Los Alamos or Santa Fe or ?

[daisy2010]

Would like to mention that one of the recommended previous Los Alamos threads is very old (2006-2011) so information is likely very outdated. IMHO, it doesn't always pay to go to old threads...

It was mentioned that Los Alamos is kid-friendly. What activities are there for singles? I am a middle-aged female, very outdoorsy, who would obviously love the close proximity of trails. What else is there to do? Are there any single men in LANL in my age range?

Are there any jobs available as a private duty nurse or home companion?

[ananimus]

Originally Posted by daisy2010

Would like to mention that one of the recommended previous Los Alamos threads is very old (2006-2011) so information is likely very outdated. IMHO, it doesn't always pay to go to old threads...

Because of precisely this, thought I'd give this thread a bump.

Looking at LANL as there may be an interesting project for me there. Visited there recently for the first time and left genuinely wondering about the state of the area. I understand the politics of the lab impact the town quite a bit, yes? Find it a little odd there are so few recent questions about LA in particular though...

Folks have any more up-to-date thoughts on life in LA and neighboring areas?

[Poncho_NM]

Bumping threads is not allowed by the Terms of Service of this site. Terms Of Service

You might read through these five largest threads out of 22 with Los Alamos in the title.

Relocating to Los Alamos area 199 posts
What should I know about moving to Los Alamos? 48 posts
A New Mexicans View on Los Alamos & Española 42 posts
Commuting from Santa Fe to Los Alamos 22 posts

It is not a large community, it has been a Lab since World War II. I did some temporary work there in the 80's and then 10 years later. Other than the "Hilltop House" going up for auction five months ago or so and the possible renegotiation contract issue, which has been in the news. Nothing much has really changed.

[ananimus]

"Job opportunity, LANL." Having searched, yes, a lot of years-spanning threads about life in Los Alamos. Seems some things change, others not so much. But I don't see a lot of recent buzz about LA this year? If you don't mind an outsider looking in...

I'm a research scientist and as such, familiar with LA and LANL for a while. I've spent the last little while in the San Francisco Bay Area. Definitely feels like a "something for everyone" kind of place, and I've rather enjoyed that. Now there's a project at LANL that interests me, but always curious about an area before calling it home.

Specifically, with certain circumstances (cuts, cancellations, cuts) changing a lot of the research landscape this fiscal year, can anyone comment on life and outlook there recently? I can read a paper, of course, but how is this affecting actual life of residents both in town and at LANL, if at all?

Secondly, from this forum and some other LA community boards, I see some efforts in the last couple years to level the age distribution and get the local businesses thriving and diverse again, yes? Has that seen a real impact as yet? Do residents feel they have to haul to SF or ABQ often?

Heard about the work on Ashley Pond while there recently. Encouraging to see work on community gathering space!

TIA!

[canyoncat]

I've been in LA for a year.

There are 2 clothing stores in LA and one of them is ridiculously overpriced and the other one is okay, but has limited selection. When I want electronics or books I order from Amazon. There is no retail electronics store in LA unless you count Radio Shack or Verizon. There is no bookstore, but the library is excellent. I never feel like I have to go to ABQ for shopping (but, again, I order what I want and have it shipped). There's a food Coop. There's a Starbucks. There are other restaurants of varying degrees of quality (I actually enjoy several of them). There's a brand new city council building that houses council chambers and various other city functions. It has a couple of electric vehicle charging points in the parking lot - I thought that was a nice touch.

There is a new Super Smiths being built right now (to be completed spring/summer next year). I suspect it may have some other stores around it, but I don't know that for sure. Super Smiths appears to be similar to a medium sized Super Wal*Mart. This will be nice for the town because the current Smiths is getting a little run down (and it's sort of small). I've heard rumors that we might also get a Walgreens and maybe more. That's rumor though. The Super Smiths is real and it's being built right now. It seems like the business council is working on getting some retail shopping into town.

Ashley Pond is still being redone. That's going to be nice when it's completed.

I don't work at LANL so I don't know what they're up to. I haven't seen a mass exodus from town so I assume they are still churning along doing whatever it is they do. I like to pretend they're opening portals to strange dimensions.

The town is interesting. It's a ghost town on the weekends. If you need a lot of services or retail shopping to keep you happy you'll be disappointed. If you like quiet spaces, hiking, skiing, good library, interesting people, etc. you'll probably like it. Northern New Mexico itself is gorgeous. The town decorates for Christmas and there's a pumpkin show around Halloween. Periodically there are things going on down at Ashley Pond (music + food and various booths). There's a farmer's market on certain days of the week. Sometimes I drive over to Taos for a fun touristy/artsy weekend. Occasionally I will drive to Sante Fe to the REI or Whole Foods.

You will probably feel the altitude for several weeks. Winters are cold. Real estate is expensive for what you get. If you're wealthy you can buy a huge house and have a nice view. If you're not you can live in an apartment or condo or look around in White Rock. Many people live in White Rock if they want to get a house - it's a little bit more reasonable there (a little bit). Real estate prices and housing availability is probably the worst thing about Los Alamos.

I love Los Alamos overall. It's not boring or unfriendly, it's just a small town that's stocked with introverts and/or people who just can't talk about what they do. If you like to hike there are trails everywhere.

That's my impression after a year. I intend to stay for some more years and I like it. I moved from a city that had everything, but after 15 years of living there I was done with traffic, pollution, and noise.

[Mzurie]

I drove around a bit in White Rock last weekend on my way to/from Bandelier. Seems to be a pleasant place. Some folks there have jaw-dropping views from their houses (off Meadow Road, if my memory serves).

[Norte 7777]

As you experienced coming from CA and as I and many transplants experience, Los Alamos (LANM) is in a "raw state of transition" from the secret, no frills government camp that built the A-bomb that ended WWII to a modern, not yet really discovered, outstanding hideout near Santa Fe, Taos, and Southern Colorado. First of all, if you are educated or really want to work, Los Alamos has a 4% unemployment rate and the 4th (or 5th?) highest average wages of all US counties. Second it is the safest place in New Mexico and dare I say one of the safest towns in the USA with a huge government security system, cameras at every major intersection, etc. No criminals stand a chance in Los Alamos, as Uncle Sam is dedicated to protecting its top scientists and their families from harm, although the population is well-armed already, and LANM is on a cul-de-sac. Third, LANM has he #1 school district in New Mexico, and has one of the best high school graduation rates in the US, not because New Mexico school funding has anything to do with this, but because there are so many geniuses and their smart kids in the population, and many teachers and administrators are well-educated too.

Next, Los Alamos has drop dead beautiful scenery ala "Bless Me Ultima" "Longmire" and "Lone Ranger" (which were all partially filmed there) , incredible and immediate access to ski areas, trails, some of the best mountain biking in the US, canyon hiking, hunting, native Pueblo hob-nobbing (read the cultural guides first) and the largest resort casino in New Mexico, Hilton Buffalo Thunder. No ski area in the southwest beats nearby Taos, and Wolf Creek, Durango Mountain, and the Collegiate Peaks of Colorado is less than 4 hours away.

Santa Fe, for what it is worth, is 40 minutes south and most LANM residents spend most of their money in Santa Fe eating trendy meals, shopping at Target, buying world-class art, and watching the psychedelic geriatric and tourist crowd of 50-something lost souls and "homeless trust-fund-afarians" making their way in the coolness and ghetto chic of Santa Fe . Having said this, there is absolutely NO reason to move to Santa Fe if you work in Los Alamos unless you have to have a midnight Taco Bell fix because Santa Fe for those making under $200K a year is mostly crime ridden, annoying and dirty with some of the worst social maladjustment, racial conflict, traffic management, snootiness, property crime and low performing schools in New Mexico. No secret as Santa Fe is a huge uber-liberal retirement haven version of Sun City- Santa Fe now closes early just like every other town outside of ABQ. There is a great basement punk bar in downtown that stays open late, and a good biker blues place (Evangelos), but most of the rest of the places in Santa Fe open after 10 are sketchy and dangerous.

Having said this, wealthy Los Alamos National Lab couples over 60 who are empty nesters might like to live in some of the Santa fe foothills enclaves like Las Campanas or another exclusive place in SFNM, but LANM rules for long-term safety and security, and dare I say "down to earthiness".

Now the bad about Los Alamos : LANM has few restaurant choices that are memorable, often poorly trained customer servants- although they are getting better, and really uneven, disappointing " Mork and Mindy" 70s style ranch homes, or worse yet 1950 government issue condos, just like in Boulder, Colorado only cheaper, with tiny closets, leaky windows, galley kitchens, and limited parking. Its about getting on your bike and riding, or jeeping to the shooting range, unless you want to spend about $300-400K, then you have the good stuff. The best news on this point is that LOS ALAMOS HOMES ARE NO LONGER MORE EXPENSIVE THAN IN SANTA FE, and prices are down 20%. There are rumors of new restaurants, modern subdivisions, etc. but the real news is that Kroger's (Smiths) is building a very expensive top-of-the-line supermarket and deli in downtown, and there is a new custom bike, running and ski shop going in across from the very swanky "CB Fox Department Store" (yes, a real department store) and across from Starbucks where Johnny Depp hung out during Lone Ranger.

There is one really good brew pub called Pajarito, but the singles scene requires heavy education, some imagination regarding war paint makeup and the like (they don't used it) , or a trip to the casino or another town to broaden your opportunities. If you are gay, Santa Fe has a great singles scene. If you are straight, don't bother driving to Santa Fe to look for romance, stay in Los Alamos and drink or pray, two of the best places to meet people. Stay in LA and prepare to have a deep, intellectual conversation at the Post-Doc party, church, or Pajarito Brew Pub before exciting a local to date. If you are a millennial, prepare to drink or be an outdoors freak. There is a great international crowd in Los Alamos, not to be underestimated, but mostly married. There are tons of wineries, historic Native American pueblos, Spanish villages, and beautiful scenery and culture within an hour north to Taos and on another 30 minutes to the Colorado border.

Rumors abound, the county is investing huge bucks in a new nature center, park with concert stage on the pond, golf course renovation, etc. There are 20 free summer concerts ranging from rock to blues to classical, but winters are about skiing and work. Roads are very well plowed. There are dozens of things for kids and moms to do in Los Alamos and your kids won't have a better experience anywhere in the US if you want them to be educated and successful.

Originally Posted by ananimus

"Job opportunity, LANL." Having searched, yes, a lot of years-spanning threads about life in Los Alamos. Seems some things change, others not so much. But I don't see a lot of recent buzz about LA this year? If you don't mind an outsider looking in...

I'm a research scientist and as such, familiar with LA and LANL for a while. I've spent the last little while in the San Francisco Bay Area. Definitely feels like a "something for everyone" kind of place, and I've rather enjoyed that. Now there's a project at LANL that interests me, but always curious about an area before calling it home.

Specifically, with certain circumstances (cuts, cancellations, cuts) changing a lot of the research landscape this fiscal year, can anyone comment on life and outlook there recently? I can read a paper, of course, but how is this affecting actual life of residents both in town and at LANL, if at all?

Secondly, from this forum and some other LA community boards, I see some efforts in the last couple years to level the age distribution and get the local businesses thriving and diverse again, yes? Has that seen a real impact as yet? Do residents feel they have to haul to SF or ABQ often?

Heard about the work on Ashley Pond while there recently. Encouraging to see work on community gathering space!



TIA!

[professor gimp]

WOW! That was a great post from Norte 7777. I wouldn't really want to change any of it but I do have some additions and a different perspective.

The Pajarito Brew Pub: The name is a misnomer since they do not actually brew any beer. The table service is atrocious but the bar tenders know what they're doing. Sit at the bar. Also, I am a beer geek so take this with a grain of salt but it is only a decent bar. However, if you are looking for a (very) popular hangout, the only option is at least a decent one. There is a pub room at the Dixie Girl (three blocks away) but they close early for a bar (9pm I think).

Kokoman: Down the hill in Pojoaque. It looks like a dump from the outside and the inside is not much nicer. However, they have a great selection of beer, wine, and liquor.

Public schools: I have a son in second grade at Aspen elementary and can attest the high quality of the schools. I would like to point out the diversity of children (grown ups too). Two of my son's classmates and friends are twin brothers from Mongolia. He has many other international schoolmates but I don't remember the countries of origin.

Real estate: It is very expensive compared to other parts of NM. However, it's not terrible. Plus, it will seem super cheap after the bay area. There are a handful of newer developments (I live in one, condo) and there is some new construction because some older houses burned down in recent wildfires.

Churches: There are a TON of churches in town. There is even an atheist group. However, I have never gotten a preachy feel from the population.

I am a postdoc at LANL and I really like living here. Leaving town to do fun things on the weekend is just a way of life now. There is hardly anything to do here on the weekends but there are lots of things to do within an hour drive (maybe two). One of the major draws for me is that this is a fantastic place to raise kids (I have two).

[GregW]

One of my regrets is, after I had a very successful interview at LANL in 1981, I did not get the job because they cut the geothermal research program. I would have really liked living in Los Alamos.

Thanks for the comments. Now I know what I missed.