Both the location and appearance of Buffalo's Central Terminal has been know to scare people, but…read moredon't succumb to that impulse - this place is totally worth visiting! When you walk around inside the terminal, more likely than not the sights and the feel of this place will start your mind wondering about what happened here when this place shut down... If you' not brave enough to exlporing inside, the lines and shape of the main building and the lovely clocks all around are reason enough by themselves to at least do a drive-by :-)

If this were the Buffalo Dental Terminal, you could get your teeth fixed here. Whereas if it were…read morethe Mental Terminal, then they'd perform gruesome lobotomies. Come to think of it, this building seems just about haunted enough for that to be true. And if it were the Petal Terminal, well then it'd be a harmless Flower Market. Then again perhaps a Flower Market is a synonym for something gruesome. Hmm. Let me think on that one. I recently represented Yelp here at a booth, and that was really cool, to hang out inside it for a whole day. They really, really need some better Air Conditioning though! Lol. I guess the 1920s was pre-global-warming or something. I've been here many times. I've taken a self-guided tour (which I wasn't supposed to), I've taken an actual tour (which was free, because I know someone who knows someone), and I've even done a photo shoot here (for my first CD). I used to live about 10 minutes walk from this place. It hasn't changed much in all the time since I first saw it. Very run down. And yet it's so haunting and perfect that I love it. This is one of the most instantly recognizable buildings in the beautiful and remarkable old skyline of Buffalo. It towers above the East Side with its broken windows, it's massive haunting dark open shaft (minds out of the gutter), and its glowing clock faces. There have been concerts here, as well as ghost tours, but it remains largely in disrepair. Everyone and their mother is hoping that it never gets demolished, and is eventually restored. The sad thing is that once upon a time it was a truly great place, bustling and full of passengers heading to the other Central Terminal... Grand Central in NYC. The pictures of this place full of well-to-do Upstate New Yorkers getting on and off trains is very depressing. America has changed so much and not always for the better. It's one of my favourite places in Buffalo, and was featured in the booklet of my first CD for good reason. Let's make sure it never gets knocked down. In other news, my cat Harley just pooped all over my carpet. Scuse me while I kiss this guy. I mean clean the poop. Same thing really.

I highly recommend the Buffalo Lighthouse - what a gem with some of the best views of the city too!…read moreOpen seasonally, you can choose to explore the grounds, which includes some historical signage, nautical artifacts, and a tiny house where you can watch two videos, one about the evolution of lighthouses, and another that shows the inside of the lighthouse. And, for an additional fee, you can go inside the lighthouse. Note, the first half of the climb is stairs and the second half is three ladders to get to the top. It was a really great way to spend part of our afternoon, and I'd love to go back again. Note: I recommend checking their fb page before you go because they posts their hours regularly.

Definitely worth it to get the ticket to go up the light house. Great views from the top. There are…read moreladders if for the top that are slightly narrow. There is also a building showing videos of light house history in general as well as the Buffalo harbor specifically.

There are many historic buildings located in Buffalo. June is a good month to visit. While it…read morecould be raining, it also could be slightly windy and sunny. We hit a good day to walk. Some humidity yet pleasant. The area is lined with trees and greenery. Many of the historic homes in the city are now attorney offices. Street parking.

Buffalo is easy to rip on, but it has a great mix of architectural styles, delicious food, cool…read moreethnic neighborhoods, nice people, public markets, and the pride of place and culture you find in towns that were once great, then declined, then found their way back.

Recent day trip to Lockport from Rochester to check this out, an hour each way, and 2 hours in…read moreLockport so easy day trip. Tour is 1 1/2 hours, first an outdoor walking tour of the lock and the history, then a 1/2 hour walking in the tunnel/cave and then a 1/2 hour boat ride. Wear sneaks cause you're on your feet most of the time. Priced fair, tour guide was great, definitely a fun way to spend a morning or afternoon if you're in Western New York, If you've been to Howe Cavern's this is the same thing, only mini or light version, lol

Lockport Caves are a fantastic experience. If you haven't visited or heard of Lockport Caves, THEN…read moreyou must be living in a cave. I like to watch tv

Preservation Buffalo Niagara offers a FREE tour of Buffalo City Hall everyday at noon. You just…read moreshow up and meet the docent in the lobby. I had a great time learning all about the architecture which is an Art Deco masterpiece. The docent was very knowledgeable. We saw the Common Council Chambers and ended on tho Observation Deck. It was truly a marvelous tour....and it was free!

From the owner: PBN identifies, protects, and promotes our unique architecture and historic legacy, and connects…read morepeople to the places they love in Western New York.

https://www.emcotterconservancy.org/history…read more This fireboat has been in service to Buffalo and Western New York for 125 years ! Next month on September 20, 2025 there will be a celebration at River Fest Park 1-6pm to commemorate this historic fire boat. It's the world's oldest active fireboat and the only one in Buffalo. It can produce 15,000 gallons of water per minute, the equivalent of 10-11 fire engines. It's the only icebreaker in the port of Buffalo, and on July 4, 1996, it was designated a National Historic Landmark by the National Parks Service. And now, you can come aboard the 118-foot long, 178-ton Edward M. Cotter fireboat for absolutely free. Docked at 155 Ohio St. across from Swannie House, everybody is welcome to take a tour of the historic fireboat. Taking a tour of this fire boat and going out on the water on a beautiful summer evening with friends certainly has been the highlight of my summer in Western New York.

Barbi likes this boat, in fact, I cotter trying to get naked on it, needless to say I shut that…read moredown. And by shut that down I mean I did anything she wanted anytime she wanted obvi. This is a beautiful little red fire boat which my friend tells us is also the oldest fire boat that is still working and being used in the whole country. I've loved it since the first time I saw it here in B-Lo years ago. I didn't even know they had fireboats (in general) until I saw this little thing, and it's something which always adds to the lovely charm of the marina area.

Niagara Square is a public square located at the intersections of Delaware Avenue, Court Street,…read moreGenesee Street, and Niagara Street in Buffalo, New York. It is the central hub of Joseph Ellicott's original radial street pattern that he designed in 1804 for the then village of New Amsterdam. It continues to be the nexus of downtown Buffalo. Not to long ago, the square was used to film a movie. Also this area is used for food truck nights and other outdoor events.

Thursday is food truck day at Niagara Square. Judging from the crowds it seems like a highlight of…read morethe workweek for the downtown people. There are office workers, police workers, lawyers, blue collars, white collars, no collars. You name it. The trucks rotate weekly and I haven't found a weekly schedule. So it's a gamble for what you'll find. The gardens are well kept by a dedicated group of volunteers and a pleasure to wander through whether there are food trucks or not. The fountain and plaza have recently had a facelift so everything looks nice. It's a relaxing place to take a break if you're riding bikes around or taking 10 from your desk.

Another big beautiful bridge!…read more It's a beautiful site to behold honestly! Yes, it's me geeking out about Architecture again!

Yesterday in Niagara Falls Ontario, the traffic to cross the Rainbow Bridge was insane. Based up…read moreall through town to the highway, I'd guess people were waiting two hours to get back into the USA. I threw up my hands and decided to stay another night, spending last night in my RV (at the Walmart in Fort Erie) and got to the Peace Bridge crossing at 5:30 Monday morning. This went well with two exceptions... there was only ONE lane open despite the queue of 30+ vehicles and the queue only gets longer. And when they did open a second lane at 06:00, the clown in the pickup truck who decided that he had to cut the queue to be first. Sir, you suck. The bridge is at the eastern end of Lake Erie. It connects Buffalo New York with Fort Erie Ontario and crosses the Niagara River. Built in 1927, it has a total length of 5800 feet. There are three lanes for traffic which have signage to make them reversible. Today, the right lane was for trucks and commercial traffic only, with the center lane going to the USA for non-commercial traffic. There is a toll on the bridge but it is only for traffic entering Canada (same as the Lewiston-Queenston Bridge). There are three other crossings available. Check https://www.ezbordercrossing.com/list-of-border-crossings/new-york/ before starting out. My crossing today took about 25 minutes from arrival to "Welcome to the USA." [Review 1511 of 2024 - 428 in New York - 22534 overall]

Ibiza's where Mike took a pill And the rents around here…read moremake me ill But if they make you wince Just marry a Prince If the Harrys won't, Williamsville! Since the last time I reviewed this (18 months ago), this has basically been where I have spent the vast majority of my time. My gym is here, and I'm literally there from 3-5 hours every day of the week (can you tell). My tanning salon is close by (once a week, hi boys). I frequent several grocery stores in this area. I eat at Woo Chon Korea House at least once a week for their Yuk Gae Jang lunch special ($10) which is now by far the best Korean dish in the region since Seoul Garden closed down. I also hit up the amazing homestyle Chinese stuff at China King (Maple & N Forest) on a weekly basis. I ate a zillion times at Pita Gourmet, too, before I started grilling my own Chicken after finding out they don't give their tips to their employees (and I know other places around here that don't, either). Also I played soccer here once a week for years before I realized it was only causing me pain from exacerbated injuries, and making workouts harder. Barbie wants my body to be like the Atlas Mountains, and when my hamstrings and ankles and knees and groins are throbbing with pain, it's hard to work on that for her - and I'll do anything for her. She's been to W-Ville too... she waited at Starbucks while I was seeing my original WNY romantic partner (that I moved here for) at her work. The DiBella's here is pretty good. The Paneras are both iffy. There are some pretty nasty attitudes around here. Sweet Jenny's has great ice cream at both locations. There's a stunning waterfall here (and I don't mean Barbie). Anyway William just died so I need to go and see what he left me at the official reading of William's Will. My original review: If this were named Ricky Williamsville, everyone would be high on cannabis (rather than painkillers and anti-depressants). Thankfully it's not, it's merely Williamsville, which is more affiliated with the Patriots than Williams' Dolphins or indeed the Bills. You'll find out why later. I really love little Williamsville, it's adorable. It's like a smaller, friendlier, more manageable version of Amherst. Technically it IS Amherst, but whatever. Yes, it's a bit expensive and yes it's a bit fancy, but if you want to live in a suburban, fancy, friendly, safe, decent-smelling area, and not be too far from the city, W-Ville is where it's at. Plus Rob Gronkowski is from here. Don't tell me that you don't secretly get off on the fact that he is from here every time he scores yet another touchdown to destroy the dreams of Buffalonians just a little bit more. OK maybe not, but anyway. If I wanted to live closer to Buffalo (I live in the countryside now), this is where I'd probably live. It has everything a little cute American town should have... a lovely main street... lots of nice food options... good shopping options... friendly people... sometimes... plenty of greenery... and lots of people on painkillers and anti-depressants. There's plenty of nice noms here too, like Spices Of India (best Indian lunch buffet and amazing Garlic Naan), and Sweet Jenny's amazing Ice Cream, and of course Rachel's Lebanese is excellent too. Some excellent Buffalo-style pizza (Mattina's), and some nice back-road routes to avoid traffic (because Main Street through W-Ville is a nightmare). Nearby Marco's (Maple location only) has the best sandwich in WNY (the Sinatra... trust me, try it. One of the best in the country), and China King & Wok n Roll both have some excellent authentic Chinese dishes as well as the usual americanized stuff. The former is cheaper. The latter has bubble tea on weekends. Anderson's has its best location right in Wville, try the Beef On Weck, the Chicken Tender sandwich, and the custard. There's a Ted's on Transit (get the Polish) and La Divina has a location there now too (amazing tacos). Pita Gourmet, also, is nearby, as is The Pita Place for more Lebanese stuff. So lots of delicious options for you. And if the Bills won't satisfy you, maybe the Williamswill.

I spent a little bit a time in the village of Williamsville last week. I was there for a specific…read morepurpose, but my car was parked and I took a moment to just walk Main street. All the little shops are trying to be open, they all have hours clearly posted on the doors; they all have masks signs posted and are doing their best. Williamsville has created a few public parking places which is a really smart idea because it gets people into the area and it makes it easy for them to stay. The streets and the lights are all nicely managed and maintained, making for easy driving and walking experience both. Update 105 2021