The top 100 small and midsize cities in the US

Recently, livability.com came up with their hundred top small to midsize cities in the US, and six of those cities are in the Seattle area. This list is different than a lot of these kinds of lists because it includes things like housing affordability. Most of the "best" lists are looking primarily at test scores in the schools, education level of the population,median household income, etc., but not some things that just make a place interesting. http://livability.com/best-places/top-100/2015 Renton, Washington is on the list, to just about everybody's surprise. I live there. I was surprised,too, even though I like living here a lot. I'm a native of New Jersey. New Yorkers regard New Jersey as Seattle regards Renton. Uncultured. Working class. But like New Jersey( which had zero cities on this best list, and that's a shame because NJ has some wonderful places), Renton is vastly underappreciated, and a way nicer place than it's slowly changing image. Anyway, one of the criteria used in the list was food. Renton's got some great places to eat and drink for it's size. It is also more ethnically diverse than many parts of Seattle proper. Combine greater affordability, and ethnic diversity, you're going to get some interesting establishments to eat and drink in. One such place is the Sugar, Flour, and More bakery in the Renton Highlands. A French bakery, owned by Mexicans, in a strip mall mostly occupied by and serving Vietnamese folks. So what were they doing lately? Why, making and taking special orders for round Challahs for Rosh Hashanah, Jewish New year.

If you're up in the Renton Highlands, and want to make a futile effort at resisting temptation, stop in at the bakery. In the front of the complex is Thai on Highlands, a vastly underrated Thai restaurant. If you're in downtown Renton, Smoking Monkey Pizza is under new ownership, and continues to put out some consistently excellent pizzas, calzones, strombolis, desserts, and good beer. Around the corner is Blossom Vegetarian Bistro, a classy Vietnamese vegetarian joint with a hard liquor license. Down the block is the Melrose Steakhouse, long considered one of the Seattle area's top places for steak, just a bit less expensive. The Red House, another block away, bills itself as a tapas bar, but it's much more than that, always delicious, a comfortable atmosphere, and a huge beer and wine selection. Nearby is Shuga Jazz Bistro, with outstanding soul food/ Southern cuisine, live music, a Gospel sunday brunch, and a Happy Hour with great bargains. Up the road in North Renton, El Burrito Loco is cheap and great, not the standard gloppy American-Mexican too commonly seen. Across the street is the Dog and Pony alehouse, with 30+ beers on tap,a warm, welcoming atmosphere, and really good upscale pub food. I'm leaving out a lot of worthy places here. What am I, an encyclopedia? Anyway, Renton. Not the best schools in the state. Not the richest people in the state. Not the most educated. But great parks and great restaurants.