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CNN

By David Allan, CNN

Buffalo, New York (CNN) — “Go Bills!” is the standard exchange here. I quickly surmised that there’s only one acceptable reply when someone says to you, “Go Bills!” And that’s, “Go Bills!”

“It’s more than just a rallying cry during football season, it’s become a kind of regional shorthand for pride, camaraderie and shared identity,” explained Shawn St. John, age 31, who I met in a Buffalo bar. “You’ll typically hear it used as a farewell, or a salutation.”

A visit to Buffalo feels like being in a play about a small town where everyone knows each other, and they bond over the local sports team. Only, it’s a reality, and it’s the Empire State’s biggest city outside the New York City area, and the local team is in the NFL. Apparently, none of this has gone to their heads.

Buffalo is an instantly charming blend of big and small, of cool and old school. Its restaurants and bars range from foodie and fancy to messy (see: Buffalo chicken wings) and quirky. It has an art museum with works by the Old Masters and also a soda fountain attached to a still-working chocolate factory. And it’s just a short drive out of town to skiing, Canada and the largest waterfall (by volume) in North America. It’s also friendly and surprisingly youthful.

“Lucky Day,” said the young man sitting next to me on the 90-minute flight from New York City, when I asked him where I should go while I was in town.

He followed that bar recommendation by sharing his favorite places for Buffalo wings, which prompted an eavesdropping young couple in the row behind us to share their favorites. Then others weighed in on what became a good-natured debate among them as we disembarked. (Contenders tossed around included Cole’s, Gabriel’s Gate, Doc Sullivan’s and Anchor Bar, which makes claim to being the origin of the fried, spicy wings).

Those 30-something passengers represented a surprising demographic distinction for this city mainly known for its long winters, spicy chicken wings and proximity to one of the most popular honeymoon destinations in the country. Nearly 38% of the population is under age 24, and the median is 34 years old. By contrast, the median age for New York City is 38 and for the whole state, it’s 40.

As Buffalo approaches its bicentennial in another seven years, young people not long out of college are moving here like it’s the hot new destination, or staying after they graduate from one of its several colleges. The attraction includes affordability, access to nature, and the growing food and drink scene — all of which benefit visitors, too. Not bad for a town that emerged originally as the terminus of industrial traffic along the Erie Canal in the early 1800s.

My Lucky Day

After checking into the affordable luxury of the Curtiss Hotel downtown, I searched for the location of Lucky Day and it was two blocks away. “Must be my Lucky Day,” I said to myself and walked there through the compact center of the city.

Downtown is marked by the inspiring beauty of Art Deco, Beaux-Arts and other classical design styles. The magazine Architectural Digest even named Buffalo one of the 23 Top Places to Travel in 2023. A light rail train smoothly beeps through it. Giant posters in the stately, gold-domed M&T Bank building read, “Billieve.”

Lucky Day Whiskey Bar lives up to the potable half of its name with warmly illuminated bottles that stretch from bar to ceiling. The whole space looks the part, with its wood paneling, fancy gold-infused wallpaper on one side, and urban exposed brick on the other. A taxidermied, not-so-lucky buffalo head looks out over the bonhomie.

Beyond the encyclopedic whiskey menu, the bar’s excellent beer selections include Kilkenny’s nitro-infused Irish ale, from the old country, and a local lager from Woodcock Brothers Brewery.

The bartenders, in their spiffy vests and hipster facial hair, shake hands and chat with the customers they know by name. “Your regular or something new tonight?” they ask from behind the beautiful, dark wood bar.

Sitting there, I introduced myself to Shawn and his significant other, Krystina Lucas, 32. He manages a local cannabis dispensary and she’s a grade-school teacher. If one conversation with a random local on the plane landed me at Lucky Day, another one at Lucky Day should net me more, I reasoned. They enthusiastically gave me a long list of places to eat, drink and shop to get a feel for their evolving city, particularly its nightlife and culinary scene.

Krystina recommended the four-story Pearl Street Grill & Brewery located downtown by the water, where I had a Peanut Butter Vibes lager at a bar with views of giant, gleaming beer tanks. Don’t knock it till you try it. But if that’s outside your comfort zone, the Sabre’s Edge is an award-winning double IPA. And you can enjoy it in the large first-floor bar, which was recently renovated.

There’s also a swanky wine lounge in the Black Rock neighborhood called Waxlight Bar à Vin that opened in 2019 in the revitalized Chandler Street factory building, part of a trend of breathing new life into old industrial spaces. Waxlight was a 2023 James Beard Award semifinalist.

The Curtiss Hotel has a rooftop bar and a circular first floor one that slowly revolves. But I was on the elevator when I was reminded of what really led me to pick the hotel in the first place. An elevator button labeled “Hot Springs” leads guests to an enormous, outdoor hot tub with powerful jets — an effective last stop before sleep.

Beyond wings

Buffalo is famous for its eponymous wings, of course, but there’s also local pride for a meal-of-a-sandwich called a beef on weck (translation: roast beef on a kümmelweck roll). Ask 10 people in Buffalo the best place to go for wings and/or a weck and you’ll get 10 different answers, and then have fun figuring out your own answer. Two local chains to also add to your Buffalo classics bingo card are Ted’s Hot Dogs and Anderson’s Frozen Custard.

But newer spots such as Lucky Day, which opened in 2017, are expanding beyond Buffalo’s traditional menu offerings. Lucky Day’s signature mac & cheese is served in a cast-iron cauldron with an inspired Goldfish cracker-crumble crust, alongside a hearty salad made with brussels sprout leaves.

For a different milieu only a few blocks away, Misuta Chow’s specializes in Japanese street food, such as tasty sesame noodles, miso-spiced deviled eggs and ramen. Faux roofs and real lanterns inside give the place the feel of a Tokyo alleyway. Above the bar is a cartoon version of Bill Murray from “Lost in Translation,” pitching a Japanese whisky. “For a relaxing time, it’s Suntory time!”

Instead, I ordered a pink, crunchy sugar-bottomed Hello Kitty cocktail with my meal. I happened to arrive on “Family Feud Night” and was recruited by two friends sitting next to me at the bar to be on their team. In the middle of the game, the bartender carried around a large golden Buddha for contestants to tap on the head for luck. “It’s a tradition,” he explained to me, the only newcomer.

One of my teammates, Garrion Sirman, never left Buffalo after graduating college, citing the appeal of its big city vibes and “mix of affordable and cool shit.”

‘The Natural’ choice

The converted Chandler Street factory is made up of two adjoining red-brick warehouses in the Black Rock neighborhood north of downtown. The buildings are home to the kitchens for multiple culinary start-ups, and in addition to the Waxlight, two other anchor tenants are the popular Crenshaw’s Chicken and Waffles and a mushroom farm. Yes, farm.

Flat #12 Mushrooms sells mushroom varieties as well as mushroom-infused products such as coffee and cream cheese. But they are growing the goods in the back. The Chandler Street developer has plans for an outdoor swim club with a bar and poolside restaurant, according to the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

If chocolate is more your kind of souvenir, head to the 98-year-old Parkside Candy, a landmark-of-a-shop, lined with ornate ceiling trim and glass display cases full of handcrafted chocolates, located just north of Delaware Park. A visit is a portal back in time, maybe to the early 1940s – the time period in the 1984 Oscar-nominated film, “The Natural,” whose diner scenes were filmed at Parkside.

My server, wearing a throw-back uniform of black apron and red bowtie, served me a grilled cheese and a glass bowl of ice cream while I sat next to a beautiful, solid walnut wood soda fountain. When I asked if she knew about Parkside’s big-screen moment, she told me she had been an extra in the 40-year-old Robert Redford film. The factory where the chocolate is made is next door.

Walking into the Talking Leaves…Books, I was greeted by The White Stripes on the speakers, which set the tone for an enjoyable browse, as do shelf categories such as ”Belles Lettres” (for poetry and miscellaneous literary subjects), and the laidback but helpful staff. I bought a quirky postcard and wrote to a friend from the inviting Caffe Aroma next door while enjoying an expertly executed cappuccino. Aroma is Buffalo’s longest-running locally-owned coffee shop.

The greats

North of downtown, on the edge of Delaware Park, the world-class Buffalo AKG Art Museum has the usual suspects when it comes to great artists, including Rothko, de Kooning, Pollock, Lichtenstein, Warhol and Picasso. But a hands-on space for adults and kids allows you to create your own sculpture with the classy medium of black-and-white-only Legos. After a massive expansion, the 160-year-old art institution, formerly known as the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, reopened as this modern museum in 2023.

Another master’s artistry is on display and open to tours at Frank Lloyd Wright’s Martin House, located about two miles east of the museum on the other side of the park. The cantilever design is considered one of the architect’s greatest works; Wright himself described the Prairie-style home as a “domestic symphony.”

The Wright house is just off Delaware Park, the crown jewel of the city’s system of parks and designed by another genius: Frederick Law Olmsted, of Central Park fame. Delaware Park is flanked by lovely Edwardian-style homes and contains statues from the Pan-American Exposition of 1901.

Back in the heart of downtown Buffalo, the Canalside park benefited from a recent $300 million waterfront revitalization and hosts hundreds of waterside concerts and events every year. It has a huge ice rink in the winter. And it’s also the launch pad for river cruises or kayak rentals on Lake Erie.

Shuffle out of Buffalo

Like Flagstaff, Arizona’s proximity to the Grand Canyon, Buffalo could mistakenly be overlooked as the last stop before visiting Niagara Falls, just a half hour’s drive north on Interstate 190. There’s a city bus from downtown to the Falls for only $2. Beautiful if touristy, Niagara Falls make for a memorable day trip from Buffalo. Unlike the Falls, however, you need more than just a few hours in the city to soak in all it has to offer.

There’s a small (39 runs), inexpensive ski resort with a long season about 45 minutes south of Buffalo called Kissing Bridge. It was acquired at the end of last year, and investment in the resort and in off-season activities, such as additional mountain biking and hiking, are planned.

Then there’s Canada. The small town of Fort Erie, Ontario, lies just across the Niagara River, accessible by the Peace Bridge – and your passport. From there, it’s only a couple more hours to Toronto, with the Canadian side of Niagara Falls as a stop along the way. Toronto is a fitting sister city to Buffalo; they share a reputation as low-key cool.

‘Go Bills’ or go home

I made one last stop before heading to the airport. One of the Buffalo wings destinations debated on the plane was Betty’s, and I was eager to try its vegetarian version made with seitan (but missing none of the hot, tangy messiness). I got a lunch serving, to-go, for the midday flight back to New York.

After I arrived at the airport rental car drop-off, the young man behind the counter thanked me when I handed him the keys. As I turned away, something felt missing in the exchange.

“Go Bills!” I initiated for the first and only time, then started to walk away.

“Go Bills!” the rental car attendant called back, grinning.

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Graduating is no easy feat—it takes tons of tenacity and hard work. And at the end of the day (or perhaps better stated, at the end of the school year) all those tests, studying, and late nights your student endured are worthy of a celebration! Thankfully, planning a graduation party is a bit easier than getting a diploma. Ree Drummond has had plenty of practice, hosting many bashes for her kids’ high school and college graduations.

When Paige graduated from the University of Arkansas, the Drummonds marked the occasion with a special steak dinner. “It was a beautiful night in Northwest Arkansas!” Ree recalled. If a formal meal isn’t your style, this list of graduation party food ideas has you covered with bright summer dips, backyard barbecue favorites, and crowd-pleasing bites. With these easy ideas, you can throw a celebration that honors your grad’s big achievement effortlessly!

The age group doesn’t matter—a graduation party is all about celebrating a new phase in life. You can do that with a slew of grilling recipes or a comforting casserole that feeds a crowd. Looking for graduation recipes that will earn you top honors? Your kids will love the classic party food ideas like pepperoni pizza rolls, pigs in a blanket, cheeseburger sliders, and buffalo chicken dip. There’s also plenty of graduation dessert ideas like an over-the-top ice cream cake and cute brownie bites that look like mini graduation caps. Cheers to new beginnings!

On return to Makaha, Buffalo got a chance to steer his path in what originally was the pastime of Hawaii Ali’i, surfing. Two friends, Larry Godard and Eddie Maldonado Senior, suggested that Buffalo start a big board surfing classic for older surfers at Makaha. The idea struck home. The classic became a collective expression of giving back to surfing and for 48 years has flourished under Buffalo’s sense of what’s right. “I wanted something for the old-timers to enjoy,” he said, something to bring out those who don’t usually surf in contests, something that doesn’t rely so heavily on judgement calls, something that uses big boards (10 feet and over), and something that is fun.

With the help of his wife Momi, co-founder Adam Holbron and Makaha friends, the first mission was to clean up the beach in social ways. “No stealing for two days,” was the law. “I wanted the boys to feel what it was like to do something good.” Buffalo said. The first Classic in 1977 had only a men’s open surfing division. Of seven finalists, there was no first place (they were all winners!). Awards were Ipu, grown in Charlie Carroll’s back yard from seeds Buffalo brought back from Tahiti. Buffalo turned to Waikiki for funding. Braving bodyguards and a new sense of asking for something.

Buffalo visited entertainer Don Ho. He left with a $1,000 Check. Two following Classics were funded by the late Carlton Beal, a Texas oilman who lived at Makaha Point. Buffalo had saved his life in a previous surfing accident. As word of the Classic spread (there was front-page news coverage), funding got easier with company sponsor’s such as Town & Country Surf and Hawaiian Tropic.

Through the early 80’s alongside the longboard surfing – Hawaiian music, Hula and a Royal Hawaiian Court organized by Kona Smith’s Waianae High School Hawaiiana class were featured. Boogie Kalama, Buffalo’s friend and fellow Hokule’a crew mate, organized a huge mix of nonstop entertainment and halau. Henry Preece’s ‘The Nobodies’, Liko Martin, Melveen Leed, the Brothers Cazimero, the Hoopii Brothers, The Lim Family, Makaha Sons of Niihau, Eddie Kamae and Sons of Hawaii, Danny Kaleikini and Leinaala Kalama Heine’s Napua Lei o Liko Lehua – just to name a few.

Speedo and bikini contests also flourished with coveted judging seats filled with the likes of emcee Tally Ho Blears, and Waianae Coast matrons Auntie Aggie Cope and Frenchy DeSoto. Crowds grew to the point of overflow. But when the city Managing Director was asked to donate $2 for parking, the kitchen got hotter. There was already heat amongst the Makaha Beachboys, a non-profit group that ran the Classic and was dedicated to building a double-hulled sailing canoe. The group dissolved. It was time to refocus on the church – Makaha, and throw creative efforts into why we were there in the first place – surfing.

As a result, bodyboarding was added to the list of Classic events. There were solo divisions, but real ingenuity centered on a team event where two people shared a wave together. A weight division weighed in for longboarding and bodyboarding to give the big guys (250 pounds and over) their time for fun. Even, a special bodyboard (bullyboard) was created by Gary Fischer of Wahoo International. Age divisions were introduced. And with the passing of time, what was affectionately called “the legends” got older. Guys longing to grow into that division had to wait, as the division age cutoff moved from 40 to 47 to 50 and now 60. Forms of surfing that had almost died out, also were revived: tandem, canoe, bodysurfing, paipo, Beachboy style (stand-up-paddle) surfing and, in 2009, the Alaia Board Division. This last division uses skegless, wood replicas of boards used by commoners during the Hawaiian Monarchy.

Over its 48 years, the Classic’s division count has swelled to 15 events. Much of this is thanks to the efforts and ideas of Brian Keaulana, Buffalo’s oldest son helped pioneer the use of rescue jet skis with attached sleds. These innovations now double as shuttle in many of the surfing events.

In the late 1980’s and early 90’s, Buffalo’s contest became well known in international circles. As a result, Buffalo welcomed the international community by adding a foreign division. Mabo Kamoru of Japan responded to Buffalo’s aloha, by organizing a trip to Japan. This brought further sponsorship to the Classic through Mabo Royal, Mr. Koyama’s Hang Loose and Tenji Oda’s Coast Line. Coconut trees grow near the Makaha’s north-side shower in memory of their generosity. For the past 10 years, Real B Voice has sponsored the Classic. And for five years, the Japan-based lifestyle company has hosted a Buffalo Classic in Shonan, Japan. Good things have come from giving. This is not only an old Hawaiian belief, but also a way of life for Buffalo. A way that all those down at Makaha beach knew; whenever Buffalo touched the water with his spear, get the fire burning. Mahalo Nui loa Buffalo for leading the way.



May 10, 2021

Glad to share this video of Uncle Buffalo Keaulana doing what he does best. Riding waves!

I got the call from Wahoo Bully Board ambassador Kaliko Kamalu that they custom built a board for uncle and a “let’s get him on it!”

Next thing I knew we was at Makaha Beach and I got to capture this epic moment of Uncle Buffalo’s joy catching his first wave in a long time.

Like years!

It’s great to see him back in the sea and surf. Check him out!

Inspiring us at 86 years old. Keep it up Uncle Buffalo. WE LOVE YOU!

Football season is more than just about watching your favorite team score the winning touchdown. It’s also a time to gather with friends and family and indulge in some of our favorite tailgate foods—and it all culminates with Super Bowl Sunday! The biggest game of the year calls for the biggest celebration of the season, and that means whipping up some winning game day foods that will make you the MVP of the day! So grab your jerseys and pack the car with these Super Bowl recipes that will make your tailgate one to remember.

Here, you’ll find everything you need for the ultimate football menu—from the tailgate appetizers and buffalo chicken recipes to make-ahead sandwiches and crowd-pleasing tailgate desserts. Kick off a swoon-worthy beer cheese dip or warm up with some super easy enchilada soup. Or, wait for it… try Ree Drummond’s famous cowboy nachos! Ree loves finding new and inventive ways to use every last morsel of brisket leftovers. Serve your nachos up with a pitcher of margaritas and you’ll have a lot of happy fans.

Plus, she offers some expert tips to help make sure the food travels well. “I sometimes like to use these heavy, disposable aluminum numbers,” Ree says about transporting her melt-in-your-mouth brisket to a tailgate. Then you don’t have to worry about bringing a dirty dish back home. Smart! Of course, these tailgating recipes would be just as tasty at a baseball game, soccer tailgate, or Super Bowl watch party—just be sure you come prepared with a comfy stadium seat.