Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Location: In my cat's house, until she finds a better human servant
372 posts, read 390,427 times
Reputation: 812
I use lyft quite a bit due to health issues, I've been happy with the service. I mostly use lyft now rather than Uber, which I feel has gone downhill quite a bit since it started. YMMV
That's great to hear - about Lyft I mean, not your health issues!
And wow - another LA transplant! Very reassuring - I'm so excited. I need a change from the crazy chaos here in LA (Long Beach) and look forward to having actual weather and peace
I think Abq is going to become more and more attractive to a lot of people esp from CA. COL of course and just getting away from the insanity that is LA.
Location: In my cat's house, until she finds a better human servant
372 posts, read 390,427 times
Reputation: 812
Almost 7 years, I was in Austin before that. I really like ABQ although no place is perfect. There are trade offs but I don't miss extreme traffic and outrageous COL.
The weather is really one of the best climates in the country if you don't want 1 "season" all year.
Crime is mostly properly crime, it's been worse recently but still not as bad as other big(ger) cities. Generally it's pretty safe.
I love that I rent a house for what I'd probably pay for a room now in parts of LA.
If you like outdoors activities, you're going to enjoy it here. If you need other amenities for entertainment, there are some good things but it's obviously not LA/major metro area. Not as wide a variety of restaurants, but there's more available than when I first moved here and of course great red and green Chile. I can find good to very good places in a variety of cuisines. People here are generally very nice, things can move a bit slowly, not the rat race of LA.
People seem to either love it or hate it in New Mexico. I wound up here kind of by accident, I may never leave. Lol. I think there may be a bit of truth in people saying New Mexico chooses you, not the other way around. But it's a beautiful place so I can't complain.
That's great to hear - 7 years is a good sign. It was between San Diego, Washington or Abq. Abq is by far the most interesting and no kidding about renting a house for the cost of a 1 Bdrm in LA! I'm looking at lofts and townhomes - I don't even know what I'd do with all that space! Who cares? I'll just roll around on the carpet laughing hysterically )
One thing I've noticed is how helpful and sincere the people in Abq seem to be. I don't need to explain to you how cold people in LA can be. To get away from the arrogant, 'out-for-me' only mentality is a godsend in itself. I think over time it deeply affects you, can bring depression and even change your personality for the worse.
I was watching a video on here of a small music fest where they had local bands playing and there were people from all walks of life just dancing - no one is judging or being pretentious. I know this is a better place. It never stopped reminding me - no other city was 'calling' like Abq.
I've been tracking crime maps - (have you seen downtown Long Beach's ? :O !!) Yes, Abq does seem to have mostly car thefts & property crime. I was more concerned with violent crime and robberies. Just want to be able to walk to shopping without being afraid.
I'm going to have to try that chile I keep hearing about over and over - I love green chile to begin with, but this stuff must be pretty special to get so much attention.
Trying to get organized for the move and reading all this is making me that much more impatient in a good way!
Location: In my cat's house, until she finds a better human servant
372 posts, read 390,427 times
Reputation: 812
I think you are really going to like it here. I agree with what you wrote (I'll add unfortunately!)
I was just at the downtown summerfest last night, and yes it was just fun and casual and I wound up chatting with perfect strangers like we'd known each other for years.
One of my favorite things, that I think maybe gets taken for granted if you live somewhere for a long time, is how I can be driving around town and just see the most amazing vista with stunning cloud formations, just driving home or running an errand. If I ever do move away, I'm really going to miss the wide open horizons and those clouds.
Sometimes I miss LA but I just go drive around and enjoy that view as I cross the entire city in 15-20 minutes and my pining for the past just drifts away.
I looked up the apartment complex my late husband and I first lived in, in Pasadena, and saw the same small kind of dumpy one bedroom 'starter' apartment we rented for around $600 many years ago, is now around $1500 (and still old and dumpy sigh)
Fall is the best season here, imho, you're going to arrive to the scent of roasting green chiles (stores have giant drum roasters out front with people buying them by the sackful) and piñon fires scenting the air, just brisk enough in the morning then beautiful the rest of the day. If you get here before October you can still go to this year's balloon fiesta, you can see a lot of balloons aloft even if you don't go to the field.
I read about so many music events on The Alibi and the difference is that I feel like I would actually GO. I'm not thinking about traffic and parking cost and crowds and on and on. I'd just GO. And actually meet people like you did. The difference is that people are humble and human there. They aren't worried about their image - as if these LA people have any image to worry about! Give them a BMW car payment and they think they're a movie star!!
Oh I know - it's crazy - I was tracking apts in SD and the same (not even nice) apt that I saw listed for $975 only 2 mos back is now 1095. They want to give you nothing and take more here. They're going to realize that people can't just pull that money from out of thin air. They're going to see more and more people cramming into 1 apt just so they can afford to be there. Which only means more and more problems. It will come back to them, these greedy landlords. With lots of Vacancies they'll have to pay their damn mortgage out of their own pockets. Really simple.
To be able to look out and see a horizon will be incredible in itself. Skyline, real clouds and the mountains!
I love that everything is so different, if not polar opposite of what I've known for so long. oh yeah Balloon fiesta!! and the holidays must be extra Christmas-y with the Snow!!
How long have you been in Abq and what do you think about it overall?
Just to chime in: I moved here in November from L.A. (Calabasas). I miss L.A. every day but rent day. That said, Albuquerque has been fine, it has been good to me and it's starting to feel like home. (I chose it from five possible semi-retirement locations.)
I agree with most of the comments above. The indie restaurant scene is vibrant (certainly better than the SF Valley) and provides most of our entertainment. There's more than enough to do here -- and I certainly don't miss spending several hours on the freeway just to attend a game or concert and then get home. You don't have to schedule your life around traffic patterns.
While people in L.A. can be big-city cold, as you said, there is a collective competence that I miss, starting with drivers. People here are friendly and do like to chat more ... but keep those doors and windows locked, and keep an eye on your stuff when in public.
You'll encounter quite a few laid-back Californians here, most of them older -- the city's vibe will be familiar in a good way. Best of luck and all.
Location: In my cat's house, until she finds a better human servant
372 posts, read 390,427 times
Reputation: 812
Quote:
Originally Posted by nazz
Just to chime in: I moved here in November from L.A. (Calabasas). I miss L.A. every day but rent day. That said, Albuquerque has been fine, it has been good to me and it's starting to feel like home. (I chose it from five possible semi-retirement locations.)
I agree with most of the comments above. The indie restaurant scene is vibrant (certainly better than the SF Valley) and provides most of our entertainment. There's more than enough to do here -- and I certainly don't miss spending several hours on the freeway just to attend a game or concert and then get home. You don't have to schedule your life around traffic patterns.
While people in L.A. can be big-city cold, as you said, there is a collective competence that I miss, starting with drivers. People here are friendly and do like to chat more ... but keep those doors and windows locked, and keep an eye on your stuff when in public.
You'll encounter quite a few laid-back Californians here, most of them older -- the city's vibe will be familiar in a good way. Best of luck and all.
(Never tried Lyft here.)
I'd agree. I'll also re-enforce the comment about keeping an eye on your belongings, particularly during the moving part and if you have to stay in a motel or anywhere where your vehicle/stuff might be more accessible. Sadly there has been an increase of theft from parking lots of motels and even restaurants, from people traveling here. And watch out for the jaywalkers. There's no big-fine deterrent (or really any deterrent), so people often step out in front of you at random times (apparently not understanding basic physics of how fast you can stop going 40/50 mph )
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
)
