FINDING THE DREAM HOME

Matt and I started looking for a place about a month ago. Currently we live separately; him in the Wychwood Park area and me in Davisville Village. Matt has been living with his roommate for a couple years now while I've been jumping back-and-forth from Ottawa to Toronto, apartment-to-apartment for quite some time. I've been living solo for about three years now and absolutely love it. As much as I adore Matt and as excited as I am to be living with my absolute favourite person (and a boy for the first time in my life... What?!?) the decision to live together also brought me an immense sadness. Farewell to being that girl who took on the world solo (somewhat of a superhero, really) and open-arms to the dynamics of a duo... Partners in crime, if you will. 

Now I have to admit, in searching for our new home Matt definitely took on the brunt of the work; he saw so many more potential places than I did... He kinda loves it for some odd reason whereas I find the whole apartment-searching thing to be an overwhelming ordeal. "Please just move into my beautifully painted, well-loved jr. 1 Bedroom!" But no, it wouldn't do.

And hallelujah to it not working! After a few weeks of close encounters, minor let-downs, and shockingly unkempt apartments the two of us lucked out and found the most lovely one bedroom in the gorgeous neighbourhood of The Beaches! Our new home boasts hardwood flooring, granite countertops, a soaker tub AND a sunroom with more natural light than I've ever seen in a (dare I say it) rental unit! We have won the renters jackpot, and have an amazing landlord to boot! (I don't know if I can get away with saying "to boot"...."

We arrived really early for our viewing on an overcast day; I was dreadfully ill with a sinus infection and Matt was a bit grouchy from being stood-up at the previous viewing; man, do I hate a no-show! We spent that early time walking around what could be our new neighbourhood which is when over-emotional, mushy me went gaga for this amazing neighbourhood. I think Matt knew there was no going back, Alison was in love. Five houses down from our new apartment pavement turns into a wooden boardwalk, boardwalk turns into sand, and sand turns into Lake Ontario. 

A quick viewing, a long kitchen layout discussion and landlord hug later we decided we were home. The clock is ticking and we have a month to move, and I'm going to document the whole thing! 

Enjoy the long weekend!

Alison

THIS IS WHY THE BEACH

It took Matt and I a while to decide what area of the city would be best for us to move into. Matt's been living in the city for something like 8 or 9 years and in that time has lived in a number of different Toronto neighbourhoods. I met him when he was living in a small bachelor in the Annex; right across from a school and situated on the second floor of a cozy, crickety home. He loved it there and I loved visiting him there so when it came time to start apartment hunting a bulk of our searching occurred there.

That being said, the two of us don't have dreams of growing old in downtown Toronto... Matt and I want land and lots of it which means some day the country will be our home (fingers crossed). I had a thought pretty early on that moving out of the downtown core might be a good way to transition from city living to eventual outer-city living and what better spot to do that than the Beach! The above map gives a good outline of what kind of Real estate the Beach encompasses.

We live fast-paced lives Matt and I; he's a chef and I work in sales. We do shift work, Matt comes home at 2 in the morning, we never have the same days off from week-to-week and so slowing down and getting out of the hustle of downtown makes sense for us. If we can't have calm work lives then we will have to have calm home lives; if only to balance ourselves out!

The move is around the corner and there is so much to do. I have piles of unpacked boxes sitting under my kitchen table right now; untouched and begging to be taped and filled, but that will have to wait for a day off to begin! I travel to NYC for work midway through this month for a week and with my sister getting married in the fall days off have already been called for by bridal showers out in the suburbs. Yes, July will be chaotic, but th mind of chaotic that us fun to tackle.

Wish us luck!