An Urban Explorer's Guide to the Buffalo-Niagara Region: Unique Landmarks, Historic Gin Mills, Old World Neighborhoods, History, Nickel City Oddities, Tours and More!
Great pride is taken in the purchase, preparation and presentation of the traditional Polish seater basket. Wicker baskets filled with butter lambs, sausage, cross bread, horseradish, sausage (fresh & smoked), salt, wine and cheese are blessed on the Saturday before Easter. Below is a collection of Polish Easter Baskets from St. Stan's, Buffalo, March 26, 2005. Compare these to the pictures of Baskets from Krakow, Poland taken on the same day by my friend Marcin.
Easter Baskets in Krakow, Poland, March 27, 2005. Thank you to Marcin, Justyna and Jakob for sharing modern Poland with me.
The blessing of baskets in Krakow's main square, 2005. Note the baskets lined around the outside awaiting the blessing.
F-16 from Syracuse paces a Niagara Falls based KC-135 on June 22, 2004
Members of Leadership Niagara were recent guest of Lt. Col. Barry H. Griffith for an intimate look at operations at the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Base. The day long excursion included a flight on a KC-135, in-flight refueling of F-16 fighters and a tour of FortDrum during the annual Patriot East training exercises.
After an extensive briefing, we boarded our KC-135 Stratotanker for a 2-hour refueling exercise. The Stratotanker, based at the Niagara Falls Air Base, belongs to the 107th Air Refueling Wing of the New York State National Guard. The plane’s primary mission and the of the 107th is to provide aerial refueling support to the Air Force, Navy and the Marine Cops as well as aircraft of allied nations. In-flight refueling allows for a greater number of supplies to be transported by aircraft as well as reduces costly ground time for fighters.
The highlight of the day’s program featured the aerial fueling of six F-16 fighters belonging to the Air National Guard based in Syracuse. 27000 feet above the ground and traveling at 375 mph, the two planes performed an intricate ballet of machinery only feet apart.
On the ground at FortDrum, the Leadership Niagara group toured the Patriot East exercises which included a first hand look at new military technologies, field medical operations and A-10 Thunderbolt fighters. The goal of Patriot East was to train soldiers using real life military scenarios. Units involved included US, Canadian, British, Estonian, Dutch and Slovakia joint coalition troops.
Thank you to Lt. Col. Barry H. Griffith, 107th ARW and Lt. Col Armand Gabriele, Director of Patriot East, for their efforts in providing this unique, once in a lifetime experience.
KC-135 Stratotanker used on Leadership Niagara mission
Inside KC-135
F-16 approaches our aircraft during aerial refuling.
375 mph and only feet between planes!
F-16 waits turn for fueling
Cockpit of KC-135.
Barry Griffith with crew member
A-10 prepares for mission during Patriot East at Fort Drum
Field Hospital currently being used in the Middle East
Surgical ward of a new "MASH" unit
Dutch troops practice the evacuation wounded soldiers.
Commander of the 174th Fighter Wing explains the use of the A-10 fighters
View from KC-135 on 6/22/04
Battle Simulation Center at Fort Drum
Dutch troops practice the evacuation wounded soldiers.
FEATURE: June 2004
The Freshest Golabki and Pierogis in Buffalo!
Cooking starts around 5AM on Fridays
With a tradition of over 250 collective years of cooking behind them, an army of women at St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Church taken on the weekly task of creating the finest golakbi and pierogies in Western New York.
The church, located on Filmore Avenue between William and Clinton, is a refuge of Eastern European cuisine and hospitality. As you descend down the stairs to the basement hall, you are immediately greeted with fine Ukrainian linens on the tables and countless icons with saying writing in Cyrillic. Mixes of Polish, Russian and Ukrainian languages are heard as you order your meal into the past.
Beginning with the freshest of ingredients and recipes that are locked in the minds and memories of the octogenarian crew, cooking begins in the early morning as the Eastside comes to life. By 11A, the smells of onions and butter begin to engulf the kitchen as the first lunches are served to a table to old men sitting down to play a game of cards.
A full lunch including a cup of borsht will cost you under $5. You will swear that your grandmother was in the kitchen cooking…it is that authentic!
Don’t miss this unique old world experience on the Eastside. Kitchen is open Friday’s 11A-3P (September through June)
Located on Filmore Ave. in Buffalo
A community kitchen for a meal under $5.
Taking time to pause during the weekly game of penny rummy.
