Just a note, don’t go when it is even close to convenient, you are in a hurry, don’t want to walk a million miles, or don’t want to be with other people, because this place is popular. It is also worth it.
The observatory is built on Mt. Hollywood, the same one that has the big Hollywood sign, in 1935. From its inception it was open to the public for free. It was meant to make astronomy approachable and accessible to the masses and the masses show up en masse.
The copper domes really do house legit telescopes that aid real-life science (see what I did there?). Smart people doing smart things that I don’t understand, work there. I didn’t work there, I just looked there.The city, the sky, and the building. The art deco scalloped smooth lined solid colored building, the pastel fading multicolored shapeless sky, and the staccato jumbled lit up city.
You can only go there when you have some time.
Only go there when all those crowds and lack of parking and walking don’t matter. Because despite all that, you have to go.
I stood alone outside the luggage carousel till the 16 passenger shuttle bus pulled up. I asked the driver for a dinner recommendation and he quickly replied I should eat at the Dinosaur. I took a mental note and looked out the window. “So I suppose that is where Lex Luthor lives?” I asked without noting what building I meant. He quickly responded, “Um, no. That is just an office building.”
Later in the evening I walked past the Dinosaur to the brew pub that outranked the recommendation on Yelp. The city had the look of a place that was once somewhere, had promise that it could be again, but is not now. There was architecture and the occasional sidewalk bistro, but no people. It was early evening, still light out, but I was mostly alone.The sandwich was dry. I sat on the balcony overlooking the waterfall and quietly listened to the conversation at the table next to me. We two tables were the only ones taken.
There were four of them. Three men, one looking to be a sturdy sixty, another a scrawny twenty, and one woman, maybe thirty. The younger talked loud about how women have no reason to marry anymore. He claimed to be trying is hardest but it was never enough for her. He loves her but she simply doesn’t care for him. She doesn’t need his money and he really does try his hardest. The other man, the one who wasn’t old, repeatedly offered his phone so the bewailing man could call her. “No man. My phone dying is the best thing to happen tonight. I told her I wasn’t drinking today.”At one point I’m sure I heard the statement, “Now I’m not racist but…” followed by something I couldn’t hear. The older and the younger men got up, shook hand with the remaining two, and left.
Once they were gone there was silence. The woman looked over at me and asked, “Was it just me or was that crazy?” Not knowing the best way to answer, I said just that. I went on to learn that the two parties had just met that night. I didn’t have to wonder how, guessing it was in similar fashion to how I was now meeting these fine folks myself.
“So what are you selling?” “Pardon?” “Your’e wearing your money suit. No one looks like that who isn’t working.”
I chuckled and explained. I asked what they were doing meeting drunken husbands in Rochester. She looked at the ceiling and said, “Ahhh, we are just passing through.” The man explained that she doesn’t like talking about her job.
I looked at the two of them innocently and said I understood… but I am very imaginative. “We work together on a flight crew,” the man quickly explained. When asked he replied he was a pilot.
She looked out at the waterfall, I walked back to the hotel.
One of the groundbreaking features of Super Techmo Bowl, other than Bo Jackson’s ability to outrun everybody, was the capability of playing a complete season. You could pick a team and the Nintendo would remember your last game, keep track of your stats, and you could fight your way to a Superbowl.
I didn’t have a Nintendo, but Jake did. One day Jake was taking too long to get ready and to alleviate my boredom, I grabbed the controller. A game was already in progress; I hit “continue”.
After 15 consecutive hand-offs to Thurman Thomas I was up four touchdowns and the clock was winding down. This was the first round of the playoffs and victory was fast approaching. On hand-off number 16, Thomas was collectively hit by everyone on the defense, the ball was fumbled, and Thomas was hauled off the field on a stretcher.
I looked around the room, it was still empty, quietly turned off the TV, and sat back trying to look like I had been comfortable and bored for quite some time. Jake came downstairs smelling like a bottle of Drakkar, and we took off for the night.
About noon the next day I got a phone call full of words I won’t repeat and it took about three years for me to be trusted alone in his room again.
This, and a missed field goal, were about the extent of my knowledge of Buffalo when I drove my big white van into town.
Downtown is surprisingly small. There is no wealth of skyscrapers, nor dramatic geography, but backed right up against the lake, is a gem.
Buffalo City Hall
Completed in 1931, it was one of the most extravagant public buildings of the time. Most think of the 30’s in light of the great depression, there is a flip side to that, and that flip side is called art deco. If you are unaware of what art deco is, it is the Buffalo City Hall.
the front columns of an art deco masterpiece.
YOu can walk right into the hall, get inside the polished brass elevator, and go up to the observation deck above. There you will have a great view of grey skies, a grey lake, and grey buildings. After doing this, I suggest going back inside and seeing inlaid walls, painted ceilings, and carved relief mouldings.
What the town may lack in visual stimulation outside, it provides in abundance on the inside.
Within walking distance from city hall is a sweet surprise, Choco-Logo.
Choco-Logo, 141 Broadway, Buff, NY 14203
Inside I met Liz Donner. Liz gave lots of helpful history, explanations about how everything was made on site, but most importantly, Liz gave samples. I have now tried sponge candy, I like sponge candy, I still have no idea what sponge candy is. I have a better idea what the Salty Turtles are and according to my wife, one of my biggest mistakes in life is not having bought her more than one box.
Liz Donner behind the counter at Choco-Logo.
Mrs. Brohammas once attended a presidential inauguration… sort of. (ask about the purple tunnel of doom). Buffalo once hosted a presidential inauguration… sort of.
Wilcox Mansion, site of Teddy's innaguration.
In 1901 the President of the United States was assassinated. No, not Abraham Lincoln, no, not JFK, the correct answer is McKinley, yes there was a president named McKinley. My favorite Vice President ever was in Buffalo at the time of the unfortunate event, and he thought it would be in bad taste to have the usual festivities associated with swearing in a new president, so he opted to take the oath of office in the library of a friend’s mansion.
Just so you know, the name sake of the Teddy Bear, was cool.
Back to Buffalo:
Perhaps the greatest gift this city, or any rust belt city, has ever given the world, came from Buffalo. The Earl of Sandwich did no better, the town of Hamburg was affectively topped, France’s fries pale in comparison to Buffalo’s wings!
Anchor Bar, undisputed birthplace of the Buffalo wing.
I am going to speak home town trash talking blasphemy; the Buffalo wing is a way bigger deal than the Philly Cheese Steak. A visit to Buffalo requires a stop at the Anchor Bar, the birthplace of the Buffalo wing.
Let me simply say that while not the best wing ever tasted, they do rival J.R. Cricket’s in Atlanta, and they do merit the stop. Meaty, saucy, and face scorching hot.
This is the sweaty face of happiness.
As if my point needed proving, while I was enjoying my meal made of an appetizer, a film crew from CNN came into the bar to talk to Buffalo locals about Wolf Blitzer’s tenure on the news channel. Even CNN knows the Anchor Bar is the place to be.
As I drove off, fingers smelling spicy, I decided that any town that produced someone with the name Wolf, was O.K. with me.
The city, the sky, and the building. The art deco scalloped smooth lined solid colored building, the pastel fading multicolored shapeless sky, and the staccato jumbled lit up city.
Brohammas 