Buffalo

Mrs. Clough bought a pie for my visit.  How great is that? The Cloughs have been incredibly welcoming and were quite excited to show me their city.  Last night Ray went on the computer and looked up different things for us to do today. "Us?" I thought. Okay, great -- I was thrilled to have a little company on my travels.  After a couple of loads of laundry this morning, I was ready to go with the caveat, "as long as I can eat some authentic Buffalo wings, I am in your hands."

First we went for a tour of the Darwin Martin House designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.  It cost some $150,000 to build, but is currently undergoing a $50 million renovation.  Unfortunately this meant that we couldn't go in the main house, but we were allowed into the out-buildings on the complex.  This included a house made for Mr. Martin's sister.  The guide pointed out a brick victorian-style house across the street that is a contemporary of the FLW house.  She compared the two houses to show the innovations of Wright's design. I looked at this simple, three-story house with a lovely front porch and then looked at the Wright house with it's block-like design elements, heavy roof and shaded windows.  The Frank Lloyd Wright house is interesting, but I would definitely prefer to live at the neighbors.  When I pointed this out to the Cloughs, Mr. Clough mentioned that when the FLW complex was owned by the University of Buffalo he used to know the caretaker who lived in this house with his wife.  His wife hated living there and after two years insisted that he quit and they move. I can't believe that she lasted two years.

Whenever I ask my sister what to get her children for a gift she answers, "anything Lego." At the gift shop they sold a Lego version of Frank Lloyd Wright's house, Fallingwater.  I could just picture the scene on Christmas morning as the gift is opened: "Oh, I hear Legos.  It is Legos! What kind did I get? Another Wing Fighter like last year? A pirate ship? Wait... what the heck is this?  A house? Umm... thanks, Aunt Anna."

The big event was next: Buffalo wings. As you may expect, Buffaloians take their wings very seriously.  I learned that there is a raging debate about whether the best wings are at Duff's or the home of the original wings, Anchor Bar.  I decided we should go to the Anchor Bar for it's historic significance as much as for the 'best' wings. They were delicious.  (While I am no devotee, I must say that I feel that Blondie's holds it's own in this competition.) We polished off a big platter of medium, some hot and I even tried dipping one into the 'suicide' sauce. I was so excited to have the full experience that I almost ordered a Labatt's.  Then I remembered that I don't like good beer and ordered a Bud Light instead.

After lunch I think that Ray and I were both ready for a nap, but we persevered and headed to the Ansley Wilcox house where Teddy Roosevelt's inauguralation was held.  President McKinley was in Buffalo attending the Pan American Exhibition when he was shot.  Roosevelt rushed to his bedside, determined that McKinley was going to be fine, and then decided to go on vacation with his family.  Can you imagine? Obviously, he was very wrong. McKinley died and Roosevelt came back to Buffalo and was sworn in here.  The house has been turned into a fun little museum with lots of interactive exhibits in addition to the traditional furniture usually found in a historic home.  I got this silly 'newspaper' picture declaring that President Zintl has decided to name the first pet "Roosevelt."

Ray and Ruth were great sports all day, but I just could not get them to sit for their own newspaper pictures! Oh well, I guess nobody's a perfect host ;)