Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with cities

Livin' it up

threeants — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 11:41:44 -0800

What are some good ways, online, to get a feel for what it's like to live in various cities/towns in the US? I often find myself-- either out of idle curiosity or genuine potential relocation-- trying to find out what it's like, in a qualitative sense, to live in various places. Some resources I already use: Wikipedia, looking at pictures on Google Streetview, Citydata forums. Is there some kind of website like Yelp or Tripadvisor, but that "reviews" entire municipalities, that I'm totally unaware of? Any creative ideas? I'm up for anything you have to suggest. I like reading about the characters of different neighborhoods in an area, people discussing their locale, regional rants/raves, etc.

I love the AskMe questions like "tell me all about East Nowhere, Kentucky"-- basically, where can someone go to compile similar information on their own?

By "what it's like" to live somewhere, I mean some sense of being able to imagine oneself in that environ. I apologize that it's a kind of vague concept, but that openendedness is inherent to what I'm trying to figure out.

(I'm also perfectly willing to consider good ideas for non-US locations, but I just figured I'd narrow my scope here.)

Prescription to Move.

beautifulcheese — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 20:02:42 -0800

Canada Filter: I live on Vancouver Island, BC. We just had 180mm of rain in a day and a bit. I have Seasonal Affective Disorder. The two do not mix. Where should I move? I also struggle with depression the rest of the year so there really seems to be no respite. Today my psychiatrist recommended that I should think about moving somewhere else for the long run. It is getting harder and harder to get through each fall/winter.

So where should I move? I need to stay in Canada simply because I love my country. I'd like it to be sunny but not too hot in the summer (nothing above 27-30C on average). I don't like the cold or snow but I suppose I could adapt. It just isn't something I have ever experienced and it frightens me.

It feels like I am in the mildest climate of Canada already and I prefer that. I just need sun added in. I would settle for less gray and not constant rain.

So suggestions? Favourite places? Experiences of places where you felt the weather lift your mood?

Therapist recommendation?

Anonymous — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 14:03:26 -0800

Please recommend a family therapist in the Twin Cities area, preferably in Apple Valley, Eagan or Burnsville. Looking for a safe environment for my wife and I and our adult son to work out our
issues. Ability to evaluate possible adult autism a big plus.

Songs of the City

sandraregina — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 11:29:06 -0800

I think my question might be too vague to google properly, so I turn to you. I'm looking for a wide variety of songs about cities. Not necessarily about a specific city, but in general. A couple of examples of the type of song I'm looking for is Dread the Day (Ghosts of Lemora) and Take Back the City (Snow Patrol). I don't care about musical genre. I'll listen to just about anything. :)

Reasons to (not) move to Canberra?

8k — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 13:50:31 -0800

[AustraliaFilter] Possibly moving to Canberra: All arguments for or against are wanted. Yet another where-shall-I-live question. I'm Australian, my husband is English but has lived in Australia before (in Sydney). After several years overseas we are returning to Australia later this year. We had been planning to move to Sydney, on the assumption that would be the best place to score a job. But my husband has been offered a reasonably interesting and well-paid job in, um, Canberra.

We both dismissed it at first, but we've suddenly become weirdly keen on it in the past day or so. Our thinking is: small cities are probably a good thing; lots of other people will have moved there for work so presumably it's relatively easy to meet people, and we don't especially love Sydney, which is the only other realistic option.

Pros:
- I like outdoors stuff
- Housing is cheaper and we'll be able to save lots of money
- I have a couple of long-lost friends there with whom I might be able to re-connect
- I'm guessing the pace of life is more relaxed and socialising is more spontaneous. One thing I hate about big sprawling cities (eg Sydney and London) is that everything has to be planned at least 3 weeks in advance, and it takes an hour to get anywhere.

Cons:
- We were looking forward to living near the beach in Sydney (though weren't sure if we'd be able to afford it).
- I was looking forward to moving home to a city where I had some immediate friends and family.
- We're both used to living in bigger cities
- It's Canberra! Most of Australia seems pretty unanimous on this subject...

There are dozens of other considerations, but really I'm just looking for other people's impressions, and suggestions of things we might not have thought of - we have to make a decision on this job very soon.

Can you help me move?

motsque — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 08:16:01 -0800

Where do I go? Can you recommend your city / town / country based on what you like about it? I'll be graduating from law school in May. The law school isn't very highly ranked, but my grades have held steady around a 3.5 GPA. I've got experience doing academic legal research as well as small (one lawyer) office experience. All I really know is that I don't want to stay and take the bar here (it is COLD).

Please, tell me a little about where you live or have lived, and why you like it. Can mefis recommend places that they like that:

1. Need (and hire) new lawyers like me.
2. Have no winter (rainy seasons OK...but no snow!).
3. Maybe have a little ocean front.
4. Are a little like Chattanooga, TN or Charlottesville, VA (but aren't actually those places).
5. Are pretty liberal, even if the state is red.

If you're a lawyer, why did you go where you are? Do you like it? Or, if you're an expat American with a J.D. .... how did you get there?

I know this is pretty broad, but I'd like input from real people, rather than a brochure in a career office! Thanks!!

I want to know what all the cities of the world are known for.

lhude sing cuccu — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 22:30:19 -0800

What are some major cities known for? US and UK, mostly. So, I have to move sometime and I'd like it to ideally be someplace that has a relatively inspired music/arts scene.
Chicago was terrible. This is where the line is drawn; Chicago has the music of tourists (as I'm now assuming all 1,000,000+ pop. cities are good for) and art school indie-dancepop kids.
So, my question is: what are some cities of the world known for? It doesn't have to relate to music. For example, Chicago is known for its jazz and blues and tourist attractions, and someone like me who doesn't like jazz and blues really shouldn't move there. For another example, I am getting the vibe that Portland, OR is pretty community-oriented. But I could be horribly wrong, because I hadn't asked this question yet.
Sorry this is phrased so very awkwardly.

Can't Take it Anymore! Where should we move?

SanctiCrucis05 — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 16:12:15 -0800

My fiancee and I currently live in Arlington, VA, a metro-stop outside of DC proper. We've been here four year,s and we can't stand it anymore. We'd like to relocate to a city that's hip, diverse, progressive, and most important, FRIENDLY! We need help. DC has a lot of great things going for it - abundant parks with running/biking trails, free museums, a decent public transportation system, and wonderful, wonderful food. Unfortunately, we've been stuck living in one of the most white-washed, overly yuppie areas of the city (for commuting and financial reasons) for our time here, and we can't really take it anymore. Our major problem with the area is that we just don't fit in - I'm a web developer, and my fiancee is a children's counselor, and DC is a city full of politicians, lawyers, and people who love to discuss politics and law. Beyond that, Arlington itself is a downright unfriendly place, with the 20 something set frequently showing a distrubing level of ignorance and xenophobia (a neighbor on our elevator mentioned, without irony, the "Muslim sandwiches" called "kabombs". I wish I were making that up).

We've decided that we're willing to take dramatic action to elicit change, and are planning on moving. Anywhere. Whether it's just moving over the bridge into DC proper, or moving across the country to Portland, we're open to suggestions. MeFi has always been helpful in the past, so we thought we'd ask here. This is what we're looking for:

1) Walkability. Right now we can walk to any number of restaurants, a bookstore, a Whole Foods, a gym, and pretty much whatever else. I would prefer never to drive again and walk / take public transportation everywhere. This is very high for us.

2) Good food. We're foodies, and love the restaurant scene here in DC - much of it is very unpretentious but exciting, delicious food.

3) Environmentalism. This goes with 1 and 2. My fiance is even considering a career switch to ecoliteracy / the sustainable food movement, since this issue is so important to her. Along the same line, progressiveness and diversity are important. I don't just mean racial diversity, but just a diversity of opinions, incomes, backgrounds, etc.

4) Friendliness. This might be impossible to ask for in the 21st century, but it's become so bad in Arlington that I feel like a jerk just smiling at someone in the street or saying hello to someone who lives in my building.

Just to give an idea, cities currently on our list include Brooklyn, Cambridge, Portland, and Austin, but as I said before, we're open to anything.

How do I act tough on the street?

wastelands — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 19:10:05 -0800

How do I reduce the amount I'm threatened on the street in an urban environment? I am a tall, young male, but about one a month on average, I get hassled by people on the street. No one has outright attacked me, but enough people "test" me by blocking my way, lunging at me (pretending to attack), yell at me and challenge me, etc. that it bothers me and makes me nervous.

I'm not so much interested in "how to defend my self"; there's plenty of that kind of material out there. I'm interested in how to not look so weak and nervous -- how to head off attacks before they even begin by projecting a tougher attitude.

For me personally:

* I definitely have some agoraphobia; I feel uneasy when first going out, especially after being cooped up for awhile. I tend to be a hermit on weekends and evenings unless I have something social planned or the weather's especially nice
* I wear glasses (i.e. nerd association)
* I dress nicely, yet sometimes walk through areas that have street people who probably resent the fact that I have money
* I enjoy walking fast, just naturally, but maybe that can be interpreted as being afraid.
* I'm bad at making eye contact

But I hope this thread is useful for people in general who live in rough areas, so please, any general tips are great too.

Things I'm doing or plan to do:

* I am trying to not look down at the ground so much, trying to look straight ahead more
* I really want to get into better shape and join an MMA gym (not just for self-defense, but because martial arts is fun for me, just haven't done it in ages)
* I'm trying to stand up taller and not slouch or hunch my shoulders so much
* Eventually want to get contacts, to look less nerdy and just because glasses are a PITA sometimes

Thanks!

Here is New York. Where is Everywhere Else?

theoddball — Fri, 01 May 2009 10:41:05 -0800

I've been reading a collection of E.B. White's essays lately and stumbled across the wonderful "Here Is New York," wherein he tries to capture his city in print. I'm looking for similar odes to / summations of other places (preferably of essay-ish length.) White's essay is a meditation on the city around him, an attempt to sum up this rather remarkable experience -- the atmosphere, people, essence of the place. He talks about geography, about history, but mostly about the subjective feel of New York.

And that's really what I'm looking for -- pieces from writers who know their city and put that essence across.

Thanks, all you literary Mefites!

Writings about pairs of adjacent neighborhoods?

mirepoix — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 19:49:38 -0800

Urban Planning/Theory Filter: I am looking for writings, preferably available online, about the relationships of adjacent neighborhoods over time. I'm interested in the symbiotic (or antagonistic, or whatever) relationships of adjoining neighborhoods, especially when change is added to the mix.

I've heard about "triage" in a planning/policy context, where cities decide to leave certain under-served communities for dead and save others that are closer geographically to more affluent or gentrified parts of town -- those "up and coming" "frontier" neighborhoods that the creative class has probably staked some claim in already.

Also interested in case studies about how certain areas deal successfully with integrating the needs and resources of nearby communities into their Specific Plans.

So, stuff like that, or articles about more organic relationships between neighborhoods... not really looking for personal anecdotes as much as help finding academic literature or good journalism. Thanks!

Stained Glass Supplies in Twin Cities, Minnesota

schnee — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 07:48:26 -0800

Best places to go for stained glass supplies in the St. Paul/Minneapolis area? I used to do a lot of stained glass projects around ten years ago. I'm starting back up again and need to restock supplies.

I know there is one store in the Northtown area (or used to be - it's been a while since I've been out there).

Best cities on the interwebs

icarus — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 13:44:39 -0800

What are some great examples of cities using new media to connect citizens? to promote a project? to do something awesome? I'm looking, very specifically, for city-wide initiatives and projects that use new media, websites, etc. to make citizens aware, help interact, get input, provide really exceptional service/info etc.

Something beyond just local news/ads would be great.

How to determine the most important cities in a state?

capitalist.pig — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 04:59:33 -0800

How to determine the most important cities in a state? I'm involved in a project in which I need to determine the top 25 or so most important cities in several U.S. states. Do you have any suggestions as to how I should go about doing this? Would the top 25 cities by population necessarily be the most important cities? How would you go about determining and ranking the economic/social/political/cultural importance of U.S. cities? Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

What U.S. cities are best for artists to make a living?

RaceTheDream — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 21:29:07 -0800

I live in Madison WI and am looking to move to a larger city, under the impression that being in a larger city will provide me with more exposure and greater opportunities. I was thinking of moving to the outskirts of Chicago because it's close to my family in Madison and I love it there. I also miss Denver CO where I was born, but am unsure what kind of an art community it has. Does anyone know what cities are best for making a living as an artist? I have a degree in illustration but am also trying to get into gallery shows as well if that helps. Thank you very much for any advice.

Largest U.S. city without a Chinese restaurant?

escabeche — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 21:59:59 -0800

How big is the largest U.S. city without a Chinese restaurant? The question has an answer, but I'm not even sure how to generate a plausible estimate. The largest I know of is Weston, CT (pop.10,037.)

Crunch time: planning time off to apartment hunt in DC or Boston.

fructose — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 14:42:32 -0800

Best time to visit to find a place to live for August in a) Boston or b) Washington, D.C. metro area/suburbs. I'm in the midst of hearing back from law schools for Fall '09, and I'm leaning toward schools in D.C. and Boston. I won't be deciding for sure until April, but I have to ask of time from my job right now to have a good chance of getting it off.
My window is May - July to visit to find and hopefully sign the lease to move in August into a place in:
a) Boston or most likely suburbs
b) D.C. or most likely suburbs in VA or MD.

I'm from Austin, TX, and even here in order to live remotely close to the center of town, you usually have to start looking months in advance because it's a competitive market (huge student pop.). I imagine it's MUCH harder to find a place in the Boston and D.C. areas.
I've found most of my rentals online in Austin, through Craigslist and MLS listing sites, but I know not every city is like that. I'll be looking for affordable 1 bedrooms for my boyfriend and I to share that are close to trains or buses. Being from Texas, our current finances aren't on par with the cost of living in the Northeastern cities. This is why we are thinking suburbs and commuting via public transit.

So, I guess my main questions are, for those who are familiar with D.C. or Boston areas:

1) How early should I start looking for a place in either city?
2) Is the internet used much to find listings in D.C and/or Boston?
3) If the internet is not the best way to find rentals, how early would I need to physically go out there to find a place?

I just realized that I have to ask for the time off by tomorrow afternoon, so I really appreciate all your advice.

Thanks, all you current/former Washingtonians and Bostonians!

New Hometown?

sarabeth — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 13:24:20 -0800

Where should I move? I'm finishing up grad school and searching for my first job. My intention has been (and is still) to settle in the Seattle area, but I'm curious about alternate suggestions, because it's good to have a Plan B. I searched AskMe for similar questions, and while people have asked related questions before, my parameters are a bit different, so here goes.

What I'm looking for:

- Totally flexible on town/city size, but I am interested in having plenty of art/cultural amenities available or very nearby, especially where live music and touring bands are concerned. Museums are a plus, as is the presence of an academic community.
- I love going out to try new restaurants, and the availability of a decent variety of ethnic places/types of cuisine is a very good thing. I also love to cook at home, and would appreciate having access to a local farmers' market.
- Other things on my list: good bookstores, art/independent movie theaters, record stores, cafes, quality craft shops, parks and green spaces.
- Bikeability, walkability, and decent public transportation are giant pluses.
- The presence of other young/young-ish, friendly people would be a big advantage. It would, obviously, be nice to meet new friends.

I've lived all over the country, and I'm pretty open as to location and climate. I'm looking for suggestions beyond Portland and San Francisco. Thank you all very much in advance! Let me know if I can clarify or elaborate on anything.

Do you know of any funky, progressive towns or cities?

letahl — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 10:36:23 -0800

Help me identify progressive, funky towns and small cities in this Good Ol' U S of A. I'm thinking in a range of 5,000 to 100,000 for population, but can be more if the city is really cool and there is substantial space outside of it.

My ideal town/city...

IS PROGRESSIVE. That means some yogis, artists, and liberty-seekers. Hopefully racially diverse but not mandatory.

HAS PLENTIFUL FRESH FOOD AVAILABLE. Farmers markets and local butchers are our friends.

HAS GOOD SCENERY. Maybe mountains, maybe greenery, maybe cool desert views. Places to hike and get outdoors, road cycling is great too.

HAS A DECENT CULTURAL SCENE. With small galleries or museums, and probably will have good bars and music. Definitely has to have a few decent ethnic restaurants (Thai, Indian, Ethiopian, etc.).

HAS A COOL HISTORIC ELEMENT. Old buildings rock, and I like the vibe of some history.

ISN'T TOO DAMN CROWDED. I like to be able to move around, and drive without worrying about The Man and The Multitudes. Yeah, I don't know what that means exactly, but know when I'm in a big city I'm always glad to get out.

LOW-ISH CRIME RATE. I lived in an amazing place once but the crime rate was out of control. Couldn't hang. I like to be able to take a walk without worry about some crackhead pulling me into the bushes.

So far I've thought of Taos, Asheville, and Burlington. Are there others out there? Help me find them! Bonus points if they are roughly between Houston and D.C.

Which website recommends neighborhoods in other cities based on your old neighborhood?

espertus — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 18:41:31 -0800

I once came across a website that recommends equivalent neighborhoods across cities. For example, if you asked for the San Francisco equivalent of Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood, it might recommend the Castro. Could someone point me to this website?

Exploring the "Dog Park" set.

wfrgms — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 14:31:44 -0800

Are "Dog Parks" a new indicator of urban gentrification? In the sense that the users of urban dog parks (dog friendly parks, where dogs can play leash-free) maybe more affluent, service workers, and participants in neighborhood revitalization.

I'm doing research on gentrification in Chicago, and I'm interested in novel indicators, or predictors of neighborhood change. (Starbucks has been done to death.)

Not really looking for anecdotes, but does anyone have any go-to links, news stories, and the like (citeable sources a plus) that I can examine? Any narrative would be useful.

I'm familiar with gentrifying parts of Chicago, but fuzzy on what neighborhoods in other cities are changing.

Relocating with an outdoor cat

pilibeen — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 19:40:57 -0800

What sortve cities/towns should I consider moving w/ my indoor/outdoor cat? A yard, trees, plants, and small animals to hunt required...and things for me to do as well. I'm wondering what sort've cities, large or small, have some nice affordable suburbs just outside the city (or spots within), where I could find a reasonable apartment or house for me and my cat?

I just moved from State College, PA, which was perfect for me and Lizard (the cat) in that I had cheap, decent housing with a nice wooded yard, within a 15min bike ride from downtown.

Some of the other cities I've been looking at are Madison, Tucson, Portland, Eugene, Chicago (Evanston?), Asheville, Chapel Hill, Providence, Austin, Ithaca, etc.

I'm sure some of these choices can be scratched right away based on my requirements. But the general theme is youngish cities, w/ a lively arts scene, outdoor activities nearby, maybe a university, and outdoor cat friendly - either in the city or a within a short commute.

The cat has been indoors and outdoors her entire life, so switching her to indoors only isn't an option I'd consider.

Thanks for the suggestions!

Cities set to music

cashman — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 12:23:02 -0800

Searching for videos where there are city overviews set to music with vocals. I like watching footage of cities set to music with vocals. Probably began with tv show openings like Kotter, Chico, Good Times, etc. I like the Atlantic City swoop in the Long Kiss Goodnight (Santana's version of "She's not there" was replaced in the clip - swoopy shot at :10 seconds in), the clips of Miami set to Ivy's "This is the Day" in There's Something About Mary, and the brief look at Vegas starting at 7:18 in this Austin Powers clip.

If there is a movie (not koyaanisqatsi, no vocals there) or show like this, that just features multiple cities and different songs, that would be incredible. Barring that, I'm looking for movies or video clips where there are shots of cities set to music(with vocals).

I hope that makes sense. Brief is fine, longer is awesomer.

Looking for novel-esque non-fiction books.

melodykramer — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 19:39:20 -0800

I love Erik Larson's The Devil in the White City. It's a non-fiction book about Chicago in 1893 which reads much like a novel. I'd like to read other books written in the same novel-esque style about some other cities or historic events. Know of any novel-like non-fiction reads?

Where can I get a comma or space-separated list of major U.S. cities?

bflora — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 20:06:37 -0800

Where can I get a comma or space-separated list of major U.S. cities? I'm trying to add a "city" filter to a social-y site I'm building. I need to load a list of cities into the DB to populate the filter dropdown. Google's pointed me to a lot of ugly tables, I just need a space or comma separated list to feed into the beast. I'm thinking the top 100 cities or so would do the trick. No need to be exhaustive. Suggestions?