[DawnMTL]

My favorite place to live: Montreal.
I just didn't realize it then, how unbelievably beautiful it was (is).
I think that happens a lot when it's your hometown -- you take it for granted.

[JViello]

Originally Posted by DandJ

My favorite place to live: Montreal.
I just didn't realize it then, how unbelievably beautiful it was (is).
I think that happens a lot when it's your hometown -- you take it for granted.

Very true. I went to Old Montreal on a honeymoon. Stayed at Pierre du Calvet, had some of the best food this side of Europe and really enjoyed the city. Most people here don't realize what's 5 hours North. Forget DC 5 hours South.

http://www.pierreducalvet.ca/english/gallery.html

[DawnMTL]

Originally Posted by JViello

Very true. I went to Old Montreal on a honeymoon. Stayed at Pierre du Calvet, had some of the best food this side of Europe and really enjoyed the city. Most people here don't realize what's 5 hours North. Forget DC 5 hours South.

Hostellerie Pierre du Calvet

I'm glad that you enjoyed it so much. I definitely miss the food, the architecture, the fact that there are so many things to do, how the people are so outgoing and friendly, etc...

It's funny because every time I'd have an out of town guest, they'd say, "Wow! This is a fabulous city!" and I'd be like, "Really? Yeah, I guess so..." It's only when you move away that you realize quite how awesome it is.

Another funny thing is that more than a dozen times since I've moved here, when people ask me where I'm from and they hear Montreal, they've said, "Why would you leave THERE to come HERE?" Not everyone has said that, but enough that I've felt like saying, "Shut up! That's not helping me adjust!"

[nep321]

Although I had an amazing experience living in NYC, I would say Granby, CT is the best place I've lived. It's quiet, beautiful, has educated and some wealthy people who do not show off their money, unlike other neighboring towns. The people are nice and it has a small town feel, although it's rapidly growing. And you only have to drive 5-10 min for a grocery store, which isn't bad for a rural town.

Now, I live in Middletown and honestly don't like it. Yes, the western and southern sections of town are decent, but the downtown is disgusting IMO. Even during the daytime, I see suspiscious, sketchy and ghetto people walking along Main Street. I would not want to be walking there alone, I'm sorry to say. It's in stark contrast compared with West Hartford center. Also, the traffic on Route 66 and Main Street is horrendous. It takes me literally 10 minutes just to get to Route 9. Too many traffic lights and cars. And, I can't stand the college students everywhere walking around from Wesleyan. They all seem to dress weird and have weird styles. You know...guys with long hair and trench coats. Just so weird. And I see college students all the time fooling around and buying beer at the local stores. It makes the city feel more childish than it needs to be. Overall, the city has a run-down feel and I just dont fit in. Ugh...I am already looking at moving out when my lease is up this fall! Even Vernon was a better place to live, and I didn't like it much.

In short, the towns I liked living in were: Rocky Hill, Granby and NYC. The towns I didn't like living in were Hartford, Vernon and now Middletown.

[jax12479]

Old Greenwich, CT
West Village in Manhattan
Galway, Ireland

[wtby4000]

The womb

[CTNomad]

Originally Posted by wtby4000

The womb

Haha. Too bad you can't go back.

[JViello]

Originally Posted by DandJ

I'm glad that you enjoyed it so much. I definitely miss the food, the architecture, the fact that there are so many things to do, how the people are so outgoing and friendly, etc...

It's funny because every time I'd have an out of town guest, they'd say, "Wow! This is a fabulous city!" and I'd be like, "Really? Yeah, I guess so..." It's only when you move away that you realize quite how awesome it is.

Another funny thing is that more than a dozen times since I've moved here, when people ask me where I'm from and they hear Montreal, they've said, "Why would you leave THERE to come HERE?" Not everyone has said that, but enough that I've felt like saying, "Shut up! That's not helping me adjust!"

Let me tell you something...if it wasn't so cold there, not much would stop me from living there. I've heard the saying, Europeans can't believe how American it feels and Americans can't believe how European it feels. LOL

When I was up there in the Winter though, it wasn't too bad because you can really stay underground most of the time. Great public transit system as well. Chinatown was a lot of fun, the comtempo museum etc etc.

Love it. It used to be nice getting 15-20% off everything as well...but those days are gone.

Toronto got nothing on Montreal IMO.

Originally Posted by nep321

Although I had an amazing experience living in NYC, I would say Granby, CT is the best place I've lived. It's quiet, beautiful, has educated and some wealthy people who do not show off their money, unlike other neighboring towns. The people are nice and it has a small town feel, although it's rapidly growing. And you only have to drive 5-10 min for a grocery store, which isn't bad for a rural town.

Now, I live in Middletown and honestly don't like it. Yes, the western and southern sections of town are decent, but the downtown is disgusting IMO. Even during the daytime, I see suspiscious, sketchy and ghetto people walking along Main Street. I would not want to be walking there alone, I'm sorry to say. It's in stark contrast compared with West Hartford center. Also, the traffic on Route 66 and Main Street is horrendous. It takes me literally 10 minutes just to get to Route 9. Too many traffic lights and cars. And, I can't stand the college students everywhere walking around from Wesleyan. They all seem to dress weird and have weird styles. You know...guys with long hair and trench coats. Just so weird. And I see college students all the time fooling around and buying beer at the local stores. It makes the city feel more childish than it needs to be. Overall, the city has a run-down feel and I just dont fit in. Ugh...I am already looking at moving out when my lease is up this fall! Even Vernon was a better place to live, and I didn't like it much.

In short, the towns I liked living in were: Rocky Hill, Granby and NYC. The towns I didn't like living in were Hartford, Vernon and now Middletown.

I hate to say I told you so, but "I told you so". Middletown to me is a city of lost opportunity. They have Weslyan, yet the ghetto is across the street. They are on the river, except it's got a highway cutting them off. They have a nice downtown, but the riff raff keeps many from enjoying it. Getting through downtown to RT makes me pull my hair out.

[Slipperman]

i also lived on Long Island for 2 years but it wasn't particularly special. some nice areas of course but it's very crowded and thanx to there being no bridge across the sound, really made the trip back to CT for family, friends, etc that much longer (distance and time wise). you have to go into the city and take like 100 bridges/parkways (Throgsneck, Cross Island, LIE, blah, blah, blah) to get to CT. and the reverse wasn't any better. i can remember it took over 2.5 hours to go from New London to where i was in Greenlawn (near Huntington). not a place i'd consider going back to.

[HeadedWest]

For family living, the best place we lived was State College, PA. I am unsuited for living in congested suburban and urban areas, so a small town surrounded by woods and farms but with the social and cultural opportunities of a large university made for the best of both worlds.