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Sunday, June 1 1:25 am/ Posted by Tamye / Permalink
By Richard Kegler
The aroma wafting from the General Mills factory in Buffalo is unlike any urban odor you would expect from a post-industrial Rust Belt city. The steel mills are now closed, but General Mills still cranks out toasty goodness (alternating between Cheerios and Cocoa Puffs) that can be detected from miles away. This is but one of the pleasant surprises to be found in Buffalo, New York.
Buffalo is a four-season city. While the media focus is on the occasional freak snow storm, autumn and spring are what they should be, and summer is a welcome time to enjoy the warm (but not so hot you can only survive by hopping from air-conditioned office to air-conditioned car to air-conditioned home). July is a great time to enjoy festivals, live outdoor concerts, markets, and the waterfront. Buffalo is a driving city, but to the person who doesn't mind a healthier option, walking the level terrain is a great way to spend a summer day exploring. People here are friendly, so if you are looking for something in particular, just ask.
The Metro light rail rapid transit system runs along Main Street from HSBC Arena to the University "South" Campus (which, oddly enough, is at the north end of the city). The above-ground portion of the Metro Rail is free. If you plan on going further north than the Theater District stop, be sure to buy a ticket before getting on board. The Hyatt Regency conference hotel is situated between the Fountain Plaza and Theater Metro stops. Head south to the last stop to see the terminus of the Erie Canal and the Naval and Servicemen's Park where a few WWII vintage vessels await explorers. A variety of harbor cruises are available, and a great summer hangout is the Hatch ice cream and hot dog stand at the waterfront park. Look out for the greedy birds begging for a handout.
Architecture
The central downtown area is fairly small but rewarding for the intrepid explorer. A guidebook called "Walk Buffalo" (out of print, but free copies are available at the TypeCon2008 registration desk) presents a great architectural walking map and guide to the diverse gems of American architecture to be found downtown. The free noontime City Hall tours are a great introduction to an Art Deco masterpiece. The observation deck is open and it's free of charge to visit all day - it's a great way to see a panorama of the city.
Between the two Karpeles manuscript museums sits the acoustically perfect Kleinhan's Music Hall, home to the Buffalo Philhamonic Orchestra. Designed by Eliel and Eero Saarinen (Helsinki Train Station, JFK TWA Terminal), it is a marvel of sight and sound.
With over six Frank Lloyd Wright sites, important works by American architects such as HH Richardson, and Fredrick Law Olsmsted's extensive park system, the fan of architecture will have plenty to see in Buffalo.
Eating and Shopping in the City
Tuesdays and Thursdays along Main Street, just south of the conference hotel, is a farmer's market. Mid-day live concerts at M&T bank plaza on Main Street are a big draw at lunchtime.
Venturing north from downtown (a 5-minute walk - and if you do walk, be sure to check out the Courier Express Building at Main and Goodell with its terra cotta friezes depicting the various stages of newspaper production!) At the first pay Metro Rail stop up Main Street, you'll come across a section known as Allentown, a Victorian-era neighborhood with antique shops and offbeat restaurants. If you continue up Main Street another two blocks, you'll find the Anchor Bar, home of the "Buffalo Wing" (locals omit the obvious geographic reference and just call them "wings").
Or, if you head west on Allen Street, you will find a much more colorful selection of shops and eateries. At Franklin Street, there's Fiddleheads and K Gallaghers. Duck up a little alley, Virginia Place, and find Mothers, Fat Bob's BBQ, and Scarlet. Across Allen from Virginia Place near Delaware Avenue is the Hero Design shop full of screen-printed concert posters and plastic adult toys (no, not that kind... the designer geek kind). Keep going up Allen and find Gabriel's Gate (for wings - theirs are at least as good as those at Anchor Bar) and Quaker Bonnet Eaterie for a fine quick lunch with their wonderful Cuban sandwich and homeade soups.
At the Corner of Allen and Elmwood, you will likely find soap bubbles wafting through the air. The "Bubble Man" likes to while his hours away from his corner apartment, amusing and confusing pedestrians and vehicular traffic alike at this busy intersection. On one corner is the Towne, an all-night Greek restaurant popular with the "had-to-leave-the-bars-because-it's-4am" crowd. Across the steet is "Steel Crazy Café" which could use some typographic help, but the crepes are worth the visit.
Further up Allen is the Old Pink, a black building with green flames and no sign. Inside is the grimiest dive bar you may have ever been in, with possibly the best steak sandwich in the universe. Up Allen a bit further is Sample, a restaurant that you cannot fill up on because everything is true to the name... a sample. The thimble-sized French onion soup would take about 40 servings to fully satiate. This is a good place to go if you are already full and just want a taste.
Across the street is Allen Street Hardware, that was - until recently - Allen Street Hardware. Now you can get a massive selection of wine and beer and baked brie with roasted nuts and tasty bar snacks instead of nuts and bolts by the pound. The nightlife is reminiscent of the East Village with a mix of hippie, punk, and transient types rubbing elbows with tourists from the suburbs. Nietzches nightclub rivals the Old Pink for dive status, with the addition of live music most nights. Other restaurants and bars round out an interesting street that is less annoying than the Chippewa district.
Looking for slightly more upscale restaurants and shops? Head back one block and wander north on Elmwood. At North Street (the highest point in the city of Buffalo, but not a very steep hill) is the Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum North Hall (site of the Wednesday night Stefan Sagmeister event). The next two blocks boast a mix of Victorian dwellings and shops. Between Bryant and Utica are enough restaurants to satisfy most tastes (see Elmwood section of guide). Within one block (past the KFC aroma) on Bryant is Aroma the restaurant.
The next block includes a great sampling of Buffalo restaurants:
Bistro Europa
484 Elmwood Avenue
Reservations not taken. Very small cozy place. Old-world recipes adapted for the 21st century gourmand. European comfort food and a large selection of Polish beer. 6 stars!!!!!!
Toro Tapas Bar
492 Elmwood Avenue
(716) 886-9457
Tasty small dishes that can run the up bill quickly, but good food!
Nektar
451 Elmwood Avenue
716-881-1829
Wine and martini bar. Fine dining featuring Mediterranean nouvelle cuisine.
Mode Urban Bistro
520 Elmwood Avenue
(716) 885-1500
Another good choice for a nice "moderately upscale" meal on Elmwood.
Mythos
510 Elmwood Avenue
Greek menu plus more. High-end diner in a nice setting. Stick-to-your-ribs cream soups!
Ambrosia
467 Elmwood Avenue
Another mainly Greek eatery (but not a diner) in a large space.
Louie’s Foot Longs
470 Elmwood Avenue
Char-grilled dogs with Texas hot sauce (which is not very hot nor is it particularly Texan) and other summery foods of the burger variety. The sweet potato fries with honey and butter are drool-worthy.
Elmwood Lounge
522 Elmwood Avenue
Go weekends for the live Incredible Lance Diamond show - not for the food.
Further up Elmwood is another apparent gap of housing outnumbering storefronts, but at Ferry begins Elmwood Village proper. Declared one of America's ten best urban villages, the next several blocks offer shopping, coffee, shopping, food, and more of all the previously mentioned (a saturday morning farmer's market at Bidwell is a good bet for the early riser). Just a mile or so up Elmwood is the Albright-Knox Art Gallery (hosting the Friday Night Erik Spiekermann event). It's well worth spending an afternoon visiting what is considered by many the finest collection of modern art after MOMA.
Across Elmwood is the sprawling campus of the Buffalo Psychaitric Hospital: an architectural masterpiece by HH Richardson. At night, its imposing twin towers evoke a feeling of Prague, but the immediate neighborshood is NOT Malá Strana. The grounds and Buffalo's sprawling city park system were designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and are considered among his finest projects. If traveling by car, keep going up Elmwood past the Albright another mile to Hertle. The intersection of Elmwood and Hertle is a sad site: a vacant lot, a Kinkos, and a couple of porn shops. Head east on Hertle and cross Delaware to enter a shopping district that rivals Elmwood for interesting locally-owned boutiques, ethnic restaurants, book and antique shops, and the North Park Theatre. If you make it down these nine blocks or so and still want more, get to the Texas Lone Star Fajita Grill. Humble and unassuming, try some of its fine "Fresh-Mex" guacamole on those tasty fajitas.
Double back and head down Delaware toward downtown. The stretch of buildings from Gates Circle at the entrance of Forest Lawn Cemetery to the hub of the circular street plan in front of City Hall is strewn with an array of mansions built for the wealthy elite who thrived during the heyday of the Erie Canal and Great Lakes industry. Most of these buildings now house law offices or non-profit headquarters, but "Millionaire's Row" offers a striking counterpoint to the bungalows and cottages of Allentown. Getting closer to the conference hotel at Delaware and Tupper is "Babeville," the oddly named church converted into performance and gallery space by indie music juggernaut Ani DiFranco. The space is home to Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center and the 9th Ward lounge bar (hosting the Tuesday evening TypeCon Pecha Kucha Night).
Every type of ethnic food is available somewhere in Buffalo, but it often takes a little sleuthing on where to find it: Polish German (Ulrich's is the oldest pub in Buffalo; try the U-boat - a black-and-tan with Warstiener Pils and Guinness), Thai, Korean, Japanese, etc. Oh, and lots of wings!
Three last words on food: "Beef-on-Weck." This Buffalo tradition was the the third W in the Buffalo Wild Wings franchise's original name. Best place to get it? Schwabl's in West Seneca.
Other areas worth exploring:
NIAGARA FALLS
Niagara Falls is a quick 20-minute drive from downtown Buffalo. A bargain-rate Metro bus route (#60 Express) costs all of $2.25 (in each direction). Plenty of standard tourist guides can offer insights on the mighty Niagara.
EAST AURORA
The Roycroft campus is 20 minutes in the opposite direction from Niagara Falls and a must-visit for fans of the Arts and Crafts movement. Located in East Aurora, New York, this will be the site of the closing party for TypeCon, but those who wish to stay in the Roycroft Inn before or after the conference should book now. Other sites in East Aurora include the North American headquarters of Fisher Price toys with its Toytown museum and outlet shop, the Millard Filmore and Elbert Hubbard Museums, and a quaint village setting with the ever-popular Vidler's 5&10 shop.
ROCHESTER - ROCHESTER INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (RIT)
Of particular interest at RIT is the Melbert B. Cary, Jr. Graphic Arts Collection. The collection is a renowned resource for those studying printing history, bookbinding, typography, papermaking, calligraphy, and book illustration processes. The Cary Collection is one of the country's premier libraries on the history and practice of printing. The original collection of 2,300 volumes was assembled by New York City businessman Melbert B. Cary, Jr., during the 1920s and 1930s. Noted author and TypeCon2008 speaker David Pankow is the collection's curator, and will host a small contingent of conference attendees on Tuesday, July 15 (morning and afternoon - you'll be back to Buffalo in time for type night at Pecha Kucha!).
FLEA MARKETS
Sunday mornings, Clarence Antique World
In the era of Ebay, open-air flea markets are becoming a rare breed, but two area flea markets are still thriving. Super Flea in Cheektowaga (past the Galleria Mall on Walden) offers the more gritty variety ranging from pure junk to pure crap with a few treasures turning up (I found a vintage Vox amp and a cast iron book press for $50 each about 20 years apart). Go for week-old baked goods, stay for the humanity-watching. The more upscale Sunday morning option is way out Main Street to Clarence, New York. This high-end suburb has a long-standing antique market which is much less of a flea market but still holds a fair amount of interesting ephemera. Leave for both at 6 am to get the best parking and selection and get back in time for the conference!
Wednesday morning is the unlikely day of the week when the Springville auction takes place. Rain or shine, an outdoor livestock and goods auction is combined with a farmer's market and flea market. Springville is at at the end of the 219 highway heading south out of Buffalo (about 20 miles). Amish baked goods and genuine country auctioneers talking at impossible speeds and the thrill of finding old signage and ephemera are a must for the collector of "stuff." But get back in time for the workshops!
Other local sites of interest:
Botanical Gardens
QRS Piano Roll Factory
Kazoo Factory
Jello Museum
Carousel Museum
Lockport
Canalfest
Letchworth State Park
For additional goings-on and insight into the Buffalo area, visit Buffalo Rising and the Buffalo Niagara Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Getting There
Car
Buffalo is situated less than two hours from Toronto and within 500 miles of 41% of the US population and 62% of Canada's population, making driving from Detroit, Cleveland, New York, or Boston a viable option for getting to Buffalo.
Train
Amtrak stops in Buffalo, but the main area terminal is in Depew. If you are taking Amtrak and wish to go directly to the conference hotel, be sure to get a ticket to (Buffalo-Exchange Street) and exit the train at the Downtown Train Stationette. It is two blocks from the Main Street Light Rail station that will take you to the Hyatt Regency. Not all trains stop at this station, i.e., trains going to and from Chicago and points west only stop at "Buffalo-Depew," which is still a few miles from city center, so make sure you check the timetables and plan accordingly.
Air
Travelers to TypeCon can arrive from many points directly to the Buffalo Niagara International Airport. Major airlines with regular routes include Delta, Northwest, Continental, US Air, United, JetBlue, Southwest, and others. Direct international flights are scarce, but most major US hubs such as NYC and Boston service Buffalo regularly.
From Outside the United States
The US dollar is extremely low against other currencies, which makes this already affordable city a terrific bargain.
Travelers from Europe or other locales outside North America who are also visiting Canada may find arriving via Toronto's Pearson Airport to be a good option. If you do plan on arriving in Canada and traveling via land to the US, be sure to check passport and visa requirements from your country in advance of departure.
A valid passport is required for all nationalities visiting the United States.
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