To say that Buffalonians are full of hometown pride is the understatement of the year. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever met a collective who is more proud of their roots or willing to talk at length about the innate sublime of WNY. But after spending a quick 24 hours in the City of Good Neighbors, we are convinced that it is inherent to the fabric of this community, and we too were bitten by the Buffalove something fierce.

Thanks to a collaborative effort with Visit Buffalo Niagara, we were given help in determining what we should accomplish in a romantic 24 hour date – it was fast and furious, but it was enough to whet our appetites and warrant several future trips to explore further.

We started our trip at the recently opened Picasso exhibit at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery. Having never been (shocking, I know…) Scott and I were amazed at the prestige of this local art museum, and with the assistance of an incredible and knowledgeable docent (hi, Eleanor!!), we explored the gallery and walked away feeling much more educated and cultured than when we walked in. I need several more hours to get lost in the gallery, and am thankful that Picasso is open through mid-February. For info on the exhibit, click here.

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From there we walked across the street to get a lesson in the art of WNY at the Burchfield Penney Art Center. Another cause for shame, I had no idea the legacy of Burchfield on the art community. I love art, though I am no scholar, and walking amidst his paintings was a transcendent experience. We were given a tour of the space by Kathleen Heyworth, the Director of Marketing and Public Relations. Passion for Buffalo and the arts propels her spirit, and it was impossible not to feel a kindred spirit after spending an hour wandering the gallery with Kathleen. If you feel like celebrating a milestone, the Burchfield Penney celebrates their Golden Anniversary on December 9th – for info on that special event, click here.

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We spent over two hours walking amidst the combined collections, and I think more dating should be done within gallery walls. It was interesting to take our relationship out of our typical restaurant date and learn each other’s artistic tastes and sensibilities. We talked about paintings, commented on installation art, and I found myself more eager to hear what Scott’s reaction to a piece would be, than the piece itself.

After being infected with the Buffalo spirit at the galleries, we stepped back in time when we arrived at our Inn for the night – Inn Buffalo, Part 2  – stay tuned….