Relocating from Richmond to...which major city is best for a hipster? (Cleveland: sales, 2014)

[didntingles]

I know Richmond is awesome. I've come to love it here, Monroe park with its gritty feel but beautiful trees. The weather that always changing, with a nice mild winter and a not too grimy summer always with showers in between. In all honesty, I think that Richmond has some of the most beautiful women and I'd love to find that, especially in the VCU area. Down to earth no matter which type, but I love the interesting balance between the athletic young women and the large hipster scene, as I feel I connect to both types of people. I'm big into music though I haven't attended many shows, but I do like the avant garde, hipster, electronic type of music. I can get into the goth/bdsm thing too. I have been intent on staying here, but I recently got a job offer I can't turn down. I still haven't interviewed so it's not sealed, but I have to state a preference out of the following cities, and I really can't say I have much of a feel for any of the cities and was hoping someone could give me some help. Like I said, weather is important - I like the four seasons and I like bits of rain in between, Southern weather is good. Having lived in California, I definitely recognize the more easy going and friendly attitude in Virginia than uptight, materialistic manners of Cali. Anything but that. I would like somewhere down to earth, not too pretentious or shallow, and with a place for creatives. Really like Richmond. I'm not big into sports, at all, I actually like that about Richmond, I don't have to overhear conversations about the game around here. I also love nature and one thing I find somewhat lacking is nearby places to hike. Also I'm vegetarian and Buddhist, so it helps to have a vibe that doesn't make me feel like a total outsider.

So below is the list, excuse the technical sales bit (that's the job). I really don't have a clue about the parts outside of the south, and I don't know if the same vibe that is in Richmond is in Tennessee or Charlotte. One thing I feel that is a particularly sensitive issue, perhaps hard to judge, is the balance of races and how accepted. I am hispanic and look somewhat white but sometimes people aren't sure, but I haven't found that to be anything to be frowned about in Richmond. However, living in the country in North Carolina for a bit, I have felt a bit more like a stranger because of my more tan skin color, and in California I was quite often stereotyped as a Mexican, which comes with strong tones of negativity in many situations due to the general lack of education of many Mexicans. Sad but true, and I just feel more comfortable being part of "white culture" and being accepted by it rather than having raised eyebrows with the "who are you, what are you, you're not one of us" type of attitude. Also, sorry if this offends anyone, but it's just my preference to live somewhere a little less so dominant with African-Americans. I am not racist but I just find that their culture is dealing with a lot of pain and insecurity and violent attitudes (prevalent in the music and their heros, hello) and I just don't want so much of that culture in my face all the time.

Technical Sales Representative (2014) Philadelphia, PA
Technical Sales Representative (2014) Louisville, KY
Technical Sales Representative (2014) Nashville, TN
Technical Sales Representative (2014) Detroit, MI
Technical Sales Representative (2014) Birmingham, AL
Technical Sales Representative (2014) Chicago-Itasca, IL
Technical Sales Representative (2014) Boston, MA
Technical Sales Representative (2014) Cleveland, OH
Technical Sales Representative (2014) Elmwood Park, NJ
Technical Sales Representative (2014) Grand Rapids, MI
Technical Sales Representative (2014) Seattle, WA
Technical Sales Representative (2014) Charlotte, NC
Technical Sales Representative (2014) Knoxville, TN
Technical Sales Representative (2014) Atlanta, GA

So far all I've heard is that Charlotte has more navel gazing, i.e. more materialistic and is full of sports and sports bars which really is off putting to me, however I do like southern charm and southern women. I feel that if I could find a place with Richmond like women, that would be best. My impression of Boston from the people I've met is that there are a lot of sharks and bossy type people there, I don't like that but I do like being close to universities. Seattle I think just needs more sunshine, I like to take walks and meditate outside. But that's about all I got. Please help.

[nagrommm]

I can't speak to all of those cities but if you like the relatively mild weather in Richmond, I'd knock off Chicago, Grand Rapids, Boston, Detroit and Philly right away. Seattle may have a lot of what you are looking for as far as acceptance of different ideas, and hipsters but it rains a lot (I lived there for 10 years and don't let anyone tell you it's not that bad. It's only not that bad if you love rain, which I do, but so many people move to the NW and then can't handle the rain) although I think it's one of the prettiest cities in the world.

I'd say maybe Nashville? Or just don't take the job!

[Tiger Beer]

Originally Posted by didntingles

Technical Sales Representative (2014) Philadelphia, PA
Technical Sales Representative (2014) Louisville, KY
Technical Sales Representative (2014) Nashville, TN
Technical Sales Representative (2014) Detroit, MI
Technical Sales Representative (2014) Birmingham, AL
Technical Sales Representative (2014) Chicago-Itasca, IL
Technical Sales Representative (2014) Boston, MA
Technical Sales Representative (2014) Cleveland, OH
Technical Sales Representative (2014) Elmwood Park, NJ
Technical Sales Representative (2014) Grand Rapids, MI
Technical Sales Representative (2014) Seattle, WA
Technical Sales Representative (2014) Charlotte, NC
Technical Sales Representative (2014) Knoxville, TN
Technical Sales Representative (2014) Atlanta, GA

Philadelphia - This would be a great choice. Down-to-earth, gritty, pretty much all that you'd like about Richmond, but way way larger.

Louisville - Great hipster city, this might be one of the closest to Richmond...southern feel but on the northern fringes...many great attributes here.

Nashville - This is more Commercial Country Music heaven...I think hipsters are generally against the commercial nature of popular music of all forms. I think you'd get the down-to-earth people though.

Detroit - More of an Artist place, and it's not quite as 'settled' for comfort. Just a completely different kind of city.

Birmingham, AL - I don't know.

Chicago - Yeah, tons of hipsters in Chicago.

Boston - Not sure....I think more college students, yuppies, college kids...which would have that hipster element. But I never see Boston in there for hipsters - whereas I ALWAYS see Philadelphia, Louisville, Settle on those lists.

Cleveland - I dont know.

Elmwood Park NJ - Probably not.

Grand Rapids, MI - No. It's a bit on the conservative side. Never heard of a hipster scene there, although I think every city has a little bit of one, somewhere or another. I'd skip this one.

Seattle - Yep, that has it.

Knoxville - Alt Country....you might like it.

Atlanta - Not sure.

[didntingles]

philadelphia seemed attractive on account of all the grand buildings and museums i saw in tour videos. in fact it seemed very attractive until i started to just read so so much about philly crime, having been warned by someone who lived here. now, i've lived in richmond and i come from some ghetto parts of california so it's not that i don't know how it is, but i really don't like living with that stressed/on edge feeling you can't help because there are so many unbalanced psychos walking around that look like they're ready to bust one on ya just for the heck of it. the kind of on edge people that have to scare people so they don't get beat up themselves. i really can't stand to be anywhere near that, i'm recovering from major depression and the last thing i need is frazzled nerves everyday. i've heard some things about richmond, but my experience living here that it has been miles away from any sort of nervewrecking place such as some neighborhoods in san jose california. the people here are so much more relaxed, i think it's the weather. one thing i really appreciate about richmond is that feeling that at least in the downtown/fan areas, there is a sense that you won't get away with much crimewise, it's well policed in other words. i need that sort of security. i would like to hear otherwise about philly.

[Octa]

You don't like being stereotyped and viewed suspiciously because of your ethnicity, but you're willing to do it to African-Americans?

You should probably spend less time looking at the news which reports crimes for hits and ratings and get to know the people whom you find threatening.

Out of all the cities on that list, I would probably only recommend Philadelphia, Seattle, and Atlanta. If you hate being stereotyped then you'll probably dislike some of the smaller ones since you'll stick out.

[Tiger Beer]

Originally Posted by didntingles

philadelphia seemed attractive on account of all the grand buildings and museums i saw in tour videos. in fact it seemed very attractive until i started to just read so so much about philly crime, having been warned by someone who lived here. now, i've lived in richmond and i come from some ghetto parts of california so it's not that i don't know how it is, but i really don't like living with that stressed/on edge feeling you can't help because there are so many unbalanced psychos walking around that look like they're ready to bust one on ya just for the heck of it. the kind of on edge people that have to scare people so they don't get beat up themselves. i really can't stand to be anywhere near that, i'm recovering from major depression and the last thing i need is frazzled nerves everyday. i've heard some things about richmond, but my experience living here that it has been miles away from any sort of nervewrecking place such as some neighborhoods in san jose california. the people here are so much more relaxed, i think it's the weather. one thing i really appreciate about richmond is that feeling that at least in the downtown/fan areas, there is a sense that you won't get away with much crimewise, it's well policed in other words. i need that sort of security. i would like to hear otherwise about philly.

That's interesting. Well, the stereotypes are almost exactly the same for Richmond as they are with Philadelphia. Both cities, nationally, are thought of as high crime, etc.

Just like Richmond has swaths of places where you've felt completely comfortable, so does Philadelphia. It's really no different at all.

[spencer114]

I'd check out Louisville and Nashville.

Louisville is like Richmond in many ways.

Nashville seems like it would be great. HUGE hipster scene there, great food scene too. You may have to put up with some TN Titians talk but I'm sure it can be easily avoided.

Birmingham looks kind of cool but if it turns out it isn't, you're far from any place that is.

Philadelphia is a bit like Richmond too but with millions more meatheads that will never shut up about sports.

[didntingles]

Originally Posted by spencer114

Philadelphia is a bit like Richmond too but with millions more meatheads that will never shut up about sports.

thanks for that little tidbit, very important. one of the best things about richmond is the lack of annoying sports fans. i really don't ever want to move back to a city where you can't escape that sort of tomfoolery.

[Tiger Beer]

Originally Posted by didntingles

thanks for that little tidbit, very important. one of the best things about richmond is the lack of annoying sports fans. i really don't ever want to move back to a city where you can't escape that sort of tomfoolery.

Detroit, Chicago, Boston, and Cleveland will also have obsessive sports fans. But, generally speaking the hipsters you'd meet in each respective city, probably wouldn't be.

[pantin23]

Perhaps he likes being around hipsters