Braddock, PA

I really don't have the faintest desire to live anywhere else but where I am right now, a few blocks from the river, a few blocks from downtown, in this cozy and safe neighborhood full of character and good parks and trees. A place like this was my dream when I was growing up in the rural burbs of western Washington. I'm so glad to be raising my kids here. But I must admit I'm all aflutter about Braddock, Pennsylvania after reading this article about it in Ready Made magazine. That was something that Matt and I bonded about early on, a soft spot for decaying East Coast steel towns like Johnstown, PA or Trenton, NJ.

Read the article if you're at all intrigued. I'm in love with the idea of a beautiful old husk of a town becoming revitalized by a pack of gritty young idealists and DIYers. An organic farm right on main street, artists and artisans being lured into town by the mayor's promise of $50.00 a month rent for living space and studio space, and houses that cost $10,000.

I know, I know, the weather's probably dismal, it's 20 minutes outside of Pittsburgh, crime's still high there, it's not really this candyland place to move a young family. I just have to say that article has lit a little fire of longing in me.... so maybe someday, after that energetic young mayor has worked some of his magic. It's nice to know that if we did get the itch to move elsewhere there is somewhere else that could hold our interest without being prohibitively expensive like SF, NYC, Portland...