Buffalo 2013

My mom and I decided to drive down to Buffalo to visit my paternal grandfather. My brother, cousin, mom and I packed up and hit the roads for Buffalo once again. Everybody would be returning home to Boston in a few days but I had more travel planned ahead of me, so I departed Buffalo early to catch the bus to Toronto. But, before I left the slow city that my father once took us on annual family trips to, I spent some bonding time with la familia. Grandpa John is known for his excellent recollection of the Rose family history. He's such a diligent man, and it's always enlightening to be around him. However, his hurt from my father's death will always be palpable. He's still a proud man. I'm assuming the occasional (depending on my hair day) soft/curly texture I mysteriously have comes from this side of the family. As you can tell from the picture at right my grandfather is of Indian descent. He often speaks of his love for the length and beauty of his mom's long black hair. I plan to disambiguate the Rose family history in upcoming visits to our grandfather. Of course visits to my grandfather also included seeing my aunts and my cousins. We always looked forward to seeing each other every year and I remember how much fun we would have. Nothing has changed. All of us are just grown and doing grown things now, and we still have crazy fun. This last time I was here, I really wanted to go to The Anchor Bar. It is the home of America's first buffalo wings; one, and two; because it was known to be my father's favorite restaurant and a must-go for him whenever he was there (Buffalo was his first home in America before moving to Boston). All I sincerely remember is tearing those wings upppppp. We had like three pizzas and 60 wings really thinking we were going to body everything. It was only because we left earth temporarily why we were able to demolish and completely disintegrate every single thing we ordered.

I've visited Niagara Falls tons of times as a child on both the Canadian and American side, but this was my first time back as an adult. I recall enough to remember how much fun we had when our parents took us on the boat that actually brings you through the Falls. It's like rain pounding on your head; the raincoats they gave us was not enough. My mom said my father and her flew on a jet plane overlooking the Falls right after they got married, still in their wedding suits, and she shared the fear she had for her life. Quite comical, but the memory made me warm. Below is a picture of me and the world wonder on the American side. Still breathtaking, still scary. I'd call that captivating.