This is the first in a series of posts designed to spotlight the best that Buffalo has to offer, from people to places to events. Each post will feature a 5 question Q&A with a twentysomething who we think adds some spunk to the city, or a 5 point rundown on why a place or event is worth your time.
Meet: Nina Cimino
Director of Communications at Nichols
Fashionista
Lover of Words
What do you love most about your job?
In many ways, I'm a storyteller. I'm lucky because I get to discover great stories everyday and share them with others. There are countless newsworthy events, special happenings and successful people to help tell wonderful stories about Nichols.I have the ability to put it all together and get the news out there, and that makes me feel good.
How hard do you think it is for a twentysomething to find a job they really love in WNY?
I don't think it is as hard for a twentysomething in WNY to find a job he or she loves as much as it's hard for any twentysomething to find a job worth loving. It's a scary reality that you are about to be spending more time at your place of employment than you are at home.
I was there. I freaked out toward the end of my final semester at college, and I was incredibly prepared largely thanks to four back-to-back unpaid internships. You go to school for 13 years, then a few or more years of college, and then you're expected to suddenly be confident finding a job and going to work everyday from roughly 8-6. It just doesn't make sense.
Here's the key: join relevant clubs and professional networking groups, volunteer and do as much internship work as you possibly can without losing your mind or going broke! Finding out what you don't want to do is as important as learning what you do want to do.
It's a Friday night. You're on a tight budget and you've only got $20 for drinks and dinner. Where do you go and what do you have?
I would go to the Falafel Bar for some yummy Mediterranean cuisine - probably some pita with hummus and the days special grilled falafel wrap with Greek salad - and then head across to Cole's for a drink (or vice versa).
What's the best way to meet people in the city?
I would say going out on Elmwood or in Allentown during the summer especially. Meeting up with a friend can easily turn into a small group. You bump into a person you used to go to school with, or someone who's a friend of a friend, and people who look familiar but you just can't place... Honestly, if you want to meet people in Buffalo, you could simply hang out at Cole's, because I feel everyone winds up at Cole's.
With the economy, the jobs, not to mention the weather, there's a lot of negativity surrounding Buffalo. As a twentysomething, would you consider staying here and possibly raising a family?
I would absolutely consider staying here and raising a family. In fact, I plan to! I am looking forward to walking down Elmwood with my future husband and a full stroller on a sunny day.
BONUS: Choose one: Elmwood Art Festival, Taste of Buffalo or Thursday at the Square?
Taste of Buffalo because it draws a huge crowd into the city to enjoy food that many have never had at the actual restaurant location. I enjoy the art festivals and appreciate looking at the work, but that's not for everyone. Taste gets people of all interests excited in a way that only food can.
-Molly Hirschbeck
There's something so nice about seeing a friendly face.
I'll be that first to admit an aversion to bumping into people in line at the grocery store, at a play or … heaven forbid … at some sort of reunion. Small talk and I have not been friends for a very long time.
However, looking up to see a familiar face when you feel so separated from your surroundings is truly a blessing. I had one such experience one morning this week … and the small talk was great. Brief, but not uncomfortable.
This makes me think even more about how connected people are. Just in the last two days, I have been asked about people I may or may not know, more than once. And realizing that you have a connection with a new acquaintance … be it a distant aunt or a high school sweetheart … is as welcome as that familiar face in a crowd of strangers.
Someday, I hope to grow up enough to not hide my face behind my grocery bag when I see someone I know simply because I don't want to answer their "What are you up to?" question. It's such a loaded question for which I never have a snappy reply.
I'm not assuming that every familiar face will bring joy … do you really want to see your ex-boyfriend's catty little sister at La Nova? … but I'm hoping I can treat everyone with the civility they deserve.
Even if it means small talking away.
-- Kristen Rajczak
News intern
So women will vote for women and minorities will vote for minorities. I'd say there are plenty of people jumping on one side or the other based on those qualities.
But then there's me.
I'm a woman and a minority and genuinely confused over whom I support. Since I'm not black or white but Hispanic, I'll label myself a middleman.
Anyone can tell that this year's presidential campaign is different. It's not just the different candidates but the issues that are being discussed which I haven't heard yet. I'm only 21 so my knowledge of political campaigns is not as vast as someone in their 30s, 40s, or 60s.
What I do know from my observations is that a voter's age, race and even gender are becoming huge factors in the vote. Obviously, attention has always been paid to those three things, but I think they've been brought up more this year.
I'm a young, Hispanic woman. I'm young so I should be voting for Obama. I'm a woman so I should be voting for Clinton. I'm Cuban so I should be a Republican voting for McCain.
Well, I'm none of the above.
I'm not voting for McCain - so far - so I've defied that demographic. I was living in Florida during that state's primary and I voted Clinton. Her ideals fit my own, so I fit into that demographic then. But due to some recent flubs on her part, I retracted my vote, but not to Obama.
My vote is swinging away from two very intelligent and capable people. There's much to be respected about McCain but his platform is not one I want to stand on.
The Democratic nomination could be settled next Tuesday with the next primary, or we'll have to wait for the convention. I have no idea if I'll be disappointed or not and if so, for whom.
Either way there's more than five months between now and Election Day, which is plenty of time to fit into a demographic.
I may not know whom I'm voting for but I do know one thing: ignoring the race and/or gender of the candidates and listening to their words are the wisest things to do.
-- Natalie Morera
News intern
I was disappointed earlier this month when inquiring about my former town baseball team to see if I could rejoin it. I found out that the team, and league it played in, are now defunct.
You see, I am just not ready to dive into softball yet. I know there are plenty of fast-pitch leagues out there and even some slow-pitch ones sound competitive, but at 25 I still think -- falsely, I suppose -- there is something left in the tank and cannot bring myself to do it.
My old town baseball team would have been a nice fit because I work an erratic schedule, and I work nights. I would have been able to at least make it to weekend afternoon games at home. Besides, these were guys I had played with for some time before working in northern New York the past couple of years.
I know there are plenty of muny leagues around, but I'm skeptical about offering my part-time services to a team. Showing up every now and then is an inconvenience to the rest of the squad.
Should I just break down and join a softball team with people I know who would be OK with that arrangement? I don't see that happening, but maybe after a summer of no baseball I could bring myself to do that next year.
I am sure there are a bunch of you out there with softball tales, so feel free to weigh in and convince me to cross over.
---Geoff Nason
Feeling fortunate to be back in Buffalo in my 20s, I make an effort to buy locally whenever I can. Aside from the satisfaction of pumping money into the local economy, I suppose I would like to think that the local product is a better one than something from a generic company.
Of course, the drawback is that buying local often costs more. The same goes for buying organic.
I would like to think that when I am in my 30s, without a cloud of debt hanging over my head (hopefully), I will buy local/organic at will. But as a twentysomething, it is hard to justify always doing so.
For now, I do what I can. I have done my best to drink bars out of Flying Bison. Places like Fleet Feet and Record Theatre regularly get my business. I have been meaning to look into joining the Lexington Co-op, but have not gotten around to doing so.
There are surely plenty of other ways I can "go local." Any suggestions?
And what about you: Do you find it tough to buy local or is it a financial sacrifice you are always willing to make?
---Geoff Nason
The weather last weekend was perfect for driving.
Lately, I've felt constantly surrounded by people. On Friday, I couldn't wait to stop and buy myself a huge coffee and a sesame bagel … double toasted, mind you … with cream cheese (lucky penniless me had a gift card!) and turn "Narrow Stairs" up as loud as I could stand it.
I'd had my first crack at a regular 9-5 job (which is actually 10-6 in my case) and I was ready for a mini-vaca.
I set off on my two-hour drive to Erie with said bagel in hand and loved every second of the singing-at-the-top-of-my-lungs time to myself. I then proceeded to be a passenger for an additional 500-something miles to and from Columbus, Ohio. Despite the splattering of bugs on the windshield, zipping along the highways in roll-your-window-down weather is incredibly refreshing after such a non-existent spring.
Ever since I bought my car I have had a love-hate relationship with it. I love being able to take off to the grocery store when I feel like it or visit friends that don't live five minutes away.
However, when I looked forward to another beautiful driving experience Monday morning, my car had other ideas. To make a long story short, I ended up driving the 100 miles from Erie to Buffalo with my hazard lights flashing the whole way. With all of the police out on the roads because of the holiday, it was a wonder I wasn't pulled over.
Eventually, though, you have to just let things work out for themselves. True, I was unable to use my blinkers, but I put my iPod on shuffle and nibbled on some left-over soy tacos and sure enough, my heroic father was able to fix the lights problem. Generally, I worry too much about what might happen. I assumed I would have to pay upwards of $200 to get my whole console removed, instead, an at-home fix solved the issue.
So, my moral today is to look on the bright side of things. And with the sun out and shining, you … and I … will be probably be able to see it more clearly.
-- Kristen Rajczak
Working in the city the past two summers has made me learn to love and appreciate everything we do have downtown. Some might argue it's not much compared to other cities, but hey, I'm all about an Elmwood bite to eat, a stroll in Delaware Park or an art festival or jam band summer concert once in awhile. Sure, the city has its quirky places and even quirkier people, but as I've said before, deep down I believe its a great place with a big heart.
For those who feel the same, there's an upcoming chance to give back to the city you love. Brush Up Buffalo, an event scheduled for June 14, is set to help paint and restore neighborhoods throughout Buffalo. Designed to "empower low-income homeowners and revitalize Buffalo neighborhoods," Brush Up Buffalo selects one neighborhood each year and helps beautify at least 15-20 houses through the efforts of 500-1,000 volunteers.
When I first heard about this event, I thought this was a project that would last a week or two at the very least. Nope. One day. A Saturday. Because of the number of volunteers, the organization is able to work steadily throughout the day in teams to revitalize several houses in a matter of hours. It's a win-win situation: not only are the volunteers helping the proud but in-need homeowners, but the homeowners are introducing the volunteers to historic, culturally diverse neighborhoods that they might not have otherwise visited. I'm totally bummed I have a prior commitment that day, because I'd definitely throw on my Alex-Mack-inspired overalls from middle school and join a team.
My paint skills are limited-in fact, I've never painted anything bigger than the ceramic Christmas plate I made for my mom in the fifth grade. But I've got a feeling the Brush Up Buffalo people might be able to overlook this issue for anyone in the same boat. After all, the whole event is about extending a hand to your neighbors in need, and wouldn't you hope they'd do the same for you?
-Molly Hirschbeck
Riding the entire length of the Metro line for almost an hour a day has made me see a whole different side of Buffalo.
I was born in the city but hardly consider myself from the place where there are now-cracked sidewalks down the street from the tattoo parlor that arrived after I left. Truly, I am a suburban girl, something I, unlike friends that are ALL "from Pittsburgh," trumpet to my heart's content. The nitty-gritty is not really my thing. Even in writing, I prefer interviewing quirky restaurant owners or reviewing CDs to following a cops beat or investigating an arson. I can't say I'm ever going to be one of those journalists, despite my love of the controversial.
This journey into the unknown, including the sometimes-deserted streets near the Erie Canal Harbor in contrast to the claustrophobically crowded 9:15 a.m. train, has made me realize that though I take pride in my suburban roots, they have made me uneasy of the "rough" city
Just the other day, a man in a trench coat sat very near me, while I was listening to my iPod and reading my latest novel adventure. At once, I assumed he was a flasher, preying on a young woman sitting alone in a train car. A particularly potent scent accompanied another man and I immediately felt indignant that anyone who doesn't wash regularly be able to board the same car as my Pantene Pro-Ved self.
Then there was the obviously somewhat crazy woman who yelled at me for sitting in a seat reserved for people with disabilities (which I didn't know was for the disabled). These observations make me feel and sound like someone I don't think I am. I chastize myself daily for transforming every person around me into a stereotype they probably would not appreciate.
Then again, maybe my wariness could be considered smart and safe. Winnie the Pooh told me as a child, "Don't talk to strangers" and that advice always runs through my mind when, well, anyone approaches me and I am outside my physical comfort zone. This is, anywhere outside of my school district, I suppose!
You'd think living downtown in Pennsylvania's third largest city would have made me braver. Instead, the tie-dye wearing, McDonald's slummers that hang around near campus have made me less trusting, more afraid that the nearest supposed-bum could take off with my purse. Then again, I saw a hitch-hiker in Williamsville the other day. Maybe it doesn't matter where you are.
-- Kristen Rajczak
News Intern
In our first week at the News, my fellow interns and I were invited to take part in this, the Twentysomething in Buffalo blog. Upon reading the invitation, my heart sank a little. Have I really turned into a twentysomething?
I've been avoiding this realization for about a year now, as I'll turn 21 in just a few weeks. Not that I'm not looking forward to summer, my senior year of college or starting a career next May, but can't I do all that and stay 19 forever?
My plea for 19 is this: When you're 19, you're a kid. If you screw up, it's OK. If you excel, it's something to celebrate. But the second you turn 20, all the rules change. We're now expected to be mature adults, but somehow, we still get stereotyped as being immature and irresponsible.
This is best illustrated in the Sex and the City episode "Valley of the Twenty-Something Guys," which depicted anyone ages 20 to 29 as drunk and sex-crazed. I'll admit, I know a lot of twentysomethings who fit that description, but in general, I think most of us keep it together pretty well.
My sister, an elder twentysomething at age 27, isn't an out of control person as Ms. Bradshaw and HBO would have us believe. On the contrary, she works full-time, is planning her wedding, and just adopted a precious puppy with her fiance.
My friends and I, representing the young'uns of the twentysomethings, are working, interning or taking class this summer in hopes of getting jobs after graduating next May. Again, a pretty stable group of people.
On top of the frequent misconceptions, any twentysomething who returns home for the summer has experienced the adolescent purgatory caused by once again living with their parents. Don't get me wrong, I love my mom and dad, but when my mom scolds me for not eating breakfast as I'm leaving for work, it's hard to tell if I'm supposed to be a kid or an adult.
So here's my question for you, my peers, as we embark upon the summer season. When you're a
twentysomething, what does the term "acting your age" actually mean?
-- Stephanie Schomer
I'm broke.
My first 2 1/2 years of college I had always joked about being a "poor college student," knowing that I really did have a nice cushion in my savings account to bail me out when needed. I had a job at home and held on-campus jobs the past two years, from which I saved a significant portion of my paychecks.
Somehow, that just isn't enough this week.
In an effort to save money, I am commuting via Metro train downtown to my internship this summer. I like people-watching and was hoping I could avoid filling my tank for more than a week, though I still have to drive TO UB's South Campus to get on the metro.
But two days ago I rode my bike (in another effort to save as much gas as possible for my sojourn back to Erie, Pa. this weekend) to Tops, where I was told 30-day metro passes are sold. With little to no emotion at all, the lady behind the counter said, "Only between the 25th and 5th of every month." Great.
Yesterday I approached the big blue ticket-selling machine in the South Campus station, credit card and hope in hand. Certainly, the $3 a ride, five times a week that would then equal about $60, should be discounted with a long-term pass. It was $55. Tough luck.
Not lamenting this too much, I headed home late in the day, only to find that I had overdrawn my checking amount by $1. I had forgotten that I spent half of the $100 I transferred from my savings account on gas (the second or third time this month I had to redistribute my non-wealth). I caught it in time and did not have to pay the overage charge, but that really was too close for comfort.
Normally, I watch my money like a hawk but with a newly-acquired car payment, insurance and rent (in an apartment I won't be living in til mid-August, I might add), not having a paycheck since school ended has certainly hurt my pocket. And really my fun.
Being a "twentysomething" in Buffalo … and outlying areas like my suburban home … is hard without money. The weather does not resemble May in the least, so outdoor activities like bike riding or swimming are out of the question. Bars, to the over-21 crowd, are fun but expensive. Even going out to dinner with friends gets pricey if you catch a movie after … upwards of $10 at my friendly, neighborhood Regal.
So what's a girl to do? My friend and I drowned our penniless sorrows in some party cake ice cream last night and stayed in. Where did I get the money to buy the ice cream?
My mom lent me 10 bucks last week.
Let's hope I remember to count the change in my car cup holder to pay the $2.85 toll heading into Erie.
-- Kristen Rajczak
News intern
