A Day in the City

We had a nice day in the City in Buffalo. After lunch we headed to the Buffalo Museum of Science to see the exhibit From Here to There. Lots of hands on activities. We also enjoyed some of the other exhibits; my eight year old especially loves the hands-on activities. My daughter and I were fascinated with the optical illusions (see the photo above of one of them).

After the museum we ate dinner at Pano's on Elmwood. The food was really good and my son said we should eat there often! We then headed to Delaware Park to see the Olmsted winter Lights Display. It was a nice evening to walk through the park and look at the lights. We enjoyed decorating cookies and making crafts at the Parkside Lodge. There was even live musical entertainment by the barbershop quartet, the Hynotes. I believe the light display goes until mid-January. Admission is $5/person.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from WNY Explorer's Guide

Wishing all my blog readers, Facebook friends, and Twitter followers a Merry Christmas, a Happy Holiday Season and a Happy New Year!

And if you are looking for a last minute gift idea for that hard to buy for person, might I suggest a copy of Western New York Explorer's Guide! Give them the gift of Western New York this holiday season. Available at bookstores, museum shops and online.

Stained glass tour of Buffalo churches

My sister-in-law and I went on the annual stained glass window bus tour of Buffalo churches offered by the Preservation Coalition. It is amazing to see the beautiful churches that we have in Buffalo.

Check out some of the photo I took. We went to the Buffalo Religious Arts Center, Blessed Trinity, St. Casmirs, Delaware avenue Baptist church and the Hellenic Orthodox Church. We also had lunch at Chef's. Yum!

Our tour guide was Chuck LaChiusa, who pretty much knows everything there is to know about Buffalo architecture and history. Check out his website http://www.buffaloah.com/

Lots of holiday events this weekend, Dec. 3-5

In looking over all the event information I have at my fingertips, it appears that this coming weekend, December 3-5, is the weekend to get into the holiday spirit. There are dozens of holiday events planned for this weekend that will get you in the mood for festivities. Of course, a dusting of snow on the ground lends to the holiday mood.

Here is a listing of just some of the events happening, in no particular order. I’m sure there are other events happening too that I’m not even aware of

Village of Lewiston Holiday Walk and Holiday Home Tour- Dec. 4-5, 10am-5pm

Christmas Stroll in Ellicottville -Dec. 4th 4-7pm

Splendors in Stained Glass bus tour of Buffalo churches, Preservation Coalition, Dec. 4 9am-3pm (by reservation only)

Holiday in the Park, Orchard Park Railroad Depot - Dec. 4th 4-7pm

Winter Centerfest, four Corners of Clarence Center – Dec. 4th, 2-6pm

Christmas at the Hull House, 5976 Genesee, Lancaster- Dec. 4th, 12-4pm

North Tonawanda Winter Walk – Dec. 4th, 10am-5pm

Light a Life, Hospice Foundation Tree Lighting Ceremony at CTG, 800 Delaware Ave. – Dec. 4th

Randolph’s Country Christmas Extravaganza, Randolph, NY (Cattaraugus County) Dec. 4th

Alden’s Christmas in the Park- Dec. 4th, 2-6pm

The Nutcracker Ballet, UB Center for the Arts, Dec 4-5

Yuletide in the Country Craft Show, Hamburg Fairgrounds – Dec. 4-5, 10am-5pm

Holiday Happening along the Niagara Wine Trail Dec. 3-5 and Dec. 10-12

Seasons in the Village (Williamsville) Dec. 4-5, 10am-5pm

Roycroft Winter Festival, 430 Main Street, East Aurora, Dec. 4-5

Williamsville PTA Craft Show, 175 Heim Road, Dec. 4-5 10am-5pm

Christmas in the Park, Silver Creek, Dec. 4th

Homemade Holidays, Jamestown Audubon, Dec. 4th

Fenton Family days, Fenton History Center, Jamestown, Dec. 4th

Miracle on Main Street, Fredonia, Dec. 4th

Breakfast with Santa, Beaver Meadow Nature Center, Dec. 4th 9am-1pm

Holiday Delight Festival, Perry Dec. 4th

Holiday Open House, Attica Historical Society, Dec. 4th

Sleighbell Festival, Franklinville, Dec. 4th

A Night in Bethlehem, First United Methodist Church of Springville Dec. 4th

Aurora Historical Society Annual Christmas sale, Millard Fillmore House Museum, East Aurora Dec. 4-5

Victorian Christmas, Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site, Delaware Ave, Buffalo Dec. 4-11

Niagara-on-the-Lake Holiday House Tour, Dec. 3-4