Casey O. Smith - Pittsburgh Real Estate

There are some great benefits to living closer to downtown - proximity to food, entertainment and shopping, as well as access to the amazing cultural scene. There are also wonderful aspects of living in the suburbs, like owning a bit more land and having a larger house as well as enjoying community pools and having barbecues in the cul-de-sac.

Some people want to live downtown because they can walk to everything. But keep in mind there are suburbs that also are considered to be very "walkable." If you're looking for a house where you don't have to get in your car every time you want a gallon of milk, then check out Walk Score.

You enter an address or zip code, and it finds the distance to the nearest grocery stores, post offices, restaurants, libraries, movie theaters and other useful destinations, and then assigns a score based on the walkability of your location.

Here are how 4 local areas rank at keeping you near the hustle and bustle:

• Downtown - 86 out of 100

• South Side - 80

• Mt. Lebanon - 63

• Dormont - 60

Upper St. Clair, I'm sorry to say, scored a 12. Peters Township wasn't much better with 28. Walk Score is a great tool for anyone looking to find a home in a walkable neighborhood.

For years now, I've salivated over Pamela's signature hotcakes and yearned for a South Hills location. I (along with my taste buds) was thrilled to find out not only are they coming to the South Hills, but they have chosen to open their sixth location in Mt. Lebanon! The oh-so-popular diner will be located alongside Dyke Automotive at 427 Washington Road, which is next to St. Bernard's Church and across the street from the much anticipated Washington Park condominium development on the corner of Bower Hill and Washington Roads.

Owners Gail Klingensmith and Pam Cohen said they just love the neighborhood and have always had a fondness for the South Hills - they believe the space and location will be a great fit. I'll say!!! Don't get me wrong, I love CC's, but Mt. Lebanon has definitely been lacking eateries for breakfast and brunch goers, especially within walking distance of the main business district. And nobody, I mean nobody, does breakfast and brunch like Pamela's! The 2,200 square foot space expected to open this month will seat 80 people. No doubt, a booth at Pamela's will be a tough seat to get.