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Sp2007 - I mean carded when I try to go to an R rated movie, or buy a glass of wine with dinner. I'm allergic to alcohol as well, so I don't drink much. I live in a town with 30k people, there isn't really a swinging nightlife here :P
Again.. not a lot of flair past the hair. I feel like it's already being stereotyped a bit and what I'm saying isn't really being listened to.
I have a degree in literature, and a degree in ethics and religion. Mostly I sit at home and read books, or play outside with my dog in my spare time. I'm pretty sure that doesn't make me especially wild.
Colorado is also an option, but I have concern over the number of liberal ultra environmentalists there. SF definitely isn't for me.
I also don't think SLC looks even a little bit boring. I think it seems pretty exciting. There seems like tons of culture and a little bit of something for everyone to do. Again.. from a tiny town that the main attraction is the ocean and restaurants. It doesn't take too much to impress me, but for anyone who actually does any research SLC seems to have a lot going for it. I just don't want to get the black sheep syndrome going - i.e. I have purple and blue hair so I OBVIOUSLY must be a crazy liberal alt rebel! To me that's just as bad as deciding that all LDS members are what you see from the fundamentalists.
I'm 35 my wife is 33; we have been here 5 month and love it. We are climbers so most of our social scene is climbing so neighborhood does not matter as much. That said most people we meet live north of 3300 S and east of State Street. I would say you should live north of I-80 and east of State St. Long term if you have health problems you may benefit from living in Emigration Canyon (Pricey) or Park City (spendy and colder with more snow to shovel in the winter but there are some neighborhoods near I-80 which are reasonable). Also you might like the Mt Olympus/Olympus Cove area near Mill Creek (close to Sugarhouse but still old construction).
Hair color - you could lose a job over blue hair. That said at the same time you might have lost that job for not being LDS. What am I saying? Not being LDS can cut you out of ?5%-10%? with people you probably would not enjoy working for.
As for LDS - I think for the most part they are great people and most are very tolerant and understanding. The biggest thing with SLC is you see the fanatic LDS'ers here. For me it has mostly been a non-issue. Some people come here and are shocked by things. There are only state run liquior stores and tons of stores and restaruants are closed on Sundays (both are true in many other states).
Negitive: SLC is not a great dog town; well not like some place like Boulder, CO. Dogs are not allowed to be in your car in Big or Little Cottonwood Canyons; it's ok you'll just spend a ton of time in Mill Creek canyon like at Dog Lake.
Thank you for your info Sierra! That is really good to know about the dogs; I know that by and large you aren't such a dog friendly place, but I don't have a big problem just going to dog friendly areas. He's huge, so it's not like I try to drag him around shopping in a bag. That said, he is a GOOD dog and is certified to do therapy, so he is well trained and doesn't cause problems. I expect it would be harder to rent with him, but it's more likely that I will be trying to buy, as your market is much, much more affordable than here and it is probably doable. Crazy that they can't even be in the car in certain areas, though! I'm actually really hoping to get into climbing, if I get healthy enough to do so. That's part of the appeal of the area. I also love snowboarding.
I will have to check out those areas - it's very strange to me coming from this area, that your city is so very neighborhood driven! That is a total 180 from here.
NC is one of thoe states about alcohol - the town just south of us is completely dry, and our liquor stores in NC are all state run too. You can only sell beer and wine in supermarkets here, and it's fairly hard to attain a liquor license for a restaurant. So it is not so different People come down from the northeast and freak out about it, but we're all used to it. Many things are closed here on Sundays or only open for 5 or 6 hours, as well. That is not much of an issue at all for me, but it's good to know.
I'm sure there are jobs I have not gotten here over hair color here as well (some chain stores don't allow it, certain retail outlets projecting certain images dislike it, etc). But as you pointed out, that is about making choices about where you want to work, as long as there are options I'll be ok. It makes me sad to think that people may be discriminated against in that sort of capacity just for not being LDS, but unfortunately, no place is perfect. We occasionally get that 5-10% of the population that discriminates based on race here, so not so very different. (though still horrible).
That is really good to know about the dogs; I know that by and large you aren't such a dog friendly place, but I don't have a big problem just going to dog friendly areas. He's huge, so it's not like I try to drag him around shopping in a bag. That said, he is a GOOD dog and is certified to do therapy, so he is well trained and doesn't cause problems. I expect it would be harder to rent with him, but it's more likely that I will be trying to buy, as your market is much, much more affordable than here and it is probably doable. Crazy that they can't even be in the car in certain areas, though! I'm actually really hoping to get into climbing, if I get healthy enough to do so. That's part of the appeal of the area. I also love snowboarding.
I have two large dogs -- a Collie and a Golden Retriever. Half the people on my street have dogs. I can't walk my dogs anywhere without running into fellow dog-owners walking their dogs. There are numerous dog parks and nature parks where you can walk your dogs. I would not worry for one minute about Salt Lake City not being dog-friendly.
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I'm sure there are jobs I have not gotten here over hair color here as well (some chain stores don't allow it, certain retail outlets projecting certain images dislike it, etc). But as you pointed out, that is about making choices about where you want to work, as long as there are options I'll be ok. It makes me sad to think that people may be discriminated against in that sort of capacity just for not being LDS, but unfortunately, no place is perfect. We occasionally get that 5-10% of the population that discriminates based on race here, so not so very different. (though still horrible).
Having not actually seen your hair, it would be difficult for me to comment on how it would affect your job opportunities. Your religion, however, will be a non-issue. I'm 63 years old and retired. During my working career, I worked at roughly a dozen different companies (yeah, during the early years, there was a lot of job-hopping). There was only once when a potential employer (who was LDS) asked me an indirect question intended to let him know whether I, too, was LDS. I am, and I answered the question in such a way that he knew I was, even though I was very annoyed by the question. I did not get the job. 50% of the workforce in Salt Lake City is non-LDS. There simply is not the kind of discrimination some people would like you to think there is.
By the way, have you considered living in Sugarhouse, around 9th and 9th, or on the Avenues? I think these would be good fits for you.
Katz, It's good to know that you guys love your poochies too! I had just looked up dog parks and dog friendly public outdoor spaces there, and you guys have plenty of them. Works for me
I am looking at those neighborhoods and also think from a social standpoint they would be ideal, but again, home age could be a real problem. We'll have to see how it goes.
...By the way, have you considered living in Sugarhouse, around 9th and 9th, or on the Avenues? I think these would be good fits for you.
These are the areas I thought would be a good fit for you when I read your first post. Now finding newer construction and a decent yard for your dog, might be more of a challenge.
I had very bright blue hair for over a year and worked in professional job (though I had the job before I changed the hair). It wasn't really a problem, but at the time I did work in a relatively liberal/creative industry (media).
I second the folks who say you should stay within SLC proper; I love, love, LOVE the Salt Lake area, but I would never live in most of the suburbs. I really value the diversity downtown and being able to walk to bars, restaurants, and cultural activities and you can really only find that within the city limits.
So don't rule out the city just yet---last week I accompanied a friend on a condo/townhouse search in the city, and we visited 5 new (or nearly new) developments all right downtown. New construction single-family homes are rare, yes, but there are a number of post-2000 townhome or condo developments in the city. Not sure of your price range but my favorite was a very new condo development called One&Nine (Condominiums Located In Downtown Salt Lake City, Utah | One and Nine). There are many others, too, such as the Metro (Metro Condominiums), the still-under-construction Markea Court (Markea Court Townhomes in Salt Lake City, Utah), Liberty Metro, Library Square, etc.
I'm not sure what aspect of older homes are a problem for you, but I also have a couple friends who've recently purchased renovated older homes---renovated to the point that they've been gutted and are like new construction in most ways inside.
Regarding dogs: I have 3 large dogs (60, 70, and 80 lbs.) and find SLC to be very dog friendly. I live near Trolley Square and there is a dedicated dog park (Herman Franks Park) within walking distance at 700 East and 1300 South. You will, of course, have to check the above-referenced condos' pet rules, but Markea, for one, definitely allows dogs.
You guys are all so helpful! This is awesome; it's nice to see people actually being constructive and trying to find solutions - too many times on city boards I see people trying to convince people that their city is ACTUALLY SECRETLY AWFUL and of COURSE they don't want to move there (it often comes off very much like "we got ours and now we don't want you" - especially out on the west coast). I was a little apprehensive that that would be the case, but am really excited about the wealth of information here.
Thanks TONS for the links, egg and Zionide. I'm definitely checking out those areas; it will depend on a number of factors, from financing, to health issues, to the dog, etc. Obviously buying in the city is more expensive, but probably evens out in the long run. It is a completely foreign concept to me that you guys have so many inclusive neighborhoods that people have a tendency to stick close to where they are - suburbs have never bothered me because going into the city has always just been a way of life, and commuting 30/40 minutes for work OR recreation is just sort of standard here. I drive at least 15 minutes to even get to minor stores. I know I'd also be able to cope with being outside the city, but it sure would be nice to make it work being right in it in my own little neighborhood!
The more I'm looking at real estate the more I see that renovated actually means FULLY renovated, not "oh, we painted and put down new carpet" which is GOOD news. In short, I have an autoimmune condition wherein my body is attacking itself and killing it's own cells - they don't know why - but it presents as a severe "allergy".. to everything. Literally. So I take steroids and a systemic immunosuppressant - the heavy duty kind that you would take to prevent organ transplant from rejecting, or for severe RA. Therefore, a house with any sort of "hidden issues" is not just inconvenient for me, but really quite dangerous, and would defeat the purpose of moving to get away from the climate here!
The more I'm looking at real estate the more I see that renovated actually means FULLY renovated, not "oh, we painted and put down new carpet" which is GOOD news. In short, I have an autoimmune condition wherein my body is attacking itself and killing it's own cells - they don't know why - but it presents as a severe "allergy".. to everything. Literally. So I take steroids and a systemic immunosuppressant - the heavy duty kind that you would take to prevent organ transplant from rejecting, or for severe RA. Therefore, a house with any sort of "hidden issues" is not just inconvenient for me, but really quite dangerous, and would defeat the purpose of moving to get away from the climate here!
I can see why an older house would be of some concern to you. Personally, I prefer a newer home for a lot of reasons, none of which has anything to do with health issues. I'm just going to speak out in favor of your considering some of the newer "suburbs." While I think there are some things about the areas I previously mentioned that I think would appeal to you (Sugarhouse, 9th and 9th, and the Avenues), you might want to at least look at Daybreak, if you can afford it. From what I understand, it's a pretty diverse neighborhood. It's new and has some gorgeous homes, many of which look as if they would be pretty nice for a single person. Do a google search on "Daybreak Utah" to find lots of information on the area.
There are also some newer homes in the Cottonwood Heights and Holladay areas. I didn't see where you mentioned the price range you'd be willing to consider, but if they'd work for you price-wise, you might want to look at them as a possible alternative. I've lived in Cottonwood Heights for 30 years now and love it.
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People come down from the northeast and freak out about it, but we're all used to it. Many things are closed here on Sundays or only open for 5 or 6 hours, as well. That is not much of an issue at all for me, but it's good to know. 
