Joanie's Buffalo/Toronto/Finger Lakes Vacation

So gonna try to whip this off to Blowfish quickly and move onto the Southwest report before Europe in Nov. haha. This was a quick 7 night road trip so that Mike could see Rush in their hometown. I didn't need to see that but enjoyed a very similar trip 9 years ago (https://www.bostongroupienews.com/JoaniesOntarioUpstateNYVacation.html) so went along for the ride. We started driving early on a Wed. and went straight to Latham, NY (well maybe some stops on the turnpike, appreciate those turnpike stops cuz when you're driving in Arizona and New Mexico, they're in short supply) to Diner Time where we had the best blueberry pancake ever. Got into the North Park section of Buffalo in time for happy hour but the place I wanted to try was closed which meant a quick drink down the street then delicious hot dogs at Frank. Checked into the Wyndham by the Allentown section which offers a bunch of restaurants and bars. We got a drink at Billy Club then had a hard time finding food cuz our #1 choice was closed, so walked around searching but breaking weird cobwebs and didn't have much luck, so called it a night.

Buffalo

We headed out pretty early to visit the Albright Knox Art Museum which had cool stuff. Then downtown to visit gorgeous Buffalo City Hall then the Buffalo River Cruise which tells the history of all the grain silos and factories along the waterways. I walked around there last visit but it was great hearing the details. I find towns and cities that have a heavy factory presence interesting and the architecture in the city is amazing in general. Including the Buffalo Central Terminal which is finally being rehabbed. We got there during an outdoor neighborhood party in the golden hour, it was cool. Until someone threw a water bottle at me while waiting for the bus on the way back to Allentown. With that said, I think Buffalo gets a bad rap and is worth a stop.

More Buffalo

Friday morning we stopped in Niagara Falls which Mike had never seen. I was lucky to have gotten a great overnight deal (with so many extras) on the last trip, but this was a quickie. We took a ride on the Whirlpool Aero Car which goes over a separate area and wasn't so exciting. It was a gray drizzly day, not really how you want to experience the Falls but what could you do. It's still a pretty majestic sight. And a tacky one cuz the main drags are filled with rides and fun houses and all that kind of stuff. Sadly, we lingered too long at one of the souvenir shops cuz they just finished giving us a ticket for parking too close to the turn in the road when we got back. Oh well.

The Air BnB in Toronto was in the north part of town and not a bad location cuz their public transportation is pretty great. But we did spend a long time getting to and from the main parts of town, and even at our not excessive heights, those low ceilings were a pain. Mike did a quick refresh and headed out to meet his friends for the Rush show. I had a plan to get drinks with long-time WZBC DJ Andrew Herman and his wife. Started at this cool bar 915 Dupont then middle eastern food at Parallel Brothers, a good way to spend the nite while the boys rocked out to Rush.

Toronto

Saturday we wandered around the main parts of the city, enjoyed the Bata Shoe Museum (they wore some wacky shoes back in the day), went to the way wrong coffee place, and headed to the Legislature Building which is a trek that Rush groupies have to make. Ran into Canadian MAGA protesting in the park on the way, ugh. Then it was lunch and off to Graffiti Alley, lots of cool stuff on a couple blocks. That evening we got a simple kebab dinner then over to the longstanding Horseshoe Tavern to see UltraBomb with Greg from Husker Du. It was a good show (but they played too long haha).

More Toronto

Sunday Mike and I grabbed good bagels in our hood then hit Kensington Market where we got a refreshing cocktail at El Rey then he went to meet his friends for a $$ lunch and viewing at CN Tower. Since I'd been there before, I kept walking around and made my way to the busy St. Lawrence Market for some food and watched the salsa dancing, then a quick happy hour drink at the Berczy Tavern. That night we laid low and ended up with Chinese food down the street from our place (sadly the neighborhood is a little lacking, esp. on a Sun. night).

Geneva/Troy

Monday driving 3.5 hrs to the Finger Lakes was not helped by a real slowdown at the border. We got lunch at Rooster Fish in Watkins Glen where I'd been before. The weather cleared up as we headed to another favorite of mine, Finger Lakes Distilling on Seneca Lake, for a cocktail with a view. Checked into 41 Lakefront in Geneva at the top of the lake, which was just ok but the location was awesome. Went into town (all of a 5 min walk) for happy hour at Anorah then some snacks at the Rusty Pig BBQ talking to fun people at the bar. Not surprisingly, things close early in that little town. Tuesday we got breakfast then walked all around town seeing great old houses and stopped by the park on the lake. Never actually made it in to swim tho. Then we squeezed in some wine visits including Zugibe Vineyards, then Mike had a beer at Watershed Brewery then to Belhurst Castle for wine and cheese, (gorgeous old building). That evening was a good dinner at Linden Social then a final stop at Lake Drum Brewery right in town which is partly a vinyl place too. Wed. we headed back stopping in cute little Troy NY at Brown's Brewing for lunch overlooking the Hudson then continued the 5.5 hr drive to Boston. A quick trip, with a leaking AC in the passenger seat the whole time, but overall successful.