But that is not just it…  There are jobs here, and we have some of the most progressive companies right here in Western New York.   Join me at BTEC today at:  www.BTEC2008.com where they will be streaming live this networking event at which larger companies can show the way to success, mid-level companies can reach out to new customers, find talent, locate real estate, and smaller companies that are just starting out can find some investors or just share their plans.

The event will be interactive with questions from the online community via text and Twitter, live attendees, and the whole event will be streamed online via BuffaloHomecoming.com, wnymedia.net, and ustream.tv

Hope to see you there!

For additional event updates visit:  http://www.buffalohomecoming.com/blog

Friday, June 27

· Business Buffalo:
     - BTEC

     - Career Fair

· Arts in the Park
Saturday, June 28

· Re-Discover Buffalo Tours

· Downtown Housing Tour

· Buffalo Homecoming Block Party
Sunday, June 29

· Sunday Brunch

· From the Heart of Buffalo Fair

Tim Russert gave our city a face and a voice, and there was no greater Buffalo supporter. Tim Russert was honest and decent and hardworking – Tim Russert was Buffalo, and Tim was Buffalo’s favorite son. The loss of Tim Russert is felt acutely by all who knew him and by so many who never had the pleasure of meeting him.

Read Also: Tim Russert Dead at 58

Tim Russert did single-handedly and very successfully what we collectively seek to do with Buffalo By Choice and Buffalo Homecoming, and he has done it for decades. The radio spot he recorded for the event last year generated a remarkable level of recognition and gave the fledgling endeavor enormous credibility. Tim Russert expressed a desire to support the event again this year.

Read Also: Russert Lost

We all harbored a secret hope that Tim Russert might be back in town during Buffalo Homecoming — that he might just turn up at BTEC or the Career Fair Friday morning, drop by Arts in the Park that afternoon, make a cameo appearance at the Block Party Saturday night or join us for Brunch on Sunday… Tim Russert was known for doing this sort of thing, and we had our fingers crossed. Now we know Tim Russert will not be with us or with his family on that weekend or on any other.

Read Also: Buffalo flags fly at half-staff

We are deeply indebted to Tim Russert and we miss him greatly. Our heartfelt condolences go out to the entire Russert family. To be part of the outpouring of memories and grief, log on to WGRZ 2 On Your Side and send your condolences to the Russert family.

Rest in peace, Tim Russert. We miss you.

Four Days to Fall in Love with Buffalo.  All over again!

Buffalo Homecoming has organized the four days to optimize your enjoyment of the Greater Buffalo area.  There will be tours, a career fair and a new look at hour “new economy” high tech companies.  We will be showcasing our cultural treasures, incredible dining experiences and a block party on Satuday night that is certain to rock the socks off the Theatre District!   And at the end, we will gather at the Buffalo Zoo and have a fabulous brunch with a sampling of the ethnic diversity we have here in the Greater Buffalo area.  Buffalo Homecoming is certainly the event to be part of!

So what is the plan for these four days that we call Buffalo Homecoming?

It all starts with a concept.  You are having friends come into town for the weekend.   What are you going to do with them to show off your community and entertain them for the weekend?  How are you going to spend your time?   Well when your guests get into town, the first thing you do is go out to dinner!  And that is just what we are going to do here at Buffalo Homecoming with:

Eat Your Heart Out Buffalo!

Choose a participating restaurant and dine with your friends and family!  But not just any old restauarnt will do, we are featuring all Buffalo area owned and operated establishments.   Dine on traditional favorites like pizza, wings, beef on weck or fish fry to some of the most innovative and creative cuisine in the world!

Partial list of participating Buffalo Homecoming restaurants:

• Allen Street Hardware, 245 Allen. 882-8843
• Bing’s Restaurant, 1972 Kensington Ave., Amherst, 839-5788
• Campieri’s Gourmet Pizza & Pasta, 888 Main Street, 362-0161
• Fiddle Head Restaurant, 62 Allen Street, 883-4166
• Fuji Grill, 736 Maple Rd,, Williamsville, 688-6199
• La Dolce Vita,1472 Hertel Ave., 446-5690
• La Tee Da, 206 Allen Street, 881-4500
• Mode Urban Bistro, 520 Elmwood, 885-1500
• Quaker Bonnet Eatery, 175 Allen, 884-0435
• Rue Franklin, 341 Franklin, 852-4416
• Sample, 242 Allen, 883-1675
• Shango, 3260 Main Street, 837-2326
• Snooty Fox, 455 Delaware Ave., 828-6657
• The Stillwater, 481-483 Delaware Ave., 884-9283

Thanks to Eat Your Heart Out Buffalo Sponsor: 
Buffalo Spree Magazine  

Spend time afterwards catching up with your friends and family, perhaps take in one of the events happening around Western New York.  Check out the calendar for June 26 and find something fun to do.

On Friday there is so much exciting to do!  If you are coming back because you are looking for a way to find a great job to do so, we have the Career Fair for you. 

Career Fair

This is a free career fair with employers hiring PROFESSIONAL and CAREER Positions!   Buffalo Homecoming is about bringing people back to the area.  And one way to do that is to showcase the opportunities that Western New York has to offer!  There will be more than 40 companies that are hiring right now in Western New York.   There will be a networking lunch available.  All this at the Statler Terrace Room in the heart of Downtown Buffalo.  A special section of this event will focus on opportunities for veterans.

Partial list of participating firms:

• A.P.A. Agency
• APA Solutions
• Addeco
• ATTO Technology, Inc. 
• Blue Cross Blue Shield
• Bureau Veritas Consumer Products Services Inc. 
• Carlton Technologies
• Citi Professional Recruitment
• Clever Method 
• EGW Technical Staffing
• Ethox International
• First Investors Corporation
• Fisher-Price
• Ingram Micro
• Invitrogen
• Kaleida Health
• LP Ciminelli Inc.
• M&T Bank 
• Multisorb Technologies, Inc.
• National Fuel Gas Company
• Northrop Grumman Amherst Systems
• Northwestern Mutual Financial Network
• Professional Support, Inc.
• Remedy Intelligent Staffing
• Rich Products Corporation
• Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel
• Stampede Global
• Strauss Group, Inc.
• TEKsystems
• Travelers
• University of Buffalo - School of Nursing
• Valuecentric LLC
• Wegmans Food Markets Inc. 
• West Herr Automotive Group
• World Web Dex Corp.

Partial list of Resources:

• Buffalo Economic Renaissance Corporation 
• Buffalo Niagara Partnership             
• Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership
• City of Buffalo

Thanks to Career Fair sponsors: 
Business First 
Northrop Grumman Amherst Systems

BTEC 2008

BTEC showcases the CEO’s of twenty of Buffalo’s most professive “new economy” high tech companies.   Buffalo Homecoming’s BTEC will be held at the Statler Grand Ballroom this free event is not to be missed!  The stereotype of Buffalo is that it is a town filled with blue collar lunch bucket factory workers with a love of chicken wings and Canadian Beer. Well, the wings and beer thing is true, but Buffalo is also home to a growing and thriving new economy.

This is a networking event at which larger companies can show the way to success, mid-level companies can reach out to new customers, find talent, locate real estate, and smaller companies that are just starting out can find some investors or just share their plans.

BTEC will be interactive, with questions from the online community via text and Twitter, live attendees, and the whole event will be streamed online via BuffaloHomecoming.com, wnymedia.net, and ustream.tv. When we’re done, we’ll upload each presentation to dozens of viral video sites to spread the word about Buffalo’s business future.

Presenters: The CEOs of Western New York’s 20 most innovative technology, design, creative and media companies. Click here to see who’s speaking.

Audience: WNY Venture Capital Association, Buffalo Niagara Enterprise/Partnership members, InfoTech Niagara membership, local entrepreneurs, general public, online participation.

Thanks to BTEC 2008 Sponsors: 
Business First
InfoTech Niagara 
Buffalo Niagara Enterprise

Just as this event closes, it will give you some time to relax, catch an early dinner at one of the many resturants that you could not decide to eat the night prior before joining us at the steps of the Albright Knox Art Gallery for:

Arts in the Park 

Join us for this FREE Buffalo Homecoming event!  Music, picnic fare and fun for all! Get to know Buffalo’s many arts and cultural organizations, enjoy an an art show, take a tour, taste local beers and wines, row a boat around the lake (yes, there will be boats to row on the lake — be there right at 5:00 for the launch!) and have fun! Then walk over to Shakespeare in the Park, enjoy in Gusto at the Gallery, or just take a stroll around the lake!

Partial list of participating organizations:

• Arts Council
• Broadway Market
• Buffalo & Erie County Historical Society
• Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy
• Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra
• Buffalo Tours
• Burchfield Penny Art Center
• Cultural Niagara
• El Museo Francisco Oller y Diego Rivera
• Forest Lawn Cemetery
• Greycliff
• Locust Street Art
• Market Street Art Center, 247 Market Street, Lockport, 716-478-0239
• Queen City Contra Dancers
• Roycroft Campus Corporation, East Aurora, 716-655-0261
• Steel Plant Museum, 560 Ridge Rd. Lackawanna, 716-675-4006
• Squeaky Wheel

Don’t miss the Art Show in the Marcy Casino. A dozen local artists will display their works on the upper level of the Casino. Proceeds benefit Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy.

Arts in the Park Artists include:

• Katie Bihr is known all over Hollywood as a key make up artist. Her artwork is expressive and abstract often in series.
• Mark Donnelly, award-winning regional photographer who showcases Buffalo and Western New York in expressive photography. Images of Buffalo’s Olmsted parks will be featured.
• A.J. Fries’ work has been described as nostalgic, cosmic, powerful without being overstated, and unreal yet admittedly appetizing.The majority of his work focuses on the mass consumerism of American popular culture, and such large-scale portraits of Oreos and Ring Pops show the elegance that can exist in such mundane materials.
• Ani Hoover
• Becky Koenig’s contemporary paintings and works on paper engage nature and technology themes, color theory and the human senses.
• Cathy Shuman Miller’s paintings and prints are infused with energy, movement and color. Her work embodies a sense of timelessness, a connection to ancient history/religion, a physical link to stories and myths of the past that help develop her unique style.
• Patricia Schwimmer does colorful, intuitive acrylic paintings from the untamed heart. 

Thanks to Arts in the Park Sponsors:  
Buffalo Niagara Association of Realtors (BNAR)
Buffalo Olmstead Parks Conservancy
Cultural Niagara
New Era Caps

Wow!  Two days down, two more to go for Buffalo Homecoming!  Saturday presents with a lot of opportunity for you to enjoy Western New York and the evening ends with a free outdoor concert in the heart of the Theatre District!

Re-Discover Buffalo

• Erie Canal Harbor Tour - Learn about Buffalo’s roots and experience the recently restored Erie Canal Harbor area!  During the 19th and early 20th centuries, the harbor functioned as the bustling “western terminus” of the Erie Canal. Tour by Matt Davision of the Erie Canal Habor Development Corp. FREE        Meet at 10:30 a.m. at the Harbor.

Buffalo Tours presents:

• Larkin, Wright and a Forgotten Neighborhood  Explore the legacy of soap entrepreneur John D. Larkin and architect Frank Lloyd Wright with a tour of the Larkin at Exchange Building. View the vestiges of a once thriving neighborhood and St. Stephen’s R.C. Church, and hear about revitalization plans. Optional lunch at Sharkey’s! By Buffalo Tours.        9:30-11:30 a.m. — Meet at St. Clare’s Church, 193 Elk Street — $10 donation (lunch not included)
• New Digs Downtown - Delware Avenue’s downtown landscape is being dramatically altered by a building boom that includes new office towers, condos and adaptive reuse. Get a firsthand view of all the “new digs,” while learning about the Avenue’s rich history. This tour brings the old and the new together and offers a sneak peak into Buffalo’s future. By Buffalo Tours.        9:30-11:30 a.m. — Meet at Delaware Avenue and W. Mohawk Street — $10 donation
• E.B. Green: The Greening of Buffalo - During his seven-decade career, E.B. Green built a nationally-renowned architectural firm whose work ranged stylistically and included many major residential, commercial, industrial, civic, religious and campus commissions. Beginning at the First Presbyterian Church, this tour takes in the residential areas of Richmond, Summer, Oakland, Bryant, Delaware and North, and features the Goodyear Mansion, Mayfair Lane and the Birge Townhouse on the Midway. By Buffalo Tours.        10:00-Noon — Meet in front of the First Presbyterian Church onSymphony Circle        $10 donation

Trinity Episcopal Church presents:

• The Windows of Trinity Episcopal Church - Trinity may be one of the only churches anywhere graced by masterpieces by both John LaFarge and Louis Tiffany. The intesity of the color in the opalescent stained glass invented by LaFarge and refined by Tiffany is breathtaking. Disover why these stained glass windows brought about an artistic and technical revolution in the art of stained glass-making, and soak in the serenity and joy they exude.       1:00-2:00 p.m. — Meet on the steps of Trinity at 371 Delaware Avenue. FREE

Mason Winfield’s Haunted History Ghost Walks, Inc. presents:

• GHOST WALK of Allentown by Mason Winfield - Meet at 10:00 a.m. at the Allen St. Hardware Cafe, 245 Allen Street  Cost:  $10.00 Adults, $5.00  Children (7-11yrs), Tours are held rain or shine and no reservations are required. For more information call 655-6663 or visit www.MasonWinfield.com.
• GHOST WALK of the Theatre District by Mason Winfield Meet at Noon at SPOT Coffee (227 Delaware Avenue, at Chippewa).  Cost: $10.00 Adults, $5.00  Children (7-11yrs), Tours are held rain or shine and no reservations are required. For more information call 655-6663 or visit www.MasonWinfield.com.

Downtown Housing Tour

Buffalo Homecoming is about the communities in Buffalo!  Take a one hour tour of some of Buffalo’s most beloved neighborhoods. Each is offered by the Neighborhood Associations, a Block Club or a community leader. Understand the history, see the architecture and meet the neighbors. You will be invited in for a visit — Buffalo IS the City of Good Neighbors!   At this time there are at least a dozen neighborhood assoications putting on tours.   Look for our announcement coming in the future or visit our website for more details.

Downtown Housing Tour Headquarters is at the Market Arcade, 617 Main Street  1:00-5:00 p.m. FREE

This self-guided tour of downtown housing begins at the Market Arcade complex where you can pick up a map and be on your way to see some of the city’s newest lofts, condos and apartments. Whether you are looking to lease or purchase downtown housing or are simply curious to see unique architecture or decorating trends, this tour is for you!

Thanks to the Downtown Housing Tour Sponsors: 
Buffalo Place
The Downtowner

Buffalo Homecoming Block Party 

Plan on eating at one of the many participating Buffalo Homecoming Restaurants for dinner and then join us in the Theatre District! 

After a day of spending time getting to know Buffalo what better thing to do than have a block party!   It is time to get to know the people of Buffalo NY!   Perhaps it is time to connect with old friends, there will be plenty of opportunity at this event! 

Buffalo Residents know how to throw a party!   And this year we are going to have a fabulous event of immense proprortions on the 600 block of Main Street featuring iconic Buffalo Bands!   There is something for everyone!   And it is FREE!  The outdoor stage at the Tupper end of the block is where you will want to be!

8:00      Caitlin Cook – a recent Orchard Park high school grad, now a local college freshman, considered an amazing, fresh young talent in Buffalo about to make a huge break. Let’s make Buffalo Homecoming part of her launch into stardom!

8:40      Greg Klyma – He calls himself the “rustbelt vagabond.” This nationally-known  Buffalo boy is flying home from Boston to engage and entertain us with his folksy, Buffalo songs in his beloved hometown.

9:20      Fred Schaeffer – you knew him as the lead singer in Clear, Fred is currently touring with Collective Soul Come here this edgy local talent being touted as the next Bruce Springsteen. Fred will bring the house down!

10:00    The Great Train Robbery — the much-loved Buffalo ska group, recently reunited to the delight of local music lovers! The best band on the scene in 1985 is rocking Buffalo again 25 years later…

11:00     Crittendon! –a jazz, rock and soul tour de force. These boys do more than entertain, though. Eric Crittendon is reaching into the community to work with area at risk youth using Image performance to promote a positive image of self and community through edutainment. music as the medium. An amazingly accomplished and engaged group.

The Reunion Banners will provide places for every possible type of alumni to gather…colleges and universities, high schools, sports teams, branches of the military – even ski clubs and civic groups – are invited to take part in this reunion and invite their entire community to meet up with old and friends and make new ones under their banner. Music, food, entertainment, old friends, great times…the Buffalo Homecoming Block Party is the event of the season!

There is something for Everyone!

Get the evening off to a great early start at 7:00 p.m. with Theatre Plus’s world premier of Lament for Joe, by Lee Allan Hartlieb, on the Alleyway Theatre Main Stage. The play is about a married couple torn apart by evil forces beyond their control. Mr. Hartlieb was born in Dunkirk and is an artist with People Inc.’s fine arts program The Arts Experience. He has spastic quadriplegia due to a traumatic brain injury as a child, but has not allowed his physical limitations to get in the way of his creative abilities.

Watch for crazy folks in wild costumes (or put yours on!). Tthe highly interactive Rocky Horror Show is at the Market Arcade at 10:00 and then again at Midnight.

Release the Funny, by our own talented Jerry McKay, will also show at Market Arcade Theater. It’s hysterical - don’t miss it!

CEPA Gallery is hosting a wine & cheese reception for the Arts in the Schools to show off this new exhibit. Don’t miss this gala event – and a look at the work of our very talented up and coming young artists.

Filter is on stage at The Town Ballroom.  

Sunday Brunch at the Zoo

After an evening of partying at the Buffalo Block Party, we are going to start a little later today before you have to leave Buffalo NY.  But we don’t want you to go hungry and we definately don’t want you to leave without sampling some of the most incredible food anywhere!   Buffalo Homecoming wanted the whole family invovled and what better way than to have a Brunch at the Buffalo Zoo! 

The grand finale, featuring great ethnic Buffalo foods — think pierogi and beef on weck — and a “Buffalo Trivia Game Show”, by Quizmaster Dennis George. Maryalice Demler of Channel 2 News “On Your Side” will emcee as celebrity teams compete with guests for great prizes. Brunch ticket includes the cost of admission to the Zoo! So bring the entire family and make a day of it!

Tickets are available at all area Wegmans locations. Buy your tickets now and SAVE.

In advance:   Adults: $12    Children under 12: $8        Family pack (4): $30

At the door:   Adults: $15     Children under 12: $10      Family pack (4): $40

From the Heart of Buffalo Fair 

And lastly you wouldn’t want your guest to leave without a little momento of their four wonderful days in Buffalo NY!    Buffalo Homecoming has just the event for you to find that perfect Buffalo item!  Across from the Buffalo Zoo in Delaware Park there will be Buffalo artwork, apparel, jewerly, books and more that was created by Buffalo artists.  Keepsakes to remind us to celebrate Buffalo All year long…  

A sampling of Buffalo Artists:

• Artsphere Studio & Gallery
• Buffalo Green Art
• Buffalo Heritage
• CityLove Clothing Company
• College Street Gallery
• Coni Majchrowicz
• Elmwood Framing and Interiors  
• Jerry Greenberg Photography         
• Mark Callen Photography
• Poster Art Inc.

Just hearing about the event and want to get involved?   There is time.   Visit our website at http://www.buffalohomecoming.com/ to find out about how you can join the dedicated group of enthusiasts promote Buffalo and Buffalo Homecoming!

 

Thinking outside the box best describes Chef Scott Donhauser. His passion for taking food and turning it into what some describe as “ahead of the curve” is what he prides himself on.

His current vision to resurrect the former Daffodils Restaurant, a restaurant that lasted nearly 30 years as a solid steakhouse, has Donhauser doing it again, this time with Mediterranean cuisine. Serving as the executive chef at Daffodils, he now comes back to the old landmark as the creator and visionary of Verbena.

He has donated his services to several local charities including the March of Dimes, Hunter’s Hope, Beechwood Continuing Care, Shea’s Performing Arts Center, Buffalo Sabres Alumni and the Buffalo Zoo.

Read more: about Scott Donhauser

Verbena

930 Maple Road | Williamsville, NY 14221

Hours: 7 Days 4pm-Close
(716) 580-3125

 HSBC Arena is the third facility, named for its sound design as a live venue. This puts it in a different category than Inner Machine and California Road, but the recent extensive enhancements made during the past season are apparently world class – it now numbers among the top 22 new facilities in the world!

 This recognition of such a wealth of world class production facilities in our fair city positions Buffalo very well to capture far more of the national and international market of this lucrative industry – which translates into jobs, opportunity and economic development.

Once inside Dunn Tire Park, fans will presented with several other special offers. In the concession stands, fans can purchase

• Buy-One, Get-One FREE Russer Hot Dogs
• $1.00 Coca-Cola Soft Drinks
• $1 Popcorn
• $1 Perry’s Ice Cream Sandwiches
• $2 Cotton Candy

 These deals have been made possible by donations from Russer/Tyson Foods, Sysco Foods, Coca-Cola, Midstate Bakery, US Foods and Perry’s Ice Cream.

For several lucky fans, the night out at the Bisons game will also help them with the increased costs in utilities and services. The Bisons will award four (4) fans with $250 FREE Gas Cards and another five (5) fans with $100 FREE Grocery Cards. Other giveaways include three FREE months of home phone service by Time Warner Cable, 200 Free Ring Tones from AT&T, 1,000 loaves of bread from Butter Krust Baking Company, a FREE weekend car rental from Enterprise Rent-A-Car, four $25 fruit baskets from Tarantino Foods and more…

Just another great reason for living in Buffalo NY!   Don’t live in Buffalo and want to find out more about this incredible city?   Come to Buffalo Homecoming June 26-29th!   There will be so many great things to do!

Louis Mustillo is one man who could think fast on his feet. As a successful playwright writer, he has done commercial success with his one man Broadway show “Circumstances” and has even gained more recognition on his latest Broadway hit “Bartenders”. Mustillo has also appeared on several television dramas and TV sitcoms as a guest star as well as being in the short lived cop drama “High Incident” which ran for two seasons as the good hearted and movie buff police officer Russell Topps. Mustillo has also appeared in motion pictures such as “Passed Away” with Bob Hoskins, “Corrina, Corrina” with Whoopi Goldberg and “The Peacemaker” with George Clooney as well as many motion pictures.

Two local chefs will be competing in the next edition of Hell’s Kitchen on Tuesday, April 1, 2008, at 9pm Eastern.

WNY has a reason to be excited; we have two talented chef’s competing in season 4 with Gordon Ramsey’s Hell’s Kitchen.  Shayna Raichilson-Zadok and Bobby Anderson give the Buffalo Niagara Region reason to be proud!  They are among 15 chefs competing in the fourth edition of the popular reality show, which premieres at 9 p.m. Tuesday on WUTV.   But anyone that knows Western New York, knows we know food!   It is not surprising that we would have two contestents in this season’s lineup.

Love Letters began “accidentally” in the late 1980s when the playwright decided to switch from typewriter to computer. For his word processing exercises, he decided to write letters between two characters. As the duo took on a life of their own, their “epistolary exchange” evolved into a short story, then a play, opening off-Broadway and afterwards moving to Broadway in 1989.

Novels by AR Gurney include “Entertaining Strangers” and “The Snow Ball.” He is the recipient of a variety of awards including:

•  

  • Drama Desk Award in 1971

  • Rockefeller Award in 1977

  • Two Lucille Lortel Awards in 1989 and 1994. 

  • National Endowment for the Arts

  • Rockefeller Foundation, 

  • New England Theatre Conference