08/02/14 02:37 - ID#59259

Masquerade

After the bike ride we tried to see the fire dancers at Days park, but failed. I caught up with (e:terry) and every one at Nietzsche's. Erica had everyone ausglitzerte with her unicorn dust.

Later we met up with Mike, Seth, Dave and (e:steve) at Cathode.

Permalink: Masquerade.html
Words: 52
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 08/02/14 01:00

Category: bikes

08/02/14 02:36 - ID#59258

Slow ride

Tonight (e:yesthatcasey), (e:paul), (e:terry) and I went on the slow roll ride.
For August it merged with the Buffalo bike party that was so awesome in June. This ride was not as fun as the party ride - we stopped way too much. They should have corked the intersections and gotten everyone through rather than waiting at every light. Other than that it had a good turn out and amazing weather for it.

The route ran from the new bike-bar Handlebar on Swan Street, down to the Central Terminal, up to MLK Park and then back downtown to Handlebar. Terry was weirded out and said it was cultural tourism - a crowd of outsiders rolling through rough neighborhoods in Buffalo to gape. I see his point, but maybe that is too cynical - I think it also gives a chance for people not from these neighborhoods to see that there's more to them than their stereotypes. For example Paul had never seen the beautiful houses on Northhampton or the new splashpad at the park.

The splashpad was freaking awesome to ride around.

Terry went home, but we continued on to Handlebar with Kerry. The bar was awesome and they did a real nice job on the new building. It's attached to this expensive bike shop - Paul wanted this white and gold fixie. Very eye-talian.

The bike company Campanaglo will sell you this wine opener for a cool $225

Permalink: Slow_ride.html
Words: 271
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 08/02/14 01:38

Category: buffalo

08/02/14 02:35 - ID#59256

New Allen Street office

We looked at (e:allenstreet)'s new office space further down on Franklin. It was so crazy huge - over 2600 square feet. It once was two side by side apartments above the flooring company. Now they're connected and a mix of office and living space.

The place was very catty - even I felt allergic - but part of the lease would include new flooring and changes to make it more office friendly. I feel like it has a lot of potential.

Even crazier is the back office which is also for rent. It wraps all the way around the block to Founding Fathers/

Permalink: New_Allen_Street_office.html
Words: 163
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 08/02/14 01:09

Category: birthday

08/02/14 02:34 - ID#59254

Birthday dinner

Thursday my family came over to celebrate my birthday and all my siblings' going aways. My mom made pizza and a chocolatey cake. I forget sometimes you need to triple your volume to talk when that many people are together.

There was a lot of knife pointing for some reason.

Permalink: Birthday_dinner.html
Words: 68
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 08/02/14 12:21

Category: work

07/31/14 01:56 - ID#59247

Chew the fat

Non-sensical measurements, as seen at employee appreciation day. If you manage to chew all day you can burn off 1.309 orders of TGIFriday's mozzarella sticks! Fun story

Permalink: Chew_the_fat.html
Words: 27
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 07/31/14 02:00

Category: food

07/29/14 10:22 - ID#59244

Sunday cookout

Sunday, we wrapped up the weekend with a cookout. (e:dave) and (e:heidi) came over.
(e:paul) was the grillmeister.

Greens, corn on the cob, string beans, fake snausage, salt potatoes and grilled zuchinni

Heidi's happy face

(e:caseythatcasey)'s plate-o-meat - chicken sans skin courtesy of (e:mike)

Permalink: Sunday_cookout.html
Words: 67
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 07/30/14 10:43

Category: party

07/27/14 12:17 - ID#59240

Hide and seek

After Windmill Point we had a last minute party. (e:robert) and mickey came by and got us to play hide and seek - this house is definitely big and dark enough for it. It wouldn't be a party though, if it didn't end on the roof.

Permalink: Hide_and_seek.html
Words: 62
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 07/27/14 12:49

Category: swimming

07/27/14 12:16 - ID#59239

Windmill Point

We ditched Mike and Dave for camping at Windmill Point on Friday, but we did ride over to swim on Saturday. I was surprised at how well (e:mike) handled camping (Dave didn't get pushed into a fire).

The quarry was amazingly warm and I got to practice diving with (e:terry) a little.
We tried to find the mysterious neighboring quarry from google maps, but it's all privatized with signs *WARNING* you not to trespass.

On the bike path back, we were joined by John, this bleach blond man from Toronto. I thought we were just going to have a short chat, but it got real weird real quick. Apparently he got deported from the United States a few years ago, and wants nothing more than to find a Buffalo husband so he can come back.

He asked Terry to mentor him, help him find love, and get married. When he found out Terry was married, he told me that maybe one day we could get married. When we commented on how there was little to do in Ft. Erie compared to Toronto, he volunteered that there was plenty to do at his house. No thank you.

I was a relieved when we got to the border because I'm sure he would have followed us home. He let us know he would scream, cry and pray that we would come back for him.

Permalink: Windmill_Point.html
Words: 239
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 07/27/14 12:48

Category: art

07/27/14 12:16 - ID#59238

Dreamland

On Friday, (e:paul), (e:terry), (e:yesthatcasey) went to crust. (e:paul) felt sick and headed home, but the rest of us went to Dreamland for their infringment piece about porn.

I can't really post most of the pictures but there was porn karaoke (you passed a mic around and dubbed silent porn). There were porn pictures with cats pasted over the faces. and there was Mike, Seth and Jenn dressed in ridiculous scantily clad outfits, and everyone got to sketch them out.

Permalink: Dreamland.html
Words: 87
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 07/27/14 12:40

Category: allentown

07/27/14 12:15 - ID#59237

Luxury by the Hill hotel

The boarded up and paved house next to the Hill Hotel on Franklin now has a sign from Sinatra that "luxury apartments" are now coming to the property. I wonder if he's behind the LLC that boarded up the house and paved the lawn? But finally! I can't believe it's sat vacant for so long.

If this is true I can't imagine the Hill hotel is going to be the way it is much longer.

On one hand I hate the owner for putting nothing into it and letting it rot (the Erie County Real tax site says Richard A Panicali is in care of trust that owns it). It's one of the worst properties in Allentown (how long has that busted Porsche been rotting there?). Any sort of renovation or improvement would make the street and Allentown so much nicer. Maybe it would even kick off development on the parking lots all down the street.

On the other hand I do feel sorry for some of the residents if they get kicked out for nicer housing. There aren't many low cost housing options this central to everything. And the fact that the owner has put zero into it and could probably turn a huge profit by selling it makes me sick.