Who from from the 5 boroughs are familiar with Upstate New York? (Buffalo: crime, motel)

[Tumbler13]

Originally Posted by UpstaterInBklyn

When asked "where are you from", most Upstaters will respond with the region where they live, not "Upstate", which is probably too generalized for their tastes. "Western New York" is Buffalo and Rochester, "Central New York" is Syracuse. The "Southern Tier" refers to the string of counties that border Northern Pennsylvania.

LOL, I'm from the Southern Tier! I'd actually forgotten about the term. I usually just say I'm from upstate not far from Rochester.

As for Utica, I already posted my Utica story on another thread: http://www.city-data.com/forum/new-y...tica-ny-4.html

[UpstaterInBklyn]

Originally Posted by NativeNYCer

thank you. I was about to respond to that quote as well. it's almost as if some people upstate have a chip on their shoulder about people from NYC.

i also disagree w/UpstaterinBklyn's comment about the weather. i grew up in Bklyn and lived most of my adult life in Queens. i moved to Amherst last summer. as far as the weather goes, it's slightly colder here than in the City, but the snow....sigh, it snows almost everyday. sometimes it's showers, sometimes it's significant. but it ABSOLUTELY snows more here than it does down there.

aside from that, i like it here. the quality of life is much better. homes are affordable and i find that going about my everyday business is easier here than in the City.

i still miss NYC though. whenever i go to downtown Buffalo, it's always a shock to me. there are so many abandoned businesses, it's kinda depressing. i'm just can't get used to that.

People from Buffalo DO have a chip on their shoulder about people from NYC... and a lot of false stereotypes in their minds. I hope you haven't encountered any negative attitudes since you moved there.

And, of course it snows more in Buffalo... a lot more... than it does in the City. My point was that a lot of people in NYC imagine Buffalo like it is literally the Arctic, with the snow is piled up 10 feet and the temperature never going above zero.

This is your first Winter in Buffalo, correct? From what I've heard from family and friends, it's been a pretty bad one, worse than usual. There are typically more extended milder periods where the temps are in the high 30s and 40s and rain is as likely as snow. I believe the lake is frozen now, so the lake-effect snow should be over for the season.

Hey, down here it basically hasn't gone above freezing in over three weeks, so this winter has been a little rougher on everyone.

[jawny08]

I'm originally from Syracuse. I hated it there. I miss the cost of living and not having to worry about terrorism, but I like it in the city MUCH better.

In ways I feel like you are removed from the real world there. You run into a lot of people that are not aware of things that you assume that people know.

The weather is also much better in NYC. In Syracuse the winters are very cloudy and snowy, and there are no beaches upstate in the summer.

[trebler]

I grew up in Westchester and have lived in Albany since the summer of 2007. I moved here after living in Chicago for several years, and to me it feels kind of sleepy, but friends of mine who moved here from the rural Hudson Valley or towns near the Canadian border find it busy and exciting. It all depends on your perspective.

Many people really like the small-city feeling of Albany. It's a walkable city with decent public transport, but half an hour's drive still puts you in the countryside. On the other hand, if you want the excitement and exploration that come with living in a major metropolis, Albany can seem dull -- when the weather's nice you can visit all the different neighborhoods in a single day's walk.

People in Albany are very welcoming, since a lot of transplants move here from elsewhere in NY to work for the state, but it still has a very close-knit feel -- many people jokingly call it "Smallbany." I've only lived here for two years, but it seems like I'm already only one or two degrees of separation from any new person I meet. Again, whether this is good or bad depends on your perspective.

Because so many people here work in the civil service, it's somewhat insulated from the economic troubles affecting the rest of upstate. The cost of living is unbelievably low compared to NYC -- I pay $395/month plus electric to share the biggest apartment I've ever lived in (a 2br with an enormous living room and separate dining room) with one roommate.

Nightlife in the Capital District is a bit strange, because it's split between three different cities which are 20-30 miles apart from one another. Albany, Schenectady and Troy form a rough triangle straddling the Hudson River, and each city gets some of the action that would otherwise take place in a single downtown. If you live in Albany and the concert you want to go to is across the river in Troy, the drive can be a hassle, especially during an upstate NY snowstorm.

I'm planning a move to NYC, because I'd like to live in the city for a few years while I'm still in my twenties, but if I were 5-10 years older and looking to settle down, Albany might not be a bad fit. I don't know what the schools are like, but it seems like Albany would be a great place to raise kids; there are a lot of affordable, attractive suburb-like neighborhoods within the city limits.

[RS085]

Originally Posted by NativeNYCer

thank you. I was about to respond to that quote as well. it's almost as if some people upstate have a chip on their shoulder about people from NYC.

i also disagree w/UpstaterinBklyn's comment about the weather. i grew up in Bklyn and lived most of my adult life in Queens. i moved to Amherst last summer. as far as the weather goes, it's slightly colder here than in the City, but the snow....sigh, it snows almost everyday. sometimes it's showers, sometimes it's significant. but it ABSOLUTELY snows more here than it does down there.

aside from that, i like it here. the quality of life is much better. homes are affordable and i find that going about my everyday business is easier here than in the City.

i still miss NYC though. whenever i go to downtown Buffalo, it's always a shock to me. there are so many abandoned businesses, it's kinda depressing. i'm just can't get used to that.

More than half of the people you meet in Utica is either directly from the city, or has family there (ie: myself). Must be the Italian (mob) connection. Its funny though, outside the NYC metro, Oneida County (Utica) has the largest Italian ancestry population in the US, alongside Schenectady county, and thats it for the entire US.

[RS085]

Originally Posted by UpstaterInBklyn

People from Buffalo DO have a chip on their shoulder about people from NYC... and a lot of false stereotypes in their minds. I hope you haven't encountered any negative attitudes since you moved there.

And, of course it snows more in Buffalo... a lot more... than it does in the City. My point was that a lot of people in NYC imagine Buffalo like it is literally the Arctic, with the snow is piled up 10 feet and the temperature never going above zero.

This is your first Winter in Buffalo, correct? From what I've heard from family and friends, it's been a pretty bad one, worse than usual. There are typically more extended milder periods where the temps are in the high 30s and 40s and rain is as likely as snow. I believe the lake is frozen now, so the lake-effect snow should be over for the season.

Hey, down here it basically hasn't gone above freezing in over three weeks, so this winter has been a little rougher on everyone.

Youre right, but just don't confuse all of Upstate for Buffalo. Technically its in Western NY anyway. 4 hours from Albany. Mod cut: language, Albany is 2 hours closer to the city, even though its only 2 hours north of it. Buffalo's influence is strictly WNY. There are upstaters even that don't go to Buffalo.

In Utica, theres more NYC influence because as I stated above, a good amount of the city residents are from NYC (ie: me).

Upstate just cant be viewed as one entire region, because its pretty separated within itself as well.

[RS085]

Originally Posted by jawny08

I'm originally from Syracuse. I hated it there. I miss the cost of living and not having to worry about terrorism, but I like it in the city MUCH better.

In ways I feel like you are removed from the real world there. You run into a lot of people that are not aware of things that you assume that people know.

The weather is also much better in NYC. In Syracuse the winters are very cloudy and snowy, and there are no beaches upstate in the summer.

Isn't Syracuse in the top 10 for snowiest cities?

You are right about the real world comment, sometimes it feels like people choose to be disconnected from the real world, and dont mind living in their 20th century confines, or stuck in their 1980s mentalities. Its amazing, cause NYC isnt that far when you compare it to other places.

[NativeNYCer]

Originally Posted by UpstaterInBklyn

People from Buffalo DO have a chip on their shoulder about people from NYC... and a lot of false stereotypes in their minds. I hope you haven't encountered any negative attitudes since you moved there.

And, of course it snows more in Buffalo... a lot more... than it does in the City. My point was that a lot of people in NYC imagine Buffalo like it is literally the Arctic, with the snow is piled up 10 feet and the temperature never going above zero.

This is your first Winter in Buffalo, correct? From what I've heard from family and friends, it's been a pretty bad one, worse than usual. There are typically more extended milder periods where the temps are in the high 30s and 40s and rain is as likely as snow. I believe the lake is frozen now, so the lake-effect snow should be over for the season.

Hey, down here it basically hasn't gone above freezing in over three weeks, so this winter has been a little rougher on everyone.

I'm glad to hear this isn't the typical winter weather that Buffalo experiences. I admit, i'm a wimp when it comes to winter, but this winter has been bad...and we're only in Jan.

I haven't had any outwardly negative experiences w/people here as far as stereotypes about NYCers. Just more covert, sarcastic comments from a couple of smart Mod cut: language. Other than that, everyone else is wonderful here. People are really helpful and friendly. I happen to think people are helpful and friendly in NYC also, and that we've had this bad rep about being rude since the 70's that hasn't gone away yet.

I'm not sure if i'm going to stay here after school. Even though i like it here, i keep hearing about how there are no jobs here and how Buffalo is steadily on the decline (check out the Buffalo threads).

[UpstaterInBklyn]

I'm glad to hear this isn't the typical winter weather that Buffalo experiences. I admit, i'm a wimp when it comes to winter, but this winter has been bad...and we're only in Jan.

You're in the home stretch! With the lake frozen, you shouldn't see any more lake-effect snow. February and March in Buffalo tend be much less snowy than Nov/Dec/Jan, because WNY does not get hit with east coast storms, which tend to be late-winter phenomena. The bad news is that Spring is a real drag in WNY, because it usually cold and rainy. April can be just another winter month, only with slightly higher temps. Even early May is usually chilly (low 60's). You can't count on consistently warm weather until Memorial Day. But the summer is great - some of the most pleasant weather in the country from June-Sept.

I'm not sure if i'm going to stay here after school. Even though i like it here, i keep hearing about how there are no jobs here and how Buffalo is steadily on the decline (check out the Buffalo threads).

That's the challenge. It's a great place to live and raise a family IF you have a stable job and like the the small city atmosphere. Amherst has great schools.

Regarding people's attitudes, I'm glad you've been able to experience the friendliness of the "City of Good Neighbors". In the 2.5 years I've been living in NYC, we've met a lot nice people too.

[energygrrl]

Hi, I am from Buffalo, lived in Rochester, moved to Charlotte, NC and then to Raleigh, NC and in Sept I moved "up here" and I am living in Bayonne, NJ. Driving in and out of Manhattan and working at one of the area Hospitals until my contract is up (and then will be seeking other employment).
So does that qualify me to contribute to this thread? LOL
Personally I love Buffalo! I just wish it were easier for me to find a job that would pay me a decent, sustainable wage. I love Elmwood ave. Decent housing prices, easier driving, better parking that the city offers.And my family is there as well.
I also love Rochester. Great parks, architecture, Father Jim's church:Spiritus Christi ( a progressive community ) The U of R and so much more!
Going from the gentleness of the South back to the North has been a shock to my system! The thing I love the most of course are all the cultures and diversity and the absolute luxurious food! MMMMMMMM
But everything else has really been challenging and I dont mind being honest about it. The attitudes have been much harsher than what I have been accustomed too. The parking is a nightmare. In NYC as well as Bayonne. The driving is challenging. The weather overall colder and the prices of housing is ridiculous. I refuse to pay the amount of money they are asking for some of these places. What they call a Condo around here I call a dump. And overall the dirtiness of the area has been a major turn off.
No, I love being here ... for now......
But will be happy when my partner gets transfered back to Buffalo or Rochester!