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I can imagine people shudder when they hear "transplants from LA." Everywhere my gf and I have looked, we've found this to be the case (certainly happened in my home state of OR)... but the very problems associated with LA and its people are the reasons we are leaving...
I'm a 40's something writer, film maker (experience in Hollywood), and research worker born in Oregon. My gf is hapa from Hawaii and retired from public service. We hate busy metros, conspicuous consumption, and sense of entitlement. Although not traditionally desert people, we are looking for a slower lifestyle closer to nature; we love hiking and exploring nature. We'll desperately miss the ocean and 360 day warm weather, but the corporations and wealthy have made the Pacific Coast less-than-desirable and it's time to go. We have been heavily involved in the Polynesian community, but might have to let that go too in ABQ...?
So, do we sound like good candidates for ABQ? I'll confess the crime stats frighten us... and we're afraid of getting into another city starting to sprawl... but most other aspects of ABQ seem to fit us fine.
but the very problems associated with LA and its people are the reasons we are leaving...
Although not traditionally desert people, we are looking for a slower lifestyle closer to nature; we love hiking and exploring nature.
So, do we sound like good candidates for ABQ? I'll confess the crime stats frighten us...
Any thoughts would be appreciated.
So come out for a visit, leave your LA habits behind.
It can be slow here...
Crime stats are only a problem if you are the stats. Don't walk down dark alley's, don't try to buy or sell drugs, don't stare at people, try your hardest to be polite, something that some people have difficulty in doing...
You sound like you would enjoy Albuquerque. It is an entirely different world from L.A.
The negatives you mention - crime and sprawl - are non-issues, really. Albuquerque crime is typical for a city it's size, and tends to only affect those who are either part of the trouble, or at least closely connected to trouble. Of course, there are random crimes, but those don't really exist in higher frequencies here than anywhere else.
As for the sprawl - many of us are actively working to make Albuquerque a better place, and this includes better-designed suburbs and working to create more vibrant urban areas (examples - downtown, Nob Hill, North 4th corridor, etc). The sprawl may be daunting to someone from, say, Magdalena, NM but for someone coming from L.A. you'll laugh at a metro area where you can get from one end of sprawl on the west to the eastern border of the city at the Sandias in around 10-15 minutes (on I-40). The sprawl really isn't that bad....yet. Thankfully, the Albuquerque metro is somewhat hemmed in (by pueblos, national forests, etc), so there will always be abundant open space at the edges.
I encourage you to look at ABQ. It's an interesting place (different from anywhere else) that is still defining itself.
People here are sincere and friendly! The place is non pretentious. Lots of Hawaiians around and culturally similar to HI. You can get Hawaiian food from Talin Market. They're a halau here. A great place where cultures come together to make this a better place. We do have over 300 days of sunshine, roughly 10 in of rain a year. It will take you guys a while to wind down, but like the NM motto says "It grows as it goes!"
First step: visit NM for a least a week. See the cities, towns, villages etc.
We are out in the western part, south of Gallup and if you don't need to be in the "city" everyday look around.
Silver City is a nice place, however if you want smaller quiet areas see Grants (cold winter), Los Lunas, etc.
Visit and spend time first.
I can imagine people shudder when they hear "transplants from LA." Everywhere my gf and I have looked, we've found this to be the case (certainly happened in my home state of OR)... but the very problems associated with LA and its people are the reasons we are leaving...
I'm a 40's something writer, film maker (experience in Hollywood), and research worker born in Oregon. My gf is hapa from Hawaii and retired from public service. We hate busy metros, conspicuous consumption, and sense of entitlement. Although not traditionally desert people, we are looking for a slower lifestyle closer to nature; we love hiking and exploring nature. We'll desperately miss the ocean and 360 day warm weather, but the corporations and wealthy have made the Pacific Coast less-than-desirable and it's time to go. We have been heavily involved in the Polynesian community, but might have to let that go too in ABQ...?
So, do we sound like good candidates for ABQ? I'll confess the crime stats frighten us... and we're afraid of getting into another city starting to sprawl... but most other aspects of ABQ seem to fit us fine.
Any thoughts would be appreciated.
To be honest, you might even find Sante Fe and Taos better fits, but Albuquerque might work as well, has a lttle warmer climate and of course a lower cost of living. As for the weather, yes, it is much colder than So Ca but you would be surprised at how much sunshine Albuquerque gets.
You may also want to consider someplace like Las Cruces.
The biggest problem I can see about your wanting to consider Albuquerque might be it's rapid growth. Many think it will soon be another Phoenix and I am inclined to agree.
The only way you can have any real feel for the city is to spend at least a week visiting and see for yourself. Some of what you say you would like will be there, but some will not.
The city is nothing like Phoenix, more like Tucson. With a population of about 600k, we have another million and a half to go to get to Phoenix Territory. Besides the geography won't support it. I would check out the Albuquerque Convention and Visitors Bureau, www.itsatrip.com for more info. City planning is better than no planning. I meet Hawaiians on a weekly basis. Good luck, I would say that NM is a lot like HI culturally, a crossroads of the southwest. Great for hapa people. Even Hapa played here a few weeks ago, decent concerts at different casinos. However, no Hawaiian BBQ restaurants in NM. The closest ones are in El Paso and Colorado Springs.
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