Thankful for Buffalo

Happy Thanksgiving!

For many people today is about food, family and football. For me, it is also a time to really reflect on all I am thankful for. So many times we are quick to point out the shortcomings in our lives or the problems we are faced with, but take for granted all the little things we are thankful for.

I am so thankful I have the chance to share my love of Buffalo with all my readers and even more thankful that people out there read this (I get blown away when I check my daily stats and there's hundreds of views). Thanks for giving me a few minutes of your time whenever I post a blog. I can't tell you how much I truly appreciate your support!!! Please stay in touch with me via Twitter and Facebook (see left side of the page) and drop me e-mails if you know of any great local businesses.

I thought it would be fun to create a list of reasons why I am thankful I live in Buffalo. Here's my top 10 (and I know there are plenty more. Feel free to comment on the blog with reasons you are thankful you live in Buffalo).

1. The people. I seriously mean this too. No matter where I go, people are just friendly in Buffalo. Okay, okay, so I occasionally run into someone having a bad day or someone who is just rude, but whether I'm in the line at the grocery store, paying my toll at the toll booth or walking around the park on a summer day people say hello, smile, strike up a conversation and Buffalo truly does live up to its nickname "The City of Good Neighbors."

2. I get to experience all four seasons every year. While people joke there's really only two seasons in Buffalo; winter and construction, I absolutely appreciate the weather Mother Nature gives us. People around the rest of the country don't know how good it is to see the leaves change, experience that first snowfall, see the daisies and tulips bloom in spring and bask in a gorgeous summer day. Take a look at this year alone...we have been spoiled. Even now in November, we have had so many nice fall days (and there's more on the way this weekend!)

3. The food. I've traveled a decent amount in my 28 years, and without a doubt, when I am on vacation, I miss the food. That's not to say I haven't had some good meals on the road, but when it comes down to it, the selection in Buffalo is the best.

4. My summer calendar fills up fast. Once the Allentown Art Festival hits in mid June, there's something going on in Buffalo every single weekend, and many week nights. From Taste of Buffalo, to Thursday in the Square, to free concerts half the other nights, to Bisons games, you have a chance to do something fun with family and friends every week. What's even better is that the majority of them cost nothing to get in!

5. If you live in any of the many surrounding suburbs it takes no more than 20 minutes to get downtown! I say this all the time when I go downtown for Sabres games or dinner or to enjoy the night life, and without fail, every time I get there within 20 minutes.

6. The cost of living. Yea I said it. Living in Buffalo doesn't cost nearly as much as it could. The city is filled with gorgeous parks, architecture and entertainment that can keep you busy for hours.

7. The proximity to Niagara Falls. Alright, so I've had a lot of awesome memories at Niagara Falls and it holds a special place in my heart, but just knowing one of the seven wonders of the world is a 20 minute car ride away, always gets me excited. The fact that Canada is right there too is not so bad either!

8. Sports. Having an NFL team, NHL team and NLL team are pretty awesome (we also have a minor league baseball team), but what's even better is I can pretty much go anywhere in Buffalo and find someone who will talk to me about sports. If I have Sabres or Bills anything on I can almost guarantee someone will say "Go Sabres" or "Go Bills" to me. If I'm at a bar on a game night, I have ten new friends to chat with. Buffalo is definitely a place for sports lovers (even if you don't love the Bills or Sabres because most of us genuinely care and know about what is going on in the leagues in general).

9. The fact that there is virtually no traffic. Go to most other fairly decent sized to big cities and you sit in traffic wasting away much more of the day then I'm willing to. I'm the girl who gets upset when the 290 is backed up (and by backed up I mean, maybe going 30 instead of 60). Our thruways, interstates, expressways all move pretty quickly and I appreciate the fact that I can get from point A to point B fairly quickly.

10. The fact that 85% of the time (a percentage I just totally made up, but bet it's probably close) when I meet someone in Buffalo, odds are they know someone I know and it's less than the famous "six degrees of separation". I'd say maybe 4 and depending on where you are, 2! People genuinely have each other's backs and know someone who knows someone who will take care of them. That's the kind of city it is.

I can think of a bunch more reasons why I'm thankful for Buffalo, but it's time to go eat lots of Mom's homemade stuffing, my homemade muffins and some cranberry sauce. Enjoy your Thanksgiving and happy official kickoff to the holiday season!!! If you are going shopping this weekend SHOP LOCAL! (I'll admit, I have Kohls on my list too, but Elmwood, Hertel, and all the local shops are the place to be)

I'll be back on Monday!