Danielle and AJ

Medeski Martin and Wood at Erie Canal Harbor

A few weeks ago we drove to Buffalo to check out Erie Canal Harbor. One of AJ’s favorite bands – Medeski, Martin and Wood – was playing (followed by Umphrey’s McGee).

First of all, they were fantastic. (Sorry, our video quality is not). But we also had some time to peruse the harbor, and it’s impressive, too. We weren’t here for its unveiling in early July last year, but apparently $53 million of Buffalo/New York State/Federal grant money was spent to develop 12.5 acres of the waterfront. (Wonder if it’s paying off).

It seems as if people are enjoying it, and Buffalo Place Rocks the Harbor is certainly bringing some great acts to the area this summer, with most of them charging only $10-$20 as an entrance fee. The area boasts a pretty nice view, too.

Rediscovering home

After being home for a few months, we've realized that a lot has changed -- especially us. I think when people return to their hometowns they get a feeling of being smothered...didn't we grow out of this a long time ago, after all? I imagine lots of gen y-ers are feeling this as they go back to living with parents and relatives while waiting out this economic catastrophe.

We're no exception to feeling this way, but we're going to try to make the most of being here. And we're beginning to see that while we'll trek around the world to explore Asia, we've hardly ever ventured out in our own little region.

I've noticed a lot of people this summer are opting for "stay-cations" rather than spending a ton to go somewhere far away. While I'm a huge proponent of international travel, I'm also trying to appreciate the exploration you can do without driving too far. For us that means for the remainder of the summer, we'll be posting about Western New York history and culture.

We've both started jobs at the Chautauqua Institution. About four years ago I interned as a reporter for the paper there, and it's a phenomenal place to meet authors, academics and explorers. So expect some posts on the lecture/entertainment scene at CI.

We hope to get a new appreciation of where we come from and maybe some answers to where we're going. We also encourage others to do the same and to share their experiences of rediscovering their hometowns and regions with us.

Finding the Keys in old photos

Back in high school I was using my dad's film SLR for a photography class. I guess that's what got me hooked -- that and seeing my images appear out of their chemical baths in the darkroom.

Sadly, I don't have use of a darkroom any longer, but I do have all those photos I developed. Over the weekend, AJ helped me scan them into my computer, and I especially loved reminiscing over my shots from Key Largo and Key West.

Who doesn't love boats and palm trees?