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I have suggestion. It would be to stay in a Bed and Breakfast in the area. Or maybe stay a few nights in one and a few nights in another. You would be able to get a feel for the entire area and not just a few towns.
Look at this place in Branford on the water. The owners are a painter and a photographer. They could tell you about the artist community. Linden Point House-About Us
There is someone on here named willowwind and she knows the coastline area near New Haven very well. I hope she sees this and gives her opinion too. I have learned much about the area along the coast from her.
CuppaTea will be retired like I will be. She is an artist an musician like me. Please read #25, #27 and #28 of this thread.
Artists, musicians and creatives form bonds that are stronger than their own blood relatives. It is hard to explain to a non-artist and non-musician how strong our communities are. I could be plopped down in just about anywhere on the earth in a one bedroom apartment. As long as I have my instruments, art supplies, other artists, musicians and creatives (dancers, writers, etc.) around I would be happy.
There is more to life for some people than the size of the house they live in, status, how wealthy an area is etc.
I really appreciate all the input here.
For the sake of clarity, I will not, by any means, be retired. And I am definitely concerned about being able to make new friends and build a life wherever I decide to go. And frankly, I am looking to buy at some point in the not too distant future, and I honestly wouldn't want to be in a one bedroom apartment when I move.
SO, I am taking in everything offered here by way of suggestions, viewpoints, facts and preferences so I can get a clearer picture.
Regarding weather, I'd be happy to see only a brief dusting of it on Christmas Eve. But I don't want heat more than I don't want snow, so milder winter will have to do. CT seems a good compromise and certainly ticks the "picturesque" box it seems.
I have suggestion. It would be to stay in a Bed and Breakfast in the area. Or maybe stay a few nights in one and a few nights in another. You would be able to get a feel for the entire area and not just a few towns.
Look at this place in Branford on the water. The owners are a painter and a photographer. They could tell you about the artist community. Linden Point House-About Us
There is someone on here named willowwind and she knows the coastline area near New Haven very well. I hope she sees this and gives her opinion too. I have learned much about the area along the coast from her.
My wife and I recently moved to Stamford, CT after living in Chicago for 40 years. I grew up in Brooklyn and most of our family lives in NYC and LI which is why we tried to move back to the Metro NY area.
For sure, you are going to find any place close to a Metro area on the east coast down to the DC area really expensive and somewhat of a shock. Yes, you can find cheaper places in smaller towns or in the Metro areas but either the quality will be really disappointing out you will find lackluster amenities. This can make retirement very challenging and potentially extremely boring.
It is very difficult meeting new people in CT. New Englanders are very guarded and distant. Fine if you like privacy, the kiss of death if you are trying to make new friends. This is a constant refrain among people who try to move into this area.
Stamford itself is about as good as it gets for a mildly urban area near NYC but there are only a few amenities such as a good library, a good independent movie house, some decent restaurants (expensive), and a new jazz club that should be opening soon.
If you are a church goer, this may be an avenue to meet new people. We are not but we have have pieced together some activities to keep us busy as we continue to look for a permanent place to live in our retirement.
Finding a place for retirement is very challenging. I have one friend who is thinking about Raleigh but that is not for us. So we are still hunting.
I live in Vernon. I wouldn't consider that a "pricier" town.
You are correct in assuming that I am somewhat jaded because of my experience here in CT--and contrary to what you might think, it doesn't have anything to do with the divorce.
It's very rare when anyone wants to get together outside of work--everyone's too busy with their own lives. I would also grant you that it's just plain hard for a transplant to fit in with the locals ESPECIALLY in the NE--I certainly found it difficult with the exception of the local church I used to attend. People were welcoming--but I didn't make any long lasting friendships there either.
As for the snow, read my previous post. Some years CT winters are humid, slushy messes. During those times my arthritis really acts up, and I can barely make it out of bed those mornings. It's not the amount of snow I can't tolerate, it's the moisture in the air. Last winter was actually tolerable for me because of the lower humidity. An for the record, I believe CT was measuring the snow in feet last year too! Another thing I noticed is that the sun goes down a full half hour before it does in Western NYS. It's pretty brutal coming home in the dark day after day during the winter months.
I am sorry for your situation and cannot speak to your experience meeting people. The key seems to be getting out and meeting people with the same interests. Join something. Many towns have Newcomers clubs to meet people in similar situations. As for the darkness, western New York has the same amount of hours of darkness as Connecticut. Just like Connecticut you get up in the dark and come home in the dark on some days. The times may change slightly but it doesn't change the amount of daylight. Jay
My wife and I recently moved to Stamford, CT after living in Chicago for 40 years. I grew up in Brooklyn and most of our family lives in NYC and LI which is why we tried to move back to the Metro NY area.
For sure, you are going to find any place close to a Metro area on the east coast down to the DC area really expensive and somewhat of a shock. Yes, you can find cheaper places in smaller towns or in the Metro areas but either the quality will be really disappointing out you will find lackluster amenities. This can make retirement very challenging and potentially extremely boring.
It is very difficult meeting new people in CT. New Englanders are very guarded and distant. Fine if you like privacy, the kiss of death if you are trying to make new friends. This is a constant refrain among people who try to move into this area.
Stamford itself is about as good as it gets for a mildly urban area near NYC but there are only a few amenities such as a good library, a good independent movie house, some decent restaurants (expensive), and a new jazz club that should be opening soon.
If you are a church goer, this may be an avenue to meet new people. We are not but we have have pieced together some activities to keep us busy as we continue to look for a permanent place to live in our retirement.
Finding a place for retirement is very challenging. I have one friend who is thinking about Raleigh but that is not for us. So we are still hunting.
Hope this helps.
Hi,
Thanks for your perspective on this.
I am from Chicago and live in the suburbs since high school. I've lived here all my life. The weather is honestly very limiting in terms of just going out and enjoying a walk with my dog, or even going shopping in the winter...or summer for that matter. Just getting from the car to the store is a challenge when there's a layer of ice underfoot or 3 feet of snow, or when the heat and humidity are so high you can't breathe.
And tornadoes terrify me. There have been touchdowns all around me over the years, and I am so tired of hearing the sirens, grabbing my purse and my dog and sitting in the bathroom till it all passes.
So, weather is a big issue for me. I know if I can find a good place with better-not perfect, but better weather, I can enjoy life more and get more done.
Also, as I mentioned, I am not even remotely close to retiring. I'm starting a new chapter in my life, if you will, and both need and want to continue a career. I'm only 61 and don't have the same mindset as some others. I still consider myself kind of young and don't want to go down the road of some others I've seen far too often who see this time of life as a downward spiral to god knows what.
I've actually been looking into moving to the U.K. in a very serious way. I have citizenship in another EU country and thus have the ability to live and work in any other EU country.
The biggest problem for me I think is that I'm doing this alone, going to a place where I know no one, and starting over on my own. It seems most people move with or to someone else, or to a job or school. That's not the case for me. Being alone is a blessing and a curse.
I'm at the point of just throwing a dart at a map....
I am from Chicago and live in the suburbs since high school. I've lived here all my life. The weather is honestly very limiting in terms of just going out and enjoying a walk with my dog, or even going shopping in the winter...or summer for that matter. Just getting from the car to the store is a challenge when there's a layer of ice underfoot or 3 feet of snow, or when the heat and humidity are so high you can't breathe.
And tornadoes terrify me. There have been touchdowns all around me over the years, and I am so tired of hearing the sirens, grabbing my purse and my dog and sitting in the bathroom till it all passes.
So, weather is a big issue for me. I know if I can find a good place with better-not perfect, but better weather, I can enjoy life more and get more done.
Also, as I mentioned, I am not even remotely close to retiring. I'm starting a new chapter in my life, if you will, and both need and want to continue a career. I'm only 61 and don't have the same mindset as some others. I still consider myself kind of young and don't want to go down the road of some others I've seen far too often who see this time of life as a downward spiral to god knows what.
I've actually been looking into moving to the U.K. in a very serious way. I have citizenship in another EU country and thus have the ability to live and work in any other EU country.
The biggest problem for me I think is that I'm doing this alone, going to a place where I know no one, and starting over on my own. It seems most people move with or to someone else, or to a job or school. That's not the case for me. Being alone is a blessing and a curse.
I'm at the point of just throwing a dart at a map....
If you do not like the cold weather then Connecticut may not be for you. I know you also don't like the heat of the south either. Have you maybe considered the shoreline of Delaware? I have friends who have family (all not from Connecticut) who have retired there and love it. It is quiet but pretty and not too far from Washington DC and Philadelphia. It might be a more appropriate place to consider. Just a thought but I would still consider Branford and taking CTartist up on her offer. From her years of posting here she sure sounds like a very interesting person to be friends with. Jay
I am from Chicago and live in the suburbs since high school. I've lived here all my life. The weather is honestly very limiting in terms of just going out and enjoying a walk with my dog, or even going shopping in the winter...or summer for that matter. Just getting from the car to the store is a challenge when there's a layer of ice underfoot or 3 feet of snow, or when the heat and humidity are so high you can't breathe.
And tornadoes terrify me. There have been touchdowns all around me over the years, and I am so tired of hearing the sirens, grabbing my purse and my dog and sitting in the bathroom till it all passes.
So, weather is a big issue for me. I know if I can find a good place with better-not perfect, but better weather, I can enjoy life more and get more done.
Also, as I mentioned, I am not even remotely close to retiring. I'm starting a new chapter in my life, if you will, and both need and want to continue a career. I'm only 61 and don't have the same mindset as some others. I still consider myself kind of young and don't want to go down the road of some others I've seen far too often who see this time of life as a downward spiral to god knows what.
I've actually been looking into moving to the U.K. in a very serious way. I have citizenship in another EU country and thus have the ability to live and work in any other EU country.
The biggest problem for me I think is that I'm doing this alone, going to a place where I know no one, and starting over on my own. It seems most people move with or to someone else, or to a job or school. That's not the case for me. Being alone is a blessing and a curse.
I'm at the point of just throwing a dart at a map....
Many of my friends are in a similar position. Most move to a place where there is at least some family or friends. We actually don't see much of our family in Metro NY but sometimes do. Yesterday we saw or son. We also like playing table tennis, and since there is a large table tennis center in Pleasantville, NY, 30 minutes away, we can always use it as a go to place when we get bored. Not sure how it will work out in the winter though
The problem with the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic is that it is so expensive and it is not clear at all what you get for your money.
Another friend of mine is leaving Chicago for Montreal but she is going there to be near her daughter and grandchild. Weather will be a problem there for her as is East coast weather is for his (hurricanes, snow, humidity).
If you are totally alone then bring near other people your age who are also in the same situation is helpful. I thought the people I met in Silver Spring, MD were quite friendly though COL is still quite high especially in the city center (Silver Spring is huge) where housing is as costly as Stamford - and not as nice. Metro DC on the Virginia side reaked of bureaucracy. Too much crime in Philadelphia for us but parts of Philly may work for you though I couldn't figure out where I would meet new people. New Haven is interesting, but good housing costs and there are also safety issues there though the downtown area has a security guard every hundred feet. Gotta keep the Yalies safe ☺ Also you have to be able to fit into three academia milieu.
Stamford is just a temporary place for us right now but we haven't found any other place that is suitable for us as of yet. You may want to choose what is the best general location that might be suitable for yourself and then rent, as we are doing, and start looking around. It is a challenge for us as well.
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