Where are most transplants from? (Albuquerque, Las Cruces: refrigerator, shop, electric bill)
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In my neighborhood, I've met neighbors who migrated here from Chicago, California, Washington D.C., and New York. Most are native New Mexicans, however.
I've read your post many times and I agree with alot of what you say. I especailly liked your post regarding favorite months in ABQ. I thought that it was quite nicely put. I'm just curious as to what holds you back from going back ABQ or EP. You may have stated why and if you did I aplogize for asking again. It just seems like you really miss the area. It makes me want to put my house up for sale every time I read one of your posts about ABQ or EP. I've never been to either place but you have a way of describing them. I really get a sense of yearning.
Chowhound
Thanks for the kind words, Chow. Very nice of you! While I admittedly can get really long-winded (babbling) in my posts, I think you may like them simply because it is sincerely how I feel. I really fell in love with that area of the US Southwest - Albuquerque through Las Cruces through El Paso especially - and the whole state of New Mexico for that matter, so I think my emotions come out in my posts because they are the way that I truly feel strongly about.
The sole reason I have not moved back yet is that I am married with two little ones (and my wife by her and my choice is a stay-at-home mom even though she is a strong professional) and thus, money is obviously quite tight and I absolutely need a good job before I can get down there.
And while I absolutely love Albuquerque and El Paso, probably one weaker area in both cities (although much, much less so in Albuquerque) is still an overwhelming bulk of good-paying, mid-level professional jobs (at least in my fields of business, management, and marketing type endeavors...ABQ surely has outstanding jobs gushing forth in fields like engineering, science, film, etc.). Again, ABQ is much better than EP in this area and is constantly improving, but it is still an issue. Being an out-of-state applicant always is a significant obstacle for any job seekers as well...I am not being overly downtrodden about that, it just is what it is.
Anyway, thanks for the very kind words Chow, maybe indeed you should really keep that bug in the back in your mind too about getting that house sold and getting down to the area too! Seriously, this forum is wonderful helping me to live vicariously down there while I am up here. This AM is was -5 degrees and there is another 4-to-7 inches of snow predicted for tonight into tomorrow, ABQ was in the low 60s yesterday! Argh.
I feel I made the right move (from NYC) and feel really lucky to be here. Many of my friends and family who have visited me from all over the country are surprised and taken by it here and want to look at properties right away. I sure don't miss the gloom of northern winters.
Thanks so very much Sunseeker!
I am very glad to hear that you are enjoying ABQ so much. Surely, ABQ is so much different than NYC I wouldn't even know where to begin!! (You probably could go on for pages I am sure!).
It IS though heartening to hear that you are like I experienced...people, when they see ABQ, really can fall for the place. ABQeans sort of want to keep ABQ a "hidden gem" of a secret, but resistance if futile...it is just too nice of a place to keep a secret for too long.
As for the gloom of northern winters, get this one:
-Last Monday, it was a fairly mild 46 degrees here in the AM. Wet, gray, damp, drizzly, windy, etc., so not necessarily pleasant, but still, all things considered, not awful for this time of the year. Then, an incredible cold front rolls through the area, within 10 hours the temperatures drop approximately 50 degrees, all of the slop and slush and melting snow freezes almost instantly. We hit about -5 degrees - just bone chilling, bitter cold with incredibly high wind; wind chills up to -40 below.
-Then, by last Wednesday, just as the insane cold stretch lifts - bam, 14 to 21 inches of blizzard-esque (incredibly high winds) snow falls; depending upon where you are in this metro area, you saw between a few inches over a foot to just a few inches shy of 2 feet.
-Then, just as we've kind of shoveled that all out, a couple of one inch snowfall how-do-you-dos over the Friday/Saturday timeframe.
-Saturday afternoon, another crazy cold front rolls through, temps drop from a daytime temp of around 30 with - yep, incredibly high winds - to well below 0 in a matter of hours. As the temp is dropping, a few inches of snow whip down...other blizzard-y conditions start due to severe blowing snow across the streets from the Wednesday storm.
-Sunday sees temps barely rising to 0...most of the day between -3 to -7 degrees. And this isn't even a "still" -3 degrees...wind gusts consistently between 15 and 30 mph for wind chills of -40 below!!
Yesterday my daughter (2.5 years old) and I were driving up the freeway to a cheap grocery store we go to for our grocery shopping together on the weekends. We saw in this 20 mile stretch about 8 cars that were stuck in the ditch off the highway. They had been literally blown off the highway by the winds and poor traction on the streets from blowing snow. Highway patrol was urging people to not travel.
-Now, today (Monday), with it still bone chilling cold, guess what is in the forecast for tonight through tomorrow morning? 4-to-7 inches of snow!!!
This is not described with any exaggeration. This has been winter. We've (Milwaukee) seen 68.5 inches of snow, and still have snow-producing months of FEB and MAR left. Three stretches of temps below 0 for more than a day or two.
If this description doesn't bolster your feelings of not missing the gray, glooming northern winters, I don't know what will!!!
Sure, ABQ gets some doses of limited heat in the summer, but you don't ever have to shovel heat, you don't have to drive in "heat" snow or "heat" ice, and the like.
Moved here from Illinois. We lived in Chicago, then a town called Harvard, and then outside Rockford. I am originally from an area outside of Marcellus and Skaneateles, New York. Each area had very long winters and very dark days. My husband and I were quite affected by the lack of sunshine and both are in heaven living here in New Mexico.
I have a girlfriend that is coming for a visit with her daughter from Illinois and they can't wait to get out of the snow and cold. We are going to go on a 3 hour horseback ride in Cerrillos, a day exploring the Petroglyphs, Bandelier, of course, the tram, a walk to the Rio Grande river, Sky City, Jemez trail, and the Turquoise trail. There are endless things to do here and the weather is awesome!! My son will be able to say he grew up in this wonderful State and I can't imagine a better place to be.
We're from VA, but I have met people from Wisconsin, Cali, Las Vegas, Germany, Georgia, etc.
Just popped back on the board to find out more about the lovely red light cameras that also "catch" you speeding. Hubby got $150 ticket by mail for supposedly going 11 over.
Is there a lot of anti-Californian sentiment in NM (ABQ specifically)? Yes, I am a Californian looking to leave. However, I am not an "equity locust" - I am leaving BECAUSE I want to be able to buy a house! - and I know Californians have this terrible reputation of bringing lots of wealth with them, driving up prices, and pricing out locals. (Unfortunately, a lot of Californians have been priced out of their state but that's another rant for another forum!)
Actually, ABQ does not have the same opinion about Californians as most other Western states. In fact a lot of the money that has come with them has really helped to bring more money to the entire city and a better economy overall. I know ABQ has come so much further in the last 5-7 years than it did in the previous 20. While our home prices have climbed they have not done so at the same rate as Arizona, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington. Because of that we don't have the same Anti-Californian sentiment. Besides had my wife not moved here 6 years ago from the Bay Area, I know I wouldn't be as happy as I am now.
I moved from Texas to Albuquerque in 2000, moved away in 2005 and am thinking about going back. I now live in Utah and wish I'd never left. I'm a southwest person for sure.
I think you're right finmqa, I don't find a lot of anti-California sentiment either, possibly for the reasons you mention.
And EnjoyEP, that's a mean winter you're having. Don't miss it at all. I grew up in the mountains of Mass. and winters were similar. Snow until late March at least.
As much as I enjoy ABQ, I think the weather down around Las Cruces and El Paso in the winter would be a tad bit more suitable. Just a bit more warmth or less cold would be welcome to me.
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