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I get ya but places like New Orleans have too much poverty, crime and crumbling structures for living for me. I'd rather live in the boring Whole foods zone and visit New Orleans.
I'm the type to live there and actively try to change it than stand on the sidelines.
I think of character as a visual appeal. Culture is more about the inhabitants.
Agreed.
I'd argue Boston's culture has been watered down from gentrification but it's character is still intact, whereas say Philadelphia or New Orleans still has it's culture and character.
Not necessarily. You can still actively decrease crime and raise school standards without whoring the neighborhood up with Chipotle and Starbucks.
From my experience, once crime goes down and schools get better then low middle income hipsters/gays/artists etc. start to move in and as things improve upper middle incomes start to notice and the chipotles and starbucks see the dollar signs. I'm generalizing of course but seems more or less the path many areas take.
I think a prime example is Santa Fe. It has a certain character based on history and architecture that is world famous as Santa Fe Style. Building codes retain and protect the look of the central core around the historic plaza. It has an artsy reputation and perhaps the best galleries in the country are shoulder-to-shoulder up Canyon Road. All of that brings tourists and dollars. It is a big plus for the community and the state. But it is the state capital with thousands of government and regular workaday folks living and working in the city that barely notice the character. As a city dating to 1610 it has certain traffic and parking issues that have to be dealt with every day. Unless you have the money to go with it, much of the famous charm and character is a bit out of reach. The actual common culture is fairly normal with just a hint of all that character. Granted, there are cultural events that people might take advantage of that would not be available in other places.
Santa Fe is not alone in this and I suspect that other historic cities might have a similar situation. Playground cities like Vail and Aspen are priced too high for many workers to live in town so the satellite communities provide a normal existence.
Strong Character and Strong Culture
NYC
Miami
New Orleans
Chicago
SF
Strong Character and Weak Culture
DC
Weak Character and Strong Culture
LA
Seattle
I won't go further since some folks will freak out.
Haven't been to Seattle yet, but how does LA have a "weak character"? It has one of the strongest urban identities in the nation. Hell, even the impression I have of Seattle is still a strong character (gloomy, maritime, hippiesh, techy)
To me, character is the vibe the city gives off through natural and man-made things. Culture is vibe that residents give the city.
Miami's character may be tropical and sunny, highrise heavy, art deco, and flashy nightlife with good looking people. While the culture is laid back, beach trips and life on the water, the U and the Heat, "305", and the mixing pot of languages and ethnic food that you'll find there.
Neighborhoods and cities like Brickell, Little Havana, Little Haiti, Hialeah, Coral Gables, South Beach, Coconut Grove, etc give off Miami's character from their design, lifestyles, geographic features, etc. While the people that live in them, the food they make, the languages they speak, the local Miami things they love, and what they do in their free time is what defines Miami's culture.
Miami is a lot of those things... but NOT that one lol. Maybe its laid back if Manhattan is literally the only other place you've been to.
Not necessarily. You can still actively decrease crime and raise school standards without whoring the neighborhood up with Chipotle and Starbucks.
Honestly, I'd rather take a few Chipotles and Starbucks over more Applebee's and Denny's. That's just moi, though.
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