Thoughts on life in Rochester.

So I may not know who I am anymore, have any close friends in the area, or know what gives me rest and life, but there is one thing I know during this season of life besides how I am enjoying married life:  I like living in Rochester.

I think a lot of that credit goes to the particular area of Rochester where I live.  The downtown city of Rochester may not be teeming with life as obvious as the hustle and bustle, flashy lights, and the Starbucks-on-every-corner of New York City, and it may seem a bit run down in some parts, but it's chock full of great things to do, places to explore, and food to eat.

As I was thinking about how to list out the reasons why I like living in Rochester, I started to realize that a lot of them overlap in some ways or are sub-categories in other ways.  But I think there's one over-arching, summarizing phrase (that I heard someone use once, but I now use all the time) to describe why I like Rochester:  it's a big city that acts like a small town.

So instead of reasons why I like living in Rochester, here are some of the reasons why I like about Rochester's "big city, small town" feel (in no particular order):

1. Downtown Rochester has many neighborhoods, and they each maintain their own unique identity without having to go very far.  The South Wedge has a hipster, creative, eco-friendly vibe going on.  The 19th Ward is extremely diverse, varies in socioeconomic backgrounds, and is a bit more run down.  The Neighborhood of the Arts (NOTA) has tons of galleries, coffee places, and artsy-fartsy decorations.  Those are only a few, and it only takes a few minutes to explore one neighborhood from the next.  
   
2. It's big enough to have all of your usual big-name restaurant/store chains, but it's also small enough to have "Rochester only" chains.  You've got your typical franchises like Target, Starbucks, and Applebee's.  You've even got your less common, famous places like Dinosaur BBQ and Texas Roadhouse.  Rochester's even big enough to have chains that I wasn't able to have easy access to growing up in New York City (e.g., Red Robin)!  But then you have these local small chains like Java's, Boulder Coffee, and Colie's Cafe, that are in maybe two or three different locations in the Rochester area.  You can't find them anywhere else!
   
3. On the surface, Rochester may seem boring to some, but when you look, there's way more to do than  typical small towns that only have bowling lanes and movie theaters.  There are plenty of meritorious theatres, museums, galleries, and events to participate in when you're in Rochester.  From concerts to races, parades to festivals, and even open mics and service opportunities, there's plenty happening around the city.  And with things like classes that you could take at one of the universities, Monroe Community College, YMCAs, art centers, or even at a local microbrewery or coffee roasters, there are plenty of communities to join and things to do.
   
4. There are enough famous historical figures and events that Rochester can be known for, but it's not so much that's it's a bit crazy.  We're where George Eastman developed the handheld camera and founded his Kodak company, and where Susan B. Anthony lived and persuaded the University of Rochester to admit women.  We're home of the original garbage plate, and where the first Wegmans store opened.  These are all well-known enough to put us on the map and not to be forgotten, but not overwhelming enough to take over the city.
   
5. Particularly because of where our apartment is located, it's really easy to walk or bike to most places.  And if we have to drive, it's maybe 20 mins tops.  I can walk down to the Genesee Center of the Arts for my photography class in less about fifteen minutes.  The Abundance Co-op Market is three or four blocks west.  The central public libraries are a mere ten minute walk.  The Public Market is a mile away.  Dollar movie theater?  Less than a 20 minute drive.  It takes two or three minutes to get to the awesome Museum of Play.  The public transportation system isn't all that convenient, but the roads are pretty pedestrian and bike friendly.  It's especially helpful that the roads aren't always so congested so that it's scary or dangerous to bike.

So that's all I've got so far.  It's been fun exploring the Rochester area.  And even if the "smallness" and traditions of Rochester may grow all too familiar, the beauty is that it's big enough that there are always new things to try.

And you know what's nice about all of this for me?  It's beginning to look and feel like home.

And yet, I am a little bit skeptical about how much I like it here.  Like what happens so often with new toys, new gadgets, and so on, it's easy to get caught up in the newness of it all before the shiny-ness starts to wear off.  Soon enough you may start finding what was once new has become obsolete and has lost its intrigue, mystery, and delight.

But I'm hoping I grow deeper in my understanding of the brokenness and joys of this city.  I hope I grow a deeper sense of commitment, love, and compassion for the people, networks, and systems within it.  I hope God will help me learn to adopt this city as my own the way He adopted me.