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I am so torn between the two places. I've only been to Vegas, but an avid traveller/hippie friend highly suggested I consider Portland.
Being from North Carolina, it is more diverse in both Portland and Vegas. What I love about Vegas is mostly the nightclubs; I have been a bartender at 2 clubs here in NC and I just LOVE the scene. I'm unsure what Portland's like, but I'm sure it's fun.
The only thing Vegas lacks is the diversity in the music scene. I really love and enjoy jam bands/rock/indie.
Anyways I feel Vegas would be the place for me since I am a single, young 26y/o, woman with no kids who wants more faster, exciting lifestyle.
I am a Licensed Esthetician with some extra training and I'm hoping there is a high demand for spa services. I've seen some services that are offered in Vegas that don't exist in NC, so it excites me that I can do more.
Vegas dreaming here- Any thoughts if I'd like it there? Can a spa job pay rent in Vegas (perhaps if I share)?
Why not add Denver to your short list? Not the biggest nightclub town, but definitely plenty of bars and a drinking crowd, and a decent amount of resort/tourism services around, especially as you head up the hills. The music scene is quite a bit better in the Front Range than the other two choices- especially if you're in to jam bands. This summer in Denver alone: 4 nights of Widespread Panic at Red Rocks, 3 nights of String Cheese Incident at RR, 4 nights of Phish at Dick's, 4 nights of Furthur at RR, and the list goes on. Hell, I had 2 Grateful Dead-themed bars in my old neighborhood!
Vegas and Portland are two totally different experiences. Vegas is very service industry oriented- there may be more spa-related opportunities, but I wouldn't call Vegas a "big city" experience. It's kind of another planet altogether, more Orlando or Myrtle Beach than Manhattan. Not that Portland (or even Denver) are really big cities or have big city lifestyles, but they do function more like regular cities, and would most likely seem bigger to you, most likely (I'm a NC transplant myself, BTW). Though out of the three, Denver definitely feels the biggest city. Now I'm sure I'll take heat for this- but I visit my dad in Nevada from time to time and my friends that live in Vegas feel the same way- even the ones that love it. Speaking of heat, is weather a consideration in your move? I ask, because there's a lot of relentless 100 degree+ days in Las Vegas, and it's something you may need to be prepared for.
I'm not sure about the singles scene, but it's got to be strange- after all, there are a lot of people that want to visit to gamble and party, but not that many people in their 20's that actually want to live there. It's missing a lot of regular industries, and any type of middle class. And in terms of "normal" bars and restaurants, I find Vegas extremely lacking, compared to Denver or Portland.
Yes, I'm biased. I love Denver, and a fan of Portland, as well. Vegas is not my style. Good for partying, but everything there feels very plastic and fake to me. Sure, Vegas is cheaper to live in than either town, but personally I'd rather swallow cyanide than actually live there, and I'll bet your hippie/traveler friend would, too. But to each his own. You asked for opinion, and those are some drastically different choices. My advice to most people would be to have a Vegas vacation and then move to other spots, like Portland or Denver. Nicer places and nicer people in general. BUT to each his or her own, and given your bartender experience and enjoyment of clubs, Vegas may be something you want to try out for a while.
Watch the tv show Portlandia, it is a documentary. Well, almost. It looks like some episodes are free to watch on hulu.
Documentry? lol looks like we gotta comedian here!
Quote:
Originally Posted by MotherofDragons
I am so torn between the two places. I've only been to Vegas, but an avid traveller/hippie friend highly suggested I consider Portland.
Being from North Carolina, it is more diverse in both Portland and Vegas. What I love about Vegas is mostly the nightclubs; I have been a bartender at 2 clubs here in NC and I just LOVE the scene. I'm unsure what Portland's like, but I'm sure it's fun.
The only thing Vegas lacks is the diversity in the music scene. I really love and enjoy jam bands/rock/indie.
Anyways I feel Vegas would be the place for me since I am a single, young 26y/o, woman with no kids who wants more faster, exciting lifestyle.
I am a Licensed Esthetician with some extra training and I'm hoping there is a high demand for spa services. I've seen some services that are offered in Vegas that don't exist in NC, so it excites me that I can do more.
Vegas dreaming here- Any thoughts if I'd like it there? Can a spa job pay rent in Vegas (perhaps if I share)?
To be honest I think you may be a little too "Vegas Dreaming" at the moment. Its has flash and flare and entertainment that I think you are want, but lacks the substance that you may be leaving behind in NC. Try adding a few more cities to your list. Denver, Austin, Seattle, and San Diego can all serve you well and are better communities then Vegas.
Austin is a college town and Live music capital so it has plenty of Clubs and Bars that you would be look to visit or work at. Growing city, very nice place to live.
Denver has a strong bar scene with beautiful mountains and attractions near by. Good diverse population aswell and if you were to change career fields has lots of "Non-entertainment" fields you could venture in.
Seattle has a strong bar culture and growing club scene (SLS hotel and Club will soon be in Seattle with other locations New York, Miami, and Beverly Hills) aswell as laid back attitude and Surrounded by ocean, Mountains and much Naturally beauty. Same as Denver offers many non entertainment careers if your interests should change.
San Diego has a strong Nightlife scene and also has packed with spas and resorts you potentially work at. Beautiful oceans and and relatively urban community.
San Diego would be the most expensive, Not far behind would be Seattle, Denver would be third and Austin would be the least expensive.
Seattle and Austin have great Indie Rock music scenes aswell.
Portland has alot to offer as-well (kind of like Seattle excepted smaller) and would probably be a smoothest transition of all the cities I listed. I recommend travel to these (or just a few) cities for a few days if thats possible. If you visit Portland then Seattle should be easy to swing by and you could easily make a stop at Austin or Denver before heading to Vegas. San Diego would be more out of the way of all the cities though.
I do love you guys who know so little about Vegas but have such strong views. Fremont Street can top any of the cities listed for live music. That leaves the strip and rest of Vegas as a bonus. There simply is no comparable music, food, bar, entertainment town to Las Vegas. Yes LA and NY are as good or better. But they are vastly different sized cities.
OP did not appear to be ready to leave home. But if she wants the Bar and Spa scene there is Vegas and Vegas.
I do love you guys who know so little about Vegas but have such strong views. Fremont Street can top any of the cities listed for live music. That leaves the strip and rest of Vegas as a bonus. There simply is no comparable music, food, bar, entertainment town to Las Vegas. Yes LA and NY are as good or better. But they are vastly different sized cities.
OP did not appear to be ready to leave home. But if she wants the Bar and Spa scene there is Vegas and Vegas.
I do love you guys who know so little about Vegas but have such strong views. Fremont Street can top any of the cities listed for live music. That leaves the strip and rest of Vegas as a bonus. There simply is no comparable music, food, bar, entertainment town to Las Vegas. Yes LA and NY are as good or better. But they are vastly different sized cities.
OP did not appear to be ready to leave home. But if she wants the Bar and Spa scene there is Vegas and Vegas.
Fremont Street has a lot of live music clubs? I'm not doubting you, I'm just asking--I guess I don't remember seeing that much when I went down there, though I suppose everything in Vegas is always changing. I just remember the light show and bars and a lot of cheap casinos.
I am so torn between the two places. I've only been to Vegas, but an avid traveller/hippie friend highly suggested I consider Portland.
Being from North Carolina, it is more diverse in both Portland and Vegas. What I love about Vegas is mostly the nightclubs; I have been a bartender at 2 clubs here in NC and I just LOVE the scene. I'm unsure what Portland's like, but I'm sure it's fun.
The only thing Vegas lacks is the diversity in the music scene. I really love and enjoy jam bands/rock/indie.
Anyways I feel Vegas would be the place for me since I am a single, young 26y/o, woman with no kids who wants more faster, exciting lifestyle.
I am a Licensed Esthetician with some extra training and I'm hoping there is a high demand for spa services. I've seen some services that are offered in Vegas that don't exist in NC, so it excites me that I can do more.
Vegas dreaming here- Any thoughts if I'd like it there? Can a spa job pay rent in Vegas (perhaps if I share)?
When you went to Vegas, did you travel off the strip? If not I highly consider it before deciding to live there. It may be one of the most run down cities in America.
I do love you guys who know so little about Vegas but have such strong views. Fremont Street can top any of the cities listed for live music. That leaves the strip and rest of Vegas as a bonus. There simply is no comparable music, food, bar, entertainment town to Las Vegas. Yes LA and NY are as good or better. But they are vastly different sized cities.
OP did not appear to be ready to leave home. But if she wants the Bar and Spa scene there is Vegas and Vegas.
Uh, no. You're wrong about the music, period. OP said she likes jam/rock/indie, and Portland, Seattle, Denver, and Austin not only blow Vegas away with both touring bands but with local music scenes. I listed examples, but I don't think you're familiar with the type of music she's talking about. True, most acts come through Vegas once in a while or as a novelty, but I'm pretty attuned to the music scene, and the cities mentioned are actually filled with twentysomething audiences that actually live there. If there are bohemian, twentysomething neighborhoods in Vegas, I've never heard of them. For jam bands, I'd take Denver, hands down. For more indie/rock stuff, I'd take Seattle and Austin. Fremont Street or Red Rocks, you tell me where the fans would rather go and the musicians would rather play. There's no comparison between cover bands in a circus atmosphere and good venues/good bands. Sorry.
Does Vegas get tons of shows? Absolutely, and there's no contesting the fact that the town is the adult entertainment capital of the country. But visiting is different than living, and sheer quantity doesn't mean that it's all good, or that it would fit the OP's taste. Carrot Top, Cirque de Soleil, and Barry Manilow may not be all that appealing to a girl in her 20's.
And some of us have actually eaten at restaurants before, so dining in casinos or buffets isn't all that impressive. There are some hip places, but outside the strip the area offers a mediocre, predominantly chain offering compared to other cities its size.
Fun to visit, but perhaps lacking enough substance to live, especially in your 20's. But I agree with DevanXL's take. Enjoy yourself, take a big road trip, and check them all out.
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I'm unsure what Portland's like, but I'm sure it's fun. 
