Cupcake in bloom?

I’m not sure who is responsible for this sign in San Francisco on Minna Street, but I hope the same person isn’t holding out for a parking spot there.

Model Trains at the MOST in Syracuse, originally uploaded by mark.hogan.

We passed some time at the Museum of Science and Technology in Syracuse NY. It wasn’t very impressive but they did have a great model train set.

Buffalo via Chicago, Toronto & the Fallsview Casino, originally uploaded by mark.hogan.

Travelling to Buffalo for the holidays was not a straightforward affair. Due to weather, Southwest canceled all flights to Buffalo Sunday night. We stayed in an airport hotel and ate at TGI Friday’s (note that they have eliminated all vegetarian items from the menu this year) and woke up at 4am
to fly standby.

Alas, we didn’t get on the oversold flight. Our odds didn’t look good for getting on a later one either so we booked two seats to Toronto with Porter Airlines. Porter flies large commuter planes (with propellers) to the downtown island airport in Toronto. Once we arrived, we boarded a ferry that took us to a bus that dropped us off at Union Station… the whole trip from airport to downtown street takes about 10 minutes!

After a night at the Days Hotel on Carlton, we took the discount shuttle bus to the Fallsview Casino in Niagara Falls where we met up with my parents. I think there were only two other non-retired people on the bus.

All in all, it was an adventure and I highly recommend Porter Airlines. After all, they have free beer.

Last days at Shoe Pavillion, originally uploaded by mark.hogan.

And this is what we’re left with. White buckle top Dr. Martens, size 5. I’m not sure if they are sized for men or women. Five dollars and going fast…

Philip Johnson’s Glass House fills the background of this billboard in San Francisco’s Union Square.