This post was published in the Buffalo News, Women's Voices column on Saturday, August 29, 2015. Front page, Section D, Life&Arts.
Okay, who changed? Was it Buffalo or was it me? Forty-one years ago, I boarded a plane for San Francisco and never looked back - till now. Oh sure, I've occasionally returned for family weddings and reunions, but after a few days I was ready to leave. Memories of a sullen, low-slung sky, decaying buildings, dismal career prospects, and perennial frostbite kept me away. So, you can imagine my reluctance to book a three-week visit back to my hometown, but I wanted to reconnect with my family. I bit my tongue, clicked on the extended travel dates, and started packing. Like it or not, I was Buffalo-bound. <sigh> What was I going to do for three long weeks in Buffalo?
Oh, my! I have been here only a week, and I've barely had time to catch my breath.
First of all, this is a music town. Jazz clubs, blues houses, and a steady stream of music coming from Canalside has kept me tapping my toes since I arrived. I've been fortunate enough to stay at a condo on the Buffalo waterfront, where the music drifts over each night and ... wait. WATERFRONT?! When did that happen?! What a beautiful area! Green grass, clean water, flowers, trees! I'm amazed. Suddenly, I see people walking, boating, paddle boarding, and kayaking under a wide open sky. Not only that, but the dangerous city streets of my youth are now walkable, and there seems to be fabulous music coming from every other door. Buffalo has changed.
Buffalo is also rich in history. Why didn't we learn about our heritage in school? Not to worry, there are now tours that will fill in those educational gaps. I highly recommend traveling down the Buffalo River by boat. "Silo City" is overwhelming. The massive permanence of these stone, concrete, and steel behemoths gives one the impression of visiting ancient, industrial ruins. It's a haunting thought that these colossal silos were so recently in use. In fact, General Mills still houses grain in some of them. I had to smile as we drifted by and the smell of Cheerios wafted through the air. Other silos have been repurposed for new businesses. The ragged, rusted, outward appearance of these monuments is an eerie, out-of-time experience. It wasn't that long ago that Buffalo was a flourishing hub of trade and heavy industry. Today, fresh attitudes toward business and tourism are emerging, phoenix-like, from the smokestack economy. Buffalo is changing.
This is not the Buffalo I remember. In fact, I learned a depressing statistic when I attended fifth grade at St. Christopher's School in the Town of Tonawanda: Buffalo had an average of 60 sunny days per year. The flip side of that little fact was 305 dreary, drizzly, overcast days for the rest of the year. Of course, that was back in 1962. As it turns out, Buffalo benefitted from the clean air regulations. Now, the muck has lifted and a new spirit is rising in the air. Tourists no longer have to leave New York and head to Canada to see Niagara Falls under clear skies. My own friends and family are spending more time outdoors, loving all the music, recreation, and opportunity the Buffalo Area has to offer. In the next two weeks, I'll be walking around Canalside, kayaking with my sister, boating with friends, and taking in live music anywhere I can. On top of that, my 89 year-old mother has me booked for lunch and shopping trips. What fun! Trust me, as an ex-pat, the change is palpable. Buffalo is waking from a long sleep. And I'm changing, too. I have an open mind about Buffalo. I can honestly say for the first time: I love my hometown. Thanks, Buffalo, for welcoming back this prodigal daughter.
Okay, who changed? Was it Buffalo or was it me? Forty-one years ago, I boarded a plane for San Francisco and never looked back - till now. Oh sure, I've occasionally returned for family weddings and reunions, but after a few days I was ready to leave. Memories of a sullen, low-slung sky, decaying buildings, dismal career prospects, and perennial frostbite kept me away. So, you can imagine my reluctance to book a three-week visit back to my hometown, but I wanted to reconnect with my family. I bit my tongue, clicked on the extended travel dates, and started packing. Like it or not, I was Buffalo-bound. <sigh> What was I going to do for three long weeks in Buffalo?
Oh, my! I have been here only a week, and I've barely had time to catch my breath.
First of all, this is a music town. Jazz clubs, blues houses, and a steady stream of music coming from Canalside has kept me tapping my toes since I arrived. I've been fortunate enough to stay at a condo on the Buffalo waterfront, where the music drifts over each night and ... wait. WATERFRONT?! When did that happen?! What a beautiful area! Green grass, clean water, flowers, trees! I'm amazed. Suddenly, I see people walking, boating, paddle boarding, and kayaking under a wide open sky. Not only that, but the dangerous city streets of my youth are now walkable, and there seems to be fabulous music coming from every other door. Buffalo has changed.
Buffalo is also rich in history. Why didn't we learn about our heritage in school? Not to worry, there are now tours that will fill in those educational gaps. I highly recommend traveling down the Buffalo River by boat. "Silo City" is overwhelming. The massive permanence of these stone, concrete, and steel behemoths gives one the impression of visiting ancient, industrial ruins. It's a haunting thought that these colossal silos were so recently in use. In fact, General Mills still houses grain in some of them. I had to smile as we drifted by and the smell of Cheerios wafted through the air. Other silos have been repurposed for new businesses. The ragged, rusted, outward appearance of these monuments is an eerie, out-of-time experience. It wasn't that long ago that Buffalo was a flourishing hub of trade and heavy industry. Today, fresh attitudes toward business and tourism are emerging, phoenix-like, from the smokestack economy. Buffalo is changing.
This is not the Buffalo I remember. In fact, I learned a depressing statistic when I attended fifth grade at St. Christopher's School in the Town of Tonawanda: Buffalo had an average of 60 sunny days per year. The flip side of that little fact was 305 dreary, drizzly, overcast days for the rest of the year. Of course, that was back in 1962. As it turns out, Buffalo benefitted from the clean air regulations. Now, the muck has lifted and a new spirit is rising in the air. Tourists no longer have to leave New York and head to Canada to see Niagara Falls under clear skies. My own friends and family are spending more time outdoors, loving all the music, recreation, and opportunity the Buffalo Area has to offer. In the next two weeks, I'll be walking around Canalside, kayaking with my sister, boating with friends, and taking in live music anywhere I can. On top of that, my 89 year-old mother has me booked for lunch and shopping trips. What fun! Trust me, as an ex-pat, the change is palpable. Buffalo is waking from a long sleep. And I'm changing, too. I have an open mind about Buffalo. I can honestly say for the first time: I love my hometown. Thanks, Buffalo, for welcoming back this prodigal daughter.
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