Friday, March 13, 2009

WHY is Cambridge so great?

Well, how do I explain that wonderful feeling when I'm driving over the Choptank River bridge looking at all the twinkling lights of our city? Or of driving down Maryland Avenue and then following the river all the way down Hambrooks Avenue on a beautiful early Summer day? Or of an afternoon at Great Marsh park playing ball with the dog, watching her run and swim? Who wouldn't love a place only 45 minutes from Annapolis and 90 from Baltimore that seems like as far out in the country as one can live, or is a small version of Baltimore, or has it's own beach in the back yard? 45 minutes to Nordstrom, 5 minutes to the grocery store, charming shops on the main drag, charming shops 15 minutes away in Easton, Ocean City less than an hour away, St. Michaels is nearby, Oxford, Blackwater.... what more can I ask for? A good old house with a big yard for 150-250k? A lot of industry has left here like many other places, and the economy sucks like it does everywhere, and sure, you might actually have to drive to Annapolis or Salisbury if all else fails... but until recently I didn't know too many unemployed people except when a local factory closed... and they sent all their former workers to school no less. My kids did well at the local High School, going on to college and/or careers. One actually still lives here and will be getting married soon.
Being a little version of Baltimore in some ways, with big city problems as well as small town politics, riles some people. And sure, we have some bad neighborhoods, and drugs, but where do you live that DOESN'T have that? No place I've ever lived.
Doom and gloomers take notice, many many people do LOVE their fair city and hope that others will see all it has to offer!

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Bloggers and BS'ers

I grew up in Old Town Alexandria, a small city with no choice but to bow down to revitalization due to it's proximaty to Washington DC. Along with it came gentrification and tourism.
Cambridge, being historic, on the gorgeous Choptank River, and full of stately homes and tree lined streets has managed to escape the same fate because it's 90 minutes from the nearest big city, too far a commute for most.
Of course, many people will say and do a lot to keep Cambridge down, just read the Newszap blogs, among others. In reality, it's a little peace of Heaven with a fascinating past and a hopeful future, undergoing revitalization in stops and starts.

I'm so sick of the Negative press

Cambridge Maryland A beautiful small city on the Choptank River....