We were born to unite with our fellow men, and to join in community with the human race. (Cicero)

Andy and I checked out a neighborhood today that, I think, has completely changed our conceptualization of how we wish to live. Rather, it was sort of like we had this vague idea of what we wanted and happened upon an area today that felt like an epiphanic ah ha moment, complete with big smiles and a happy sigh.

Arcadia is a co-housing community not too far from where my parents live. It's been around for a while and has this amazing, settled, lived-in feel you don't often find in this area. It is quirky and artistic and beautiful and so beautifully planned and well laid out.

Sort of like this lovely combination of a European-style village coupled with a very traditional sense of community living, with a little bit of independent and creative vision thrown into the mix to create an atmosphere unique and dotted with little gems. Very, very cool.

Add into that an eco-conscious and earth-friendly design, true adherence to green building standards and philosophy, and a sense of collective responsibility and action... and you get this lovely little neighborhood with a walking path and no thru-ways for cars that seemed to help gel in our minds something we knew we were looking for but couldn't quite articulate.