e recently took a quick getaway to Buffalo New York. Why of all place Buffalo, you might ask?! Most people are going to tropical destinations during the summer months but we are not most people. Niagara Falls has been on our to-do list for ever and we finally made it happen.
We thought we were slick and booked a late night flight on a Thursday with a very early flight back home on a Monday morning. Well, things did not go to plan and we were delayed into Buffalo. We ended up arriving at 2:40 am on Friday morning. On top of that, the rental car companies were closed. So, we had to get a cab, then we took a Lyft the next morning to get our rental…UGHHHH!!! But, they ended up upgrading our rental and gave us a Volvo V60 Cross Country. OMG, I loved it!!!! So, it’s not an SUV, more like a station wagon but it was so lovely. I don’t need a new car right now but I was totally digging this. The interior had two-tone leather, so perfecto.
The highlight of Buffalo for most people is Niagara Falls but not for me. It was all about the chicken wing. So, yes, Buffalo wings were invented in Buffalo and I could not wait to try the original, Anchor Bar.
Story has it, in 1964 Dominic Bellissimo was tending bar at the now famous Anchor Bar Restaurant in Buffalo, NY. Late that evening, a group of Dominic’s friends arrived at the bar with ravenous appetites. Dominic asked his mother, Teressa, to prepare something for his friends to eat. They looked like chicken wings, a part of the chicken that usually went into the stock pot for soup. Teressa had deep fried the wings and flavored them with a secret sauce. The wings were an instant hit and it didn’t take long for people to flock to the bar to experience this new taste sensation. From that evening on, Buffalo Wings became a regular part of the menu at the Anchor Bar. The phenomenon created in 1964 by Teressa Bellissimo has spread across the globe.
Curious to know the verdict??? Adam really did not like the wings. I though they were fine. Anytime you go to a place famously known for something, you run the risk of being disappointed. The main issue with the wings was the sauce; it was just too vinegary. But, we absolutely loved Duff’s wings, another popular Buffalo spot. I don’t like jumbo wings, I like smaller crispier wings and these hit the mark. And, they were so saucy…so good! It’s really hard to find a good chicken wing and there is nothing more disappointing when you have just an okay one. We highly recommend you try Duff’s Wings, so good!!!
Ok fine, we’ll switch topics and cover our trip to Niagara Falls. It was AMAZING!!! We saw if from both the US and Canadian side. I thought it might be a little bit cooler, considering Buffalo gets extremely cold in the winter but its pretty much hot anywhere in the US right now. And, I did not dress for the heat, LOL.
Ok, I included this photo because the little yellow people below are crazy! They put on rain ponchos and pay to go to the bottom of the falls only to get absolutely drenched.
Doesn’t the photo below remind you of the first Superman movie with Christopher Reeve? I told Adam to jump over the railing and reenact the scene so we could see if Superman would come rescue him.
Look at the photo below and above. Notice the little boat? Who in their right mind thought that was a good idea? Actually, I talked to one of my friends from New York and she said we should’ve done it because you don’t get wet, it’s only mist and the boast takes you behind the falls…DARN! Guess we missed out on that one.
The pictures above are from the US side. Here are the photos from the Canadian side.
Haha! My hair is wrecked from the humidity. Let me tell you a quick story about Adam’s picture taking skills. He’ll tell me to smile and two minutes later he takes the photo so 9 times out of 10 my eyes are squinting or completely closed due to the direct sunlight I’m looking into. 
There were so many cute little gardens near the falls in Canada.
We also hit up a Botanical Garden in Canada. They had a butterfly conservatory, so fun.
One of the highlights of the trip for me was touring the Darwin D. Martin Frank Lloyd Wright (FLW) House. I absolutely love architecture and this is the third FLW house we have toured. The story behind this house really hit home for me and highlights what is so great about our country; the ability for anybody to attain the American Dream. So, here is the story behind the house.
Darwin D. Wright suffered tragedy early in his life with the death of his mother at 6 years old. He and his siblings were separated and he longed for the rest of his life to reunite him and his siblings. In the meantime, Martin began selling soap in New York City. Practically penniless, Martin came by himself to Buffalo to work for the Larkin Company as the first, and at that time the only, hired office-worker. Martin worked ferociously, putting in 361 workdays a year. His efforts enabled the company to expand and rival Sears. One of Martin’s assignments was to find an architect to design a new administrative building for the expanding company. His brother, William Martin, who was living in Chicago, recommended a young architect named Frank Lloyd Wright. By this time, Martin was a millionaire. He formed a friendship with FLW and gave FLW cart blanche to design a home for Martin. This is one of FLW’s favorite masterpieces. He considered it the “opus” of his career. The foresight he had is pretty amazing; he designed an open concept house 90 years before his time.
Another cool thing we did in Buffalo was visit the Teddy Roosevelt Inaugural site. In 1901, Buffalo hosted the Pan-American Exposition. President William McKinley was the guest of honor. A crazed attendee shot him and he ended up in the hospital. Teddy Roosevelt, Vice President, was on vacation with his family at the time and rushed to Buffalo to see the President. It looked like the President’s condition was improving so Teddy rejoined his family on vacation in the Adirondacks. Well, the President took a turn for the worse and Teddy rushed back to Buffalo. McKinley died and Roosevelt was inaugurated as President in his friend, Ansley Wilcox’s (attorney and political insider) home. This is his home. Look at that original green fireplace surround, the desk was Teddy Roosevelt’s, and that molding on the ceiling in the keeping room is everything!!!
President Lindsey Taylor. I can handle that! Look at the first husband 🙂
Apparently, Buffalo is very poplar with the 30 something crowd. I’m guessing because the cost of living is low and housing is cheap. Lots and lots of tattoos…hey, I don’t mind tattoos but when you are tattooing your entire body, have you thought about what that will look like in 50 years?? Here’s some cool street art we found.
Weekend getaway done. Now back to real life. We close on our condo on September 9th. We have kitchen cabinets picked out, backsplash bought, guest bath tiles picked out, and wood floors chosen. Then, we get to install everything. So, we’ll be busy, busy, busy the next few months. Oh, and we have to pack our house to move…arrrggghhhh. I guess I need to focus on our next trip to keep me positive and pushing forward. London here we come.
Spotswood House 