Info for fans visiting Buffalo

[BUCKSHOT]

Yeah, I wont be alone, with couple others. They sell cookie crisp in most grocery stores there right??? That is some good ****! shame canada donsn't sell it

they have chocolate cookies cookie crisp also ..........

 

[CharlieGirl]

The Adams Mark is also the Hotel of choice for most of the visiting teams.....

I've stayed at the Adams Mark - good hotel, and we were shuttled to the game and walked back.

Great idea for a thread folks!

 

[wildblueyonder]

Downtown?

Thanks for the info, we're going to the Feb 15 Edmonton game (we is 3 guys from Northern Vermont/Canada, we have a 4th ticket if a Sabres fan is interested - see ticket thread)

Glad to hear the heads up on late night roaming... I've never been to Buffalo, just Rochester. Sounds like plenty of food to be taken in, I read the whole food thread but what's good near the stadium, and/or hotels?

 

[Jade]

Thanks for the info, we're going to the Feb 15 Edmonton game (we is 3 guys from Northern Vermont/Canada, we have a 4th ticket if a Sabres fan is interested - see ticket thread)

Glad to hear the heads up on late night roaming... I've never been to Buffalo, just Rochester. Sounds like plenty of food to be taken in, I read the whole food thread but what's good near the stadium, and/or hotels?

Chef's, just blocks away from the Arena. It's a favorite of the Sabres.

Note: It is recommended to make reservations on gamedays, especially weekend games. I learned this one from the Flames game.

 

[GoalieAttitude*]

Just a stones throw from the Arena is a place that is called The Washington Square.Great wings and other foods there as well .The atmosphere of the bar is one that reminds of the hit show Cheers a bit . Great owners and Barmaids there . When i use to occasion the establishment quite often there was a barmaid there named Dodie , as good as they get behind the bar!

 

[CookieMonster7]

I would definitly reccomend going to Chef's.... after morning practices, I have seen Ryan Miller twice and the ENTIRE (as in like 4 tables worth) team. But as would make sense, you need reservations because they ususally buy up all of the tables so they don't get bothered. Good food, too.

 

[Mr BLUEandWHITE]

Hey guys leaf fan here I did not want to make a new thread about this so here it is. I was thinking of going to the game tomorrow night and I want to know how much you guys think I would need to get tickets from a scalper?

Also this may sound like a dumb question but is scalping in the US illegal? I ask this because I am reminded of a episode of "home improvement" where Al and Tim go to jail trying to sell tickets to a game. Just wondering I do not feel like getting into ****.

Also if I decide to go, what are some good places to go and eat some chicken wings? Is the HSBC arena close to downtown?

 

[Chainshot]

Hey guys leaf fan here I did not want to make a new thread about this so here it is. I was thinking of going to the game tomorrow night and I want to know how much you guys think I would need to get tickets from a scalper?

Also this may sound like a dumb question but is scalping in the US illegal? I ask this because I am reminded of a episode of "home improvement" where Al and Tim go to jail trying to sell tickets to a game. Just wondering I do not feel like getting into ****.

Also if I decide to go, what are some good places to go and eat some chicken wings? Is the HSBC arena close to downtown?

The Arena is downtown. As for how much green to have on hand for tickets... no idea. I expect it will be steep.

For wing info, check the http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=277235&page=5&highlight=Wings and http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=217749&page=4&highlight=Wings threads.

 

[KeydGV21]

Hey guys leaf fan here I did not want to make a new thread about this so here it is. I was thinking of going to the game tomorrow night and I want to know how much you guys think I would need to get tickets from a scalper?

Also this may sound like a dumb question but is scalping in the US illegal? I ask this because I am reminded of a episode of "home improvement" where Al and Tim go to jail trying to sell tickets to a game. Just wondering I do not feel like getting into ****.

Also if I decide to go, what are some good places to go and eat some chicken wings? Is the HSBC arena close to downtown?

I shouldn't help out a Leafs fan but I got answers on your board when I asked about coming up so I'll return the favor

To start off, Scalping is legal in the US as long as a few conditions are met but even when it's obvious when the scalping is illegal I've yet to see a cop do anything about it. I've never had to scalp tickets but while waiting for a friend for the first Carolina game I heard a scalper turn down 200 for a pair of 100 level II tickets (and with disgust for how low the offer was). That game was a cheaper face value and my guess is demand will be more for tommorow night. I have heard though if your willing to wait until after the puck to drop the prices usually come down quite a big, but can't verify that. There are scalpers starting several blocks away from the arena so they are easy to find.



The arena is downtown, best place to go to get Wings is Anchor Bar, the birthplace of Chicken Wings. I'd say it's about 5-10 minutes from the arena, but if you go get get there early; it's a small place and fills up fast on game night. I ususally try and get there around 5 for a Friday night game; it's usually an hour there minimum even with no wait.

Hope this helps.

 

[Chainshot]

Guys who scalped a pair in my section got them after the first period started... for more than face. That was the Flyer game a few weeks back, not a great team at the moment but the demand is still there. I would expect it to not be worth your while unless you check out the bus parking on Exchange St. where many of the drunken idiots, errr groups of free-spending young Leaf fans disembark. They might hook you up if they have spares.

 

[Afino]

where many of the drunken idiots, errr groups of free-spending young Leaf fans disembark

Ain't that the truth.

 

[CrankyJay]

The arena is downtown, best place to go to get Wings is Anchor Bar, the birthplace of Chicken Wings.

That's debatable, and this place is mobbed before Sabres games. You'd have to get there very early to be seated, eat, and have time to make your way down to the arena.

 

[Mario_is_BACK!!]

Tell Me About Buffalo

Hey guys, refugee from the Pens board.

So this is far from a sure thing but... I may be getting a job in Buffalo. I'm one of a few candidates in the screen process. I don't know much about the city other than it gets colder than a witches tit, it snows a lot, and you have two successful but blue balled pro sports teams. And I know the economy isn't the sharpest right now.

Tell me more about the area. What ever you can think of. Pros, cons, good areas, bad areas, places to see, places to avoid, dive bars, sports bars, college bars, titty bars, Mars bars... what ever you want to tell me.

Thanks in advance! And in the future. And so forth.

P.S.- CJ Spiller is awesome. Got a lot of Clemson coverage here in Charleston. Reggie Bush 2.0.

 

[Arular]

We have fantastic restaurants, a nice music/arts scene, and of course we're a big sports city. The Elmwood Village and Allentown are probably the nicest/trendiest parts of the city. Lots of nice bars, restaurants, and shops in those areas. The Elmwood Village was listed as one of the Top 10 neighboorhoods in America a few years back.

 

[TheMistyStranger]

The Bills suck ass.

The Sabres could be decent if it weren't for that meddling minority owner.

It's cold, but gets less snow than Rochester. The chill off the lake is wonderful in the summer, as long as it's not too humid.

A lot of big name companies have been opening branches in the Buffalo area, most notably Yahoo.

Erie County has the highest tax rate in the US, but the cost of living is pretty low. Of course, you're coming from the South, so it's probably higher than what you're used to.

 

[FoSotC]

As for the weather-

It's not THAT cold in Buffalo, nor is there THAT much snow. I've been to and from the city every couple of years, and the weather's honestly not too outstanding for a city in a Northern state. I've been to places in the country that are far worse in both of these areas. Don't expect The Yukon or anything like that, because it's far from it. I personally don't understand how Buffalo acquired this reputation.

 

[JThorne]

The issue with the snow is that it comes in major doses. Due to the lake effect, it will DUMP on the area when it happens. So the area gets that reputation due to being so unpredictable. On occasion, the forecast will be for 1-3" but wind up with more than that.

 

[NotABadPeriod]

The great thing about Buffalo is the people IMO. The best description of the city I ever heard was that it's the biggest "small town" you'll ever see. It really has that sort of feel--more Midwestern than Northeastern.

Also there are other benefits. You'll never get in a traffic jam (seriously, no matter where you live everything is less than a 30 minute commute), and I don't know how old you are, but if you've got a family the schools aren't bad either.

The cost of living is quite cheap. Real estate prices are pretty low so you could definitely get a decent apartment/house for cheap. It's a great place to live if you have a job--it's that last part that's the kicker and why the place keeps losing population.

And don't fret the snow. Buffalo actually manages to clean the streets fairly well compared to other cities (even if we'd still moan and ***** about how slow they are...). You'll get used to it, and assuming you're from Pittsburgh originally and hence a Pens fan, I'm sure you're not completely unfamiliar with it. Just word to the wise, no matter how much people are used to snow, the first snowfall everybody becomes the worst drivers on the planet. And in the recorded history of the city there hasn't been a 100 degree day, which makes summers rather nice. There are truly 4 seasons in Buffalo, not like some places in the South where there is "hot" and "hotter".

Plus, if you want the thrill of the big metropolis, Toronto is only 2.5 hours away. (NYC is about 6 by car, Boston 7, Cleveland 3, Pittsburgh 4)

 

[JThorne]

LDS, it takes you 2.5 hours to travel up the QEW? You driving like you're in the states still when you do that?

 

[aceface33]

If you don't want snow, don't live south of the city, live north of the city. Problem solved.

 

[ScottyMCSS]

If you go on the Weather Channel online, you'll see Buffalo's temps average 20 degrees below JAX, FL in the summer and by 40 degrees in the winter. The climate is better than advertised.

The restaraunts are amazing, the dive bars are legendary. The NFL and NHL are present, along with a pro lacrosse team (featuring the uncle of John Tavares - the wayne gretzky of lacrosse - who is also known as John Tavares), and the minor league affiliate of the Mets. Strasburg's last game was here, in a stadium built for a MLB expansion team that never happened.

The architecture is stunning.

The lake is awesome - surfing actually was developing here in the dawn of its conception.

The arts? Theater and otherwise, Buffalo has it.

And the people? The friendliest you could ever meet outside of Edinborough.

Why this city gets bagged by the media I'll never know. Yea, it snows. But it snows more in Syracuse.

 

[NotABadPeriod]

LDS, it takes you 2.5 hours to travel up the QEW? You driving like you're in the states still when you do that?

You're right, 2.5 is a lot. But that's including the border crossing (and the fact I'm Brown means I can always count on a little extra questioning) and also the fact I always get stuck on the 401 (it doesn't help that I'm usually headed first towards Scarborough for some good South Indian food first, and that means crossing the entire city). And yeah, I definitely don't follow Ontario drivers leads, I only exceed the speed limit a little

 

[Mario_is_BACK!!]

Well, I'm wanting to go anyway. I love Charleston but I've been here 14 years. I'm ready to get away. It's the perfect place. Lots of sports and four hours away from family in Pittsburgh so I can be away from them but I can get there easily if I need to. I'd also love to get to Canada, so it's nice knowing that Toronto is so close (hadn't looked that up yet). It'll give me a chance to see the HHOF and various other things.

I'll gladly take as much information as anyone is willing to give. For such a big sports town, how's the sports talk radio up there? And I know the Bills suck. Spiller is about the only solid player you guys have. He and Lee Evans. Though you've got a shot at Jake Locker... also, I've had a soft spot for the Sabres for a while, ever since they came down here in 2000 and 2001 for training camp when they were affiliated with the Stingrays. They need offense. Badly. The rest seems perfectly fine, but outside of Vanek and Roy... who do they have? I'm still puzzled by the Tim Kennedy thing.

 

[Mario_is_BACK!!]

Double post FTW.

 

[Ron Barr]

They need offense. Badly. The rest seems perfectly fine, but outside of Vanek and Roy... who do they have? I'm still puzzled by the Tim Kennedy thing.

If you haven't seen or heard much about Tyler Ennis, keep an eye out for him. He could be our next Danny Briere .