BUFFALO - Niagara Falls - page 138

merchandise is locally sourced. You can find jewelry, clothing, pottery, candles, and soap,
allcreatedbyartistsfromtheregion.Giftsrangefromthecreativeandpractical(soapmade
withbeerandlime),tothemedieval(chain-mailbikinitop).Thestoreisopenandairy,with
three main display areas, hundreds of handcrafted items, and a friendly cat named Atticus.
Walking into Talking Leaves topics (3158 Main St., 716/837-8554,
www.tleavesbooks.com , 10am-6pm Mon.-Tues. and Fri.-Sat., 10am-8pm Wed.-Thurs.) is
like putting on an old, well-worn sweater on a crisp autumn day. The store has a familiar
warmth that you won't find at a chain bookstore. You'll likely hear the hushed tones of
like-minded readers discussing literature. The eclectic selection of topics emphasizes local
authorsandsubjectmatter.Theresidentcatisaloof,thefloorisworn,andthebookdisplays
could have been purchased from various parochial schools or rescued from the curb of a
public library.
Sports and Recreation
BOATING
Buffalo is situated where Lake Erie ends and the Niagara River begins, positioning it for
great water access. If you are traveling by boat, there are several public and private mar-
inas that rent dock space and provide maintenance and fuel services, including Erie Bas-
in Marina (329 Erie St., 716/851-6501, www.eriebasinmarina.org ) , NFTA Boat Harbor
(1111 Fuhrman Blvd., 716/828-0027, www.nftaboatharbor.com ) , and Rich Marine Sales
(5 Austin St., 716/873-4060, www.richmarinesales.com ).
Just outside of the marina, along Erie Street, are two boats offering excursions. Buffalo
Harbor Cruises (716/856-6696, www.buffaloharborcruises.com , July-Labor Day, $16
adults, $11 children 4-11) provides narrated cruises aboard the venerable Miss Buffalo
II . If one hull isn't enough for you, try the moondanceCat (716/854-7245,
www.moondancecat.com , $23 adults, $11.50 children 17 and under), for a ride on a cata-
maran.
Canalside
Boaters can access the Central Wharf at Canalside ( www.canalsidebuffalo.com ) from the
Buffalo River. Docking space is available along the Buffalo River through First Buffalo
Marina (32 Fuhrman Blvd., 716/867-9271, www.firstbuffalomarina.com ) . Docking fees