Twentysomething in Buffalo

Starting a New Trend

This past March I joined the BAC for Women in Depew. Since then, I have been running on the treadmill and at Losson Park pretty steadily all summer.

Still determined to improve my former partying ways, I thought a healthy hobby would be to get into running 5K events around the area. So on Sept. 11 a friend and I participated in our very first 5K run at Como Park in Lancaster to support the troops overseas, remember 9/11 and do something a little more productive than pajamas and boxed wine.

I'm not your average runner. I showed up to the race with makeup on, a brand-new outfit, and my nails painted, but when I looked around the park there were no "average runners." Ages ranged from 10 to 65. There were families running together, couples, friends, some serious long-distance runners and some people there for their usual evening stroll.

Usually when I go for a jog I am constantly stopping and starting to catch my breath. This wasn't the usual jog. At first I didn't want to stop, and I really didn't pace myself because I would get competitive when people would pass me. I got over that real quickly when we reached our first check-point. I was convinced we had to be at the 2-mile marker but given a swift reality check when I realized I was only through the first mile.

My final time was 34 minutes, which I thought was a pretty good pace for my first run. And it wasn't as rigorous as I had anticipated. Although, echoing in the back of my head throughout the entire race were the sarcastic and motivating words of wisdom from my father: "Whatever you do, don't finish last." -- ha ha dad.

Well I didn't finish last, but it didn't matter. Crossing that finish line was something that a year ago I never thought I would do. Not because I couldn't, but because I really didn't care. But, I have to admit, it was so rewarding and I felt great afterward. I'm already scanning the Web for the next one to participate in.

It was pretty clear that I was a 5K-rookie. I'm not really sure what to eat before a race, how to prepare for one, and I could really use some tips on how to improve.

Any suggestions?

--- Kelly Boquard

Dinner Parties for Dummies

So, recently my friends and I have tried to embrace being young, single, and in our mid-20s by throwing a weekly dinner party.

I hosted the second one last night and it definitely had its up and downs.

I threw the party at a friend's house because I felt like there would be too many distractions at my own.

The problem with this friend group, which consists of about nine people, is that everyone has different taste buds and two of those attending are vegetarians. Being the enormous meat eater that I am, it threw me for a loop. So to be safe, my original menu was healthy: salmon on top of a rice mixture of some sort.

Then the complaints started rolling in. Some didn't know if they liked the fish, others wanted chicken (which I think is too bland), and others were all for it. I thought it was extremely rude for everyone to be so unappreciative. One of my friends even suggested that I ask everyone to pitch in some money, which I was NOT about to do.

Regardless, it was time for a new menu that would make everyone happy. So, I opted for linguine with two types of vodka sauce, one with sausage and mushrooms and another without the meat (to appease the vegetarians).

Aside from a lack of enough pots and pans, everything went smoothly. I tried to do a wine tasting, but by the end of the night my girlfriends were getting antsy looking for the $13 boxed wine and weren't really paying attention to the flavors of the various bottles - as long as their glasses were full. Well, can't win them all.

Even though there were no serious hazards, you could tell I still had my training wheels on. I'm planning on hosting another one soon but want to spice it up a bit more and get a little creative.

Any ideas? Themes? Menu item?

--- Kelly Boquard

Post graduation vacation

It's been a couple of weeks since graduation, and I'm in the post-college hover stage. I'm working an internship until the end of August while searching and applying for jobs, but I'm hoping I'll have a relatively brief period where I'll be able to travel before the true ties of becoming an adult tighten.

In my head, I've always wanted to travel abroad-Italy to be exact. I'm all about the pasta, the wine, the architecture, the language, the culture (I could go on forever, but in hopes you'll continue reading, I won't) but the closest thing I've ever come to experiencing it all is a quick trip to NYC's Little Italy. Pathetic, I know.

The problem is, with fuel prices climbing and the new $15-checked-baggage rule, not to mention the Euro/US Dollar exchange rate, the idea of going overseas looks like it would pretty much blow out my bank account at this point. At first realization, this was a bit of a bummer, but my dad (always the thinker) suggested I consider traveling out west, and the more I think about it, the more I get excited.

Earlier this year, my family and I traveled to San Francisco, and I fell in love. We were total tourists- hiking Muir Woods, driving the bridge, walking along the Wharf and of course, getting freaked out by a night tour of Alcatraz. We were long overdue for a family vacation, and visiting San Fran was a beautiful, clean and friendly place to relax and reconnect. 

I'm considering returning to the coast, but this time, the conditions are much different. I'd be going with my boyfriend, I'd be scheduling all my own activities and reservations and, perhaps the biggest change, footing a good portion of the bill. I'll be the first to admit, I'm a bit of a princess, so when my boyfriend suggested looking at hostels, I outwardly cringed at the thought. But after looking into private hostel rooms, their locations and their costs, I'm starting to realize it might not be as bad as I thought, not to mention it would save a whole lot of money that we could spend elsewhere.

Here's where I need help. Being a total trip-planning rookie, I'm at a loss as to where to visit out west, where to stay, what restaurants to eat at. I want the full experience, but I'm also on a twentysomething budget, so the cheaper the better, give and take a few treats here and there. I don't want a repeat family vacation, so I'd be open to any non-touristy activities too. Also- I'm not glued to San Fran, so if you've got another great post-college celebration location (far away enough from Buffalo), I'd love to hear it!

-Molly Hirschbeck

Focusing on a Healthier Lifestyle

A while ago I wrote a blog about finding the right workout. Because spring seemed to creep up quicker than I had planned, and summer is around the corner, I decided it was time to transform my "winter body" into a "summer body."

About a month ago I joined the Buffalo Athletic Club for Women, French Road, Depew, location. I was planning on taking advantage of their three months for $99 deal because it had been a while since I was a gym member, and my past experience with a gym wasn't very satisfying. But of course, I was talked into signing up for a 2-year preferred membership.

With all honesty, I can say that joining the gym was a great choice. Not only do I love the fact that it is an all-women facility, but I have also recruited some of my friends to join. We take classes together and motivate one another to get up and get active. Aside from spending quality time with my friends without sitting at a bar, I also notice a change in my everyday life. I have a lot more energy, I am eating healthier, and I feel amazing. On a recent trip to Washington, D.C., with my boyfriend, we got up at 9 a.m., after a night out, and headed down to the gym to get a run in before starting our day. This would have been something unheard of a few weeks ago.

I started taking some classes to really focus on toning up and to make the most out of my time there. The spinning classes are a great cardio workout and probably one of the hardest things I have ever done, and the "total body sculpting" class has worked on muscles I didn't even know existed.

My New Years resolution was to take steps to embrace adulthood and form healthy relationships in my life. So far, this has been a positive step not only for me, but for my friends as well.

I recommend it 100 percent to all twentysomethings prepping for the summertime

- Kelly Boquard

The Winter "Coma"

Call it laziness - because it is, but every year between mid-January and April you can usually find me in my sweats parked on the couch watching TV.

I, like many other Buffalonians, get sucked into the gloominess of the end-of-the-winter blues. I am sick of being cold, I am sick of scraping the ice and snow off of my car, and I am sick of being stuck indoors. So, my cure is usually grabbing some take-out and hibernating for the rest of the season.

In the past few weeks, because of my increasing addiction to the television, I have made many observations.

1. As a huge Food Network fan, I have had enough of Rachel Ray. For some reason food lovers and daytime TV fans across the country view her as America's sweetheart in the kitchen. However, I view her as annoying, and her constant use of food nicknames and acronyms immediately forces me to change the channel.

I was at the Empire Grill last week hearing specials from our waiter when he accidentally blurted out "E-V-O-O." Followed by an, "I can't believe I just said E-V-O-O."

2. How many times can shows like "Seinfeld" and "Everybody Loves Raymond" be aired in one day?

I used to love "Seinfeld," but seeing Jerry and the gang on FOX and TBS up to five times a day ruins the humor for me. I realize these shows were big hits, but it would be nice to watch a movie, or have some more options to choose from, (and I'm not talking about the three varieties of "Law & Order").

3. Keith Olbermann and Steven Colbert are my heroes.

I couldn't help but fall over laughing when Eliot Spitzer walked out on the set of "The Colbert Report." It's about time we got to see the lighter side of Spitzer.

And Olbermann's sense of humor and sarcasm seem more entertaining to me than any skit shown on "Saturday Night Live."

4. Although I am passionate about reality TV, lately it isn't what it used to be.

Bret Michaels isn't looking for love; he's looking to boost his ego and lust over girls half his age. Scott Baio puts fatherhood to shame, and "The Moment of Truth" casts a dark cloud over the whole genre.

I wonder if some if these "reality" shows are even real anymore.

Now that the writers' strike is over hopefully I'll see some entertainment improvements. But, I'm sure by the time that happens, it will be spring and and I'll have a bit more motivation to get off the couch and enjoy the sunshine.

Is anyone else stuck in the dreary, end-of-the-season blues?

- Kelly Boquard

Guitar Hero Geek

Warning: This post makes a twentysomething sound like a 12-year-old.

I've never been a video game person. My brother and I are relatively close in age, and while he navigated his way through Madden, FIFA and NBA Live, eyes glued to the screen, thumbs twiddling as fast as digital Lee Evans would run, I'd sit there thinking, "I just don't get it."

Last night, I finally saw the light: Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock. I was completely mesmerized, and uncharacteristically quiet. Was it the fast-paced chord pattern of "Don't Hold Back," or maybe the catchy, trance-inducing rhythm of "When You Were Young"?

I'll admit, my first attempt at following the color-coordinated "notes" on the screen left me marveling at just how little hand-eye coordination I have. But thanks to supportive (and sympathetic) friends, I floundered through a few more classics, butchering each one a little less each time.

I definitely wasn't transformed overnight; by no means did the game turn me into an intense gamer scouring the Internet for cheat codes and player tips so that I can master the Expert level. I'll still make fun of my brother for the glazed, dazed and confused stupor he seems drawn into every time he picks up his PS2 controllers.

But now I understand the attraction of being able to temporarily become something else-or someone else-whether it be Brett Favre, James Bond or the talented Brandon Flowers. Even if I never do make it past the Easy level.

Has anyone else played the game and loved it, or am I just a geek who needs to grow up? Which Hero is best?

-Molly Hirschbeck

HBO Segment: A well-deserved slap in the face

I am a huge fan of tailgating and the Buffalo Bills. But as I have expressed before, I think there are too many people that cross the line with their tasteless antics and obnoxious attitudes.

Did anyone notice that most of the footage of Buffalo was of either someone falling over or vomiting? Is this really the image we want to portray?

I am no saint on Sunday mornings at the Ralph, but seeing one girl bare her chest for a stadium full of chanting fans and another double-fisting bottles of Crown Royal was like watching a commercial for "Girls Gone Wild."

I don't blame the Buffalo fans; I think they are loyal and inspiring. Instead, I blame the individuals who seem to miss the point of tailgating. I recall one Washington fan ranting incoherently about being some sort of head of a drinking club. I couldn't help but blurt out, "are you kidding me?" Was an initiation process and binge-drinking etiquette his idea of having goals in life?

I have only really experienced horrendous behavior at the game a few times, but it seems like there are many others out there who are just fed up with it.

What do you think?

- Kelly Boquard

Completely Spent With Chippewa

If you had asked me a year ago what I was doing on Saturday, without a doubt it would be "going downtown." A typical downtown night for me was staying out until 4 a.m. on the Chippewa strip, and frequenting at least three of the bars.

Now, just the thought of staying out until 4 a.m., especially on Chippewa, gives me a headache. My friends get on my case about it, too. For example, this past Saturday, I really just wanted to lie in my bed and watch some television. It was only after about five phone calls and 10 text messages that my friends got the hint - I was staying home and I didn't care what anyone said about it.

Chippewa used to be a fun, late-night dance party for my single girlfriends and me. I am no longer single, and when I am downtown and take a look at my surroundings, I feel like most of those partying around me are hardly old enough to buy beer.

It's the annoying belligerent guys trying to buy me a drink, the catty group of underage females shoving me aside at the bar so they can get a drink, and, most recently, the increase in violence that make me look at the whole thing with disgust. Where is the appeal?

I mean, maybe every once in a while a "girls night on Chippewa" could have its perks, but I'd rather sit at a friend's house or at a nice dinner with a few cocktails than spend my money on cherry bombs and watered down drinks.

- Kelly Boquard

Making Time for College Friends

I always tell people that the bond I made with my girlfriends from college is a bond I haven't found anywhere else.

I went to school in the hills of Olean at St. Bonaventure University, and I will always have wonderful things to say about the school itself, but even better things to say about the people I met there.

During freshman year, I became friends with a group of girls very similar to me. They came from good homes, they enjoyed the same music and they knew how to have a good time. The years passed by and we eventually moved in together and then graduated together. Some were from Buffalo; others were from Rochester, Syracuse and Binghamton. For anyone who has had the privilege of going away to school, you can probably relate.

It's now a rare occasion for us to get together, but when we do it's always a conversation that I can't stop listening to, and laughter that I never want to end.

On Wednesday night, I went to dinner at the Left Bank with a couple of the girls to celebrate a birthday. The 24-year-old girls sitting around the table with a bottle of wine are completely different people from our days as rebellious 18-year-olds celebrating freedom from our parents with a case of cheap beer. What used to be talks about boys and parties are now talks about careers, unforgettable (and forgettable) memories, and our many quarter-life crises.

These times together may be few and far between, but the girls are another family to me. Maybe I'm just being girly and over-dramatic, maybe it's the holiday spirit, or maybe it was too much wine, but whatever it is, it's something I hope everyone has the chance to experience

  -- Kelly Boquard

The Great Outdoors

I hope everyone enjoyed their long weekend, and I hope that you all gave thought to why we had that day off, the "Memorial Day" that commemorates the thousands of lives lost to give us the lives we lead today.

I spent the weekend in Crystal Beach, Ontario.  It's a lovely  community near Ft. Erie in Canada where many Americans spend weekends and summers but where Canadians still live, too.  It wasn't exactly beach weather, but it was nice enough, and it's a great place to relax.

This is a topic that has been discussed extensively among both lifetime Buffalonians and visitors, but this is an appropriate forum for further discussion.  WNY has so much to offer as far as outdoor recreation!  We can ski in the winter and beach it in the summer.  We have state parks, the Great Lakes, Niagara Falls, vineyards and wineries, Delaware Park, the Finger lakes, and plenty of wooded areas for ATV's and hiking. 

So..... There are a lot of ways to attract more visitors, and a lot of activities for people who are "bored in Buffalo."  So why aren't we spreading the word?