I’d rather die than live in a boring, sterile neighborhood full of nothing but plastic, skinny-lipped white people. Maybe it’s because I lived in New York City for five years and came to appreciate the undeniable energy of living among multiculturalism , but I can’t think of a neighborhood in San Diego that does it better: a place still more affordable than many others, with decent architecture of nice craftsmans and thoughtful new condo complexes like La Boheme where blacks, whites, latinos, gays, lesbians, senior citizens and lots of others walk the streets, shop in the stores, dine in the restaurants, hang out in the bars, visit the weekly Farmer’s Market, go to the library, attend shows at the North Park Theatre (Pink Floyd laser light show coming next month!), stroll the monthly Ray at Night art walk, enjoy the annual North Park Toyland Parade and arts festival, listen to summer concerts at Bird Park, and lots more — all within minutes of the beaches, downtown and the border via the nearby freeways (though freeways not so near they destroy the neighborhood). Also let’s keep in mind that La Boheme prices, even at their height, were more affordable than condos anywhere else in the the central SD area (gaslamp, BH, HC, etc.). So for a lot of people La Boheme was their first purchased home, their first move up from renting, and a source of great pride. I know many of them. In many cases, they were renting in North Park or nearby before buying. They came to North Park because they love the multiculturalism, the vibe — not because they want to erase or gentrify it away. No, they are PART of it. They enjoy an area not riddled with corporate-owned stepford stores (a few too many Starbucks excepted) but rather locally owned mom-and-pops still showing real character where people know your name when you walk in. I think the neighborhood is exceeding their expectations. I dare you to find another neighborhood in San Diego that does the up-and-coming, lower-to-middle class multicultural thing better than North Park.
