Let me start by saying I am not a native of Idaho, which means I am not an expert on all things Idaho...or even Boise for that matter. I am a very recent transplant from sunny Arizona so my family and I are still trying to feel our way around the City of Trees.
Let me also say that I am NOT one of those people who moves to a new place and then goes about trying to change things to relflect my former home state. I don't want Boise to be like Phoenix. I don't want more big box stores, more chain restaurants, more developments full of brand new houses. We moved here to get away from that kind of never ending "progress". I love the open fields full of produce and cows. I enjoy searching the area for little diners or fun craft shops or pick your own farms that allow us to participate in the harvest. I really want to support the "buy local" movement that seems to be gaining momentum in the community. I dig the quirky, unique vibe that exists here and I am more than happy to try to acclimate. You know - the whole "when in Rome thing."
What I have realized though, with all of this change in our lives, is that it is really tough sometimes to truly feel at home in a new place. Our family talks often about what is missing from our lives here and as we talk, we realize that when we miss our old home, it isn't because it was so much better, it's because it was comfortable. Aside from missing friends or family, we sometimes miss our community. We knew where to get the best sub sandwiches or the best chinese food and the owners of those places knew us. They had seen my kids grow up over the years and we had seen their businesses grow and change. It was nice to be considered "regulars". It was comforting to walk into a place and have the owner ask you if you wanted "the ususal." We miss seeing the same teller at the bank we had gone to for years, or the grocery store clerk with whom we had countless conversations each week while he bagged our groceries. We miss the realtionships we had with those places and those people. Those are the things that made our neighborhood feel like home.
at home in {Boise} is our online effort to find and feature the people, places and things in the City of Trees that make Boise such a great place to live. It is our way of forging new realtionships with "the locals", so we can find our place in the community and truly feel at home in our new town.
We hope, as new members of the community, that we can do our job to help you feel at home in {Boise} everytime you visit this site. We would love for it to become your go-to place for current information about who's doing what where in the Treasure Valley. You're always welcome here...pull up a chair, kick off your shoes and stay awhile.
