a warm-like atmosphere, it makes for a pleasant family event. Please visit their website for hours and admission prices.

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Christmas Crafts at the Fairgrounds

by Mark Utzig

One of my favorite times of year is fast approaching, and I like to kickstart the season by attending the Christmas in the Country craft show at the Hamburg Fairgrounds. I’ve been attending this show for the past three years and am amazed every time of the fantastic artistry and professionalism that is displayed. This event hosts 400 artisans from 25 different states, along with craftsmen from Canada, Great Britain and Germany! The incredible display of hand-crafted Christmas collectibles and antiques makes for a perfect holiday gift. So make your way out to the Hamburg Fairgrounds this weekend, and enjoy a little Christmas spirit in November. Visit their website for ticket information and event times.

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Rebels With a Cause

by Carolyn Batt

One of Buffalo’s most anticipated themed charity events, Catwalk for Charity IV will take place on Sunday, November 8th. Slick your hair back and prepare to be taken back to a decade where rock ‘n roll was the new rage. Buffalo Sabres’ goalie Ryan Miller’s annual fundraiser soiree, will have a “Fabulous Fifties” theme and feature food, fun and fashion—and of course, the Buffalo Sabres out of uniform. Taking place at Town Ballroom, the lineup this year is set to feature many new and exciting elements including dishes from some of Western New York’s finest restaurants, a live and silent auction, and of course, the anticipated “catwalk” where Sabres players will model fashion from The Refinery, Ryan Miller’s clothing store.

Catwalk for Charity IV is a 21+ event and all proceeds will benefit The Steadfast Foundation, founded by Ryan Miller. The Steadfast Foundation is dedicated to assisting those afflicted and affected by the consequences of cancer, and especially childhood forms of the disease. Among the organizations supported by this event are Carly’s Club for Kids and Cancer Research at Roswell Park Cancer Institute. For more information, please visit www.thesteadfastfoundation.com, or to purchase tickets go to www.ticketmaster.com

Catwalk for Charity IV
Sunday, November 8th
Town Ballroom
681 Main Street
Buffalo, NY 14203

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Buffalo: You’ll Eat It Up!

Food lovers rejoice, because while we are justifiably proud of our chicken wings, there is so much more to the Buffalo culinary scene than hot sauce and blue cheese dressing. Start with enormous ethnic diversity, add in a profusion of local farms and orchards and a microclimate in nearby Niagara County that is ideal for fruit and grape growing and what do you get? You get great restaurants, delicious local specialties, wine trails, farmers markets, gourmet food shops, cooking classes, and more. Click here for a quick tour of Buffalo’s culinary wonderland.

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Buffalo’s Viva Vivaldi Festival: A Feast for the Ears

by Ed Healy

Buffalo’s annual Viva Vivaldi Festival got underway last night in the newly opened Buffalo Religious Arts Center in the city’s Black Rock neighborhood. What a fitting setting for Antonio Vivaldi’s soul-stirring sonatas and concertos! Last night’s program marked the start of the 31st installment of this immensely popular Buffalo musical event and the full house did not leave disappointed. Various members of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra took turns stepping into the spotlight and offering listeners musicality of the highest caliber.

Festival founder and violinist Marylouise Nanna got things off to a delightful start with the help of BPO violinist Ansgarius Aylward on Vivaldi’s Concerto in D Minor for two violins, strings and cembalo. What a treat. The interplay of the two violinists was sublime, filling the former St. Francis Xavier Church with gorgeous sounds and raising expectations for the program to come. What followed was a masterful tour of baroque masterworks by Vivaldi and his contemporaries Tomaso Albinoni and Giovanni Bonocini. In fact, it was Bonocini’s Sinfonia No. 10 in D Major for two trumpets that provided the highlight in an evening filled with them. BPO trumpeters Alex Jokipii and Geoffrey Hardcastle were mesmerizing as they hit notes that were high, bright, light and clear, infusing the former sanctuary with the joy that comes from music performed at the highest level. Bravo Ars Nova Musicians Chamber Orchestra and special guests!

The Viva Vivaldi Festival continues on Nov. 8 at Trinity Episcopal Church, 373 Delaware Avenue, Buffalo; Nov. 15 at First Presbyterian Church, 1 Symphony Circle, Buffalo; and Nov. 22 at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 1080 Main Street, Buffalo. All concerts begin at 6:30 pm. Admission is $10.

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Still Haven’t Been to Stillwater?

by Mark Utzig

If you haven’t experienced the upscale dining, fine drink and live entertainment at Stillwater, now’s the time. This past weekend, I had the opportunity to make my way into the comfortable, yet elegant setting of one of Stillwater’s four dining rooms. The atmosphere was perfect, with a beautiful fireplace gently ablaze amongst the fresh smelling aromas of the chef’s delicacies. I began the evening with a cup of their extraordinary French Onion Soup. The sweet caramelized onions and flavorful induced broth made me want a second helping, but I rightfully stopped myself knowing what I had coming next. My eyes were bigger than my stomach when I ordered the 32 oz. “Tomahawk” Chop. This house dry aged bone in Rib Eye was perfectly cooked to my liking, medium rare. This gigantic piece of flavor enrich meat came with a masterful side of roasted garlic whipped potatoes and seasonal vegetables. As hard as I tried to finish this delectable selection, I failed and had to take a “to go” box. Along with my steak to bring home, I couldn’t resist ordering the orange chocolate tart for a mid-night treat. The perfect combination of creamy chocolate and sweet orange tang made for a mouth-watering delight. With Stillwater’s stylish ambiance and fantastic food selections, it’s no wonder why this is one of Buffalo’s favorite hotspots. For more information regarding hours and menu features, visit www.thestillwater.com.

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Race across the Borders!

by Mark Utzig

The time has come for another rendition of the one and only Niagara Falls International Marathon. Beginning in 1974, this truly unique and special event showcases marathon runners from around the world participating in a 26.2 mile cross-border pursuit. That’s right! This is the only marathon in the world that starts in one country and finishes in another. The event takes place on Sunday, October 25th, 2009 @ 10am. The competition starts by the Albright-Knox Art Gallery and continues for 4 miles throughout the majestic parkways of beautiful Buffalo. The participants will then cross the Peace Bridge into the historic old town of Fort Erie, Ontario, where they then follow the Niagara River Parkway and finish at the magnificent Niagara Falls. All interested individuals must submit their entry forms by October 21st, 2009. For more information, please visit www.niagarafallsmarathon.com.