Well, we have our "favorite spots", too. We may love a place for its natural serenity, its bustling energy, its sustainable living practices, its cultural activity, or the very important fact that dear friends live there. Here are a few (very outlandish) dream places:
- Middlebury, VT - We visit here (almost) every year since first visiting on our honeymoon. It's a green (in more ways than one), great little college town in a state that makes it far easier to live sustainably and support local. Somehow, it provides a mix of modern with traditional "New England small town" charm, all in an adorable package. Of course, we know no one who lives in the vicinity, making a move not only implausible but incredibly alienating and lonely. Sigh.
- Ithaca, NY - Much like Middlebury, it's a "gorge-ous" college city with abnormally eco-friendly practices (especially for NYS). With a high-quality theater scene and the most hippies-per-capita in all of "upstate", it's practically a miniaturized Portland, Oregon. (That's a good thing for us.) I can't begin to list all the reasons we'll never move there, but it's a nice place to visit.
- Western Mass - Dave went to school here, so he may be biased (I shouldn't say that; I went to Oneonta and I have no intention of moving there ;-)), but he has some of the awesomest friends on Earth whom we love to visit. So, it would be worth the price of admission just to move and see them once in awhile, honestly. Add to it the fact that it's another "like-minded" place as far as local eats, organic and sustainable practices, and more, and it's a dream come true. Unfortunately, it's just not worth leaving our respective families and low cost of living. *wop wop*
- Concord, MA - Okay, a few of these are my dream whereas a few are more Dave's, so bear with me. Have you BEEN here? It's a step back in time, with many historical homes and well-kept historical and nature preserve sites (Hello! Walden Pond much?!). I'm fascinated by the transcendentalist movement and the life of Louisa May Alcott (and American history, of course), so when I tell my students I've visited her home, they tend to think I'm a stalker (then ask if it's haunted, of course). The place is just bursting with history, culture...and incredibly expensive housing. *scratches off list*
- New York City - We've never said "I want to live here!" In fact, when we were in our dating stages visiting every 6 months or so, we looked in restaurant windows to see parents with kids and said, "Wow, I can't imagine raising children here." Between the noise and constant over-stimulation, the sheer cost is unthinkable. But, of course, not enough positive can be said about the place. So, when the time comes, we'll allow H and any future siblings tiny doses of over-stimulation. ;-)
- The Adirondacks - Here's another one that's all me and pretty much 2% Dave. Maybe 0%, who knows? While we're relatively close to the majestic Adirondack mountain range and park, we rarely ever utilize the place, going maybe once a year (like the year I went camping for a couple of days with my family or our Old Forge visits). The Adirondacks are the total opposite of NYC, with their constant barrage of peace and quiet, natural wonder, outdoor activities, and, yes, more history. (Although NY has quite a bit of history, it's modern to the max.) Again, it's pretty darn expensive (unless you pick a less popular lake) to get even a shabby camp, and I'm admittedly a pretty crappy swimmer to be utilizing a lake, anyway, but for the gentle calm, fun and exercise of canoeing and hiking, and animal encounters? I'd take it. Plus, what better way is there to raise a child?
- Cooperstown, NY - This is by far the closest "home away from home" for us. Every once in awhile, we take the drive out for their Saturday (indoor!) farmers' market, random event (like their annual Candlelight Evening I've mentioned several times), or just to grab a deli lunch and head down to picnic by the lake. It's another diamond-in-the-rough: rich literary history (no, really), incredible museums (sure, baseball, but so much more), picturesque scenery and perfect "Andy Hardy old-school town" vibe, plus an incredibly active group of people working to make the place as good as it can be. If I ever make millions of dollars writing the next big American novel, we're movin' there.
What's YOUR "home away from home"? I'd love to hear your favorite spot(s)!
1. Mount Desert Island, Maine - It's the "traditional" Hutchinson family vacation spot.
ReplyDelete2. Any place in the Canadian Maritimes. I fell in love with New Brunswick when I first visited and didn't think there was any place better until I visited Prince Edward Island. Now I'm going to see what Nova Scotia is like in 2015!