Maureen and Andrea at the grill.
If you already live in Phoenix and you’re like me, you spend your summers looking forward to the cool evenings of the fall, winter & spring. Open windows, fresh air and occasional rainstorms are something that we all look forward to after our notorious summers. I also look forward to the impromptu barbecues that my friends and I can cook up with just a few quick phone calls. A big grill, a few burgers and some great neighbors remind me why I moved to Downtown Phoenix in the first place. The eclectic atmosphere attracted me years ago (14 to be exact) and through the seasons, I’ve seen some amazing people added to this mix that I now call “my family.”
Sadie, Abby and Elvis enjoy the cool grass
Many have left for other parts of the country after spending a few years in the valley, and I still miss them terribly. Chris McCauley and Andrea Munzer gave Binnie and I our first Godchild, Sophie Rose, and then relocated to Dallas to further their careers. Andrea Colavito and Ben Danzo are still finding their ways through Seattle after a similar job transfer took them from our downtown Phoenix earlier in the summer. Olivia Munzer (Andrea’s sister) is now in Ann Arbor Michigan studying endangered bats for her bachelor’s degree. Barbecues are shared with different folks now, and while they may not taste the same – I enjoy them nonetheless (although Chris’ famous brownies are irreplaceable).
As a Real Estate agent, I get to meet many of Downtown Phoenix’s newcomers during their introduction to our area. It’s nice to be able to stop by and invite them to a cookout once in awhile. A quick introduction is all that’s usually needed and neighbors open their arms to a new friend. Before long, Binnie’s dog Riley is chasing Maureen’s dog Abby across the front lawn while all of us are laughing and sharing stories together over a glass of wine and a loaf of French bread.
It’s peculiar to me that neighborhoods like ours, can unknowingly – and very effectively – attract a certain “type” of individual as their residents. I’m not even sure what that “type” is, really. Downtown Phoenix houses singles and couples both gay and straight, white collar & blue, Hispanic and African American, young and not-so-young, Sikhs and Mormons, and countless other anomalies – yet each neighbor carries in him or her something that unifies them into these diverse neighborhoods of ours. Most are creative spirits with a propensity to know their surroundings on a deeper level than “the normal homeowner.” Many of us know our neighbors -for better or for worse- and this seems to be a huge draw to the newcomers that seek out homes in our historic districts. Rarely do I meet a homebuyer that simply wants to be left alone. Anonymity is one attribute that our neighborhoods don’t offer very well!
Maybe it’s the front porches that bring folks together. These vintage neighborhoods were built with the garages detached and in the backyard and the porches in the front – not like their modern-day counterparts. So an hour or so spent in the early evening on the front porch will quickly get you plenty of dog-walking or baby-pushing neighbors passing by your home. If you know these people, you may want to offer a cup of coffee or a cold glass of water and exchange some news or catch them up on your life. But, if you don’t know your neighbors walking past your door – be sure to introduce yourself. A simple introduction may just lead to something extraordinary.
It’s barbecue season, Phoenix!
