Posted on 08/22/2005 9:54:18 PM PDT by txrangerette
"Here are today's Best Places to Live, as presented in the book, "Cities Ranked and Rated", by Bert Sperling and Peter Sander, published by John Wiley.
Here are Sperling and Sander's top picks for livability:
Charlottesville, Virginia ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Corvalis, Oregon"
(Excerpt) Read more at houseandhome.msn.com ...
I've driven around outside Atlanta and watched the kudzu grow along the side of the road, carrying away small children, the elderly, hapless joggers and large dogs...
Restaurant scene in Chicago is outstanding, but not as great if your a seafood maven such as myself.
Oh, I figured as much. :-) I enjoy most cities, and am frequently pleasantly surprised in places I was not expecting to be, and disappointed in places I wasn't. Each city has its own merits I suppose. Not that this keeps me from openly disliking some cities e.g. Miami and Los Angeles.
My grandchildren do not have it quite as well, but we live in a small town by American standards, even though 13000 is too big for me.
It is only a couple of miles to the nearest river. I would prefer to be out where I can target shoot off the front step, but that has not happened yet.
Three grand children live with us (long story, but we love having them--with us, too, family is first), so that may take some time.
I just moved from Reno about four months ago. The crime and gang activity is starting to get pretty bad, not to mention that it's not very cheap to live there.
F***'n Oildale... I don't know what to say. Better than Porterville, but not quite as good as Weedpatch.
The only reason we go to "town" (Anchorage or Fairbanks) is to buy supplies...mainly food. We don't have a local mercantile but as you say, there is always the internet. Even some of us bush bunnies have the internet now. I loathe shopping. I'm not a big spender. My motto is, "Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without." I'm not saying we don't buy anything new, but we don't waste money like some folks do. The only time we go out to dinner is when we go to "town". I tell you what, we are fit, healthy and very happy.
Kudzu is one of the reasons people drive so damn fast in the south! They are running for their lives.
BTW, isn't it nice to be able to park your car and not lock the doors? Heck, if anyone took our truck, someone in our small community would tell us, "hey, I just saw so-and-so, driving your truck". LOL Even in the winter when we don't turn it off (due to the cold weather extremes) we don't lock it. Ahhh, I just love it.
C'mon, admit it -- you miss the Riverside.
Musso & Frank next time you're in L.A.
LOL!! OMG. Or "Punkin'" Center.
Bakersfield: Gateway to Fresno.
Perhaps you are right, JeffAtlanta. :) Every relative we have lives in a "suburb" located near some major city. Maybe what my problem is (if it IS a problem) is that their lives evolve around city life. They hustle and bustle, their children hustle and bustle, and no one seems to even notice. sigh All they talk about is what they "bought", what movie they just saw, the latest and newest "techno" improvements to their homes and security systems, and the latest crimes in their area.
Sometimes I truly feel as if I do live in a different world. But yet, I also believe that "whatever floats your boat" is fine by me. I can't be you, and you can't be me. I just wish sometimes, with the world in such chaos, that if people would just slow down, stop for a moment and as lame as it sounds, "smell the flowers", we'd all be better off, and our children would surely be better off. :)
Chicago has fabulous food, but I would agree that seafood is not their thing. Every region takes advantage of the cultures and ingredients commonly found there.
You should try NYC. We're all shy, retiring homebodies here. Very quiet and not much to do.
I drive a 30 year old van, which I like because I can work on it. It runs well enough to trust it with my life in North Dakota winters. My wife said she will give up her '78 Lincoln when they pry it from her cold, dead fingers. We bought it used for $450, and I fixed what needed fixing. She, too, is a kindred spirit.
On rare occasions we go off to the "big" city--Minot (75,000) or Bismark (about 100,000) for either things we cannot get locally (and are too expensive to pay freight on) or for medical reasons, averaging once a year or so.
I guess the bottom line is being happy where you are. We are not 'club' types or big on haute cuisine, especially if the price isn't on the menu.
We will eat at a cafe from time to time, and a restaurant in the big city, if we have time. As for the best food, we cook it at home. (I prefer my wife's fry bread anyway...)
I can agree with your post and I know where you are coming from. The life that you have would be a dream life to many but to others it would grow old - to each their own.
I do think that the crime problems for all of the major cities have been overstated in this thread. Major cities don't have a "safe zone" and if you leave that area then you are in trouble. The reverse is much more accurate - most of the areas of a major city are very safe but you just need to steer clear of the bad areas. That isn't hard or an inconvenience since the bad areas don't usually have anything most people would want anyway.
Well I did 8 years in Abilene, between the AF and finishing up college at McMurry. Wife was HSU. Went to Dallas (HEB) for 4, and Youngstown-Warren for 5, and now in San Diego.
I don't know how Warren get's so low, except for the fact that the local job market is crappy and you probably go to Akron or Cleveland for good high paying jobs.
Abilene was OK, but it is definitely in our rear view mirrors. I really enjoyed Dallas, but took advantage of .com largess to have my company move me back to Ohio because I was in consulting at the time. I had to get my young sons out of Texas before they became Cowboys or Rangers fans (priorities).
I finally visited Abilene driving from Ohio to San Diego back in January and it hasn't changed a lick. I am glad for my years there between finding my wife, finishing undergrad, starting a family, I always remember it fondly. However I have no desire to move back, though if you could luck into some high paying job there your money will stretch.
I would take Georgia or Alabama over most states in the country, but avoid both Atlanta and Birmingham.
Ann Arbor, Michigan?? Yeccch.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.