TASTE of NIAGARA REGION 2016: January 30, 2016

For the second year, Peggy and I went to Niagara Falls for the TASTE OF NIAGARA REGION event. We had a great time and brought a lot of food home with us.  I covered the event for the LOCKPORT STAR and here is my article:

SOLD OUT!!!!!
by Carolyn Simmons

Every ticket was sold for the Fourth Annual "Heart to
Heart" fundraiser "Taste of Niagara Region" which was
held on January 30th, 2016 at the Conference and Event
Center in Niagara Falls, New York.

Heart of Niagara Animal Rescue is a not for profit agency
whose goal is to protect the health and welfare of
abandoned, unwanted and homeless companion animals in
order to reduce the number of homeless animals who are
senselessly killed each day. They provide shelter for the
animals until they are placed with suitable adoptive
families. Prior to adoption the animals are evaluated,
vaccinated and spayed or neutered by licensed veterinarians.
The agency also works to attain low cost spay and neuter
services and vaccination and micro chip clinics. They
educate the community on the importance of pro-active measures
in regard to proper animal care, the prevention of cruelty
to animals and the consequences associated with overpopulation.
Many homes across Western New York have an animal from Heart
of Niagara.

Forty Restaurants and Caterers from the area participated.
They offered samples of various items from their menus. For
three hours, participants were able to leisurely choose
from the wide variety of items offered, learn about the
the establishments represented and talk with the servers.
The Caribbean Extravaganza Band played reggae and calypso
music while participants relaxed and visited with others
at their table.

Three Lockport Establishments participated. Donna Eick's
participated for the third year and served up their popular
broccoli salad. Lock 34 Bar & Grill came for the first time
and served pasta salad. One Eyed Jack's was there for
the second time. Scott Shulock, co-owner of One Eyed Jack's
served up pulled pork sandwiches.

Scott is the nephew of
retired teacher Margie Kwiatkowski, who is a Lockport resident.
Margie is one of the founders of Heart of Niagara. She began
on the Board of Directors as the Secretary and is now the Treasurer.
She says "the hours are long, the decisions are difficult, but all
of that disappears in light of seeing a happy, rescued animal with
their new parents."

Ron and Gretchen Kudlecik

were there with their daughter,
Alexis. It was their second year to attend. Gretchen said
"It's great to be able to experience all the different foods
because we can't go to all of the restaurants. Sometimes we find
things we really like here and then we go to that restaurant."

Alexis is a member of the Builders Club which is a Kiwanis
sponsored group of middle schoolers. It is the largest service
organization for middle school students, with more than 40,000
members worldwide. During the Taste of Niagara Region Event,
the members of the Builders Club acted as volunteers and helped
out where they were needed. It looked like they were enjoying
themselves!

In addition to great food and nice music, there was a basket and
gift certificate auction. While taking a break from eating,
participants checked out the baskets and decided which ones to try
to win. Many people who came empty handed went home with baskets
full of new items or gift certificates for restaurants and other
businesses.  

If you are looking to adopt a pet, you can browse adoptable friends
on the agencies website: http://www.heartofniagara.org/ Adoption
applications are available online. There are opportunities to help by
volunteering, donating cash or pet supplies or fostering an animal
in your own home. The phone number for Heart of Niagara is 716-345-7129.
If you love companion animals, this is your opportunity to get involved
and help out. Remember: get your tickets early for next years Taste of
Niagara Region!!

607 words

WINTER FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada January 8, 2016

Mary Ann and  I decided to cross the border into Ontario, Canada in order to see the "festival of lights".  After some discussion and a couple of changes in plans, we decided to have supper in Niagara Falls, New York before crossing the border.

Mary Ann suggested FORTUNA'S and I agreed.  This is a very nice, kind of fancy place, with very good food.  We both chose the lasagna which is delicious. Although I like Fortuna's and the food is good, it is rather expensive and I am not likely to return.

Our drive across the border was quick and uneventful, and finding the first part of the displays (near Clifton Hill) was easy, but then we managed to get off of the Falls Parkway and wasted a half hour or so attempting to find it again!  We finally were able to get to it from the opposite direction when we found Dufferin Island.

It was well worth the short trip from Lockport to see this amazing display of lights.  I took several pictures.  It would have been nicer if it had not been raining a fine mist.

Festival of Lights at the Fatima Shrine in Lewiston 1/3/16

I asked Mary Ann if she felt comfortable driving to Lewiston to see the Festival of Lights at the Fatima Shrine.  She was fine with that idea and we agreed to go this evening.

We decided to have supper in Lewiston before going to the shrine.  Mary Ann remembered eating at TIN PAN ALLEY, and thought she remembered where it was.  It seemed that the restaurant SOROS was n the same spot, and we decided to eat there.  We both had Greek salads, which were very good.

Then we headed to the shrine, which is slightly north of Lewiston on Swann Road.  We located it easily and visited the gift shop first.  Mary Ann bought a few items. Then we walked over to the church and walked around.  It is really beautiful.  I took these two pictures n the main chapel.

and here are some pictures from the smaller chapels which are arranged circularly around the large chapel:

The displays outside are also beautiful

When we got back to Lockport,  I suggested  that we check out the well decorated Christmas house on Ontario Street.  

My full set of pictures can be seen here:  https://www.flickr.com/photos/juneny/sets/72157663085817662

Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens 1/2/16

Mary Ann and I had tentatvely planned to go to the Botanical Gardens on New Years Eve Day, but she changed her mind and we rescheduled it for today.  She picked me up a little after nine a.m. and we headed towards Lackawanna.

We thoroughly enjoyed exploring the gardens.  Here are some pictures:

I had never seen poinsettias like this.

Christmas decoratons were everywhere!

Unfortunately, the rain forest room was closed for renovations.  

For lunch we went to ROOSTER'S CAFE.  

We both had turkey club sandwiches which were very good.  

OFFICIAL SWEARING IN CEREMONY of LOCKPORT OFFICIALS at the Palace Theatre: January 1, 2016

Today I attended the OFFICIAL Swearing In Ceremony of Lockport Officials at the Palace Theatre.  My brother, Mike, was sworn n as the new Chief of Police!  Here is my brother being sworn in by Judge  William Watson.  

His daughter Kimberly is on the left hand side and his wife Jane on the right hand side.  

My complete set of pictures can be seen here:  www.flickr.com/photos/juneny/albums/72157660713340424

Informal SWEARING IN of the new Police Chief Michael Niethe December 29th, 2015

My brother has been named the new Chief of Police for Lockport, New York.  There was an "unofficial" swearing in ceremony at City Hall today.  My sisters and I met up there for it.

We got to meet our great nephew Vincent for the first time.  Here he is with his Grampa.

Molinaro's catered a lunch of baked ziti, meatballs, salad and brownies.  Everything was delicious. 

There was this cake in honor of the leaving Chief of Police.  

Here are a couple of pictures from the short ceremony.  

My siblings and I are not often all together in the same room at the same time so we took the opportunity to take pictures of the four of us.  

Victorian Christmas at the Babcock House in Appleton, NY

The Babcock House Museum is a historic cobblestone house at 7449 Lake Road near the Village of Appleton in the Town of Somerset, New York not far from Lake Ontario. The Town of Somerset Historical Society maintains the Greek Revival house which was built in l838.

On Sunday, December 13, 2015 it was open to the public for a few hours in the afternoon for "A Victorian Christmas". Visitors to the house stepped back in time and were able to learn how our ancestors prepared for and celebrated Christmas.

In the kitchen, re-enactors were busy churning butter

and baking small cakes and biscuits in the beehive oven.  One of the recipes they were using is for One, Two, Three, Four Pound Cake. The ingredients are one cup of butter, two cups of sugar, three cups of flour and four eggs. Visitors were encouraged to try the freshly made butter and biscuits and small pound cakes. Just beyond the kitchen with the fireplace, in the summer kitchen, punch and cookies were served.  Here visitors could see the old time knitting machine.

Those who came to the event were allowed to take self guided tours throughout all three floors of the house. Docents were available to give information and answer questions. In the basement, trains from the l950's were set up and small boys watched with wide eyes.

There was organ music in the first floor parlor, and Santa Claus waited for children to come and talk with him

. Upstairs, visitors walked through the bedrooms and saw the antique beds and other furnishings. The framed artwork made with human hair was interesting to see.

The three story gambrel roofed barn was open and visitors walked up a grassy sloped hill and into the building.  Once inside, while she was looking around, Rebecca Austin commented "this would be a great place to have a square dance." Down in the main part of the barn, horse and carriage rides were offered and Norm Atwater and the horse (Queen) took passengers around the property.

 Some of the passengers sang Jingle Bells during the ride substituting "one horse open carriage" for "one horse open sleigh." When asked what she liked best about her visit to the Babcock House, Elaine Stahler said "I have to say it was the carriage ride."

You might be wondering what is so special about a cobblestone house. With a few exceptions, cobblestone buildings are unique to Western New York.

 An experienced mason could lay up three or four courses of stone, on one side of a building, in a day.  This would only be about nine inches of wall. While the mortar was drying and hardening on the first house, the mason would go to another house and complete the same process. It took a long time to complete the building of a cobblestone house, sometimes two or three years, depending on the size of the house. Most cobblestone houses were built before the Civil War.

This particular house was built by Jeptha W. Babcock in 1848.  He and his wife, Mary, came to  Niagara County from Rensselaerville in Albany County in 1833. As well as being a farmer, he was a postmaster and state assemblyman. After his death, the homestead was owned by other families but much of the original  architecture was preserved. Presently, it is owned by the Somerset Operating Company.

The Babcock House Museum is open on Sundays from one until four p.m. starting the last Sunday n June through the second Sunday in October,  It is also open other times of the year for special events.