wednesday december 17th 2008
Construction Watch: Main Street
West Coast Perspective
Main Street continues to stir. Ellicott Development is renovating a vacant, three-story, turn-of-the- 20th-century building at 1010 Main St. The property is located near North Street and is along the western edge of the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus. In Midtown, Regan Development is making progress converting the Packard Building to residential use.
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Chao Li
A corner joint needn't be a dive.
And Papa Jake's doesn't make its patrons choose between a laid-back bar atmosphere and delicious, fresh food. Scott Leary, the new owner of Papa Jake’s Saloon on Elmwood, knows how to provide casual comfort and a very satisfying dining experience.
“We don’t take shortcuts here at Papa Jake’s,” Leary says. He proves this with Papa Jake’s fresh and tasty menu. “I don’t want to call this a late night menu, because we have amazing food from lunch till 1AM.”
Papa Jake’s atmosphere is relaxed, and everyone here is at home. Even on a Monday night, the kitchen is busy pumping out food to both the bar and the dining customers. We couldn't wait to join them. As appetizers, my guest and I had Clams Casino (1/2 dozen, $6.25), Crispy Calamari ($6.25), Papa Jake’s Fresh Cut Fries with gravy ($2.75), and Hot Banana Pepper…
buffalorising
Elvis Presley’s influence on music is legendary. The man was such a force that even after his untimely death, there are still those who refuse to believe he’s truly gone. He would have been 74 years old come January 8th, 2009 and there are a number of musicians out there who still honor him on that date. Now, you can have the opportunity to celebrate the King while listening to his classics – live.
The Elvis Birthday Bash Band isn’t just one band, but three bands combined. Mark Gamsjager and the Lustre Kings add Johnny Rabb of the Neanderthals and Eddie Angel of the Los Straitjackets/Planet Rockers/Ian and the Aztecs to come together and create a powerhouse even the King himself might have a hard time reckoning with. The Lustre Kings have been touring the country for years while Johnn…
buffalorising
What could be more perfect to spread the news about local artists at the Buffalo Indie Market than a literary magazine that features works from local artists? NOMAD is a new magazine set to debut in January 2009 that will feature writers, poets, photographers, artists, and designers from the area. Erica Eichelkraut, a freelance photographer, created NOMAD and is bringing it to the public. Since Eichelkraut is a part of the Buffalo Indie Market, it wasn’t long before a collaboration was brewing.
Eichelkraut and the Buffalo Indie Market are teaming up to make a reversible publication. One side will feature NOMAD and the various artists of Buffalo while the other side will be a 2009 calendar/artist directory of the 2009 market season for the Buffalo Indie Market. 20,000 copies of this free magazine will be published and placed all around Buffalo where they hope to have the most i…
tuesday december 16th 2008
Ring out the Old, Ring in the New
Wudenbachs
Ring in the New Year from one of Buffalo's great urban vistas and at the same time help the Western New York Book Arts Center grow. This fund raiser event is a great way to celebrate the past with a look to the future of Buffalo's cultural landscape. From the first and second floors of the Book Arts Center you can see the Niagara Mohawk Electric tower from where the ball will drop at midnight. While the masses wait outside in the cold for the ball drop & fireworks, you can have a panoramic view from the second floor or from the exact viewpoint that Charles Burchfield painted his "Buildings and Street Scene":at the corner of Washington St. & Mohawk (the Slotkin Building).
This "1920s Black Tie Optional" New Year's Eve party wi…
queenseyes
It was only last week when we began to install the parking meter poles on Allen Street that architect and UB professor Brad Wales pointed out to me what their artistic significance really was. "Have you ever seen the words on the poles," he asked me. I told him that I had noticed the words, but was not sure why they were there. "It was part of the Small Built Works (SBW) project back in '01. Each word begins with the prefix 're'. It was done to add a human element to the dehumanizing streetscape that is often found (normally the parking meter poles feature stenciled identification numbers). We did it in conjunction with the Pan Am Centennial.
"The prefix 're' was selected because it has two meanings - back or backwards and again or anew. As a concrete poem, the poem itself looks both forwards and backwards. We were renewing Allen Street and paying tribute to the past. All 103 p…
queenseyes
With everyone talking about the auto bailout and the future roll to be played by car manufacturers, many people are beginning to look at local government's roll in the deal. Car manufacturers are looking for partners within city government that will make the transition to alternative energy easier. Some cities are answering the call by studying infrastructure in order to come up with plans that would allow residents the ability to make the transition a smooth one. There are still big fears when it comes to the prices and maintenance of owning an electric car. And what are the electric companies doing to ensure that the power is there when cities do lead the charge? From Tony Posawatz, vehicle line director of the Chevy Volt, in a recent CNET News article:
"We are looking at communities tha…
buffalorising
Too early to think about Mardi Gras? We don't think so! Plan ahead for the 2nd Annual Big Easy in Buffalo Jam on Feb. 20.
So far Music is Art (MiA) founder and president Robby Takac has booked New Orleans artists Marcia Ball, Papa Grows Funk, and Big Sam's Funky Nation, as well as local opener Eric Crittenden & Ron Davis (Leeron Zydeco) and a student battle of the bands winner.
"Buffalo and New Orleans are a lot alike," Takac said. "They're both great cities that keep going no matter what's thrown at them, and both cities have incredible local music scenes. I'm happy we can give our community the chance to hear these great musicians. Anyone who comes to our annual Music is Art festival knows we showcase great music, so The Big Easy in Buffalo series fits perfectly with our mission."
In addition to the concert, all the bands will take part in music education programs dur…
Elena Cala Buscarino
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Newell and I met up with WBFO News Director Mark Scott for our weekly Buffalo Rising Round Table. We discussed Buffalo First's Amy Kedron's initiative to infuse the local economy via Buffalo Bucks. Amy's idea of printing Buffalo-centric dollars for that extra boost to area shop owners appeals to us. Buffalo First also put out a coupon book recently; $10 gives purchasers the potential for $2,500 in savings.
It was a touchy week in county government, when the legislature overrode the county executive's budget vetoes. If the goings-on were to receive a rep…
andalu13
Christmas must be right around the corner. A number of Buffalo bars had the pleasure of some additional holiday entertainment as over 50 St. Nicks took part in the 5th annual “Santa Claus Pub Crawl for Charity” this past Saturday night. Jeff Polisoto, Head Santa, has been organizing this event since 2003 and has seen the number of Santas and charitable contributions grow exponentially over the years. “We still have money coming in, but should be able to donate approximately $5000 to a Buffalo family(s) in need”, Jeff told me over the phone yesterday. Several corporate sponsors including Labatt Blue, Amherst Pizza & Ale House and Grand Tours helped to make the night a special one for the patrons at Coles, Cozumel, Lafayette Tap Room, 67 West and Soho.
Just the sight of over 50 Santas entering a bar is pretty cool. They spend about an hour per bar handing out candy …
