RED, RED, RED: There's Something About...

...a vase of red gladiolas in front of a sunlit window

(our home in Tonawanda, NY)

...a red bench atop aged, old bricks lining a park path

(community park in Lewiston, NY)

...a solitary red rose in front of sweet lavender

(community park in Lewiston, NY)

...a red fire hydrant on a steamy, 96-degree day

(Cobblestone District in Buffalo, NY)

... red gerber daisies against a backdrop of yellow coreopsis and purple salvia

(our garden in Tonawanda, NY)

...red petunias under a canopy of pink spirea

(our garden in Tonawanda, NY)

La Dolce Vita

La Dolce Vita...La Dolce Vita...La Dolce Vita....mmmmmmm

Indeed....it IS the "Sweet Life" at La Dolce Vita, (www.iloveladolcevita.com) 

located on Hertel Avenue in Buffalo, NY.  

This well-appointed and inviting restaurant is on our "go-to" list of favorite spots for relaxing and enjoying a fantastic meal and a glass or two of vino--all while enjoying the bustling sidewalk activity.  

Recently, on a pleasant June day, Judy D. and I spent a lingering 

3 hour+-lunch visit on the front patio--

and not ONCE did we feel as though we had to hurry and finish 

so another customer could be seated.  

SWEET! 

We ordered a Runfolo Salad (absolutely delicious!) 

and bruschetta (tastefully divine!)...

We arrived under sunny skies...

watched from under the canopy as those skies darkened and the rain came...

and then left when the sun re-appeared.   

Yowza! Life IS Sweet at La Dolce Vita  

Red Tulips....

oh, me; oh, my...there is "Something About Red Tulips" 

that sends my spirits soaring... 

I cannot recall ever planting bulbs in Texas (while many other gardeners did, I just never attempted it).  It was during my first spring in WNY that I discovered the sheer thrill that the "bloomin' bulbs" brought me while on walks about the neighborhood. As I'd take in the splendor of the blooms, my subconscious noted them as harbingers of sunnier and warmer days to come.  Everywhere I'd look...there would be these gorgeous blooming peepers...a brilliant oil painting against the dark green lawns...delicate yet stately flowers painted the landscape with hues of yellows and reds and pinks and purples and even more colors of the rainbow.  YOWZA!  

So...off to Home Depot I went (hidey-ho)...bought me a bulb shovel/planter (whatever it is called) and some packages of daffodils and tulips...(check out my daffodil blog from months past to find out the type of tulip...for the life of me, I can't remember the name right now...oohahhhhh)...

Take a "peek" at the glory our red tulips in the front flower bed brought us each day.....la la la la la, life IS good....

Jimmie Vaughan & Lou Ann Barton @ Artpark!!!

Here we are in Western New York...in Lewiston, NY, hanging out at Artpark on a gorgeous Tuesday night (June 22, 2010), sitting on the gentle slope of a hill overlooking the Niagara Gorge...gazing at Canada across the gorge...soaking up the slant of sunshine under a grey-blue sky...all the while absorbing the fabulous Blues of Austinite musicians extraordinaire Jimmie Vaughan and Lou Ann Barton.

Go figure...we move from Austin, TX, to Buffalo, NY...and then as if kissed by the gods, for one evening, we return in spirit back to the Lone Star State through the tunes of Jimmie and Lou Ann.  Now - that's a winner of a way to enjoy the nighttime if you ask me.  So doing our part...we said "hi" to everyone and smiled as if they were our best friends...yes ma'am, we did our part to help Keep Austin Weird...hidey-ho

Life IS good...the evening proved magical...and the music swayed our souls.  

River Grill on a Sunny Sunday Afternoon

Ahhhh....yes, indeed, summertime is bringing some much yearned for sunshine and laid-back afternoons for relaxing and re-energizing.  This past Sunday afternoon, June 20th, my gal-pal Beth and I headed for a couple of hours of girl-time at the River Grill.  Beth is retiring from an education career (as a 2nd grade teacher) and so we decided to grab a couple of hours and get-away from the chaos that defines the end of a school year and to celebrate her new journey.

Billy McEwen and the Soul Invaders (www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VOy7Dgkbtw&feature=youtube_gdata) were playing at the River Grill on Aqua Lane (don't you love the image "aqua lane" connotes!)...and so off we went.

For a couple of hours we forgot about all of the "to-do" items on both of our Everyday Life Lists as we took in the throaty blues of Billy's band; their music eased our souls while we slowly sipped our drinks (mine a mojita; Beth's a glass of Reisling) and enjoyed an easy conversation.

So for Beth and Susie...that laid-back sunny, summertime afternoon of Blues reminded us both that, indeed....LIFE IS GOOD!

BBQ & Blues

BBQ & Blues Bash…2nd Annual Event...looks like summertime has finally arrived in the Queen City!

…and accompanying its arrival are the outdoor festivals and events that are in full swing!   This being my third summer season in the Buffalo area, I’m still amazed at the unlimited opportunities to enjoy outdoor events of all kinds—culinary, fundraising, music, theatre, wine tastings, art, crafts, tours, celebrations…and more. 

To make the most of things, my goal is to blog in “summertime snapshots”…leaving me more time to actually be out enjoying the great outdoors!  Hi-Ho….here I go….

Friday evening (June 18), Jack and I joined our friends Larry and Barb at the 2^nd Annual BBQ & Blues Bash that was sponsored by Labatt Blue and took place in the Cobblestone District of Buffalo.

Needless to say, the event , which was a fundraiser for Gateway-Longview--an organization that benefits at-risk children, was a huge success as all in attendance were happy to pony-up the ticket fee for a great cause. 

The all-you-can-eat BBQ buffet was delicious (to date, some of the best pulled pork we’ve tasted in the area)…

the cold “brewskis” and glasses of wine flowed with unlimited refills…a handful of Buffalo Bills (Lydell Sargeant and Cary Harris) autographed posters for Susie...

and a few of the Buffalo Jills sidled up alongside Jack...

the guys--Jack, Don (Barb's brother) and Larry--kept things lively...

and Susie kept on dancing...

but all said and done...the highlight of the evening were the fabulous Blues tunes provided by Billy McEwen and the Soul Invaders. 

For hours, we celebrated--music, conversation, laughter, food, and drink…not a bad way to salute a near-perfect summer evening in Buffalo, NY.

When the evening drew to a close, we were reminded once again that, indeed, Life IS Good!  

Yowza….

SPA-tacular Full Moon Howl for the Salvation Army Emergency Shelter (Buffalo, NY)

SPA-tacular Full Moon Howl

April 28, 2010

A gathering of Yowza Elves in the Spirit of Giving and Gratitude

to support the

Salvation Army Emergency Shelter in Buffalo, NY

Oh, my!!!  The entire evening was, indeed, “SPA-TACULAR”--due to the generosity and kindness and beauty of the women who came to “howl out loud” through their giving of spa items to the Salvation Army  Emergency Shelter http://www.use.salvationarmy.org/use/www_use_buffalo.nsf/vw-text-dynamic-arrays/AFD2F02C04D2D23E85257488006B3D87?openDocument. 

      You know, I was going to write in detail about the entire event, but the saying that “a picture is worth a thousand words” truly speaks more loudly and more clearly to the success of the gathering than any lengthy blog I could attempt.  Suffice it to say – the collective spirit and heart and energy and love of the women who gave of their time and donations was overwhelming.

46 WOMEN:

               That’s right—46 fantastic women from the Buffalo-Kenmore-Tonawanda, NY were responsible for the evening’s success…

877 DONATED SPA ITEMS:

               Yowza! Yowza! Yowza!  Before it was all said and done,  877+ spa items were donated to support the women who might find
               themselves residing at the Salvation Army Emergency Shelter in downtown Buffalo, NY.  877 items!  That’s right…46 women…
               877+ donated spa items.  Oh, me; Oh, my!   Life IS good!

And so, rather than writing and writing and writing…here is the story of the magical evening through photographs. 

The Invitation to Howl

 Guests of Honor 

Carolyn Hillman, Director

Margie Delgado, Resident Manager

Salvation Army Emergency Shelter Buffalo, NY

Party Goodies...Nibbles...Drinks...Decorations

Yowza Elf Giving

Yowza Elves:

So I’ll leave you with a thought:  

What if…

what if more Yowza Elves begin to gather in the spirit of gratitude and giving?  What if these Yowza Elves gather, then more elves gather, and at each gathering they encourage others to 

“Catch the YowzaSpirit and Pass it On”….  

What if…

Phew!  The evening came and went…and the Goodies are now boxed for delivery to the shelter.

Yowza...Catch the Spirit