The Atlantic Monthly’s Daily Dish has this to say about my new hometown.
Buffalo” (NY) and “beauty” do not normally occur in the same sentence. We’re talking about a city ‘belted’ with derelict factories that’s been losing population for a generation. It’s struggling to demolish thousands of abandoned houses. It’s been known to get snowed on for 100 days in a row (I was there — with a long driveway and no snow-blower).
But Buffalo has elements of beauty dear to a few doughty hearts (e.g., my wife’s – she’s a native). These include Olmsted-designed boulevards radiating from an Olmsted central park (Delaware Park); a number of early twentieth-century architectural icons; lots of big, boxy beautiful Victorian houses that can be had for a relative song; a handful of long, graceful commercial and residential avenues that make a vital urban enclave; a surprisingly vibrant arts community; and prices that make it almost like living in another country.
In recent years, too, Buffalo has become a site of the triumph of imagination over physical reality in two ways that have caught my heart.
Read more here to see what else is endearing to the author. I would say in the short time I’ve been here what I love about Buffalo thus far is this:
1) The people: Everyone is seriously friendly here and it doesn’t take much to connect with people. Everyone is willing to help and there is a real community feel to just about every place that I’ve venutred.
2) Dogs: Buffalo is a dog city. Dogs are welcomed just about anywhere and people are shall we say, “neat” about their pets and understanding when your pet has issues (as mine does) with other dogs.
3) Traffic: Or rather, the lack of traffic. I enjoy driving in Buffalo as opposed to NYC where I am always on high alert when behind the wheel.
4) Great food: Wings, naturally are what they are known for but beef on weck, Friday fish fry (not a Catholic city at all he said sarcastically) and all kinds of ethnic food (Polish, Greek, Indian, Chinese, etc). You won’t go hungry here.
5) Best…choir…ever: At St Joseph University Parish the 11:30 mass has a choir that boarders on a Pentecostal style, quite vibrant and fully alive is the best way to describe them. The quality of the music here is simply astounding. I hope that I can help to bring a similar spirit to the student’s 8PM mass–perhaps a slightly different vibe–but in terms of quality, just as good.
Needless to say, I am enjoying my new home. Wife and dog are loving it here too.