Reliving Our European Dream—in Buffalo, New York?

For much of my adult life, I dreamed of living in Europe—the land of fairy tale castles, good wines, and unhealthy pastries. In 2009, the dream became a reality.

That year I had the unexpected good fortune to be selected for a job in Brussels, the cosmopolitan capital of Belgium as well as headquarters of NATO and the European Union. For three years, my husband and I lived in an apartment in the heart of the city, within walking distance of museums, monuments, cafes, open-air markets, and across from a beautiful park where I could walk my dog, people-watch and get an ice cream cone for my troubles. On weekends we would take the time to savor everything that is wonderful about living in a European city, from early-morning cappuccinos and buttery croissants, to an endless choice of dining options and evening strolls around an urban lake.

The only problem: the assignment was over in three years. Knowing up-front that our European idyll was to be short-lived, we made the most of every day. We left in 2012 with plenty of wonderful memories, a vow to return to Europe, and a hope to perhaps live there again someday.

Fast forward to January 2025, and our planning session for the year ahead. Having retired in the relative isolation of rural West Virginia, we considered going back to Europe to reclaim the lifestyle we enjoyed there, but remembered the nightmare of the last time we traveled overseas. We, along with a thousand other unhappy folks, waited for hours to clear Belgian passport control, came down with a nasty bug a couple days later, and spent the rest of the trip in bed. My husband, lucky fellow, who was returning a day ahead of me, had his flight cancelled at boarding, and got to enjoy a second long wait at customs.  The trauma lingered, obviously, but so did our desire for city living. What to do? Rent an apartment in Buffalo instead!

Buffalo vs Brussels??

How can the two compare, you might wonder. Well, if you’re not from Buffalo that’s understandable, but Buffalo today is a different town than the one known primarily for snow and wings. Zillow named Buffalo the hottest real estate market in the US for 2025, and one of its fastest growing neighborhoods, lying right in the center of the city, is called Elmwood Village.

I had heard that this area had been transformed since I went to college nearby, so I decided to rent an upstairs apartment smack in the heart of the Village with a front porch overlooking the neighborhood. At the beginning of August I settled in, and looked forward to spending the rest of that lovely summer month exploring what was new in the city of my birth.

The first thing that struck me was how similar the experience was to the one we had in Brussels. Within walking distance of the apartment were restaurants for every taste and budget, from upscale to take-out—many with tables and chairs for dining al fresco (Buffalonians, like Europeans, make the most of nice weather). In less than 10 minutes, I could walk to a bank, the food co-op, a pet store, a bookstore, several cafes with great coffee, a bakery and an ice cream shop. Every Saturday morning was a walk to the farmers’ market two blocks away, to buy flowers for the week and fresh vegetables. (The only difference was the market in Brussels had an outdoor oyster and champagne bar, open for breakfast).

In less than 20 minutes, I could walk to elegant Delaware Park. Designed by renowned architect Frederick Law Olmsted in the late 1800s, and much like his Central Park in New York City, Delaware Park is the living, breathing heart of Buffalo proper. In the course of an evening walk, I watched a performance of Shakespeare in the Park, couples have wedding pictures taken by the lovely rose garden, stopped by several food truck vendors, and watched young people playing everything from corn hole to bongo drums.

In the middle of the park lies beautiful Hoyt Lake, surrounded by weeping willows and boat rental houses. Across the street from the park is the AKG art museum with its world famous masterpieces. (Why wait in endless lines at the Louvre?) On the other side of the lake is the Buffalo History Museum, a neoclassical structure reminiscent of the Greek Parthenon, and a remnant of the 1900 Pan-American Exposition which Buffalo hosted.

And to my great delight, all over Elmwood Village (and indeed most of Buffalo) are amazing flower gardens. Every home along the beautiful Olmsted-designed parkways are gorgeously landscaped, and even some of the smaller homes fill their limited space with exuberant plantings. My husband always loved the window boxes in Europe filled with flowers. The apartment buildings in Elmwood Village have those too. Within a month, I felt like I had a European living experience all over again.

Once of the nicest things? Thanks to “earth-friendly” decomposable dog poop bags and bins, every park and parkway is remarkably free of those smelly little piles, despite the fact that this is a very dog-friendly neighborhood. Buffalo’s definitely got Europe beat when it comes to dealing with pup-poop – the sidewalks and walking paths of Paris and Brussels were sometimes virtual minefields.

I’m sure I’ll return to Europe, maybe even soon, but in the meantime I’m happy to know that I can enjoy a “European experience” in Buffalo, just a few hours’ drive away. Where would you rather spend the month of August? In Europe or Buffalo? Please share your views in the comments below!

Moxie Gardiner is a writer, gardener, and traveler who grew up on the West Side of Buffalo, NY. In a previous life she was a journalist, magazine editor, speech writer, and policy wonk. Back in the day she made three solo parachute jumps, flew in an F-15 fighter jet, and crawled through mud pits at the Jungle Operations Training Course in Panama. She now meditates, grows tomatoes, and enjoys a good online Zumba routine at home on winter evenings. Virgin Snow is her first novel, and she is currently working on Book Two in the trilogy.