November 24, 2008

Saving Buffalo’s Untold Beauty. A nice look at what was once a top ten (by population) US city. Growing up within range of Buffalo TV, I know more about this city than I should, considering I only ever visit to see the Bisons.
  • Haven't been to Buffalo since my friend's wedding in '98. Now I'm waxing nostalgic. There is a scrappy, working-class sort of civic pride that is distinctive of the city.
  • Not to mention Beef on Weck
  • Buffalo is the largest city in the world named after an animal.
  • Haven't you been to Aardvark, KY?
  • Well, that's only until my petition to rename Mumbai "Mr. Whiskers City" is inevitably accepted.
  • Buffalo and western New York seem to be an anomaly in that a fair amount of the local economy lately has been made up of foreigners (Canadians) hitting the malls. Unfortunately for this part of the country; strong USD=empty parking lots. Although the loonie is up some 4c this week, so if it holds, then it may yet be happy holidays, (at least for the merchants at Galleria).
  • I've linked it previously elsewhere, but no discussion of saving Buffalo's architectural legacy is complete without mentioning the abandoned railway station, Central Terminal. The restoration of theDarwin Martin House is coming along very well -- it looks like just interior work remains, and there is also work being done to restore the Martin's FLW summer home Graycliff, just to the south of the city.
  • (Graycliff is especially interesting, as you see FLW playing with ideas that would come to the fore in Fallingwater.)