The Buffalo News - Life and Arts http://www.buffalonews.com Latest stories from The Buffalo News en-us Fri, 24 May 2013 12:59:07 -0400 Fri, 24 May 2013 12:59:07 -0400 <![CDATA[ Guide to the garden walks ]]> http://www.buffalonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130524/LIFE03/130529637/1057
Most are part of the fourth annual National Garden Festival, which runs June 21 to Aug. 4. In addition to these local garden walk and tours, the festival features all things gardening – bus tours, weekday Open Gardens, speakers and workshops. Visit www.nationalgardenfestival.com for the schedule and lots of additional information, including on the new GObike Buffalo City Garden Tour on June 23 and the Beyond the Flowers tour Aug. 3.

And then pick a few walks or tours you won’t want to miss. Take a look:• The Shaw Garden Tour: The Secret Gardens of Niagara-on-the-Lake will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 8 in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont. This year’s walkable tour showcases gardens surrounding historic homes. Master gardeners will be on hand to answer questions. Tickets are $20; call the Shaw Festival box office, (800) 511-7429. For more information, visit www.shawfest.com/gardentour.

• The fourth annual display of Bikes in Bloom in Clarence Center kicks off June 5 and runs through mid-August. The free event features an estimated 30 bicycles decorated with flowers, plants and other materials – some unique – by local residents and businesses throughout the Clarence Center community. Maps will be available from merchants at the Four Corners, Goodrich and Clarence Center roads.

• The eighth annual Lewiston GardenFest, a free event sponsored by the Lewiston Garden Club, features a garden walk and other garden-theme activities from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 22 and 23. In addition to approximately seven open gardens in the village, there will be daily speakers, master gardeners, soil testing, vendors and a potted container contest along Center Street. Pick up maps at the hospitality booths. Visit www.lewistongardenfest.com for more information on the tour, the garden club or to register your garden. Or visit Lewiston Gardenfest on Facebook.

• The North Tonawanda History Museum will hold its Historic Treasures Tour of historic homes in North Tonawanda from noon to 6 p.m. June 8. Gardens will also be on view. Tickets may be purchased in advance for $18 through the museum. Phone: 213-0554. Website: www.nthistorymuseum.org.

• The 10th annual Jamestown Audubon Center & Sanctuary’s Secret Gardens Tour of six gardens in Lakewood, Busti and Jamestown will take place from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 29. Tickets are $10 and available at the Jamestown Audubon Center and nurseries in that area. Tickets can also be purchased at participating gardens on tour day. Call 569-2345 or visit www.jamestownaudubon.org.

• The Parkside Community Association will present the 16th annual Parkside Garden Tour from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 30. Suggested donation is $8. An optional guided architecture/history walk is $10. All proceeds support the PCA. As usual, the tour begins at Church of the Good Shepherd, 96 Jewett Parkway, where bike rentals will be available for $15. Bring your own helmet. Residents can register their gardens until June 21. Visit www.parksidebuffalo.org/gardentour for application and additional information on the tour and other events happening that day, including a plant and garden tool sale at the Darwin Martin House complex and the Buffalo-style Garden Art Sale in nearby Delaware Park at the Lodge on Parkside Avenue.• A Grand Island Garden Tour of private and public gardens is being planned for 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. July 6 and 7. This is the first tour organized by Serene Gardens as part of the National Garden Festival. Visit www.serene-gardens.com. Headquarters is Serene Gardens, 2800 Grand Island Blvd. For information, email: info@serene-gardens.com or call 773-LEAF.

• The City of Tonawanda Garden Walk, now in its third year, will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 13. An expected 35 or more gardens will be featured in this free event presented by the City of Tonawanda Board for the Visual and Performing Arts and the Garden Club of the Tonawandas. Applications are available on the city’s website, www.ci.tonawanda.ny.us. and on the City of Tonawanda Garden Walk Facebook page. They’re also available in the mayor’s office, the Recreation Department, the senior center on Main Street, the public library and at local businesses. Deadline is June 1; maps for the walk will be available beginning July 1 at the previously mentioned locations.

• The ninth annual Village of Hamburg Garden Walk will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 13 and 14. Map guides for this free event will be available at Memorial Park, corner of Lake and Union streets, Hamburg. Garden vendors will be in the park both days. For more information, visit hamburggardenwalk.com or call Marg Rust at 648-7544. Applications for village residents are available on the website; deadline is June 15.

• The 12th annual Samuel P. Capen Garden Walk of more than 60 private gardens and public spaces will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 13 in the neighborhoods surrounding the University at Buffalo’s South Campus. Maps will be available walk day at University Community Farmers’ Market on Main Street and Kenmore Avenue; University Heights Tool Library, 5 W. Northrup Place; and UB’s Anderson Gallery, 1 Martha Jackson Place. Visit www.ourheights.org to enter your garden; the deadline is June 15. To view a photo gallery, visit Capen Garden Walk on Facebook.

• The Historic Niagara Falls Garden Walk is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. July 13. Gardens in the Orchard Parkway and Park Place historic districts will be featured. Headquarters will be at the Niagara Hub at Park Place and Main Street, Niagara Falls, where you will find free maps. For details on entering, call 285-1318.

• The ninth annual Lockport in Bloom will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 13 and 14. Headquarters for the free tour is at the Kenan Center, 433 Locust St., Lockport. A Twilight in the Garden evening tour will run 6:30 to 9 p.m. July 13. Learn more at www.lockportinbloom.com.

• St. James Church and Landmark Society of Genesee County Home and Garden Tour will take place from noon to 5 p.m. July 14. Ten gardens will be featured, with three homeowners opening their first floors to visitors. A dessert reception and garden talk by landscape designer Tim Richley is planned from 4:15 to 5 p.m. at St. James Church, 405 E. Main St., Batavia. Tickets, $20, will be available a month ahead of time at the church office and Harrington’s Produce in Batavia. For more information, call Marcia Gann at (585) 343-8218.

• The Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension’s master gardeners will hold their fifth annual garden tour from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. July 13. Six gardens will be featured. Tickets are $10. For information, call (585) 798-4265 or email: krh5@cornell.edu. Website: cceorleans.shutterfly.com.

• The 11th annual Snyder-CleveHill Garden View of about 25 residential gardens and public spaces will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 14. Headquarters is in front of Trillium’s Courtyard Florist, 2195 Kensington Ave., Snyder. A $3 donation is suggested. For questions, email: snyderclevehillgardenview@gmail.com. Snyder-Clevehill Garden View is on Facebook.

• Now also in its 11th year, the free Ken-Ton Garden Tour will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 20 and 21, with the Saturday Nite Lights tour of select illuminated gardens from 8:30 to 10:30 p.m. July 20. The registration deadline is June 7. All interested gardeners in the Town of Tonawanda and Village of Kenmore are welcome to register online or by mail. Visit www.kentongardentour.com for tour information and to register online or download and print a paper application. Paper applications are also available in the town supervisor’s office in the Municipal Building, 2919 Delaware Ave., Kenmore.

• The 10th annual Village of Williamsville Garden Walk will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 20. More than 25 gardens within a square mile are expected to participate in this free walkable/bikeable event. “Garden Passport” and map will be found at the welcome tent in front of Village Hall, 5565 Main St., Williamsville. This is a village-wide event with a farmers’ market, garden-themed menus at restaurants and cafes, free garden talk and more. To register your garden, email: dhabes@village.williamsville.ny.us or call Village Hall at 632-4120, Ext. 3009. Deadline is July 8.

• The fourth annual Amherst Garden Walk is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 20. Free maps will be available a day or two ahead on the town website, www.amherst.ny.us, and on tour day at the Amherst Municipal Building, 5583 Main St., Amherst. Visit the town website and enter the keyword “Garden Walk” to apply online or download the application. The deadline is June 30. For more information, send an email to: gardenwalk@amherst.ny.us. Or call the Town Supervisor’s Office at 631-7033. Amherst Garden Walk also is on Facebook.

• The free Lancaster Garden Walk will run from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. July 20 and 21 and will feature residents’ gardens throughout the Village of Lancaster and Town of Lancaster. Programs will be available July 18 at Two Chicks & a Rooster, 732 Aurora St., and Petals to Please, 63 Central Ave. For a garden walk entry form, visit www.lancastervillage.org/gardenpage.htm. Deadline is June 1.

• West Seneca’s Tour of Home Gardens is planned for 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 20. Those interested in entering their garden can contact Dave or Sharon Pulinski at 824-3995 or by email: sharonpulinski@yahoo.com.

• The 13th annual South Buffalo Alive’s Tour of Gardens will take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. July 21. On tour day, you can pick up a map from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at tour headquarters – Tim Russert Children’s Garden next to the Dudley Library, 2010 South Park Ave. Suggested donation is $2. See www.southbuffaloalive.com for updates. Gardens can be registered until July 7 by calling Marge Ryan, 826-3158. South Buffalo Alive is on Facebook.

• Garden Walk Buffalo gets under way from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 27 and 28. Called the largest garden tour in America, it’s free and includes more than 380 city gardens in clusters within a 3-mile radius. The three headquarters for maps, information, merchandise are: Richmond-Summer Senior Center, Richmond Avenue and Summer Street; Buffalo Seminary, 205 Bidwell Parkway; and Evergreen Health Services (formerly AIDS Community Services), 206 S. Elmwood Ave., corner of Chippewa Street.

New this year: “An Evening of Wine and Roses,” 5 to 9 p.m. July 26, which features wine, hors d’oeuvres, desserts, a luxury coach tour of three gardens, master gardeners and musicians. Tickets are $100 each and limited. You’ll find more information on this and Garden Walk Buffalo on the website, www.gardenwalkbuffalo.com.• The ninth annual Black Rock & Riverside Tour of Gardens is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Aug. 3 with a Starry Night Garden Tour of select gardens from 8 to 10 that evening. Headquarters for this free tour: St. Mark’s Church, 311 Ontario St., and Buffalo Religious Arts Center, 157 East St. Residents can enter their gardens at www.brrgardenwalk.com; deadline is June 3. Maps will be available for downloading and mailing in July.



email: smartin@buffnews.com ]]> Fri, 24 May 2013 07:36:02 -0400 Susan Martin
]]> <![CDATA[ From the Home Front: Hula hoop and silly games of summer ]]> http://www.buffalonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130524/LIFE03/130529635/1057
Our daughter and another girl would see who could keep the hoops spinning around their bodies the longest. To me, the spinning seemed to last for days. Around and around those hoops would go until one crashed to the ground. When the winner’s finally dropped, too, the girls would begin another round, sometimes switching hula hoops first out of fairness.

When they – or their bodies – tired of hula hooping, out came the pogo stick. Who could jump the most times? As they took turns on the spring-loaded stick, they kept count. One, two, three ... one cousin was so good at this, I think she could have jumped all the way back to her house in another town.

When I was a kid, we had jump-roping contests. Even if dinner was ready or the sky was darkening, we always wanted to improve our numbers just one more time with another session.

Backward-running races and seeing who could jump the farthest from a stationary position always delivered a good time. Arm-wrestling was fun, too, but something I usually lost because the other kid always seemed to start on the count of two, not three. Stinker.

The game I was good at was the one in which I would face my outstretched hands palm side up while my opponent would face his palm side down several inches above mine. The challenge began, of course, when I would quickly flip over my hands and attempt to slap the backs of my opponent’s before he could pull them away. The secret was to give several false starts – but only sometimes and never the same number of them.

After several successful hand slaps, we would switch roles.

Other contests weren’t physical but challenging just the same. Who could blow the biggest bubble? Win the most games of tick-tack-toe? Figure out which closed fist held the penny? Guess the song the other was thinking?

Staring contests were another favorite way to kill some time.

While they often took place between backseat passengers during long car rides, staring contests were a popular choice just about anywhere. Including at school.

I was horrible at this game. I would try to think about something sad, but it never worked. I would crack up moments after the game started and lose – again.

Similarly, my father would dare me not to laugh while he slowly counted to the number three. I never made it. It was his dragged-out “2, 2½, 2¾ ...” that always got me. But he did let me win at arm-wrestling.



email: smartin@buffnews.com ]]> Fri, 24 May 2013 06:50:01 -0400 Susan Martin
]]> <![CDATA[ Garden Notes ]]> http://www.buffalonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130524/LIFE03/130529634/1057
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Forest Stream and Town & Country garden clubs will hold a plant sale from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Evanstown Plaza, Evans Street near Sheridan Drive, Amherst. Perennials, hanging baskets, patio pots and plants from members’ gardens will be available. Members will answer gardening questions. Rain or shine.

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East Aurora Garden Club will hold its annual perennials sale from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday at the Grey Street Plaza. Homegrown plants from members’ gardens will be featured. ]]> Thu, 23 May 2013 17:23:01 -0400 <![CDATA[ Tackling those large patches of weeds ]]> http://www.buffalonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130524/LIFE03/130529636/1057
Garlic mustard is a noxious weed (listed as invasive in New York State) that continues to develop viable seeds even after it is uprooted, so you shouldn’t let the pulled plants remain on the ground. Doing the work, I was especially irked at myself because I should have caught the first few plants that appeared during the last three years. And this season I should have gone after them all much sooner than I did. I also ran out of time to finish the task, as my work – and some black fly bites around my eyes – forced me back inside.

Is there any easier way to remove large patches of weeds? What else could I have done, and what if the area had been even larger? These questions come up often, and I’m not the only gardener who gets overwhelmed.One straightforward way to stop nasty plants, for a while at least, is to smother them. For a large area, spread sheets of heavy plastic (the thicker the better) over the weedy areas. Look for 10-by-20 or 20-by-40 sheets and cut to size. Some gardeners even use carpet, and I have done so.

For appearance, cover the plastic or carpet with mulch. I have stopped Japanese knotweed and goutweed by covering vast swaths of them, extending the coverage 10 feet beyond the visible weeds. Watch for new weeds poking up beyond the sheets, and keep digging them out. Eventually some weeds such as cinquefoil or creeping Charlie will creep on top of the plastic and root in the mulch, so you’ll have to catch them as they take hold. It’s quite satisfying to rip the sheets up after a couple of years, and see all the dead weeds beneath and growing into them.

In smaller spaces, such as the perennial garden, blocking weeds is more complicated. First pull any weeds before they go to seed, whether they are annual or perennial weeds. A piece of dandelion root will regrow, but that’s just one plant; it’s more important to stop that puffy flower head from making hundreds of babies. I pull the weeds, spread compost or leaves to enrich the soil, and then put down thick newspaper sections topped by heavy weight garbage bags or cut plastic sheets around the perennials and shrubs. I then mulch with shredded bark or pine needles.Some plants can outcompete weeds, with a little support from us. If you have a hill or bank you want to weed and cover – not the place for lawn – consider ground-covering perennials or creeping vines. Cornell University produced a study showing spreading perennials that block weeds, including ladies’ mantle, Sedum ‘John Creech’, butterfly weed, catmint and a low-growing aster.

Many farmers spread cover crops such as alfalfa, oats and grain combinations, and some of their methods may apply to your large weedy tract. Buckwheat is an attractive, easy grower, loved by pollinators, and it blocks weeds better than any other seeded crop to my knowledge.Herbicides are products that kill plants or inhibit plant growth in several different ways, some by direct contact and others systemically. Only you can decide if you are going to use any herbicide products, but if you do, you must read and heed the label – by law – and you should clearly understand how the product works and whether it applies to your problem.

So many people simply buy something labeled “weed killer,” with no clue about correct application, timing or the targeted plants. There are harmful environmental and health consequences of using some products, especially at the wrong time, in the wrong amounts, on the wrong target plants. Wrong use also wastes time and money. I do not use them. Here are some basic answers to some common questions:

Can I use a pre-emergent weed killer?

Pre-emergent herbicides stop weeds like dandelions from growing, but timing is everything. These products must be applied before the weeds start to grow (often sometime in March and mid-September). Read labels; ask experts.

Is there an organic herbicide?

Even organic lawn care experts disagree sometimes, but products containing corn gluten meal, such as organic Preen, appear to inhibit weed growth effectively, without harmful effects. Besides, they contain nitrogen so they are also an organic fertilizer that can’t hurt. Organic lawn care relies on the premise that a healthy, thick lawn, cared for properly, beats out most weeds – but it’s a process, not a quick-kill approach. Consult an expert.

What about Roundup?

Products like this kill plants through leaf contact, and must be applied on large areas of leaves, so let the goutweed, creeping Charlie or poison ivy grow for a couple of months, and then spray them or brush them with the product, more than once. Read the label. Be extremely careful; wind drift can kill nearby plants. Such products are one of the only effective tools for managing powerful, invasive plants – a tough dilemma when we prefer organic methods.

Weeds are part of gardening, and we can usually stay ahead of them. Don’t be discouraged. When you can’t fight any more, it may be time to renovate the whole garden, and call in professional CNLPs to take on the job.



Sally Cunningham is a garden writer, lecturer and consultant ]]> Thu, 23 May 2013 17:22:27 -0400 <![CDATA[ Super Handyman: Give new furniture and antique makeover ]]> http://www.buffalonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130524/CITYANDREGION03/130529638/1057
Old furniture has worn areas, around the corners and near handles. You can make them look worn by using a rasp to grind off sharp corners. Then use sandpaper to smooth the areas. It’s instant aging.

It’s not just the edges of furniture that get abused over time. The top surface is also usually heavily damaged. Use a hammer or some other heavy, metal object to inflict injury on the surface.

Scratches are a sign of age, too, and things like nails and chisels can create years’ worth of scratches in just a few minutes.

An ice pick or awl can be used to make “worm holes,” a sign of old age on many real antiques.

Paint and stain can be used to create an aged appearance, too. Rubbing dark stain into cracks and crevices will make a piece of furniture look old.

If you are going to paint the furniture, rub a little petroleum jelly on some edges and corners before applying the paint. It won’t stick on these areas, and you can wipe the paint off easily once it’s dried on the rest of the surfaces.

Paint on several different colors of paint and then sand and scrape off the top layer or two to show the colors underneath.

Use black paint and a toothbrush to make tiny fly specks on the finish. Other dark stains and spots may be added in other areas to show a lot of age and wear.

These are just a few ways you can create “old” furniture out of new pieces. You’ll need to come up with a great story of how you came to own the piece, too. It’s just part of the process, so have some fun with the furniture and your friends!

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Q: My house is in pretty good shape, but I have been hearing a loud metallic sound that I think is coming from one of my rooftop air vents. I think I have figured out which one is making the noise but don’t know what to do to stop it. Got any ideas? – B.R.

A: Go up into the attic and watch the fan as it moves. It should be easy to see if one of the blades is hitting something or if the spindle needs to be lubricated. You may have to access it from the roof side to make repairs. Just be careful, and you should be able to handle it. These rarely have any major problems and, if they do, can be replaced without a lot of expense.

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Q: I was considering putting up some reflective window film, but was wondering if it would really make a difference. I’ve also heard it is hard to take down. What do you think? – J.T.

A: It does a satisfactory job and is fairly easy to install. If you follow the directions and you use their particular remover, it will be easier to take down if you ever decide to. Most brands are not recommended for double-paned windows.Do you have a fire extinguisher in your home? If you don’t, go get one before the day is over. Most are fairly inexpensive and available at discount stores and home centers. Every home should have at least one!We make fun of the fact that duct tape can be used for just about anything. Well, Super Seal Spray-On Duct Tape can be used to do even more. It’s perfect for sealing metal, rubber and plastic leaks, and can be used indoors and outside. The patch is tough yet pliable, and it sets up quickly. You can apply several thin coats, waiting five minutes between each coat, and can be ready to use it again in about 30 minutes. You even can paint over it, so your repairs will be barely visible. It’s great for the car, gutters, ductwork, hoses, insulation, some pipes, planters and pots, and many other places. Super Seal Spray-On Duct Tape is available at a variety of stores, including discount and hardware stores, auto-repair supply stores and other outlets. For additional information, go to www.idqusa.com.



Got a question or a handy tip? Visit www.thesuperhandyman.com. ]]> Thu, 23 May 2013 17:22:03 -0400 <![CDATA[ Carolyn Hax: Girlfriend wants freelancer to work in an office ]]> http://www.buffalonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130524/CITYANDREGION03/130529640/1057 Dear Carolyn: I’ve been thinking of asking my girlfriend to marry me, after several years of happy and fulfilled dating.

The other day, for the first time, my girlfriend expressed that she really didn’t like that I work at home. I freelance and really love it. I have a lot saved and I’m in a much better financial place than she is, which gives me a lot of latitude.

She said she couldn’t understand the perspective of someone who didn’t go into an office every day and who didn’t have to bear the burden of working under a boss. She made it clear that she wouldn’t care if I made less money, only that I had somewhere to go in the morning and that I wasn’t my own boss. She then compared me to her former boyfriends, who apparently had more “grit” and who had to work for a paycheck.

As someone who works at least 50 hours a week, I am really bothered by the idea that I’m somehow deficient, especially since I’m doing the work I want to be doing and fulfilling a unique career niche.

Her lack of respect for what I do has made me reconsider whether I want to marry her. I definitely feel insulted and misunderstood; is it the sort of thing that can be talked out, or is career disrespect a deal-breaker?

– Confused



A: Lunkheadedness sure is, or at least ought to be, and that – to my own home-based-careerist mind – underlies her lack of respect.

Undercuts its importance, too: Truly, she’d prefer that you demote yourself because she loves a man with a big commute? The value of her respect is in free-fall.

Still, those “several years” say she deserves a carefully if skeptically offered chance. Tell her you’re grateful she said this out loud, since you should be; just imagine if she kept harboring these doubts in silence.

Then, spell out your confusion. “I’m struggling to understand. You would like me better if I ended my successful career and took any new job, as long as I had to leave home, work for somebody else and experience the discomfort of these two things?”

Unless she stunned you into silence with her initial pronouncement, I imagine you did a version of this already.

If so, then do it again – “I know I’m belaboring this …” – and listen very carefully to the way she responds now, several days after the fact. Also look hard into your past few years together for context. Think of yourself as your future shrink, picking around for things that were available to you as warning signs about this woman and this relationship.

Do this because, depending on her response, you might have nothing left to say to her but this: “I can’t date someone who would ask me to change my fulfilling life just to meet her arbitrary standards of manhood.” And you’ll want to declare that with confidence that it was never about her saying just one loopy, inexplicable thing. ]]> Thu, 23 May 2013 17:21:57 -0400 <![CDATA[ Pets: Dogs can detect medication by its scent ]]> http://www.buffalonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130524/CITYANDREGION03/130529641/1057 Q: My dog is smart and sneaky. When his “mother” gives him an allergy pill inside crumbled meat or sausage, he appears to eat it. But he’s fooled us. We realized this when we found three pills under the bed. Can dogs plan in advance to hide their pills? Also, our dog was once attacked by a big, black dog, and now he’s aggressive toward all big, black dogs. Has he become a racist? – J.O., Cyberspace



A: I doubt your dog plans in advance to hide his pills. Instead, he’s managed to detect the pills by their scent – even hidden inside a lump of meat. Many dogs detect pills in the same way, but the meat is so appealing that they inhale everything in seconds. For your dog, the pill is too much of a turn off.

Some might argue that your dog isn’t intentionally attempting to fool you; he simply doesn’t want the pill and deposits it out of the way. Others might argue that he is being “sneaky.”

To solve the problem, simply medicate your dog without attempting to hide the pills in his food. If you don’t know how to do this, consult a veterinary professional. One way is to offer a yummy treat, then the (apparently bitter) pill, followed by a second treat.

As for black dogs, your pet is merely responding to them based on experience. I know of a dog who was once hit by a branch falling from a tree. For the rest of his life, he avoided walking under trees. You or I might be tempted to behave the same way, though we do have a different thought process compared to dogs.

Once bitten, dogs don’t forget, but how they respond may vary from dog to dog. For example, if a Dachshund is responsible for biting another dog, the pooch that was bitten may become wary of all Dachshunds, all small dogs, or even all dogs. Other dogs who’ve been bitten may not be affected at all.

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Q: I’m sold on pet insurance and am looking around for a company. Comparing policies is confusing, though. Any hints? – R.S., Ann Arbor, Mich.



A: Dr. Jules Benson, vice president of veterinary services at Petplan Pet Insurance, has some general advice.

“What are you seeking?” he asks. “No question, everyone with pet insurance should want coverage for catastrophic illness or accidents. But are you also interested in coverage for preventative care? That’s a matter of personal preference.”

Benson continues, “Some companies may only cover conditions at the start. So, if a pet develops allergies, say, within the first year, the condition is covered. However, when the policy comes up for renewal, the problem is now considered a pre-existing condition. This is something to watch out for.”

Reimbursement is all over the map. Some companies reimburse half or less of the original cost of care. Petplan, for example, provides reimbursement ranging from 80 percent to 100 percent. Pay attention to how that reimbursement works, Benson notes. With some companies, there may be a limit of a dollar amount per claim – say $500 or $1,000. At Petplan, the limit is not per claim, but up to $22,000 per pet annually.

Benson is the first to concede that choosing a pet insurance company is complicated, since you’re not always comparing “apples to apples.” One great resource features comments from pet owners: www.petinsurancereview.com. To learn more about pet insurance, also check out www.petinsuranceuniversity.com. Both are independent websites.



Steve Dale welcomes questions/comments from readers. Although he can’t answer all of them individually, he’ll answer those of general interest in his column. Send email to petworld@stevedale.tv. Include your name, city and state. ]]> Thu, 23 May 2013 17:21:54 -0400 <![CDATA[ Dear Abby: Wedding present was gift, not donation ]]> http://www.buffalonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130523/LIFE/130529639/1057 Dear Abby: My husband and I attended the wedding of the son of some old friends in another state. Rather than buy the young couple a gift, we instead gave them a check for $1,000.

Imagine our astonishment when a month later the following arrived in our mailbox: “Dear ‘Loretta’ and ‘Evan,’ “Thank you for the generous donation. We really enjoyed spending that money. If ever you feel like you have too much of it, we would gladly take it off your hands. “Love, ‘Mason’ and ‘Candace’ ”

Abby, my husband and I have worked hard for many years in our business and have been blessed by the Lord. We were happy and humbled to be able to share with them – until we received this. The money wasn’t a donation; it was a GIFT.

– Stung in Sioux City



Dear Stung: Let’s hope the note you received was an unfortunate attempt at humor. While the message may have gone over like a lead balloon and I’m sure the parents would be beyond embarrassed if they knew, at least you received a thank-you for your generosity. I hear from many people who complain that their gifts were not acknowledged at all.Dear Abby: One of my co-workers takes company research presentation books into the restroom with him multiple times a day and spends upward of half an hour in there with them. The unsanitary implications of this drive me batty. I am not germophobic, but taking shared materials into the bathroom while you’re doing your business is just too much for me. Am I crazy or is taking shared workplace materials into the bathroom gross and inappropriate?

– Waiting for E. Coli to Kill Me



Dear Waiting: You are asking the wrong person this question. You should be asking the head of human resources or your boss. I’m no germophobe either, but I agree that what your co-worker is doing is extremely inappropriate. You should not have to sanitize your hands after touching anything your co-worker might have touched, but that’s what I’m suggesting you do.Dear Abby: How do I forgive someone so I can move on with my life? It would take me forever to tell you everything that has been said and done. Forgiving sounds simple, but it is the hardest thing I have ever had to do. Can you help?

– Challenged in Illinois



Dear Challenged: If hate and resentment are eating away at you, then it is probably healthier for you to let go of it. Forgiving someone isn’t doing something for someone else; it is a gift you give yourself that allows you to move forward with your life. Your religious adviser can help you – or, if you prefer, a licensed mental health counselor. ]]> Thu, 23 May 2013 17:21:59 -0400 <![CDATA[ Arts Services doles out nearly $100,000 in grants ]]> http://www.buffalonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130523/LIFE/130529773/1057 Arts Services Initiative announced Wednesday the completion of its 2013 decentralization grant program, which will distribute $98,700 to arts groups in Erie County.

The grants are scheduled to be announced in a ceremony at 3 p.m. today in Suzuki Strings, 4 Webster St., North Tonawanda. The event includes performances from Tony-nominated actor Stephen McKinley Henderson and the Suzuki Strings Quartet along with an exhibition of artwork by Scott Reagan.

The program has been in disarray in recent years because of problems at the defunct Arts Council in Buffalo and Erie County, and staffing and funding changes at the New York State Council on the Arts, which has funded the program since 1978. Arts Services Initiative assumed control last year.

Erie County community arts grant recipients include the Allentown Association, Blasdell Recreation Department, Buffalo Gay Men’s Chorus Inc., Buffalo Music Hall of Fame, Buffalo Philharmonic Chorus, Colored Musicians Club, Community Music School, Friends of Vienna Inc., Hispanic Heritage Council of WNY Inc., Hispanics United of Buffalo Inc, Impact Artists’ Gallery, Juneteenth Festival Inc., Kyla Kegler/People United for Sustainable Housing, Lancaster Opera House, Learning Disabilities Association of WNY/Starlight Studio & Art Gallery, Neglia Ballet, Orchard Park Chorale, Schiller Park Community Services Inc., Subversive Theatre Collective, Town of Boston Arts Council, Town of Brant, Town of Elma and XCEL Leadership Center.

Erie County arts education grants were awarded to Jacqueline Albarella and Stephen McKinley Henderson for programs at the Buffalo Academy for Visual and Performing Arts.

Niagara County community arts grants went to the Buffalo Suzuki Strings, Historic Palace Theatre, Lewiston Council on the Arts, Lockport Chorale, Market Street Art Center, Mental Health Association in Niagara County, Opportunities Unlimited of Niagara, Rivershore and the Sanborn Area Historical Society.

A Niagara County arts education grant went to Karen Sirgey for a project at Niagara Wheatfield High School.

Individual grants went to photographer Lukia Costello, theater artist Erika Gault, performance artist Kyle Kegler, poet and installation artist Scott Reagan and dancer MarCe Zerrate. A full list is online at asiwny.org.



email: cdabkowski@buffnews.com ]]> Wed, 22 May 2013 17:14:37 -0400 Colin Dabkowski
]]> <![CDATA[ Commentary: Farewell to ‘The Office’ ]]> http://www.buffalonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130523/LIFE04/130529776/1057
But, I just wanted to bawl like a baby during last week’s series finale. After nine years, the series had 201 episodes, won four Emmys and a Peabody award. And now, it is done.

In retrospect, “The Office” hasn’t always been on it’s A game. There was a part of me that was watching this final season, thinking, “Well, I’ve watched the first eight seasons. It would be ridiculous to give up at this point.” The jokes had become routine, some of the episodes were downright pointless, and watching Jim and Pam’s relationship fall apart was like tearing out my fingernails.

I don’t want to give away too much, but the last episode was simply one of the best of what the “The Office” has ever offered, and it was a perfect way to say goodbye to the much-loved show.

It documents the employees’ lives a year after the documentary “aired” on PBS, taking place around the time of Dwight and Angela’s wedding.

And let me say that this last episode has everything that we have ever loved about “The Office.”

We got to see Jim’s final pranks on Dwight. We also saw Dwight’s eccentricity shine through in every aspect of his wedding. More of that perfect romance between Jim and Pam that always makes you want to say, “Ahh.” Stanley’s grumpiness. Angela’s cat obsession. Erin’s innocence. Kevin’s stupidity. The list goes on and on.

And, of course, we got to see the world’s best boss. Michael Scott returned and gave his last, “That’s what she said” joke.

In many ways, the show felt complete. There were surprises. Characters moved on from Dunder Mifflin. Viewers could see that for many of the characters, their worlds were still going on, and moving toward bigger and better things; their jobs at the office were one chapter of their lives, and that from there, things will only improve.

Maybe it’s the sentimentality that I have been feeling lately as a senior about to move on from high school and into college and a different life, but one of Jim’s final lines stuck a chord with me.

“Even if I didn’t love every minute of it, everything that I have I owe to this job. This stupid, wonderful, boring, amazing job.”

This is what life is about. We have our ups and our downs, but in the end, our memories of the good times we have had will change everything for us, and we will become better people because of it.

That is what “The Office” has done. In its final moments, filled with staccatos of joy and sadness, we have the characters describing to us what their years at Dunder Mifflin meant to them.

“There’s a lot of beauty in ordinary things,” Pam said. “Isn’t that the point?”

Yes Pam, it is indeed.



Alissa Roy is a senior at Springville-Griffith Institute. ]]> Wed, 22 May 2013 17:13:36 -0400 By Alissa Roy / NeXt Correspondent

]]> <![CDATA[ Restaurant review: Taste of India leaves guests ready to return for more ]]> http://www.buffalonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130523/LIFE04/130529778/1057
My family and I started our dinner with numerous appetizers, including the Mixed Platter. This appetizer would feed two people and consisted of Alu Tikki (fried spiced potato patties), Chicken Pakora (spiced chicken fritters), Bhajia (well-seasoned vegetable fritters), Tofu Pakora (tofu fried in a chickpea batter) and Beef and Alu Samosas (pastries filled with either beef or potatoes). The appetizers were all delicious, with a perfect blend of spices and flavors.

For our main course, we ordered Black Dal, which is made from black lentils and seasoned with ginger and garlic. It was very well seasoned and the rice it came with was a nice complement. We also ordered Saag Alu, a spinach and potato dish. I am usually not a spinach lover, but I enjoyed this dish. Another spinach dish we had was the Chana Saag, spinach and chickpeas. We then tried the Beef Biryani, a rice dish flavored with beef, broccoli and saffron and garnished with cashews and raisins. It was good, but the earthy flavor was a bit much for my taste. My favorite dish of the night was the Chicken Makhani. This particularly delectable dish includes pieces of chicken breast prepared in a tomato, butter and cream sauce and garnished with cashews and raisins.

We also enjoyed the homemade Naan, traditional Indian bread. We had the plain Naan as well as the Alu Naan (naan stuffed with potatoes). The staff was very attentive and the food came out promptly.

Connected to Taste of India’s dining room is a banquet hall. Although there was a banquet going on while we were there, we couldn’t hear any of the chatter from it. The restaurant also offers a very reasonably priced lunch buffet, where you can get 16 different dishes for $8.95 on weekdays and $9.95 on weekends. On Tuesday nights, a dinner buffet can be had for $13.95.

The friendly staff, delicious food and remarkable atmosphere make me want to return again and again.



Emily DeRoo is a senior at Williamsville North High School. ]]> Wed, 22 May 2013 17:13:27 -0400 By Emily DeRoo

NeXt Correspondent

]]> <![CDATA[ A letter to high school juniors ]]> http://www.buffalonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130523/LIFE04/130529779/1057
How’s it going? Junior year is definitely the most important year in your high school career, so don’t give up yet! Your schedule’s full, you’re overwhelmed with homework and you’re on your way to earning the title of upperclassman. This year is all about priorities. It’s hard to focus on school when there’s so much going on. But if you stay on track, it’ll pay off. As soon as you can, start looking for a part-time job. It’s great to have a little money for yourself and some to put away in your savings. Also, start looking for colleges that really appeal to you. Pick schools where you’ll be happy in the classroom and on campus. You’ll be there for four years, so every little detail matters. What clubs can you join where you’ll meet new people? How big are the classes? How’s the food on campus?

In the fall, visit as many schools as possible. Take tours, meet with professors, and if you’re an athlete – talk to coaches. Make a good impression on everyone you meet because you never know who can help you down the road. Find out if there are local college fairs going on. Ideally, a college fair is a great way to get fast facts on your choice colleges but they can actually be pretty overwhelming. If you attend one, make a list of the colleges you want to investigate. Otherwise, you’ll be wandering around like a lost child.

The SAT is the mother of all tests you’ve ever taken. A test wrapping up everything you’ve learned in high school. Don’t panic, you’ll get through it. To prepare, take a few practice tests online but don’t drill yourself with information overload. Get a good night’s sleep before the test and have a big breakfast in the morning. Leave your cellphone at home; your social life can wait a few hours while you focus on your future. It’s insanely long and multiple times during the test, you’ll want to throw in the towel and just go home. But this test has everything to do with getting into college, so do your best.

When you start applying for college, don’t overdo it. Limit yourself to a top three or four. Pick what’s best for you. Follow your bliss and realize what will prosper for you in the long run.

Next, start thinking about money. Price things you’ll need for your college dorm and things you know you’ll be purchasing weekly. Living on your own is a little terrifying and very expensive! How’s that job search coming along? Look and see if the college you plan on going to has a work-study program, where you can earn money while you’re enrolled.

Independence is a great part of growing up. It’s liberating to be trusted and to make your decisions. With power comes responsibility, so it’s vital to keep your priorities straight. I’ve learned how fast high school flies by. Yesterday, I was walking into high school the first day of freshman year. I was a naïve, shaken freshman with no idea what lay ahead. Today, I’m a graduating senior with college acceptance letters to show for it. Throughout these four years, I’ve nearly given up. I’ve sacrificed a social life for school work and dedicating myself. High school is four years of your life you’ll never get back. It’s stressful now but you’ll someday realize how much it’s done for you. So buckle up and make the most of your senior year as it flies by.



Mariah Niemiec is a senior at Charter School for Applied Technologies. She plans to attend Genesee Community College in the fall. ]]> Wed, 22 May 2013 17:13:16 -0400 By Mariah Niemiec

Special to NeXt

]]> <![CDATA[ Parent to Parent: Summer sun safety ]]> http://www.buffalonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130523/CITYANDREGION03/130529780/1057
If your athlete or day camper gets grumpy and weary, check out whether he is getting too much sun, is irritated by dirty air, is not drinking enough fluids or is going to bed too late.

Look back at your grumpy kid’s bedtime and check into the day’s schedule to be sure there are breaks for drinks, rest and shade.

Does your child’s day camp offer alternate activities during the hottest part of the day? And when the level of ozone, the main pollutant in smog, is high in your area, are campers running around at full throttle and running out of breath? Camps should limit activities during the heat of the day and high-traffic times, when the ozone level is higher, the American Lung Association says.

Kids breathe faster and more deeply when they are active, so they take in even more polluted air as they exercise. For both adults and kids, the body has no natural defense against the irritant ozone.

Pay attention to your area’s daily color-coded ozone forecast, and limit outdoor activities as needed to prevent such problems as shortness of breath, coughing and irritation of the eyes, nose and throat. Even more moderate yellow-zone days irritate some children.

Sunburn and sleepless nights can ruin a vacation or a trip to summer camp. Here are some tips for more carefree travel once your plans are set:

• After a day of traveling, an evening round of swimming at a hotel pool will help get the wiggles out. But stick as closely as possible to your child’s regular eating and bedtime routine. A later bedtime typically doesn’t translate into a later morning wake-up.

• Discuss before the trip how your family will divide child care duties so that both Mom and Dad get a break, and nobody feels like a martyr. At a beach or pool, take turns being the designated “water watcher,” suggests the National Safe Kids Campaign.

• To avoid surprises upon hotel arrival, ask questions ahead of time about the services available for children. Is there in-room baby-sitting? Does your child have to be potty-trained for activities sponsored by the hotel?

• Upon arrival, pay attention to potential hazards such as rental cribs, balconies and dangling curtain cords, which can present strangling hazards.

• If your child is susceptible to seasonal allergies, check with your health care provider before your trip. Some parents say their kids benefit from taking an antihistamine for about a week before sleeping in a new place where unfamiliar molds can trigger coldlike symptoms.

Whatever your summer plans are, don’t be fooled by cloudy skies. Ultraviolet rays are most intense from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., whether the sky is cloudy or clear. If your shadow is shorter than you are, exposure to ultraviolet rays is high. The Skin Cancer Foundation suggests:

• Apply a thick, even coat of sunscreen to all exposed areas 30 minutes before going outside.

• Reapply every two hours and right after swimming, sweating or toweling off.

• Remind children to cover easy-to-miss spots such as the back of their ears and neck, as well as the tops of feet and backs of hands.

• Wear sun-protective clothing and a hat. A baseball cap is better than nothing.

• Wear UV-blocking sunglasses to protect eyes and the sensitive skin that surrounds them.

• Lips get sunburned, too, so apply lip balm that contains sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher.

The cancer foundation also suggests that parents ask about sun safety at camp, or any other times when you won’t be around to slather the necessary sunscreen onto your kids. Questions to ask:

• Do camp counselors remind children to apply sunscreen regularly?

• Are outdoor activities scheduled in the early morning and late afternoon?

• Are there adequate places for campers to seek shade and drink water during outdoor activities? ]]> Wed, 22 May 2013 17:12:37 -0400 <![CDATA[ Family Matters: Stumbling over the great (taste) divide ]]> http://www.buffalonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130523/CITYANDREGION03/130529782/1057
I know, I know. I was as shaken as you are. I only recently realized this myself, which is why I wanted to be the first to tell you.

It all started when I made a Jell-O salad for Easter simply because my mother used to make it and her mother used to make it. It’s a lemon Jell-O with pineapple and bananas. The leftover pineapple juice is used to make a pudding layer for the top, which is then finished with a flourish of grated cheddar.

Our new son-in-law looked at the salad, asked what was in it, then polished off a piece. He said, “You know, that was strange, but good.” It was a smart summary on his part, especially since he is new to the family and has not yet passed his probation period.

I mentioned the strange but good Jell-O salad incident to a walking buddy and she concurred that gelatin salad has fallen from favor. It also reminded her of her favorite Jell-O salad, which she had not made in some time, a strawberry pretzel Jell-O salad. She basically said it is to die for. I cannot imagine dying for Jell-O salad, but she promptly whipped one up, brought it over, and I am reconsidering my previous stance.

There was a time when a Sunday dinner, pitch-in, picnic in the park or holiday gathering wasn’t complete without a Jell-O salad. My mother had an entire cookbook of gelatin salads. Perhaps Jell-O began falling from favor when women began putting stranger and stranger ingredients in it – carrots, cabbage, beets, green olives, Coke, ham, mayonnaise and corn. The yum factor took a nose dive.

I recently read a post by a food blogger who described herself as someone who “hates canned soup and Jell-O.” Yes dear, but you don’t have to get testy about it. Perhaps someone needs a little chocolate? She probably hates that, too.

In any case, meek and wobbly Jell-O may be joining the divisive food group. This is the food group that parts people like the Mason-Dixon line once did and like Barry Manilow still does. These are foods you love or detest with no in between. Mint: love it or hate it. Grapefruit: love it or hate it. Coconut is another that divides. You either love it or it tastes like hair.

Sweet potatoes used to be an all-in or all-out, but they’ve been so touted lately that everybody is eating them, even people who used to gag at the sight of them.

Jell-O resurged for a time as jigglers and is still popular in some institutions of higher learning as a drinking game, but it would seem that the Jell-O salad in particular has faded from favor.

Then again, maybe I am wrong. Maybe the Jell-O salad isn’t dead. If it is dead though, this is what they should engrave on the headstone. “Strange, but good.”



Lori Borgman’s tongue-in-cheek book, “The Death of Common Sense and Profile of Those Who Knew Him,” is available online. Contact the author at lori@loriborgman.com) ]]> Wed, 22 May 2013 17:12:26 -0400 <![CDATA[ The Family Filmgoer ]]> http://www.buffalonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130523/CITYANDREGION03/130529783/1057 “Star Trek Into Darkness” (PG-13): Big, loud and in 3-D (3-D/IMAX at some theaters), “Star Trek Into Darkness” offers teens a jolt of fun and parents and grandparents many nostalgic pleasures. One could wish the villain – though his roots lie in the 1960s TV series and the 1980s movies – weren’t cast as a terrorist. That’s a tired trope for today.

But despite this, director J.J. Abrams and his perfectly cast actors infuse youth, irreverence and physical daring into this rebooted “Star Trek” world. Chris Pine as Capt. Kirk, Zachary Quinto as Spock, Zoe Saldana as Uhura, Karl Uban as Bones, Simon Pegg as Scotty, John Cho as Sulu and Anton Yelchin as Chekov embody the original characters while making them new.

The year is 2259. The film opens on the planet, Nibiru, where Spock nearly perishes trying to stop a volcanic eruption from destroying the primitive civilization there. Capt. Kirk violates protocol, risking the Enterprise and its crew to save him. Spock, true to his Vulcan half, reports the incident. Adm. Pike (Bruce Greenwood) strips Kirk of his command. However, a huge explosive attack on Star Fleet headquarters in London intervenes.

A former Star Fleet officer, John Harrison (Benedict Cumberbatch), has gone rogue. Star Fleet high command meets to discuss how to stop him and comes under lethal attack. Kirk, promoted back to captain on the orders of hawkish Adm. Marcus (Peter Weller), arms the Enterprise with nuclear torpedoes (a violation of Star Fleet’s do-no-harm philosophy), and follows Harrison to a Klingon planet called Kronos.

Once there, the crew clash with the enemy Klingons, and suddenly Harrison is on their side. Then again, he may be a super-genetically enhanced, age-old Star Fleet nemesis dating back to the old TV show.

The mayhem includes many space explosions and spaceship dogfights, but also features close-up gun and phaser exchanges and skull-cracking fisticuffs. Characters use mild profanity and also drink. Kirk, known for his womanizing ways, turns up in bed briefly with two space-alien women with tails. Characters die in more emotional and slightly bloodier ways than you might expect in a “Star Trek” film.

“Fast and Furious 6” (PG-13): If car chases and tough-talking heroes give high school action fans a kick – especially if they favor all the PG-13-rated “Fast & Furious” films that came before – then “Fast & Furious 6” won’t disappoint. The level of violence and implied death and destruction of innocents make the film problematic for middle schoolers.

We find the street racing buddies far from L.A., living abroad as rich fugitives since their South American adventures in “Fast Five.” Veteran street racer Dom (Vin Diesel), former lawman Brian (Paul Walker) and his love Mia (Jordana Brewster), who is Dom’s sister, live in the Canary Islands. As the film opens, Dom and Brian are street racing to Mia’s bedside – she’s just had a baby. Then up shows U.S. agent Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson), who tried to catch them in the last film. He promises pardons for all if they help catch a rogue British agent named Shaw (Luke Evans) who has attacked military convoys in search of a precious and lethal computer chip. Shaw rolls with a gang of ace drivers, and Hobbs thinks Dom and his crew are the only ones who can catch them.

When Dom learns that his one-time love Letty (Michelle Rodriguez), whom he thought was dead, is now working for Shaw, he agrees to help in hopes he can bring her back into the fold.

Included are bone-cracking fights and implications of torture, much heavy-caliber gun violence and a car-tank-helicopter chase that crushes many vehicles on a public highway. It’s clear that many innocents would die. We don’t see any bystanders get hurt so the PG-13 rating stays intact. The script features occasional midrange profanity and rude gestures, as well as mild sexual innuendo. ]]> Wed, 22 May 2013 17:12:23 -0400 <![CDATA[ ‘Touched by an Angel’ is a jarring piece of theater ]]> http://www.buffalonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130522/GUSTO/130529749/1057
Young Angel, a 19-year-old college student, is nursing a deepening anger for her overworked mother Cheryl (Daysha Witt). Cheryl, torn between providing for her daughter’s education and taking care of her own dying mother, has become an emotional recluse. Her husband, the good-hearted George (Donald Capers), is struggling to keep the whole rickety trio from breaking apart.

Life in Angel’s household is on the verge of unbearable, as it is for countless teenagers whose parents struggle to make ends meet to a provide a glimmer of hope for their children. The central struggle, between Angel’s need for an emotional connection with her mother and her mother’s insistence on providing a life for her daughter, is about as real and relevant as any issue facing struggling families across the United States.

So why doesn’t “Touched by an Angel” feel more like the visceral wake-up call it set out to be? The writing, though occasionally resorting to clichés and stretching credulity, often crackles with wit. The performances, especially from Capers and Stevens, let us see past the skin of these characters and at least a few inches into their conflicted souls.

The trouble, instead, has something to do with the play’s all-too-predictable formula, lifted directly from the Perry playbook with a few important twists. That formula, in which vignettes of family strife crescendo to a foregone conclusion that is always spiritual in nature, is like riding a familiar roller coaster for the 30th time. The thrills are there. Even the twists and turns are there. But because we know the conclusion by heart, the element of surprise is nowhere to be found.

None of that is to say that “Touched by an Angel” doesn’t contain its share of genuine human drama. By far the best scene in the play comes at the end of the first act in an exchange between Angel and George that is at once side-splitting and full of awful dread for something the audience knows is in the offing. It shows both actors’ gifts for naturalistic comedy (and for dancing). But that naturalistic element is conspicuously absent from most of the play’s other exchanges.

It’s doubtful, despite the play’s preordained ending, that playgoers will predict some of the stranger twists Davis and Stephens inserted into this story line. That’s partially to their credit, but they’ve had to go so far in order to try to overcome the prescription that they approach telenovela territory.

In future work, it would be great to see Davis and Stephens build on the chemistry and genuine audience engagement they achieved in that fraught first-act exchange between Capers and Stevens. These are two gifted minds at work, just waiting to break out of their cage.

touched by an angel

Two and a half stars (Out of four)

When: Through Monday

Where: Buffalo East, 1410 Main St.

Tickets: $10 to $20

Info: 602-6253 or webjam.com/atp2008

email: cdabkowski@buffnews.com ]]> Thu, 23 May 2013 06:48:33 -0400 Colin Dabkowski
]]> <![CDATA[ News & Notes ]]> http://www.buffalonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130522/LIFE04/130529777/1057 The Buffalo Niagara Youth Chorus will hold auditions for next season from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Tuesday at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 6595 E. Quaker St., Orchard Park and Wednesday at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 1080 Main St. To schedule an audition, call Cindy Mayo at 947-9108.Buffalo-area Engineering Awareness for Minorities (BEAM) will host free summer enrichment programs for middle and high school students interested in exploring science, technology and engineering at various locations. For applications and more information, call 645-3066, email helenbrk@buffalo.edu or visit www.eng.buffalo.edu/beam or www.beameng.org. The application deadline is June 3.Justice Namaste, a senior at Williamsville East High School and NeXt correspondent, was named a 2013 Ron Brown Scholar. Justice is one of only 19 students in the nation to receive the prestigious scholarship. ]]> Wed, 22 May 2013 17:13:32 -0400 <![CDATA[ Dear Abby: Advice leaves some readers smoking mad ]]> http://www.buffalonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130522/LIFE/130529781/1057 Dear Abby: I was surprised to see you equate a concerned grandmother’s creative solution to smoking with bribery in your Feb. 14 column. The word “bribe” has a negative connotation. What the grandmother did was offer an incentive, NOT a bribe, that will benefit her grandchildren in the long run. I think the woman should be congratulated.

Now for a disclaimer: When my daughter was 14, I came up with the same idea in the form of a wager. I bet her that if she could resist peer pressure and not become a smoker by the time she was 21, I would buy her the dress of her dreams. To my delight, she won the bet. By then she was studying to become a marine biologist, so instead of a dress, the money went toward a wetsuit. At 43, she’s still a nonsmoker and she has now made that same bet with her children. It’s the best money I ever spent.

– Retired Clinical Social Worker



Dear R.C.S.W.: Did I get clobbered for my response to that letter. Out of the hundreds of letters and emails received, only ONE person agreed with me. The rest were smokin’ mad. Read on:

Dear Abby: In my many years as a school psychologist, I have counseled hundreds of parents and teachers about dealing with behavioral issues in children. I often make the distinction between a “bribe” and a “reward” by describing a bribe as something you give someone to do something dishonest, while a reward is given for doing something commendable. What she did was reward their good choice in not developing a potentially fatal habit.

– Old-School Psychologist

Dear Abby: When you give someone money for something that has already been completed, it’s a paycheck and not a bribe. It was pointed out to me that few of us would continue to go to work if we weren’t paid for it, and those grandchildren were being paid for “work” that was already completed. It’s an important distinction that may be helpful for parents and other adults to understand.

– Former School Principal

Dear Abby: I disagree with your answer! What that grandmother did was REWARD her grandchildren, not bribe them. A lot of pressure is put on teens, and it takes considerable willpower and maturity to avoid some of these temptations. At 16 or 17, it is hard for them to imagine being over 30, and none of them can imagine being 60 or 70 with lung disease. Hooray for grandparents who can help them avoid adopting a life-threatening habit in any way they can!

– Grandmother in Iowa

Dear Abby: I told my son I would give him $1,000 at the age of 21 if he didn’t smoke. It wasn’t bribery. It was a great tool to combat peer pressure. Whenever he was offered a cigarette, he could simply say he had a better offer. Not only did it work, the other kids were envious.

– Michigan Mom ]]> Wed, 22 May 2013 17:12:33 -0400 <![CDATA[ Cook of the Month: Bert Gambini cooks up a storm ]]> http://www.buffalonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130522/LIFE01/130529816/1057
Looking back now, that was where his love of cooking began, but they didn’t make it easy.

“They never wanted me too close,” said Gambini, The News’ May Cook of the Month. “My mother would say, ‘Don’t hover,’ and my grandmother would just run me over if I got too close.”

That did nothing to lessen his fascination. “It was kind of neat, because it was kind of like watching a ball game through a knothole in a fence,” said Gambini, the former WBFO Morning Edition host and music director, who now works for the University at Buffalo’s communications office. “You get to see some of the action, but not all of it. You have to fill in the gaps with your imagination.”

What he could not miss was the happiness that resulted from their efforts, which would eventually fuel his own desire to expand his culinary efforts, he said. “I don’t necessarily know if it was something that I saw them making specifically, as much as everyone enjoyed what was made, the pleasure and the spirit that came from food.”

That spirit was strong when the extended Gambini family gathered for Sunday dinner at his grandparents’ West Side home. They shared dishes like his grandmother’s stuffed artichokes and veal cutlets pan-fried in olive oil, “not loaded with cheese, either, not spaghetti house parm,” Gambini clarified.

At that early age, he recognized the connections between good food and great times. “The company, too – just sitting around the table passing the dishes,” he said. “Those are great memories.”

It wasn’t until after he graduated from UB in the late 1980s, and moved out of his parents’ house, that he really started cooking for himself.

“It was just out of necessity,” he said recently in his Cheektowaga home, as a batch of homemade pasta dried on the kitchen counter.

Peppers and onions was the beginning. “You’ve got peppers, you’ve got onions, fry them up and do something with them,” he said. It turned out that he enjoyed the adventure of not knowing exactly where a dish was headed. “Don’t be afraid to just grab something and combine the ingredients.”

Yes, he could have asked his mother, Janet Gambini, for detailed instructions. But he didn’t. “I don’t think I wanted to. I have cookbooks in the house, and I enjoy reading the narrative, but I don’t follow the recipes. I’d just rather feel my way through it.”

His feelings, when it comes to cooking, have become plenty acute. Today, Gambini serves as co-host of Nickel City Chef, Buffalo’s live cooking competition series, an experience that put him in close contact with top Buffalo chefs, arming him with the knowledge to fine-tune his kitchen chops.

While talking about other things, Gambini swirls together a batch of pasta dough, rolls it out with his pasta machine and feeds it through the cutter so it emerges in delicate strands.

He cooks the pasta, drains it and drops the steaming noodles onto a bed of fresh spinach, cooking the spinach just enough. “Otherwise the spinach gets lost, and leaves lose their color,” he said.

Tossed with lemon juice, lemon zest, and grated cheese, it’s a light, flavorful dish, he said. “It’s a great heading-into-summer dish.”

Bert Gambini

Residence: Cheektowaga • Mouths to feed: 1

Go–to quick dish: 30-minute roast chicken

Secret indulgence: King crab legs

Stuffed Artichokes

4 large artichokes

1 cup breadcrumbs

½ cup grated cheese

Basil, parsley and garlic powder

Salt and pepper

Trim tops and clip pointy leaves. Wash and pull any dark leaves from the base.

Mix crumbs, cheese and spices, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Spread the leaves of the artichokes and stuff with the breadcrumb mixture. Pour a dash of olive oil over each of the artichokes. Put the artichokes in a stockpot with 1½ inches water.

Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook for 30 minutes, longer for larger artichokes. (Or bake in a pan with a half-inch of water about 60 minutes at 375 degrees.) You know they’re done when outer leaves pull off easily. Serve with an empty bowl to collect discarded leaves.

Steamed Mussels

2 pounds mussels

1 tablespoon butter

1 small onion, chopped

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

1 clove garlic, chopped

¾ cup dry white wine

Scrub mussels and pull off fibrous attachments. Discard any mussels that are open or have broken shells.

Saute onion in butter until soft, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and parsley, then wine.

Add cleaned mussels. Steam for about 5 minutes, or until the shells have opened. Discard unopened ones. Serve with crusty bread for dunking.

(You can transfer mussels to platter and thicken sauce in pot by adding 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat, sprinkling in 1 tablespoon flour, another splash of wine, and stirring to combine. Simmer to thicken. Pour over mussels.)

Lemon Garlic Pasta with Spinach

For pasta dough:

3½ cups of flour

4 eggs

For pasta:

1 bag washed baby spinach

Juice of one lemon

Zest of one lemon

2 cloves of finely chopped garlic

½ cup of grated Pecorino Romano cheese

¼ cup of olive oil

Mix dough first. Put the flour in a mound, make a hollow in the middle, and crack in the eggs. With a fork, start working the flour shore into the egg lake until it’s combined into a ball. Knead for about 4 minutes, wrap and let sit for 30 minutes.

Cut the dough into two or more pieces to make rolling easier. On a floured surface, roll out the pasta as thin as possible, and cut it into strips. (If you have a pasta rolling machine, follow its directions.)

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and stir. Fresh pasta cooks quickly, 1-3 minutes.

Put fresh spinach in a bowl. When pasta is ready, drain and immediately put the drained pasta in the bowl with the spinach. Do not mix. Add lemon juice and zest, garlic, cheese and olive oil. Cover the bowl and let it sit for 5 minutes. Uncover, mix and serve.



email: agalarneau@buffnews.com ]]> Wed, 22 May 2013 07:23:57 -0400 Andrew Galarneau
]]> <![CDATA[ Puff! The magic pastry ]]> http://www.buffalonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130522/LIFE01/130529807/1057
All of which brings us to puff pastry.

Puff pastry is an ethereal delicacy that, at first bite, seems like something best left to the professionals to prepare. Flakes of butter lurk between innumerable layers of dough, waiting for a blast of oven heat to convert just enough moisture into steam to create crisp strata of pastry.

Classic recipes are time-consuming and a bit intimidating, calling for chilled butter being added to chilled dough, then rolling, folding and chilling that for 30 minutes. Then repeating this process again. And again. And once more. Oh, did we mention the importance of keeping everything chilled?

Fortunately, there is an easier way to make puff pastry that delivers scrumptious results with about 10 minutes of mixing. Let the dough chill a few hours, or overnight, then use it to make those hallmarks of a summer picnic, cherry turnovers.

We cobbled together the best ideas from several sources to create this pastry. The basic recipe is from “Martha Stewart’s Pies and Tarts,” although we liked the tip from the folks at King Arthur Flour to add a bit of baking powder to give to the dough “some added oomph in the oven,” given that we’re taking a few shortcuts.

The method comes from “The Modern Baker,” by Nick Malgieri, which uses an ingenious technique of rolling folded dough into a spiral to create countless layers in one fell swoop.

While cherries are a classic filling, Door County’s harvest doesn’t start coming in until July, so we’ve suggested a few other ideas for these not-so-big turnovers. Fruit preserves are an easy option, and a good bet because the best fillings are quite thick. Because there’s no sugar in this dough, it also can be used to make savory turnovers filled with mushrooms, leeks, sauteed greens, a mix of cheeses – whatever strikes your fancy as the farmers’ markets open.

Turnovers make some of the best handheld meals or desserts, and with a batch of dough stashed in your freezer (pulled out to thaw overnight), you can make a delectable picnic lunch in less than an hour.

You know the drill: Oh, this is so easy ... Anyone can make this ... You can’t beat homemade.



Cherry Turnovers

Puff pastry:

1¾ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon baking powder

2 sticks unsalted butter, chilled

½ cup ice water

Filling:

2 cups pitted cherries, fresh or frozen (12-ounce package)

¼ cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

Pinch of salt

1 tablespoon lemon juice

For turnovers:

1 egg white, beaten with 1 tablespoon water

Decorative sugar (also called sparkling sugar)



To make dough: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, ½ teaspoon salt and baking powder. Cut butter into ½-inch pieces and add to flour. With a pastry blender or fingers, quickly work butter into the dough until it’s in pea-sized pieces. Add ½ cup ice water and mix with a spoon until the dough comes together in a shaggy mass. Turn dough out onto counter and knead a few times until it holds together.

Generously flour work surface then roll dough into a rectangle about 9 inches wide and 18 inches long, reaching under dough every so often to make sure it’s not sticking. From the long sides, fold the dough like a business letter, bringing one third over the middle third, then the remaining third over that.

From one short end, roll the dough into a tight package, then press down with your hand to make a rough square. Wrap well in plastic wrap and let chill for at least 2 hours before using.

(You can keep the dough refrigerated for 2 to 3 days. If you freeze it, defrost it overnight in the refrigerator.)

To make filling: Cut cherries in half, then combine with granulated sugar, cornstarch, pinch of salt and lemon juice in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until filling thickens, about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper, or leave ungreased.

To make turnovers: Place dough on a well-floured work surface and roll into rectangle a little larger than 12 inches by 16 inches. With a ruler, mark dough into 4-inch increments, then with a knife or pizza cutter, cut into 12 (4-inch) squares, making a clean cut along the rough edges.

Place a rounded tablespoon of cherry filling in the center of a pastry square. With a finger, moisten two sides of the dough and fold the dough over the filling, using a fork to crimp the edges. Place on baking sheet and repeat with remaining squares.

Brush each turnover with beaten egg white, careful not to spill over the edges, which could prevent the turnovers from rising. Sprinkle generously with decorative sugar. With a small knife, prick pastry to make three steam vents.

Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden. Cool on wire rack. Makes 12.

Note: This recipe was adapted from “Martha Stewart Pies and Tarts,” “The King Arthur Flour Baker’s Companion” and “The Modern Baker” by Nick Malgieri. For a variation on the topping, skip the sparkling sugar and instead drizzle turnovers with a powdered sugar glaze after they have cooled.

Per serving: Calories: 242; fat: 16 g; sodium: 140 mg; carbohydrates: 24 g; saturated fat: 10 g; calcium: 22 mg; protein: 3 g; cholesterol: 41 mg; dietary fiber: 1 gDon’t stop at cherries. Fruit, nuts and cheeses work well for a sweet turnover. And then there are the savory options.

Sweet:

Blueberries or blackberries

Apple with cinnamon

Pear

Apricot

Prune

Date or fig

Lemon curd

Nutella (hazelnut spread)

Flavored cream cheese

Savory:

Mushrooms

Caramelized onions and blue cheese

Pesto and goat cheese ]]> Wed, 22 May 2013 07:17:36 -0400 By Kim Ode

Star Tribune (Minneapolis)

]]> <![CDATA[ Make your own Greek yogurt ]]> http://www.buffalonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130522/LIFE01/130529808/1057
There are a lot of reasons that yogurt has been beloved since the time of the woolly mammoth. First of all, it tastes great.

Then, of course, there are the health benefits of eating yogurt. Yogurt contains enzymes that help with absorbing nutrients. It also contains healthy bacteria linked to a strong immune system. And it is brimming with other good things: protein, calcium, B vitamins and minerals.

These days, yogurt is made not in animal skin containers, but in sterile metal vats. Here, milk is mixed with acidophilus, a healthy bacterial culture. The bacteria feed on the sugars in the milk, producing lactic acid, which gives yogurt its characteristically tangy flavor. An extra step is required to make Greek yogurt. Before it is packaged, it is strained to remove the liquid whey, giving it a less watery consistency than American-style yogurt. As a result, it is more concentrated, and contains more protein than American-style yogurt. It also contains less sugar, since the sugar drains away with the whey.

Consumers and nutritionists love Greek yogurt, but not all environmentalists do. It takes 64 ounces of milk to produce 16 ounces of Greek yogurt, more than twice as much as what goes into American-style yogurt. So far, manufacturers have not figured out how to use the large volume of strained whey that is a byproduct of the process. And disposing of it is a problem. Whey can’t simply be poured down the drain. Its high sugar content would encourage an epidemic of sugar-eating bacteria in our waterways. So the whey must be treated to remove the sugar before it is dumped. The more Greek yogurt we eat, the bigger the whey problem gets.

If this is the kind of thing that keeps you up at night, you can make your own Greek yogurt and repurpose the whey. Line a strainer with cheesecloth and set it over a bowl. Then, dump plain American-style yogurt into the strainer and let the excess liquid drip into the bowl. After a few hours, you will have thick, creamy and extra-nutritious Greek yogurt. Use the cloudy liquid that has collected in the bottom of the bowl in a favorite bread dough recipe. Its milk sugars will give your bread a very mild sweetness and beautiful golden color.

For the baker, Greek yogurt comes in handy for adding richness and flavor without a lot of fat. Swap it for an equal amount of sour cream, mayonnaise or cream cheese in cake, muffin and quick bread recipes, and you will get a significantly lighter result with no loss of quality. I used a cup of Greek yogurt instead of sour cream in a one-bowl cake recipe. I got a moist, sturdy, tasty cake that is good for snacking or for brunch when served with fruit and more yogurt on the side.



Greek Yogurt Cake

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1¼ cups sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

1 cup plain low-fat Greek-style yogurt

¼ cup low-fat milk

1/3 cup vegetable oil

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Confectioners’ sugar



Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9-inch round cake pan with nonstick cooking spray and dust with flour, knocking out any extra. Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Whisk together yogurt, milk, oil, eggs and vanilla in a large measuring cup. Pour yogurt mixture into flour mixture and stir until just moistened.

Scrape batter into prepared pan and bake until golden and toothpick inserted into center is clean, 35 to 40 minutes.

Let cake cool in pan for about 5 minutes, invert onto a wire rack, and then invert again on another rack to cool completely. Dust with confectioners’ sugar, slice and serve. Makes 8 servings.

Note: To decorate my cake, I placed a stencil on top of the cake, sifted some powdered sugar over it, and then carefully lifted it off. A paper doily will serve the same purpose if you’d like a lacy effect. ]]> Wed, 22 May 2013 07:16:31 -0400 By Lauren Chattman

Newsday

]]> <![CDATA[ Lovin’ lentils: Simple legume is a canvas for creativity ]]> http://www.buffalonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130522/LIFE01/130529809/1057
That’s too bad. A smart cook learns to love lentils for their variety of textures and colors – black, pink, red, green and more – good nutrition, ease of cooking and easy-to-swallow prices.

Indian cooks turn them into dals while Moroccans pride themselves on their recipes for the lentil-tomato soup called harira. In Italy, lentils often are cooked with the specialty cotechino. In France, they may appear as a first course or alongside roasted meats. And rare is the vegetarian cook who hasn’t learned to love this legume. Cookbook author James Peterson includes several lentil recipes in his latest edition of “Vegetables” (Ten Speed Press, $35), from a French-inspired salad on through Indian soups and stews.

“The best lentil interpretations I’ve had are Indian,” he says of the beautifully seasoned dishes often finished with the clarified butter called ghee or coconut milk.

But Peterson was also quick to tell us about a vinaigrette-dressed lentil salad. “We used to serve it with a paté in Paris when I was working there. That was fabulous.”

And, as he writes, “lentils cooked with bacon are heavenly.”

Peterson was not always so enamored with lentils. Recalling his time in Paris: “I was so, so poor, but I was at the Cordon Bleu and taking a pastry class, and I would come home with these beautiful cakes and we would sit there and have lentils for dinner – my friend, he would stock up on dry goods during periods of being flush – so we’d have these lentils that we’d rush through to get to the cake. But that was an example of not cooking them well when you don’t know what you’re doing.”

He’s mastered them and no longer associates lentils with poverty, “especially since they have now become chic and show up in fancy restaurants cooked with all sorts of expensive foods.”

Lentils, from the tiny beluga (yes, they look like the pricey caviar) to the green-black French du Puy and the broad brown, are comfortable sharing plate space with duck, lamb, goose and game, from quail to venison, whether the lentils are served whole or pureed.

It’s time to ditch any outdated notions of the limited potential of lentils. The tiny seed’s versatility lies in its ability to play well with a variety of flavors, herbs and spices, giving cooks a blank canvas for exercising their creativity. Another plus: They don’t require soaking before cooking like other legumes and cook in less than an hour. Lentils, the seeds found inside the pods on the plant called Lens culinaris, have been nourishing folks for thousands of years. A cup of cooked lentils delivers almost 18 grams of protein as well as 15 grams of fiber and only 230 calories, according to the USDA Nutrient Database.

Removed from the pods, those seeds are usually found at the market in a dried form. They may be sold whole or split, with the skin on or off – offering cooks four options. Which one you choose can affect how they are cooked and how the finished dish will look. Whole, skin-on lentils (beluga, Puy) will hold their shape when cooked. Split lentils, with their skin off, will produce a silkier finished product.

While we found some supermarkets offering more than a half dozen types, sorting through those at markets catering to ethnic communities may present a bit of a challenge. In lentil-loving India, for example, listing all the types is a challenge, according to “The Oxford Companion to Food.” “Attempts to list lentils run up against a fundamental difficulty; the use of the word in an Indian context is much looser, spilling over from Lens culinaris into other species, as though ‘lentil’ had much the same meaning as ‘dal’ (split pulse).”

Cookbook author Anupy Singla writes in “Vegan Indian Cooking” that dal can refer to a soupy preparation made with legumes, but also refer to dry lentil dishes in some parts of India.

Don’t let nomenclature confuse you. Instead, go beyond the common brown lentil, so easily found in stores and, give, say, a lovely pink or red lentil a chance. ]]> Wed, 22 May 2013 07:15:24 -0400 By Judy Hevrdejs

Chicago Tribune

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