Invasion of the Hipsters

Did you know that we live in the cool part of Raleigh? Do you know how you tell if you're in the cool part of Raleigh? Count the number of men with skinny jeans, beards, and dark-rimmed glasses and the number of women with top-knots, vintage dresses, and dark-rimmed glasses. Dark-rimmed glasses are very important. Even if you don't need glasses, you cannot be cool without dark-rimmed glasses. Plus, everyone rides a bike. That makes us cool.

Every year, some of our neighbors put together a little festival. The first year they had it was the first year we lived here, so we've gotten to see it grow every year from a pretty pathetic block party to a gathering of hipsters, including local artists, local bands, local restaurants, and (new this year) local bike shops.

Do you mind if I add a little rant here? It seems to me that if you're going to block off a whole street for a day to have a party, then that party should cater to the people who actually live on that street. And while our street is home to quite a few 20-something hipsters, it is also home to an ever-growing number of young families with young children who are not interested in locally handmade jewelry or vegan cupcakes.

Still, we try to go for an hour or two every year. It's an important reminder of how uncool we are.