Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with Downtown

Things will be great when you're downtown (Raleigh)

SweetTeaAndABiscuit — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 16:26:49 -0800

Raleigh Filter: I'm searching for a rental apartment in downtown Raleigh and would love some firsthand input. Since there are a goodly number of Triangle-area MeFites, I'd thought I'd ask here...

I'm looking for a new rental apartment and I'm intrigued by living in downtown Raleigh. I've been investigating on-line and by driving around different areas, but I have no firsthand knowledge of any of the downtown apartment complexes, so I'm hoping some MeFites might.

My wish list:
-- I have an issue about living on the ground floor and health problems that sometimes make stairs problematic, so a multi-storied building WITH an elevator is my #1 requirement.
-- I'd love something with some character and maybe a little funky, but I realize that may not be possible while living in a building modern enough to have an elevator.
-- Being surrounded by a good walking neighborhood would be a great bonus.
-- I'm a single 50-year-old female, so a safe neighborhood and an area with other middle-aged (ahem) folks would be more desirable than an area that is primarily students and young families.
-- Pretend price is no obstacle; I want to learn about everything, even if it is ultimately out of my price range.
-- Although downtown is very appealing to me, I'd also love to hear about any great elevator buildings in other areas of the Triangle, if they are something I should consider.

Thanks for any knowledge you can share about elevator apartments in the Raleigh area!

Downtown Louisville

tmharris65 — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 18:52:09 -0800

I am potentially going to be traveling to Louisville, Kentucky, on a business trip. I'm staying for 8 nights and I could stay in the company hotel, but they force us to share, so I'm looking for alternatives that will allow me to have a private room without completely busting my budget. I need to be within walking distance of the Kentucky International Convention Center on 4th between Jefferson and Market. I'm also curious about this neighborhood in general -- safe? walkable?

Downtown Houstonfilter: Feed us fast and cheap

desuetude — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 09:24:02 -0800

Where are the cheap, quick, delicious eats in downtown Houston? I'm staying at the Hilton Americas Houston for a conference and need some alternatives to the overpriced hotel dining options. Part of the reason I'm at this conference (other than the awesome perk of meeting Mefites, of course) is to oversee a travel awards program for my organization, and I know my awardees are going to want to stretch their stipend as far as possible. However, there is very limited time for lunch in between sessions.

Where can people grab inexpensive but good lunches and dinners very close to the hotel?

I saw this AskMe about Vietnamese in downtown, but I'd like more downtown recommendations.

I'd like a number 11, please

pdb — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 10:57:03 -0800

Why are the tops of buildings in downtown Los Angeles numbered? In TV shows that show helicopter-type sweeping shots of downtown LA, you can see that the tops of many buildings have a number inside a red circle, as Google Maps shows here. What is the purpose of these numbers? They're not unique, for example there's several "12" buildings - I'm stumped as to what they might be. Any ideas?

Where would you take a friend out for steak in downtown Portland?

pdxgirl42 — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 14:02:38 -0800

Where should I take a friend out for steak in Portland? It needs to be in the downtown/Pearl/NW area. I'm looking for someplace not too expensive (under $150 for the two of us), not too stuffy or corporate feeling, and if they have a rib eye, that would be superb! Any recommendations?

I'm way too sleep derived to think of a clever headline.

porpoise — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 09:19:55 -0800

Restaurantfilter: Downtown Chicago, dinner recommendations for a couple of grad students with a foodie bent in town for a conference. I've checked out these two previous threads on downtown Chicago restaurant recommendations.

We're in downtown proper and staying at the Sofitel at Wabash & Chestnut and the Wyndham at St. Claire & Erie. Looking for 'interesting' restaurants within a 20 minute walk tonight. Are there any places that are distinctly "Chicago-ian"/local or ignored by tourists/tourism-board?

Grad students, but willing to pony up (to maybe $60 or 70, maybe a bit more, but something around $30 per person sans drinks is more reasonable). We love food, doesn't matter what kind preferring 'good' over 'lots.'

Should I rent a car during my week in Denver?

TheManChild2000 — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 15:20:29 -0800

I'm going to be in Denver for a seminar. Arriving Saturday, leaving Thursday. Staying a little east of the city center. Should I bother renting a car? I'm pretty outdoorsy but also pretty cheap. Does Denver have sufficient public transit to easily (and without taking hours) get out of the downtown area into natural places for hiking and swimming?

Delicious, mid-range downtown Calgary restaurant

ageispolis — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 15:12:02 -0800

What are some of your favourite places to go for lunch in downtown Calgary?

Fun In Richmond, VA?

BadgerKyle — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 20:56:27 -0800

What is the most popular (not necessarily trendy) area of Richmond, VA in which to stay and party for a couple of nights? I will be coming into town with a few other people (all twenty-somethings) for a conference and we wanted to know the best place to stay (neighborhoods or specific hotels!) so we can walk to some bars and good restaurants and let loose after the conference each day. The conference is at UofR, but from my basic Googlefu, it appears as if the best areas are not going to be too close to the school. That's fine with us, as we will have a car and can drive to the school each day for the conference . . .

But help us HiveMind . . we are definitely going to need to let loose each night!

Where can i park on the cheap in downtown Portland, Maine?

Willy Wombat — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 14:56:41 -0800

I will be staying in Portland, ME at a hotel near the intersection of Congress and Forest. Hotel parking is in a garage nearby and naturally it's an additional charge. Any suggestions for places I might park for less than 20 bucks? The free-er the better.

How can an old lady see downtown Chicago in a few hours?

languagehat — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 10:42:39 -0800

Downtown Chicago tour between trains? My 81-year-old aunt is here in Massachusetts for a visit; she'll be returning to Southern California by train (a trip I'd envy her if Amtrak weren't so pathetic). She'll be taking the Lake Shore Limited to Chicago, which arrives at 9:45 AM, and going the rest of the way on the Southwest Chief, which departs at 3:15 PM. She doesn't really want to spend five and a half hours sitting around Union Station, especially since she's never been to Chicago before and will probably never get there again, but she doesn't get around with much agility (she uses a cane). What would be ideal is a comfortable tour bus that she could easily locate at the station and that would give her a tour of the downtown area for two or three hours. I assume there are a number of companies that do such things; does anybody know of any that are particularly reliable/user-friendly and/or give particularly good tours? Thanks!

Restaurant Recommendations in Downtown Chicago?

andeles — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 08:46:17 -0800

Please recommend a restaurant in downtown Chicago. A friend and I would like to get dinner together; the problem being that he lives in Hyde Park and I live in Rogers Park. I'm looking for a restaurant that splits the distance between our two neighborhoods, but neither of us knows the downtown area too well. I'm aware of Rush Street; any particular restaurants to check out? I would especially like a restaurant that isn't very expensive, is not the typical tourist-trap fare, and is the sort of place where one can have a conversation without have to shout to be heard. All sorts of cuisine recommendations are welcome. Bonus points for easy walking distance from/to the Red Line.

Staying Downtown in Phoenix

sporb — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 08:52:02 -0800

I'm a hayseed prairie boy about to spend a week in downtown Phoenix without vehicle nor desire to travel far - any tips are appreciated. For example: Is there a drugstore? How about fresh veggies? Places to avoid? thanks!

Looking for piano lessons in downtown Vancouver

dobie — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 19:08:24 -0800

Does anybody know of a good piano teacher in downtown Vancouver? My girlfriend is looking to start taking piano lessons in the new year. She is 29, works during the daytime and has had some beginner's lessons over the last few years. She is looking to build her technical skills, learn some fun songs, while avoiding some of the more basic "kiddie songs" that come with starting piano, en route to becoming a better player. Probably classical training would be the best start, but she would be happy to branch out into jazz and modern styles.

We live in the downtown core, and don't own a car so she would prefer a teacher in the West End or Yaletown areas. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. You can email my profile with any specific contact info.

Thanks!

Places to eat/coffee in Downtown Houston

abdulf — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 14:15:17 -0800

What are some good coffee shops and lunch places in Downtown Houston? I'm thinking about meeting friends and business contacts for lunch or coffee in Downtown Houston. This is a mid-day (11am-2pm) or afterwork (4:30-6pm) type thing.

This would be fairly frequent, once or twice a week, so it would have to be affordable for me. I have a budget of $10 for lunch and $5 for coffee.

They have to be downtown, since I take the bus to work. Ideally they should be walking distance from the light rail line. I work at the County Courthouses on Franklin and Caroline.

I'd prefer to pick places that are local (not Quiznos) and have places to sit and talk. I'm not really sure what I'm going to talk about, but supposedly it's good to get out and touch base with people.

It actually doesn't even have to be a food place. I just can't think of any public spaces in Houston setup for socializing.

Must...Find...Bar

foxy_hedgehog — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 12:04:32 -0800

Hello fellow Americans and concerned citizens around the world. Please help me find a bar in downtown Manhattan where I can watch the presidential debate tonight. That's about the extent of it. The only place I've found is in Time Square, which I would like to avoid.

Thanks and happy watching.

Where's all the cool shops?

tomcochrane — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 19:30:12 -0800

Where are all of the cool shops in downtown Toronto? Myself and my girlfriend moved to North York about a week ago to go to York University. Today we headed into downtown Toronto for the first time to take a look around and see if there was anything cool to be seen. We took the subway down, and got off at Union Station. From there we walked west down Front St, up Spadina to Queen, down Queen to Yonge, and back to Union Station.

We found some interesting places on Queen, but mostly large, trendy chain stores. What we wanted to find were smaller stores, probably independently run. We're really into used book stores and CD stores, as well as vintage clothing stores and stuff like that. I also really dig comic book stores.

I have a feeling that we were in the wrong area of town for what we were looking for. Any ideas of where we should have been? For that matter, any suggestions of other places we should check out next time we are downtown? Where are some cool areas of the town?

Where do I get shoe goo in downtown Montreal?

PowerCat — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 06:09:33 -0800

My shoes are broken up and I'd like to repair them. I'm at work in downtown Montreal, near McGill College/Ste-Catherine. McGill Metro. Where can I go within 30 minutes where I could get shoe goo?

Looking for lunch recommendations in downtown Austin, TX

lychee — Sun, 03 Feb 2008 19:02:00 -0800

MeFi Austinites, recommend some downtown eateries! So now that I've started my awesome new job, I find myself wandering around downtown*, trying to find a decent place to grab lunch. I'm looking for yummy, cheap, ethnic/exotic, healthy, or just plain can't-miss places for me to get a tasty meal. I love exploring new restaurants, so don't worry about keeping it short--a long list of eateries and specific meals is exactly what I'm looking for. Thanks in advance!

*Downtown for me is 5 or so blocks in any direction from Congress & 6th.

I smoke the LA, you smoke the LA...

phaedon — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 12:06:56 -0800

How can I stay up to date on the art/cultural scene in downtown Los Angeles? I'll be damned - the past couple of weekends, I've gone to hang out in downtown Los Angeles on a whim, and I end up having a great time. I was wondering if there were any online resources - beyond LAWeekly, perhaps? - that have information and suggestions on gallery openings, museum fare, outdoor festivals, art shows, car shows, etc. I'm in the position where I don't live downtown, but would love to plan out a day, or night, with things to go and do.

Drafting a new roommate

pantheON — Sat, 23 Jun 2007 19:51:10 -0800

How hard is it to find a roommate in Toronto? I'd like to get an idea of difficult or easy it will be to find a roommate for August in downtown Toronto. I'll be moving to the core at the beginning of August. I could afford a single junior or small one bedroom in the $1100-$1300 range, but I'd prefer to save some money and live somewhere a bit larger. That's why I've decided to rent a two bedroom condo in the $1800 range and sublease the second bedroom. However, its almost July and I've exhausted my supply of potential roommates, meaning I'll have to live with a stranger. I'm wondering, will I have difficulty finding someone anyone to sign a lease or will there be so many applicants that I'll have my pick of the most compatible? How can I increase my chances of finding someone? I'd hate to get stuck paying the full rent, even for a month. The longer I go with an empty bedroom, the better it will have been for me to have gone for the 1 bedroom in the beginning. Is it too much to expect to find someone in the next month who'll be willing to sign a 1 year sublease?

Hotel in Asheville NC?

eileen — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 07:35:15 -0800

Good hotel recommendations in Asheville NC? A friend and I will be in Asheville for one night, and would like to stay within walking distance of stuff.... "Stuff" being defined as: a place to walk for dinner, maybe drinks afterwards, an independent coffeeshop in the morning, and other potentially cool things we could find just walking around. Basically we want to be in the ideal location to experience Asheville in only about 24 hours.

I've read a couple past threads about what to do once there, but nothing about where to stay. We probably don't want to do a hostel, but might if it has nice (clean!) private rooms and a good location. I'm thinking a realistic budget is under $150? We'll be there the night of July 4, if that matters. Thanks for any suggestions!

Where to park for cheap in Downtown LA?

JPowers — Wed, 14 Mar 2007 23:35:26 -0800

I'm going to be staying at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel in Downtown, Los Angeles in April. The hotel wants $35/night for parking. Any ideas on ways around this? I'm not searching for ways to park at the hotel for free, but rather I'm looking for ideas on ways to park somewhere else within walking, bus or Metro distance. As you can see (from the link above), I'll be very close to the Metro, so I could park somewhere cheaper and Metro in each day to/from the hotel. Stuff along these lines.

How safe is Downtown Denver?

monkeymadness — Wed, 10 Jan 2007 15:56:35 -0800

How safe is downtown Denver? I'll be leaving my job and going back to finish my PhD full-time at UC Denver in May. I've got a wife, a baby, and a pre-schooler, and we're looking for a place to rent that's affordable, easy to get to from the Auraria campus (around the 16th St. Mall), and of course safe. I will not be driving to campus, but will have a bus/train pass. We've so far restricted our search to Englewood, Littleton, and Cherry Creek. There are some good rental deals to be had, but we've found some affordable lofts right at the end of the 16th St. Mall. I can't overstate our attraction to being able to walk to school, the mall, and most likely whatever job my wife can get. Is this a bad idea? We know our way around the city, having lived in Boulder in the past, but not much about actually living in it. If anyone can recommend some other areas to search I'd appreciate it.

Where to eat and drink in downtown Toronto?

Could it be, El Guapo ... — Wed, 05 Jul 2006 12:07:51 -0800

Can you recommend an upscale restaurant and a nice bar in downtown Toronto? I'm getting married in August at City Hall in Toronto. Afterwards, we'd like to take a few friends (we will be 5 in total) out for dinner and then drinks.

We will be all dressed up, so we're looking for something classy. Money isn't really an object.

We're not into seafood. Other than that, anything goes.

The bar should be quiet enough to have a conversation. A dance floor would be good, but it's not critical. An excellent beer selection would be a major plus.