The food truck battle in Buffalo reinforces some ridiculousness that I foolishly thought was disappearing. We spend so much time thinking about what might happen, almost nothing ever actually does.

The notion that the downtown restaurants “are sick” of the food truck “invasion” is rather nutty. It reminds me of the anuerysms that coffee shop owners had when Starbucks entered the region. Those shops made good product and everybody was fine. There has yet to be a food truck park right outside the Ellicott Square Building or right in front of the local pizza chain, but apparently that has to be guarded against. I guess my question is why. The acclaimed taco truck does lunch time business at the corner of Main and Mohawk, an intersection served mostly by the occasional homeless guy. The others go to spots where there aren’t much in terms of alternatives.

It amuses me that one of the leading squawkers is a former tea-party less government is better candidate for state office.

I can’t help but think that if people are walking past reheated pizza slices to stroll a couple of blocks for a freshly made lunch, perhaps those screeching should look at their own operations instead of screaming for regulation.

If people aren’t buying your stuff, maybe your stuff needs to improve. If you are worried about people continuing to buy your stuff, maybe you need to find a reason to keep them buying your stuff.

Reading about the permit process that the Ice Cream Bicycle dudes had to go through when nobody else was vending was mind boggling and we haven’t evolved any further when one truck got ticketed for a law that didn’t exist yet. Um, what??

Things get unnecessary hard when paranoia has people staking turf out instead of trying make something that doesn’t suck.

This is a battle riddled with inconsistencies as a local brick and mortar pizza chain had no problem dragging a trailer next to the food trucks at the Music is Art fair last week. That’s all well and good, and I hope everybody made money and a grand time. My son ate pizza, I had a nice burger from the truck next door and we were happy.

Choice is good, folks.

While us who follow the Sabres are understandably enamored with goings on orchestrated by Ted Black and Terry Pegula, I spent the afternoon basking in the efforts of another prominent Buffalonian as Robby Takac put on the latest edition of Music is Art on the Shakespeare Hill in Delaware Park.

Literally something for everybody, but if you haven't heard "We're Not Gonna Take It" or "I'm Too Sexy for my Shirt" done Polka Style then you haven't lived dear friends.

Kind of ironic to note that we're at the height of the food truck battles, one of the complaining entities pulls up their trailer next to the Roaming Buffalo, an entity you should visit.



























And as my son shows, getting VIP treatment is pretty cool too.

9/11 - Everybody has something to say about it as we've reached another milestone with that day

It's on my mind too, thanks to the regurgitation of the tv coverage. One of those seminal moments that seems like 2 minutes ago and twenty years ago at the same time. MSNBC reran the two hours of the Today show from that day and it was hard to not watch and wonder.

At the time, both my sisters were Manhattan residents. As I watched things unfold, I tried to remember my New York geography, hoping (correctly) that their routines at them safely out of harms way. My Dad and his software skills were rented out to a firm whose offices were across the street from the Pentagon. So it was a full day.

Because it was so seminal, I think it is one of those things where there will always be a faction that is just raw. The hullabaloo over who is invited for this or that seems like needless squabbling and no I won't use my facebook status for such propaganda.

My son was three and looking forward to Blues Clues but for once I was stuck on the Today Show as they brought whoever they could find in an attempt to describe it all.

I remember calling his mom at work and telling her to get to a tv set. At the time, the one tower of the trade center was on fire, but the time she saw it, the tower was falling.

Watching the rerun of the coverage, it is easy to second guess the bewilderment of the Today show crew as it was unfathomable. I've been a big fan of the show "Rescue Me" which has those events as a prevailing theme for its cast of characters. You seen that second plane and feel the jolt all over again. It looks like the scene from a movie, but tragically isn't. The "Rescue Me" folks had an interesting scene two weeks ago that I think put some of the squabbling over who gets invited to what ceremony in the proper perspective. The Chief of the firehouse gave a rare unterrupted speech about how those who died aren't celebrated on any wall, or any special ceremony. They are remembered by continuing to talk about them. And I think about all the events of the day in general.

It was an unfathomable horror, but it didn't effect everybody precisely the same.

It is good to see activity at that location and how One World Trade Center is 80 stories into the sky. Five years ago, all the political squabbling going on created a much ado over the hole in the ground zero, but not much else, so that progress in encouraging.

Note that the Border Collie has put the stick down in front of the “man.”


“Throw the stick Mister! Do I have to draw you a map?”

I'm not a good civic booster. After staying out till the hours known as wee on Friday, walking the wing fest yesterday was a nausous feeling that I could only escape by running here, this after taking a well deserved nap in the comfort of my ac laden bedroom.

Felt better because of stepping into the water, laughed all the way as I accomplished the completion of the parenting triple header, embarrassed the young son. He was the longest hold out, but apparently me walking the marina barefoot was too much for him, walked about 15 feet behind me all the way back to the car.

It's good to be five

Needed to get this out somewhere. I picked up a friend of the female persuasion a couple years back. We dated for a bit then cooled off, met up after a few months then cooled off, chatted occasionally and started doing stuff once in awhile and during last winter became involved again only to have it go off the rails shortly after St. Patrick's Day.

Saved a friendship which is nice, if a little odd, but it worked as she was my main music seeing partner for summer tunes. Neither of us was involved and I'll admit to occasionally wishing for another chance, but such is life.

About two weeks ago, she became involved with some guy. Trying to be a friend, I tried to say all the right supportive things.

Now, back in June we bought tickets for last night's Great Big Sea show, and she offered a surplus ticket to the new dude. I asked if this was now a date night and I'm in the way. No, no, it is a music night.

All well and good, but I get this feeling of dread even before arriving last night. Dude is sitting on the porch so I being a grownup went and said hello. My friend appears and gives me the usual hug, no big deal, but pulls out cigarettes. This is new, only being an occasional smoker. It was like watching somebody play a role.

My music loving partner talked through the first 1/3 of Great Big Sea. I had to walk away a couple of times because I felt my head hurting.

You ever look forward to something then really tread it. My friend was there in body, but its inhabitant was all about impressing this person. Part of me understand that but watching somebody you know turn and twist their usual persona is something I don't understand.

I guess what has me most upset is this feeling of I don't know, abandonment, that relagated me to third wheel and concerned that my friend is gone.

When you don't many to start with at this age, that is a harsh thing too.

So, I'm not sure what to do. Have I be getting used all along? Do I react any further? Pretty sure if I go to the Machine at Artpark on Tuesday, I think it won't be in their company.
Sorry, need to vent somewhere than other to my ex

So, summer is winding down. I hate that. I guess all seasons have to, but for whatever reason, Winter seems like to loiter like a bad party guest, rummaging for more dip in the fridge when you just want to go up to bed. My informal exercise program this summer has included laps of the Erie Basin Marina and the Central Wharf. It was interesting to note the stage for the concerts was away for a time before returning for the last stand this weekend. I've partaken in the local outdoor shows with greater abandon this year and I've had a lot of fun doing it. It's a bit of a double-edged sword. Some arrive for the music, some arrive to just be there, and some just arrive.

While there are already a couple of nice indoor shows coming up for this music buff, the Great Big Sea show is something I've been looking forward to since June and somewhat of a curtain closer as well.

I like a good fun band outside, but the idea that one last trip to Artpark for the Machine's Pink Floyd tribute show might need a jacket is an idea that I'm not quite adjusted to yet.



I know, anticipation of fall is a beautiful thing, but I just want one more beach trip or to in, before we call it a season.

Nice, late September feel to today. Took some time to go play in some usual haunts

I took my new Nikon camera with for some wandering around on the marina and broderick park. I think I might have spied (e:matthew) by the Miss Buffalo.







Summer must be winding down for the stage to be put away until the final concerts come in two weeks. and winding down is a sucky thing for a season to do unless it is Winter.