Locals Talk
What's the best way to spend a day in Buffalo? Where should you go to eat, drink, shop and stroll? How do you find a real deal? To find out, we suggest you consult the people in the know — the locals. To make your travel planning easier, we asked around and compiled a collection of favorite attractions, activities and Buffalo's hidden treasures. Let these insiders help you plan a trip that is sure to please.
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Alexis de Veaux Alexis De Veaux is an award-winning writer whose work is nationally and internationally known. She was born in Harlem, New York but has happily lived in Buffalo the past twenty years. She teaches at the University at Buffalo, is an avid enthusiast of city life, and loves checking out the neighborhood with her dog, Aangus. ... more |
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Amy Maxwell Chairperson, Revitalize Buffalo, and Education Coordinator at The Center for Hospice & Palliative Care ... more |
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Blair Woods Blair Woods is a self-employed manager and tour manager of pop rock bands. His clients have included such renowned artists as Cowboy Junkies, 10,000 Maniacs and Edie Brickell & the New Bohemians. He is a member of Urban Roots’ Board of Directors and a community activist committed to the betterment of his immediate neighborhood and to the City of Buffalo. ... more |
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Christina Abt A nationally published writer and a Western New York columnist and radio commentator. She is particularly passionate about sharing her perspective as a born and bred Buffalo Gal. ... more |
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Doug Ruffin Born and raised in Buffalo, Doug is a local television/radio personality and the owner of Urban Legacy Filmworks, an emerging independent media production company that has produced a number of documentaries on Buffalo’s African American community. ... more |
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Ed Cardoni A native of Boston, Massachusetts, Ed came to Buffalo (long a widely acknowledged literary hot spot, whose reputation he knew from afar) in 1981 to pursue his Ph.D. in English at UB. He got involved in the arts instead (equally hot in that realm, though he didn't know it till he got here), and ended up still in Buffalo a quarter century later. He is employed as the Executive Director of Hallwalls Contemporary Art Center. ... more |
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Judi Mohn Griggs Buffalo-born Griggs, left an island job at a Five Star/ Five Diamond resort to come home after 24 years away. She and her husband have a small brick home blocks from City Hall and a cottage on the lake. Her marketing duties in the city allow her to live and work in the Downtown area she loves. ... more |
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Meela Moore Meela Moore was born and raised in Buffalo. She earned both her B.A. and M.B.A. from Canisius College. She now works as Program Director for The Office of Citizen Participation and Information. ... more |
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Nicholas Picholas Nicholas works as a morning radio host at Kiss 98.5, WKSE-FM. He lives in Lewiston with his wife and daughter, spending his time between family, recording studios and nightclubs as a resident DJ. ... more |
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Caitlin Zulewski Born in Buffalo, Caitlin Zulewski grew up in Cortland, New York. She returned to Buffalo to attend Canisius College, fell in love with her hometown, and stayed here. She works as an Account Manager for Travers Collins & Company, a local marketing communications firm. ... more |
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Cynthia Van Ness Librarian, author of Victorian Buffalo (Western New York Wares, ©1999), president of the Preservation Coalition of Erie County, founder and creator of BuffaloResearch.com ... more |
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Donna Fernandes Animal behaviorist and slug expert turned Zoo President/CEO ... more |
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Drew Cerza Drew Cerza, better known as the “Wing King,” is the president and founder of the RMI Promotions Group, a national food promotion agency located in Clarence, New York. Founded in 1994, the company has represented national clients such as Hershey’s, General Mills, Prince Pasta and Northland Cranberry. The company has also created several of its own co-op marketing promotions to support local causes. Drew is an active member of the community and started the National Buffalo Wing Festival in 2002. In 2007, the National Buffalo Wing Festival attracted over 75,000 wing fanatics to downtown Buffalo over Labor Day weekend. The Wing King and the festival has appeared on countless national media outlets, including: The Today Show, CNN, Throwdown with Bobby Flay, Food Network, and The Discovery Channel. ... more |
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Jessica Keltz An attorney and former journalist, Jessica Keltz works as Downtown Living Coordinator at Buffalo Place Inc. She grew up in Bradford, Pa. but now makes her home in the Klienhans neighborhood on Buffalo’s West Side. ... more |
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Kate Resetarits Kate Resetarits is a happy homeowner in the Elmwood Village section of Buffalo, who works with her family in commercial construction and development. She loves summer in Buffalo, playing tennis in Delaware Park, and hanging out with her English Bulldog, Dually. ... more |
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Kevin Cottrell Kevin is a preservationist, adjunct professor at the University at Buffalo and Station Master for Motherland Connextions, a heritage tourism tour company. An ambassador for the region for most of his adult life, he is passionate about the rich histories that make up the Buffalo Niagara region, particularly the Underground Railroad. He lives in Niagara Falls with his wife and four daughters. ... more |
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Leslie Zemsky A Buffalo booster for 25 years, Leslie and her husband, Howard, have raised three children in Buffalo and are ardent supporters of the Buffalo region as a place to live, work and raise a family. Leslie is a painter and leader of the local arts community. She is a director of the Albright Knox Art Gallery. They have a summer home at the Chautauqua Institution allowing them to embrace the best of Western New York all year round. ... more |
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Melonya Johnson Born in Buffalo, Melonya returned to the area from New York City in 1993. ... more |
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Nancy Vargo Nancy Vargo is a lifelong resident of Western New York who recently moved to North Buffalo. Educated locally, she has split her career between positions in nursing and public relations. Her hobbies include photography and music and she loves spending time with her family, friends and two Golden Retrievers. ... more |
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Tanya Loughead A professor at Canisius College, Tanya moved to Buffalo last year with her husband. They consider themselves ‘foodies’ who enjoy the urban lifestyle, eating out at interesting restaurants, going to the theatre, to good bookstores, to farmer’s markets, sitting on patios at cafés, etc. ... more |
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William A. Battle Born in Buffalo, Bill returned to Western New York after 20 years in numerous cities, most recently Washington, D.C. He is currently a Regional Director for the National Black MBA Association, Inc. ... more |
