Boise, a little dull kind of city in the middle of the desert, has a river running straight though the middle of it. The Boise River helps give the city its name: the City of Trees. They grow profusely only near the river. Once it was kind of a wild west town full of history. But the city became a sad strip mall filled anywhere. It wasn't a pretty place really. Lots of parking lots.
But as the town has grown up it has evolved from a city of plainness into one that owes its popularity to the outdoors, a small degree of culture, a booming university with a hot football team and a pioneering spirit. It feels new. You see it all over town in the arts, music, theater and movies; its hotels, bars and restaurants.
Years ago I made my peace with the city in the desert, found my hotel, made it my home and chose my martini bar. Then I discovered where the take-out was good, and what stores I could count on for fashionable but cool items. Since then my hotel was renovated and went up in price so I found another, better, more hip one. People discovered my bars so I opted for something else. The boutiques I liked got to expensive as tastes broadened, so I left them for others. They come and go. Places close. People move to Amsterdam. Places are taken over and out of pig's ears, charms are made.
It takes chaos to engender real creativity. The chaos in Boise? Dot-com, Micron, nowhere else to go? Maybe it's just the natural filling of the void.
Just don't go by the mall. It will kill the buzz.
