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I loved Grand Rapids and Holland when I visited last summer! I did not know Michigan was such a lovely state, especially if you listen to liberal, second-generation punks in California, New Jersey and New York.
"Si quaeris peninsulam amoenam, circumspice."
("If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look about you." The Michigan state motto.)
1. NYC (lived) Maybe the only city that could ever live up to the crushing hype. But completely out of reach, financially, for most.
2. London (visited) Loved the history, phenomenal public transportation, cultural offerings. Again, completely out of reach, financially, for most.
3. Chicago (visited) Spent tons of time visiting. Love how the river cuts through the city like a knife to Lake Michigan. Love the Loop, Gold Coast, and maybe the greatest skyline in the USA. City proper is getting out of reach, financially, for most.
4. Minneapolis (lived) As a city, there's very little you could complain about with Minneapolis. Great skyline. Cleanest metro for a gamma city. Theater scene is, arguably, third in the nation. Fine arts off the charts. But that weather.
5. Pittsburgh (visited) Just love the vibe in PGH. Everything about the city punches far above its weight. Skyline is gorgeous. Love the bridges and tunnels. The topography. Cultural offerings you'd never expect for a city of its size. Great civic cohesiveness. Unique dichotomy between the blue collar and the cosmopolitan.
1. Memphis (Lived here 2006-2014)- Memphis is one of those places that has a distinct personality for better or worse. You can meet some real characters here, emphasis on the word REAL. As a musician, my skills increased dramatically working in this city. EVERYBODY plays an instrument, and EVERYBODY who plays is pretty good. If you stink on stage, Memphians are not afraid to let you have it. Locals here support and love their live music scenes. There is so much history here too in the most random places. My band played a show at a sleepy club called Nocturnal, which used to be known as the Antennae Club. Bands as huge as Metallica once played on the same stage that we were now playing Parliament covers on for like 7 people, and Memphis has a bazillion places/stories like that. I could go on and on about my love for Memphis, and it took me meeting my Jersey-girl wife there to bring me up to where I'm living now which is another favorite..
2. Philadelphia- I love the grittiness of the citizens and the pride they have for their city. If you are a foodie, Philadelphia has some of the most diverse and interesting restaurants in the US. Just walking distance from where I live, I could get high quality Cambodian, Mexican, Indian, Filipino, Indonesian, Chinese, Peruvian, Mediterranean and so on. Lots of great parks and public art installations. If you like to bike, the whole city is in the palm of your hand as Philly is flat and actually kind of small. South Philadelphia to Manyunk along the Schuylkill river is a fantastic 1 hour bike ride. Philly is also cheap as dirt compared to other major east coast cities.
3.Mobile,AL - My home city! Looks more and more beautiful every time I go back for a visit. This city is definitely on an upswing, and my little family may end up here within 5 years or so. Cheap as hell. Close to beaches / NOLA. Beautiful cityscapes with the live oaks and Spanish colonial architecture. Great downtown. Coolest city in AL in my opinion.
4.Pittsburgh - I have visited this city many times and have always had a blast. Stunning skyline. Yinzers are a lot of fun! I love the sensation of the city being a bunch of small, distinct towns all jumbled together. Squirrel Hill is totally different from Lawrenceville which is totally different from Polish Hill, but it's all Pittsburgh. The traffic here is pretty horrendous at times. It's not as bad as ATL, but will certainly jam you up for at least an hour.
5.Concord,NH - An odd choice I know, but I really enjoyed visiting this part of the country. Visiting NH in general had me checking Zillow and job listings. I know that winters are horrible up that way, but I loved the people, the laid back attitudes, the beautiful White Mountains, and just the impression that people want to live their lives as drama free as possible. We had a nice time exploring the tiny little downtown, and had some super tasty Indian food for dinner. We can't wait to get back up Mt.Washington again!
I would like to visit Santa Fe, NMone day. I have only been to Las Cruces and sandier, more arid parts of NM and would like to check out more northern areas of the state. We actually are planning to fly into Denver, rent a car and drive south with Santa Fe being a point B. The giant sand dunes and Sangre de Cristo mountains look amazing. Southern CO and northern NM seem to be pretty trippy!
Pittsburgh - Visited a handful of times. It's no surprise it's such a popular city in urban planning / geography nerd circles. It really has so much going for it and there's a lot to like. I love the topography and how the hills are so integrated into the city.
Portland - My current hometown. Like Pittsburgh, this city really packs a punch for its size. Outstanding food, several little walkable nodes, excellent public transit, and beautiful scenery. I particularly love the hills on the west side and all the parks / forests / gardens.
Chicago - Lived here as a small child and have visited multiple times since then. It's basically a much ess expensive, cleaner version of NYC. Love the energy and people here.
Boston - Visited once for a weekend and really enjoyed it here. I really enjoy the history, collegiate atmosphere, and overall look of the city.
Seattle - Used to visit quite a bit as a kid. I haven't been since 2012 but I always loved the vibe and energy of the city.
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