Possibly relocating.. help anyone?

[airfrogusmc]

Chicago, you have beaches and the BEARS!!!!!

 

[Mr. Sable]

When I think of Florida or the Carolinas, I think "Hurricanes". When I think of the Pacific Northwest (and we get Spokane's KSPS TV where I am), I think relentless rain. I'm not a big fan of precipitation (or winter), so personally, that'd be my guide.

 

[Tony in Tarzana]

San Diego has an incredible climate and would be a good choice, as would be most the smaller CA towns you mention. Don't forget the cost of having your cars upgraded to CA smog standards if you move there,

Actually, no. As long as the car has been registered in another state and has at least 7,500 miles on it, it only needs to pass Federal smog standards.

Unless you've hot-rodded a late model it shouldn't be a problem.

 

[Blackgrass]

Well....based on your location I don't think I have to tell you much about Little Rock!

I have lived in Texas, North Carolina, Tennessee and Colorado. I would go back to Colorado in an instant if I didn't have obligations here. Wasn't it Jim Morrison that said "The west is the best"?

P.S. Sent ya a myspace friend thingy.

 

[doghouse]

Well....based on your location I don't think I have to tell you much about Little Rock!

I have lived in Texas, North Carolina, Tennessee and Colorado. I would go back to Colorado in an instant if I didn't have obligations here. Wasn't it Jim Morrison that said "The west is the best"?

P.S. Sent ya a myspace friend thingy.

No, you don't have to tell me anything about Little Rock, I hate it. And I'm from Dallas originally, which isn't so bad.. but I think I'd like to get out of this area for a change.. live a little. And is it true about Denver being a "dust bowl"? I've driven through, stopped and ate lunch.. but I didn't pay too much attention to the air, I was just excited to get to Winter Park.

And yes, that was Jim Morrison.

 

[Pilgrim]

When I think of Florida or the Carolinas, I think "Hurricanes". When I think of the Pacific Northwest (and we get Spokane's KSPS TV where I am), I think relentless rain. I'm not a big fan of precipitation (or winter), so personally, that'd be my guide.

Mr. Sable has hit on one reason the Pacific NW isn't as badly overpopulated as CA. Everyone *thinks* that all NW weather is like Seattle, but they are quite mistaken! In reality, the state of Washington has five different climate zones, and most are not wet. Oregon has a similar diversity of climate, and Portland isn't as continually overcast as Seattle in the winter.

More about Colorado - taxes are among the lowest in the U.S. because of various tax reduction measures. This affects public services and higher education, but it's pleasant for the taxpayer.

 

[Blackgrass]

No, you don't have to tell me anything about Little Rock, I hate it. And I'm from Dallas originally, which isn't so bad.. but I think I'd like to get out of this area for a change.. live a little. And is it true about Denver being a "dust bowl"? I've driven through, stopped and ate lunch.. but I didn't pay too much attention to the air, I was just excited to get to Winter Park.

And yes, that was Jim Morrison.

Little Rock isn't so bad really. In fact when I moved back here from Durango, CO it really surprised me how pretty Arkansas was in comparison....especially the Northwest corner....afterall we do have Eureka Springs! If I had the money to invest I would buy all sorts of property in NW Arkansas. I really think that we are going to have people moving here one day like they did to Boulder and SW Colorado...those people are wanting to escape the cities their little towns have become.

 

[doghouse]

Little Rock isn't so bad really. In fact when I moved back here from Durango, CO it really surprised me how pretty Arkansas was in comparison....especially the Northwest corner....afterall we do have Eureka Springs! If I had the money to invest I would buy all sorts of property in NW Arkansas. I really think that we are going to have people moving here one day like they did to Boulder and SW Colorado...those people are wanting to escape the cities their little towns have become.

Well, I've never lived in Little Rock, I liked it when I was younger and we we're playing shows at Vino's. The people seemed pretty nice... Then I spent almost 8 months there. My younger sister broke her back (jumping from a balcony onto a trampoline, none the less!) and stayed at ACH, I was her guardian at the time, so I spent a few months there. I found the care she recieved to be wonderful, but the staff terrible. Shortly after, Wallace's mother was admitted to UALR due to a rare disease. They did a wonderful job making her last months as bearable as possible. It just seemed the longer I spent there, the more I noticed how ugly the city really can be.

On another note, the rest of Arkansas is absolutely beautiful. Although I have never really been to NW Arkansas.

 

[fortworthgal]

Avoid Texas unless you like miserable heat and a serious lack of seasons other than summer. lol

 

[doghouse]

Ahhhh! I should have known better than to ask for advice on this! I keep getting swayed a thousand different directions! I had sworn off Colorado for instance, now I find myself doing more research on it. lol lol lol

 

[Blackgrass]

Vino's still has about the best pizza in town! It did take me a while to adjust to LR after living out west. It's definately a whole nother ballgame living in the South. You should really take a trip up to Eureka Springs for a weekend before you leave! It is a really cool place and something that I would imagine a FL member would enjoy....also Hot Springs. The Arlington Hotel is really pretty cool with the ballroom and cool old buildings about town.

Well, I've never lived in Little Rock, I liked it when I was younger and we we're playing shows at Vino's. The people seemed pretty nice... Then I spent almost 8 months there. My younger sister broke her back (jumping from a balcony onto a trampoline, none the less!) and stayed at ACH, I was her guardian at the time, so I spent a few months there. I found the care she recieved to be wonderful, but the staff terrible. Shortly after, Wallace's mother was admitted to UALR due to a rare disease. They did a wonderful job making her last months as bearable as possible. It just seemed the longer I spent there, the more I noticed how ugly the city really can be.

On another note, the rest of Arkansas is absolutely beautiful. Although I have never really been to NW Arkansas.

 

[doghouse]

Vino's still has about the best pizza in town! It did take me a while to adjust to LR after living out west. It's definately a whole nother ballgame living in the South. You should really take a trip up to Eureka Springs for a weekend before you leave! It is a really cool place and something that I would imagine a FL member would enjoy....also Hot Springs. The Arlington Hotel is really pretty cool with the ballroom and cool old buildings about town.

I definately agree about Vino's.. the beer is pretty good too.
I'll definately have to check out Eureka Springs.

And oh yes I know all about Hot Springs.. We celebrate our anniversiary there every year, and always at the Arlington.

 

[McPeppers]

By the way when I think of Hurricanes I usually think "Yay no school today!". With the exception of major storms like Andrew and Katrina most storms are little more than alot of wind and some rain. The benefit of a Hurricane over EVERY other natural disaster aside from planet-killer asteroids (this means: Volcanos, Quakes, Twisters, Hail, Freezing-rain, massive statewide thunderstorms, etc.) is that you usually have upwards of 4 days to prepare for the worst. and 19 out of 20 times you get MUCH less than you prepared for. Andrew was the strongest storm to make landfall since we began recording hurricanes clocking in the Category 5 range. Katrina wasnt nearly as strong but manmade failures resulted in a 70% devestation of New Orleans and poor flood-planning got alot of other places (Mississippi had bith flood and wind). It's really not that scary and I've lived through many many hurricanes including the two listed above.

As for our humidity the only time you notice it is on those odd days you dont get a sea-breeze. For summertime when the temperature is hottest there are many cloudbursts which cool the temperature down alot. As for humidity in Florida after 1 week you can adjust easily...thats why when I go to and from New Orleans to my home there is no adjustment needed. Ya just become really resiliant to that sort of thing. Fall and Winter in So-Fla are the best time of year though. High of 69 (feels like 72) low of 59, and always sunny. You'll be hard pressed to find a place with better weather during that time.

Fort Lauderdale itself is right on the Intercostal and the Atlantic Ocean and you have access to Las Olas and Upper South Beach right there. You can also drive down to South Beach in Miami or again the Keys which has more beachfront than you can shake a stick at. Also we have great Lake fishing and some of the World's best Open ocean sport fishing.

As for alternative recreation there is an old Airfield out along I-595 near the city of Weston (where i call home) for kite and RC plane flying. There are awesome clubs in FTL and MIA. For more upscale shopping you can head 30 minutes north to Boca Raton's Towncenter. 25 minutes from Fort Lauderdale every fall is FLARF (haha its the Florida Renaissance Festival) which is held in a state park (Quiet Waters Park was recently hit hard by Wilma which was a weak storm that did little damage but was horrible for trees, it had a very tight swirling motion, and is being re-done it might be done in time for the next RF but if not theres the other RF down in Miami in historic Old Cutler Ridge... a must see!) Over by Weston another state park offers Skeet and Trap shooting aswell as handgun and rifle ranges. The Miami Dolphins and Florida Marlins are only a short drive from your door too, aswell as the Panthers. If you prefer Golf we have some premier courses in SoFla like the Boca Resort Golf Course in Boca Raton (they have an aaammmmmaaaaziiiiing spa there too, my dad built it so I'm biased ^_-) and then there's the Grand Oaks Golf Course (by the Miami Dolphins practice facility right near ya. Its where Caddyshack was filmed). Also the final race of NASCAR's Nextel Chace for the Cup is held just an hour away in Homestead, which also has an annual Rodeo.

Hope I might have put up a fight against the others

 

[Samsa]

Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor is a college town. I haven't lived there, but have visited on several occasions. It's nice, but a drawback would be all the college kids there. However, if you wanted to commute, the metropolitan area around Detroit is nice, especially the northern suburbs (though this would be quite a commute, if you were to work in Ann Arbor proper).

May I ask who the lady is in your avatar?

 

[doghouse]

Oh believe me, Florida is tempting. Although I've never been, I lived in South Padre Island, TX for a while, so I know all about seabreezes and beach life.

The main reason I'm not so sure about Florida is because it seems like there would be less of a family atmosphere. Having four kids, I have to prioritize that about just about all else. I still want someplace that has a nightlife (BELIEVE me, I REALLY do.. I live in a town where there's nothing to do but sit at home with a bottle of whiskey and complain lol)

Also, I read earlier that Ft. Lauderdale is the "gay capitol of Florida"...
Hopefully I don't offend anyone but that's not quiiite my cup of tea. But then again, Portland, OR seems to have a pretty open gay scene also..

Still haven't written Florida off my list yet though.

Oh, and is there any sort of vintage scene in Florida? I know no one like me where I live currently, and It'd be nice to fit in a little..I get a little tired of being called "pretty momma" by stinky cowboys. LOL

 

[doghouse]

Ann Arbor is a college town. I haven't lived there, but have visited on several occasions. It's nice, but a drawback would be all the college kids there. However, if you wanted to commute, the metropolitan area around Detroit is nice, especially the northern suburbs (though this would be quite a commute, if you were to work in Ann Arbor proper).

May I ask who the lady is in your avatar?

Yeah, I don't think I could deal with the college town thing.

And the lady in my avatar would be me. (my husband posts under this name also.. we only have one paid email account.. sorry for the confusion!)

 

[Samsa]

Yeah, I don't think I could deal with the college town thing.

And the lady in my avatar would be me. (my husband posts under this name also.. we only have one paid email account.. sorry for the confusion!)

Haha, I read your profile, and the gender was listed as male, so I thought she was an actress I should recognize! Thanks for the clarification!

 

[doghouse]

LOL! But hey, you cheered me up for the day, I don't think I've ever been mistaken for an actress!

I'm gonna go change the gender on there though, he lurks more than he posts..apparently I'm wierd for my message board addiction!

 

[McPeppers]

Well I don't exactly know about them being the Gay Capitol but you usually just work in FTL not live. The best places to live are out near the City of Weston. Just 35 mins (because we ALL drive the speed limit right?) from Downtown Fort Lauderdale.

It's a great place to raise a family but is a bit...well of the 14 biggest developments there 3 are filled with upper tier income families. We just hit 16,900 people too!! I moved there when it was just 9,000 lol.

My brother and father both work in Fort Lauderdale on Las Olas and go to lunch near their offices all the time I hear. My brother lives right off Las Olas and he'd be the first to complain if anything were amiss but sofar so good. You dont really have to worry about the living scene there since 90% of the people who work there live in the suburbs. Remember Fort Lauderdale is a modern city. AKA it is built on a perfect grid (there is no way to get lost... just keep heading in the direction you know lol) and the drivers are bad but I've seen MUCH MUCH worse .

The only wreck i've been in was a failure of my vehicle and had nothing to do with other traffic. I've had no problems aside from the occasional cut-off. Which can be easily resolved by yelling at them through your mind

 

[Brooksie]

If I did not live where I currently live now on the Oregon Coast I would probably live in Portland Oregon again. I was born and raised in Portland and lived there most of my adult life, the only other place I have actually lived is in Fairfield Texas for about 8 months and I did not like it there. But I have done some extensive traveling as I mentioned in another post I used to be an over the road truck driver - I worked for FFE out of Dallas Texas. So I have been to every state in the US except for five... I have spent a lot of time in a lot of different towns and citys and rural areas.
Portland has a vintage scene, parks, a zoo, nightlife, tons of good restaraunts and shopping. Close to mountains & beach. Also only about 20 min. from Portland is the Columbia River gorge (which is one of the most amaizing places on the planet for scenery & fun) and there is lots of trails for hiking and biking all over the state! Lots of things for kids and adults to do!

Brooksie