"This Old House" renovates in Dorchester

Renovation gurus "This Old House" spruced up a foreclosed home on Hendry St. in Dorchester for a show recently (for those who don't know, Hendry St. had the highest concentration of foreclosed homes in the city last year). It's great to see a well-established show like TOH investing in the community and doing simple things to improve a blighted neighborhood in these tough times. It also points out that one of the first steps to improving a neighborhood is improving the property. Even us renters can do simple things to give our habitations a bit of curb appeal, a crucial element in making an area appealing to others. To start, how about a nice pot of flowers on the porch?

Get thee to a cafe

Yet another reason to head to the local indie cafe for a macchiato...

Happy Cinco de Mayo, Amigos!

Marcela E. Garcia, the editor of El Planeta here in Boston, penned an editorial for the Globe yesterday claiming that she didn't celebrate Cinco de Mayo. She's Mexican, she says, and it's not really a holiday they celebrate in Mexico.

It might be true that Cinco de Mayo gets overlooked in the Mexican holiday calendar, but here in the United States, where Latino Californians and Texans have long celebrated their heritage on Cinco de Mayo, it's kind of a big deal. That's why I am going to be celebrating Mexican pride at the PUMA City Burrito de Mayo festival. I don't know if burrito eating festivals are very traditional, but they sure are a fantastic way to mingle with people who aren't like you in a neglected urban space (Fan Pier!).

Shep Fairey's Midas touch

As you may know, Shepard Fairey has an awesome retrospective at Boston's ICA. We were thrilled to learn that he doesn't do all of his own work himself but has a multicultural team of assistants who help his art to shine. Here's a great video where Shep gives (or denies) the seal of quality to the work of his assistants. Democracy in action!

Revitalize During the Recession? Yes You Can!

There's no getting around the recession. With credit frozen and people scared to buy real property, you might be tempted to give up the hope of revitalizing your neighborhood. But that would be the wrong move.

Recessions are actually the perfect time to build the bulwark for your new property values.

Think about it. Remember the Lower East Side in the 80s? The South End in the early 90s? When recessions hit, upwardly mobile young people start slumming. Consider the facts. One of the primary forces behind urban blight is white flight. But where do white people fly when they don't have any money? That's right—right back into your neighborhood. Housing is cheaper, and so are the grocery stores and restaurants.

It's about the long term. Start revitalizing now, and, when the markets rebound, your property and neighborhood will have appreciated nicely and just in time for a new housing boom.

Welcome

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