During a recent trip to Buffalo, Atlas Obscura toured around with city planner Chris Hawley. Thanks to Hawley’s insider’s perspective, and his penchant for visiting semi-polished Rust Belt attractions, the expedition turned out to be extraordinary. While the piece was sponsored by Visit Buffalo Niagara, it was definitely all-Hawley as far as the itinerary goes. Among the colorful destinations was The Tabernacle, which is one of my personal favorite music/food/drink venues in the city. Duende at Silo City also made it on the list – another personal favorite. Pastry by Camille was in the roundup, as was Oxford Pennant and Five Points Bakery.
All-in-all, the list of touring destinations is spot on, and showcases Buffalo in a light that most would never imagine. As this city continues to brush off its Rust Belt image, there will always be a dusting that will remain, which is what makes this place so special, in my mind. Recreating a bar like Duende in another city would be tough, because the builder – Robert Sturm – used elements from the industrial site to work his magic. And how many cities have a Prish Moran (The Tabernacle), who not only safeguarded the building, she took a chance with an unknown artist who lit the place up brilliantly. Then there are the buildings – The Richardson-Olmsted Campus and the Darwin Martin House. These are places that blow people away simply by displaying their architectural might.
Buffalo. Who knew?
Click here to read the article in Atlas Obscura.