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Andersonville in Chicago. I lived there in my early 20s and it was just the most perfect little neighborhood to be young, gay and on a budget. It wasn’t as costly as other more “gay friendly” neighborhoods in NYC (where I’m from) or SF. There was room to breathe and it was close to the lake with tons of little shops, bars and restaurants. My roommates were also lovely. I ended up moving after school to simply work in Manhattan and move up in the world, but Andersonville will always going to be in the back of my mind (it’s just a matter of convincing my partner to leave the NY area at this point)
I see some of my Chicago city-data.com family on here!
I am a Milwaukeean, but Chicago has become my happy place. It started in the late 1990s, when, as a Tae Kwon Do Black Belt, the Masters would take us to the Koreantown to get fantastic Korean food.
And then, when I was divorced in the early 2010s, I would go to Chicago so I could spend uninterrupted times with my children, and have our OWN thing.
Additionally, I began meeting women on on-line dating from the Chicago area, so it gave me another reason to go there.
Probably the Bay Area. I didn’t properly appreciate it as a kid. The climate, the proximity of so many things to do, the plethora of food options not just to eat out at but in any basic grocery store…no wonder it’s so incredibly expensive.
Probably the Bay Area. I didn’t properly appreciate it as a kid. The climate, the proximity of so many things to do, the plethora of food options not just to eat out at but in any basic grocery store…no wonder it’s so incredibly expensive.
I often daydream what it would be like to have a house that you bought in 1997 paid off in the Bay Area. Now you’re just waiting to sell for 5x what you bought it for, enjoying that great food, the weather, the scenery…
I've lived and loved a couple of lovely places. Very content when we first moved to San Francisco...mostly for the outdoor opportunities--skiing in Tahoe, hiking/camping in many places including Yosemite and in the Redwoods. Great hiking trails in the hills of the East Bay where our dog could run free.
Then as the population and traffic expanded like Sour Dough Bread, so grew my angst. I'm more of a Nature lover than a big city lover as it turned out. So many lanes of backed-up traffic trying to go to nature on the weekends...and the sirens, freeway noise, power tools, helicopters...
So, we left the "left" coast after 30 plus years, and settled on the "right" coast.
Our home is in a peaceful coastal town with easy biking along the waterfront and under the oaks. I'm older and the peacefulness of this place is very appealing.
It's been a voyage of discovery to find what's really important to you, isn't it? Each of us are different.
Nature, a caring community, quietude, and a feeling of peace (plus a good library) are what spoke to me.
The San Francisco Bay Area was pretty close to heaven on earth from 1968 to 1977.
I would leave for times to live in British Columbia and Idaho. But always came back fairly quickly.
The outdoors in California were amazing and uncrowded during those years. No regulations, no reservations.
You could go biking, skiing, canoeing, kayaking, backpacking, fishing, mountain biking (yeah, it started at that time in the Bay Area), etc. etc. throughout the entire year!!! People forget that California has four seasons, it is just most of the time you need to drive to fall and winter.
Then the musical scene, restaurants, and the cultural activities in those years were unbelievable.
Unfortunately, I took it as "normal" and for granted. Assumed it would always be there, but California pretty quickly went on the road to ruin. I have a hard time even driving through the state these days.
What a shame.
Moved to Idaho in early 1978 and that was the end of California for me.
Eastern Washington was pretty impressive until about 2000. Then we ended up being 206ed.
Been looking around to move someplace else, but every great small town in the west is now a metro area.
I often daydream what it would be like to have a house that you bought in 1997 paid off in the Bay Area. Now you’re just waiting to sell for 5x what you bought it for, enjoying that great food, the weather, the scenery…
My parents bought in the mid-80s, lol. Zestimates aren’t the best, but they bought in ‘84 for $230k (not adjusted for inflation! It was already expensive out there), sold in ‘05 for $720k, and the zestimate peaked at almost double that, right at $1.4mln a year or two ago.
Houston area for me. People are nice overall, you'll easily meet people from around the world, great food, always just enough going on, major sports and concerts, good international airport, mild winters, just too hot and humid for half the year. Live north of Houston and hurricanes/flooding aren't even much of a concern. It's not Switzerland but I like it.
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