Jeffrey’s Reasons for LGBT People to Visit Buffalo
As a gay writer living in Los Angeles, I often reminisce about Buffalo, New York, which is my hometown back east. Ironically nicknamed "The Queen City," the metropolitan area is known for its large and active lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender population. Growing up, many individuals – gay and straight – would often be surprised with my devoted love and admiration for a medium-sized, rust belt city that is supposedly downtrodden and boring. However, over the past few years, I have come to conclude that the biggest Buffalo naysayers have either never visited or have never moved away.
Here are my reasons why LGBT people should visit Buffalo, New York.
Low Cost – I’m not sure that economists would agree with me, but there are a few perks of living in or visiting one of the poorest and impoverished cities in the United States. The hard earned money of your sugar daddy, uh, I mean your money, will go a long way in Western New York, especially if you are looking for a fun and exciting night on the town. The average drink prices in Buffalo are around $4.00 while larger cities, like Los Angeles, typically charge upwards of $15.00 at popular bars or clubs. In bigger cities, I often leave my drink unattended for long periods of time in the hopes of getting roofied and having an inexpensive night out. You know, sometimes that awkward moment of waking up in an alley – or worse, Jersey City – is well worth the money you saved by not buying drinks all night.
Friendly – Unlike our big sister, New York City, Buffalo is a place known for its laid back, outgoing, and easy going mentality. This comes in handy when you are exploring the city and surrounding places – such as Niagara Falls or the many parks and recreational areas. For me, the friendliness factor is a huge plus in the gay bars and clubs; places that, sometimes, are portrayed as cold and disconnected. Sure, I’m usually smitten and end up sleeping with any guy that even smiles at me, which is why I had a pretty active sex life with attending college in Buffalo, but when one is one vacation, the population of any city will really make or break your visit. Buffalo, also nicknamed “The City of Good Neighbors,” is a unique place where one visits and feels instantly accepted – no matter ones sexuality or gender identity.
Nightlife – Having lived in Los Angeles for close to seven months and as I been to a variety of large cities, such as New York, Chicago, Las Vegas, Miami, and Toronto, I can honestly conclude that the nightlife of Buffalo is on par with larger cities. One perk, for other alcoholics like myself, is that the bars close at 4AM, which in other words, means closer to 5AM. Also, unlike most cities, the drinks aren’t measured – one of the first things I learned in college after I got my fake I.D. was that the tightness of your V-neck and how nice you are coincide with how strong your drinks will be. For you picky gays, this will also give you an extra two or three hours to scope out your options for a one night stand – but be careful – because you are still in a drinking city with a sports problem, and after a long night on the town, your perception and morals get blurred.
There are many other reasons to visit Buffalo, New York, and I have only touched upon a few. In a nut shell, it’s an educated, liberal college town with lots of art, culture, and amazing food. In addition, New York of course is the most recent state to allow same-sex marriage, which is a big pull for LGBT families and couples looking to get married. If you couldn’t tell from this article, I may or may not enjoy a few drinks every now and then, so make sure to check out my review of the Best Bars of Buffalo. http://thewhygenerationusa.blogspot.com/2011/08/visit-buffalo-new-york-bars-are-amazing.html
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Learn more about Jeffrey on his site http:thewhygenerationusa.blogspot.com
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