June WoV Niagara Falls/Buffalo meet up
Quote: SOOPOOYes. I might add that I am planning a Duff's chicken wing night on Friday if anyone is interested. For those that are not up on their chicken wing trivia, the original place for chicken wings is a place called the Anchor Bar, and I used to work a block away. Each time I would go there, I was always disappointed in the wings when compared to Duff's. Then the travel channel had a competition between the two, and thank god Duff's was declared the winner! And in the only highlight of President Obama's administration, when he came to Buffalo, he chose Duff's as the place to have his chicken wing lunch......
You don't realize how good you got it until you leave. Anytime I go out of state or out of country and have wings, I always have one thought - "wtf is this?!"
The worst wings in Buffalo are better than any wings anywhere else.
Quote: beachbumbabsRats. You're my wise man on here, and I was looking forward to meeting you and your wife. Hopefully another time.
We were looking forward to it too, but we already have a vacation week scheduled for September, and I have to save some time for a personal matter in October. Ah, well.
In that case, I am SERIOUSLY interested in the best Buffalo wings anywhere. Yum.
Quote: FaceYou don't realize how good you got it until you leave. Anytime I go out of state or out of country and have wings, I always have one thought - "wtf is this?!"
It's pretty bad in CA. They just don't get it.
Quote: AxiomOfChoiceIt's pretty bad in CA. They just don't get it.
I had Jamaican Jerk Chicken down in the Carib, and it was one of the hottest foods I've eaten. Surely they could manage some hot wings?
Nope. Wasn't much more than fried chicken. Even regular ground pepper would've launched the spice factor ten fold.
Quote: beachbumbabsUntil this very minute, I thought calling them "Buffalo" wings had something to do with the animal. Never occurred to me it was like "New York Cheesecake" or "Boston Cream Pie". Man.
In that case, I am SERIOUSLY interested in the best Buffalo wings anywhere. Yum.
Erm... ??
XD
Not that I get out and sample the cuisines of the world often, but Quaker Steak and Lube in Erie, PA, is the only place outside of NY I've ever found a decent wing.
If burgers or dogs are more your style, the Blues Bar in Seneca Niagara makes some good'urns. It's a little pricey at $14 a meal, but I always get one when I'm in the area.
Quote: soxfanI always thought that Honey's wings were the best, hey hey.
I love the wings at Hooters.......No, I'm ashamed, that is a lie......I love the waitresses at Hooters. Do they have wings there? :)
Quote: TomspurI love the wings at Hooters.......No, I'm ashamed, that is a lie......I love the waitresses at Hooters. Do they have wings there? :)
Actually, Hooters is the only place that I've found in the SF Bay area with decent wings. They have good beers too.
Quote: AxiomOfChoiceActually, Hooters is the only place that I've found in the SF Bay area with decent wings. They have good beers too.
Strangely enough my favorite Hooters is in Honolulu right on the bay. It is a beautiful setting, the food was great, the beer was awesome and the servers were aces.
I can't rmemeber much of that night afterwards but I know we hit 3 strip clubs, 1 tropical themed dance club with a live band and some techno club hole in the wall. I still have pictures of the evening but that is where my recollection stops :)
Quote: SOOPOOI might add that I am planning a Duff's chicken wing night on Friday if anyone is interested.
I have plans north of the border for most of the day on Friday, so I don't know that we could make it. On the chance that we decide to try, just where is the place? There seem to be several spots in the vicinity that use the Duff's name and promote their wings. Do you mean the one in Amherst?
BTW, if you would PM me a contact phone number, it might help in getting together this weekend. I think I gave you a card with my numbers while we were in Las Vegas.
Quote: Face
Not that I get out and sample the cuisines of the world often, but Quaker Steak and Lube in Erie, PA, is the only place outside of NY I've ever found a decent wing.
That's a chain. It's pretty consistent across locations, IMO. Certainly moreso than Buffalo Wild Wings (whatever happened to Weck?), etc.
Still not sure if I can make it this weekend. Took til today to learn that there were no work-related obstacles to travel. Now just need to find an airfare that doesn't eat away my whole gambling budget. No luck so far:-/
Quote: SOOPOOYou did give me your card. Odds of me finding where I put it..... I am pm'ing you my phone number! All the Duffs are pretty much the same as far as wing quality, flavor, etc. The one I will be going to is the one on Transit Road. It is more spacious than the original one on Sheridan Drive, and has a full service bar. The original location only serves beer.
I hate their wings and sauces. I prefer our local pizza shops over theirs any day.
Quote: TomspurStrangely enough my favorite Hooters is in Honolulu right on the bay. It is a beautiful setting, the food was great, the beer was awesome and the servers were aces.
I can't rmemeber much of that night afterwards but I know we hit 3 strip clubs, 1 tropical themed dance club with a live band and some techno club hole in the wall. I still have pictures of the evening but that is where my recollection stops :)
I once went to a strip club where the patrons next to me were smoking crack. This was a small little place in Hawaii.
Quote: djatcI once went to a strip club where the patrons next to me were smoking crack. This was a small little place in Hawaii.
One of the places we went to in honolulu was real small with sunken in floors, big fish tanks everywhere, loads of carpeting on the floor, very dark obviously. It had the feeling of a strip club slash crack house but we had an awesome night (no crack though) LOL
Tomorrow, I plan to drive up to Brantford and Port Perry to collect my souvenir chips. Hope the results at the tables are COMPLETELY different from today's at Presque Isle and Seneca Buffalo Creek. Still don't know whether we will make it for wings tomorrow night.
OntarioDealer, if I make it by your casino (across the street) before Sunday, how should I pick you out in a crowd?
Quote: DocWell, my wife and I are in Niagara Falls, Ont, looking out our room window directly at the Fallsview casino. Haven't been down to look at the water yet.
Tomorrow, I plan to drive up to Brantford and Port Perry to collect my souvenir chips. Hope the results at the tables are COMPLETELY different from today's at Presque Isle and Seneca Buffalo Creek. Still don't know whether we will make it for wings tomorrow night.
OntarioDealer, if I make it by your casino (across the street) before Sunday, how should I pick you out in a crowd?
Welcome! Sorry about the weather =/
Okay, so today, Saturday, I have a pile of errands to do that will take me until 3pm, so I am unsure whether I will be attending. If someone wants to put a notification of where they will be around 3, let me know via PM or on this forum.
Tomorrow, I will be at the Falls and Firkin @1 and I'll be wearing a yellow golf shirt and blue jeans.
Quote: boymimboSoopoo, i have a Port Perry chip I could have given you.
SOOPOO may not have been interested. I am the chip collector, and I had to collect the chip myself at the casino for it to count.
It wasn't much of a gathering today at Seneca Niagara -- just SOOPOO, my wife, and me. Before lunch, I lost money at craps, but I won it back and more after we ate. SOOPOO was winning, too, but at Pai Gow poker. The wife and I had signed up for players' cards to get the buffet discount, as SOOPOO suggested. New sign ups were worth $20 each in free play, and she used both cards to convert that to a little over $30 in cash -- enough to pay for the two buffets.
Hope a few more show up tomorrow. We plan to join SOOPOO for the boat ride before lunch & I hope others come also. I don't know what time yet. The boat is now called "Hornblower", and it sails on the Canadian side at the same spot that Maid-of-the-Mist did for 125 years.
Quote: ontariodealerI'll be there at 1 pm.....dealt a little bit to doc on friday night, hope everybody is as nice as him.
It is impossible to be as nice as him!
If interested, Doc, Mrs. Doc, and I are meeting at the Hornblower ticket booth, or entrance to the Hornblower, at 11am. Apparently what was the Maid of the Mist is now owned by a new company.
Quote: SOOPOOApparently what was the Maid of the Mist is now owned by a new company.
Why would anyone want to change a historic and well known name like the Maid of the Mist ? ? ?
Quote: JohnnyQWhy would anyone want to change a historic and well known name like the Maid of the Mist ? ? ?
yeah that makes no sense. Everyone in the world knows the name maid of the mist. Not only did they change the name but can you imagine how much money they had to spend to change the boats, advertising, and everything else in the world with the name on it.
http://niagarafallstourism.com/play/attractions/hornblower-niagara-cruises-in-niagara-falls/
seems there are two different companies now Maid of the Mist departs from US side and HornBlower from Canadian side
Legal action of some sort over the revenues and their distribution to tribe members.Quote: JohnnyQWhy would anyone want to change a historic and well known name like the Maid of the Mist ? ? ?
Hornblower isn't hurting for business. Their boats are very busy.
See everyone at 1!
The good news is I can take my meager bankroll and donate it to WoV instead of the Canadian gov. ;)
Good luck to all!
Another time.
I thought Ashley was a dead shot?Quote: FaceThe bad news is I'm out. Mama's in the Adirondacks and I have no one to watch my boy!
SOOPOO
OntarioDealer
TheBigPaybak
Doc & the Mrs.
I took a couple of group photos that I will post when I get home. Then we can wait to see what flack arises this time.
Best news that came up during the meet was that TheBigPaybak just won a BJ tournament with a nice payout. I'll leave it to him to tell the story.
Quote: GWAEyeah that makes no sense. Everyone in the world knows the name maid of the mist. Not only did they change the name but can you imagine how much money they had to spend to change the boats, advertising, and everything else in the world with the name on it.
Probably hired a new marketing director or something and they wanted to really put their stamp on it.
Quote: AcesAndEightsProbably hired a new marketing director or something and they wanted to really put their stamp on it.
Oops, never mind.
Quote: DocWhat with the late withdrawals, attendance at today's gathering consisted of:
SOOPOO
OntarioDealer
TheBigPaybak
Doc & the Mrs.
I took a couple of group photos that I will post when I get home. Then we can wait to see what flack arises this time.
Best news that came up during the meet was that TheBigPaybak just won a BJ tournament with a nice payout. I'll leave it to him to tell the story.
It was nice to meet everyone for lunch on Sunday- and SOOPOO and I won our Pai Gow Tiles session to boot! It's been a while since I've been on the Canadian side and enjoyed the day. The weekend was also notable for another event which I'll write a blog post on!
Our Sunday afternoon lunch gathering and the subsequent gaming was at the Niagara Fallsview casino. For those of you not familiar with this establishment, it really does offer a good view of the falls, provided you are on a higher floor of the hotel or wander down the street a way so that the trees don't block your line of sight. It is rather close to the falls, too, as may be seen in this photo.
There are several deficiencies in the quality of that photo, mostly the reflections that are evident, since I took it through a window of the Skylon Tower while having dinner Sunday night.
Before our little group had lunch, we gathered on a fountain plaza just outside the casino complex on the side toward the falls. There was no convenient spot for us to pose in front of a view of the falls, so I tried to make it evident that we were at the casino. Unfortunately, in order to include anything that said "casino" I had to use a composition that makes the individuals of our group almost unidentifiable. Perhaps that will reduce the frequency of participants complaining about how they look in my photos. My only comment on how I look here is that I should always pose next to a really big guy like ontariodealer -- no one is likely to notice how fat I am in a such a situation.
While you may not be able to see the faces clearly in this shot, those are (left to right) SOOPOO, TheBigPaybak, ontariodealer, and me. My wife declined to join us for the photo.
I took a second shot of our little group, so you can see a little better just who we are. Yes, SOOPOO and I have switched places for this photo.
Now, you might wonder whether all of the tourists who pose in front of that fountain look as frumpy as our group. No way. Check out this other group:
No, we were not able to recruit that trio to join us for lunch -- didn't even try -- but I suspect that the photographer was having a grand time in Niagara Falls!
I have never been and I plan to travel there sooner than later but i was just wondering with all that thundering water around?
Quote: TomspurI was wondering as a matter of interest. Does the noise from the falls not keep you awake at night in the hotel so close to the falls? Does the falls make a large noise even?
I have never been and I plan to travel there sooner than later but i was just wondering with all that thundering water around?
It's a deep, rumbling bass. The cacophony of the crashing water is largely contained by the canyon walls.
You can stand right next to the precipice and easily have a conversation. Go into a building and it's completely blocked out.
SOOPOO, my wife, and I took the boat tour (formerly the Maid-of-the-Mist, but now Hornblower Cruises on the Canadian side) that takes you right to the face of the falls. The noise and the mist are intense there. If you are ashore and standing at the edge of the falls at the top, the noise is quite noticeable, while the mist intensity is governed substantially by the wind.
There are tours at both the American Falls and the Horseshoe Falls that allow you to approach the bottom of the falls while on land. I have never done either of those, but I suspect the effects are similar to those experienced on the boat ride.
I haven't ever stayed in the Niagara Fallsview hotel, but this trip we stayed at the Quality Hotel across the street, just out of view below the bottom edge of the first photo I posted. From our balcony, I don't think I could even hear the falls at all -- there was just too much other noise, either from the street traffic or from the music being played at the Margaritaville bar/restaurant a couple of doors up the street.
Strange article because no real reason listed to take their business from them. I'm guessing the environmentally friendly vehicle now being used is the reason, but it doesn't say so specifically. It did mention the license not being renewed but no reason why it wasn't renewed. Well that's business.Quote: coilmanhttp://www.maidofthemist.com/schedule-pricing/
http://niagarafallstourism.com/play/attractions/hornblower-niagara-cruises-in-niagara-falls/
seems there are two different companies now Maid of the Mist departs from US side and HornBlower from Canadian side
Quote: DocThe sound level is quite dependent upon your distance from the falls.
SOOPOO, my wife, and I took the boat tour (formerly the Maid-of-the-Mist, but now Hornblower Cruises on the Canadian side) that takes you right to the face of the falls. The noise and the mist are intense there. If you are ashore and standing at the edge of the falls at the top, the noise is quite noticeable, while the mist intensity is governed substantially by the wind.
There are tours at both the American Falls and the Horseshoe Falls that allow you to approach the bottom of the falls while on land. I have never done either of those, but I suspect the effects are similar to those experienced on the boat ride.
I haven't ever stayed in the Niagara Fallsview hotel, but this trip we stayed at the Quality Hotel across the street, just out of view below the bottom edge of the first photo I posted. From our balcony, I don't think I could even hear the falls at all -- there was just too much other noise, either from the street traffic or from the music being played at the Margaritaville bar/restaurant a couple of doors up the street.
the cave of the winds is one of my favorite tourists spots in the country.
http://www.niagarafallsstatepark.com/cave-of-the-winds.aspx
Quote: GWAEthe cave of the winds is one of my favorite tourists spots in the country.
http://www.niagarafallsstatepark.com/cave-of-the-winds.aspx
last summer when I had friends in town we went to the cave of the winds. They offer you sandals and the requisite rain poncho. It was a beautiful warm day, and I declined the poncho, and just got soaked from head to toe. T-shirt was removed, and fortunately, there are no pictures!
As far as the Hornblower, it just seemed to be lacking 'it', compared to the Maid of The Mist. Next set of visitors, I will take on the American side for the M o M instead of the new Hornblower.
For the Sunday meetup, I parked at the Seneca casino on the US side, and walked across the bridge to Canada. Total customs time coming and going was less than one minute. The wait at the bridge for cars on the way back looked like around half an hour. The walk from Fallsview to Seneca was probably around 40 minutes, and I highly recommend it.
TheBigPayback mentioning our winning session at Tiles..... we each won $13......
I had positive variance the entire weekend.... up $222 on US side at Pai Gow cards on Saturday, up total of $201 on Sunday.... mostly Tiles.
Pai Gow Dan moment..... on US side, playing Pai Gow Poker, obviously new dealer, she admits to being very new, very friendly younger girl...
Early on she makes egregious mistake, I tell her that in Vegas I'd usually let it slide and collect, but alert her to her error and it becomes a push....
Dozens more mistakes..... she basically sets her hand and asks me and the one other player if she did it correctly.....
I mention the above to OntarioDealer, and he tells me that the scuttlebutt is that the US side often has incompetent dealers...
the offer still stands..... if any out of towner wants to come here.... let me know.... I can be a semi-tour guide....
