Northampton or Hudson Valley.....? (Springfield, Greenfield: real estate, taxes, place to live)

[blacklab7]

hi all, just wondering where a 50 yr young single parent with an 11yr old would fit better, Florence near NOHO or the Hudson Valley area (Kingston/New paltz). My dilema is that I love contact improv dance and I also like to go to NYC every month, Hudson Valley is limited with dance but I see NOHO has some. There are trains in H.V to NYC but I think NOHO is much further and I dont know anyone there, best train I saw was from Springfield to NYC an express.
Any imput appreciated.

[NJ to MA]

That depends on how flush you are. Hudson Valley is much more expensive than Northampton area (both housing values and real estate taxes).

[tovarisch]

Florence is part of Northampton, and those who live here (in Florence) almost never say "Noho."

[in_newengland]

Originally Posted by tovarisch

Florence is part of Northampton, and those who live here (in Florence) almost never say "Noho."

I can't rep you again but thanks for that. I think it's mostly those invaders from NYC who call it NOHO.

[tovarisch]

It SO is.

[FCMA]

Greenfield also has lots of contact improv, near Northampton. I draw the line at occasional contra dancing but contact improv would bring me to next level for sure. Upper Pioneer Valley can also be supremely affordable because it's hard to work.

Megabus or Peter Pan buses will get you from Northampton to NYC in 3.5 to 4.5 hours. Train is sporadic and not a commuter service from the Pioneer Valley and takes about same amount of time.

Don't know enough to comment on Hudson Valley in a productive way, except broad generalizations but my impression as a New Englander is that I find its small cities kind of charmless and creepy. So close yet they feel far away from life around here. Maybe I fixate too much on the tidal nature of the Hudson, pushing NYC's filth upstream with the tides as far as Troy, while the PCBs from Albany sit on the bottom. Its churning waters make me think about all the damage us apes have done to this planet but is also fascinating in the insane enterprise that connected the Great Lakes to the Hudson Valley to make NY Harbor the new world's premiere seaport. All of this doesn't mean it's a bad place to live, just that the last bits of New England charm that I prefer don't seem to extend much west of the Taconic range. YMMV and I hear many good things about Hudson Valley life and it's definitely more convenient to NYC.

[NJ to MA]

As one of those wannabe invaders :-), I never saw Northampton referred to as "Noho" except on this forum. Being from NJ-NY, to me, "Noho" means North of Houston St the way Soho means South of Houston St. While Soho is accepted by natives, the term Noho is generally looked down on.

[tovarisch]

Well, yeah. Northampton is "Hamp." Or, the Paradise City. Or -- originally -- Meadow City.

[in_newengland]

Originally Posted by tovarisch

Well, yeah. Northampton is "Hamp." Or, the Paradise City. Or -- originally -- Meadow City.

Meadow City? Never heard that one. Yes, it always used to be Hamp. Jenny Lind called it the Paradise of America, hence Paradise City. Off to google Meadow City.

[NJ to MA]

Originally Posted by tovarisch

Well, yeah. Northampton is "Hamp." Or, the Paradise City. Or -- originally -- Meadow City.

The Meadow City? I like that.

I don't like Noho.