Moving to Winnipeg - Any Tips?

[raggedy13]

Hi Winnipeggers,

I'm moving to your great city for school in September (probably moving the last half of August), and was hoping for a little insight from you urban types.

First, a few things about me that might be worth knowing...

I've never been to Winnipeg. The closest I've been is Edmonton and Calgary in the west and Toronto in the east (all of which were 10+ years ago). I'm moving for the Master of City Planning program at UofM. I finished my undergrad degree at UBC 5 years ago and despite getting a BA Geography I've worked as a graphic designer since then. I won't have a car. I've never experienced winter outside of BC.

Despite knowing little about Winnipeg at this point I'm really looking forward to the adventure of it all - I've been lucky to do a good amount of international travel but I've never lived anywhere outside of Metro Vancouver. I've done some Winnipeg research but talking to some locals would be a big help.

So with that said, these are a few things I'd love your thoughts on...

1) Interesting urban/walkable neighbourhoods that would be good for a student to rent in, preferably close to or with easy transit access to downtown and UofM.
2) The reputation of UofM and their City Planning program in particular.
3) Any must do/see things when I first arrive to get the lay of the land or feel of the city.
4) Any words of encouragement/tips regarding the climate/winter.
5) Any unique cultural aspects of Winnipeg that would be good to have a heads up on to save me any embarrassment or confusion.

I'm sure more will come to me but that seems like plenty to start with.

I'm pretty gung-ho about learning as much as I can and integrating myself as much as possible. I'm seriously considering staying put in
Winnipeg long term (at least assuming I like it - I'm betting I will) so any and all info is appreciated.

Sorry for the lengthy intro but thanks in advance for any help!

[1ajs]

i can give u a tour........ being searious

woseley and or westbroadway, exachange and osborn and around the cordin strip are areas u prolly want to look into

suggest coming out in july and setting up shop then u will beat the rush and get a better rent option and you will get to experiance the summer and the cit

[esquire]

Congratulations on starting your Master's degree program, and welcome to Winnipeg! I can't answer all the questions but I can speak to a couple of points you raised.

As you will soon find out, the University of Manitoba is in the pretty far reaches of suburbia. There is a lot of student housing nearby, but not much that would be of interest to an urban-minded person. The most student-friendly part of town (and one of the most urban) is definitely the Osborne Village area reaching right into the Crescentwood/Corydon area. Given your background and interests, you might be interested in some more advanced-level urban neighbourhoods... Wolseley/West Broadway is one, and Downtown is another. Some might argue the point, but I'd say if you can get a reasonably priced apartment in the Exchange District I think that would be the best option from an urban lifestyle point of view... If I were twentysomething again that's definitely what I'd be after.

As for winter, yeah, it gets cold. But in my opinion it isn't fundamentally different from any other type of inclement weather, like rain. You just dress for it and carry on with your life. You don't have to run out and buy a Canada Goose parka and army-issue hats and gloves, just have a good set of winter clothes. (Some newcomers go a little crazy with the survival gear... this isn't Antarctica!)

Obviously one tends to find reasons to avoid spending time outside when it's -35, but fortunately those types of extreme cold days are rare. Just curl up with a good book and stay indoors when it happens.

Good luck!

[ediger]

if you are without a car, Osborne Village is a great area. You've got a Safeway, Shoppers Drug Mart, a liquor store and about 30 restaurants and bars within a three block stretch with tons of apartments on the streets branching off of the strip. Also has good access to public transit and is bordered by some other pretty interesting older neighbourhoods.

One of the things you'll need to know about Winnipeg is there is plenty to do, but you kinda have to look for it. There's an incredible arts scene in Winnipeg, but you wouldn't know it by walking down the street. The bars and galleries don't really have big signs or marquees and aren't advertised very well in any sort of mainstream media. Take a minute to check out the poster poles/boards around the Exchange and Osborne Village if you happen to spot one.

[bomberjet]

Too bad the second phase of BRT won't be finished (or started) for you. Would be perfect from downtown or Osborne Village. Other posters pretty much nailed it for urban living.

[Jack1983]

Alternatively... the folks over on reddit/r/winnipeg have lots of good ideas / suggestions
http://www.reddit.com/r/Winnipeg/sea...elevance&t=all

[1ajs]

organic planet is a rip off........

myers on willian is a great place to go and is just a stones throw from the exchange

[Mininari]

Hi there Raggedy,
I'm the older version of you; I'm from Vancouver, Moved to Winnipeg just over 7 years ago for school (my wife started first, then me).

I'll start by saying read all the posts above mine thus far as they all have very good information. I had a house in Wolseley and absolutely LOVED it there. Its a very walkable, quiet neighborhood with lots of pedestrian and cycling activity. I miss living blocks away from the Tall Grass Prairie Bakery, Neighbourhood bookstore and cafe, and De Luca's Italian Deli. All staples of my random walk-about shopping.

I did my school at the University of Manitoba Fort Garry Campus; my wife at Bannatyne (hence our decision to locate centrally). That said, the #36 is an express bus that serves Wolseley decently and is a one-seat express ride to the Fort Garry Campus. But I can sense that you're maybe after a little more density and vitality, so definitely look at apartments along Corydon Ave. Osborne Village, and do look around the exchange. Do yourself a huge favour if you wander the exchange and go on a saturday; unfortunately many of the stores/cafes aren't open Sunday, and it can feel a little deserted. Not really the case! Read through the Winnipeg construction forum and you'll see there is a lot of residential momentum downtown right now, particularly in the Exchange. Even if half the proposals make it to completion, the area will have grown a lot.

I think you will find the Fort Garry Campus to be a very reasonable and pretty nice University. There is a good variety of services on campus (doctor, dentist, food, hair salon, etc). FYI, perogie-fridays at St. Johns College cafeteria were my favourite. You've also got a variety of restaurants off-campus on Pembina Highway, but you need a car to get there. As a grad student, you should have some liberty to go out once in a while -- Beware; Aramark food, but there are student-run and church-run options.

As for culture, things to do -- as said above, you have to look around for it since much of it is local-oriented. Winnipeg is not a flashy tourist town (although a couple new major attractions are opening this summer; I'll let you find them . Definitely explore the live music, the professional theatre, folkfest, art gallery, local history, floodway, the rivers, everything. I really appreciated everything Winnipeg had to offer, and mostly how it was a genuine mix of urban soul and culture, and not entirely run over by big box stores and razzle-dazzle.

If you find yourself missing White Spot or Vera's burger shack (or whatever your YVR burger passion is), then definitely check out the winnipeg burger stands. Ma n Pa-run places you can get a really good, homemade burger and fries. I recommend VJ's on main, or Dairy Whip. Fatboy with fries; thats what you order.

Oh yeah, definitely check out the Bridge Drive In (Ice cream!) and Sargent Sundae (Portage Avenue). Nothing beats Ma n Pa ice cream places.

You may find the summers feel pretty hot some days since you no longer have that ocean breeze to cool you off, but that is tempered by some amazing thunderstorm potential. I actually joined the local stormchasing team while I was in town (although I am a weather geek, so I have an excuse). Winters are NOT as bad as everyone out in BC whines about. There is such a thing as a dry cold, and its really not that bad. Cold temps mean low absolute humidity, which means you don't feel damp. Just figure out what layering of clothing works for you, and you'll be fine. Avoid going outside when the windchills are below -40 though... the wind really tests your endurance of the cold. If you ignore this past winter (worst winter on record since 1898), it generally doesn't go below -30C that often... (air temp only; no wind chill). When it does, its usually at night... although a cold spell can yield a couple -30C as high temp days! I'd take a -20C and sunny day over +1 and wet any day.

Oh yeah, outdoor hockey rinks galore in wintertime, and free skating on the Red and Assiniboine Rivers, along with Festivale de Voyageurs. There is also the Fringe Festival, Folklorama (international festival), Winnipeg Comedy festival, and many others.

If you do have a car, you should get a block heater installed. Others may waiver on whether you need one or not, but it really is useful to have your car plugged in when the nighttime minimum is below -30 and you're parked outside. If you don't have a car, then don't worry about it. Get a bike instead since its flat as can be there, so riding is pretty straightforward -- just watch the traffic and learn the bike routes.

Have a safe move and good luck!
I've since moved again, this time to Victoria for a post-doc, but I really do miss my friends and basically everything I described above.
p.s. If you're a hockey fan; then definitely find a way to get yourself into the MTS Centre for a Jets game next season. It truly is the best hockey crowd experience in the NHL!

[raggedy13]

Thanks for all the feedback everybody.

I'd had a few neighbourhoods like Osborne Village and the Exchange District on my radar but I didn't know anything about some of the other areas mentioned like Corydon or Wolseley. Needless to say I did a lot of Google Street View today thanks to all of you.

My sister-in-law has some family in Winnipeg so her and my brother are going there the Canada Day long weekend and I will most likely be joining them. I'll be sure to try and cover a lot of ground in a short amount of time. I'm also hoping to find something to rent for August while I'm in town. I love the idea of moving earlier and getting settled over the summer but I've got an awkwardly placed wedding in BC in August that I'm supposed to be the best man at. If I had an extra $500 sitting around I'd ideally move ahead of time and just pop back for the wedding but I have a feeling I'll be a bit tight for cash…

Originally Posted by Jack1983

Alternatively... the folks over on reddit/r/winnipeg have lots of good ideas / suggestions
http://www.reddit.com/r/Winnipeg/sea...elevance&t=all

Thanks for the reddit link, Jack1983. I'd heard of reddit but never knew what kind of site it was… does that seem strange? It has never come up in conversation and I've never given it enough thought to check it out. Anyways, looks like a potentially useful resource!

Originally Posted by 1ajs

i can give u a tour........ being searious

Thanks! I may just have to take you up on that at some point.

[bejb]

Things to check out

RAW Gallery downtown
Operated by a graduate of the Faculty of Architecture. He has hosted some nice work from students and faculty members. He is also half responsible for the pop-up winter restaurant on the river titled "RAW:Almond" - the other half being the chef of the restaurant Deer + Almond (you can piece together where the name comes from). You maybe heard about the dinners as it seemed to make the news around Canada.

Plug In ICA. They have a pretty great exhibit on the legacy of Bauhaus instructor Maholy-Nagy right now. The building is quite nice, designed by a collective of a few small practices in the city (Peter Sampson Architecture Studio, David Penner, and DIN projects). Also the in the same building is one of a few locations of Stella's Cafe + Bakery (a restaurant)

Speaking of cafe's, Winnipeg has quite a few new ones. Downtown there is Parlour Coffee is run by Nils, another recent graduate of the Faculty of Architecture. He was formerly a product designer who did work with (another graduate of the Faculty), who is now creative director of EQ3. There is now a new sister shop.. titled "Little Sister Coffee Maker" in Osborne.

As well Thom Bargen Coffee on Sherbrooke. Cafe Postal in St. Boniface. And MAKE on Corydon. MAKE is owned by Jae, an instructor at the Faculty of Architecture. He was one of the curators for Canada's entry Venice Biennale 2 years back along with a local firm called 5468796. MAKE also hosts exhibits related to Winnipeg's design + culture scene. He usually runs the shop in the evening, and is pretty willing to talk about his thoughts on design in Winnipeg or the school. Or listen to whatever people are interested in.

Students of Faculty of Architecture puts out a book called Warehouse Journal each year that documents a bunch of work from each year. It usually has a bit of City Planning as well.

Watch "My Winnipeg", by local director Guy Maddin. Its fairly famous as far as film output from Winnipeg goes.

Check out http://www.winnipegarchitecture.ca/ for resources on the Winnipegs Architecture. The director also runs a Architecture + Design film festival.

In the winter Winnipeg is host to an international design competition called the Warming Huts. "Warming" is a term applied loosely. At most they may shield you from the wind. Architects + Artists team up to propose shelters for the river, and a select few get built each year, as well as one from the UM Arch. School. More info here: http://www.warminghuts.com/ Definitely adds some interest to Winnipeg's skate trail. Gets the public talking about design.

As the more recent "summer counterpart" to the Warming Huts, there is now Cool Gardens (more info: http://coolgardens.ca/) Its not really as well known as the Warming Huts. Its organized by a group called StorefrontMB - http://storefrontmb.ca/ (who've seemingly adopted/stolen their name and logo design from New York's gallery called "Storefront for Art and Architecture.. but anyway..) It organizes a Winnipeg Design Festival. And helps out with a bunch of other design related things in the city.

Thats all I can think of right now.

[raggedy13]

Thanks for all the tips, Mininari!

I quite liked the look of Wolseley. The retail strip along Westminster was somewhat sparse and maybe a bit more "granola" than what I'd normally look for but I really liked how green it looked and the slightly more closed in feel it had (with all the big trees, narrower streets, etc.). The mellower vibe was appealing too. It reminded me of my previous neighbourhood around Heather and 16th in Vancouver.

I'll be sure to try to keep all your other tips in mind - lots of good stuff there.

And thanks for the well-wishes! And yours too, esquire.

[BrickJunkie]

The above posts are pretty much bang on. I hope you enjoy your stay in Winnipeg. I suspect you will find that it's a pretty affordable city to live in, with perhaps more to offer in a cultural sense than many would assume.

I'm an ex-Calgarian who also lived in Vancouver for a while, and I moved to Winnipeg for the rock'n'roll scene and the festivals and actually wound up staying for the architecture. Something you may notice fairly quickly is the variety in housing stock between neighbourhoods. It's a comparatively old city to Vancouver, of course, and there are still several areas that feel relatively untouched; I've always enjoyed the varying looks and 'vibes' of the different areas of town out here. Neighbourhoods don't feel quite as boring and homogeneous here as they do in Calgary (to me at least). There's a lot of different visual themes....

Again, I do hope you enjoy your stay here. It's a smaller metro area than the Lower Mainland, but I think you'll find that if you meet the right people and explore the right scene(s) for your tastes, it will still feel pretty urban. Also, the city is growing at a decent pace again and some pretty exciting developments and proposals are underway, so it's not a bad time to explore the area. I think you'll experience the city during what will prove to be the start of her second golden era. Things are starting to take off here, and it's a great time to stick around and witness the change.

[CoryB]

In terms of winter, yes it gets cold, but something most people don't discuss is the climate changes are gradual. Winnipeg is not +30 one day (August) and -30 (January) the next. It is not uncommon to have a day or tow of +5 weather in February which has locals venturing outside without heavy outer coats, however if it is +5 in June people are hiding like it is -40 out.

In terms of winter clothing, as others have suggested, you do not need the warmest Canada Goose. Generally, most of the moderate cold weather stuff will work fine. People will tend to limit time outdoors on the coldest days going from heated buildings to heated vehicles to heated buildings.

Enjoy your stay here.

[The Jabroni]

As mentioned above, great neighbourhoods like Osborne Village, Corydon, Exchange District, and West Broadway are great for someone like you.

For winter, all you need is just a thick jacket. It doesn't need to be very fancy, just thick enough. Dress in layers too, like a sweater, or hoodie, and then standard items like mitts/gloves, and toque. If you're going to be venturing outside in -20 or -30 weather for longer periods of time, some long underwear would be ideal as well.

[raggedy13]

You certainly seem plugged into the local architect(ure) scene, bejb. That's really interesting how many architects have opened businesses. It's funny cause I was already thinking about the potential for opening a business as I was wandering around Winnipeg in Street View.

As I said a few posts up, I'll be going to Winnipeg the Canada Day long weekend with my sister-in-law, who is an architect, and visiting with one of her cousins and her husband there (both of whom I know from when they lived in Vancouver a few years back). Her husband is an architect in Winnipeg so I'm hoping between him and my sister-in-law I'll get some good exposure.

Originally Posted by bejb

He is also half responsible for the pop-up winter restaurant on the river titled "RAW:Almond" - the other half being the chef of the restaurant Deer + Almond (you can piece together where the name comes from).

I think I noticed Deer + Almond in the Exchange on my wanderings… but I have to admit I will need to keep working on figuring out the name.

Originally Posted by bejb

Watch "My Winnipeg", by local director Guy Maddin. Its fairly famous as far as film output from Winnipeg goes.

I'd read a review (quite a positive one) and it's definitely on my to-do list as far as Winnipeg research goes.

Originally Posted by bejb

In the winter Winnipeg is host to an international design competition called the Warming Huts.

I came across those Warming Huts in this Maclean's feature that my sister forwarded me… http://www.placestosee.macleans.ca

She sent it to me cause there's a piece on Nelson (where she lives), but I couldn't help but notice the Winnipeg one. It definitely paints a positive picture of Winnipeg from an architectural point of view.

[raggedy13]

Originally Posted by BrickJunkie

I suspect you will find that it's a pretty affordable city to live in, with perhaps more to offer in a cultural sense than many would assume…
...I think you'll experience the city during what will prove to be the start of her second golden era. Things are starting to take off here, and it's a great time to stick around and witness the change.

I have to admit the affordability is quite attractive… it's one of the reasons I'm open to sticking around long-term. I won't be able to afford a place in Vancouver for many years to come and, as you said, it really seems like things are looking up for the city. I love the idea of moving there at the beginning of an upswing, being able to settle there while it's still affordable but witnessing its renaissance and getting to enjoy the city more and more as new projects materialize.

[raggedy13]

The winter weather tips are definitely making me feel better, so thanks CoryB, Jabroni, and others.

I'm sure it will take a bit of adjusting but I'm pretty used to layering for Vancouver… i.e. shirt, hoodie, jacket. Perhaps I'll need to add an extra layer in there somewhere or get a slightly warmer jacket, and wear my gloves, toque and scarf more often, and invest in a pair of long underwear for those extra cold days, but otherwise it doesn't sound all that bad.

It sounds like I could survive 99% of the winter just with what I've already got. For the most part my plan was to just go as long as I could wearing my usual stuff and then pick up any extra warm things as needed.

I was a bit curious about the snow situation. It doesn't seem like Winnipeg gets a ton of volume, and I imagine it gets cleared from streets and sidewalks quite regularly and efficiently. However, I was wondering what the typical winter footwear is like in those parts? I pretty well wear Blundstones all winter around here.

[Spocket]

Winnipeg is very much a city without pretension. The atmosphere is very "blue collar" in many ways but don't let that put you off if it's not your thing. It's an easy city to relax in in many ways.

Having traveled the world (East Asia anyway) and across Canada I can tell you a few things that are important for you before you arrive : Don't be put off by the weather. Yes, it's absolutely brutal in the winter but it won't be long before you derive a sense of pride from this. You'll be encouraged by the fact that even if it's -30 there are still people outside doing their thing. Yeah, they're cold but the nice thing about -30 is that there's no wind (almost always no wind) and it's almost definitely sunny as well. Clouds mean warmth (which is obviously relative)

In terms of walkable neighbourhoods , as you've no doubt been told already Osborne, Corydon, etc. are good places. The Exchange is wonderful but it's still in development and without a car it's not really a great area for things like shopping and other services. There's also St. Boniface with plenty of rental choices (actually, that's maybe not so true anymore)

In terms of parks etc. , it's just like any other city in Canada with the exception of anything that requires topography. It is quite possibly one of the flattest cities on this planet (flood plain) and if you look hard enough you can see the back of your head if you're standing outside of the city. Nevertheless, Winnipeg has something that no other Canadian city has and that's access to some of the best beaches you're going to find anywhere. Lake Winnipeg is amazing. Inland ocean, shallow, perfect sand, fresh water, perfectly clean. Granted, you're not going to be doing any surfing but there are other forms of surfing like wind surfing. It's an hour away on 59. Or you can head east to cottage country where you can fish, swim, play on the lake , and all the other usual lake activities.

The city parks are , of course, going to have a tough time matching the lushness of Stanley park but they're still good and pleasant enough.

As for entertainment...it's actually not half bad. Better than a lot of cities that are much bigger. Good bars are all over the place and there are plenty of pubs for the less ear-pounding experience. Also , a lot of big name concert draws make a stop in Winnipeg because of its location. When your catchment area includes two provinces and at least part of three states you're going to get the big players. Pro hockey, CFL, pro (albeit minor league) baseball are also on tap.

The , um...bad areas of Winnipeg are well-known to the locals but since you're not a local yet I guess somebody should tell you. Winnipeg has a reputation as a high crime city and you can't argue with the statistics. Having said that, the vast majority of the most serious crimes take place in a crescent shaped area north and West of downtown. Basically, from downtown, Portage Avenue is the dividing line. That doesn't mean that you're guaranteed to get mugged or beaten if you venture north of Portage avenue but as a rule of thumb , north of Portage is an area to avoid if you're not familiar with the city. I don't mean that it's all dangerous. Far from it but if you don't know specifics, just follow the rule of thumb.

Finally, the city is not really on a grid like a lot of Western cities are. It radiates outward from the center and at one time it was all separate cities. Because of that a lot of streets go through a number of name changes as they wind their way through town. Because of this the city came up with a route naming system but only one route name ever really caught on which is route 90 which runs from north to south in the western part of the city. As for addresses, it's pretty simple : The further away from the rivers you go, the higher the number is going to be. So something like 20 Goulet is pretty much on the Red river while 1200 Burrows is getting close to the edge of the city.

P.S. : No matter how tempting it may look, don't cross the rivers in the winter until at least a few weeks after the deep freeze settles in. In spring , by April it's best to stay off the ice unless it's been cleared for travel by some authority.

P.P.S. : You spoke of housing affordability. Yes, it's true that housing in Winnipeg is considerably cheaper than Vancouver. Nevertheless, that's generally only true for older stock. A decent apartment is still going to run you $600 (decent meaning not going to get shot collecting your mail,don't have cockroaches to split the power bill with, and won't fall through the floor taking a shower. I don't mean Taj Mahal or even bigger than large cardboard box) a month on average. Anything under $500 pretty much begs you to ask why it's so cheap. Doesn't mean you can't get a decent apartment for under $500 but it's usually going to come with a few caveats. Careful about that.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by Spocket

The , um...bad areas of Winnipeg are well-known to the locals but since you're not a local yet I guess somebody should tell you. Winnipeg has a reputation as a high crime city and you can't argue with the statistics. Having said that, the vast majority of the most serious crimes take place in a crescent shaped area north and West of downtown. Basically, from downtown, Portage Avenue is the dividing line. That doesn't mean that you're guaranteed to get mugged or beaten if you venture north of Portage avenue but as a rule of thumb , north of Portage is an area to avoid if you're not familiar with the city. I don't mean that it's all dangerous. Far from it but if you don't know specifics, just follow the rule of thumb.

I would suggest that any part of Winnipeg is fine during the daytime. Just because it may not be ideal to live in a rooming house on Magnus Avenue doesn't mean you should be scared off from hitting up the old-world delis and bakeries in the North End on a Saturday afternoon, for example. It's still one of the more interesting parts of town for anyone with an urban mindset. Just don't be wandering around drunk or high on Selkirk Avenue at midnight and you'll be fine.

I would also suggest that if a "dividing line" exists, it's definitely north of Portage... I'd say it's much closer to Logan and the CP tracks. Saying that Portage Avenue is the limit for safe neighbourhoods makes it sound like all of the West End, Point Douglas and Exchange District are like some sort of violent Brazilian favela which is not at all the case. And in case an outsider reading this thinks that the entire northern half of the city is like that, it's actually a pretty small area that calms down quickly as you get north of Mountain Avenue and is pretty much sleepy inner-suburbia north of Inkster. The areas north of the North End (West Kildonan, Scotia Heights) offer some of the best bang for the buck that you can find in relation to housing in this city, although it's probably a bit too quiet and far removed from the U of M for the OP's purposes.

[SignalHillHiker]

Don't live down by the UofM - it's too far from everything else. Yes, school has to be your biggest priority, but you need more than that.

I lived in South Osborne - specifically the Lord Roberts neighbourhood of Fort Rouge. Mostly residential, but within easy walking distance of a grocery, gym, restaurants, bank, and the excellent river trails. It's a great neighbourhood if you want a place where the downtown is easily accessible, but not a constant temptation/distraction. Perfectly safe, big tree-lined streets, etc. I rented the top floor of a barn-style house for $480/month as of 2012 (got a lower price because I took care of the routine maintenance - lawn, snow, etc.).

Public transit is bus-based and convenient. You never have to wait too long, especially in any neighbourhood with access to Confusion Corner or Osborne. Keep in mind Winnipeg only has a couple of bridges across the rivers and traffic parks on them during rush hours. Try not to put both between you and school. Otherwise, commuting is a breeze. Traffic almost always moves fast enough that you don't get finger-tappingly frustrated.

You have to explore The Exchange. The old warehouses there are as ornamental and beautiful as bank buildings in most cities. I forget what it's called, but familiarize yourself with the indoor pedestrian lanes that link all of downtown. Then you don't have to go outside in the winter.

Shannon's Irish Pub, the Toad, UnBurger, and Ichiban were my favourite places to drink/eat (and, in my case, the gay bars). Something V, V Burger or whatever, was near my work. That place is great too.

I had to pop down to the UofM campus a few times for work and it's lovely. Very walkable.