24 Hours in Buffalo

I need to take a moment to catch my breath.  Since my last post a week ago, I worked an insane week at my job.  As Thursday night rolled around and I celebrated it being over, I was also gearing up for a mini-trip to Buffalo, where my mom's side of the family is from.

My husband, his father and our brother-in-law planned a camping trip for this weekend.  I considered the various things I could do for the two nights when I was home alone without him.  As I was texting with my cousin Kim and she proposed a visit, I realized what a great idea that would be!  I figured it would be fun to drive a little over 3 hours by myself each way (a good way to listen to Sirius Radio and decompress) visit with family and enjoy the culinary delights of Buffalo.  (of which there are many!)  The visit was officially on the books, and I looked forward to it for a couple of weeks.

On Friday afternoon, I left.  The drive there was way less tranquil than I imagined, probably because the entire freaking stretch of I-90 in Ohio consisted of ridiculous traffic configurations due to construction.  When you consider that the biggest portion of the 3 and a half hour trip takes place in Ohio (2 hours) it become a nuisance of indescribable proportions to drive through it.  Sadder still was me realizing that we'd have to endure the obnoxious travel through Ohio and back next month when we drive to Maine for a family vacation.  Waaah!

Things momentarily improved when I braved a completely torn up exit ramp and main street in Erie, Pennsylvania to take a break and hit up the first Tim Horton's of the journey.  I am unreasonably obsessed with Tim Horton's, going back to when I was a kid and we visited Buffalo all the time.  My obsession blossomed in college, when I went to school in Buffalo for 3 semesters before transferring home and discovered with great delight that I could partake in an Iced Capp and Canadian Cream whenever I pleased (which was often!).  It seems grossly unfair that Tim Horton's has outposts in Erie, Columbus and Detroit, but bypassed Cleveland completely.  My husband and I even discovered a Tim Horton's in some random spot outside of Toledo when we were cruising the roads on the way to the Turnpike after a graduation party.  Not fair that Cleveland doesn't have a location!  Or maybe it is, because clearly I would go there everyday.  In 24 hours, I had a total of 4 Iced Capps.  All absolutely delicious.

Once I arrived in Buffalo, my aunt, uncle and cousin took me out for Wings and Weck.  I looooove the fact that you can order a Roast Beef sandwich (served on a kimmelweck roll, which I have yet to see or hear of outside of Western New York) with a side of...wait for it...chicken wings!  I mean, if we're being totally candid, I would eat that combination at least once a week for dinner, if not more.  Probably another great reason why I don't live in Buffalo.  Because while chicken wings exist outside of Buffalo, they are sad imitations of the real deal.  And Beef on Weck?  Good luck hunting that down outside of New York.  I was in foodie heaven.

Wings and Weck.  I mean, seriously.  

We dropped off my uncle and then went to the casino, where I deftly blew $20 bucks in the span of 30 minutes.  After this short sojourn to the slots, we drove by the lake.  I snapped some fun pics:

On Saturday, I slept in.  Usually Saturdays at home are my "long run" days which supplement the Power 90 program we're doing.  I typically run about 3-5 miles from 6:30 to 7:30.  This time, I woke up at 6:30, rolled back over and slept for another hour.  It goes to show you how much of an old lady I am when I tell you that waking up at 7:30 made me feel like I was waking up at noon!  Mostly because I am always up before then, but also because I knew that I'd typically be busting out mile 4 around that time if it were a typical Saturday.  It was nice to play hooky from all that, at least for a day!


Then, we went to East Aurora, which has huge sentimental value for our family.  Our grandparents lived on a horse farm in the town, and the town center was quaint, cute and lots of fun.  Shockingly, it remains that way to this day.  We shopped at Vidler's 5 & 10, which is the coolest store in the history of the world (officially declared so by yours truly) and had lunch at a restaurant that used to be a Train Depot.  Even though it was June, and even though, 4 hours down the highway in Ohio it was 90 degrees and hot, it was a cool and rainy 65 in Buffalo.  It felt like fall.  My aunt, cousin and I slurped French Onion Soup by the fireplace as if it truly was October or November.  It was glorious.

Before I went home, we stopped by my grandparents' new home in Alden.  I am so, so lucky to have my grandparents.  They are both 85 and have been married for 64 years!!  They are the most loving, fun and funny people and they've been that way throughout my whole childhood.  

Another set of cousins lives down the street from them and they stopped by to visit while I was over.  My cousin Laura Beth got engaged two weeks ago, and holy geez, is her ring absolutely ginormous.  We talked about her upcoming wedding (most likely taking place within the span of a year) and then I drove home.

I returned back to my lovely kitties.  I watched some of the Concert of the Queen on TV while reading.  Before I knew it, today was Sunday and I have another week of Monday-Thursday to look forward to/dread.  I love my job (something I am unbelievably lucky to say) but Fridays off are tough!  

Next weekend, I'll catch my breath.  We'll bake for Father's Day, I'll go to a couple of farmer's markets on Saturday and the rest of the time will be time to do nothing.  Can't wait for it!!