Dinosaur up in my face

I have to admit that I was a little freaked out when I shot this footage this morning at HSBC Arena...I mean, you know it's not a real dinosaur...but still.





Tom Kuenzi also shot a great gallery at a Walking with Dinosaurs press conference at the Buffalo Museum of Science this morning...check out his photos when you have a chance.

Out at the yard sale

Buffalo.com photo by NL Valler.

There's a new event this weekend that may interest you - and Buffalo.com was just invited:

WORLD’S LARGEST YARD SALE
SATURDAY, MAY 9TH
HAMBURG FAIRGROUNDS

8:30 AM – 4PM Over 300 Booths…Great Gift Ideas for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Graduations The Best Day of Shopping in WNY….6,000 Shoppers!

Inside the Agri Center & Outside along 42nd Street behind the Ag Ctr.

For more info, go to: www.theworldslargestyardsale.com

If this looks fun to you, let me know - we can definitely get a photographer and a writer out to this one...

...and here's a tip for the writers

Buffalo.com photo by Tom Parry.

I have been noticing this quite a bit lately, and wanted to make a quick note -

I know that when writing for online media, you don't necessarily want to be voluminous - you want to keep it relatively short and sweet.

However, please do not feel like you need to sacrifice key details in order to keep your word count down.

Writing a news story for an online outlet is the same as writing for print - you still need your who, what, where, when, why, and how.

If you're writing a review, you still need to include both a summary of the event and your own personal critique.

If you're posting a blog, you still need to follow the rules of grammar - words need to be spelled correctly, abbreviations are still a no-no, and so on.

I know I have mentioned this many times, and I will harp on it again and again - buy an AP (Associated Press) style guide and read it. Learn it. Know it. Use it.

If you want to write professionally, you will need to know AP style. If you do not know AP style, you will not get writing jobs. It's that simple. Editors will not have the patience to make these changes. An AP style guide costs less than $20, and if you plan to write in the future, it is the best investment you will ever make.

It is intensely frustrating to see the same style mistakes over and over again, and if you get one thing out of this internship, it is this message: LEARN AP STYLE.

New photos, old galleries

Buffalo.com photo by Marc Wierzbowski.

Here's a tip for our photographers: when you add new photos to an old gallery, your gallery will appear as "new" in the "newest gallery" section at Spotted.

However, since most Spotted events are timely - in other words, it wouldn't make sense to add photos to, say, your gallery for the Queen City Roller Girls from December 2007 - this usually isn't an issue.

If there is a situation where you need to add new photos to an old We Spotted gallery, let me know...that way, I can check them out, and use them in our featured photo module on Buffalo.com, which will push more traffic into your gallery.

Cinco de Mayo in our fair city

Buffalo.com photo by Marc Wierzbowski.

You received our weekly events list a couple hours ago...but sitting here, looking at the calendar, I just realized - "Good Lord, I forgot about one of the big party holidays of the year - Cinco de Mayo."

There are many Cinco events going on in Buffalo tomorrow - and you can see a comprehensive list by visiting http://www.cincobuffalo.com/.

Some suggestions that might be popular:

· Buffalo’s Biggest Cinco de Mayo party. The yardstick by which local Cinco de Mayo parties are measured. 2 PM – all nite, Cozumel Grill and Tequila Bar, 153 Elmwood Ave., Buffalo.

· Cinco de Mayo! Good times and a taco bar. Croc Bar, 88 W Chippewa St., Buffalo.

If you want to hit a Cinco bash, just let me know and we can work it out.

Events list: 5-5 to 5-10

Buffalo.com photo by Eric Malinowski.

Tuesday

• HEART, INC. Animal Rescue and Adoption Team Annual Spaghetti Dinner. Lots of food and fun to help our animal friends. 4 PM to 7:30 PM, American Legion Post 567, 3740 N. Buffalo Road, Orchard Park.
• Sisters of St. Francis Food and Wine Tasting. This very special event will feature delicious food, outstanding wine, great fellowship and, back by popular demand, the very irresistible “Nun-Sweeter Bake Sale.” 5 PM to 7 PM, St. Mary of Angels, 201 Reist St., Williamsville.
• The Hills are Alive with the Sound of Buffalo State! The Buffalo State Alumni Association hosts a special reception preceding the Choral Concert in the Performing Arts Center of Rockwell Hall, including refreshments in the Metcalfe Room followed by a joint vocal concert featuring the Silas L. Boyd Memorial A Cappella Alumni Choir, the Buffalo State College Chorale and the Lackawanna High School Choir. This is the first time that all three groups will be performing together. Reception, 6 PM, concert, 7 PM. Performing Arts Center at Rockwell Hall, Buffalo State College, Buffalo.
• Bouncing Souls. Popular punk band returns to Buffalo as part of 20th anniversary tour. 7 PM, Town Ballroom, 681 Main St., Buffalo.
• Mogwai. Scottish psych-rockers perform live. 7 PM, The Tralf, 622 Main St., Buffalo.

Wednesday

• BASH ’09 Gift Gathering party. A fun happy hour at the impressive Red Cross headquarters to collect gifts for the annual Red Cross MASH BASH. 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM, American Red Cross Headquarters, 786 Delaware Ave., Buffalo.
• Gavin Rossdale. Former Bush frontman, husband of Gwen Stefani performs live. 7 PM, Town Ballroom, 681 Main St., Buffalo.
• WBFO-FM On The Border: Mick Hayes Band. The incredible Buffalo bluesman performs live-to-air on WBFO-FM as part of the station’s increasingly popular Wednesday night live series. 7:30 PM, WBFO-FM studio, Allen Hall, UB South Campus, Buffalo.

Thursday

• Art’scool Educators Night Out. Local art teachers mingle, network, and tour the Albright-Knox Art Gallery. 4 PM to 7 PM, Albright Knox Art Gallery, 1285 Elmwood Ave., Buffalo
• Cabana Sam’s Opening Night Party. Popular beach bar celebrates the first night of the summer season. 7 PM, Cabana Sam’s Beach Bar & Grill, Sunset Bay.
• All Time Low. Very popular pop-punk band from Maryland performs live. 7 PM, Town Ballroom, 681 Main St., Buffalo.

Friday

• Regional Preservation Awards Luncheon. Thirteen Buffalo and Western New York projects will be honored for their exemplary historic preservation efforts, ranging from the $7 million adaptive reuse of the former Army Commissary Building at Old Fort Niagara to the skilled restoration of the small, 165-year-old cobblestone First Baptist Church of Newfane. 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM, Hyatt Regency Hotel, 2 Fountain Plaza, Buffalo.
• 3rd Annual Wine Celebration and Farmer’s Market. Join Ari Shapiro of National Public Radio as WBFO-FM offers wine sampling and a sneak peek at the Farmer’s Market. 6 PM, Center for Tomorrow, UB North Campus, Amherst.
• 2009 Boys and Girls Club of Buffalo AkidEMY Awards. Cocktail hour and awards ceremony featuring entertainment, dinner, and fun to honor the amazing youths and outstanding individuals in the Boys and Girls Club programs. 6:30 PM, Adams Mark Hotel, Buffalo.
• Music is Art fundraiser at the Buffalo Irish Center. Live music from big Buffalo bands like Type:Relevant, Free Henry!, and others. Supports Robby Takac’s Music is Art foundation. 7 PM, Buffalo Irish Center, 245 Abbott Road, Buffalo.
• Holland Tulip Festival Queen Pageant and Talent Show. A classic competition at a terrific small-town festival. 7 PM, Holland High School, 103 Canada St., Holland.
• What Goes Up movie premiere and after-party with The Innocent Bystanders. The Innocent Bystanders are a Buffalo pop-rock band with four songs in the new film What Goes Up starring Hillary Duff and Molly Shannon. The band will watch the premiere with fans and then host an after-party at Pure nightclub. PHOTOGRAPHERS: If you are interested, you will obviously need to go to the after-party for photos. WRITERS: If you go, plan on doing both a movie review and interviewing the band. 7:15 PM, Market Arcade Theatre, 639 Main St., Buffalo; 10 PM, Pure, 75 Chippewa Ave., Buffalo.
• Brigham Young University Ballroom Dance Company. The US national champion formation team dances their socks off in this rare local performance. 7:30 PM, Performing Arts Center at Rockwell Hall, Buffalo State College, Buffalo.
• Longwave. Indie rockers from Rochester who have earned a national following perform live. 8 PM, Mohawk Place, 47 E. Mohawk St., Buffalo.

Saturday

• WEDG 103.3 FM co-ed softball tournament. A full day of softball action followed by a big party at Rafferty’s (2794 Harlem Road). 8 AM to 6 PM, Cheektowaga Town Park, Cheektowaga.
• 4th Annual Tails on the Trails dog walk. Pet Connections hosts a special day for dogs, including a pet blessing, demonstrations, and other fun “designed with doggies in mind.” 10 AM to 3 PM, Como Park Lake (begins at the Rich Marino Gazebo), Lancaster.
• Buffalo Niagara Green Expo. Over 75 exhibitors offer info on living green at home, in one’s diet, garden, business, etc. – and opportunities to check out green employers. 10 AM to 4 PM, Main Place Mall, Buffalo.
• St. Luke’s Mission of Mercy Run for Goodness Sake Quarter Marathon. A big race for a good cause at a beautiful spring spot in South Buffalo. 10 AM, Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens, 2655 South Park Ave., Buffalo.
• Buffalo Bisons: v. New Orleans. 1 PM, Coca-Cola Field, Buffalo.
• Raven-Symone: Live at Darien Lake. The Cosby Show and Nickelodeon TV star performs live at Darien Lake. 5 PM, Darien Lake Laser Stage, Darien Lake Theme Park Resort, Darien Center. • The Machine: America’s #1 Tribute to Pink Floyd. We don’t need no education. 7 PM and 9:30 PM shows. Seneca Niagara Casino, Niagara Falls.
• Wine and Dine Fundraiser for Temple Beth Zion. A big party with music by Free Henry! 7 PM, Westwood Country Club, 772 N Forest Road, Amherst.
• Queen City Roller Girls “Bunny Stomp.” The Devil Dollies skate against the Nickel City Knockouts – and then, after the match, members of the Queen City Roller Girls will have their heads shaved to support Roswell Park. 7 PM, Rainbow Rink, 101 Oliver St., North Tonawanda.
• Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes. The New Jersey rock legend performs live in Buffalo. 8 PM, Town Ballroom, 681 Main St., Buffalo.

Sunday

• University at Buffalo Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony for College of Arts and Sciences. The big graduation ceremony at UB – thousands of students and their families. 10 AM, Alumni Arena, UB North Campus, Amherst.
• Buffalo Bisons: v. New Orleans. 1 PM, Coca-Cola Field, Buffalo.

Photographers: shoot Sunday event, get $25 gift certificate

Spotted photographers -

Our promotions department at Buffalo.com would love to have a Spotted photographer at the Decorator Show House reception on Sunday at 7 PM (the house is located at 697 LeBrun in Eggertsville).

Since this is last-minute and kind of a weird time, I would normally do this myself - but I will be in Syracuse on Sunday.

Therefore - if anyone can pick up this event - not only will you have my gratitude but also a $25 gift certificate to Pizza Plant (the pizza there is good, I just had it at a meeting last week).

If you can make it, please let me know ASAP!

UPDATE: A photographer has been found, so this is all set...thank you to everyone who replied!