buffalo bound

Posted: October 15, 2010 | Author: | Filed under: Archives | Tags: | 1 Comment »

I am terrible when it comes to blogging. I know this. I say I’m going off to Jersey and then forget to say I’m back. Although I don’t know if anyone noticed I was gone or really missed me.

But I am back… and now I’m leaving again.  Except this time I’m going to Buffalo for the weekend.  It’s been a while since I spent a few days down there and I’ve always enjoyed getting away.  Besides, it gives me a chance to stock up on Halloween candy. (Who that candy actually ends up being for it entirely up to me.)

And it’s been a while since I had really good Buffalo wings.

I know when I come back (I may end up taking Monday off and making it a long weekend) things will still be busy around here for me.  Normally I like leaving early on Friday, but with the workload it just wasn’t possible.

 

the girl is back in town

Posted: March 30, 2009 | Author: | Filed under: Archives | Tags: , , | 1 Comment »

Back in Toronto after a fun-filled weekend in Buffalo.  Yeah, I know some people have a hard time imagining that, but it’s true.  Some times it’s nice just to get away.  And this was one of those weekends.

I did some shopping – which I equate to doing my part to help stimulate the economy – and relaxed for three days.  Honestly, the grind of living in Toronto gets to me.  Be it the career, the people, the daily stress. Whatever you want to call it. (And I know you get that in any town.) It’s a great city, but I feel the need to get away every once in a while.

And is it wrong that I’m already planning my next weekend getaway?  Actually, I’m planning two of them.  One to Buffalo (probably towards the end of April) and another little excursion that I’ll fill in the details in the next week or so.

So no sooner than I unpack my bags, I’m already thinking about what I’ll be putting in them next time.

checking in

Posted: March 27, 2009 | Author: | Filed under: Archives | Tags: , , , , , , , | 2 Comments »

Normally when I spend the weekend in Buffalo, I stay at one of those cost-effective motels – which I did do last night on account of pulling into town late. Not the motels you see on the news where the reporter says “well Tom, they found the hooker in the bathtub after the bullets starting flying…” but rather one the “economy” motels where you don’t have to spend too much.

The reason for that is because it doesn’t make sense to do Stateside shopping and then blow all the money you save on a hotel. But this time, I decided to splurge a little.

But it’s been a good month financially for me so I figured I would treat myself. On PR Marissa’s glowing recommendation, I booked a room at the Indigo Hotel in Amherst. Turns out the Indigo properties are owned by the folks at IHG who also own Holiday Inn, Intercontinental and Crowne Plaza and are something of a new age/spa concept hotel chain.

outside

The lack of a bathtub was a little upsetting — I like to soak in a tub each night — but the indoor pool, on-site cafe, business center and fitness center more than made up for it.

tub

Not to mention the room.

bed1

Ohhh… the room is wonderful. The pillows are a little too soft for my liking (I’m a “extra firm” type of girl) so I may have to take a stroll down to the front desk afterward and inquire about getting something. But everything else is bang-on amazing.

I’m off to explore more of the hotel — and of course to do some shopping.

in early

Posted: March 26, 2009 | Author: | Filed under: Archives | Tags: , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

I strongly considered it and finally followed through. I left this evening and arrived in Buffalo – or rather the greater Buffalo area – a day earlier than I had planned. Yes folks, my long weekend just got longer!

Because of that, the hotel I had made reservations at didn’t have any rooms for tonight, so I’m hanging my hat in a surprisingly decent Motel 6. I remember staying here once or twice when it was a Marriott Fairfield Inn in a former life. It’s still a nice place.

The friend’s I’m traveling with – (they decided to come down for a weekend and I decided to tag along, but in my own car and room) – managed to get the room they wanted at “the other hotel” where I’ll be tomorrow night. (Except a blog post about that as I seem to be in the social media mood these days.)

My first thought, which turned out to be more of a pipe dream, was to hit up the Anchor Bar for some Buffalo wings. But sadly, by the time I would have driven all the way downtown they would be closing. (They’re only open late on weekends it turns out.)

The other downside to getting in late is that most large stores (such as Target and BestBuy) close at either 10pm or 11pm. So those places, like the mountain of Buffalo wings I’ve been craving, will have to wait until tomorrow. But the Walmart Supercenter on Transit Road is open 24 hours. And as luck would have it, that’s right down the road from here.