Where Would I Live? Part Four: Shaker Square
Ahhh, Shaker Square.
On one hand: been there, done that, sort of. I lived near Lee and Van Aken for a year, which was a vigorous walk to Shaker Square - a walk that I undertook fairly frequently. It bothered me, though, that no one else seemed to - I actually don't recall running into more than one other pedestrian, ever. Just people in cars advising me to also get one.
(However, I should point out that the reason I walked to Shaker Square was because I liked to go to the bookstore. Oops.)
But the thing that makes Shaker Square gain points over Cedar Fairmount is the presence of locally-owned Dave's Supermarket, which wasn't there in my day. (C-F only has a Giant Eagle. Or... wait a second. Is it a Dave's now? This list seems to suggest that it is. So does this. Someone tell me true!) Another rare commodity: the farmer's market -- I haven't been able to walk to a farmer's market since living in Missoula. (For the record: I loved being able to walk to the farmer's market in Missoula. Loved it.)
Other pros of Shaker Square: Balaton (not until I got out of Cleveland did I realize how rare and special a good Hungarian restaurant is); Luchita's; an increasingly rare pedestrian-friendly movie theatre; more public transport than I could possibly need; Jim's friend Paul lives nearby, so, built-in friends (although, I've never met him, so it's possible I might find him grating and horrible....)
Cons: East Side location (I am at heart a West Sider, and spent my two years living on the East Side wishing I didn't); relatively expensive; inordinate noise seems a possibility; crime? (I seem to remember some doozies, but it may have gotten better....insight, anyone?); traffic (I recall drivers who acted like they didn't know how to behave in a pedestrian area, and that having somewhat of a negative effect on foot traffic.
I'm also not convinced Shaker Square is designed for the people who live there... that it might be more of a destination neighborhood, like Coventry. Again, insight?
Although, I suspect the biggest cons with Shaker Square are mostly psychological... I might feel a sort of sense of defeat. Like, after three years, I just move back to within a stone's throw of where I lived before?
I admit I also have bad feelings for the area owing to my bitchy, nouveau riche upstairs neighbor on Van Aken who refused to "give up living in comfort" (by turning her massive stereo system down) for the likes of me, a humble librarian. When I imagine stepping out for dinner at someplace like Sergio's SARAVA, I imagine her sitting at the bar with her paunchy, golf-pants-wearing, sports car-driving paramour, toasting their prosperity.
This experience has so colored my image of upscale East Side living that I'm enormously hesitant to give it another try.
On one hand: been there, done that, sort of. I lived near Lee and Van Aken for a year, which was a vigorous walk to Shaker Square - a walk that I undertook fairly frequently. It bothered me, though, that no one else seemed to - I actually don't recall running into more than one other pedestrian, ever. Just people in cars advising me to also get one.
(However, I should point out that the reason I walked to Shaker Square was because I liked to go to the bookstore. Oops.)
But the thing that makes Shaker Square gain points over Cedar Fairmount is the presence of locally-owned Dave's Supermarket, which wasn't there in my day. (C-F only has a Giant Eagle. Or... wait a second. Is it a Dave's now? This list seems to suggest that it is. So does this. Someone tell me true!) Another rare commodity: the farmer's market -- I haven't been able to walk to a farmer's market since living in Missoula. (For the record: I loved being able to walk to the farmer's market in Missoula. Loved it.)
Other pros of Shaker Square: Balaton (not until I got out of Cleveland did I realize how rare and special a good Hungarian restaurant is); Luchita's; an increasingly rare pedestrian-friendly movie theatre; more public transport than I could possibly need; Jim's friend Paul lives nearby, so, built-in friends (although, I've never met him, so it's possible I might find him grating and horrible....)
Cons: East Side location (I am at heart a West Sider, and spent my two years living on the East Side wishing I didn't); relatively expensive; inordinate noise seems a possibility; crime? (I seem to remember some doozies, but it may have gotten better....insight, anyone?); traffic (I recall drivers who acted like they didn't know how to behave in a pedestrian area, and that having somewhat of a negative effect on foot traffic.
I'm also not convinced Shaker Square is designed for the people who live there... that it might be more of a destination neighborhood, like Coventry. Again, insight?
Although, I suspect the biggest cons with Shaker Square are mostly psychological... I might feel a sort of sense of defeat. Like, after three years, I just move back to within a stone's throw of where I lived before?
I admit I also have bad feelings for the area owing to my bitchy, nouveau riche upstairs neighbor on Van Aken who refused to "give up living in comfort" (by turning her massive stereo system down) for the likes of me, a humble librarian. When I imagine stepping out for dinner at someplace like Sergio's SARAVA, I imagine her sitting at the bar with her paunchy, golf-pants-wearing, sports car-driving paramour, toasting their prosperity.
This experience has so colored my image of upscale East Side living that I'm enormously hesitant to give it another try.
Labels: Where Would I Live
posted by Christine at 9:43 AM
2 Comments:
http://www.walkscore.com/
fun site that calculates the distance from food,banks,public transportation, and then gives your neighborhood a score
I lived at Shaker Square in 2000-01 -- right as things were getting really exciting there. Joseph Beth, Wild Oats, etc. With those things gone, I'd be less inclined to live there. I've only been in that Dave's once, but my impression was that the one at Cedar-Fairmount (formerly Russo's Giant Eagle and before that Russo's Stop-n-Shop) is better. I have stopped at the Cedar-Fairmount Dave's a couple times to do minor shopping on my way home to University Heights.
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