Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
In the very least, visit Austin before you decide. Personally, I think you'll fall in love with it and it'd be 100% perfect for you in terms of culture and what the city offers..there's not a place more interesting or "cool" in my oppinion. The fact alone that such a nutjob of a city is in Texas, let alone the Texas capital, is reason alone to check it out...it's just so great of a setup. There's also a very strong "live and let live" type of vibe throughout the city and its people, and the scenery is absolutely gorgeous. Run a couple of searches on flickr for "Austin skyline", "Lake Travis", "Austin Hill Country", etc and you'll see what I mean. Pictures and internet articles really don't do it justice though, you have to go and see it for yourself to really be able to piece together exactly what it is about the city that truly sets it out there. I'd go as far as to say that it's paradise to 20/30 somethings who klnow how to live life. Truly amazing city with an unreal amount of development and growth going on at the moment.
As far as Pittsburgh goes...kind of boring, very conservative, very set in its ways. Yes, it's affordable and a good city, but no...it's not very accepting, leaps and bounds different from Portland or Austin. You'll find pockets of all sorts of people, but Pittsburgh is basically blue collar to its most extreme form. Very religious, very old fashioned and caught up in the past, lots of insular social circles, and very family oriented with straight-laced values. It's worth a visit though, really nice setting and oen of the best "historical" cities.
St Louis gets very humid in summer, so if you hate humidity, not such a good match. St Louis has a decent mass transportation system if you live and work in the city limits. If you live in the suburbs you will need a car. I have several friends that use the metrolink and barely use their car. The neighborhood I reside doesn't have a stop close by so its not an option for me. I live close enough to downtown, that several people in my neighborhood bike downtown.
In the very least, visit Austin before you decide. Personally, I think you'll fall in love with it and it'd be 100% perfect for you in terms of culture and what the city offers..there's not a place more interesting or "cool" in my oppinion. The fact alone that such a nutjob of a city is in Texas, let alone the Texas capital, is reason alone to check it out...it's just so great of a setup. There's also a very strong "live and let live" type of vibe throughout the city and its people, and the scenery is absolutely gorgeous. Run a couple of searches on flickr for "Austin skyline", "Lake Travis", "Austin Hill Country", etc and you'll see what I mean. Pictures and internet articles really don't do it justice though, you have to go and see it for yourself to really be able to piece together exactly what it is about the city that truly sets it out there. I'd go as far as to say that it's paradise to 20/30 somethings who klnow how to live life. Truly amazing city with an unreal amount of development and growth going on at the moment.
.
Good grief, this sounds like something from the Austin convention & visitors bureau.
And Austin is not a nutjob. The central city around the UT campus is a little unique, but I can also say there are several unique neighborhoods in the other Texas cities as well. Austin is not unique in this. Once you get outside the UT area, there's nothing too unusual anymore.
"Pictures and internet articles don't do it justice" .... this can be said about several Texas cities. And I can think of a few that are MUCH more misunderstood than Austin, which if anything tends to be over-hyped.
Good grief, this sounds like something from the Austin convention & visitors bureau.
And Austin is not a nutjob. The central city around the UT campus is a little unique, but I can also say there are several unique neighborhoods in the other Texas cities as well. Austin is not unique in this. Once you get outside the UT area, there's nothing too unusual anymore.
"Pictures and internet articles don't do it justice" .... this can be said about several Texas cities. And I can think of a few that are MUCH more misunderstood than Austin, which if anything tends to be over-hyped.
This is true. I was going to recommend Houston, but it doesn't fit the climate preferences of the OP (a lot of tatoo parlors in Houston ). As for Texas, I think you could probably include San Antonio and Fort Worth as well (with the exception of "bikeability," walkability, and public transportation).
Keep in mind this guy is 50 years old and lives in a suburb WAY outside of the city limits. Not sure he would be the authority on a cultural scene. South St Louis city actually has a ton of great stuff going on.
Neenner, neener neener. I guess people like Mike Ness and Joe Doe are irrelevant because they almost 50. When did I elect to take part in a Carousel Ritual? I am a former punk rock musician and still hit the clubs (more in CA and NY than in MO) when a good band shows up. I think the last time I was in a mosh pit was about 7 years a go. I am still very involved in the Graphic Arts community. Age is all relative.
Besides I only live 30 miles from Downtown Saint Louis (which may as well be on the other side of the state in the eyes of many of the locals who seem afraid of venturing more than 5 miles from home ) Trust me, you wouldn't want to live in Saint Louis (or most of the mid west - with the exception of Chicago).
Again my first recommendation would be Southern California, you guys are young and there is a lot to explore in the area. Weekend trips to the Sequoias, Sierras, Joshua Tree, Yosemite, Humbold or Baja (it's very safe south of Ensenada) are among the best road trips in the country.
I would also seriously consider Wilmington, North Carolina. On the beach, with a three season climate and a great artistic community. Many major film studios have set of production space in Wilmington. You may be pleasantly surprised.
Last edited by DinsdalePirahna; 11-23-2009 at 05:08 PM..
How's the mass transit in St. Louis? Is it fairly easy to live with only the occasional drive here and there?
I live and work downtown and probably put 150 miles on my car per month. Most of 150 is due to visiting family in the burbs. Mass transit is good for a city its size. Subway through downtown and light rail cuts through the central corridor of the city and to some of the burbs. Obviously a Bus system connecting through the city. Bike lanes throughout the city and a trail that follows the mississippi river for 25 miles.
If the recession ever ends here are some proposals in the works
Chouteau Lake and Greenway project -http://stlcin.missouri.org/devprojects/projinfo.cfm?DevProjectID=153
Chouteau Landing-http://www.chouteauslanding.com/
Feel free to send me a direct msg if you have any questions.
As far as Pittsburgh goes...kind of boring, very conservative, very set in its ways. Yes, it's affordable and a good city, but no...it's not very accepting, leaps and bounds different from Portland or Austin. You'll find pockets of all sorts of people, but Pittsburgh is basically blue collar to its most extreme form. Very religious, very old fashioned and caught up in the past, lots of insular social circles, and very family oriented with straight-laced values. It's worth a visit though, really nice setting and oen of the best "historical" cities.
Have you ever been in Pittsburgh within the last 10 years? Extreme blue collar? (I will give you conservative, but it isn't an extremist conservative)
Your description may hold some truth if you are describing western Pennsylvania, some low life yinzer neighborhoods or what Pittsburgh was like 30 years ago. But for the most part Pittsburgh is a high tech city with a great art and music scene.
You actually sound as if you are describing Saint Louis.
My boyfriend and I are most likely moving back to the states this summer, but have no idea where we want to go. We had been leaning heavily toward Portland, OR but I'm frankly not sure I could stand so much rain
Here's some things we're looking for and/or need to take into consideration. Please share any ideas you have! Thank you kindly!
- I'm in my 20s, he'll be 30 at the time of the move. I'm a loud-mouthed "yankee" (as the southerners call me!) and he's a Maritime Canadian (Nova Scotia).
- We're looking for somewhere moderate or left-leaning. We're tattooed, non-religious, artistic-- somewhere that isn't going to shun us for that. It happens.
- Moderate cost of living (we'd like to be able to buy a house at some point), preferably with the possibility of renting a small house/bungalow for under $1100/month. I like to have a garden.
- Ideally, within a few hours from the coast. Somewhere really great and beautiful inland would be considered too.
- Somewhat mild weather. I can't stand extreme mugginess/humidity, or constant rain. He's really sick of constant snow and 7 months of winter. Heheheh. We don't mind some snow, of course (we're northerners!!). I like sun.
-I'd like somewhere with decent public transport and bike-friendliness, but that of course depends on the size of the city.
Any ideas? Thanks in advance!!! Cheers!!!!
I think DC would fit you all great and meets your requirement except the $1100/mo rent you're seeking. You've got the young and densely populated city, a couple hours from the coast, mild four season climate, left leaning and well educated population with decent public transportation. The only issue would be the $1100/mo rent. Another possibility would be Charlottesville, VA or Raleigh,NC (cheaper option).
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
). As for Texas, I think you could probably include San Antonio and Fort Worth as well (with the exception of "bikeability," walkability, and public transportation).
