Looking for Eden - small, affordable, tolerant (on liberal side) (renting, college)

[alicemurn]

I have been wandering and looking for Eden or at least a place that i feel like i might belong.

I think i am seeking
- smallish town (2,000 to 100,000 more or less)
- accessible nature
- walkable and some public transit (I don't drive)
- affordable - will be renting place for single - a place where wages and cost of living are somewhat in balance. While i am college educated, i have been travelling (looking for eden) and working low wage jobs for some time.
- liberal/progressive but open and tolerant and down to earth (i.e. not totally politically correct, a mix of lifestyles and views is ideal)
- community feel
- some new age/hippy vibes but without the heavy pot scene. Ie - i like organic foods, new spirituality, meditation, "esoteric philosophy" yoga etc but i also shop on a budget, smoke cigarettes, and believe in Jesus.
- neither a retirement community nor a student town (i am in my early 40s so would like some age diversity.)

Have been on west coast - have visited and considered places like Port Townsend (housing???not sure about the grey/rain - here and elsewhere), Bay Area/Central Coast (expensive!!), some northern California (jobs? pot/growing scene too predominant), Oregon Coast (jobs???), Seward, AK (winter), and have now returned to Buffalo where i was born and feel that i definately don't fit. I grew up in Montreal, escaped Toronto some time ago and spent several years in BC before returning to the US.
I am open geographically, but no deserts and no larger cities please.

If anyone has ideas, please post. I am tired of being a nomad.

[ckhthankgod]

Originally Posted by alicemurn

I have been wandering and looking for Eden or at least a place that i feel like i might belong.

I think i am seeking
- smallish town (2,000 to 100,000 more or less)
- accessible nature
- walkable and some public transit (I don't drive)
- affordable - will be renting place for single - a place where wages and cost of living are somewhat in balance. While i am college educated, i have been travelling (looking for eden) and working low wage jobs for some time.
- liberal/progressive but open and tolerant and down to earth (i.e. not totally politically correct, a mix of lifestyles and views is ideal)
- community feel
- some new age/hippy vibes but without the heavy pot scene. Ie - i like organic foods, new spirituality, meditation, "esoteric philosophy" yoga etc but i also shop on a budget, smoke cigarettes, and believe in Jesus.
- neither a retirement community nor a student town (i am in my early 40s so would like some age diversity.)

Have been on west coast - have visited and considered places like Port Townsend (housing???not sure about the grey/rain - here and elsewhere), Bay Area/Central Coast (expensive!!), some northern California (jobs? pot/growing scene too predominant), Oregon Coast (jobs???), Seward, AK (winter), and have now returned to Buffalo where i was born and feel that i definately don't fit. I grew up in Montreal, escaped Toronto some time ago and spent several years in BC before returning to the US.
I am open geographically, but no deserts and no larger cities please.

If anyone has ideas, please post. I am tired of being a nomad.

Maybe Ithaca, New Paltz and Oneonta in NY State.

If you go back to Buffalo, try the Allentown and Elmwood Strip areas: http://www.allentown.org/
http://www.allenstreet.com/
http://www.allentownartfestival.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allento...falo,_New_York
http://www.elmwoodvillage.org/
http://www.elmwoodartfest.org/
http://www.myelmwoodvillage.com/

It is over 100,000 people though.

[Georgiafrog]

Asheville, North Carolina, Madison, Wisconsin, Missoula, Montana.

http://www.exploreasheville.com/index.aspx

http://www.visitmadison.com/

http://www.ci.missoula.mt.us/

[Daytonnatian]

Yellow Springs and Oberlin, Ohio.

[malachai23]

^^^ I second Yellow Springs. Sounds like pretty much everything you are looking for.

[540_804]

I thought you meant Eden NC when I saw the title of this thread..LOL.

[DinsdalePirahna]

I consider myself a (center-left) liberal, but I've noticed is that many liberals are about as intolerant as their conservative counterparts. The further you wander off the center (left or to the right) you become crazier, more intolerant and judgmental.