Longisland "vs" Upstate Ny -can Anybody Relate To This??? (Albany: best city, neighborhoods)

[rperreta]

Originally Posted by homeward bound

Hi, Rperetta

Can you explain why you didn't like upstate, or at least the houses/towns your realtor showed you? Where were they located?

I won't argue with you--to each his own, as you say--but I am curious, since we are going to move back to upstate NY ASAP.

Thanks!

Honestly it was about 3 years ago and I don't remember all the towns but I do know it was like exit 56 or 59 - it started with an M. That's about all I can remember. As for the houses what I didn't like the most was the properties were not level. It's like the houses were built on hills. The other problem I had was 2 houses we looked at smelled horrible from the Cow farms in the area. With a summer breeze and the heat that can turn into a bad mixture. I'm not knocking it, just giving my opinion. The realtor also took us to the pretty little town and we thought we were going to find the house of our dreams according to her (the realtor). However she tell's us on the way that the head of the Northeast Division of the KKK lives in this town and he kids would be going to school with mine. Now, I am ½ Italian and ½ Puerto Rician I can pass for more Itialian but my kids don't have a shot. My wife is Bolivian and Argentian so there is no way on gods great earth we would be able to blend in. Not looking forward to burning crosses on my lawn... I couldn't put my kids in that school and subject them to such hate. Hence, my choice to stay in LI for now...

[homeward bound]

Sure makes sense to me! You can't live on-guard like that all the time. I have found that most upstaters are very fair-minded, decent people. But of course just the risk of KKK-level bigotry is too much. It's so disturbing to think that this man, the KKK leader, has probably poisoned his kids to "think" like him, too. Talk about a crime against his own kids.

One of the things I've run into, because though I'm part-Jewish yet I don't "look Jewish," is some casual anti-Semitism. I've even had a realtor or two let slip an anti-Semitic line. I like the look on the faces when I say, "Hey, how did you know I'm Jewish?" Their jaws drop and they sputter all sorts of feeble excuses. But then I'm out the door. With so many decent people in the world, there's no reason to live among morons when you don't need to.

Still, sometimes the kids can be a fresh-start. One of my best friends growing up had a vicious racist for a dad. Yet his best friends were Jewish/Catholic me, a Korean kid, and the neighborhood's only black kid.

I think all the immigrants to the many upstate towns and cities had a lot to do with making them relatively un-bigoted places. It's hard to convince yourself to dehumanize someone when you know that America once didn't want to regard your Italian or Polish or Irish grandparent as a full human being and fellow American. To me, most of the upstate towns are great proof that being American is a disposition of character--a set of principles, a decency of heart--and not a tint of skin-color or accent of speech.

Thanks for your reply and best of luck in your decisions.

[Dedalus]

"One of the things I've run into, because though I'm part-Jewish yet I don't "look Jewish," is some casual anti-Semitism. I've even had a realtor or two let slip an anti-Semitic line. I like the look on the faces when I say, "Hey, how did you know I'm Jewish?" Their jaws drop and they sputter all sorts of feeble excuses. But then I'm out the door. With so many decent people in the world, there's no reason to live among morons when you don't need to."

Ha, ha, ha! That's priceless, good for you.

I hear this crap all the time. Once, I invited a friend of mine who is Jewish to my parents house in Manhasset. We were sitting on a wall in the backyard having a few beers, and overheard a whole bunch of that sort of thing from some of the local Dung Vile-Land trogs who were hanging out in the next yard. They were really LOUD. It wound up becoming a running joke between us for years.

[countrycitymom]

I used to live outside of NYC in Bergen County, NJ when my husband suggested we move first to Poconos, PA, then to southern PA (Amish country). I missed the 'city ammneities' at first, but I have been living away from the NYC area almost 7 years. Now, when I go back to visit my family in northern NJ, I can't stand it...so much traffic/gridlock, fast-fast paced lifestyle, not too mention ridiculous property taxes and properties. Give 'upstate' a chance....at least a year or two.

[JOHNNYCOUNTRY]

I have granparents in upstate New York and I love it when I visit its a lot like the south. Very laidback and very country the smell of farms is actually nice to me it keeps certain yuppie like folks away. Not many darn subdivisions or cheap little strip malls. Things are a bit far away but thats actually how I like it. I like the fact that year after year I go back and that place stays the same cold winters are good for some things. Sure your gonna find some racist folks but all country towns have that. I dont know I see northeners moving south and if there from upstate New York I cant imagine why. Sure taxes are high but you get a lot of stuff back for that. Were im at theres no garbage pick-up you have to pay someone for that. If you get one inch of snow the roads are awful. The pay in the south is a lot lower in most parts. I think you upstaters got a little peice of heaven and if snow keeps people away Id say thats a good thing. As far as stuff to do I stay real buzy up there. Going to Hamlin Beach,trail walking,fishing..plenty of outdooor activities. I think its a country thing and country folks adapt better in upstate.

[homeward bound]

I think you're quite right, Johnnycountry. Having lived for many years in both upstate NY and the South, I was surprised when upstate NY proved to have more to do, winter and summer, than the South. Much of Virginia, my homestate for the last 23 years, is lovely country, nice to live in as well as beautiful to look at, to soak up. But upstate NY has SO MUCH freshwater that even if you don't like to fish, the swimming and boating and canoeing and kayaking opportunities are terrific. Just knowing that those options are close by gives a real sense of spaciousness. Big lakes, little lakes, Great Lakes; streams, rivers, ponds--many of them right outside towns so you can grab a good breakfast and eat it ON a lovely lake. That's a rare, rare thing. The country is very various, too, with everything from rolling hills to mountains to flatland to different types of farms to gorges and near wilderness--all of it often within a 45 mile radius. And all the great summer trails can be great winter trails, too, if you make a little effort. And that unchanging, sane pace of life, whether in the small towns or the countryside--you can't beat it, and you can depend on it not changing year after year. Well worth having to drive 30 minutes to get to a big box store--and in a lot of America, you have drive even more than that, without nearly the same gracious countryside around you. And without a serious winter, do you really appreciate the summer as much? All the historical towns, many of them stately and cozy, the small-town traditions and festivals. It's New England and the upper Midwest perfectly mixed together....

[JOHNNYCOUNTRY]

Originally Posted by homeward bound

I think you're quite right, Johnnycountry. Having lived for many years in both upstate NY and the South, I was surprised when upstate NY proved to have more to do, winter and summer, than the South. Much of Virginia, my homestate for the last 23 years, is lovely country, nice to live in as well as beautiful to look at, to soak up. But upstate NY has SO MUCH freshwater that even if you don't like to fish, the swimming and boating and canoeing and kayaking opportunities are terrific. Just knowing that those options are close by gives a real sense of spaciousness. Big lakes, little lakes, Great Lakes; streams, rivers, ponds--many of them right outside towns so you can grab a good breakfast and eat it ON a lovely lake. That's a rare, rare thing. The country is very various, too, with everything from rolling hills to mountains to flatland to different types of farms to gorges and near wilderness--all of it often within a 45 mile radius. And all the great summer trails can be great winter trails, too, if you make a little effort. And that unchanging, sane pace of life, whether in the small towns or the countryside--you can't beat it, and you can depend on it not changing year after year. Well worth having to drive 30 minutes to get to a big box store--and in a lot of America, you have drive even more than that, without nearly the same gracious countryside around you. And without a serious winter, do you really appreciate the summer as much? All the historical towns, many of them stately and cozy, the small-town traditions and festivals. It's New England and the upper Midwest perfectly mixed together....

I agree especially about appreciation summer more. I notice that every time I visit all the festivals and people outside really enjoying the short lived summer. I tried to grow those lilac trees down here and didnt fare to well. The only thing I noticed about upstate New York is that it doesnt seem like the job market is that good right now but hopefully that will change for yall up there. My grandparents have lived there all their life and the deepest freeze couldnt make them leave.

[Sgoldie]

Nicely said Homeward Bound. It's best if someone who wants to relocate upstate can take some time to look around. We are way more than the major cities you hear mentioned. You may want to visit them though to see which one you feel most comfortable with as a nearby base, or if you wanted to be in a burb. Cooperstown, Canandaigua, Geneva, Oswego, Watkins Glen, Auburn, Rhinebeck, and the (1000 Islands region) are all picturesque small cities. Most people up here will accept anyone who is different as long as they have good values and are friendly. In fact you might be surprised to find that they'd defend them in many cases.

Here's a funny story about my mother-in-law who was from LI. We lived way back in the woods at the time and she use to sit perched at the window hoping for traffic to drive down the road as she felt uncomfortable without seeing the commotion. This is even more hilarious - she just couldn't understand why it was that when she turned the tv onto a channel # that she was familiar with in NYC that she wasn't getting the stations or news she was use to from there.

[elmerr]

I still can't figure out what amenities people have on LI that we don't have upstate, although we don't really consider my Mid-Hudson area upstate. I grew up on LI and visit often. We just have to drive further, but not necessarily longer. My parents live on LI less than 5 miles from Roosevelt Field but rarely go because of traffic. It can take more than a half-hour to get parked and into the mall. I can get to a fairly decent mall in less than the time it takes on LI because there is no traffic. We have movie theaters, music venues, book stores, good libraries, restaurants and not to mention the outdoor activities out here. Again, they are not necessarily right around the corner, but in most cases less than 15 minutes away. The kids here may complain that there is nothing to do, but my friends who live in NYC have kids who also complain that there is nothing to do. It is the nature of kids.

[gardenst]

I was brought up in the lower Hudson Valley moved after high school to NJ and as expensive as it is I just cannot leave NJ it's my home... do visit family in Beacon, Cold Springs New Windsor lovely towns nice to visit. I actually came across this forum if anyone can be of help trying to find any info on a family by the name of Gigliotti that located in the Witherbee area back in 1923 I know its a long time ago... after coming across info from Ellis Island it listed Gigliotti locating to Witherbee NY do you have any suggestions where I can research this and what industry in that time frame was there? Many thanks.