Best place in US to live?
May 5th 2008, 11:22 pm
#16
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May 6th 2008, 12:54 am
#17
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Location: In my house
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Re: Best place in US to live?
Stay away from this part of Montana in the Summer as it can easily reach 110F....stay away in winter because it gets down to the -40F's.
....actually...stay away from it period..unless you love extremes.
....actually...stay away from it period..unless you love extremes.
May 6th 2008, 2:04 am
#18
Unmitigated Gall
Joined: Dec 2006
Location: it's still too dark to tell
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Re: Best place in US to live?
Yes, this is open to interpretation. I mean in it more in an historical sense; a deep-seated notion of belonging to a people or place, by virtue of homogeneity and a strong nurturing of art's, social behaviour, and intellectual traditions. So for the purposes of my post, I would therefore exclude things like youth culture, corporate culture, and things you grow in a biology lab. Hope that helps.
Frankford, MO has all that except the homos (but to tell you the truth, I'm suspicious of this one guy that drives a Prius
). Arts: a local lady painted a picture of the old school and a train (Trains have historical significance in Frankford) on the gym wall at the school, and there's a man in town that makes coat racks and things from horseshoes and old car parts. Plus we have this:http://www.restaurantsregistry.com/w...e-opry/127075/. It's like the Grand 'Ol Opry but smaller and only open every other Friday night.
There is plenty of social behavior, although there isn't a bar in town, people are constantly socializing. Sometimes too much. And as for intellectual traditions, hell, one of our streets is named "School".
Last edited by another bloody yank; May 6th 2008 at 2:06 am.
May 6th 2008, 2:10 am
#19
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Location: Orlando,Florida,living in Buckinghamshire for next 6 weeks.
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Re: Best place in US to live?
May 6th 2008, 2:15 am
#20
Unmitigated Gall
Joined: Dec 2006
Location: it's still too dark to tell
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May 6th 2008, 11:31 am
#22
gurt mint nit?
Joined: Nov 2007
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Re: Best place in US to live?
Which doesn't even have a bell tower.
May 6th 2008, 2:48 pm
#23
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Re: Best place in US to live?
How about the weather?
One thing that appeals about Oregon (Willamette Valley anyway) is the equable weather - 4 seasons with a pleasant mediterranean type summer. For some british expats surviving the summer heat of Texas or the winter cold of minnesota would be a put off even if the other criteria were satisfied.
One thing that appeals about Oregon (Willamette Valley anyway) is the equable weather - 4 seasons with a pleasant mediterranean type summer. For some british expats surviving the summer heat of Texas or the winter cold of minnesota would be a put off even if the other criteria were satisfied.
Are there no Brits out there living on the east coast?
May 6th 2008, 3:13 pm
#24
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Location: Oregon
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Re: Best place in US to live?
Take a drive up the coast, round Mt. Hood, back through central OR and have a look see. Hood River in the Gorge would make a good (semi) retirement town I think. Drive into Portland for your "traditional culture" shot - theatre, symphony, art.
And great farmer's markets all over I find wonderful free entertainment - wandering around with a coffee, people watching, music, snacking, sampling etc.
May 6th 2008, 3:53 pm
#25
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Location: Chicago
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Re: Best place in US to live?
Chicago. For about 7 months out of the year, at least.
May 6th 2008, 5:32 pm
#27
Who?
Joined: Oct 2004
Location: Stepford
Posts: 3,098
Re: Best place in US to live?
Frankford, MO has all that except the homos (but to tell you the truth, I'm suspicious of this one guy that drives a Prius). Arts: a local lady painted a picture of the old school and a train (Trains have historical significance in Frankford) on the gym wall at the school, and there's a man in town that makes coat racks and things from horseshoes and old car parts. Plus we have this:http://www.restaurantsregistry.com/w...e-opry/127075/. It's like the Grand 'Ol Opry but smaller and only open every other Friday night. There is plenty of social behavior, although there isn't a bar in town, people are constantly socializing. Sometimes too much. And as for intellectual traditions, hell, one of our streets is named "School".
). Arts: a local lady painted a picture of the old school and a train (Trains have historical significance in Frankford) on the gym wall at the school, and there's a man in town that makes coat racks and things from horseshoes and old car parts. Plus we have this:http://www.restaurantsregistry.com/w...e-opry/127075/. It's like the Grand 'Ol Opry but smaller and only open every other Friday night. There is plenty of social behavior, although there isn't a bar in town, people are constantly socializing. Sometimes too much. And as for intellectual traditions, hell, one of our streets is named "School".
May 6th 2008, 7:28 pm
#28
Barmy Harmy
Joined: May 2008
Location: Boston
Posts: 13
Re: Best place in US to live?
Virginia isn't too bad. You've got Washington DC nearby for the job aspect, the weather is great in the summer, and cool (note: not COLD) in the wintertime, and the people have been friendly there. Also there is plenty of space in abundance, so you can get your large house down there....Now I live in Boston, perhaps more of this alleged "Culture" you're talking about, but everything is smaller here, and the weather is extreme, hot in summer, cold in winter, but at least you get the seasons, that is for sure. As for education, i think within 50 miles of boston there are 75 colleges and universities, and hospitals all over the place. the only downside are how rude people are, and the sheer inabililty of people able to drive here!!!
May 7th 2008, 12:25 am
#29
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Location: Nevada b4 California b4 Colorado b4 Valley of plastic and sand, b4 London
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Re: Best place in US to live?
CALIFORNIA!
I know this is a very broad question, but I'd be
interested to see how answers are grouped. As a framework I've drawn a short list of what I think are some fundamental criteria that a British expat may consider:
1) Employment
2) Standard of living
3) Education
4) Cost of living and taxes
5) Health Care
6) Entertainment
7) Culture
8) Assimilation
I have visited other places but have only lived in California for a few years. There seems to be plenty of work (though unemployment on the rise), but then it is the economic power house of the US. Standard of living is high. If measured by disposable income, I'd say higher than most of Europe, but if measured by quality of life, the same or less. Education is not something I have experience of, but an American teacher told me it's lower than in Europe. Cost of living can be high, mainly due to housing but also food and eating out on a par with major European capitals. Taxes definitely lower, unless you get caught out by AMT, which is a silly tax as is the property tax. I saw Michael Moore on CNN saying he thinks France is lower tax than here if you add health care and school fees etc. I like Moore, but I'm not sure I agree with him on that on. The health care still freaks me out, and I just can't seem to get my head round why the US is the only major industrialized nation not to have socialized health care system. Living in the entertainment capital of the US (notice I didn't say the world), there's no shortage of things to titillate the senses, but they nearly all involve parting with hard earned bucks. No nice walks or drives in the countryside, villages, towns, mountains, lakes, swimming, or romantic getaways. Culturally, around LA is a vacuum. San Diego gets a bit better, and San Fransisco has almost a British feel to parts of it. Marin County reminds me of Kent. Assimilation is fairly easy in LA because there's so many different nationalities here, that you never feel singled out. I still feel a little like a guest in someone else's country, which is perfectly normal, but never that I don't belong.
On balance, had I moved to LA in when I was much younger, it would have been easier to accept things like the health care, lack of culture, and desolation of arid countryside, but I'm certain this isn't the best place for me in retirement, or even now in semi-retirement.
interested to see how answers are grouped. As a framework I've drawn a short list of what I think are some fundamental criteria that a British expat may consider:
1) Employment
2) Standard of living
3) Education
4) Cost of living and taxes
5) Health Care
6) Entertainment
7) Culture
8) Assimilation
I have visited other places but have only lived in California for a few years. There seems to be plenty of work (though unemployment on the rise), but then it is the economic power house of the US. Standard of living is high. If measured by disposable income, I'd say higher than most of Europe, but if measured by quality of life, the same or less. Education is not something I have experience of, but an American teacher told me it's lower than in Europe. Cost of living can be high, mainly due to housing but also food and eating out on a par with major European capitals. Taxes definitely lower, unless you get caught out by AMT, which is a silly tax as is the property tax. I saw Michael Moore on CNN saying he thinks France is lower tax than here if you add health care and school fees etc. I like Moore, but I'm not sure I agree with him on that on. The health care still freaks me out, and I just can't seem to get my head round why the US is the only major industrialized nation not to have socialized health care system. Living in the entertainment capital of the US (notice I didn't say the world), there's no shortage of things to titillate the senses, but they nearly all involve parting with hard earned bucks. No nice walks or drives in the countryside, villages, towns, mountains, lakes, swimming, or romantic getaways. Culturally, around LA is a vacuum. San Diego gets a bit better, and San Fransisco has almost a British feel to parts of it. Marin County reminds me of Kent. Assimilation is fairly easy in LA because there's so many different nationalities here, that you never feel singled out. I still feel a little like a guest in someone else's country, which is perfectly normal, but never that I don't belong.
On balance, had I moved to LA in when I was much younger, it would have been easier to accept things like the health care, lack of culture, and desolation of arid countryside, but I'm certain this isn't the best place for me in retirement, or even now in semi-retirement.
May 7th 2008, 12:32 am
#30
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Re: Best place in US to live?
What knocked PIttsburgh out?? There is culture here! I'm not much into the arts, but there are lots of museums and stuff haha. Cheap living, great healthcare and higher education. Slightly crappy weather, although I like the winters.
