Reader's Digest names Buffalo the "nicest place in America"

[JÂy RÛßeÒ]

https://www.rd.com/article/buffalo-nicest-places/

And Damar Hamlin wrote an open letter to thank the people of Buffalo

https://www.rd.com/article/damar-hamlin-thank-you-buffalo/

 

Quote

On the day I was drafted, my little brother, who was 6 at the time, said, “Damar, do they have beaches there?”  I told him, “No, brother, we are going to Buffalo.”

There isn’t a beach in the world that I would trade for the gift I’ve been given to become part of this community and feel its warm embrace. The people of this great city inspire me to keep praying, keep loving, keep going­, no matter what the circumstances. To count my blessings and just show up every day with love.
 

As I look forward, I’m grateful to call this city home, and it will always hold a special place in my heart. Buffalo is a city of fighters, and I’m proud to be one of them.

 

[KingBoots8]

Must not have ever been here Sunday after a loss 😂

 

j/k, Buffalo has warts like any city, but the people are special. Go Buffalo, go Bills.

[RobbRiddick]

 

(Reader about to digest... ha ha ha)

[Fleezoid]

21 minutes ago, RobbRiddick said:

 

(Reader about to digest... ha ha ha)

 

Why is Alfred Hitchcock eating a book?

[Big Turk]

The monetary wealth of this city may have long since gone away when it was the wealthiest city per capita in the entire US at the turn of the 20th century in 1900, but it never left, it just shifted to a wealth that money can't buy and why it leaves so many people in other cities feeling empty and like something is missing. Pretty much the way I have felt in every other place I have lived outside of WNY.

Edited September 19, 2023 by Big Turk

[RobbRiddick]

1 minute ago, Fleezoid said:

 

Why is Alfred Hitchcock eating a book?

He was thinking of adapting it into... something else

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

'Reader's Digest', indeed. 🤨

A sampling:

'Drama in Real Life: Help! My baby's flying that plane!'

'I am Joe's spleen'.

 

[Robert Paulson]

and actually the beaches in Angola and Sherkston in Canada are pretty nice

[Mango]

I don’t mean to rain on the parade, but as somebody from Buffalo who was  born here, left and come back a few times, I find Buffalo less friendly than other places. 

 

I think if you’re a lifer it’s great.

 

And even if you transplant yourself here it’s good. But I my experience even for transplants there’s an undertone. You’re never just “John”. You’re introduced to Buffalo bred friend groups as “This is my friend John from Tampa”. And in that group you’re referred to as “Mango’s friend, John, from Tampa”. There is a separation there. 
 

It’s an odd sort of gate keeping. Sort of harkens back to coming home for the holidays and on a random Wednesday I can find the same group of guys in the same corner of Coles, doing the same thing we were doing in HS, and their first words to me are “Did you see Canisius beat St. Joes twice in football this year?”…No…No I didn’t. 

 

I also find that transplants tend to conglomerate together more in Buffalo than other places. 
 

In other places I’ve lived in MA, NJ, OK,  I am just Mango and my friend group has been pretty diverse. 
 

Just a few things I’ve picked up on in my comings and goings as well as some stuff I’ve noticed and talked about dating transplants in the city. 
 

Buffalo is a great town, I just wish it would be more confident in who they are today and where they are going, rather than rallying around the past. 

Edited September 19, 2023 by Mango

[Ethan in Cleveland]

Having now lived more of my life outside of Buffalo than in WNY and my entire adult life outside of WNY, I can say I have never met a more friendlier group of people than those that live in or grew up in WNY.  Nothing says home quite like being in Italy and hearing "Go Bills".  

[yall]

8 minutes ago, Mango said:

I don’t mean to rain on the parade, but as somebody from Buffalo who was  born here, left and come back a few times, I find Buffalo less friendly than other places. 

 

I think if you’re a lifer it’s great.

 

And even if you transplant yourself here it’s good. But I my experience even for transplants there’s an undertone. You’re never just “John”. You’re introduced to Buffalo bred friend groups as “This is my friend John from Tampa”. And in that group you’re referred to as “Mango’s friend, John, from Tampa”. There is a separation there. 
 

It’s an odd sort of gate keeping. Sort of harkens back to coming home for the holidays and on a random Wednesday I can find the same group of guys in the same corner of Coles, doing the same thing we were doing in HS, and their first words to me are “Did you see Canisius beat St. Joes twice in football this year?”…No…No I didn’t. 

 

I also find that transplants tend to conglomerate together more in Buffalo than other places. 
 

In other places I’ve lived in MA, NJ, OK,  I am just Mango and my friend group has been pretty diverse. 
 

Just a few things I’ve picked up on in my comings and goings as well as some stuff I’ve noticed and talked about dating transplants in the city. 
 

Buffalo is a great town, I just wish it would be more confident in who they are today and where they are going, rather than rallying around the past. 

Diametric opposite of my experience as a transplant.

 

I find myself frequently reminding my very close friends who grew up here that I didn't.

 

I can't tell you how many times I've had to say "no, I don't remember the car wash shaped like a whale...". 😂

[Success]

Gotta say - a huge pet peeve of mine is opposing fans lazily saying that Buffalo is a terrible place to live.  Western NY is friggin' awesome.  Not only a beautiful area in general, but the people are incredible. City of Good Neighbors & all that - it's a true story.  I've lived in other places, and it's not the same.

 

If you don't like snow, it might not be the greatest.  But otherwise...

 

[HOUSE]

I see garbage out my front window

[That's No Moon]

8 minutes ago, yall said:

I can't tell you how many times I've had to say "no, I don't remember the car wash shaped like a whale...". 

I do though 😂

[Kornfed]

29 minutes ago, Mango said:

I don’t mean to rain on the parade, but as somebody from Buffalo who was  born here, left and come back a few times, I find Buffalo less friendly than other places. 

 

I think if you’re a lifer it’s great.

 

And even if you transplant yourself here it’s good. But I my experience even for transplants there’s an undertone. You’re never just “John”. You’re introduced to Buffalo bred friend groups as “This is my friend John from Tampa”. And in that group you’re referred to as “Mango’s friend, John, from Tampa”. There is a separation there. 
 

It’s an odd sort of gate keeping. Sort of harkens back to coming home for the holidays and on a random Wednesday I can find the same group of guys in the same corner of Coles, doing the same thing we were doing in HS, and their first words to me are “Did you see Canisius beat St. Joes twice in football this year?”…No…No I didn’t. 

 

I also find that transplants tend to conglomerate together more in Buffalo than other places. 
 

In other places I’ve lived in MA, NJ, OK,  I am just Mango and my friend group has been pretty diverse. 
 

Just a few things I’ve picked up on in my comings and goings as well as some stuff I’ve noticed and talked about dating transplants in the city. 
 

Buffalo is a great town, I just wish it would be more confident in who they are today and where they are going, rather than rallying around the past. 

As ya know human interactions/dynamics are incredibly complicated. ... I think local Buffalo people hold strongly to old/real values. We may be a little old fashioned but if you earn trust, you're golden. ... If ya show up looking too new times superficial, real people probably react differently because they have seen and know how crap works.  Yep they're real. .. If you're real, you fit and understand. ..... just the truth

 

 

[PromoTheRobot]

26 minutes ago, HOUSE said:

I see garbage out my front window

Close the lid.

[SoCal Deek]

29 minutes ago, HOUSE said:

I see garbage out my front window

That’s not a window! It’s a mirror. 😳

[Mango]

5 minutes ago, Kornfed said:

As ya know human interactions/dynamics are incredibly complicated. ... I think local Buffalo people hold strongly to old/real values. We may be a little old fashioned but if you earn trust, you're golden. ... If ya show up looking too new times superficial, real people probably react differently because they have seen and know how crap works.  Yep they're real. .. If you're real, you fit and understand. ..... just the truth

 

 

This is sort of what I was eluding to. It sort of breaks down to “If you’re real enough we will accept you. But if we don’t accept you it’s because you’re too superficial and there is something wrong with you. Be better and you too can be one of us”

[HOUSE]

Just now, SoCal Deek said:

That’s not a window! It’s a mirror. 😳

Omg

[That's No Moon]

I'm sure the octogenarians that read Readers Digest will find that enlightening

[Punching Bag]

 

https://www.rd.com/article/damar-hamlin-thank-you-buffalo/

 

Buffalo does have beaches on Lake Erie - Hamburg and Angola among others. 

 

 

 

I was teaching ESL at UB during the summer and one of my students from Africa said she loved going to the beach during summer.  I told her that Hamburg had one and requires a permit for parking but nothing prevents you from taking a bus there.  She said in her French accented voice "Bus system too difficult for me" so I told her I could take her next weekend.  

 

We took multiple buses and walked down to the beach.  After going into the water she said "too cold!" and she lied on the beach.  I told her to put on some sunscreen but she said "Africa sun hotter".  After a couple hours reading she fell asleep.

 

I woke her later telling her we needed to catch the bus back.   She put on her hooded cloak and stood up and yelled "My feet hurt!" and fell back onto the blanket.  While her skin was very, very dark her feet weren't and they were sunburned badly. I packed up the gear and told her I'd carry her to the bus stop. I carried her on my back while I carried our gear in my arms.  

 

We heard a few comments on the buses about us being a "cute couple" but I ignored them.  Once we got to the campus I was able to get security to help her to her room.  

Edited September 20, 2023 by Limeaid
readability

[Punching Bag]

49 minutes ago, Success said:

Gotta say - a huge pet peeve of mine is opposing fans lazily saying that Buffalo is a terrible place to live.  Western NY is friggin' awesome.  Not only a beautiful area in general, but the people are incredible. City of Good Neighbors & all that - it's a true story.  I've lived in other places, and it's not the same.

 

If you don't like snow, it might not be the greatest.  But otherwise...

 

Well when Global Warming is in full effect WNY population will multiple 20 times and people will be struggling to find place to stay. 

[SF Bills Fan]

I have been to many places around the world and Buffalo is the friendliest places I've been to, putting aside places like Vegas and such where people are friendly but only because they are trying to hustle and make a buck off of you. You can go out and chat with 50 people and make 50 new friends. If you run into Bills fans or people from Buffalo that are now outside of the area, they always seem nice and friendly. Maybe it's something in the water or the beer. People are genuine and openhearted, it is not a myth. 

[RiotAct]

1 hour ago, Fleezoid said:

 

Why is Alfred Hitchcock eating a book?

I thought that was Bruce Boudreau

[stevestojan]

I have lived in eight different cities since first leaving WNY. 
 

Will I ever move back? No. 
Do I agree with this article? 100% without question.

[EasternOHBillsFan]

2 hours ago, Big Turk said:

The monetary wealth of this city may have long since gone away when it was the wealthiest city per capita in the entire US at the turn of the 20th century in 1900, but it never left, it just shifted to a wealth that money can't buy and why it leaves so many people in other cities feeling empty and like something is missing. Pretty much the way I have felt in every other place I have lived outside of WNY.

 

Despite my father being murdered in Niagara Falls, I love the area myself, and I have lived all over the country and overseas. Unfortunately time has caught up with me and my disabilities make it extremely hard to live in colder climates anymore, otherwise I probably would move to WNY somewhere. Fortunately through the magic of the internet I can live vicariously through some who still live there and can go to games. My mother also does the same and she does through her Lew-Port High Facebook group... she's almost 80 now and I feel so bad that her connection to the area is drying up.

Edited September 19, 2023 by EasternOHBillsFan

[SirAndrew]

57 minutes ago, SF Bills Fan said:

I have been to many places around the world and Buffalo is the friendliest places I've been to, putting aside places like Vegas and such where people are friendly but only because they are trying to hustle and make a buck off of you. You can go out and chat with 50 people and make 50 new friends. If you run into Bills fans or people from Buffalo that are now outside of the area, they always seem nice and friendly. Maybe it's something in the water or the beer. People are genuine and openhearted, it is not a myth. 

Genuine is the best word, I’ve always appreciated how real the people of Buffalo are. Too many urban/suburban areas of this country give the feeling of everyone being in a giant competition for status. 

[stevestojan]

38 minutes ago, EasternOHBillsFan said:

 

Despite my father being murdered in Niagara Falls, I love the area myself, and I have lived all over the country and overseas. Unfortunately time has caught up with me and my disabilities make it extremely hard to live in colder climates anymore, otherwise I probably would move to WNY somewhere. Fortunately through the magic of the internet I can live vicariously through some who still live there and can go to games. My mother also does the same and she does through her Lew-Port High Facebook group... she's almost 80 now and I feel so bad that her connection to the area is drying up.

Dude, that post is a roller coaster of emotions. Hope you’re doing ok my friend. go bills. 

[albanyfan]

2 hours ago, yall said:

Diametric opposite of my experience as a transplant.

 

I find myself frequently reminding my very close friends who grew up here that I didn't.

 

I can't tell you how many times I've had to say "no, I don't remember the car wash shaped like a whale...". 😂

You mean it’s gone? Shoot. I never should have left.

[ControllerOfPlanetX]

3 hours ago, Fleezoid said:

 

Why is Alfred Hitchcock eating a book?

He’s a Psycho..

[T master]

Buffalo & WNY is a hidden gem for sure ! I grew up there & go home each year to visit family, the summers are excellent & if you want some of the best food in the US you can find some of the best in that area and you don't have to look very hard .

 

People are so down to earth . Oh yah there are those guys every where but for the most part people there are of the working class (it's just to bad a lot of the jobs there have been sold out to other countries) but that being said the people continue to fight the good fight & keep the Bills & WNY a very cool place to live & visit .

 

GO BILLS !! GO WNY !! Much luv to the Mafia ...

[Breakout Squad]

2 hours ago, Success said:

Gotta say - a huge pet peeve of mine is opposing fans lazily saying that Buffalo is a terrible place to live.  Western NY is friggin' awesome.  Not only a beautiful area in general, but the people are incredible. City of Good Neighbors & all that - it's a true story.  I've lived in other places, and it's not the same.

 

If you don't like snow, it might not be the greatest.  But otherwise...

 

To me it’s not snow. It’s the lack of sunny days November - March. I remember last year we went almost a month without a sunny day IIRC. That’s literally the only thing I can complain about WNY. 
 

I love a sub-freezing January day with sun and no wind. Beautiful 

[TheBrownBear]

3 hours ago, Mango said:

I don’t mean to rain on the parade, but as somebody from Buffalo who was  born here, left and come back a few times, I find Buffalo less friendly than other places. 

 

I think if you’re a lifer it’s great.

 

And even if you transplant yourself here it’s good. But I my experience even for transplants there’s an undertone. You’re never just “John”. You’re introduced to Buffalo bred friend groups as “This is my friend John from Tampa”. And in that group you’re referred to as “Mango’s friend, John, from Tampa”. There is a separation there. 
 

It’s an odd sort of gate keeping. Sort of harkens back to coming home for the holidays and on a random Wednesday I can find the same group of guys in the same corner of Coles, doing the same thing we were doing in HS, and their first words to me are “Did you see Canisius beat St. Joes twice in football this year?”…No…No I didn’t. 

 

I also find that transplants tend to conglomerate together more in Buffalo than other places. 
 

In other places I’ve lived in MA, NJ, OK,  I am just Mango and my friend group has been pretty diverse. 
 

Just a few things I’ve picked up on in my comings and goings as well as some stuff I’ve noticed and talked about dating transplants in the city. 
 

Buffalo is a great town, I just wish it would be more confident in who they are today and where they are going, rather than rallying around the past. 

I think there is something to the adage that "you can't go home again." I moved away to California for college, and while I still love Buffalo and consider myself a Buffalonian for life, it just isn't quite the same when I go back to visit.  And you're right, I also get the "hey, it's TheBrownBear from Cali".  It's kind of weird how you're labeled an outsider after you leave.  It's definitely a very insular community compared to some of the bigger cities I've lived in.

 

But I'll always vouch for the city and it's people.  It is absolutely a great place to grow up and raise kids.

[BillsShredder83]

I left in 2020. When someone asks me what Buffalo is like, I dont always have the best things to say. There's some resentment there (thats on me), but i also won't let someone not from the area talk down on it. It's complicated and some of these posts made me miss it... then I remembered whats coming yalls way pretty soon here lol I dont even own a coat anymore 🤣

[EasternOHBillsFan]

35 minutes ago, stevestojan said:

Dude, that post is a roller coaster of emotions. Hope you’re doing ok my friend. go bills. 

 

I am, it is just tough getting old! Sometimes the challenges in our lives prevents us from doing what we really want to do, but I make the best of it thanks to a great woman by my side that's been there for over 20 years now. I really do appreciate the thoughts and thank you!!! GO BILLS, BILLS BY A BILLION!

[stevestojan]

2 minutes ago, EasternOHBillsFan said:

 

I am, it is just tough getting old! Sometimes the challenges in our lives prevents us from doing what we really want to do, but I make the best of it thanks to a great woman by my side that's been there for over 20 years now. I really do appreciate the thoughts and thank you!!! GO BILLS, BILLS BY A BILLION!

What a great attitude.
 

I really think my other half keeps me sane sometimes. Anyway, glad to hear you’re in a good spot. Bills by a billion indeed! 

[Breakout Squad]

6 minutes ago, BillsShredder83 said:

I left in 2020. When someone asks me what Buffalo is like, I dont always have the best things to say. There's some resentment there (thats on me), but i also won't let someone not from the area talk down on it. It's complicated and some of these posts made me miss it... then I remembered whats coming yalls way pretty soon here lol I dont even own a coat anymore 🤣

I have Buffalo pride and I’ve never lived there. We’re die hard fans in Chautauqua County and we all share WNY pride. Needless to say, the southern tier loves the Bills 😎

2 hours ago, Limeaid said:

 

https://www.rd.com/article/damar-hamlin-thank-you-buffalo/

 

Buffalo does have beaches on Lake Erie - Hamburg and Angola among others. 

 

I was teaching ESL at UB during a summer and one of my students from Africa said she loved going to beach during summer and I told her that Hamburg had one and requires permit for parking but nothing prevents you from taking a bus there.  She said in her French accented voice "Bus system too difficult for me" so I told her I could take her on next weekend.  We took multiple buses and walked down to beach.  After going in water "too cold!"  she lied on beach and I told her to put on sunscreen but she said "Africa sun hotter".  After a couple hours reading she fell asleep.  I woke her later telling her we needed to catch bus back.   She put on her hooded cloak and stood up and yelled "My feet hurt!" and fell back on blanket.  While her skin was very, very dark but her feet weren't and they were sunburned badly. I packed up the gear and told her I'd carry her to bus stop. I carried her on my back while I carried gear in arms.  Had a few comments on bus about us being a "cute couple" but I ignored her.  Once I got to campus I was able to get security help her to her room.

Lived in Dunkirk for a few years a block from the lake. The beach is amazing. All sand and the water is clear. 

[Florida Bills Fanatic]

4 hours ago, HOUSE said:

I see garbage out my front window

That might be a mirror instead of a window...just sayin'

[Mr. WEO]

lol....Reader's Digest

[Just Jack]

4 hours ago, That's No Moon said:

I'm sure the octogenarians that read Readers Digest will find that enlightening

 

I'm not an octogenarian dammit.