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Rural America is in no way monolithic. We have different climates, cultures, educational levels, wealth, and all of the other same things that create different lifestyles for different sorts of city people as well. I don't have the variey of restaurants that Philadelphis has. In fact, Wyoming has no fine dining. However, I can order all sorts of food to be delivered to my door. Well over a century ago Sears, Ward's, and, perhaps surprisingly, Bloomingdale's catered to rural areas, supplying them with a plethora of merchandise at lower prices than local merchants.
Two phenomena have small-town life both richer and less expensive at the same time. The first was Walmart which brought lower prices for a vast amount of merchandise that previously required either trips to cities or paying extortionate prices to local merchants. The businesses that failed because of Walmart deserved it. Businesses that treated their customers well are still thriving.
Mail order has always been popular in rural America, but until a few years ago it was slow and often aggravating. People mailed checks, then waited an unknown time until the merchandise appeared on their doorsteps. WATS lines and tracking mitigated the problem, but the real revolution was on-line commerce. I can get Forida oranges almost as quickly as you can. Amazon delivers every book in print and many out of print as well as all sorts of other merchandise on the same delivery schedule that they provide to you. Eataly, to whom you provided a link, will happily ship to me. It may surprise you to learn that I can buy Roquefort and Humbolt Fog, my two favorite cheeses, at a local store.
Cities have many thing unavailable to me, but I'm more than willing to give up some good in order to avoid features I consider bad.
While you have all you need in order to be happy (in Wyoming), the OP probably wants more from life than Walmart and mail order, otherwise she wouldn't be testing the waters on retiring to NYC.
Tensions seem high so let's take a music break. The first one is for us country folks. The second is for city slickers who get caught away from the concrete.
Rural America is in no way monolithic. We have different climates, cultures, educational levels, wealth, and all of the other same things that create different lifestyles for different sorts of city people as well. I don't have the variey of restaurants that Philadelphis has. In fact, Wyoming has no fine dining. However, I can order all sorts of food to be delivered to my door. Well over a century ago Sears, Ward's, and, perhaps surprisingly, Bloomingdale's catered to rural areas, supplying them with a plethora of merchandise at lower prices than local merchants.
Two phenomena have small-town life both richer and less expensive at the same time. The first was Walmart which brought lower prices for a vast amount of merchandise that previously required either trips to cities or paying extortionate prices to local merchants. The businesses that failed because of Walmart deserved it. Businesses that treated their customers well are still thriving.
Mail order has always been popular in rural America, but until a few years ago it was slow and often aggravating. People mailed checks, then waited an unknown time until the merchandise appeared on their doorsteps. WATS lines and tracking mitigated the problem, but the real revolution was on-line commerce. I can get Forida oranges almost as quickly as you can. Amazon delivers every book in print and many out of print as well as all sorts of other merchandise on the same delivery schedule that they provide to you. Eataly, to whom you provided a link, will happily ship to me. It may surprise you to learn that I can buy Roquefort and Humbolt Fog, my two favorite cheeses, at a local store.
Cities have many thing unavailable to me, but I'm more than willing to give up some good in order to avoid features I consider bad.
There are a fair number of us who don't live in big cities or rural areas. We live in what most people would call "the suburbs". Depending on where we live - we have some of the advantages of both big city and rural life - some of the disadvantages of each as well.
FWIW - I think online shopping has changed the way lots of people live - and not only people who live in rural areas:
Guess I am somewhat deprived - because I can only get next day delivery <LOL>.
There is hardly anything you can't buy on line. And I buy tons of stuff. Even if I could find some of the things locally - well who wants to kill time finding 2 dozen orange golf balls or a half dozen packs of floss threaders or some boxes of my favorite coffee filter packs? And say you want cheese. You're not limited to your local stores - or even stores in New York. You can order directly from France - and the stuff will show up on your door step the next day - Fromages.com - The best of french cheese - Online cheese shop. Quail - poussin - foie gras - no sweat. They'll be on the same truck as your cheese - Gourmet Meat, Foie Gras, Organic Poultry, Pate, Truffles, Gourmet Food Gifts and Meat Recipes. Robyn
There are a fair number of us who don't live in big cities or rural areas. We live in what most people would call "the suburbs". Depending on where we live - we have some of the advantages of both big city and rural life - some of the disadvantages of each as well.
FWIW - I think online shopping has changed the way lots of people live - and not only people who live in rural areas:
Guess I am somewhat deprived - because I can only get next day delivery <LOL>.
There is hardly anything you can't buy on line. And I buy tons of stuff. Even if I could find some of the things locally - well who wants to kill time finding 2 dozen orange golf balls or a half dozen packs of floss threaders or some boxes of my favorite coffee filter packs? And say you want cheese. You're not limited to your local stores - or even stores in New York. You can order directly from France - and the stuff will show up on your door step the next day - Fromages.com - The best of french cheese - Online cheese shop. Quail - poussin - foie gras - no sweat. They'll be on the same truck as your cheese - Gourmet Meat, Foie Gras, Organic Poultry, Pate, Truffles, Gourmet Food Gifts and Meat Recipes. Robyn
With my birthday in a few days I'm going to order some of that smoked duck breast and perhaps some farm-raised Ossetra caviar.
What wonderful links! Do you have any others to increase my gustatory pleasure? I've ordered a number of books from amazon.fr but never realized I could get food from France.
With my birthday in a few days I'm going to order some of that smoked duck breast and perhaps some farm-raised Ossetra caviar.
What wonderful links! Do you have any others to increase my gustatory pleasure? I've ordered a number of books from amazon.fr but never realized I could get food from France.
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
IIRC from past years - we share the same birthday. So Happy Birthday to both of us .
Here's a website my husband uses - for me. My favorite chocolate:
Note that this place does have a few boutiques in New York. So people in New York can shop there in person (although I think there's free delivery regardless of the size of order - at least in Manhattan).
I've also ordered at other places the last few years - but no where near as often as the others I've mentioned. If you like duck products - here's another place for you:
I've never bought food on line from Costco (because Costco is 15 minutes from my house) - so I can't vouch for its shipping techniques (which are obviously very important when it comes to perishable food items). But Costco is usually pretty good all around. So I wouldn't hesitate to give it a try.
WRT D'Artagnan - if you like anything you order - sign up for its email list. It has frequent specials. Also - WRT cheese - imported raw cheese must be aged at least 60 days (FDA rule). Which pretty much ruins it IMO. So I wouldn't buy imported "raw" cheese - anywhere (on line or otherwise).
You know - when it comes to shopping - Manhattan is really fun for super high end shopping (although I look much much more than I buy in those places). But it lacks some "middle" high places - like Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom (except for Nordstrom Rack - which is really easy to find in many suburbs). So - even if you live in Manhattan - if you like a particular towel that is only sold by Neiman Marcus - you have to buy it on line (or when you're traveling) - just like I do.
Overall - I think online shopping has transformed the retail landscape for everyone in this country - whether he/she lives in a big city - a little city - a suburb - or the middle of nowhere.
And I think you're perhaps selling Wyoming a little short these days when it comes to dining. There's a lot more emphasis now on things like "local foods" and "craft beers" and informality. Everywhere. And Wyoming hasn't been left in the dust in terms of those trends (neither has the area where I live). Now most of the better places in Wyoming are probably located in/near "tourist" areas (hard to run any restaurant if your county has a total population of 100 ) - but it's not like anyone who visits Jackson Hole has to starve or eat at McDonalds:
And - if there's a really excellent restaurant anywhere in the world - food obsessed people will find it. Just like hotel obsessed people will find the best places to stay too. And one is in Wyoming:
24 hour public transportation; not being dependent on my car
art galleries and museums
symphony orchestra and classical music concerts
live professional theater ... Broadway caliber
jazz clubs
breath-taking skyline, skyscrapers, and city views
excellent shopping
historic neighborhoods and districts
nationally televised sports events
parades, street fairs, ethnic festivals
Chinatown!
professional Ballet and Modern Dance
foreign and independent film festivals
piano bars
fine dining and hundreds of ethnic restaurants
major universities
one of the very best medical infrastructures and world class hospitals
public monuments, fountains and statuary
gorgeous churches and synagogues
people watching in sidewalk cafes, public squares and plazas
diverse neighborhoods
examples of beautiful architecture
science and natural history museums
Kosher delicatessens
tattoo and piercing convention
"Naked Bike Ride"
mega July 4th celebration, fireworks
poetry readings
colorful and eccentric people
senior centers with loads of programs and activities
stand-up comedy spots
4 star hotels
elegant cocktail lounges
extensive library system
etc., etc., etc.
Yes, there is a price to pay: higher cost of living, bad neighborhoods and ghettos, urban issues and crime, higher taxes, parking is expensive ... but some of us are willing to pay the price.
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) - but it's not like anyone who visits Jackson Hole has to starve or eat at McDonalds:
Your Lucky Day HIW
