Farewell Baker

Ode to Baker

Oh house on Delaware Street
You will always be the first home of our little family
We will never forget
How much we loved living in your walls
We loved dancing on your creaky wood floors
Benjamin crawled every last inch of them

But beyond the exposed brick that had us immediately
Beyond the beautiful master suite that spoiled us so
Beyond the teeny tiny yard that we lovingly enclosed with a white picket fence
And while allowing us to lovingly put together our son's very first room and memories
We loved YOU Baker

Thank you, Baker, for never letting us be hungry for great food
And, Karma, thank you for providing us with the best spicy edamame
Anyone could dream of
Thank you, Baker, for the concerts and far-too-good-to-be-dive-bar food at Sputnik and Hi-Dive
And for Sweet Action's ridiculously awesome ice cream

What would we have done without you, Baker?
We met friends for drinks at so many of your wonderful taverns
We enjoyed dates at tables and on patios all along Broadway
We saw and loved movies at the Mayan
We sipped coffee from each of your coffeeshops
And Bardo got Ali through most of her graduate school classes

El Diablo, you were just what the 'hood needed
We enjoyed too many chips and salsa (and sangrias) with you
And Beatrice & Woodsley?  Your wine, small plates, and bathrooms always impressed
Now that bedtime has moved up a substantial amount
Perhaps we won't be in need of your excellent cocktails as often
But we'll think of you fondly

Thank you Decade, Fancy Tiger, Buffalo Exchange, and Goodwill
And the many many used book stores Matt adored
For always making our wallets just a little lighter
Baker, we happily supported our local shops
And supported the neighborhood no matter what
Ali even taught in one of your schools

Your parks were loved first by Lincoln, and then by our baby boy
Your sidewalks carried us to anything we could have wanted
We've walked your streets for three years
And not one memory will be forgotten
Ok, maybe just a few...
Like your parting gift of Matt's bike getting stolen
Sigh

We will miss the early mornings and late nights on your streets
The short bike rides to festivals at Civic Center Park
Catching the bus or light rail to fun events downtown
Gossiping about this or that business
But always excited for the next big thing

Baker, our first home, you were a great home
Thank you for hosting us
Your eclectic homes, your fabulous eats, your crazy hipsters
We will miss it all
Thankfully we won't be far
You know we'll be back to visit often
**

A few looks at our old 'hood: