When Rex, London, Maddie and I moved out to the Roxiticus Valley in October 2003 from a co-op on the Hudson River in New York City’s West Village, we didn’t know where to find anything: toddler ballet classes, butchers and prepared foods, local clothing boutiques, and all sorts of personal services, from pediatricians to florists to our now beloved cake lady. As our little girls grew up over the past five years, from ages 2.5 and 1.5 to 7.5 and 6.5, we discovered age appropriate opportunities for them, and favorite restaurants for grown-up play dates.

In August 2005, I was inspired to start my own blog by Instructions to the Double, the personal blog of a New York City nanny named Tess (you can read her story here). I launched Roxiticus Desperate Housewives as a local blog focused on family life in the “Greater Roxiticus Valley.” As I began posting my experiences on a daily basis, I realized that my family’s struggle to find the best of everything – kid stuff (ballet, gymnastics, tennis lessons, summer camp), restaurants, food and wine (butchers, caterers, cake ladies), home services (realtors, handymen, plumbers, electricians), professional services (doctors, dentists, pediatricians), personal services (florists, hairdressers, nail salons, spas), events and entertainment – could benefit many other families, instead of being limited to word of mouth.

I’m proud to report that, while I’ve been entertaining all of you international visitors (coming up on the 50,000 mark since I started counting in February 2008) with tales of the Roxiticus Desperate Housewives, their family dramas, quirks and whatever the milkman delivers each morning, both the original Roxiticus Desperate Housewives and Roxy’s Best Of… online community of local web sites have become valuable information resources for local families.

“If you build it, they will come.” In the header of my Roxy’s Best Of… main page, you’ll find the words “coming to a local area near you!” Recognizing that one Roxy can’t do it all, I’d like to invite YOU to write about your hometown… the local area where you’ve become an expert. No commitment necessary, just post to your Roxy’s Best Of… site any time you’ve enjoyed a terrific meal at a local restaurant, found the perfect kids’ birthday party venue, or when you’d like to tell everyone about your favorite local boutique. Jason Buckley of Washington Interns Gone Bad fame has been making regular contributions to Roxy’s Best Of… the San Francisco Bay Area. Yesterday Matt Urdan, best known for his Meltwater.Torrents.Meanderings.Delta. blog and the new Inside Government educational site, just wrote his first post on the Franklin Cider Mill for Roxy’s Best Of… Detroit, Michigan. I’ve set up Roxy’s Best Of… Palos Verdes CA, Toronto, Plainfield NJ, and Rochester NY (OK, it’s coming soon, after I get a few hours of sleep) in the hope that Mary Alice, Tricia, Henson, and Mister Scott will join us.

As promised, here’s your invitation to join the fun…please leave me a comment here (leave enough of them and you’ll make it onto my top commenters widget in the sidebar) or use the contact form to let me know you’re interested in your very own Roxy’s Best Of… local site. I will build it, and hope you all will come.

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• Kid Stuff — including summer camps, birthday party venues, sports, ballet, dance, gymnastics, tennis, swimming, acting, singing, Little League, classes, local events, nannies, babysitters, and child care
• Restaurants and Bars
• Food and Wine — including caterers, bakeries, butchers, fish markets and wine shops
• Art & Culture — Art galleries, museums, theatre, local artists, art shows and events
• Shopping — local favorite retail stores by specialty, shopping centers and malls
• Personal Services — including hair and nail salons, spas, tailors, dry cleaners, and florists
• Home Services — including handymen, housekeepers, plumbers, electricians, HVAC, decorators, realtors and mortgage brokers
• Professional Services — including doctors, dentists, pediatricians, specialists, lawyers, accountants, financial planners, consultants
• Community Links — to all the official local area web sites, as well as churches, clubs and community events
• Schools — including public school information, pre-schools, and private schools
• Events — including concerts, sporting events, and fundraisers
• Weddings & Parties — including venues, caterers, florists, cake ladies, photographers, bridal shops and planners
• Beaches, Parks & Recreation

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• Kid Stuff — including summer camps, birthday party venues, sports, ballet, dance, gymnastics, tennis, swimming, acting, singing, Little League, classes, local events, nannies, babysitters, and child care
• Restaurants and Bars
• Food and Wine — including caterers, bakeries, butchers, fish markets and wine shops
• Art & Culture — Art galleries, museums, theatre, local artists, art shows and events
• Shopping — local favorite retail stores by specialty, shopping centers and malls
• Personal Services — including hair and nail salons, spas, tailors, dry cleaners, and florists
• Home Services – including handymen, housekeepers, plumbers, electricians, HVAC, decorators, realtors and mortgage brokers
• Professional Services — including doctors, dentists, pediatricians, specialists, lawyers, accountants, financial planners, consultants
• Community Links — to all the official local area web sites, as well as churches, clubs and community events
• Schools — including public school information, pre-schools, and private schools
• Events — including concerts, sporting events, and fundraisers
• Weddings & Parties — including venues, caterers, florists, cake ladies, photographers, bridal shops and planners
• Beaches, Parks & Recreation

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• Kid Stuff — including summer camps, birthday party venues, sports, ballet, dance, gymnastics, tennis, swimming, acting, singing, Little League, classes and local events
• Restaurants
• Food and Wine — including caterers, bakeries, butchers, and wine shops
• Shopping — local favorite retail stores by specialty, shopping centers and malls
• Personal Services — including hair and nail salons, spas, tailors, dry cleaners, and florists
• Home Services — including handymen, housekeepers, plumbers, electricians, HVAC, and decorators
• Professional Services — including doctors, dentists, pediatricians, specialists, lawyers, accountants, financial planners, consultants
• Community Links — to all the official local area web sites
• Schools — including public school information, pre-schools, and private schools

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• Bay Head, New Jersey (0)
• If You Build It, They Will Come (0)
• Far Hills, New Jersey (1)
• Chester, New Jersey (0)
• Bernardsville, New Jersey (0)
• Mendham, New Jersey (0)

• Kid Stuff — including summer camps, birthday party venues, sports, ballet, dance, gymnastics, tennis, swimming, acting, singing, Little League, classes, local events, nannies, babysitters, and child care
• Restaurants and Bars
• Food and Wine — including caterers, bakeries, butchers, fish markets and wine shops
• Art & Culture — Art galleries, museums, theatre, local artists, art shows and events
• Shopping — local favorite retail stores by specialty, shopping centers and malls
• Personal Services — including hair and nail salons, spas, tailors, dry cleaners, and florists
• Home Services – including handymen, housekeepers, plumbers, electricians, HVAC, decorators, realtors and mortgage brokers
• Professional Services — including doctors, dentists, pediatricians, specialists, lawyers, accountants, financial planners, consultants
• Community Links — to all the official local area web sites, as well as churches, clubs and community events
• Schools — including public school information, pre-schools, and private schools
• Events — including concerts, sporting events, and fundraisers
• Weddings & Parties — including venues, caterers, florists, cake ladies, photographers, bridal shops and planners
• Beaches, Parks & Recreation

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• If You Build It, They Will Come (0)
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• Chester, New Jersey (0)
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