Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
What about Santa Fe or possibly Taos, NM? Both, but especially Santa Fe, because it's bigger, have what you are looking for. There are plenty of people that garden there, it just may not be the same type of gardening you are used to.
I know there have been a million of these threads, but I'm kind of going crazy and can't figure out where my family should live. We hope to move sometime in the next 5 years, so we have time to consider/visit several places and to really make a solid plan.
My husband and I are ultra-liberal/progressive/social libertarians who do NOT fit in in the conservative area of Pennsylvania where we live. I have long dreadlocks and my husband has long hair as well (not that this matters, but we get "looks" here about it). We moved back here from Madison, WI to be near my family after my son was born, but have been really unhappy with the social vibe here (especially compared to Madison, which is an ultra-liberal college town). At any rate, if you think of the most liberal person you know and kind of double it, that would probably be us. My husband is into sacred geometry and sticking feathers in his hair to talk to the crows outside.
We would really like to move to the west coast, but feel like this might be a stupid move financially. My husband is an electrician, and I work in a library, so we're not going to be making huge money wherever we live. We LOVED the social/political scene in Madison, and it's a friendly town (because of the midwestern thing?). Also really interesting and fun - lots of street musicians and artists, a fantastic weekly farmers market, block parties, co-ops, etc. And not a terrible cost of living. But it's so so so cold.
We are both gardeners, so I think the southwest is out.
Can anyone point us in a good direction? I've been checking out Asheville or Chapel Hill, NC, maybe Athens, GA, perhaps Boulder or Denver? We don't want to be in a giant city. Somewhere warmer than Wisconsin would be great. With decent schools and a reasonable cost of living for working-class folks. Hoping someone has an awesome secret they could let me in on. Or do people think we should just chuck it all and move out to the west coast, economics be darned? We'd like to buy a house, but are really aware that if we move to the west coast we'd probably be renting for 10-15 years with the cost of buying out there being what it is.
THANK YOU for taking time to read this and think about any suggestions. Like I said, I'm on the verge of tearing my hair out, not wanting to make a big mistake for our family!!
I'd say stick it out in Pennsylvania. Why move out to a place where everyone adheres to the same liberal dogma? You'd have a lot more fun challenging the views and beliefs of your current neighbors, imo.
Or you could move out to Liberalville USA and become a renegade among liberal conformists? I'd start every conversation out like this...
"If society is open to two men marrying each other, then shouldn't society be more open to fathers marrying their daughters?"
Austin isn't extrordinarily liberal politically, but it's very tolerant of just about everyone and their lifestyle. A place like SF is liberal to the exclusion of conservatives. Austin has liberal hippies, conservative religious folks, and everyone in between, all getting along. It's much more inclusive than extremely liberal and extremely conservative places IMO and makes for a much more ecclectic and interesting town.
So . . . you're confirming my point:
Quote:
Originally Posted by jm02
Austin isn't really that liberal. It just seems so when compared with the rest of Texas.
Aside from the quirk that is is more liberal than other parts of Texas, its politics are pretty unremarkable. In fact, if it were located in more conventionally liberal areas of the country, Austin would be perceived as somewhat conservative.
Remember - the OP is looking for a place that is ultra-liberal (not ultra-libertarian).
Last edited by Pine to Vine; 01-05-2012 at 10:05 AM..
Well, even as liberal as I am, after four kids I'm not going anywhere naked! Lol...
I think we'd love San Francisco, but can't even imagine affording to live there. I hear you can rent a closet for $1000 a month... Ditto for Berkeley, which is where multiple folks tell me I'd be happiest. Anywhere like those places that isn't insanely expensive or cold??
Ever thought of Sacramento? The city core is very liberal and has character, though the Northeastern suburbs are more conservative. It is also located very close to San Francisco, where I'm originally from, so there is a lot of people going back and forth between the two regions. Sac is only an 1 hour 10 minutes from Berkeley without traffic, and you can make it to downtown SF in 1 hour 25 minutes without traffic.
The cost of living is very low for California, and it's a great base to explore Northern CA while offering a lot of diversity and urban amenities on its own. Check it out. Sacramento is often overlooked because it's right next to San Francisco, but it has tons of liberal credentials of its own, it is one of the top ten cities as far as LGBT percentages of the population goes, it is ranked as the most racially integrated country, it is very culturally and racially diverse and it's urban/liberal scene of the core city is growing and expanding.
Come home to California, this is where you belong. Consider Sacramento, it's a good low cost alternative to SF.
We are both gardeners, so I think the southwest is out.
I wouldn't leap to this conclusion. There is a considerable amount of urban gardening here in Albuquerque, urban gardening or even farming within the city limits. Albuquerque is not "ultra-liberal," but there are elements like that here, plus many of the more conservative people here tend to be pretty live and let live.
It's a smaller city with a very liberal population. Quite frankly from what you describe you'd be like peas in a pod. It's not as cheap as the midwest, but I can't imagine it'd be more expensive than Philly, and it's certainly not as expensive as most west coast cities. Portland also has better transit that many larger cities. Additionally the coast is not far and the Cascades are right there to provide some mind-bogglingly gorgeous outdoor activity.
Beyond the liberal population - Portland is a gardener's fantasy. The climate is mild, almost anything will grow there and their public gardens are an attraction in and of themselves (google 'Portland Rose Garden' or 'Portland Japanese Garden' or 'Portland Chinese Garden'). It's also full of community gardens and pea patches.
It's also full of sarcastic, too-smart crows. (if a crow is in the road and sees your car coming - it will not fly away, it will grudgingly hop to the side and kick your tire as you drive past)
Good luck with whatever you choose!
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
(if a crow is in the road and sees your car coming - it will not fly away, it will grudgingly hop to the side and kick your tire as you drive past)
