How Buffalo are you?

How many of the following 50 things have you done:

1.) The eternal flame in Chestnut Ridge Park
2.) Attended a Thursday in Canalside concert...or Thursday in the Square
3.) Took a tour of the WWII warships at the Naval Park (not just walk by....actually toured)
4.) Took a ride on the Miss Buffalo (or Spirit of Buffalo or Moondance Cat)
5.) Went to a Shakespeare in the Park
6.) Been to Food Truck Tuesday in Larkinville
7.) Rode the Maid of the Mist
8.) Walked the Cave of the Winds
9.) Been to the Erie County Fair....more than once
10.) Been to the St Patrick's Day parade (1st Ward or downtown)
11.) Rode in a float at the St. Patty's Day parade
12.) Ate until you were stuffed at Taste of Buffalo
13.) Put an entry in for the car raffle at Queen of Heaven lawn fete
14.) Toured the Darwin Martin House
15.) Been to The Buffalo Zoo
16.) Been to the Italian Festival on Hertel
17.) Seen Andy Warhol's Campbell Soup painting at the Albright Knox Museum
18.) Been to Allentown Art Festival
19.) Been to Elmwood Art Festival
20.) Walked through Griffis Sculpture Park
21.)Toured Forest Lawn Cemetery
22.) Ate at Anchor Bar...and Duffs....but don't know what the big deal is
23.) Took a day tip to Jamestown for the Lucy Desi Museum
24.) Took a field trip (or family trip) to Genesee Country Village
25.) Shopped at Vidler's 5&10
26.) Took the Niagara Wine Trail
27.) Been skiing at Kissing Bridge or Holiday Valley
28.) Been to a Dyngus Day celebration
29.) Taken the Buffalo subway....and wished it had more destinations
30.) Flown out of Buffalo Niagara Airport
31.) Sang "Low Bridge, Everybody Down" while on the Lockport Canal
32.) Been to Botanical Gardens
33.) Rode the carrousel at the Herschell's Museum
34.) Took a day trip to the Jell-o Museum
35.) Walked through Letchworth Park
36.) Been to the Original Kazoo Company Museum
37.) Watched a performance at Shea's
38.) Gone to a Tour of Homes...in Parkside, Linwood, or Delaware
39.) Shopped at the Southgate Plaza
40.) Been inside Central Terminal
41.) Been on the observation deck of City Hall
42.) Shopped at Niagara Factory Outlet Mall
43.) Been to Bidwell Market
44.) Been to a Sabres game
45.) Tailgated at Ralph Wilson Stadium
46.) Been to a Bison's Friday night fireworks show
47.) Been to a Buffalo Bandits game
48.)Been to a Darien Lake concert
49.) Watched a performance at Sportsmen's Tavern
50.) Gone to a comedy performance at Rob's Playhouse or Helium

Done ALL 50? - you should be crowned Miss (or Mr.) Buffalo!
Done 35-49 things?  You are a Buffalo Ambassador
Done 20-34 things? You are the average Buffalo citizen
Done 5-19 things? Time to venture out a little more
Done 0-4 things?  Have you even stepped foot in Buffalo?

How I Know Buffalo is on the Rise!

1.) The Housing Market
The city of Buffalo can't keep a house up for sale for more than a week.  People are knocking on doors and writing letters, asking to purchase homes that aren't even on the market.  Houses are selling for beyond the asking price. Even complete disaster zones are selling and being renovated into beautiful homes.

And rentals are seeing an all time high.  Rents in the new loft spaces are going for $1800 or more.

2.) Areas That Were Once Avoided are Flourishing
Black Rock has a huge art and restaurant scene.  The Westside is a hot spot for culture and art. The Old First Ward and Canalside have so many investors.  People are truly turning neighborhoods around....and at a fast pace!

3.)Our city is comparable to the BIG cities
At 18, I moved to the west coast. The whole time I was in Los Angeles, I kept thinking "If only Buffalo could have this....if only Buffalo did that."  I have been home 6 years now, and the transformation is unbelievable.  Now, if only Los Angeles can have what we have!

Trader Joes was my regular grocery store in LA....I am grateful to have them in Buffalo now so I can eat mochi ice cream every day.  I remember going to a hookah bar and thinking "wow, what a unique venue - Buffalo should get one."  Now we have a few.  I would go to comedy clubs and think, "what a simple concept." Welcome Helium.  There was such a diverse selection of foods in Los Angeles.  Well, Buffalo is definitely not far behind.  Since I have been home, I have tried: Lucy's Ethiopian Food, Kalypso's Carribean food, Pure Peru buffet, Saigon Bangkok for Thai, The Balkan for Turkish food....and more.  I attended open art shows in Los Angeles, where there would be food and drinks for the public.  Main Street Studios and 464 in Black Rock have similar events.  I no longer feel a cultural void living back in Buffalo.

4.) Medical Corridor
20,000 jobs projected in the next few years!  As recently reported in the Buffalo News - that's comparable to the amount of jobs provided by Bethlehem Steel when Buffalo was at it's high point.

5.) Preservation Efforts
The 2011 National Preservation conference was held right here in Buffalo.  We are seeing people bring old buildings back to life.  They are being converted to lofts, galleries, businesses, apartments. Theaters are coming back to their original glamour....North Park, for example.

6.) Population
For many decades, Buffalo's population dwindled.  People were leaving for jobs or more wealthy cities.  Since 2012, Buffalo is officially GROWING!  We even made the top 50 populated US metro areas.

7.) Buffalo Steel is No Longer a Thing of the Past
Buffalo's strongest era was connected to steel.  Many people believed that the closing of Bethlehem Steel was the end of the industry.  But, we are seeing the return to steel production: Niagara Metals, Welded Tube, Gibraltar and rumor of more to come (Nova Steel & Alita).

8.) BuffaLOVE Pride
You can't deny the tremendous amount of pride people have for this city.  Buffalonians are proud of our past, present, and future.  We have events such as Citybration and Buffalove Fest.  Any gathering you are at, I guarantee the topic of "Buffalo is really on the rise" will come up.

9.) Canada Seems to Like Us Now
We were picked on for many years by Canada....most notably as "Barfalo."  Well, not any more.  Even our friends from the North have shown their appreciation for Buffalo in recent years.  We have read articles by Canadian authors, praising our: revitalization, good food, and hospitality.

10.) Sports
Who am I kidding?  We aren't "on the rise" yet in Buffalo sports.  But we still love them!  And yes...we will continue to boycott Bon Jovi until he leaves us alone!

10 Reasons I LOVE Parkside!

1. Neighbors

I just came home from a walk in my neighborhood.  My "walk" turned into a porch crawl.  I absolutely love that I have a close friend at every turn.  Buffalo is known as the "city of good neighbors" but I never truly understood the extent of the meaning until I moved to Parkside. I regularly have meals dropped at my porch,"just because."  People getting together to paint the house of a terminally ill neighbor, receiving a phone call of sincere sympathy when your dog is hit by a car, or running out to lend a helping hand when your hands are full.  It is an amazing community here in Parkside that I could never express in words...you just have to live here and experience it.

2. House character

There is no such thing as a "cookie cutter" home here in Parkside.  Every home is unique.  Come to Parkside's Annual Tour of Homes in May and see for yourself.  You will see beautiful woodwork, ornate fireplaces, large front porches (where neighbors actually sit and converse with each other), staircases that serve as a work of art, stained glass windows, original tile floors from 100 years ago, and more.  

3. Parkside Communnity Association (PCA)

A community association that works to maintain the beauty and historical significance of our neighborhood.  They host neighborhood events from a chili cook off to a gala.  They host community events such as the home tour, garden tour, a 5k, and a holiday craft fair.  Children get to attend a summer arts program or a Halloween party. Families can view free movies in the park or borrow a book from the numerous "Little Libraries" throughout the neighborhood.  The elderly have an aging in place program.  This is all because of the numerous volunteers that serve on the PCA board.

4. Diversity

True diversity - income, race, ethnicity, religion, sexuality, age, abilities.  

There are people living in Parkside that originated from different countries or states.  I have a Greek woman next door in her 90s.  I have multiple young families around me. There are single families and multi-family units.  Owners and tenants. On one end of my block is a Roman Catholic church and on the other end is an Episcopal church.  There are people practicing their Jewish faith, Methodist, orthodox, and many more. 

There are professors, lawyers, painters, teachers, doctors, students, homemakers, therapists, business owners, personal trainers, hair stylists, and more.  And believe me, the connections come in handy! 

It is this diverse setting I lacked growing up in the suburbs and am grateful my children will know as "the norm."

5.) Attractions in Walking Proximity

Darwin Martin House - a Frank Lloyd Wright  masterpiece that generates tourists from all over the world is right here in my neighborhood.  As is another privately owned Frank Lloyd Wright home.

The Buffalo Zoo - We get great use out of our annual membership. We see the transformation it is making on a daily basis.  We say hello to the giraffes and bisons as we take our walks.

Delaware Park - a beautiful setting for a walk, a picnic, or to play. With playgrounds for the kids, a golf course, tennis courts, basketball courts, baseball diamonds, soccer fields, bocce ball courts.....it is a childhood dream park!

Parkside Avenue - the commercial properties are on the rise - a cupcakery, a coffee shop, a photography studio, and a restaurant opening that has involved the community in every step of the way!  

Hertel and Elmwood are a stone throw away.  Close enough to enjoy on a regular basis, but far enough away to still feel the security of a neighborhood setting without excessive traffic or parking issues.

6.) WOW

Wine on Wednesdays, aka WOW was started by neighbors as a way to get together with one another in a social setting.  Every Wednesday from May to September, a different neighbor hosts a wine party.  Each neighbor brings a bottle to share and their own glassware.  No obligation to come - just join when you feel like it.  There are probably 50-60 regular WOW attendees, but over 300+ involved.

7.) History

We are listed on the National Register of Historic Places as Buffalo's first suburb and a neighborhood designed by Frederick Law Olmsted.  There are homes built by Frank Lloyd Wright, E.B. Green, H.H. Richardson, William Sydney Wicks, and Sears catalog homes. Many of the homes still have outlines of the 3rd floor servants quarters. Some have turn tables in their garages that predates the car's ability to safely go in reverse.  Upon remodeling projects, neighbors find remnants of items from the early 1900s.  We have found a newspaper from 1920 in our walls and a number of other neat items.

8.)Schools

Now, I am not going to lie....the schools pose a problem to young families in Parkside.  Buffalo city school district is suffering but there is always hope it will strengthen.  On the plus side...we have amazing private schools in the neighborhood, or nearby.  St. Mark's for elementary is literally across the street from me.  Elmwood Franklin School and Nichols are within walking distance.  There are charter schools that are great.  We can't allow a struggling school district to prevent families from moving to the city.  The amount you save in taxes can be put towards private education if need be.  But, I am optimistic that Buffalo schools will see some positive change.

9.) Work commute

We are right off the 198 with quick access to the 33.  For those needing to work downtown, its minutes away.  In the big picture, we are truly close to everything.  Lucky for me...I work remotely.  So I get to enjoy working from my front porch swing on the days I am not traveling!

10.) Landscape

We live in the city but are surrounded by greenery.  That's no mistake...Thank you Mr. Olmsted!  While I have a black thumb, I appreciate that many of my neighbors have 2 green thumbs. There are beautiful gardens everywhere - floral, stone, vegetable, ponds, trees.  It is truly a beautiful setting.  We finally invested in some landscaping this year so we aren't the outcasts.

I wake up everyday feeling I am so lucky to be living here!