Boise/Meridian (to live, area, town)

[AlleyTD]

Originally Posted by jennifr1966

... I don't quite "get" why it matters so much whether a neighbor/friend is democrat or republican. Not to be cliche here, but shouldn't it be enough that people take an interest in our country? My mother and I have complete opposite opinions on almost every single political subject, all the way down to the abortion option! We agree to disagree and keep going, and we still remind each other to vote!

Very well said ... as for this debate ... I agree ... the most important thing by far is to get people to VOTE! period ... just VOTE ... lots of people are apathetic and that is sad VOTE!

OK now back to the subject at hand:

Originally Posted by Mousetrap

To those of you that currently live in Boise or Meridian....

Do you love it or hate it and why?


Thanks!

I live in Eagle which feels like I live in both (Boise and Meridian), since I shop and play there.
I'll chime in and try to put this subject train back on the OP's track.

I love Eagle, because it feels small townish and the landscaping is really pretty. Additionally, there are a lot of transplants here and that makes us feel welcome. Most people I meet in Eagle are from somewhere else so we have that in common and it's been a great conversation starter and bonding point. Plus, its a quick drive to Boise, Meridian or into the mountians to get out of town.

Boise:
I like it because of the diversity in homes (old and new), people, old, young, DINKS and families; commerical use - great variety of businesses - family owned and chain stores, too.
I love the old mature trees and homey feel of everything. I like the look of older neighborhoods ... there are old homes, big trees, winding roads, the bench, the culture and the foothills.
Not to mention super EASY access to the river and the greenbelt.


Meridian:
I like many of the family neighborhoods. Some of the new construction is nice and the prices are good. However, I don't like it as much as Boise.

The main thing I don't like is that it is FLAT ... like Florida flat. The foothills are off in the distance, the trees are small and new ... the subdivisions are predictable ... and the stores are mainly chain stores. There's not a lot of character in most of Meridian (with the exception of downtown.) However, Meridian and Boise are both very big and the areas can vary greatly within a few miles, so it's very hard to generalize and that's a good thing.

The bottom line in my own wishy washy opinion is there are things I love and hate about both Boise and Meridian. My feelings depend upon the day and the part of town I'm in.

Now that I've said it, maybe I shouldn't of chimed in.

[redwhiteblue]

Can anyone tell me if Boise or Merdian is windy?

[micrguy]

For a western city, Boise is not that windy. I've lived in Arizona and New Mexico and both of those states were much windier than Boise is. However, once you get 30 miles east to Mountain Home, Idaho can get really windy. Someone told me that in Idaho Falls the only time the wind stops is to change directions.

[DuneDiva]

I am an Idaho native now living in California after a brief stay in the middle of nowhere Texas. There is alot that I miss about Idaho. It is a great place to raise a family. People are generally nice and contrary to popular belief most natives are not opposed to out of staters. The area has really had a growth explosion in the last 10 years or so and unfortunately poor planning has created alot of congested traffic areas but they are not to bad compared to larger states. I will agree Idaho drivers are terrible road hogs and yes they believe they do own the road. To bad they are not forward thinking and work on a better or should I say just get a mass transportation system.The LDS have a strong hold on the state and I was shocked to find that not every high school in the rest of the country has a seminary next to it. But like Burdell says, you will not be stoned for wearing the wrong clothes or driving the wrong car. It's like most places, it is what you make of it. It's a nice area and you get every season whether you like it or not and sometimes all in the same day! You are not far from outdoor activities, hiking, hunting, rafting, biking, just anything you can think of. And if you want trees head north. Idaho City on is beautiful with timber. Check out McCall, Cascade and SunValley.

[litelbluhli]

I'm not an Idaho native, but I do have a sister who lives in Meridian with her family and I visit about once a year if I have the time. It's a quite town, but I do agree the people are very friendly. It's like a happy little town where everyone knows one another. What I also like about it is that it's right outside of Boise with a few fun things to do and not a far drive to the mountains.

[anonymoose]

Originally Posted by micrguy

Our family loves it, we have been here 18 months and live right on the border of Boise and Meridian over by HP.

What we like: decent schools, very clean, small enough to get anywhere in town within 30 minutes but big enough to have most of the stores that we were used to shopping at in Phoenix. The weather is good, similar to many cities in northern Arizona, lots of easy access to outdoor activities.

What we don't like: The Boise drivers take some getting used to, they still have not figured out that the left lane of traffic is for faster drivers and they will pull out in front of you despite there being no traffic behind you for a mile. The only other thing that we have noticed is that the natives are very nice, but stand off-ish. A lot of people picked their social circle in high school or college and it's tough to break in, or they are LDS. Not so much of an issue from what I have seen in my neighborhood, almost everyone on my block is from somewhere other than Boise.

I've lived all over the country and by far Boise is the best place that I have lived in. Just be aware that it is very conservative, family oriented and most of the people that live here do not want to change that.

This is really good info for the non-resident, which I am, although I hope to move to the area soon. I'm a little surprised that you've described Boise as conservative, however. Looking at the legislative map of Ada County, I discovered that all nine members of Boise's delegation are Democrats--not what I would expect in a "conservative, family-oriented" town that most people don't want to change. Can you shed some light on this situation?

[borgia]

Originally Posted by wesley81

Would you feel odd growing up in another country?

It's sorta like that (though I won't pretend that the analogy is perfect).

You feel like an outsider. You wonder if your views, your thoughts, and your lifestyle will be accepted, mocked, insulted, or even threatened.

There's a great power in feeling like you belong and fit in, and this certainly isn't limited to just political viewpoints, but all other sorts of identity - religious, racial, cultural, sexual orientation, even to the type of music or food one likes.

This is exactly how I feel in meridian and why I want to move to Boise. http://www.city-data.com/forum/boise...r-6-years.html One thing I haven't seen mentioned is that as a woman, if you are wearing a tank top and shorts, you will be identified immediately as being non-LDS. Because of the garments, LDS women do not wear tanks and shorts, it is not necessarily that they are rude or unfriendly, however that has happened to me - maybe the toe rings and anklets were the tipping point, or perhaps the lotus leaf on my shirt. Whatever the case, it feels a bit like being blond and blue eyed in pakistan, of course that is a gross exagerations however the feeling is the same only more mild. Boise is a mecca of liberals precisely because we choose to relocate because of this need to feel that we belong and there are others who can relate to us or at least accept us graciously. I think this also explains the results seen in the political representatives for Boise.

[anonymoose]

Originally Posted by wesley81

Would you feel odd growing up in another country?

It's sorta like that (though I won't pretend that the analogy is perfect).

You feel like an outsider. You wonder if your views, your thoughts, and your lifestyle will be accepted, mocked, insulted, or even threatened.

There's a great power in feeling like you belong and fit in, and this certainly isn't limited to just political viewpoints, but all other sorts of identity - religious, racial, cultural, sexual orientation, even to the type of music or food one likes.

Very true, and that's why I felt like a foreigner growing up in Seattle, even though my family had lived in Washington for generations. Cultural traditionalists are mocked, insulted, and threatened there--I was even beaten up once because I was white. At the moment I'm contemplating a move to Meridian, hoping things aren't really bad there yet.

[kristinl5]

Have lived in Meridian 13 years, still love it..why? the people, the sunsets, its home!

[GregFromOregon]

Originally Posted by anonymoose

I discovered that all nine members of Boise's delegation are Democrats--not what I would expect in a "conservative, family-oriented" town that most people don't want to change.

I think not all Demacrats are Liberal. In Washington Co. Oregon we've got most of our elected officials, both city and county, from left of center. However, they are quite conservative in many ways and yet those are the kind that seem to "fit" these suburbs. I would not live in Multnomah Co. (Portland) because they are a bit to far left for me. As I've got to move to the Boise metro area in a month, I am more concerned with the financial stability of the city/area than who's running it. I've noticed this area is going through "growing pains" by some of these posts and as long as they can keep the infrastructure moving forward with the growth and be fiscally responsible, I see the area will continue to be a good place to live. If they don't, then it my loose its appeal to many. Portland has one of the best public transportation systems in the nation and I see that that may be one area that needs work in Boise. I've found some really great parts of your city/metro area, and some I'll stay out of. Still haven't been there enough to know where I'll be living though. Well, I see I've done nothing to keep the post going in the OP's intended direction and now I'm just rambling.
Greg