Let’s shorten [the] 90, shall we?
Rise operates in Buffalo and Rochester. With a growing number of contributors in the Flour City like Olivia Bauso and Cecelia Gotham highlighting neighborhoods, art and food scenes, we’re having a blast telling audiences in both cities about their brothers and sisters 60 minutes away. Our friend, partner and contributor, Leah Stacy, recently asked her Twitter hivemind network in Rochester what Buffalonians should know about The ROC in anticipation of No Boundaries magazine issue 7:
Twitter hivemind: What’s something you think a Buffalo person should know about #ROC? It’s for a possible article in @RISEcollab. HMU!
— Leah Stacy (@leahstacy) January 20, 2020
Everyone loves their hometown
The replies from Leah’s network came in fast with some hot and heavy love for all that Rochester does best. Art and nature are interwoven through an incredibly collaborative bar and restaurant scene in the city and its immediate suburbs. Rochester also out-performs Buffalo with its Public Market and the spinoff scene that surrounds it.
“We got art and clothes and coffee!”
“We have Little Theatre and all that comprises!”
Please mention the legacy of #FrederickDouglass in the city of #RochesterNY. His footsteps and accomplishments can conveniently be traced using the self-guided tour No Soil Better: https://t.co/UIrRrIefoW
— Philipp Gutbrod (@philippgutbrod) January 24, 2020
But if you’re gonna take a jab, we’ll jab back – by inviting you to come by
While Rochesterian’s pride in their hometown is by no means misplaced, it was coupled with plenty of misconceptions, made in polite ways at every turn we should note, about Buffalo.
“We’re not their little brother.”
“Rochester has better radio stations and personalities.”
The #ROC has more diverse food, beer and wine choices…
— Mike Johansson #SMMW20 (@mikejny) January 21, 2020
After spending a lot of time in buffalo, Rochester is much more connected to nature. I think most buffalo peeps aren’t aware of all the great beaches and swimming areas we have in ROC/FLX! Not many places to swim in Erie county.
— CLAUDIA (@claudiaptrzk) January 20, 2020
What I miss/love about Rochester:
– Beer scene (although Capital Region does have some phenomenal offerings)
– How deep the Kodak & George Eastman legacy runs through the city’s roots
– Engaged community of young pros trying to lift the city (also a rising thing in Cap Region)— John Mackowiak (@mackowiak) January 20, 2020
This isn’t about knee-jerk reactions to Tom Brady insulting Buffalo in the early 2000’s. It’s about increasing visitation, understanding and COLLABORATION between Buffalo and Rochester
In New York, we’re all dominated by down-state politics. NYC lifers often think Buffalo and Rochester are just some villages on the frontier. We can do more to change perceptions, increase development sustainably, and invent incredible things for our citizens arm-in-arm than thinking we need to compete with each other. While trying to lure Amazon HQ to this region was a short-sited, misguided effort, the best thing about it was talking about Buffalo and Rochester as a team. That starts with visiting each other much more often.
Oxford Pennant said it themselves with their 40 ft mural “KEEP BUFFALO A SECRET” downtown. We know what we’ve got here, and this is an invitation to be in on the secret. Enter their contest in droves and win the damn thing, and then come on down to PARTY.
Oxford Pennant’s “Warmest Cold City” contest throws tourist traps to the side and has tied together the new generation of bars, restaurants and locally-owned stores that have put Buffalo on the nation’s tourism radar in the 21st century (plus some Sahlen’s classics from Ted’s because… they are better than Zweigle’s, sorry.) There’s over $1,000 to spend shopping, drinking and eating directly, $1,000 in cash (in a bag, in $1 bills, left waiting on the bed of your hotel room), $1,000 to a Buffalo charity of your choice (We can help you find one worthy if you win) and $1,000 to send back to a Rochester charity of your choice.
ENTER HERE.
If you don’t win, come see us anyways. Hit us up on Twitter anytime for what to do and let’s grab a beer.
– Rise Team
