TFlynn457, Author at Succulents and Sunnies

A Day on the Lake with Brookdog Fishing Co.

I used to love fishing with my dad and sister from the dock on Keuka Lake or sitting on the bank of the Erie Canal waiting patiently to catch little sunfish. We never caught more than a couple of little guys; it didn’t matter, I liked being outside, hanging out with Paige and Dad waiting for a nibble. There was one time that I caught a (slightly) bigger fish, but in our battle over the bait, the fish won and my pole went sailing into the Canal.

In the last few years, we haven’t fished nearly as often as we used to, so Paige and I thought a fishing charter might be an awesome way to spend an afternoon together with Dad. Brookdog Fishing Co. graciously hosted our novice group (well, Dad knows what he’s doing but Paige and I were a little rusty) for an afternoon on Lake Erie with guide Ryan.

We had low expectations, primed by our years on the Canal, but even if we had way higher expectations, Ryan would have beat them. I was excited about being in the water in the middle of a rare string of 90° days in Buffalo; catching a fish or two would have been icing on the cake.

That, simply, is not Ryan’s style. He’s all about putting his clients where the fish are and making sure we have everything necessary to catch them. We launched into the Niagara River, but crowded waters made the River un-fishable. Instead, we took a quick ride into Lake Erie and fished a few different spots, starting further out in the water and then moving towards the harbor as boaters headed in for the evening.

Brookdog takes care of everything: poles, bait, baiting, unhooking, photos and bottles of water on ice. While we opted for a half-day trip on Lake Erie, Brookdog offers a ton of options, from year-round walk and wade fly fishing to multi-day charters in the region’s bigger bodies of water. Ryan’s boat is gorgeous and a really comfortable place to spend the day.

As we headed out towards the Lake, Ryan let us know what the game plan was. First, we’d find a good spot, and then we’d start fishing and shooting the shit (his words, not mine). This made me a little nervous, because he was talking to three people who are very good at sitting in silence with each other. Mom takes care of all our family’s small talk.

It turns out I was worried for nothing, because Ryan can talk about anything with anyone and he knows so much about fishing, running a small business, doing what you love and the Buffalo Niagara region that he’s willing to share. He’s fished in Buffalo forever, traveled around the world catching fish and is currently on a mission to fly fish every state in the US before turning 50.

Brookdog’s guides (Ryan, as well as his friend and business partner Nate) focus on native species, and the fish we caught in Lake Erie (smallmouth bass and freshwater drum or sheepshead) have been here for thousands of years. We caught a pretty even mix of the two using live bait, and Paige got a gorgeous white bass as well.

We didn’t look as cool as Ryan and Nate do summer fly fishing in the Niagara River and Lake Erie, but we can pretend. Also, what’s a girl gotta do to get one of those Brookdog shirts?

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fE4tRHagSsU&w=560&h=315]

In our five or so hours on the water, Dad won the prize for the most fish, as well as the smallest fish. I took home the prize of the biggest fish. Paige may have only gotten two, but her patience paid off, because they were the two prettiest fish of the day.

I went to bed feeling like I was still bobbing up and down with the lake, and woke up the next morning a little sunburned and sore (those fish are serious fighters), but that’s just the sign of a really good day on the water.

If you’re feeling like booking a trip of your own with Brookdog Fishing Co., and you should, you can do that here: https://www.brookdogfishing.com/book-fishing-trip/.

Ryan guides Buffalonians and tourists of all fishing abilities year-round, so don’t worry if your summer is already packed. He assured us that catching salmon in the fall is also pretty cool.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_aBZdDyZ5g&w=560&h=315]

I received a complimentary trip with Brookdog Fishing Co. in exchange for writing a review on this blog. All opinions are my own.

Visit UB’s Anderson Gallery for Cool Collections and Interesting Spaces

I don’t take advantage of Buffalo’s amazing art and architecture nearly as often as I should. When the Buffalo Bloggers met at UB’s Anderson Gallery last month, it seemed like a good way to add a little culture to my week. It was, in fact, the perfect mix of unique art and interesting space for a Tuesday after work.

The gallery is on the smaller size and you won’t find the same well-known artists that call the Burchfield Penney Art Center and Albright–Knox Art Gallery home, but this is a cool collection of lesser-known, but no less interesting, artists’ works. Plus, it’s completely free to visit!

BRACHA: Pietà – Eurydice – Medus

I loved how this collection looked as a whole. The groupings of pieces within the gallery’s curved walls were lovely. These works of art represent “themes of loss, love and trauma within the context of the atrocities of war and traces of memory of the tragedy of the Holocaust.” You can feel the darkness of this exhibit, which is a stark contrast to the much lighter, brighter spaces on the second floor of the gallery.

Claire Falkenstein: Time Elements

I enjoyed this exhibit most, not only for the interesting shapes within the art, but for how well it fit the sun-soaked second floor space it filled. The “work fundamentally expresses movement in space through a specific vocabulary,” which made this exhibit the perfect place for casual conversation and snacks.

Also on display are Cravens Collection, Team Razor Wire’s Electric Avenue [In Blue] and virocode: No Plan for the Future. I highly recommend spending a blissfully cultured (and air conditioned) hour at the Gallery this summer. Its North Buffalo location is close to Delaware Park and Hertel Ave., so you can easily make a stop on your way to dinner or drinks from the Northtowns!

Amity Coffee Co.: Coffee and Community on Main Street

Spending Mother’s Day in Penn Yan meant being there for Amity Coffee Co.’s opening weekend in the beautiful Main Street space that used to be home to Publick Coffee Bar.

Paige and I loved walking down to Publick when we were visiting, so we were pretty disappointed when it closed earlier this year. Amity taking over the beautiful shop makes for a great way to start weekends in Penn Yan.

From the gorgeous windows facing the street and exposed light bulbs to the marble-topped table and comfy leather chairs, every element of this space has been perfectly crafted. And the coffee is great too.

We ordered a cappuccino and a latte, our usual coffee shop fare. They were delicious, as expected, and paired with friendly service. We enjoyed our drinks tucked into the back corner in deep leather chairs while we chatted about our summer plans and took about a million pictures of the store

On the cloudy Sunday morning we stopped by, families were celebrating Mother’s Day with coffee and pastries, and grabbing drinks to go.

I truly hope visitors keep supporting Amity, because I love having somewhere besides Dunkin’ for my weekend caffeine fix. I know I’ll be back next time I’m in town.

LyonSmith Brewing Co. is an English-Style Hidden Gem

Walk in to any number of upstate New York breweries and you’ll be greeted by exposed brick and unfiltered IPAs in chic industrial spaces. When Paige and I wandered into LyonSmith Brewing Co. while walking down Penn Yan’s Water Street on an overcast May day, it felt different.

There’s still exposed brick and the beer is tasty, but LyonSmith really feels like the small, family-owned business it is. The bartender’s dog greeted us as we walked in the door and toys for the kids were within arms reach.

Paige and I split a tasting (8 tastes for $10), which was more than enough considering we were on our way to the grocery store. If you’re spending an afternoon between LyonSmith and Water Street Wine Bar next door, have one all to yourself.

All the beer is English-style here, which I didn’t (and still don’t, despite the bartender’s best efforts) know a lot about, and is named after people, places and events from England’s history.

I loved the absence of really bitter, hoppy pale ales. There was not a single beer that I wouldn’t drink a pint of. My personal favorites were the Harvest Apple Graff, which tasted like apple juice, and the very cinnamon-y Stingy Jack’s Puimcin Ale.

I’m not the only one impressed by the beers here. LyonSmith took home a gold medal in the strong ales category for their Rylie Pale Ale at the 2016 Tap-NY festival.

The decor reflected the English-style beer, with US vs UK darts, foosball and a map that invited visitors to let everyone know how far they had traveled for a taste of LyonSmith’s brews. I probably won’t be in Penn Yan on a Thursday any time soon, but there’s a board game night every Thursday and outside food is welcome, which I think sounds pretty fun!

If you’re looking for Instagramable spaces with trendy beers, skip this stop on your Finger Lakes brewery tour. But if you want to spend your time drinking something a little different, I recommend trying LyonSmith Brewing Co. I know I’ll be heading back this summer for a taste of their warm-weather seasonals!

Brunchin’ at Fairport’s FairPour

This weekend, Fairport is celebrating Canal Days with lots of kettlecorn, food trucks, vendors and live music. Cody, Morgan and I joined Patrick and Shannon to make another siblings weekend out of the event. Saturday we wandered through the tents along Main Street. Sunday, we brunched at FairPour and people watched as families enjoyed the festivities.

Located in the historic Fairport Box Factory, FairPour serves everything you could possibly want at Sunday brunch. Coffee, espresso, tea, mimosas, craft beer on tap, egg sandwiches, crepes, paninis and muffins are all on the menu.

Between the five of us, we ordered something off of almost every section of the menu. I settled on a nitro cold brew, cold pressed mimosa and The OG Sammy with prosciutto. Everything was delicious, and it tasted even better sitting on the patio at cute bistro tables.

FairPour uses Glen Edith Coffee Roaster’s beans in their cold brew, which was smooth and cold, perfect for a warm morning. The mimosa was fresh and fruity, made with fresh pressed juice and Prosecco. The OG Sammy was delicious, with an egg fried over medium, smoked Gouda, basil pesto, hot sauce, spinach and prosciutto, all on an English muffin.

We can also vouch for the breakfast wrap, Bonaparte crepe and beer selection!

After brunch, we did some last minute shopping, picking up pretty prints from Jess Kreiser and nautical t-shirts from The Starboard Rail, before heading home, just barely beating the rain.

A Rainy Day Trip to Ithaca

It’s hard to forget a place as beautiful, diverse and delicious as Ithaca.

I hadn’t made the drive down Cayuga Lake in a year and after spending four years making that drive after weekends in Rochester and school breaks at home, I really, truly missed it. There’s something special about winding through wine country, passing Taughannock Falls, being able to tune in to 103.7 and finally seeing the Towers through the trees.

Needless to say, I was looking for an excuse to make that drive. This past weekend, I spent six hours in the car for five hours in the 607 and it was completely worth it.

My first stop was Taughannock Falls. I only had time for the Gorge Trail, but the morning’s rain accentuated the green within the gorge and filled the falls. Dreary weather also meant I had the trail almost completely to myself.

Next up was the always delicious Gimme! Coffee, which was packed with people on laptops and chatting out front. I love coffee shops’ sense of community and I think Gimme! is one of the first places I really experienced it. Plus, the coffee is delicious.

Coffee in hand, I walked down Cascadilla Avenue, the cutest, greenest, friendliest path there ever was. How have I not wandered along the creek this way before? My end goal was Collegetown Bagels, of course.

One pizza bagel later and I was ready to take on the real reason for spending six hours in the car. The smart, soil-savvy people of GreenTree had invited me back for an afternoon of local farmers and soil selling strategy. If that sounds bizarre to you, it’s okay. This small team of people completely welcomed me as a summer intern my senior year at Ithaca and I learned a ton because of it, about marketing, running a business and dirt.

My little taste of Ithaca only made me miss the things I didn’t have time for more, so I’m counting down the days until I’m there again. Hopefully, I’ll be joined by some of my favorite Itha-people next time.

Spotted Duck Creamery is a FLX Must Try

My family spent Mother’s Day weekend in Penn Yan, staying with my grandma, walking to Main Street and letting Murphy dip his paws in the lake. It wasn’t the sunniest of Mother’s Days, but it was warmer than it has been most weekends this spring. In our family, this calls for ice cream.

One look at my Instagram feed and you know how much I adore ice cream of all kinds. This trait did not just appear for the sake of social media. My family LOVES ice cream. During the summer when Paige and I were younger, Mom would take us to get ice cream at the shop around the corner (RIP Udder Delights). When Dad came home from work and suggested ice cream after dinner, Mom shot us a look, we stayed quiet, and we wolfed down our second serving of Moo Goo of the day.

We couldn’t very well let the first weekend our family spent together since January go by without some artisan ice cream. We’re big fans of Seneca Farms (who isn’t?), but were willing to try something different after Mom mentioned a newer shop she drove by on her way out to a friend’s house. A quick scroll through Spotted Duck Creamery‘s website convinced us this was a must-try.

Before arriving, we read about the flock of friendly ducks whose eggs are what make the Creamery’s custard so special. Pulling in, we were surprised by the adorable roadside stand, peacock family and picnic benches, all lit by string lights as dusk fell.

Both the waffle cones and the custard are homemade here, so I opted for two scoops in a cone. The scoops are small, which were were told was so you can try more flavors. That is a philosophy I can 100% get behind!

I chose Seneca Salted Caramel (caramel frozen custard with Seneca salt) and Chai Tea (vanilla chai frozen custard). Both were delicious! The chai was more spicy than sweet, which I enjoyed. There are also “Wine Trail Sundaes” which all sound amazing, and I’m sure are even more so after a warm day trekking from winery to winery.

Ancona ducks are give the Creamery its name. The ducks, which are definitely spotted, live behind the Creamery and are as friendly as the website said they’d be. While waiting for our ice cream, we wandered past picnic tables and Adirondack chairs to check out the ducks. They came waddling over to the fence and chatted away among themselves.

The ducks are joined by three beautiful peacocks who were just putting themselves to bed in a tall tree by the Creamery as we pulled out of the driveway.

Get Outside with these 5 Buffalo Destinations

I was recently asked to share my 5 favorite places to get outside in Western New York. It took a long time to narrow my list down to 5 beautiful spots that were all a little different from one another. If you’re looking for a new hike, picnic or ice cream spot, these destinations are worth the drive.

Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge

1101 Casey Road, Basom, NY 14013

This may seem like a long drive from downtown, but the almost 11,000 acres of ponds, forest and grasslands at Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge are worth the trip. The “Alabama Swamps” are accessible year-round for hiking, biking, kayaking, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. The visitor center is a beautiful building with well-maintained trails right behind it and additional trails are just a short drive away. Everything is pet-friendly and in-season hunting and fishing are allowed.

While You’re There

One of the best things about the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge is that there isn’t much around besides herons and ponds. If you’re not ready to head back to the Thruway, check out the nearby town of Medina for cute shops and good Mexican food.

Lake Effect Artisan Ice Cream

79 Canal Street, Lockport, NY 14094
1900 Hertel Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14214

Lake Effect first opened in Lockport and they recently expanded with a location in North Buffalo on Hertel Ave. The Lockport location is bigger; the Hertel Ave. location is more central. Both are home to the delicious homemade ice cream Lake Effect is now famous for.

Cody and I highly recommend salty caramel, extra cookies extra cream, peanut butter epiphany and revolution coffee. You’ll also find Buffalo-only flavors like Paula’s glazed donut and sponge candy.

While You’re There

Lockport: Lake Effect Ice Cream’s Canal Street scoop shop overlooks the historic Flight of Five on the Erie Canal. From here, you can walk to many of Lockport’s gems, including Steamworks, Flight of Five Winery, Stooges Stuffed Burger Bar (it’s as good as it sounds), Lockport Cave, Niagara Zipper (that would be a zipline over the canal) and the First Presbyterian Church’s Tiffany windows.

Hertel Ave.: Within walking distance, there are two more shops serving homemade ice cream, Buffalo favorite Lloyd Taco Factory, friendly bars and cute stores selling everything from home goods to motorcycle parts. Hertel Ave. is one of the city’s nicest neighborhoods for an after-dinner stroll.

Devil’s Hole State Park

Robert Moses Parkway, Niagara Falls, NY 14305

Devil’s Hole isn’t a huge state park, but it’s a great place to start a hike because its trails connect to Whirlpool State Park and Artpark State Park. You can also park here to catch the Robert Moses Recreation Trail. The gorge trail in Devil’s Hole follows the river and the rim trail offers great views, both of which are pretty cool.

While You’re There

Obviously, Niagara Falls is just miles down the road, so if you haven’t been in a while you should probably stop by. Also nearby is the super cute town of Lewiston, which is home to Orange Cat Coffee Co., Brewed and Bottled, Artpark, and lots of antique shops and boutiques.

Glen Park

Glen Avenue, Williamsville, NY 14221

A pretty impressive waterfall, well-maintained gardens, beautiful willow trees and lots of green space make Glen Park a lovely picnic spot. Across Glen Street, Ellicott Creek continues into Amherst State Park, perfect for an easy afternoon hike.

While You’re There

One of my favorite things about Glen Park is that it’s nestled right into the village. Williamsville’s Main Street is packed with shops and restaurants, including Sweet Jenny’s Ice Cream, located on the edge of the park in the Williamsville Water Mill.

Bird Island Pier

1170 Niagara Street, Buffalo, NY 14213

Walk along the Niagara River for amazing Peace Bridge and city skyline views. The pier starts at Broderick Park, which, for many, was the last stop on the Underground Railroad before entering Canada. The pier and park are always filled with locals and visitors alike.

While You’re There

Unity Island, which is home to Broderick Park, also boasts Unity Island Park. If you’re coming from the north, you’ll pass Community Beer Works, Bootleg Bucha and Resurgence Brewing Company on your way to Bird Island Pier. The Five Points neighborhood isn’t far either!

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4 Email Newsletters I’m Using to Up My Cooking Game

If you’re anything like me, coming up with 5 or 6 meals on Sunday before heading to the grocery store is a little bit like pulling teeth. You can only eat spaghetti, tacos and burgers so many weeks in a row before you need new ideas. In an attempt to add some new options to our meal planning, I signed up for a few email newsletters that promised to send recipes straight to my inbox.

I’m pretty impressed with the results so far; we’re definitely upping our culinary game. These are 4 worth signing up for:

1. Bon Appétit Newsletter

While Bon Appétit is a well-known print publication, they also have a collection of recipes online and you can sign up for their email newsletter, which is exactly what I did. Now, I get an email or 2 a day filled with recipes and background knowledge about the ingredients they use, as well as restaurant news and food trends. My one complaint is their constant ads for both the magazine and kind of random kitchen products, but the newsletter and website are free, so I get it.

I haven’t made anything from Bon Appétit yet, but I’m looking forward to making this simplified Italian wedding soup.

2. Chelsea’s Messy Apron

I didn’t realize just how many of the recipes I have pinned on Pinterest are from Chelsea’s Messy Apron until I started browsing through her blog. After signing up for this newsletter, I got a welcome email right away with 20 easy weeknight dinner recipes, which was exactly what I was looking for! I also get an email when a new recipe is published on the blog and tonight I made Chelsea’s latest recipe, Bruschetta Chicken. I love that these recipes have simple, healthy ingredients and they’re so flavorful.

3. The New York Times Cooking

The New York Times cooking includes not only an email most days, but also a Pinterest-style “recipe box,” where you can save and organize recipes from not only The Times, but other websites as well. We tried the fettuccine with asparagus, which was simple and delicious.

The New York Times Cooking does charge $1.25 a week to use their online recipe collection after a free trial. My free trial just ended and I haven’t decided if I’m going to pay for the service. If this was free, it would be #1 on this list, hands down.

4. A Couple Cooks

I found A Couple Cooks on Instagram and later subscribed to their newsletter. They focus on vegetarian recipes, which I love for lunch meal prep. Each week, I receive an email with the links of the week, which are a collection of new recipes and other news about what Alex and Sonja are up to. They’re currently promoting a cookbook, so it’s also included in the weekly round up. I love that they invite other food bloggers to contribute recipes, so there’s a great mix of styles of cooking.

A Saturday Morning Coffee Date in Five Points

My favorite thing about the Buffalo Blogging Network is not meetups or opportunities for brand partnerships, although those are pretty great. My favorite part of the Network is meeting Buffalo bloggers who love exploring just as much as I do.

This is how I met Hailey. We’ve been trying to plan brunch for months and we finally met this weekend for coffee at Remedy House. Remedy opened last fall in a beautifully renovated building nestled into the intersection of Rhode Island, West Utica and Brayton Streets, better known as Five Points. This space is everything a blogger could ever want: latte art, marble tabletops, natural light, tiled floors, a bright green espresso machine, plants as wall art and hand-lettered signs.

We sat and talked about our new years’ resolutions, how much we love grocery shopping, Ithaca’s waterfalls, and the good and bad of living in the suburbs.

Five Points and the surrounding blocks are filled with amazing small businesses that are helping revitalize the West Side. After a pour over of Onyx Coffee Lab’s Peru Maria Rojas and an oat milk latte, we were ready for a little food. Lucky for us, this neighborhood is home to lots of options, including Remedy House itself.

We crossed the street to Five Points Bakery for toast. This beautiful building was painstakingly restored down to the gorgeous brick and thick wooden beams. Greenery growing both inside and out pairs perfectly with warm slices of cinnamon raisin toast with peanut butter and sliced apple.

It wasn’t a grand adventure, but this Saturday morning coffee date with a creative soul was just what I needed after a week of snow in April. The next time I adventure to Five Points, I’ll also be stopping at Urban Roots, Paradise Wine, Pilates Art Studio or Evolution Yoga!