What Would Puccini Say?

Quote of the day:
“I’m a Republican, but I have to say he was an effective President.”
--Former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan, talking about President Clinton on NPR’s “Morning Edition.”

North Park is a community of residences and businesses just north of San Diego’s Balboa Park. Housing there is a mix of apartments, condos, modest single-family homes and a few swaths of affluence--including a luxurious compound adjacent to the park where basketball legend Bill Walton lives.

It’s always been pleasantly diverse, with a very noticeable creative element in the population.

During our recent housing boom and condo-building mania, a high-end condo complex was planned and built right in the commercial heart of North Park. Construction is just now being completed.

I’m not sure how sales are going. The real-estate slump may have made it difficult.

The complex has a curious name. It’s called “La Boheme,” just like the Puccini opera. Merrie, who speaks French, reminds me that “La Boheme” means “the bohemian.”

There must be a resident bohemian. Or this complex is being marketed to bohemians who demand granite countertops and stainless-steel appliances.

What are bohemians coming to?