I have a home...

I'm out in Pittsburgh, and now finally feeling a little relief, I've found the perfect spot to live.  Originally we had looked at Shadyside and Friendship neighborhoods as a place to hang our heads, but it turns out we'll be living in Friendship!  It's a little bit closer to the Children's Hospital which will be great for going back and forth to work this summer, and it's a few blocks removed from the craziness that is Shadyside.  I like shopping and expensive homes just as much as the rest of 'em, but there's just something nice about living on a quiet street,  I guess I've been so spoiled over the last few years living n Kendall Ave that it was hard to find a rental that gave me the same feeling of home.  Well, I found it!

All of the places I looked at out here I found on the internet through Craigslist, websites, and the graduate student website.  I did pretty well hunting down openings for June 1st from Wisconsin.  No one could believe I had all of my appointments lined up and organized.  One landlord actually said, "I can't believe how calm you are while trying to find a June 1st apartment, I bet you'll make a good doctor to be so laid back..."  Oh if he only knew that I'm a crazy woman who plans out every moment, and I just was going through the motions before signing an apartment.  I just laughed after he said that.  It was probably because I wasn't even pissed at him for being so late, ahha.

Today I literately woke up at 7 AM and headed out the door to make my appointment 2.5 miles away.  I walked all over Shadyside and Squirrel Hill today and didn't get off my feet until 3:30PM.  It was absolutely ridiculous.  My feet were killing me like Lyssa's dogs on Canal Street.  Tomorrow I think that I'm going to walk back from the Children's hospital.  I'm going to go see Dr. Hackam's lab space and meet some of the other lab members I'll be working with this summer.  I cannot wait, and I'm so pleased to have my summer work lined up and also a place to live, whew!  Now we can go to Europe stress free.  So, tomorrow I cancel my other showings and head to Panera bread to make a list of things I need to pack for Europe.  My plane leaves at 4PM so I need to catch the 28X around 1:15PM from Oakland.  I still have to plan out my morning, but I'm sure it will be just fine.


So, more about the apartment.  It's a two bedroom with hardwood floors and the inside has been completely redone.  It's an older home turned into apartments and they did a great job doing it.  The plaster is fresh, the windows were replaced and I think are pretty similar to Kendall Ave.  The kitchen appliances are black and are standard size and not apartment style.  The stove is gas, which is wonderful!  The kitchen countertops are ceramic and look great next to the black appliances.  In the master bedroom there's exposed brick which makes the room feel really comfy and warm.  The apartment is on the second floor so we get the generous heat from the first floor apartment and the benefit of being up a level and having great windows.  We are able to park in the backyard of the place which shares spaces with Sharp's (a great little pub).  I seriously couldn't have asked for a better cozier apartment.  It's not massive, but it's nice, new, and comfortable.  The price is right too!  We'll be close to Whole Foods (which in Pittsburgh is beautiful!) and another super market.  We're just a drive away from Trader Joe's which makes me happy inside!  I cannot thank Matt enough for hooking me up with his awesome landlord.  This guy is super down to earth, and hopefully once our roof is replaced, he'll let me do some landscaping! Haha, flowers and tulips here we come!

It's official, we have a new home...