Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with cities

Help with project? Please list fictional cities !

ahtlast93 — Sat, 18 May 2013 06:39:55 -0800

For a project I'm currently working on as part of my graduation in Graphic Design, I wanted to compile something like an atlas of fictional cities. These may be from books, legends, stories, video games, advertisements, comics, really whatever... Even "real" cities but alternate versions, imagined or in some way deviate from their real counterpart are valid. The project started about a year ago, where it was a quick assignment that resulted in a book a of interviews and retellings of these fictional cities (I can post some images later). This one was more conceptually driven and people would tell me of cities on the go, without necessarily knowing the cities they spoke of, driven by the notion that if these cities are imagined, anyone could potentially imagine them again and alter them. Or something :D

This time I want to expand it and figured why not ask metafilter to help me out. I would greatly appreciate the help, and would gladly send a copy to anyone interested (it honestly isn't as boring as it's sounds, it's more of an active book with constantly changing content and layouts, not a novel or anything).

Cities I used for interviews were the City of Ceasars (from a myth), Zora (from Italo Calvino's invisible cities), Los Angeles (from Blade Runner) and an unnamed city from a manga by Tsutomu Nihei. So basically, anything goes. (i.e. your own imagined places are entirely valid, doesn't need to be sourced).

If you have an example, please list it, it doesn't need a name, but a description (if from a book for example) or an image, or both, would be very fantastic.

Thank you

Looking for pronunciations of US city names

zorm — Tue, 07 May 2013 13:32:05 -0800

I'm looking for a source - either paid or free - that can provide pronunciations of US city names. By that I mean all/most cities within the US or least those covered by USPS. I realize this might not be feasible so even a source with partial coverage would be welcome. I'm primarily looking for US English pronunciations, although would be interested in investigating any pronunciations with accents, particularly US Spanish.

Spoken pronunciations would be great but textual/written pronunciations (either "phonetic"or with a specific phoneme set) would suffice. Both audio and textual would be ideal (although I'm guessing unlikely).

Looking for a list of relatively large but insignificant US cities

LSK — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 17:04:02 -0800

I'm looking for a list of US cities, preferably one per state, that are largely unimportant but have a high population:interestingness ratio - I'm from Illinois, where Peoria or Rockford come to mind. Think cities which are so uninteresting that it's funny.

City X has the largest Y population outside of country Y -- examples?

hefeweizen — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 17:51:26 -0800

I've heard that DC has the largest Ethiopian population of Ethiopia, and an answer to this question mentions that Staten Island has the largest Sri Lankan population outside of Sri Lanka. What are some other examples of a city/state having the largest population of a particular group outside of that group's native country/region?

"Safe" is so relative.

ohsnapdragon — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 16:54:07 -0800

Best statistical resources for comparing crime by neighborhoods? In examining different cities to settle down in, I am of course looking at their crime rates. This is proving to be a bit tricky though. I don't like looking at each city's crime maps, because it's hard for me to interpret the data. Little symbols just don't give me an accurate sense of what that place would feel like, until we get to extremes.

I like using neighborhoodscout.com, because they give each city a crime score which presumably correlates to an overall measuring system. So I know that if City A has a score of 50, and I've lived there, presumably City B with a score of 40 is somewhat similar in feel.

What I don't like however is that City C and City D might have both scored a rate of 20, but City D's crime is mostly concentrated in a few violent neighborhoods and a lot of that crime is gang on gang. Whereas City C's crime might be more equally spread throughout many neighborhoods, in which case my family would actually be safer in City D.

Another flaw is that I can't see scores for specific neighborhoods (without purchasing an account, which I'd rather avoid if possible.) They shade the neighborhoods different colors for different safety levels, but is that relative to the city itself or the nation as a whole? In other words, is City A's safest neighborhood really the same safety level as City E's safest neighborhood (who scored a 10, say)?

I want to see crime rates by neighborhood so that I can compare them to other neighborhoods I've lived in.

Sorry for the long-winded explanation - hoping my thought process is helpful here. In summary, I'm looking for:

- NOT a map that shows where crimes occurred over a period of time
- a list of NUMBERS of crimes that took place, and ideally percentage/rate too (aka 5,000 violent crimes which is a rate of 1 per 1000 residents, etc)
- listed by NEIGHBORHOODS, not just cities

If anyone is able to wade through my nitpicking and suggest a helpful resource, thank you!

Planet Earth-esque documentaries focusing on cities, etc.?

archagon — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 01:35:33 -0800

I love Planet Earth, Life, and other documentaries that David Attenborough is associated with -- as much for the educational value as for the beautiful cinematography and show-not-tell approach. They're works of art in and of themselves. Are there any documentaries in a similar vein that focus on cities, architecture, landmarks, and other human creations? For example, it would be incredible to explore Tokyo through the same lens!

Move along?

windbox — Sat, 29 Dec 2012 07:31:58 -0800

So you survived your 20's, and part of it involved moving to a new city where you didn't know anyone. Recommended? Sorry if this question has been asked a hundred times.

I'm almost 3 years out of college, employed full-time and have my eyes peeled for a new job that will suit me better. I'm considering looking for work in other cities to expand my job search as well as "start fresh" somewhere. I'm also interested in a change of scenery and a cheaper standard of living (I currently live in a wildly expensive major city, and I've lived in the area my entire life).

My main reservations though are that all of my networks are based in my hometown - family, friends, professional contacts. I already struggle enough to keep in touch with my very few close friends here and haven't really made many new ones since graduating college, and all I keep reading about is how it only gets harder to make friends and establish a social network the older you get, and how lack of a social network can exacerbate issues like depression. I realize that if I were unhappy I could move back after a year or so, but I fear losing touch with everyone just because I wanted cheaper rent and a "change of pace".

Did you give in to your desire to move somewhere else, at risk of being alone and losing touch with friends from home? How did it work out?

like NYC, but not as expensive?

mirileh — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 07:40:56 -0800

(looking for somewhere to live) Where is like New York, but not as expensive? I grew up in Queens until my family left the country, and I've always wanted to come back. I can't afford the 1K and up rent alone anywhere in NYC, so I'm looking for somewhere else to start out. I need ideas where. Looking for somewhere similar. Similar for me: English speaking city in the US with diverse residents (religion, origin, occupation, orientation) with forward manners (up to being considered rude in other parts of the US) who are usually helpful to strangers.

ideas? (and if by any chance anyone can think of a safe affordable place in any of the boroughs, I'd love to hear about that too!)

Which downtown Los Angeles skyscrapers can you easily go up in?

colinmarshall — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 17:44:35 -0800

Which high-rises in downtown Los Angeles can you easily get to the top of (or pretty high up in)? As a Los Angeles resident/serious enthusiast, I'm always looking for, quite literally, new angles from which to view the city. Living close to downtown and seeing all those skyscrapers right there outside my window makes me wonder which ones you can go high up in (and then look out of) without paying or getting too much security hassle. Any relevant experience, MeFites?

Books about cities?

hoyland — Sun, 21 Oct 2012 18:42:21 -0800

Can you name me some books that are somehow about the city where they take place? I'm having a bit of difficulty articulating exactly what I mean. I want the location to a) be a city and b) be integral to the book in some way. The holy grail would be an ode to the city, if you will.

Examples: Tales of the City (the idea of San Francisco is very prominent, even if it's not dripping with local detail all the time), Berlin Alexanderplatz (which I could just go finish, I suppose), Neverwhere (at a small stretch)

Non-Examples: Sara Paretsky's VI Warshawski novels (it's not particularly important the city is Chicago), similarly Ian Rankin's Rebus novels (same for Edinburgh)

A city where time stands still?

Gerard Sorme — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 12:08:08 -0800

FictionFilter: I was going to use a fictional city, but decided to opt for realism. What is the most white bread, vanilla, time-stands-still city in the United States? I'm thinking 1958 in 2012. I know that is 'literally' impossible, but as close as you can come. I'm thinking the city is probably very conservative, white as snow, lots of churches, they rarely see a tattoo or hear hip-hop music. Population is 50,000 and up.

Real experiences with said community would be helpful as so many cities have been stereotyped and they're not actually what we perceive them to be.

Does this place exist? If not, I may go the fictional city route, but I'd rather not.

As always, thanks in advance!

What does a city with "female energy" look like?

Calzephyr — Sun, 08 Jul 2012 19:52:02 -0800

What does a city with "female energy" look like? A little background: While combing through the archives of an artist run centre here in town, I came across a small booklet put together by an art college student who passed away in 2010.

I found the booklet interesting because it was like a little diary; she lived in Calgary only for her college education. She notes that Calgary, Alberta, Canada, has a lot of "male energy" and that it needed more "female energy". I realized I had no idea what a "female" city looks like.

Certainly, Calgary is pretty male, from the giant phallic symbol downtown ;-) to the roughneck cowboy image that it likes to uphold. Since I can't ask the artist what her idea of a city with female energy looks like, I thought I would query the hivemind. Any ideas?

Beantown

Betelgeuse — Mon, 21 May 2012 11:23:34 -0800

What are good examples of City/Country/Place nicknames that natives never use? I just spent some time in Boston and several of my friends (who don't live there) referred to it as "Beantown." I asked my friend, a Boston native, if people from Boston ever actually use the term "Beantown" and he said that, to his knowledge, they didn't. This got me thinking, since I'm from the SF Bay Area and you can certainly tell a tourist from any reference to "San Fran". Same with "The Big Apple" and NYC. How about Chicago; do natives actually refer to "The Windy City"? Was Mindy off base when she referred to Capital City as "The Windy Apple"?

How about other examples of this phenomenon - location nicknames that no one in that location actually uses?

Seeking model Animal Control Dept.

mmiddle — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 13:11:43 -0800

Is there any big city anywhere that has a really competent Animal Control Dept? Our city pays lip service to the "best practices," but is still little to no help in solving stray animal complaints. I have lived all over the US, and no major city seems to do the job well. (This is southeast US, so spay-neuter laws are weak.) At least they aren't actively contributing to the cruelty problem (listen up, Memphis!). Why is this always such an extremely low priority? aside from whines about budget.

Sooner or later the grey is gonna get ya

cgg — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 17:26:57 -0800

If I could live anywhere in North America, where would it be? Given what I'm about to tell y'all about myself, what cities should I consider if I wanted to live somewhere else? I love Vancouver, but I'll admit by this time of year the previous 6 months of rain and gloom can really, really get to a girl. I also have migraines that get triggered by changes in barometric pressure (among other things), and the weather here doesn't really help in that regard.

I'm looking for a city with nice, fairly consistant weather. Sunshine just makes me happy. A city with a good tech industry is pretty vital, as I need to support myself. Also, I identify the most with the left-leaning atheist crowd, so the stereotypical bible-beltish areas are not my first choice. I love walkable cities, but i'm not really the outdoorsy type. I would just really rather not have to drive to get a coffee or gallon of milk. Being able to live close enough to work where the commute won't drive me insane is vital. Other than that, I'm pretty flexible. I am Canadian, but for the sake of argument assume anywhere in North America (north of Mexico) is fair game. So - if you were me, what cities and areas would appeal to you to live in?

Note, I'm not actually planning on moving anywhere soon... but I am trying to figure out where I would like to live, if the opportunity presented itself to just pick up and go!

Introduce me via books to great modern cities

Kirn — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 13:23:23 -0800

Which books (fiction or non-fiction) gives a stranger the best impression of what it's genuinely like to live in New York, London, Berlin and Tokyo in modern times? Any suggestions of books which serve as introductions to other great cities are also welcomed!

What are examples of cities created by conglomeration?

languagehat — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 08:53:02 -0800

E pluribus una (urbs): Out of many cities, one. Examples of cities that at some point were two or more independent cities? Obvious examples are New York City (Brooklyn, along with the other boroughs, was gobbled up in 1898) and Budapest (Buda and Pest merged in 1873); in China I know about Wuhan (created from Wuchang, Hankou, and Hanyang in 1926). I've been reading a history of Germany and learned that Berlin was originally two towns, Berlin on the east bank of the Spree and Cölln on the west, while Königsberg was formed from the towns of Altstadt, Kneiphof, and Löbenicht. I find myself wanting to know about other such situations, and would be grateful for any further examples you know of. Thanks!

Documentaries/videos about cities, viewable free online?

colinmarshall — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 00:06:34 -0800

Know of any interesting documentaries (or other sorts of videos) about cities freely available to watch online? I'm thinking along the lines of Reyner Banham Loves Los Angeles, Mother City, Detroit Lives, this program on Mexico City from BBC Two, Urban Earth: Mumbai, this NHK World profile of Yokohama's Chinatown, or this endearingly retro 1985 piece on Vancouver's SkyTrain.

Really, just things to watch about any and all aspects of individual cities, especially if they're a little longer, a little older, or a little stranger than most internet videos.

Traffic Lights

daninnj — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 20:47:04 -0800

Why are traffic lights in New Jersey horizontal in many cities and vertical in the suburbs? Camden, Elizabeth, Paterson. These and a few more cities in NJ have their lights on poles facing left-to-right, while suburban towns and smaller cities have lights top-to-bottom. There are exceptions such as Jersey City having vertical and Princeton having horizontal, but even if there's not a pattern here, what's the benefit of having lights horizontal vs. vertical?

Best cities for single men looking for a fresh start?

villafoyager — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:34:46 -0800

Where is the best city for a single male software developer to start over? (Excluding DC, which is where I am now) I'm in my late 20's and I really feel like I need a change in my life. I'm barely content with my job, and kinda miserable with regards to my social life. I've been in the DC-area my whole life (grew up in the suburbs, now in Bethesda), and I'm at a point where I wonder if the reason I'm not happy is at least a little bit because of this city/area. Perhaps I've given DC a long enough shot. Maybe I don't belong here. Maybe I belong somewhere else. I'm trying to figure out what my best options might be.

I work for one of the defense/federal government contractors and have a security clearance. The DC area coupled with a clearance is great for job security, but really it feels secure as jail sometimes. And looking for jobs is a bit depressing, since all the jobs seem the same. I'd just be swapping one contractor with another. And people seem to put so much value on clearances that it makes me afraid to move elsewhere and risk losing it, which adds to that feeling of being "trapped".

Then there's my social life. I think I could put up with how I feel about work if my social life was more satisfying, but it's not. I've been trying and struggling to make more friends, despite being here my whole life. I've been trying pretty hard for the past few years. The few I do have are also locals and are no help in expanding my social circle. I feel like I'm in a rut. It just seems so tough here despite the fact that there's wave after wave of new young people moving here each year. Maybe it really is just the people this city attracts that I'm not compatible with. In a city this large I know there must be people I'm more in tune with somewhere out here, but I'm not finding them.

And then there's my social life when it comes to women and dating. I had typed something up, but decided to delete it cause it sounded too bitter. Basically it's the same as above. I don't think I connect well with the types of women that are drawn to DC. Honestly though, I am rather shy and introverted which I know makes it tough to make friends and meet women (and I know this is the crux of my problem... but I've read a ton of posts about this type of thing and I think I'm doing the right kind of stuff... or at least that I'm on the right track). Over the past few years I've been working pretty hard to break out of my shell, but I have very little to show for it. Been doing the OKCupid thing, which hasn't been very successful and has been pretty demoralizing. Needless to say, I'm not doing so well in this department.

So I really want to go somewhere else and try starting over. I know Silicon Valley/San Francisco is a great market for tech, but from what I've heard, it doesn't seem to be so great for single males since that's the largest demographic (sausage-fest?). And I've seen some of those lists in men's magazines, but I don't know how reliable they really are since they list many of the CA cities which I've heard are more male dominated.

I'm looking for cities:
(1) that have a good market for software developers
(2) where I can live the "city life" - somewhere with good public transportation where living car-free would be a reasonable option
(3) plenty of opportunities/activities for making friends and rebooting my social life
(4) good opportunities to meet women (attractiveness, personality, and good female to male ratio),
(5) plenty of activities - e.g. I like playing soccer, adult kickball seems to be a popular way to meet people nowadays, meetups (I've never made any friends from these, but I'll keep trying), or dance classes (something I've recently picked up in my quest to break out of my shell)

I know DC is supposedly great for most of these, but I'm not very happy here. Anyway, I'm thinking of, but not limiting myself to, the following US cities:

* NYC
  - good tech scene, supposedly developers are in demand?
  - women out number men
  - great food/culture
* Austin - I don't know anything about Austin other than I hear it's great and they have SXSW
* Atlanta - Again, don't know much about it, but I've heard good things
* San Diego - loved it as a visitor, but living there might be different
  - Amazing weather
  - I could probably leverage my clearance since there's a big Navy/DoD presence there
  - I don't think I could get by without a car though
  - No ideal how the social or dating scene is like there (I think I heard it can be tough)

These cities seem to have pretty good tech/developer markets, and sound like a good place for a young-ish single male to enjoy life. Am I crazy to think changing cities will make me happy? Can I really leave the only place I've ever lived and leave behind the few friends and family that I have? Can restarting from scratch really work for me?

Home is where...?

hansbrough — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 19:43:24 -0800

My husband and I will be leaving our current town in about a year and a half, and we’re starting to think about where we might like to go next. We have several requirements (explained inside), and I’ll probably be posting questions about this more than once! We are thinking about taking a couple of weeks to explore some cities in California this spring or summer, and I’m hoping some of you can suggest some California towns that might be a good fit for us so we can start planning the exploratory trip. First of all, we are in our 30s and have no kids. We currently live in a small college town in rural Mississippi, where we are both attending art school. Career-wise, my husband has a background in web development. My professional background is in holistic nutrition, culinary arts, and teaching. However, we are not really looking for a professional situation to dictate where we move. We have some freedom to go where we would like to be (within financial limits) and are fine with cobbling together part-time jobs and freelance work, etc., to make our lives happen the way we want. So in general, don’t worry too much about where we will work when making suggestions.

For background: We have previously lived in Washington, D.C., NYC, Austin, and various parts of Maryland. We aren’t really interested in going back to any of those places (maybe NYC, but it’s not ideal for us weather-wise and money-wise). I can explain more about what we didn’t like about our previous homes if needed.

We have a few non-negotiable requirements:
1. We hate the cold. Ideally we would prefer a temperature range (year-round) of around 50-80 degrees. However, we can deal with like 40ish-100ish. No snow or ice, please, and preferably lots of sunshine as I get the SAD.

2. We desperately need availability of excellent, high-quality food, including produce and animal foods. (This is something we have really missed in our current food desert situation.) Our first choice would be a really good well-stocked co-op or independent natural market with a good butchery department.

3. We would really like to be within one hour’s driving distance (preferably less) to a major airport. Bonus if the airport has Southwest Airlines.

4. We do NOT enjoy suburbs (at all); we like more of an urban area or a smaller town with an authentic downtown (not a faux “downtown” created by a huge development company that’s full of chain restaurants), older neighborhoods (as opposed to new developments full of townhouses), etc. However, we don’t want to be in a situation where we can’t park at our own house. Available parking is a must! Walkable stuff would be awesomely awesome.

Other things we really would like to have (not make or break items, but we would like them if possible):
* Friendly artist community
* University/learning center of some kind nearby
* Beach – we aren’t really swimmers but we enjoy walking on/looking at a beach
* Smoke free town/restaurants
* Politically progressive (anywhere will be an improvement on where we are in this department, but we would really like readily available like-minded people as we are both very progressive)
* High-quality alternative healthcare options (integrative doctors, acupuncture, etc.)
* Container Store and/or Ikea

I expect as we branch out into other regions, I may ask this question again for those areas… for now we’re thinking about California and trying to investigate options there, but if you read my list and know of some other place we would love, please post or memail me, by all means!!

PS - I know it's a big state, but please feel free to suggest towns anywhere in Cali and we can figure out what we want to check out.

Cities of longitude and latitude

minkll — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 13:55:01 -0800

What major cities have grids laid out on the North/South axis? Are there advantages or reasons for this? The streets of Chicago, Beijing, Kyoto are organized on the N/S/E/W axis. Are there other major cities (more curious about older cities) that are similarly designed? Is there a reason these cities would be laid out like that?

I need an awesome topic relating to maps/geometry!

ch3cooh — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 14:16:47 -0800

I'm looking for an awesome video/discussion topic that relates to street maps - something appropriate for a HS geometry course. I'm teaching the first two units of an Honors Geometry course this winter, and I'm trying to integrate some random cool projects into the standard curriculum. The first unit I need to cover reviews the algebra for parallel lines, perpendicular lines, and finding intersections, distances, and midpoints algebraically. I'm trying to make the unit more interesting by focusing on an application: road maps. I've picked out sections of cities with fairly tame road maps, and am asking students to make an even simpler version of satellite images by approximating the lines of the roads. I still need to flesh out the details of this project /and/ I'd like to spend about half an hour at the beginning of one class discussing something that students will find very cool that's at least fairly related to maps and to the algebra/geometry. Have you seen any online videos or heard any good discussions that a class of 10th grade students would find interesting?
Thanks!

If you could live anywhere...

myShanon — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 11:23:37 -0800

I'm sick of Oklahoma, sick of cold and snow, sick of everything to do with this place. I want out of the state, but cant' decide where to go next. Over the last few years I've lived in San Diego, Orlando, Cocoa Beach, the Chicago area, Tulsa Ok, and originally the Phoenix area. Most of my moves have been prompted by having a friend with a couch willing to pick me up from the Greyhound station, but this time I'd like to go somewhere completely new and for the first time truly start over on my own. Details. I'm 34, no kids (but I do have an adorable tiny puppy), single (or will be by the time I get ready to move).

I currently work as a cashier at Walmart (glamorous, I know) and intend to stay with them so that I can transfer to a store and have a job waiting wherever I go. That means I won't be making a lot, so an affordable efficiency/studio or one bedroom apartment that allows my pup... with utilities included, if possible (and if I transfer to a store, will likely look for apartments within walking distance).

I don't drive, so need a place with reliable public transportation. Also, preferably a "big city" type area where I can take the bus to wherever I need to run errands without losing an entire day to one task.

I'd prefer a place that gets little or no snow... but also isn't insanely hot and humid in the summer... I'm willing to compromise on those points as long as I get one or the other (comfortable summers and also no snow is ideal, but warm summers and little snow is liveable).

I'd love to be near the ocean, or somewhere only a couple of hours drive from the beach, if possible.

My soon-to-be-ex was doing all the research on what the best options might be, because I'm absolutely useless when it comes to doing that sort of thing myself.

I'm still talking to friends in various cities, but am still kind of enjoying the thought of going somewhere and making entirely new friends.

The ex was set on Vegas, but that doesn't seem likely to be in a price range that I could afford on my own. I've also looked at Seattle, Portland, and have friends trying to talk me into Indianapolis and Gainesville among other places.

Also, I'm starting online college courses and expect a sizeable student loan payment in the spring, so will have the money to fund a move, deposits on an apt/utilities/etc

Recommendations?

What is Montreal's U.S. equivalent?

margoc19 — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 11:33:49 -0800

What is Montreal's US equivalent? I love Montreal, but moving out of the US isn't an option for me right now. What US cities have a vibe similar to Montreal? The things I most like about the city are it's European flair, homey-feeling neighborhoods within walking distance of downtown, bike friendliness, decent public transport, the fact that people take advantage of outdoor activities, and it's a manageable size. New York has a lot of these down, but is so huge. Have you been to Montreal and been reminded of a US city? Which one?