This was a beautiful weekend. Sunny, not a cloud in the sky and very hot. It was a great weekend to be at the beach or poolside sipping some drink that has an umbrella sticking out of the top.  It was not a perfect weekend to run a 5k. I love running and I haven’t done a 5k in quite some time (years I believe). The Tops and Roswell Park Team Cure Challenge seemed like the perfect race for me to get back into the swing of 5ks. The race was nice and early in the morning, so I would still have time to go home, shower and get ready for the wedding I was attending in Dansville. The course itself was simple, not many hills and a quick, suburban loop. Most importantly it was for an amazing cause. Registration fees went to Roswell Park cancer research. On paper, this race was perfect!

8am Saturday morning, my race partner has to pick up furniture for her new apartment, so I’ll be going solo. Not ideal but no biggie. It is already 75 degrees outside. I prefer to lie around when its hot, not go running. Again, no big deal. The cloudless sky makes 75 degrees feel like 85, and there is almost no shade on the course. Kind of a big deal.

All that being said, the race was really fun and when I made it back to the glorious AC in my car, I felt accomplished and overall very good. Hundreds of people showed up for the race and gave it their all. I was the 127th person to cross the finish line with a time of 29:33. I placed fourth in my age group, which is the highest I’ve ever placed in a race, so I guess it wasn’t all that bad.

If you ran the race, you can check out your scores right here.  I have a few pictures of the race and a before and after of yours truly. ENJOY!

‘Til next time, with a significantly lower resting heart rate,

-Allie

The hot, hot sun was out!

some cool sponsors

Ready to go!

Ready to die!

I last waxed poetic about Fall’s many many wonderful elements, one of which I sited as Fall Fashion!

I arrived at the office on Monday, fresh from my stint at the Erie County Fair, to find two tickets to a fashion show at the Clothes Bar waiting for me at my desk. It was if the powers that be knew I had had my fill of fried food and livestock and was in need of a glass of wine and surplus jumpers.

I did a little happy dance, called a friend and started planning my tres chic ensemble.

The show was a ton of fun to watch, and from the look of it, even more fun to be in. The models seemed to have a blast strutting their stuff on the catwalk.

I fell completely in love with a purple dress adorned with zippers and a grey sweater that was paired with leggings. I was also a big fan of their tan leather jackets and floral blouses.

I snapped a few pictures of my favorite looks which you can check out below. If you want more info on the clothes bar or the collections they have there, their website, http://www.clothesbaronline.com/catalog/

‘Til next time, with style,

-Allie

LOVE the grey sweater and leggings!

My favorite dress at the show.

I love the bohemian feel to this.

Everyone looked great!

As the adage says, all good things must come to an end. With the end of the Erie County Fair comes the inevitable end of summer. The rain is coming back, there is a high temperature today of a ghastly 68 degrees, and I had to dig around my apartment for a sweater this morning.

While it is easy to get caught up in the sadness that inevitably follows the end of Summer, it is nice to remember the fun things about Fall!

Number One: FALL FASHION! The encyclopedia-sized September issue of Vogue ushers in the beginning of Fall Fashion madness. Suede boots, tweed jackets and cozy sweaters can be pulled out of boxes now that the thought of adding an extra layer doesn’t make one immediately feel faint.

Number Two: Apples. Picking them, Eating them. Baking with them. Having them fall on the hood of my car and dent it. Apple Cider. Apple Crisp. Apples, Apples Apples!

Number Three: Back to School! I am no longer in school, but I can’t help feeling the excitement. September reminds me of new backpacks and pencils and class schedules and first weeks back and parties with friends you haven’t seen in months. I may go out and get a back to school outfit just for the heck of it.

Number Four: The Bills Make Me Want to SHOUT! I will be at the home opener, and many games after that. There is nothing better than the hope that comes along with a new season.

Number Five: Sundays. This goes along with number four. Sundays in the Fall mean several things to me: Sunny days with cool breezes, alone time while everyone is watching football (I love going to games, but seeing them on TV just doesn’t do it for me), reading a good book, taking walks around the city or hikes in the country. Fall Sundays are my happy place.

Number Five: RUNNING! Fall is my favorite time to run outdoors. The cool air is invigorating and it is much easier to motivate yourself to run when there is no risk of heat stroke.

Number Six: Television. All the shows took a nice long break for the summer, which I appreciate. It can be difficult to decide whether I should enjoy a night outdoors and the summer air, or watch a new episode of my favorite show (thank god for DVR!). This year old favorites return and new series begin. There are a bunch of new shows starting right here on the CW, including my newest guilty pleasure Hellcats (cheerleading and Ashley Tisdale, yes please!)

These are just a few of the things I look forward to in the Fall. Please comment and let me know what you look forward to and check out a related video at the Allie on the Go page.

‘Til next time, with Autumnal love,

-Allie

I appreciate a good chuckle. There is no better feeling than a sore set of abs after a lengthy laugh-fest. I remember the first time I saw Napoleon Dynamite and left the theatre with a tear streaked face and a slew of new quotable lines. There is no feeling in the world like laughter. It is one of the most sought after reactions and is almost a drug.

This morning I discovered and endless pit of laugh inducing material in the form of AwkwardFamilyPhotos.com. The website is a collection of user-submitted photos of families, often times with pets or props, that are unintentionally hysterical. With Categories such as Graduation, Birthdays, Holidays, Pregnancy and an entire offshoot website called Awkward Family Pet Photos, there is truly something there for everyone.

My absolute favorites are group shots where it is obvious that the subjects of the photo, usually wearing outdated ensembles paired with teased hair, think they are the bees knees and their portrait may one day hang in the Louvre. The less intentionally outrageous the better!

Below I have posted a photo to pique your interest. It combines some of the worlds greatest things: turtlenecks, unnatural posed stances, and a reality television star before he hit the big time!

If people enjoying their 15 minutes of fame aren’t your cup of tea fear not! There are plenty of pictures for every sense of humor. If you can walk away from your computer with dry pants, well you have managed to retain more dignity than yours truly!

‘Til next time, with a set of rockin’ abs and some Depends,

Allie

We Got a Turtleneck Situation!

While this past summer has so far been astoundingly beautiful, I still find myself yearning for southern sun and beaches, so this past weekend I jetted down to Boca Raton, Florida to visit my brother. He has an apartment that is placed nicely between the Intracoastal and the Atlantic Ocean, so setting is ideal to say the very least. South Florida is an amazing place to relax, party and play, plus there aren’t many other places you can get away with wearing a swimsuit as clothing! There is always great music, great people and a great amount of fun to be had.

My brother, his friends and I spent most of our time going from pool, to ocean to pool again.  While it was truly glorious, visiting a place such as Boca reminds me of how happy I am to be living in a place like Buffalo! We are blessed with so much culture, creativity, and most importantly, appreciation for the good things in life! When every day is sunny, we can take it for granted. We need the rain, the snow, the wind to remind us that each sunny, warm day is a gift that shall not be squandered!

So I, with my recently remembered sense of gratitude, say thank you summer for the unending warm days, sometimes stifling heat, and gorgeous sunshine! Come December I’ll be missing you!

‘Til next time, with a sun-kissed glow,

Allie

Miami Skyline in Nikki Beach!

It was a busy busy weekend in the life of yours truly!

It began with a trip to the movie theater. After a long day of work on Friday, I was perfectly content to head home, make dinner and relax on my couch. My decision to be completely lazy was challenged a bit when I drove through the Subaru 4 mile race on my way home, but I was determined to expend little to no energy for the rest of the evening. My plans changed, however, when my boyfriend suggested we go see Christopher Nolan’s latest film Inception.  I was initially hesitant but I figured the walk to and from the car probably wouldn’t kill me. The film was well worth my effort, and then some! I am not much for special effects, I generally feel they distract from the plot of the film and allow for lapses in story line and quality of acting. I hate when films take a break from the story so we can watch people shoot guns and buildings blow up. Rarely do I think effects contribute to a story, but I was shown otherwise! The dream-like setting of the film made every effect an element of fantasy and interest. It was also a brilliant story with a wonderful cast.

Saturday I spent a day by the pool, which was much needed, then on a whim went to see Great Big Sea at Artpark. I have seen Great Big Sea a number of times, once at Thursday at the Square and last year at Buffalo Place Rocks the Harbor. Each time they play an amazing show, and Saturday was no exception. The band seemed to have been thoroughly “refreshed” before the show, which allowed for some song improvisation and banter between the members, which made everything that much more personal and enjoyable.

On Sunday was the much anticipated Pulaski Day Parade. I was nervous about my duties as co-emcee to begin with, but when Don Postles arrived complete with polish phrases and a knowledge of who’s who in Buffalo, I realized I wasn’t anywhere close to a nervous as I should have been!  Despite my inability to pronounce a single polish name other than Szmanski correctly (I apologize again to individuals whose names I sufficiently butchered), it turned out alright and was a great learning experience. I had never been to the parade before and it was astounding to see the strength of the Polish community in Western New York. I’ll be brushing up on my polish so hopefully I can take part in the fun again next year.

Overall the weekend was busy, yet thrilling, and I hope to have many more like it!

‘Til next time, from Poland, with love,

-Allie

Don and I at the Pulaski Day Parade

Summer is just about half over, or depending on how you look at it, we still have half our summer left!

It has been amazing weather-wise in Buffalo this year, thus prompting a few outdoor projects.  Having no outdoor space of my own, my cousin Katie and I teamed up to create Katie’s Backyard Club, a fantasy land complete with solar lanterns, flower sprinklers and tiki torches. We are lucky we still have half of our summertime left, because we are far from half finished! Does anyone happen to know where we might find some lawn flamingos?

The taste of Buffalo was truly stellar this year, despite the heat! Thanks to everyone who stopped by the Channel 4 and CW23 tent, it was really an amazingly fun time!

Now, one might be inclined to look at the calendar, count the days, and assume that fall is just around the corner, but fear not! There is still a whole lotta summer left!!

Buffalo Place rocks the Harbor and Thursday at the Square seem to be saving their best shows for the end of the season, so there is still much to be seen!

On July 21st- July 25 University at Buffalo is hosting the Empire State Games. This is really a huge deal and is a great opportunity to see some of New York State’s best athletes compete! I will be at the opening ceremonies on Wednesday and will be catching a whole bunch of games on Friday.

Canalfest begins soon, and the Italian Festival got underway yesterday. The Elmwood Art Festival is in August, so there are plenty more festivals and outdoor activities to take part in while we still can!

One event I am truly looking forward to is the all female case of Macbeth at Shakespeare in the Park. From July 22- August 15th you can see a truly unique interpretation of Shakespeare’s tragedy on greed, revenge, guilt and atonement. Having seen Macbeth performed a number of times and being a bit of a Shakespeare junkie, I am very interested to see how a female cast brings new light unto the story. To get more info head to http://www.shakespeareindelawarepark.org/.

‘Til next time I shall bid you all good Day,

And I, methinks, will be well on my way.

-Allie

I was not born on the 4th of July, sadly.

I have always dreamed of having my birthday be declared a national holiday. It would be a time for everyone to take a break from working, sit back, relax, think about how great I am, then call or write me to tell me about it. The chance of this happening is pretty slim to none, especially due to the fact that most holidays instated in honor of an individual are established after they die.

I am, however, very envious of those whose birthday happens to fall on a national holiday! And what a better holiday to be born on than the 4th of July! EVERYONE you know doesn’t have to work. You get to eat tons of hot dogs. A picnic with a pool or slip and slide is usually involved. If that isn’t enough, at the end of the day you get to celebrate the wonderful time you had with fireworks. Pure awesomeness.

There are some truly lucky individuals who get to share their birthday with America. They include: Nathaniel Hawthorne (though I am not sure he was around to experience the true joy of a Sahlen’s hot dog),  Ulysses S. Grant (he may have had one hot dog too many),  Ann Landers (I bet her picnics were very proper), Abigail Van Buren (a.k.a Dear Abby, must be a polite day),  Geraldo Rivera, KoKo the Gorilla, and Becki Newton (of Ugly Betty fame).

If your birthday happens to fall on the 4th, you have my eternal jealousy! If not, then have some fun celebrating America’s birthday, I plan on it!

‘Til next time, from the land of the free,

Allie Doodle Dandy

For years I have been a fan of Dustin Hoffman. I admire the roles he takes, the depth of his talent, his ability to laugh, even at himself. I have always hoped to one day achieve the success and respectable career that Mr. Hoffman has earned.

If we are really going to trace my affinity for him back, it began with Hook. The scene with the “boo box” spurred an admiration so great, my 5 year old mind was overwhelmed.  About fourteen years later I was sitting in my basement, dreaming of critical acclaim and Oscar nominations and watching The Graduate, when I realized, not only do I identify with Benjamin Braddock (the one who has graduated), I hoped to one day identify with Dustin Hoffman.

I became enthralled by his entire career. I checked out every book from my University’s film library on his life as an actor (and racked up about $200 in late fees). I rented every film of his and watched each one tirelessly. I managed to write a paper on Dustin Hoffman’s career and propose it as an alternate topic for a final essay. I was a woman obsessed.

During this time he was filming Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium not far from my apartment in Toronto. I would walk down the street and imagine how I might initiate a conversation with him. Chance encounters with celebrities are not uncommon in Toronto, so these scenarios where not wholly ridiculous. Weeks earlier I had bumped into Christopher Walken and managed to spill the bag on M&M’s I was eating all over the sidewalk in a statement of shock, thus making an amazing impression. I had decided I would be much cooler when I eventually bumped into Mr. Hoffman.

The closest I ever came was a missed encounter in a mall. I had a friend who worked at an athletic store and used to exploit her discount shamelessly. I was trying on pair after pair of unnecessary yoga pants and eventually sauntered my way to the checkout. As I plopped my pile of pants down, my friend excitedly told me that the person checking out ahead of me was none other than Dustin Hoffman expanding his loungewear collection. Despite running out of the store and into the hallways in a desperate attempt to impress my idol, he was nowhere to be found.

My admiration for Mr. Hoffman continues to this day. I find myself watching Tootsie on days when I need a little encouragement, All the President’s Men on days when I feel accomplished, and Rain Man on days when I am annoyed by Tom Cruise.

This summer The Rivera Theatre has decided to cater directly to me and host a retrospective of Dustin Hoffman’s film career. It begins on July 1st with The Graduate and continues every Thursday until Spetember 2nd. Should the Square be rainy, or you find yourself in need of a little inspiration, I recommend heading to North Tonawanda for a little Hoffman magic. I most likely will!

‘Til next time, definitely next time, definitely definitely next time,

-Allie

Hello all!

Today I filmed a segment for By the People, a public service show that airs on Channel 4 . I have to admit I was a teensy bit nervous, and I might have had a fitful night of sleep (dreams about forgetting to wear your pants on TV are no laughing matter!), but due to the fact that we have wonderful producers and I was lucky enough to have some wonderfully eloquent guests, it went off without a hitch!

I was actually very intrigued by the topic my guests discussed. At the Karpeles Manuscript Library, Canisius College is hosting an exhibit about Pope John Paul II and his relations with the Jewish Community. I feel it sends a wonderful message of respect and admiration for other cultures. Buffalo being such a diverse city, can really relate to this message and easily apply it to every day life.

So overall, a good Saturday morning! A seamless first attempt at a show, plus I learned something new about an amazing cultural event in Buffalo, BONUS POINTS!

‘Til next time, with more worldly knowledge,

Allie