Best Cities For Vintage Life?

[LordJohnRoxton]

I may be looking to relocate soon and was wondering, on the west coast and in the southwest, which cities are the best choices for retro living?

 

[Snookie]

What are you looking for in "retro living"? Here in LA we have a good amount of movie screenings, dances and other social events, but not quite the bar scene I hear SF has. Or are you interested in a certain atmosphere most of all? Are you looking for a place with particular weather so you can wear many hats?

 

[Sefton]

Give San Francisco a try. There's still lots of great "vintage" architecture and many parts of the city have a distinct feel of the filmic past,especially when it's foggy and cold-which fortunately for people like me who hate hot weather, is very often. There's a lot of great vintage clothing stores and a few Lounge members in town also. My wife and I are actually considering buying a home in S.F. now that the prices have come down somewhat so maybe I'll be in the market for a home as well as you. Good luck!

 

[LordJohnRoxton]

What are you looking for in "retro living"? Here in LA we have a good amount of movie screenings, dances and other social events, but not quite the bar scene I hear SF has. Or are you interested in a certain atmosphere most of all? Are you looking for a place with particular weather so you can wear many hats?

Great questions! Maybe we should consider just what makes a place ideal for the vintage life.

 

[Mid-fogey]

You may...

...consider Charleston or Savannah. While the architecture may be more Georgian/Neoclassical/Federal, you might feel more drenched in the past. While most folks folks associate art deco with the golden era, it is probably true that several revival buildings were built for every art deco structure put up.

Also, I think you'd feel less out of place in dressing up.

 

[Miss 1929]

Bay Area

San Francisco itself is hideously expensive - but cooler, so you can wear layers of vintage wool! we moved across the Bay to Oakland and it has summer, but the rent is half what it was in the City.
The Bay Are in general is great as people are very tolerant here, and won't bother you about how you dress. And yet it is a compact enough area that you can get over to SF for events and bar hopping etc.
There is an old and established vintage scene here too, I should know after about 22 years of it!
You would be very welcome! Do come visit and check it out.

 

[Mike in Seattle]

And since you're considering moving from Washington to California, they'll welcome you with open arms of higher car license fees, state income tax and in most places, higher sales tax. That's on top of the higher costs of living in general. Most friends who've moved down with a 20% increase in pay find they're much worse off because the taxes and the cost of everything being so much higher. Just something to consider.

 

[LocktownDog]

Wow. I really miss the PacNW. All those years in Portland, and now I'm withering away in the Reno area. If you really want to get away from there, then do it right and head for the Bay Area. But I think you're nuts.

Richard

 

[Miss 1929]

And since you're considering moving from Washington to California, they'll welcome you with open arms of higher car license fees, state income tax and in most places, higher sales tax. That's on top of the higher costs of living in general. Most friends who've moved down with a 20% increase in pay find they're much worse off because the taxes and the cost of everything being so much higher. Just something to consider.

I guess I don't know how bad off I am! It all depends on what is important to you. I could never live in a place where I felt I was being judged and looked down on for my style, no matter how cheap it was (or I would have stayed in my small hometown). And I also require a bit if local color and places to go and things to do or I will go mad.
But for some people, that doesn't matter as much as the finances. I figure as a jazz musician, I will be broke wherever I live, so it matters not.

 

[LordJohnRoxton]

Too true! It all boils down to what you really want... what makes you happy. That's a rough one... I grew up in California and moved to Washington (or rather moved back after returning home from college) because I thought that this was where I wanted to be... now I'm not so certain. My family is getting older and I worry about them. Even an eight hour drive away would be much closer than I am now!

 

[jayem]

Chicago. Everything here is old, in the good way.

The other day I saw a group of girls down Belmont and Clark wearing big 50s skirts... with Uggs.

It's all a very strange mix of vintage meets new.

 

[Twitch]

I assume you are not retiring in which case you want to figure a place with excellent medical facilities. It's up to the style and era I suppose. I'd agree Charleston or Savannah would be applicable if you are into the architecture and era of history.

What do ya wanna do in the place you go? If it's more than cruise around checking out buildings and houses you'll need to find out what type of vintage cultural events and organizations there are in a given place.

Using Charleston or Savannah again I'd bet there are some societies of the bygone eras. If it's just old buildings you can go to any city east of the Mississippi and you can drive forever looking at old frame and tons of ancient brick houses and buildings.

Look at pictures of cities on Flickr by name and get an idea of what places look like at least.

 

[LordJohnRoxton]

The initial impetus for moving was to be closer to my family. They're getting older and my better instinct was to be close by so that I could be there to start helping out. However.... the economy as it is... especially in California.... that seems a moot point now, at best. Still, a gentleman ought to weigh his options! There is always the possibility of better options around the next corner!

 

[LordJohnRoxton]

Chicago. Everything here is old, in the good way.

The other day I saw a group of girls down Belmont and Clark wearing big 50s skirts... with Uggs.

It's all a very strange mix of vintage meets new.

Uggs with 50's skirts!? I dearly hope it was some sort of Ugg sandal (I know they make them!)!

 

[Ada Veen]

Not much use, but what a great idea for a thread!

 

[Tux Toledo]

I'll cast another vote for at least considering the SF Bay Area. San Francisco on foggy summer evening or even a rainy winter night just can't be beat. Makes you want to button up that trench coat, pull down the fedora and wander down Sam Spade's old streets. Expensive place to live? Yes. But also priceless.

 

[LordJohnRoxton]

Use and utility are only minor annoyances to a gentleman!

 

[mdavids2000]

I think the best City's in Europe are London and here in Amsterdam there is here so much to find just dally on the Waterlooplein market.

 

[cookie]

And since you're considering moving from Washington to California, they'll welcome you with open arms of higher car license fees, state income tax and in most places, higher sales tax. That's on top of the higher costs of living in general. Most friends who've moved down with a 20% increase in pay find they're much worse off because the taxes and the cost of everything being so much higher. Just something to consider.

My American cousins ended up moving from Orange County to Kansas City because of the expense of CAL.

 

[Snookie]

I'm with Miss 1929 on the issue of expense/value of where you live. My husband gets misty-eyed when thinking of the mansions we could buy elsewhere, until I remind him how few locals would share our interests and that he'll be stuck with me and only me for entertainment. That snaps him out of it!!

I did grow up in Los Angeles, so I'm used to both the expense and the opportunities, and I'd have a VERY hard time leaving everything behind just to have more money. (Not to mention that most of the jobs in my field are in bigger cities, so I'd be leaving one for another anyway.)

I think LA really is my personal ideal for vintage-ness, because of it's strong swing dance AND vintage scenes. Other cities seem to be strong in one or the other, but not both. San Francisco sounds almost as good to me, but I don't think the dance scene is quite a strong...