Is Austin more artsy & liberal than San Diego? Colorado? Pacific NW? East Coast? (Houston: how much, house)

[san_wander]

I have been living in San Diego for the past 2 years, and am considering a change. I am originally from North Carolina, and have also lived in NYC, Costa Rica, etc. I like San Diego but I dont LOVE it. I moved here with my previous boyfriend, but we broke up last year and I stayed out of defiance I am very into the arts, and work as a therapist for teenagers. I like liberal & progressive environments with a strong creative vibe, but dont really care about tans, clothes and talking about working out every day- and am not sure SoCal is my calling. I have considered San Francisco, but dont necessarily want to live in a house with 4 other strangers just to afford the rent. I am 30, single, and love urban settings but am also an avid outdoors person (hiking, camping, etc.). Colorado seems cool, as does parts of the Northwest, but I feel I have been spoiled by SD's weather. I do like snow, and grew up in the crazy humidity and heat of NC beaches...and I do miss seasons. I am in the phase of my life where I would like to meet someone serious who shares the same values as me, maybe buy a house in a few years...in other words, create roots. I am into holistic ideas, but am too cynical to be a true hippie. I am a musician, love yoga & bodywork, and might want to open an arts/holistic center one day that also provides counseling in an area that would be receptive. Is Austin the place for me, or should I keep searching????

[austin-steve]

Austin is the place for you if you're not wimpy about 100 degree summer days. I grew up in San Diego and bailed out in the early 1980's. Austin is a much better place to be, IMHO.
Steve

[mrsengle]

Hi San Wander - Austin definitely has the musician/holistic/artsy vibe going on.

If you haven't already, check out ****.com. It takes you though a questionnaire of your likes/dislikes, and produces a list of places to match. That might give you some other good ideas - something to think about.

[twange]

Austin will fit you needs. In fact, your wish list sort of described Austin. I'm a musician, my wife's a massage therapist and we're really liking it here. You'll probably want to be living in Central Austin, at least initially as that's where The Force is strongest.

We moved here from the Great Lakes so I understand your love of the 4 seasons. You'll miss that for sure but I found that Austin does have a fall. Maybe not as spectacular(some of the leaves change and then fall off right away within a day or two), but never-the-less, I still felt the change. You'll simply notice different things. It's not bland here by any stretch, with lots of things to do and people to meet.

Come for a four-five day visit and see for yourself.

Good luck!

[sberdrow]

Originally Posted by san_wander

I have been living in San Diego for the past 2 years, and am considering a change. I am originally from North Carolina, and have also lived in NYC, Costa Rica, etc. I like San Diego but I dont LOVE it. I moved here with my previous boyfriend, but we broke up last year and I stayed out of defiance I am very into the arts, and work as a therapist for teenagers. I like liberal & progressive environments with a strong creative vibe, but dont really care about tans, clothes and talking about working out every day- and am not sure SoCal is my calling. I have considered San Francisco, but dont necessarily want to live in a house with 4 other strangers just to afford the rent. I am 30, single, and love urban settings but am also an avid outdoors person (hiking, camping, etc.). Colorado seems cool, as does parts of the Northwest, but I feel I have been spoiled by SD's weather. I do like snow, and grew up in the crazy humidity and heat of NC beaches...and I do miss seasons. I am in the phase of my life where I would like to meet someone serious who shares the same values as me, maybe buy a house in a few years...in other words, create roots. I am into holistic ideas, but am too cynical to be a true hippie. I am a musician, love yoga & bodywork, and might want to open an arts/holistic center one day that also provides counseling in an area that would be receptive. Is Austin the place for me, or should I keep searching????

Portland Oregon is the place for you...although you don't get to see the sunshine very much..otherwise stay in San Diego as long as you can...its sooo nice there

[ehill03]

It sounds like Austin would be a good fit for you in terms of the general creative/progressive & laid-back vibe you're looking for, but I second the requirement that you need to be willing to bear the hot summers. Not crazy-humid in the style of New Orleans or Houston, but it certainly isn't a dry heat either.

And no- not much of a seasonal change, here. Mild 8 months/year, very hot 4 months of the year. I recently moved to Austin after 6 years in Denver and have to admit, I miss the snow & seasons sometimes.

In terms of Colorado, based on your "profile", Boulder sounds like it may be more up your alley than Denver assuming both are on your short list . I am a single, 30 year-old woman whose an outdoors enthusiast myself, so access to the mountains from Denver was nice. However, I am very active in the arts & flourish in a creative, diverse environment- which was very much lacking in Denver IMHO. Boulder has equally good access to the mountains but seems to have a lot more of that creative culture and energy- perhaps because of the university.

Austin has turned out to be a great fit for me. Not quite as many outdoor options as Colorado, but this is a very athletic, health-consious community. The general vibe is ultimately what speaks to me- great music, arts and diversity.

Good luck in your search- it sounds like you've got some excellent options!

[jhwest]

Portland has sunny, warm summers. The rest of the year is one big autumn. (But not a pretty, New England autumn. Just autumn when everything is brown and cold). Weather in late October is not much different than January, and not much different than April (except there will be lots of flowers blooming.) Pretty much 45-55 degrees and rainy. We had our share of cold,rainy 4th of July's too.
It's pretty artsy, but it's not a very friendly place. And it's getting pretty expensive (definitely not So Cal, but it's on it's way). Lots of outdoorsy stuff to do but you have to able to put up with rain. It's hard to imagine how much it rains until you've spent a winter there. It really didn't bother me for the first seven years I lived there. I'm a very indoorsy person, though. Actually, I didn't really mind the rain until I had kids and had to deal with pushing the stroller in the rain, kids not being able to play outside without getting soaked, that kind of thing.

[Abashi]

Originally Posted by san_wander

I have been living in San Diego for the past 2 years, and am considering a change. I am originally from North Carolina, and have also lived in NYC, Costa Rica, etc. I like San Diego but I dont LOVE it. I moved here with my previous boyfriend, but we broke up last year and I stayed out of defiance I am very into the arts, and work as a therapist for teenagers. I like liberal & progressive environments with a strong creative vibe, but dont really care about tans, clothes and talking about working out every day- and am not sure SoCal is my calling. I have considered San Francisco, but dont necessarily want to live in a house with 4 other strangers just to afford the rent. I am 30, single, and love urban settings but am also an avid outdoors person (hiking, camping, etc.). Colorado seems cool, as does parts of the Northwest, but I feel I have been spoiled by SD's weather. I do like snow, and grew up in the crazy humidity and heat of NC beaches...and I do miss seasons. I am in the phase of my life where I would like to meet someone serious who shares the same values as me, maybe buy a house in a few years...in other words, create roots. I am into holistic ideas, but am too cynical to be a true hippie. I am a musician, love yoga & bodywork, and might want to open an arts/holistic center one day that also provides counseling in an area that would be receptive. Is Austin the place for me, or should I keep searching????

The whole state of Texas is more liberal than San Diego. San Diego is the most conservative county in California. Every young person under 30 that lives here is Republican and loves the military, I couldn't find any exceptions. Also, everybody here hates feminists, all the women here are submissives, and most people here find it funny to abuse a woman.

[llkltk]

Come here and see if you like it, that's the best thing to do.

[artsyguy]

No Austin is not an artsy place. It doesn't even have an arts district. Try Dallas for that. Oaklawn, uptown, and deep ellum areas sound good for what you want to do. There really isn't much to do in Austin. The big cities in Texas offer a lot more imo.