We are trying to Denver. Hope us.
October 17, 2016 11:22 AM Subscribe
Due to a complicated series of events, Honolulu attorney/former law enforcement officer (28/F) (me) and Florida writer/drummer (25/M) who has also worked in retail, food service, hospitality are relocating to Denver together. (Yes we read the other Denver questions! Some of them were very helpful!)
I spent 9 years in NYC winters so I'm ready for cold, he has never lived in snow so him less so. We will both have cars. I am looking for a job that will not keep me in the office in front of the computer all day because that makes me want to die, even in "paradise" (Honolulu) this was the case. I would love to work for a gym or a bar or restaurant and will try to do so even though my resume is years of office jobs with government agencies. He will work anywhere, as he has been out of the workforce taking care of his mother for several months. We will have some income from renting out my condo in Honolulu and I have another 8k I saved since I started working in Honolulu. We both have college degrees, and I also have a law degree from NY, though I never practiced. We have secured temp housing from our arrival until the 1st week of January.
Denver residents, give us advice about our relocation as far as what neighborhoods would be good for us to meet other young people, what industries/sectors are hiring a bunch in your opinion, and just best practices for the relocation that you wish someone had tipped you off about when you moved. Thank you so much. I am sorry we cannot be more specific in our requests, it's just that things are very open-ended for us right now. (If this is so general that you have nothing useful to tell me, I will happily delete the question and write another one in January 2017 when we have more concrete questions.) Thanks!!
I spent 9 years in NYC winters so I'm ready for cold, he has never lived in snow so him less so. We will both have cars. I am looking for a job that will not keep me in the office in front of the computer all day because that makes me want to die, even in "paradise" (Honolulu) this was the case. I would love to work for a gym or a bar or restaurant and will try to do so even though my resume is years of office jobs with government agencies. He will work anywhere, as he has been out of the workforce taking care of his mother for several months. We will have some income from renting out my condo in Honolulu and I have another 8k I saved since I started working in Honolulu. We both have college degrees, and I also have a law degree from NY, though I never practiced. We have secured temp housing from our arrival until the 1st week of January.
Denver residents, give us advice about our relocation as far as what neighborhoods would be good for us to meet other young people, what industries/sectors are hiring a bunch in your opinion, and just best practices for the relocation that you wish someone had tipped you off about when you moved. Thank you so much. I am sorry we cannot be more specific in our requests, it's just that things are very open-ended for us right now. (If this is so general that you have nothing useful to tell me, I will happily delete the question and write another one in January 2017 when we have more concrete questions.) Thanks!!
I've been in Denver for three years. I don't love it, but certain things are growing on me. Here's the thing, I really really don't find Denver cool or interesting. That's just me though. It feels (again, to me) like a place where everyone in the middle of the country who didn't know what a city was moved and made a city.
I would suggest looking at Congress Park or Capital Hill as your neighborhood. They are cooler and young and reasonably affordable, but very livable. If you don't have pets you'll have a better shot at the apartments around there. When I was looking I did notice that most apartments don't come with a parking spot, but there are lots of on street parking options. You might just have to look around some.
Congress Park or Capital Hill will have lots of places to walk to work if you stay in the service industry and some places to walk to music venues and such.
The snow and cold aren't all that bad. I moved from Georgia, so while it definitely snows FREQUENTLY, our weather is such that it rarely stays below freezing for multiple days (or even all day). So you'll get a cold morning and afternoon slush. They are really good about plowing, so as long as you get out of your immediate hood and onto a bigger road you are golden as long as you trying to go over the mountains or anything.
Also look at neighborhoods around City Park and River North (frequently called Ri-No.)
I live in Park Hill, which is urban but feels a lot more suburban (young but boring?) than I would have preferred.
posted by stormygrey at 1:05 PM on October 17, 2016
I would suggest looking at Congress Park or Capital Hill as your neighborhood. They are cooler and young and reasonably affordable, but very livable. If you don't have pets you'll have a better shot at the apartments around there. When I was looking I did notice that most apartments don't come with a parking spot, but there are lots of on street parking options. You might just have to look around some.
Congress Park or Capital Hill will have lots of places to walk to work if you stay in the service industry and some places to walk to music venues and such.
The snow and cold aren't all that bad. I moved from Georgia, so while it definitely snows FREQUENTLY, our weather is such that it rarely stays below freezing for multiple days (or even all day). So you'll get a cold morning and afternoon slush. They are really good about plowing, so as long as you get out of your immediate hood and onto a bigger road you are golden as long as you trying to go over the mountains or anything.
Also look at neighborhoods around City Park and River North (frequently called Ri-No.)
I live in Park Hill, which is urban but feels a lot more suburban (young but boring?) than I would have preferred.
posted by stormygrey at 1:05 PM on October 17, 2016
Yeah, Denver has 78 neighborhoods, so it's hard to give recommendations if we don't have a little more information about what you're looking to spend, etc. A lot of new transplants tend to end up in Capitol Hill, which is a nice central place to start. As mentioned above, housing has gotten pretty expensive in recent years, though the rise is starting to level off a little.
Denver has a lot of transplants, so not being "from here" isn't really a big deal.
posted by craven_morhead at 2:04 PM on October 17, 2016 [1 favorite]
Denver has a lot of transplants, so not being "from here" isn't really a big deal.
posted by craven_morhead at 2:04 PM on October 17, 2016 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I really like Denver, although having lived in New York and San Francisco before that it's sometimes funny to see things that were hot in Brooklyn in 2013 showing up here as the latest thing. I have small kids though so "cool" is not such a big part of my wishlist anymore.
Housing wise, budget is going to be your biggest issue. Income, especially for things like hospitality type jobs, has not kept up with the increase in cost of living. Optimally you'll be able to live on the same side of the Platte as you're working since that can be a bit of a commuting bottleneck. However, coming from Hawaii you probably won't have sticker shock. Cheesman, Capitol Hill, Congress Park (Central), and Highlands, Sloans Lake (West) are all great and central neighborhoods but might be a bit pricy at this point . Five Points, Baker, Cole and Whittier are still pretty central but less expensive. University and University Hills are further south but (unsurprisingly) DU is located there so there are lots of younger people. It's good that you have temporary housing lined up because you'll get a chance to scout out some jobs and some places and see what works for you.
Winter is less of a big deal than it is on the East Coast or most of the Midwest. It is so sunny here that snow rarely stays on the ground more than 2-3 days, so you don't get the kind of iced-over, grime-encrusted snow bergs that you see in other places. The caveat to that is that the city's approach to plowing is basically "Why plow? It'll be gone in 2 days." They will grudgingly send out the plows after major storms for important commuter roads, but side streets typically fend for themselves. I would plan to get snow tires if you're not experienced winter drivers.
It is extremely dry here. My life improved a lot when I just started stashing lip balms and travel-size containers of sunscreen and moisturizer in my frequently used purses, glove compartment, work desk drawer, diaper bag, etc. I also now have 3 pairs of sunglasses plus one that I keep in the car.
Layers are your friend. This week it's been in the low 50s in the morning, up to the 80s by afternoon, then cold again at night. This phenomenon is even more exaggerated up in the mountains. Layers, lots of them.
Hope you like it here!
posted by The Elusive Architeuthis at 2:39 PM on October 17, 2016 [1 favorite]
Housing wise, budget is going to be your biggest issue. Income, especially for things like hospitality type jobs, has not kept up with the increase in cost of living. Optimally you'll be able to live on the same side of the Platte as you're working since that can be a bit of a commuting bottleneck. However, coming from Hawaii you probably won't have sticker shock. Cheesman, Capitol Hill, Congress Park (Central), and Highlands, Sloans Lake (West) are all great and central neighborhoods but might be a bit pricy at this point . Five Points, Baker, Cole and Whittier are still pretty central but less expensive. University and University Hills are further south but (unsurprisingly) DU is located there so there are lots of younger people. It's good that you have temporary housing lined up because you'll get a chance to scout out some jobs and some places and see what works for you.
Winter is less of a big deal than it is on the East Coast or most of the Midwest. It is so sunny here that snow rarely stays on the ground more than 2-3 days, so you don't get the kind of iced-over, grime-encrusted snow bergs that you see in other places. The caveat to that is that the city's approach to plowing is basically "Why plow? It'll be gone in 2 days." They will grudgingly send out the plows after major storms for important commuter roads, but side streets typically fend for themselves. I would plan to get snow tires if you're not experienced winter drivers.
It is extremely dry here. My life improved a lot when I just started stashing lip balms and travel-size containers of sunscreen and moisturizer in my frequently used purses, glove compartment, work desk drawer, diaper bag, etc. I also now have 3 pairs of sunglasses plus one that I keep in the car.
Layers are your friend. This week it's been in the low 50s in the morning, up to the 80s by afternoon, then cold again at night. This phenomenon is even more exaggerated up in the mountains. Layers, lots of them.
Hope you like it here!
posted by The Elusive Architeuthis at 2:39 PM on October 17, 2016 [1 favorite]
I've lived in Denver for most of my life, and I personally love it. Things are changing rapidly, and yes it is getting a lot more expensive. I live near the Berkeley neighborhood - you might check that out for work and for living (not sure of rent prices since I own my home).
The beer industry is exploding right now. If you think you might want to work at a brewery there are plenty to choose from.
Be sure to invest in high-quality winter clothing that you can layer. If you have the proper clothes the cold weather shouldn't be too terrible. Plus, the secret about Denver is that it's not really that cold. The sun shines almost every day!
Good luck, and I hope you enjoy living here!
posted by GoldenEel at 2:42 PM on October 17, 2016
The beer industry is exploding right now. If you think you might want to work at a brewery there are plenty to choose from.
Be sure to invest in high-quality winter clothing that you can layer. If you have the proper clothes the cold weather shouldn't be too terrible. Plus, the secret about Denver is that it's not really that cold. The sun shines almost every day!
Good luck, and I hope you enjoy living here!
posted by GoldenEel at 2:42 PM on October 17, 2016
Life long Coloradoan here.... Don't Fear the Snow!
It's one of the best things about Denver and the mountains. The Elusive Architeuthis has it right... it's very sunny here. One of my favorite things is a big day of snow and waking up the next morning to white stuff everywhere and super blue sunny skies (get your sunglasses). I lived in the midwest for a while, and that was grim... gray skies and piles of dirty old snow. Not the case here. It always melts off fast. Really... 90% of the winter days are sunny and snow free.
If you are worried about driving in the snow you might want to locate close to light rail and avoid driving altogether. A 4wd vehicle makes all the difference when it does snow. I love my Subaru.
I'd say learn to ski if you have any interest. It's an amazing way to spend a day surrounded by beautiful snow covered mountains. Season or package prices are a cheaper way to go, and you don't feel bad about skiing just half the day (eg. Keystone season pass is $329). Caveat: skiing of weekdays is way less crowded.
The cold: "It's a dry cold"... that's true and you won't feel as chilled as you would in a comparable humid cold. Once you adjust a bit to cooler temps, you'll be fine. Sunny winter days in the 30's and 40's are sweater weather once you are acclimated. I even find temps around 0º to be crisply refreshing. Also... I guess it's a global warming thing, but we've had very mild winters in Denver. Less snow and less cold. I've seen people playing golf in December or February.
Seconding the brewery thing... it's huge here. I'll MeMail you a link to info about many of them (profiled by a media company I work for). But also tons of restaurants and other new stuff popping up. I can tell you downtown is hugely more fun than it was when I was a teen.
I won't advise as to neighborhoods... there are so many and you should fine plenty of articles online.
Best of luck with your move!
posted by ecorrocio at 10:31 AM on October 18, 2016
It's one of the best things about Denver and the mountains. The Elusive Architeuthis has it right... it's very sunny here. One of my favorite things is a big day of snow and waking up the next morning to white stuff everywhere and super blue sunny skies (get your sunglasses). I lived in the midwest for a while, and that was grim... gray skies and piles of dirty old snow. Not the case here. It always melts off fast. Really... 90% of the winter days are sunny and snow free.
If you are worried about driving in the snow you might want to locate close to light rail and avoid driving altogether. A 4wd vehicle makes all the difference when it does snow. I love my Subaru.
I'd say learn to ski if you have any interest. It's an amazing way to spend a day surrounded by beautiful snow covered mountains. Season or package prices are a cheaper way to go, and you don't feel bad about skiing just half the day (eg. Keystone season pass is $329). Caveat: skiing of weekdays is way less crowded.
The cold: "It's a dry cold"... that's true and you won't feel as chilled as you would in a comparable humid cold. Once you adjust a bit to cooler temps, you'll be fine. Sunny winter days in the 30's and 40's are sweater weather once you are acclimated. I even find temps around 0º to be crisply refreshing. Also... I guess it's a global warming thing, but we've had very mild winters in Denver. Less snow and less cold. I've seen people playing golf in December or February.
Seconding the brewery thing... it's huge here. I'll MeMail you a link to info about many of them (profiled by a media company I work for). But also tons of restaurants and other new stuff popping up. I can tell you downtown is hugely more fun than it was when I was a teen.
I won't advise as to neighborhoods... there are so many and you should fine plenty of articles online.
Best of luck with your move!
posted by ecorrocio at 10:31 AM on October 18, 2016
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Driving in snow is something to research. A well maintained car with good tires is a must.
Public transportation is okay, but not great. So unless you plan carefully, you'll have to have at least one car.
Tech companies are still doing okay, in terms of hiring. Possibly not as good as before, but there's still a decent need for programmers/developers. And the marijuana industry has been offering new career paths - research and retail.
Because Denver is getting so hipster, there's been a large focus on farm-to-table/local restaurants and mixology-type bars with industrial design.
Drink lots of water, wear sunscreen (really - people here age a lot faster than other cities), dress in layers always, and keep a winter coat and sunglasses and a baseball cap and snow scraper in your car all year. People here are also sometimes strangely competitive about outdoor recreation so if someone invites you for a hike or ski or rafting trip and you don't know them that well, make sure you ask what that entails.
posted by umwhat at 12:59 PM on October 17, 2016 [2 favorites]