Timing is Everything

A few weeks ago, feeling burned out by long hours and other commitments, hubby suggested we book a long weekend away. We considered everything from New York City to Haliburton before settling on Niagara Falls. Who knew we’d need to get away even more by the time the weekend arrived?

I grew up not far from the Falls. I believe I may have mentioned our frequent trips to Marineland when I was a kid and no one thought about how the animals were faring. So even though Niagara Falls is a wonder of the world, it holds no mystery for me. But it was a nice change of scene and, hey, I had a Groupon.

We set out early on Friday, met my brother for lunch and then toured Niagara-on-the-Lake’s shops and attractions. It’s been a while. George Bernard Shaw, or Bernie as I like to call him, gave me a stone cold stare as I looked deeply into his eyes.

We checked into our lovely Falls-view room. Here’s the view at sunrise.

You even have to smile at the check-in-fem-bot as she explains through a grin that parking is $35 per night whether it’s self-park or valet. There’s no getting out of it! They must take classes in “making the insane sound normal”.

We enjoyed the Outback Steakhouse and a nice wander around through the Fallsview Casino where Kenny Rogers was set to perform. Saturday was a touring day. After a terrible, cold breakfast at the first non-chain restaurant we saw (never eat at Al Mac’s Buffet!) we made a half-hearted trek around where I think my first radio station used to be, and then made a run for the US.

It’s cheesy but I had to have my photo taken outside the Tops in North Tanowanada. Pronounced Taaps in Nawth Taanawaaaandaaa. As a child of the 70s and a faithful watcher of WKBW in Buffalo, Tops Friendly Market was the most frequent advertiser of my childhood just like the station’s Irv Weinstein was my first news anchor.

Although we got waylaid and distracted, which was a fun part of having no agenda or timeline to keep, we eventually made it to the art show we wanted to visit in Niagara Falls, NY. They’ve turned a giant old secondary school into the Niagara Arts and Cultural Center. Artists have galleries inside what used to be classrooms. Our destination was an art show of pieces made exclusively from car parts. And we were not disappointed!
Painted hubcaps, a fish made from belts and chains, paintings, sculptures – you name it – all about and composed of pieces of cars. It was great! Derek chatted with the curator. He and most of the artists don’t even consider themselves artists. They’re just gearheads who put a bunch of stuff together. Some of the pieces had already been purchased. This building is a true, grassroots, artist’s collective. I love that stuff.

We laughed, we walked (I hobbled) and we drove around to places we’ve never seen. We stopped at a contents sale and talked to a woman who’s moving to Alaska, “because it’s warmer!” We had an excellent coffee in a little Mom and Pop shop and looked at but did not buy some of the tackiest souvenirs known to man.

My Mom had made lasagna in anticipation of us all coming for lunch on Sunday but it soon became clear that we’d be leaving pretty early. So we did what anyone would do. We met at my Mom and Dad’s at 8 am and had Caesar salad, garlic toast and lasagna for breakfast! It was hilarious and delicious. And it more than made up for the chilled eggs and brittle waffles from Saturday.