I lived in Beaconsfield village for years and absolutely loved it.  I’m not ashamed to say the waiters at the Drake know me, and my breakfast order…

The neighbourhood has gone through an incredible transformation the past five years.  I bought a place there in 2006, a little rental property.  I lived in one tiny unit and rented the remaining 3 out.  My space was so tiny, I had a huge dog Harrison and the poor guy had to back out of the living room as the walk space was too tiny for him to turn.  I loved that little place and the hood. 

The market was shifting and I saw it was time to make a move.  Property values were climbing at a rate that could never be sustained.  I sold it and happily moved away from the run down row houses that were selling for $750,000.00 all around it!  I got out just before the market peaked and then plummeted. 

After living it up at a furnished unit downtown for a few months, I made my move to the Annex.  We were expecting our son and thought we best join the floods of yuppies before us and move to a house with a yard and a coffee shop near by.  It served us well and I thoroughly enjoyed setting up house like the normal folk.

Hudson is now 10 months, and the love affair with domesticated, urban suburban living has fizzled out….  I want art galleries and hipsters hanging outside my door.  I want the Drake Soft and Sexy Scrambled eggs within walking distance.  It’s difficult to articulate but there is just something special about that area and once you’ve lived there you will always be pulled back.

Back to the hood we go!  We found an incredible raw loft space in need of some work. There is no back yard, but there is Trinity Bellwoods Park and if I was a kid I’d be pretty happy to hang there.

We’re not planning anything major straight away but there will definitely be some changes as we settle in.  I wanted to share the before shots so you see where it begins.  I’ll post some more after the move, and throughout the process.  The first action item is add a railing to the loft…….not so baby proof just yet….