Day 21 of this journey brought a lesson in the fickle nature of travel plans. As fate would have it, the Lucy & Desi Arnaz Museum remained dark—closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Having missed it three times before, I’d finally set my sights on it, only to be met with a symbolic locked door. But in this life, you pivot. We turned toward Interstate 90 East, letting the road lead us to the quiet, wind-swept edge of Dunkirk New York.
Standing on the pier, the sensation was pure Lake Erie the rhythmic, haunting cries of seagulls cutting through the air and a cool, steady breeze rolling off the water, carrying the faint, clean scent of the lake. It was the perfect, grounding pause before pushing on to Buffalo to sample the city’s signature flavors. Our first stop was Fowler’s Chocolates to discover “sponge candy.” These bite-sized treasures were something else entirely—a light, crisp, caramelized-sugar center enrobed in a rich coat of chocolate. They’re distinct, indulgent, and undeniably Buffalo. From there, we settled into the storied warmth of The Chef’s Restaurant, a 1923 Italian institution.
Their famous spaghetti parmesan arrived as a massive, steaming mound of pasta buried under a golden, melted blanket of cheese. It was the kind of honest, soul-warming dish that explains why this place has been a neighborhood fixture for generations. There’s a special joy in dining where others have gathered for decades tasting the same recipes that defined a city’s history.
Tomorrow, we’re trading savory pasta for the artistry of the Corning Museum of Glass, followed by a visit to one of Binghamton’s beautiful, refurbished antique carousels. This bucket list adventure continues to exceed every expectation.
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