LOVE Boston!
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11/19/2007
I am originally from Los Angeles. I have lived in many places, including the Midwest and the Mid-Atlantic, as well as in Europe. I have to say that I consider Boston one of the TOP places to live, especially if you are looking for a walkable, manageable city, culture and arts events, and the ability to live car-free. I certainly could never have lived that way in Los Angeles, nor in the Mid-West or the Mid-Atlantic! The down side to Boston is the weather and the high cost of living. But honestly, housing prices are not more expensive than other high-priced cities, like Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Diego. And the HUGE plus is that I ditched the car several years ago, bought a condo in a well-connected city neighborhood where grocery stores, restaurants, bookstores, movie theatres and cafes are just across the street. I feel very safe here compared to L.A., where I felt I literally had to dodge bullets. I don't have kids, which undoubtedly colors my point of view about life here, but my neighborhood is filled with kids and parents who seem quite happy. There is greenery everywhere and I can quickly name four parks within just a few blocks of my house. I live in a very diverse, ethnically mixed neighborhood where everyone seems to get along. It's also not particularly costly, and there are several neighborhoods beyond tony Beacon Hill or the Back Bay that offer a pretty decent quality of life without high prices. What makes life special here is that you can choose NOT to have a car. That, in turn, improves every other aspect of life. I don't need to join a gym because I walk everywhere. I know everyone in my neighborhood just because I'm out walking all the time. When I don't want to walk, the T is one block from my home. (As well as a Zip car lot.) I feel sorry for people in places like Los Angeles and San Diego who are stuck in their cars, with no other options. Sounds like an awful way to live. I don't think I will ever trade sunshine for the freedom that living in a walkable city gives you.
Pam | Boston, MA