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In the last few months, I’ve received calls from at least seven parents whose children went away to college or moved out of state to work but now are contemplating coming back to Baton Rouge. In some cases, I was asked to meet with their children to let them know all the exciting new developments in the Capital City. In other cases, I was just asked for advice to share with their children regarding reasons they should move back to the city and make this place home.

These conversations got me thinking about the diverse perspectives of people in our community and how they see the city.

Lets face it. Some people love to beat up on Baton Rouge. They can find fault with just about everything. Now, I’ll admit, like every other city we have our challenges—and if you’re talking public schools or traffic, they are big ones. Others go off on issues such as crime, arrogant politicians, stupid drivers or the racial divide. They don’t see much hope for improvement and can get downright cynical. Others whine there’s nothing to do here.

But there are many (including yours truly) who see our much-maligned city in a different light. We see opportunity and momentum. We see a city that is finally opening up to change. We see great restaurants, friendly people, new museums, lots of family attractions and a metropolitan area with a promising future. And while we don’t ignore the problems, we understand there are many business and civic leaders working on them to make a difference.

It’s the old glass half-empty or half-full. A two-bedroom apartment in Los Angeles can top $3,000 a month. You could get that for a third of the price here, or even buy a four-bedroom home in Baton Rouge for less.

Downtown is becoming the hub of the city again, and riverfront development is finally here. Condos, lofts and traditional neighborhood developments (TNDs) are now a reality, providing a variety of residential living styles to all age groups.

There are new retailers entering the market, and entertainment options are beginning to expand.

Just look at Art Melt. Did you ever think you would see a diverse group of a couple of thousand people, from 20- to 60-year-olds, downtown on a balmy July evening enjoying art, music, food and the company of their neighbors? That kind of thing is happening more often.

The best is still ahead—but it’s coming. And that’s what I told these young people (and their parents) who are considering a move back. From where I sit, now is a good time to invest in Baton Rouge.

The good stuff

When I had met with these young people, I wish I would have had a copy of our July Best of 225 Awards issue to hand them. It included so much of what is unique about our city—and what is good. Readers gave us rave reviews on the issue, and we could not keep our racks full. As of mid-July, all the copies were gone. But, all those places, people and things featured in the issue are still here to be enjoyed every day. And there are many others. If you missed it, you can still find the Best of 225 Awards winners on our Web site at 225BatonRouge.com.

Armchair quarterbacking

Football season is almost here and for the next four months, Baton Rouge will spend way too much time talking about three young men and the job they compete for: LSU quarterback. JaMarcus Russell, Matt Flynn and Ryan Perrilloux are the men whose job is to marshal LSU’s offense through the grueling SEC schedule. But who are these guys? What are they like off the field? Where did they come from? Staff writer Jeff Roedel spent a little time with the guys this summer and shares what he learned in this month’s cover story, which begins on page 34.

Your thoughts, please

As 225 magazine approaches our first anniversary this fall, I would like to ask you to share with me your thoughts on two questions: 1) What has been your favorite story so far in 225? and 2) Why do you like the magazine? Send your thoughts to julio@225batonrouge.com. You can make us better in our second year.