How walkable are you?

When I was very little I wanted to be a ballerina.


They say most girls go through that phase and I think I went through it because, in some way, I WAS a ballerina. When I was in 1st grade I took ballet class in a dance studio at Chatham College from a lady named Miss Audrey. It was as much my occupation as anything else in my life. There was a uniform and a schedule and I liked it, so that’s what I wanted to be when I grew up. My ballet career was sidelined just a few months after it began by a surgery that I had over Spring Break that year. But that was ok, I quickly found other career aspirations, they were, in this order:

• Astronaut (Career aspiration abandoned after the Challenger explosion which I watched live on TV at my dad's office - it was a snow day.)
  
• Congressperson (Career aspiration abandoned after Bud Dwyer killed himself on live TV which I watched live at my dad's office - yup, another snow day. And yes, I know Bud Dwyer was not a Congressperson, but life in politics seemed less interesting after that moment.)
  
• Actress (Career aspiration abandoned after it became apparent that actresses were dependent on directors/casting agents to give them jobs.)
  
• Sport Psychologist (Career aspiration abandoned after two years managing the GMU Men's Soccer team. To say any more would be mean.)
  
• Poet

Yup, I was going to be the first person since Robert Frost to make a living solely by writing poetry. I thought this into my late-teens / early-twenties when I met a wonderful man who became my teacher, mentor and friend. He gave me a job at the presenting house on campus and my career in arts administration was born.

Arts administration gave me the opportunity to combine something I loved (the performing arts) and something I was good at (telling people what to do). I loved the field but when I took a job in the for-profit world of artist management, I was less than happy. It was at that time that I considered switching career into city planning. In the end I didn’t go back to school, instead I took my dream job as the Assistant Director of Education and Intern Coordinator at Manhattan Theatre Club, but while I was researching a career change I learned a great deal (and met my friend Erik, but that is a whole other story!).

The concept that stood out the most for me was the idea of mixed-use areas – places where business, commerce and residential areas co-exist. As I get to know our new neighborhood I am overwhelmed by the fact that we are living in a true mixed-use area that is terribly walk-able. It is very exciting to me. Within 1/2 a mile we have condo/apartment buildings, adorable single family homes, restaurants, movie theatres, grocery stores, shops, bars, etc. etc. The residents are diverse and friendly! Look at how walkable my neighborhood is:


Check out how walkable your neighborhood is here.