THE UGLY CITIES

I fell in love!! This weekend Paul and I were booked with apartment searches. Frustrated with the Crazies (which has multiplied over the last week for some reason), we were desperate! Desperate times call for desperate measures, yes? So I considered some pretty ugly cities for an escape out of the nuthouse.


And, I fell in love! If you know me at all, I love all things "home." Luxury Lofts? Sign me up!! Here are the places we went to.


Monarch Lofts (obviously my favorite):

This would be our apartment too!! Paul said we should hang a hammock between the beams. Deal. Love the exposed brick, 16 ft ceilings, 12 ft windows, granite countertops, open layout, wood floors, dog running path, yoga room, rooftop patio, across the street from the T, etc., etc. Check out the website: http://www.monarchlofts.com/


The other places (took pics but don't want to post all them) are below:
Washington Mills: http://wmlofts.com/

Hamel Lofts (Haverhill): http://hamelmilllofts.com/

After careful consideration of the lofts in Lawrence (shriek from the locals) we decided to do some further research into the city to see what all the fuss it about. 

Things that should make you scared about ghetto Lawrence:

"The last time I went there, I went to fillup my car, and noticed the gas station was different than most - you couldn't walk inside, and gave your money to the attendant protected behind thick bulletproof glass through a steel drawer." -MassYankee

"If someone wanted to live in a former mill city, maybe in a converted-to-lofts building, certainly Lowel is a much better choice. Or even Nashua. I can't see any reason to move to Lawrence on purpose." -brightdoglover

"The police chief of Lawrence gets more airtime on Boston television than any other Massachusetts official - including the governor." -beachcomber4

"Good luck whichever you choose, but please make an informed descision for the sake of your family! There are reasons why it it so cheap to live there." -LMMEGNA

And some good signs (these are from 2008/09):

"South Lawrence (on the Andover side) never took the tumble much of the rest of the city did. And now, at least along the river in the downtown area, there are indeed signs of real and lasting revival." -goyguy

"Many of the former mill buildings are in the midst of a transformation to hopefully breath some new life into the city. Home to Malden Mills (producers of Polartec--google Aaron Feuerstein for an amazing but true story), a New Balance factory outlet, Monarch on the Merrimack (luxury geothermally heated condos, Salvatore's Restaurant, All Things Sicilian (cooking classes!)... 

Lawrence is a gritty, blue-collar (no collar?) city. It's not for everybody, but I've worked with people who love it for what it is... If you're anywhere near the area, take a driving tour to judge for yourself." -Valerie C

More here

After a day and a half of discussion and prayer we had decided on Monarch, but still had a few uncertainties. On Sunday, we still had some questions about our decision. We decided to take a walk around Wakefield's lake, and came to the realization that we were crazy to think about moving from our beautiful, safe little town. It was just what we needed––to see just what we love about what we DO have here. Yes, there are some downs, but we can go outside, play tennis, run around the lake, take walks together, and even go to the shops and restaurants. We would never be able to do that in Lawrence. In Lawrence, we would be too scared to go walking on the streets.


So we have decided to stay put until we find a place that is a little closer to home (Wakefield Home). We are going to be patient and not rush into things. I would LOVE to find a loft, but we will probably have to compromise. We will get less of a house for a good town. 


Good evening,
Amber


NEWS: Two leads on apartments in the next couple weeks. One in Stoneham. One in Melrose. Both neighboring towns that are very nice.