1984 Weekend in Buffalo, NY (7/5-9/1984)

Thursday, July 5, 1984

Left at 15:00 to drive to Buffalo. Heard there was a tornado warning in "Wooster"/Worcester, MA, but I had missed it. They have self-serve gas at the NY Thruway rest stops now. Stopped to visit Kathy C for a couple hours, then on the Buffalo.

Friday, July 6, 1984

Arrived about 0:45.

In the morning I put on my bathing suit to wash the car, and it started to rain! After lunch took Mom to the clock shop and for some grocery shopping. After dinner, Kathy and Dad went with me to go pick up Grandma from the train station. We expected the train at 19:53, but it wasn’t due until 20:13, and now was to be a half hour late. Kathy said she saw a turkey, but although we hunted, we couldn’t find it! We decided to drive to the foot of Main Street to the Buffalo Light Rail Rapid Transit/LRRT car barn, then continued on to Tifft Farm, the nature preserve. Walked in towards the marsh. Saw a "mini-black panther" and heard the foghorn "of a moose." The wooden walkways over the marsh were underwater, so we couldn’t go far. On our way back to the train station, we had to wait for a ship to pass in the Buffalo Canal. Grandma arrived at 20:50. Back at home Terry was cutting Frank’s and Paul’s hair. Sat around the table doing Trivial Pursuit questions.

Saturday, July 7, 1984

I waxed and vacuumed my car this morning. At about 11:30, we started our mystery tour with Dad directing, and Mom and Grandma along. Out Niagara Falls Boulevard. Followed SR 62 right into Niagara Falls and parked in the Rainbow Centre garage (free!). Went through the mall and decided to have lunch there, of baked potatoes, mine with broccoli and a sweet Hollandaise sauce. Ate in the Winter Garden.

Winter Garden

Native American Center for the Living Arts

We walked over to see the American Falls. The Indian statue at Prospect Point was surrounded by American flags, put there for the hostages in Iran.

Prospect Point flags for Iranian hostages

American and part of Canadian Falls

It was cloudy and windy, and I was glad I took Paul’s sweatshirt. I had goose bumps on my bare legs. A group of people in early American dress walked by. We took the Viewmobile Tour for $2 each.

Viewmobile ticket

Had a bit of a wait for free seats. Got off at the first stop to walk over to Luna Island and see the Bridal Veil Falls.

Bridal Veil Falls and American Falls

The Cave of the Winds tour was open, and we could see people wearing the yellow raincoats on the wooden walkways below.

Cave of the Winds walkway

Caught the next Viewmobile to pass the Horseshoe Falls, hidden by the mist, and around past the helipad back to Prospect Point. Then boarded the shuttle Viewmobile to the Geological Museum.

Paid 25-cents each to enter this tiny museum showing rock and fossil specimens, and pictures of the Falls and gorge, and power plants. Saw a slide presentation briefly explaining the origin of the Falls. We walked over the overpass to the Aquarium. I had a Key Club two-for-the-price-of-one coupon to get me and Grandma in for $4.50.

Dad and Mom had a 1/3 off coupon to pay $6 for two tickets. Saw the displays around the central tank where the bottle-nosed dolphins were. Saw a variety of fish with explanatory information in cartoons above. One tank demonstrated swimming against a current. One showed the degree of light at different depths. Went to the upstairs level to see a few more display tanks, then waited for the 16:15 show. Saw a sea lion do a few tricks, three dolphins do tricks, and a little harbor seal was brought out to show the difference between seals and sea lions. Sea lions have rotary spines to allow a quadruped walk on land, where the seals have to inchworm along. Sea lions have external ears while seals have internal ones. Seals chew their food and sea lions gulp it whole.

We left to return to the Geological Museum to catch a Viewmobile back. Retrieved the car and drove home. Terry, Kathy and I were going to see Shakespeare in the Park tonight, but cancelled due to weather. Kathy still wanted to do something, bit started talking to Mom. She was finally ready at 21:45, so we hurried to the Boulevard Mall to see “Rhinestone,” and Frank and Paul went to see “Conan, the Destroyer” with my discount tickets.

Sunday, July 8, 1984

Found a four-leaf clover on the way home from Mass.

Four-leaf clover

At noon we went downtown, with Frank driving my car and Paul and I sharing the other front seat. Mom, Dad, and Grandma sat in the back seat. Parked on Pearl Street and walked over to Main Street to go to Fountain Plaza for the “Taste of Buffalo” that stretched down to Court Street.

Taste of Buffalo flyer

The Buffalo LRRT tracks ran through the center of Main Street and crowds of people gathered on them.

Taste of Buffalo festival

The UB Jazz Ensemble was playing in the large green square and the sound reverberated all around. We entered the Hyatt Regency to see the original doorway leading to the kitchens. They had a buffet set up with an unidentifiable ice sculpture. Back outside we checked out some booths, and bought $15 worth of 50-cent tickets. We walked down to the other end of the festival, then worked our way back to stop where we had seen things we wanted. I had a potato croquette from the Pierce Arrow tent, hot from the microwave! Dad got a Polish sausage with sauerkraut from the Salad Gazebo. At Poets, we got Steam Whistle Chili for Frank and Paul. Next door I got a raw oyster from Sassafras. Mom and Grandma got beef on weck from Rib-Elz. Frank ate most of Mom’s. Frank got a mimi bird (quail) from Australian Country Inn. I filled out contest entry forms, and we had Pepsis. Dad got a crabmeat stuffed mushroom Italiano from the Glass Gazebo, Mom got oriental vegetable tempura, and Frank got another chili. I bought $5 more of tickets, and Terry and Jim showed up. I shared a piece of cheesecake with Grandma and Dad from the Salad Gazebo. Then Kathy showed up with her friend Lorie. We gave then four tickets. I got a Key lime pie that was yellow. Dad also tried the broccoli cheese soup from the Boardwalk Café. We started back to the car, but got sidetracked listening to the Caribbean Extravaganza, with token steel drum music and lots of “comedy.” Frank and I followed Mom and Paul to the car, and we drove to pick up Dad and Grandma. Frank, Dad and Grandma got a little sunburned today.

Gorgeous sky

Monday, July 9, 1984

Drove straight through to Rhode Island, arriving about 15:15. Later met at Kent’s house to make a big salad with Boston lettuce, celery, scallions, egg, avocado, marinated artichokes, cherry tomatoes, purple onion slices, bean and alfalfa sprouts, anything else? I made Sue H’s Broccoli Primavera to have over fettuccini. Cathy H arrived at 19:30 for the meal, as her kitchen is being remodeled.