Shopping & Supporting Local this Holiday season

There is no doubt everyone is feeling some sort of effects from the pandemic and the recent mandate to shut down temporarily due to WNY being in the orange zone. Like many, I wanted to share my list of favorite locally owned businesses and some of the places I’ll be supporting this holiday season.

Whenever I’m at Rev it really is the best day!

Fitness Studios:

Revolution Buffalo - Take a virtual or on-demand class, purchase merch or a gift card

Reform - Purchase merch or a gift card to gift to your fitness pal or use when restrictions are lifted

Barre Centric - Sign up for a virtual class, purchase merch or a gift card

Space on Seneca - we could all use a little inner peace and zen right now. They are offering virtual classes during this time.

Clothing + Jewelry:

BKind City - Katie offers everything for clothing for adults and kids, and new home decor!

Anna Grace - this has always been my favorite clothing boutique in town, this store reflects some of my taste in clothing, jewelry and home decor items.

Indie Twenty - Rachel’s boho style and the jewelry she creates makes me enjoy seeing her continue to grow in her business.

Rusterior - Carrie offers a wide variety of clothing, toys and decor for those who have the adventure soul.

Half & Half Boutique - currently offering 20% off your order of $100 or more at checkout.

Copper & Steel Chainmail jewelry (on Instagram)

Peg’s Hardware - I love everything Gretchen creates, pay a visit to her new space for the holiday season at 657 Persons Ave in East Aurora. (Check her social media before heading to the store).

Home Goods + Decor + Candles + Art:

MuseJar

Witches of Wax

Linwood Candles

Oxford Pennant

Kitch Studios

Rusterior

Finishing Touches by Caitlin Krumm

Food + Drink:

Whether you’re ordering take out or purchasing a gift card it will help these businesses be here for when we can be back together again.

Winkler + Samuels - did you see the have a Wine & Spirit Advent calendar - use code holiday fun for $20 off before Thanksgiving.

Paradise Wine

Resurgence Brewing Co.

Hartman’s Distilling Co. - they have a Holiday Market taking place 11/27 thru 11/29, face masks required and social distancing will be enforced. Vendors will be announced the morning of each day.

Hydraulic Hearth

Hearth + Press

The Grange Community Kitchen

West Rose

Share Kitchen + Bar

Toasted Bflo

Breadhive

Meet + Eat Charcuterie - don’t feel like cooking? This is a perfect way to have a custom board made for you. Kristen creates some of the best charcuterie and cheese boards in town.

Bflo Charcuterie Creations - (on Instagram)

Billy Club

Cantina Loco

Kuni’s

The Place

The Cereal Spot

What’s Poppin Gourmet Popcorn

Coffee Shops:

Overwinter Coffee

Remedy House

Five Points

Wonder Coffeehouse

Healthy Options:

Her Kitchen Buffalo

Squeeze Juicery

Newbury Salads

Fresh Catch Poke

Florists:

Who doesn’t love a fresh floral bouquet or wreath for the holidays?!

Wild Blossom Hollow

Wild Root Floral

Petrichor Flora

Kinloch Farmstead - they are offering cute gift sets to purchase, Lavender package or the Bee package

Pet Stores:

Buffalo Barkery

Cultural Institutions:

I’m going to use my platform as a way to promote organizations who need are support if we want them to remain open. There are MANY organizations in WNY that need our support (any little bit counts). Below are cultural institutions and non-profits near and dear to my heart, please consider donating to one of these or to an organization that is near and dear to your heart. The point is to support each other the best way we can during this difficult time, that can be financially or by volunteering your time and talents.

Shea’s Performing Arts Center

The Buffalo Zoo

Albright Knox Art Gallery

Art Park

The Botanical Gardens

The Buffalo Science Museum + Tifft Nature Preserve

Non-Profit Organizations:

Aquarium of Niagara

The Central Terminal

UPward Design for Life

Let them LOL

Make-A-Wish of WNY

Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy

The John R. Oishei Children’s Hospital

Carly’s Club

Explore & More Children’s Museum

Science After Hours/SpaceFest

Guys! Have any of you ever been to the Buffalo Museum of Science, Science After Hours events? A couple of weeks ago my sister and I attended the SpaceFest for Adults as part of the featured events for the museum. The event highlighted everything “space” related - I mean, like, viewing the City of Buffalo from the rooftop to having an opportunity to see the Kellogg Observatory and look through the Lundin telescope. There was a member of the science museum’s astronomy team on hand to tell us about the Kellogg Observatory and also tell us what we were viewing in the telescope (we got to see the sun before it set, which was pretty rad!)

photo thanks to my sister, Amber

Not only was the event fun, you learned more about the solar system, had a chance to be a part of interactive exhibits, could listen to talks taking place, got to see cool views of the City, and you were able to enjoy the museum after hours - for adults only.

just one of the views from the top of the roof deck at the Buffalo Museum of Science

The science museum hosts Science After Hours events almost every month with the next one taking place at Tifft Nature Preserve on June 20th - Tifft at Twilight- an event I attended a couple years ago, its a team effort in accomplishing a treasure hunt on the nature preserve. If you can, check. it. out!

AND if you’d like an opportunity to check out the Kellogg Observatory you can check it out with regular museum admission Wednesday’s (weather permitting) as the museum has extended hours. On Sunday’s you can gain access to the roof deck between 12-3 p.m. (also weather permitting). For all the details on the roof deck and K.O. click here.

-B

Art of the Brick at the Buffalo Museum of Science

Last night thanks to my friends at the Buffalo Museum of Science and Visit Buffalo Niagara, I got to attend a preview night for the new exhibit - Art of the Brick opening tomorrow - February 9. The exhibit is labeled as one of CNN’s Top 10 ‘Global Must See Exhibitions’ and I can see why. It is such a cool exhibit, like none other! Running through May 5th, make sure to check it out!

Here are just some of the gazillion photos that my sister and I took last night.

Pointing

Piece Count: 21,454

Strength of Spirit

Piece Count: 8,050

#digiPlaySpace

If you follow me on Instagram you may have seen my Insta story last night on the newest exhibit to come to the Buffalo Museum of Science, digiPlaySpace. Open to the public beginning tomorrow {11/18/17}  digiPlaySpace is made for both kids and adults and is so.much.fun!!

The exhibit produced by TIFF {Toronto International Film Festival} is an interactive playground for everyone. Guests of the museum can explore new media technologies, get hands on with the 14 interactive digital installations and the Buffalo Museum of Science is only the third museum in the U.S. to host this exhibit.

If you're looking for something to take the kids to over the Holiday break or looking for a fun date night or just something to get you out of the house, I highly recommend checking digiPlaySpace out. It's on exhibit until April 22, 2018. 

A special thank you to the Tweet Team, Visit Buffalo Niagara and the Science Museum for inviting me to the preview night!

#travelBUF

-B 

Rock On..at the Guitar Exhibit at the Buffalo Museum of Science

Last week, I joined the Tweet Team for a night at the Science Museum. We had the chance to meet with the amazing staff and check out the new {and so cool} exhibit Guitar. Going on until May 7th the Guitar exhibit showcases the history of the instrument, all the different types of guitars and the famous people who played them and so much more!

If you're not one that likes crowds or can't make it on the weekend the Science Museum offers extended hours on Wednesday evenings until 9 pm. And this Saturday the Museum is hosting Get Out Your Guitar Day, a national holiday, in celebration of guitars and guitarists, so if you're looking for something to do, this will be a great event to attend, for both kids and adults!

-B 

{Just a Blonde in Buffalo photos}

#BuffaloLinks

Larkin Links - a new activity to do down at Larkinville just opened earlier this week! can't wait to check it out!

Driving thru the Village of Angola, I never realized what a cute town it was and would love to check it out sometime this summer.

This Saturday at Canalside - bring your Dad out and celebrate Father's Day a little early at the Buffalo Brewers Festival!

An event at the science museum that I hope I can attend - the Solstice Soiree!

BUBBLEFEST!!

From Robot Bubble Bot, to frozen bubbles, big Bubbles and small ones, Bubblefest at the Buffalo Science Museum was awesome! Over 4,000 people came to the event this past Saturday. Kids young and old, adults and even some teenagers attended the fun event. Not only learning the science behind bubble making, but guests also danced, popped and stood in them. Face painting, food trucks and picture stations were on hand as well.

If you have children and haven't been to the event try and make it next year, you can spend a whole afternoon at the science museum. Make sure to follow them on Facebook for future info on the 2015 event {tentatively scheduled for September 2015}!

-B

{Bubblemania Show}

{Frozen Bubble Station}