What do you like about where you live?

[Sam]

There's a bike trail from Pearl Harbor all the way out to Waipahu that's perpetually a candidate for expansion to Kapolei. (Kapolei can be reached now by surface streets.) You can also get downtown from the Pearl Harbor end by a mix of surface streets, bike lanes, and parks. Almost every major/secondary road on the island has a bike lane or at least a wide shoulder. The most dangerous stretch of biking is off my back lanai (Roosevelt Bridge, a 1933 two-lane bridge with very narrow shoulders) and there's a plan to build a bike trail through the gulch to bypass that bridge.

When you can't stay off the streets, most drivers are pretty considerate to cyclists although some are careless. I don't believe that drivers are a problem-- I think it's the few bad-apple cyclists who jeopardize the reputation of everone else on wheels. Pedestrians also periodically attempt to take over the bike trails but they learn pretty quickly to stay to the side and pay attention.

On weekends I also see a lot of club rides on the North Shore. The Honolulu Bicycle League is active with "Bike Ed" in the schools and with lobbying the legislature for bike-trail improvements on all road projects. IMO it's right up there with San Diego. No legislator wants to run afoul of the Sierra Club or the HBL's "aloha" campaigns so they're pretty well received.

Thanks. Sounds great.

I had no idea San Diego was also bicycle friendly. I was there several times, but was not paying attention. Anyone here from SD? Please share your observation.

 

[bright eyed]

Re: fart cans...

Why would you put a fancy-schmancy muffler system on a 4-cyl p.o.s that takes 10 sec. to accelerate to shift point??

Dallas-area drivers are rude, inattentive, selfish, cellphone-talking morons...

so you can feel like a tough guy and everyone, including the police, can hear you coming 500 ft away!

as for the dallas drivers, must be the socal transplants - sorry

 

[HFWR]

so you can feel like a tough guy and everyone, including the police, can hear you coming 500 ft away!

Good point...

as for the dallas drivers, must be the socal transplants - sorry

I think transplants outnumber Texans...

HFWR, Hoosier transplant

 

[Goonie]

About LaSalle County, IL:

We live in the Illinois River Valley with lots of nice scenery, and several very nice State parks within 15 to 30 minute ride. Lots of good places to fish, hunt, camp, hike, bike ride, etc. We're about 90 miles from Wisconsin, Indiana, and Iowa, and all (or none) of what they have to offer. Chicago is an easy 70-90 minute drive, so we get there once in a while sight-seeing, dining, Cubs games, museums, the Symphony, and Lake Michigan cruises.

We can fly out of O'Hare or Midway in Chicago, or out of Peoria, Bloomington, Rockford, or the Quad-Cities...they're all about the same distance. The nearest Amtrak station is about 1/2 hour away. And we have municipal bus service....and it's FREE. It's fine for those without their own wheels, but for the most part, it's a royal PITA.....lousy schedules and lousy routes!

We have four seasons: Winter's worst here is cold and snow in January and February, the rest is not too bad. Spring brings rainy, cold weather for March and most of April, again the rest is not too bad, as May and most of June is pleasant. Summer is nice, though the end of July and most of August can be quite hot and humid. And then there's Fall......usually perfect weather! Warm during the day and a little cool at night! And usually SPECTACULAR Fall colors!

We live in small-town America. Most everybody knows most everybody else, or is related to one of their relatives. Everyone knows the owners and the workers by name at most of the restaurants, grocery stores, and other businesses around here. The "mom & pop" businesses are still the 'norm' here, even though we have all of the 'big-boxes' around. The cost of living is pretty reasonable for the most part, and unemployment is fairly low. (and IL income tax is only 3%...and my pension is exempt!)

The best part of living here (for me) is that our home is paid for, the neighbors are great, the neighborhood is quiet, the crime rate is low, public services and utilities are excellent. Also the butcher shop and our favorite restaurant are only a couple blocks away, and grocery stores and the downtown area are only a few blocks further.

 

[Trek]

Good:

Very low cost of living
Excellent public transportation
Free healthcare
Very low violent crime
As much fascinating history as you can handle
Excellent museums, art galleries, theater
Incredible architecture from over the centuries
Gorgeous countryside
Small population = not crowded
Beautiful Nordic women
Short inexpensive trips to other great European destinations
Very high tech and efficient
Beautiful snowy winters (this is a plus for me)

Bad:

Can't get Miracle Whip or Ziploc bags
Border with Russia

 

[bright eyed]

Good:


Beautiful Nordic women

does your fiance/mommy to be read this thread? or is she in the above category!

 

[bpp3]

uh, wherever you have decent population of asians, you'll get the super modified small cars - like hondas...sup'd up engine, custom parts and whatever imported from japan...vroom vroom! now that i look back, i'm like, dude! relax, it's a honda!

This used to be a big thing in Japan, too, though not as much lately -- there may be some inverse correlation with the state of the economy, I suppose. Kids would cruise around in "bousozoku" gangs in the middle of the night, with the goal of simply making as much noise as possible. Annoyingly, the police wouldn't do much of anything about it, because "gee, that would give the kids a record, which would ruin their futures!" The kids would also bend their license plates up at an angle to make them hard to read. Black lights, loud mufflers, Hawai`iana (hibiscus flower designs, plastic leis, etc.) and molded attachments reminiscent of lightning or the antennae on medieval Japanese helmets were all the rage, the last especially on tricked-out vans.

The really cool ones would get some hulking Detroit POS, and put little tiny wheels on it so that the bottom of the car would barely clear the pavement, giving the overall impression of an elephant wearing ballet slippers.

 

[Khan]

Window memorials??
I didn't,,,,but I could have retired by selling Dale Earnhardt #8 window memorials.

Heretic.

He was #3.

Dale Earnhardt #3 Merchandise & Gifts - NASCAR Merchandise & Gifts by Driver

 

[JPatrick]

Heretic.

He was #3.

Dale Earnhardt #3 Merchandise & Gifts - NASCAR Merchandise & Gifts by Driver

You are correct---This has been a test

 

[cj]

Fun thread! Thanks, Wildcat for starting it. We are always looking for the "perfect" place, and it almost seems that there is no such thing. (I know, what's "perfect" for me isn't perfect for someone else...)

Pluses to where I live (outer suburbs of Baltimore):

- 2 cities easily reachable, but far enough away to avoid the problems and traffic
- Close enough to mountains or beaches for a quick trip
- I think this is the best weather (for me) - I love the change of seasons. We have hot weather in the summer (but it doesn't last too long) and snow in the winter (though usually not too much). Spring and fall are beautiful.
- We have 4 wooded acres with a stream and a log home, so it feels like we are somewhere else entirely, yet it's only 1.5 miles to Wal-Mart.
- We've downsized over the past 5 years (reference the downsizing thread) to 1800 sf, and we're very comfortable with that. Wish we had a garage, though.

Minuses:
- Our pace of life is slower than the city, but sometimes not slow enough. Lots of people have moved out here and are in a big hurry to commute to the city.
- We live on a nice back road that people are using more and more as a shortcut. They drive too fast, and leave their litter scattered around
- We live far out enough to have a redneck factor. (They drive their old beat-up pickup trucks too fast, and leave their beer bottles scattered around)
- I would like less maintenance, and a garage.

CJ

 

[kaudrey]

yet it's only 1.5 miles to Wal-Mart.

----

That would be a big NEGATIVE to me!

 

[cj]

yet it's only 1.5 miles to Wal-Mart.

----

That would be a big NEGATIVE to me!

Well, they have the best prices on flowers & garden things... this is very important!!

Too funny!

My parents live in the mountains of North Carolina, and it's beautiful, but if they need so much as a quart of milk, it takes them 25 minutes to get to town. That would make me crazy! I like the feeling of being "out" but without actually being too far from civilization (I know, I know - Wal-Mart probably doesn't count as civilization). How's this - I'm also only 1.5 miles from the public library! It's a tricky balance.

CJ

 

[Goonie]

........I like the feeling of being "out" but without actually being too far from civilization (I know, I know - Wal-Mart probably doesn't count as civilization)......

Reminds me of an email somebody sent me not too long ago:

"You might be a redneck if the biggest city you've ever been to was Wal-Mart."

 

[Moemg]

Sarasota,Fl
Beautiful city on the west coast of Florida with a very active arts community .Great beaches and restaurants ,Proximity to two airports ,Supreme shopping .
Negatives
Expensive ,expensive ,expensive

 

[W2R]

What I like about New Orleans - -

• The Cajun/Creole/Italian/French/NewOrleanian food
• The people, the multitude of cultures and languages, down to earth tough attitudes
• America's only European city
• The architecture, what's left of it
• The history, the cemetaries, the spirituality that pervades this city
• The music; jazz, blues, outstanding musicians on street corners and in dumpy bars everywhere
• The art; from touristy paintings at Jackson Square, to higher tastes on Julia St.
• The antiques!!! I just love shopping for antiques here. There are some amazing and breathtakingly beautiful things that would never show up elsewhere, and they are cheap if you know where to go.

What I don't like about New Orleans - -

• Our levee/drainage system was badly damaged by Katrina, and we are not as well protected from storms as we were before.
• Potholes are so bad that I have had a cracked tailbone that won't heal due to repeating injuries.
• Crime is rampant and the status quo; what we have here is chaos, and law and order are the exception, not the rule.
• Being surrounded by an avalanche of individual people's individual tragedies, constantly, that are too extreme and too common to even begin to make a dent in helping.
• Louisiana politicians (corrupt, ignorant, self-serving).
• Medical care decimated and getting worse by leaps and bounds since the storm (doctors can afford to leave, and many/most have, and hospitals were destroyed anyway).
• Poor nursing homes and elder care.
• Infrastructure badly damaged in general.
• Traffic has been awful since the storm

I do plan to leave when I retire, but it is going to be very difficult to do so. Bittersweet. I must, though.

 

[W2R]

What I like about New Orleans - -

• The Cajun/Creole/Italian/French/NewOrleanian food
• The people, the multitude of cultures and languages, down to earth tough attitudes
• America's only European city
• The architecture, what's left of it
• The history, the cemetaries, the spirituality that pervades this city
• The music; jazz, blues, outstanding musicians on street corners and in dumpy bars everywhere
• The art; from touristy paintings at Jackson Square, to higher tastes on Julia St.
• The antiques!!! I just love shopping for antiques here. There are some amazing and breathtakingly beautiful things that would never show up elsewhere, and they are cheap if you know where to go.

What I don't like about New Orleans - -

• Our levee/drainage system was badly damaged by Katrina, and we are not as well protected from storms as we were before.
• Potholes are so bad that I have had a cracked tailbone that won't heal due to repeating injuries.
• Crime is rampant and the status quo; what we have here is chaos, and law and order are the exception, not the rule.
• Being surrounded by an avalanche of individual people's individual tragedies, constantly, that are too extreme and too common to even begin to make a dent in helping.
• Louisiana politicians (corrupt, ignorant, self-serving).
• Medical care decimated and getting worse by leaps and bounds since the storm (doctors can afford to leave, and many/most have, and hospitals were destroyed anyway).
• Poor nursing homes and elder care.
• Infrastructure badly damaged in general.
• Traffic has been awful since the storm

I do plan to leave when I retire, but it is going to be very difficult to do so. Bittersweet. I must, though.

And I forgot to mention the tons and tons of mold, and rat population explosion, rude Texas contractors who drive huge trucks and don't give a hoot about anybody or anything, huge influx of Mexican and Central American illegals since the storm, sky-high rents, skyrocketing insurance rates for those lucky enough to even get homeowners' insurance, empty storm-damaged homes everywhere that have become crack houses or worse, and the constant news coverage saying that we are not safe (surprise?) - - we've got to get out of here.

 

[tangomonster]

This thread is a little distressing for me since some of you live in great places and mine (suburban Atlanta) seems to pale in comparison! Moved here 20 years ago for DH's job and have remained due to inertia and the requirements of health insurance to remain in the area or lose coverage.

Positives
* Weather (4 seasons, mild winter)
* Relatively low cost of living
* Cultural stuff
* High concentration of Asians (= good restaurants and food shopping for us)
* Excellent county, state, and federal parks

Negatives
* Traffic
*Crime
* Soulless (Atlanta has always been a place of commerce/transportation/
marketing---it all revolves around money, making it and
spending it)
* Conservative (politics and religion)

 

[haha]

Seattle. A wonderful city with only 2 real negatives. An awful lot of depressing dreary weather, and a very high cost of living, especially housing. For some another negative is no salt water warm enough to swim in.

People in this thread have often emphasized what is an easy drive away. For me, even when I was in my 20s, what mattered to me was what there was that I liked right where I was. In Seattle there is very much to like. And only the Bay Area or coastal Socal can compare for lovely summers.

Traffic sucks but if you are rich, or own a home bought before the run-up, or rent in the city you can avoid much of it.

Ha

 

[wildcat]

Ha -

No bikini season in Seattle right?

 

[Gumby]

Northern Minnesota on the edge of Lake Superior:

Pluses: Many beautiful parks with walking trails and cross country skiing trails right in town. Beautiful big lake. Lots of small lakes and rivers nearby for kayaking and canoing. Not at all crowded. Cool here close to the lake. (Today will be 65 to 70 near the lake, 85 away from the lake). Our flower gardens. Walking out the door and to the lake walk, which will take me all the way downtown. Family nearby. Our next door neighbors are nice. Housing in inexpensive. Farmer's market 5 blocks away. Grocery store is 3 blocks. Co-op less than a mile away.

Northern Minnesota is the historic home of my family (Dad born in Hibbing). I remember going there as a kid in the summer to visit relatives in Duluth, Hibbing and Babbitt (they were all miners on the Mesabi Range). I thought it was beautiful. We swam and boated in the lakes and ran around outside a lot.

 

[Zipper]

London ON, the centre of the Universe.

Very close to the beaches of the lower Great Lakes. 30 minutes to Erie, 45 minutes to Huron, 90 minutes to Ontario.

Some of the best farmland in the world.

Safe city 2 hours from Detroit, Toronto, or Niagara.

Booming manufacturing region, Toyota, Ford, GM, served by A1 transportation network.

Superlative medical facilities. (see Michael Moore's "Sicko"). No worries about care.

We are on a 0.3 acre lot with a small pond and landscaped to perfection by the Zippers. White Pine, Columnar English Oak, Red Oak, Sugar Maple, Japanese Red Maple, Gingko, Blue Spruce, and Dogwood.

As mentioned last year, I use coffee grounds from a local Starbucks to supercharge my compost. I never have to add fertilizer to the flower beds.

We have tons of hummingbirds and butterflies.

Balancing everything is a "shi**ty winter with lots of snow.

Looking back though, I can truthfully say that the climate is changing.

Summer is longer now and winter is shorter in my lifetime (1943).

The growing season in Southwestern ON is definitely longer.

Khan we have corn here from fencerow to fencerow too.

Mother Zipper receives a U.S. R.R. pension cheque each month. 5 years ago she was getting ~$1.50 C. Now she get's less than $1.10.

On the other hand when we go Stateside we are almost @par.

 

[Brat]

Ha -

No bikini season in Seattle right?

Oh, I wouldn't say that. Late July, August and September are suitable for those with suitable figures. Just don't tell anyone.

Salt water swimming? A "Japanese current" can be found off some of the San Juan (or Gulf) islands. Generally speaking a wet suit or surfer's suit serves as both as insulator and flotation for those who wish to swim or dive in the salt water in the NW. The water temp isn't much different than N. CA.

The kids start wearing shorts in March. It didn't matter to my son that he had goose-bumps on his legs - it is almost as if by wearing shorts you could coax out the sun.

 

[Celany]

Manhatten:

1) the food!!!
2) the random craziness that you can see (the entertaining kind, not the scary kind)
3) being so close to 3 major airports, most trips are a direct flight for us, which is really nice & saves time
4) the fooooooood!!!
5) dog-watching. I love dog-watching
6) the museums, especially the Met
7) having so many cultural experiences at my fingertips (which I don't take enough advantage of, but I'm working on it).
8) meeting so many different kinds of people, with different histories & experiences & contacts
9) did I mention the food?