Most of the time, I love where we live. We have a cute house in a pretty neighborhood that’s close to a coffee shop, grocery store and playground. I can walk to the bank and the gym. (Notice I said CAN walk... As in, it's possible if I ever pried my lazy butt out of my air conditioned car.)
But there are certain times when I think the lawns might be greener in another part of the country. Like, say, where our families (read: free babysitters) live. Or where the temperature and the humidity don’t hit 98-plus in the summer. Or where several hundred murders don’t occur each year. (Sorry, Baltimore, but it’s true.)
The thing is, just because a place looks great on paper, doesn’t mean it’s actually a great place to live. For instance, Columbia, Md. usually makes the list of “Best Places to Live” in magazines. It’s a planned community with lots of nice lawns and street names like Whispering Cloud Lane and Happy Tree Court. (Yes, it’s quite possible that drugs were involved. It was built in the ‘60s.) Anyway, I lived there for approximately 9 mos. many years ago and couldn’t wait to leave. Nothing but strip malls and chain restaurants and scrawny trees. I guess I define “quality of life” a little differently.
But how DO I define it? Sure, Baltimore has museums and opera and theatre, but how often do we really take advantage of those cultural offerings? And I know I should care about taxes and schools and local government, but I’m honestly more concerned with whether the neighbors are friendly, if people judge you by your clothes or brand of stroller, and the going rate for babysitters. I have yet to see a “Best Places to Live” article like that.
Know where I’d really like to live? In the Pottery Barn catalog. It’s such a cozy and bright and inviting place. The people who live there have stylish yet comfortable homes. They take cool black and white photos, they frame their kids’ artwork, they casually toss their rubber rainboots in the mudroom when they come back from picking daisies. They have mudrooms! And they have multicultural birthday parties with well-dressed kids of all races leaning eagerly over the homemade cake.
You just know that if you walked out the door, you wouldn’t see a highway or an Applebee’s. You’d see your neighbors out for a ride on their tandem bike, or having a clambake on the beach. And they’d invite you, ’cause that’s the kind of place it is. Everyone’s welcome in Pottery Barn World! I wonder what the schools are like.
TIP O’ THE WEEK: I just joined Stroller Strides, an exercise class for moms. I love being outside and getting exercise while doing something fun with Miles. Plus the other moms are really nice and get together outside of class for book clubs and cooking classes and other stuff. And contrary to my assumptions, it’s actually a pretty intense workout.
6/26/07
Month 13: Best Places
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9 comments:
Great post. I found your site in a search for Baltimore family sites. We are considering moving to Baltimore (from New York) in about a year so it's fun to read about your life there. Thanks! Jabber www.jabberjaw.name
I LOVE where we live. But then again, we're going to homeschool, so that's not a factor.
And the only thing that grows in my postage-stamp sized yard is mosquitos, but you're not going to get the options of Baltimore at the same price anywhere. My neighbors are amazing, too. They family of three girls calls my son their little brother. Makes my day.
Oh, and the roads in Columbia were named after lines in poems. Really dumb poems.
Interesting, Anne, I never knew that. Guess I'm not that well-read in poetry!
I live not too far from Baltimore, and my family has actually been thinking about where we'd like to live as well. I know it's certainly not in this area. I come from a small town in CT, and I couldn't wait to leave after high school...and now I wish I was back there with family.
There are some days I'd love to live in Boston and there are some days I'd rather live in Amish Country. Guess it just depends on my mood. I agree about the Pottery Barn catalog though!
Hi Abby--I found your blog through CK's writing class, BTW. You were her TA!
I frequently wish I could move into the Pottery Barn catalog, for all the reasons you mentioned.
There's nothing like good advertising to make us feel that our lives are lacking!!! Glad I'm not the only one who has this daydream...now I can laugh at it with you!
Hi again Mom2Miles. I am a fellow mommy blogger (from the NYC angle: www.jabberjaw.name) and just posted the attached. I thought your readers might want to know this, too, since Veggie Booty is hugely popular among kids these days.
FDA News
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 28, 2007
Media Inquiries:
Michael Herndon, 301-827-6242
Consumer Inquiries:
888-INFO-FDA
FDA Warns Consumers Not to Eat Veggie Booty Snack Food
Risk of Salmonella Contamination
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers not to eat Veggie Booty snack food, marketed by Robert's American Gourmet, due to possible contamination with Salmonella Wandsworth, bacteria that cause gastrointestinal illness.
FDA advises consumers to throw away any Robert's American Gourmet brand Veggie Booty they have in their home. Veggie Booty is sold in a flexible plastic foil bag in four ounce, one ounce, and one-half ounce packages.
Veggie Booty is often consumed by children, so parents are encouraged to watch their children, and seek medical care if they observe signs of illness.
Individuals who have recently eaten Veggie Booty and who have experienced any of the symptoms described below should contact a doctor or other health care provider immediately. Any such illnesses in persons with a recent history of eating Veggie Booty should be reported to state or local health authorities.
This warning is based on 52 reports of illness across 17 states, beginning in March 2007. Almost all the illnesses have occurred in children under 10 years old, with the most cases in toddlers. Most persons had reported bloody diarrhea; four were hospitalized. FDA learned of the illnesses on June 27 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which conducted an investigation of the illnesses with state and local health officials. The outbreak is considered likely to be ongoing.
Salmonella typically causes diarrhea (may be bloody); the diarrhea is often accompanied by abdominal cramps and fever. Symptoms typically begin within one to four days after exposure to the bacteria. In infants, persons with poor underlying health and those with weakened immune systems, Salmonella can invade the bloodstream and cause life-threatening infections.
States reporting illnesses include: California (seven cases), Colorado (five cases), Connecticut (one case), Georgia (one case), Indiana (one case), Massachusetts (three cases), Minnesota (two cases), New Hampshire (two cases), New Jersey (two cases), New York (13 cases), Oregon (one case), Pennsylvania (three cases), Tennessee (one), Texas (one), Vermont (three cases), Washington (four cases), and Wisconsin (two cases).
Robert's American Gourmet, of Sea Cliff, N.Y., which markets Veggie Booty, and its contract manufacturer, are fully cooperating with FDA's investigation into the cause of the contamination. Manufacturing and distribution of this product has ceased, and Robert's American Gourmet is recalling all potentially contaminated product, including all expiration dates and lot codes. The product is sold in all 50 states and Canada at retail locations and over the Internet.
FDA will provide updates as the investigation progresses and more information becomes available.
ANd I want to like in the IKEA catalouge. A place for everything, and everything in it's place.
HI Abigail,
I love your site! You are so funny. I found your blog after reading your great article at Writer's Weekly.
I will definitely be back,
Melanie
motherhood.booklocker.com
Too, too funny! I have also managed to fetishize both Pottery Barn and IKEA as mini-utopias. And I'm so, so glad someone actually called Columbia out on the carpet for its twee-yet-trippy street names.
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