Do You Love Your City?

[chinaco]

We are in our town because of family.

The location is OK... but if family did not live here, we would probably relocate.

 

[WhoDaresWins]

I like where I live now but would not say I love it. There are many things to recommend living in western PA but winter weather (while not in the same league as upstate NY or the Dakotas or MN) is not one of them. I have found something to recommend in all of the places that I have lived over the years (Manhattan, Long Island, Tidewater VA, southwest FL) but my absolute favorite was Monterey, CA. Maybe when I retire I'll sell everything off and be able to afford a hovel there once again.

 

[BTravlin]

Yes, just a short stay en-route to an Alaskan Cruise. The PNW is absolutely at the top of my list for places to retire to if my ties to N IL become weaker, which is increasingly likely at some point in the next decade (kids moving to start their own lives, remaining parents passing on, etc).

Wherever I travel, I'm going to have to have at least an annual fix of a Chicago-Style hot dog (no Ketchup!). We can get frozen Lou Malnatti's Pizza now that is pretty good, and I can make my own. I've never been able to capture the essence of a Chicago Hot dog made in my own kitchen though.

-ERD50

I represent a company based in Vancouver so have had the opportunity to visit there a few times over the years. I generally dislike large cities but Vancouver seems much more livable than most large urban areas. It's really the only large city I would consider living in, at least of those I've had the opportunity to visit and get to know. And I can't vouch for the Chicago style hot dogs but they do have a great mix of all the other amenities you mentioned. Very cosmopolitan with a great blend of cultures and the variety of great restaurants that goes along with that. Wonderful arts, museums, etc. And the leisure/recreational opportunities that are close at hand are enough to strain the free time of your average retiree.

 

[Meadbh]

I represent a company based in Vancouver so have had the opportunity to visit there a few times over the years. I generally dislike large cities but Vancouver seems much more livable than most large urban areas. It's really the only large city I would consider living in, at least of those I've had the opportunity to visit and get to know. And I can't vouch for the Chicago style hot dogs but they do have a great mix of all the other amenities you mentioned. Very cosmopolitan with a great blend of cultures and the variety of great restaurants that goes along with that. Wonderful arts, museums, etc. And the leisure/recreational opportunities that are close at hand are enough to strain the free time of your average retiree.

Vancouver is consistently rated very highly in global lists of best cities in which to live. I personally love Vancouver, but the property prices are outrageous.

 

[vicente solano]

Finding value in wherever you live is a subject I have been thinking about quite a bit recently, since I am planning to move from a much maligned frigid (in winter) prairie location to a warmer and more congenial location in 2011. I am thinking not only about the climate and physical location but the people and customs. I'm going to miss the cultural diversity of where I live now, and the community spirit. Hopefully there will be plenty of that where I'm going!

Here is a photo of my street taken this afternoon.

Meadbh: Dou you mind telling us where you are moving to?

Nice street you live in!

 

[DeborahB]

Unlike you, I like the polite people in the midwest. I learned from my wife that in a small town you can start a little conversation with the person behind the counter at the convenience store, the bank teller, or whomever. If it turned into a long conversation you'd probably discover you had a number of mutual acquaintances. But, the little traveling we've done says there are better views, better weather, more things to do, and plenty of nice people elsewhere.

I like the politeness, it's the lack of directness that bugs me. My feelings may be affected by my ill health for the past five years (and the stress of w*rk) and prior periods of illness. I'm probably not as appreciative of what is here as I would be when feeling better - which I plan to be, now that I'm retired. My energy level - it would be nice to have energy again.

However, still no ocean in sight. That is something I really do miss - going on a blues cruise in a few days to get that out of my system!

 

[Fireup2020]

I like the politeness, it's the lack of directness that bugs me. My feelings may be affected by my ill health for the past five years (and the stress of w*rk) and prior periods of illness. I'm probably not as appreciative of what is here as I would be when feeling better - which I plan to be, now that I'm retired. My energy level - it would be nice to have energy again.

However, still no ocean in sight. That is something I really do miss - going on a blues cruise in a few days to get that out of my system!

I grew up in CA, spent years in VA then years in MI...now in NJ since 2001. People here are crazy, very direct and in yer' face, but will do anything for ya! (yes, within reason!) Love it! The polite facade in other areas was ok, just not my personal cup 'o tea.

Thinker, I do hope you are feeling well soon! Enjoy your retirement!!

 

[Purron]

I grew up in CA, spent years in VA then years in MI...now in NJ since 2001. People here are crazy, very direct and in yer' face, but will do anything for ya! (yes, within reason!) Love it! The polite facade in other areas was ok, just not my personal cup 'o tea.

Thinker, I do hope you are feeling well soon! Enjoy your retirement!!

In my former career, I worked with people from NJ often. You're so right - very direct and in your face! I admired the direct communications though. If they had a problem, they'd let me know.

Much better than people who are polite in person, then complain behind your back later.

 

[Walt34]

We like where we are now much better than where we were. Less traffic by an order of magnitude so we don't have to plan our daily lives around it, and while the cost of housing is significantly lower everything else is about the same since we only moved about 80 miles, but the quality of life is significantly better.

Hopefully when DW's BIL retires he and DW's sister will move to one of the Carolinas. DW will then want to move there and I've told her it will take about a half-ounce of arm twisting pressure to get me to agree to the move.

 

[kumquat]

Finding value in wherever you live is a subject I have been thinking about quite a bit recently, since I am planning to move from a much maligned frigid (in winter) prairie location to a warmer and more congenial location in 2011. I am thinking not only about the climate and physical location but the people and customs. I'm going to miss the cultural diversity of where I live now, and the community spirit. Hopefully there will be plenty of that where I'm going!

Are you leaving our fair country? While [-]you[/-] we don't have the world's best winters, there aren't many good winters north of 49 (some are shorter). I doubt you'll find more congenial people by moving within the Frozen North.

 

[Meadbh]

Thanks Vicente and kumquat for the inquiries. I am moving to BC. If you would like further details, just send me a PM.

 

[Moemg]

I like the politeness, it's the lack of directness that bugs me.

I know exactly what you mean . I spent most of my adult life in New Jersey and when I moved To Florida half the neighborhood was from the New York ,New Jersey area and the other half were from the Midwest . I liked the Midwest people but they were more guarded and a lot less aggressive than the New Jersey people who are very open and ready for action maybe too open but that is what I was used to .

 

[vicente solano]

but my absolute favorite was Monterey, CA. Maybe when I retire I'll sell everything off and be able to afford a hovel there once again.

Wasn´t Monterey John Steinbeck´hometown?

 

[mh]

Wasn´t Monterey John Steinbeck´hometown?

his hometown was salinas i believe, which is near monterey

Welcome Home :: National Steinbeck Center

 

[Texas Proud]

I have lived in only 3 cities... 2 of them for 1 or 2 years paid for by mega... I can say that I liked them all for different reasons...

My hometown is Houston... I like it, but do not 'love' it... it has nice weather most of the time... I can live with the heat... and there are friends and family... and enough things to do... but in reality this would be true of almost any city if I had grown up there....

London was my first city that I consider that is not Houston.. (lived in a smaller town going to college, but still condider it Houston).. it was a LOT different than Houston... heck, you could walk to most places that you needed... or just jump on a subway and get there.... there were a lot of interesting museums etc... (they were not free then.... now they are)... and lots of history.. it was easy to jump on a train and go to smaller cities and towns and take in the country... it was also easy to jump on a plane and visit Germany, France, Switzerland.... the people were more friendly there... loved my time there... the downside... EXPENSIVE... very expensive... I could not afford to live where I lived... if it were me, I would have to commute a LONG way or share a place with others (this is very popular over there)...

Then New York... it is a lot like London in lots of places to visit and easy to get around... but I did not get out to see much of the surrounding area... the people were no where near as friendly.. but you could always find something to do or something to see... at any time... I remember one time being at Times Square at 3AM and thinking... if I did not know any better, I would think it was the middle of the day... there were lots of people around walking this way and that... but during the day it was a lot worse....

Sooo, I do not think that there is any 'one' city that I would ever say I 'love'... or just have to be there... Houston is my default as it is my 'hometown'... and there is something in people that relate to their hometown...

 

[WhoDaresWins]

Wasn´t Monterey John Steinbeck´hometown?

Vicente, mh is correct. John Steinbeck's home, a very charming craftsman cottage, is in Salinas, but he referenced nearby Monterey a lot in his writing...most notably "Cannery Row" and "Tortilla Flats". You would like Monterey as I think it compares favorably in coastal beauty to the photos you have shared with us of your stunning Galicia.
The Monterey Peninsula has long attracted artists and creative types...Robert Louis Stevenson, the poet Robinson Jeffers ("Tor House" in Carmel), Clint Eastwood, and many others of course.

 

[braumeister]

Monterey is a fantastic town.
I lived there for seven glorious months in 1983, while going through the Defense Language Institute. I absolutely loved everything about it.

That said, I nearly went broke just on the rent for the apartment I lived in. It's a very expensive place to live.

My favorite example of that is that when I was there, the population of Monterey was about 25,000 people. There were five Mercedes-Benz dealerships in town.

 

[studbucket]

Making my way around the boards, finding interesting posts and gathering knowledge, and I came across this thread.

I moved to Seattle 2 years ago from Iowa. I am still somewhere in between on Seattle. The good? It's beautiful, there's good food and culture, and there's a lot to do with just a 4-hour drive. I must reiterate that there may not be a more beautiful city on a summer day. Mountains in all 4 directions, the Sound, no clouds, 75 degrees with a light breeze.

However, there's plenty that I find annoying out here. The traffic is relatively bad, the 50 degrees and cloudy 260 days/year is pretty frustrating. I came from somewhere that experienced 110-degree+ swings throughout out the year, had thunderstorms, blizzards, hail, tornadoes, etc. I really miss thunderstorms, I miss REAL snow, not the wet bullcrap they have twice a year in Seattle. I miss the sun.

However, most of what bothers me about the weather is not weather-related, it's the people. The DOT is incompetent and the entire area freaks out if the weather is even a little bit out of the ordinary.

If it's under 30 degrees? Newcasters call it "bone chilling", LOL.
It it's over 80 degrees? Everyone runs to Costco to buy an air-conditioning unit.
If it snows, cars are abandoned on the interstate and every single hill. It's hilarious. They are among my most and least favorite days of the year

Anyway, my complaints mainly center around the weather, the government's incompetence, and the attitudes/actions of people.

However, I get why people love the city, I think it's neat in some ways too, but overall, I could take it or leave it.

 

[kcowan]

However, I get why people love the city, I think it's neat in some ways too, but overall, I could take it or leave it.

People that love Seattle and Vancouver like cloudy weather. People that crave sunshine live elsewhere. Home is where the heart is!