A New Frontier

Buffalo. Insert negative or self-deprecating comment.

For all of the flack the Queen City takes on, New York State's second largest city remains, if anything, proud of what it is. Even if, to outsiders, that means the second poorest city in America (which it is) or a severe weather outpost (which it can be.)

Natives (count me) know it can be a lot more than that.

Most times they struggle to define it to the uninitiated, often getting lost in niceties like "friendly," "neighbourly" or "small town."

But a New York article on the city may actually nail it; a definition of Buffalo that does not come up short or canned or market-tested. And from all points of view, it comes from those who see Buffalo as a place where they can find the sort of dream most never find in... are you ready... New York City.

http://nymag.com/realestate/features/49491/

In articulating the hope and spirit of the region, it also puts into perspective what can be seen amidst the run-down Rust Belt that Buffalo people see from both a distance and next door: a new frontier.

A place where people can leave their mark.