Positives and negatives of living in St. Louis (Ozark, Brentwood: transplants, apartment)

[mfoley9]

What do you really just love about living in St. Louis? What do you not like about St. Louis? What needs to be improved or do you feel like St. Louis is improving every year?

[AJohnston_STL]

I love that there is always something to do. I don't like that the people of the outer ring keep voting down transit and that our mass transit is struggling to survive. What needs to be improved is the defeatist attitude of its residents, city and county (but mostly county). Transplants often love St Louis, but to lifetime natives, the grass is always greener anywhere but here.

[DinsdalePirahna]

Originally Posted by AJohnston_STL

Transplants often love St Louis, but to lifetime natives, the grass is always greener anywhere but here.

I think its the other way around. Locals love it here and I guess if you are a transplant from DesMoines, Indianapolis or any other midsize midwestern city, StL is a probably a huge step up.

If you are use to, and still want to live in a diverse, cosmopolitan lifestyle - StL isn't where you want to be.

[DeBaliviere]

Originally Posted by DinsdalePirahna

I think its the other way around. Locals love it here and I guess if you are a transplant from DesMoines, Indianapolis or any other midsize midwestern city, StL is a probably a huge step up.

If you are use to, and still want to live in a diverse, cosmopolitan lifestyle - StL isn't where you want to be.

Then again, you don't live in St. Louis.

[DinsdalePirahna]

I'm in the city everyday. I really have no desire to stay there longer than I have to.

If you think StL can compare itself to Chicago, NYC, LA, DC and even Orange County and Boston, its your right to keep your own reality.

I was in Trader Joes in Brentwood this morning, there was a big sign touting how well Charles Shaw wine did at the Orange County Fair. I thought that was very odd. Not that (two) Three Buck Chuck is bad, but the Orange County Fair is known for attracting every sort of human oddity from the 909 area code.

[DeBaliviere]

Originally Posted by DinsdalePirahna

I'm in the city everyday. I really have no desire to stay there longer than I have to.

If you think StL can compare itself to Chicago, NYC, LA, DC and even Orange County and Boston, its your right to keep your own reality.

I don't compare St. Louis to those cities. I appreciate it for what it is. I look for new and interesting places/people/experiences and do my part to make St. Louis a better place.

You should really find someplace else to live.

[DinsdalePirahna]

Don't get me wrong, I really like living in Lake Saint Louis.

I telecommute to California and will now have to work at the home office for a a few days to a week once a month in Newport Beach. Its a pretty good deal. I can get my dose of reality, truly beautiful scenery and diversity and return home to LSL.

I do look for interesting things to do around here. I have plenty of new friends. I'm learning to live here, but given the choice I would rather be somewhere else. I think the new work opportunity will be a good compromise.

[OA 5599]

Originally Posted by DinsdalePirahna

I'm in the city everyday. I really have no desire to stay there longer than I have to.

If you think StL can compare itself to Chicago, NYC, LA, DC and even Orange County and Boston, its your right to keep your own reality.

I was in Trader Joes in Brentwood this morning, there was a big sign touting how well Charles Shaw wine did at the Orange County Fair. I thought that was very odd. Not that (two) Three Buck Chuck is bad, but the Orange County Fair is known for attracting every sort of human oddity from the 909 area code.

The St. Louis metro area is considerably smaller than every city on your list. Chicago, NYC, and LA all have 3-7 times as many people. Of course St. Louis can't compare to any of those cities when it comes to being vibrant or cosmopolitan. Most cities in the size range of St. Louis just aren't that cosmopolitan, besides maybe San Diego or Denver (I personally don't care much for Denver).

St. Louis is hardly a cultural backwater though...I moved here from Austin and have found it to be surprisingly cosmopolitan, diverse, and full of things to do.

What I really like about St. Louis is that it offers a lot of things to do, without being a overly busy, expensive, or stressful place to live. All the conveniences of a big city with few of the hassles. The people are also very friendly and the architecture is beautiful. Within a 6 mile radius of my apartment there is lots of nightlife, a diverse array of restaurants, museums, parks, concert venues, pro sports stadiums, several colleges and universities, and lots of cool neighborhoods. This may not be important for everyone, but for me St. Louis also works well because it is reasonably close to family, and I can easily escape for a weekend in the Ozarks.

There is nothing I hate about St. Louis so far, but I would like the city to have a better public transportation system. I live in the city proper and feel much more car-dependent than I'd like to. More light rail lines would be a great addition to the city. I also don't like that you can smoke in bars and restaurants here, but hopefully that will change within the next few years.

[DinsdalePirahna]

Originally Posted by OA 5599

The St. Louis metro area is considerably smaller than every city on your list. Chicago, NYC, and LA all have 3-7 times as many people. Of course St. Louis can't compare to any of those cities when it comes to

The size of a city is irrelevant. ie: Poughkeepsie, NY may not have the zoo and science museums, but the area is loaded with history, has a great nightlife and because of its proximity to the culinary institute, many great restaurants. And the Hudson River in the mid to lower Hudson Valley is one of the most beautiful part of this country.

[mklein49]

I like :

• that it's very easy to get around.
• the Great Parks!
• that it is a Great Sports town
• that the residents are generally very friendly.
• the diverse communities
• 4 distinct seasons
• Free attractions like the zoo

I dislike:

• Parts are very rundown and abandonded
• Although there are diverse neighborhoods, it still seems very segregated between black and white.
• The Crime!
• smoking in restaurants
• I'm concerned about the region in general as it loses more and more jobs and Lambert has less and less direct flights available.

Overall, I love St. Louis! I grew up in a small town in Illinois and lived in Houston for a few years and a Seattle suburb for a few years as well.