The Trio Bringing Healthy Back to Buffalo

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A new place I am a big, big fan of and excited to share with you is up on the blog today. Learn more about Bootleg Bucha and the trio who make the operation work!

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{Todd, Heather & Jeff}

Bootleg Bucha opened its doors at 364 Connecticut Street in November. For Heather, Todd and Jeff the home brewing began a long time ago in their homes, providing a healthy beverage to family and friends and with the popularity of kombucha growing it left them no other option than to expand.

All 3 have been friends for a number of years and they offer something no one else in Buffalo does. So what is kombucha? It is a fermented tea that originated in East Asia and is known for its healing properties.

Bootleg Bucha’s kombucha is brewed and organic evaporated cane sugar and Scoby (symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast) are added during the fermentation process. After 2-3 weeks the fermented tea is flavored with juices, extracts and herbs, then undergoes a secondary fermentation. The end result is a healthy light carbonated beverage full of antioxidants, amino acids, Vitamin B and more!

So who does what within the company? Todd takes the lead in marketing and social media, Heather creates the delicious and wide variety of flavors and Jeff brews the tea. All three take part in working at the shop with the help of Meghan who is there almost, if not every day.

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What are their favorite flavors? Heather enjoys the Ginger Lime Cayenne and Todd’s is the plain. The popular flavor among customers is their Tart Cherry Mint (its soooo good!!)

Why did they start their own business? What do they love about this area? For Heather and Jeff, they lived in Chicago for a few years and new Buffalo was home, coming back here and seeing all the growth was exciting and they knew they wanted to be a part of it. For Todd a lot of his friends left the area after college and he wanted to give them a reason to come back. The energy and collaboration among local businesses (i.e. at Horsefeathers Market) is great. Working and collaborating together has helped form friendships amongst one another.

For Jeff, Heather and Todd living in the area helped them chose their business location – the West Side of Buffalo is up and coming and there is a lot to offer in the neighborhood.

So when I asked what Bootleg Bucha wants to be known for, the response was:

“Bringing Healthy Back” Buffalo is known to be one of the unhealthiest places – we have delicious food and we are finally beginning to incorporate healthier options around town. Buffalo is in a better place than 5 years ago, and its because of new businesses like Bootleg Bucha that it's only going to get better and they are happy to be a part of that.

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What are some other things you should know about Bootleg Bucha?

{Just a Blonde in Buffalo Photos}

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Friday's Fish Fry Finds

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dannys fish fry With this being Good Friday and the last Friday of the Lenten season, I thought I'd share one more fish fry with you and it comes from the local favorite -Danny's. Last Friday my Dad kindly tagged along and went out for a Fish Fry with me, I ordered it baked and it wasn't bad. Out of all the places I had a fish fry this season, I would say Danny's was my favorite.

Until next time.

-B

National Puppy Day

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Harlie - March 2016 Its March 23, and its National Puppy Day, so I thought its only fitting to share Harlie's journey with me so far. She is now 14 weeks old and getting comfortable in her new surroundings. She's playful, lovable and a little mischievous and I love her more and more every day. She is loving the warmer weather and picking up sticks when we are out for walks. I'm looking forward to taking her on a couple puppy play dates in the next few weeks.

Harlie - shoe

Broadway Market: Checklist of Items

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pussy willows {Just a Blonde in Buffalo photos}

Its the busiest time of the year at the Broadway Market and people from all over Western New York and surrounding areas pay a visit to pick up their traditional polish favorites and more. I usually go on my shopping trip with the family on Good Friday or Holy Saturday. It gets a bit crazy in their, but I wouldn't have it any other way. Below are my top 7 items I pick up every year on my visit. If you haven't been yet and are planning a trip there, enjoy!

-B

  1. Pussy Willow
  2. Butter Lamb
  3. Polish Sausage
  4. Pierogi
  5. Wooden Polish Eggs
  6. Horseradish
  7. Placzek with NO raisins

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Fish Fry Finds

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pearl street fish fry Last week's fish fry find was at Pearl Street where surprisingly I've never ordered a fish fry before. Keeping along with the basic fish and chips order the plate was typically what you would expect, so I added some hot sauce to it for a little bit of spice. With Lent being almost over, I'm looking forward to my fish fry dinner date with my Dad tonight.

Have a great weekend!

-B

St. Patty's Day .... The year of #31

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happy st Its just a number, but its a boring one. As I celebrate my 31st birthday today I can't help but think of what I've learned over the past year as a 30 year old. As cliché as it sounds leaving your twenties and entering your thirties isn't scary it just puts your life in a different perspective, at least mine. You're more of an adult, taking on more adult responsibilities and while all of them are not fun, there is a sense of excitement as you enter this "new phase" in your life because you look forward to different "obstacles" to get over. We all have these dreams of how your life is going to turn out and I sure as hell didn't think I would be where I am in my life at 31. Not all of it is what I thought it would be, but a lot of it is positive and for that I'm thankful.

If there is anything I've learned throughout this past year its that every person's story is different and while you may expect your life to go in one direction it may not, it may go in a better direction. The other big lesson I found myself repeating a lot this past year was communication is key to almost every single relationship you have, whether it be personal or professional. If you can't talk with one another, how is anything going to be accomplished. You don't have to agree, but with anything in life, if you don't talk with one another how are you supposed to move forward. Well this St. Patty's Day may not be as exciting for me as the others I've celebrated, I'm looking forward to the lessons I'm going to learn in year 31.

Happy St. Patty's Day!

-B

Stop & Smell the Scents at Her Story Boutique's Fragrance Bar

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fragrance bar 1 {Just a Blonde in Buffalo photos}

One thing I've had on my bucket list of things to do was to create my own fragrance and with the help of Her Story Boutique I was able to check that fun experience off my list this week. Her Story has a fragrance bar where you can purchase pre-made perfume or for $25 you can make your own from a handful of different scents they have.

I just walked in one day to do this, but I learned its best to call ahead to make an appointment with Sue. Creating your own fragrance takes about an hour {especially if you are indecisive}, but if you know what you like it could be done quicker. It was a lot of fun smelling the different scents and seeing what you really like and don't like and seeing what you think goes well together and what doesn't.

My final scent was Green Tea, Fig and Sage.

her story perfume

Her Story does private fragrance parties {which I am hoping to host soon with my girlfriends} as well as having a number of pop up shops taking place around town at local events.

Make sure to follow on social media to see where they will be.

-B

Fish Fry Finds

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716 Fish Fry With the Lenten season upon us I thought I would share the Fish Fry's I have this season. So the first one I've had was at 716 last week and to my surprise it wasn't bad. Sometimes the fish can be to greasy or to fried and this was actually the opposite, I was actually impressed.

While you may not think of 716 for a fish fry, it actually makes for a good place to go if you're downtown at Canalside or a Sabres game on a Friday night and looking for a non-meat option. I was happy to find a new place to add to the fish fry list. They still have a little ways to go to be up there with the Conlon's and Wiechec's {Buffalo fish fry staples}, but maybe they will get there one day.

Until the next one,

-B

 

#BuffaloLinks

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  1. Its that time of year again where the Broadway Market will be bustling with thousands of people and it all kicks off this Friday with the Easter season approaching in a few short weeks. Here is a list of hours and activities taking place.
  2. Another new Escape Room I found out about this past week is right in the heart of Downtown Buffalo next door to the Convention Center - The Great Escape Room is a fun place to go - with a number of different rooms, it makes for great team building activities for businesses in the area.
  3. Looking for a neat way to meet the Easter Bunny? How about taking a ride on the Arcade and Attica Railroad. Meet the Easter Bunny and friends and participate in an Easter Egg Hunt. March 19th & 20th. For more details click here.
  4. If you missed the winter version of the Artists Market at the Ellicott Square Building - you're in luck! Event organizers are hosting another one taking place on March 24th. Don't miss out and mark you calendars today!
  5.  A new pop up market that I am loving is ShopCraft located inside Thin Ice. For more info on them check out their Facebook page.

March Madness

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Promoting & Giving Back...All At The Same Time

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One of my goals for 2015 was to get my blog's name out in the community more, but at the same time give back too. So I thought with my involvement with the Zoo what better way to kick off this initiative of mine than to be a sponsor of one their exhibits. While I won't lie my first pick was the Elephant's House {their exhibit was not available}, the Maned Wolf was a very good runner up! I didn't even know the Buffalo Zoo had a Maned Wolf and I've been to the Zoo a lot, so it makes me happy to sponsor their exhibit and let the community know about these beautiful animals. maned wolf

The next time you're at the Buffalo Zoo make sure to stop by the Vanishing Animals Exhibit and learn more about them and the other vanishing animals on site.

-B

A New Page to Just a Blonde in Buffalo

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Harlie & Me With my recent adoption of Harlie from Diamonds in the Ruff Animal Rescue and with me wanted to grow my blog, my friend Lauren gave me the idea to create an addition to Just a Blonde in Buffalo and it features the adventures I go on with Harlie. As I continue to "grow up" I feel like my blog has to as well.  The new page "Harlie & Me" will feature the places we go from different dog parks in town to the local pet boutiques and events that are animal friendly, and I think the animal lovers will enjoy this page. If you have any suggestions or feedback on where we should go please let me know in the comments section below.

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I've had Harlie for a week now and we are still getting used to each others schedule, but its been a fun week. She is 11 weeks old and is the perfect puppy for me! This weekend we bonded even more when I locked us out of my house. If it wasn't for her cuteness I don't think my neighbors would have been as nice to let me use their phone {just kidding}.

Harley

Harlie came from Kentucky and Diamonds in the Ruff found a foster parent to take care of her until I could adopt her. They truly are a great organization and if you are looking to adopt or foster please take a few minutes to look at their website.

Until next time!

-B

::EXPO::

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expo jabib photo Expo Market opened last week Thursday and it is the best thing that happened to Downtown Buffalo in a while. A food court style venue that offers a lot of Buffalo favorites.

  • Bobby Alfman's Gourmet Sandwiches
  • Crush Juicery
  • Gypsy Bohemian Grove Bar
  • Newbury Street
  • Osteria
  • Sun Restaurant

I stopped by Mercato by Osteria and built my own pasta dish that was extremely delicious and affordable. You can't go wrong with any one of the vendors as all of them had steady lines of people during the lunch hour. It is a new hot spot to be for lunch or dinner and as they have on their website it is "Downtown Buffalo's gathering place."

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If you work downtown this is a place to go when you need to take a break.

-B

{Just a Blonde in Buffalo photos}

Lumagination

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IMG_8062 Saturday my niece and I attended the last day of Lumagination at the Botanical Gardens. A fun and {in some areas} interactive light show held inside the beautiful gardens. To my surprise, everyone wanted to see the lights because there was a packed house full of people of all ages walking through the greenhouses and a consistent line that was out the door. It was a lot of fun and I would say my favorite part was seeing my niece ask questions about the plants and trying to find the colorful caterpillars throughout each room.

-B

{Just a Blonde in Buffalo photos}

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{Interactive floor lights}

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"Winter Has Never Been So Cool"

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12654688_10153953708092372_1777548345830783869_n[1] Don't miss this fun event taking place tomorrow night at the Buffalo Convention Center. Proceeds from the event go directly to support the Buffalo Zoo. Come have some cocktails, try and win some awesome auction items and grab some finger foods before heading to the dance floor and catching the indoor snow fall!

For tickets {at a discounted price while supplies last} click here.

Places To Go For Mid-Recess Break

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hv4 Its mid-recess break for a lot of kiddo's and if you are one of the lucky ones who has off this week, but didn't go on a vacation there are a lot of things you can do around town; making for a fun stay-cation! Here is my list of fun places you can visit...

-B

Valentine's Day

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{ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE}

The greatest gift we can ever have is the ability to be loved and give love back. It is something that has such an impactful meaning and feeling that everyone should be able to have that in their life. Whether it is love for your family and friends, your significant other or a hobby you enjoy. In todays society, Valentine's Day is so over commercialized with chocolates, flowers, jewelry and other random gifts that you are told you should get, but in reality, spending time with the person who is important to you, is all that really matters. While you can be one that buys gifts for someone special in your life, you can also give a gift of just spending time together. Whether it be going out to brunch or dinner or going to the theater, creating new memories is more valuable than any material gift you can receive.

On that note, here are 5 places you could spend your Valentines Day weekend:

Wild About You at the Buffalo Zoo

Brunch at Left Bank

Shop Crafts All You Need Is love event

A fun Starry Night Hike at Tifft Nature Preserve

Casablanca at the Screening Room

 

6 Fun Activities Taking Place in February

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february[1] We're into the second week of February and we've been pretty lucky in the weather department this winter {knock on wood}. Below are 6 fun activities that caught my eye, that are taking place at some of my favorite places in town this month.

Queen City Escape - an activity for friends and family - try to escape a 90's themed room by solving puzzles and figuring out the clues.

SEALed with A Kiss at the Aquarium of Niagara.

Buffalo Museum of Science - not only do they have daily activities taking place, the Family Fit Fest on 2.27 sounds like a lot of fun for the whole family.

The Buffalo Zoo - is another fun place to visit with a lot of daily activities on grounds. Some other special events taking place this month are the Wild About You Valentine's Day Dinner and a new fundraising event - Arctic Whiteout taking place on February 18th.

The Labatt Pond Hockey Tournament - taking place towards the end of February, the event will be held at Buffalo Riverworks this year.

 

 

"Join Our Journey" My Trip to the Aquarium of Niagara

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The Aquarium of Niagara - one of Niagara Falls, NY's gems. While I personally feel like the Aquarium doesn't get enough recognition from its neighboring suburbs, it has so, SO much to offer! A short 30 minute drive from the City of Buffalo, their are multiple sea mammal shows, talks with the keepers and feedings that take place throughout the day and are free with admission. FullSizeRender (4)

Last week I was lucky enough to sit down and snag some time with Ilene Strober the Director of Development and Marketing at the Aquarium, she told me about their Capital Campaign and fun things taking place, so I won't waste any time and will jump right into it.

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"Join Our Journey"  - is a $3.2 million capital campaign featuring an interactive exhibit with classroom, smart boards and a beautiful, one of a kind home for the Humboldt Penguins.  The Aquarium of Niagara is above code in everything, but in order to receive accreditation with the AZA {Association of Zoos and Aquariums} a new exhibit needs to be built for the Humboldt Penguins. This new exhibit will be an exhibit for people of all ages.

Currently the Aquarium is $1 million short of their goal - so they are calling on the community for support. The Aquarium has visitors from all over Niagara County, Erie County, Western Pennsylvania, Ohio and Southern Ontario. A non -profit that does so much for the community, now will the community help them?

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One thing that opened my eyes during my interview with Ilene is how big the Aquarium is on conservation, not only here at home, but all over the world - from local lakes and rivers to ocean life. We play a huge part in these animals lives and habitats and we have to learn to do a better job on sustainability.

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{These Humboldt penguins are the cutest!}

While walking through the building I learned a lot from talking with Ilene. There are 23 new/refurbished exhibits on hand. Penguins have their own personalities and have strong bonds with one another- they come out in pairs. All of the sea lions, including seals that are at the Aquarium of Niagara are rescued and non-releasable into the wild. The shows that are held for the guests actually help the trainers teach them things and to help them learn enrichment.

ripple game

{Ripple - a fun interactive video game for kids to play when they visit}

Some other fun facts I learned from my visit -Octopus only live for 3-5 year, use their brain and are very smart. Sturgeon fish have a 100 year life span, but are endangered because they are hunted before they are sexually mature, because of this there is no reproducing taking place - going back to the whole sustainability topic I mentioned earlier.  We can throw off the ecosystem if we have to much of one thing.

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{Trainers Hallie and Colleen with sea lions Kia and Arie}

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{Sea lions are extremely curious and playful}

And how about this - the Aquarium of Niagara has one of the most poisonous and deadly fish there is - a lion fish. If you ask me they look pretty cool though!

lion fish

What other fun things can you do at the Aquarium, do you ask? {obviously call ahead to make an appointment for these activities}

Public Touch Tank, Meet a Seal, Behind the Scenes Tour {there is so much more to the animals exhibits that the public doesn't see}, Humboldt Penguin Interactive Program, the list goes on. For more info on any of these activities click here. And for a complete list of upcoming events go here . SEALED with a Kiss is coming up on Valentine's Day weekend and that looks to be a fun event to take part in.

meet a seal

A few summers ago I took my niece to feed the seals and she had such a fun time and thought it was the coolest thing. For a couple of dollars she got to experience something not a lot of people say they do. The Aquarium of Niagara is such a fun place to go, all year round.

If you want to help be a part of the journey contact Ilene to see how you can help.

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-B

{All photos: Just a Blonde in Buffalo photos}