Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with suburbs

Churches with weekday services near Westborough, MA?

bobdylanforever — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 16:28:41 -0800

Does anyone know of churches with weekday services in the Boston Suburbs (Westborough/Southborough/Shrewsbury/Framingham/Natick, etc) area?

Ok to have rabbits visit my yard?

Slap Factory — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 12:43:13 -0800

Any reason to discourage rabbits from playing in my suburban yard? If not, then how can I encourage the rabbits to visit? I live in the suburbs. We do not have a pet. We do not have a garden. We do have a family of rabbits that frolicks around our front yard sometimes in the mornings and evenings. We enjoy watching the rabbits and would not mind if they dropped by more often.

Is there a reason why I should be trying to chase the rabbits away?

If it's okay for the rabbits to visit, then are there things we can do to make the rabbits come by more often?

Costume Jewelry-Northwest Suburbs

shesaysgo — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 22:00:10 -0800

Costume Jewelry stores in Northwest Suburbs? I love jewelry, particularly costume jewelry. I used to live in the tidewater area, and there was a booth in one of the flea markets called [something like] Kitty's Jewelry, and was amazing. Recently I've moved to the northwest suburbs of Chicago, and have yet to find another shop/booth/boutique/store that sells costume jewelry how i like it. I've been to the store in the woodfield mall, i believe called "so good jewelry", and it's not what i'm looking for. I don't really want rhinestone jewelry made to look like diamonds. I'm not looking for fake jewelry that's supposed to look like it'd be in Tiffany's. I like more unique pieces, odd and most often gaudy items.
Does anyone know of any costume jewelry stores that carry these kinds of pieces?

YO IT'S LIKE EVERY DOG IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS BARKING AT THE SAME TIME

defmute — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 01:59:46 -0800

It's 3:48 AM on December 28th 2008 in suburban California (Fullerton). I can hear the sound of about 11 dogs barking simultaneously from around a 1/2 mile away. What is happening? Is this what suburban dogs do at night? I don't know a lot about animal behavior. I am in a so mystified like.

P.S. This question is to be taken literally.

Help finding a new place to live?

mmf — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 21:30:26 -0800

Conshohocken, PA had a massive fire today at the Riverwalk Millenium Apartment/Condos. Luckily, from what we've seen there were no serious injuries, but the buildings look like they are a complete loss. Friends were supposed to move in to one of the new apartments next week, and are now trying to find a similar living situation to get into by September. One will be working in Philly, the other in Bryn Mawr, they don't really know the area that well, and can't get back to PA until next week. They sort of fell into this lease because of a lucky coincidence, and need some help figuring out where else to look that would be similarly convenient, new and clean. $1500 per month would be the maximum they could afford for a one bedroom. Thanks for any help

Find me a home, where the ...squirrels? roam

desjardins — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 12:44:26 -0800

[Chicagolandfilter] I'm looking to move within the NW suburbs of Chicago. I want somewhere that has a small town or urban feel, like Barrington's downtown, but without the insane housing prices. (We will be renting.) My fiance works in Inverness/Palatine and needs to keep his commute to 30-40 minutes at a maximum (he's the guy who needs to rescue the servers at 2 am). I currently work in Hoffman Estates, but I'm really hoping to leave the job in the next few months and work in downtown Chicago.

I used to live on the east side of Milwaukee, and I am experiencing total culture shock here, what with the vast amount of urban sprawl and traffic gridlock. I miss being able to walk/bus to the grocer or bookstore, and I miss independently owned shops. I really, really like Barrington, but there's no way we can afford it. Our rent has to be under $1500, and we'd prefer a single-family house or a townhouse/duplex with a yard.

So, my requirements are (in order of importance):

1. Proximity to fiance's work in Inverness/Palatine area
2. Rental costs under $1500 for a 2 br. single family/duplex/townhome
3. Neighborhood feel with grid-pattern streets, sidewalks, older houses a +. NOT THIS.
4. Public transportation, preferably a train station
5. Independently owned shops and a Main Street

Lifetime Suburbanite wants to live the city life!

Alive N Kickin — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 03:16:24 -0800

Where do I start exploring the city? I'm looking for some advice on making the transition of moving from the suburbs (of Chicago) to the actual city itself. I have lived in the boring suburbs all my life, and for a long time I was thinking seriously about moving out of state (which I still want to do at some point): California, Oregon, Colorado, Washington. But since I've lived here all my life, I thought recently, why wouldn't I move to the city for a while, before I make that big jump to somewhere I'm completely unfamiliar with?
So I'm pretty sure that's what I want to do. I'm single, female, early thirties, and I have family and some friends (mostly acquaintances) that live in the city, so that could be a good (and bad) thing. However, I'm scared. I have a not-so-good sense of direction, and mainly I am concerned with getting lost in a shady area. Maps tend to overwhelm me. It's not that I can't read them, it's that I freak out when I'm under pressure to choose my next step. I've been to the city numerous times, but usually by car, and usually not paying attention to the street names. When I move there, I want to wean myself off of using my car, and just use public transportation. I have plenty of time to explore the city before I move there, but I'm not sure where to start, and I'm paranoid about getting on a train and getting lost.
Obviously I can just have some friends show me around, but I really want to go explore it myself, just to kind of try to get over my fear. I don't want to be dependent on people I already know who live there, because I really want to go there, start fresh, and do it on my own. I figured it will be nice to have friends and family there just in case, but since I am not super close to any of them, it won't be "too" easy to just call them up when I'm lonely or paranoid.
What I do know is that I reeeeeeeeeeeeally need to get out of these suburbs, and quick. They are sucking the life out of me and I feel like life is passing me by.
So: any suggestions, advice, words of wisdom?
Where do I start? I know my living situation will depend on my job and etc., but where should I start exploring, without getting overwhelmed? Most likely I will look for a roommate to start off with, and I am a little short on cash, but other than that?? Anyone done this before? I just want to get a good feel for the city before I go...or is that playing it too safe (and boring)?

Please please please do not go

cooker girl — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 17:21:37 -0800

Where should my liberal South African friend move? My bias: I don't want her to go! So my friend and her husband are facing the possibility of relocating to Atlanta (or the suburbs). The husband is a doctor and is about to be offered a plum job with the potential for more money. Problems: (1) She's really happy here. Moving to the states from SA was one of the most difficult things she's ever done and they've relocated a lot since coming here. She feels like she finally has her life under control and is satisfied with nearly every aspect of her life. (2a) Two of her three children have fairly severe ADHD and she's found really great doctors and would have to start from scratch (2b) and likewise with schools. Both boys are on intervention plans and starting over with a new district/principal/teachers is incredibly daunting to her. (3) While we live in a red state, we're in a moderately liberal area. She's worried that Atlanta would be a huge step backward in terms of political leanings. (4) Moving from SA to the US was a culture shock, moving from the East Coast to this red state was a culture shock, and she's not sure if she's up to moving South. (5) She is very apprehensive about uprooting the kids. The three of them are very well-adjusted here.

Pros: (1) The potential for a huge job satisfaction shift for her husband. She wants to be supportive, of course, but not necessarily at the expense of the happiness of the family unit. (2) The potential for more money. She doesn't so much care about stuff, but he isn't really making what he's worth right now.

Need: Advice on liberal-leaning, foreigner-accepting areas in or around Atlanta that have great public schools, lots of ADHD support (good doctors, I suppose), and very few social-climbing people who all have to have the "right" cars, homes, clothes, etc.

I don't want them to move. I really like the family as a whole (as do my husband and kids) and it's hard enough to find like-minded people here; it sucks when they move away. However, I'm trying to be a good friend. Help me, hivemind!

The machine in the garden--sprinkler question

craniac — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 09:25:36 -0800

I believe I need to replace my sprinkler controller. How hard is this? Here are the long ugly details. Apologies for the numbered list, but it's the only way I can recall all of the key moments in this little narrative.

1. I didn't turn off the main sprinkler main over the winter and was welcomed with broken bleeder valves and a geyser in the Spring.

2. I fixed those, but my sprinklers still didn't work, so I assumed it was a pipe problem

3. After a busy Summer of hand watering and other distracting chores, I finally bought a multimeter and started testing my wiring

4. There is no current going to my controller valves

5. The transformer is putting out 24VAC, but the terminals that the controllers are connected to are not getting any current. I have also replaced the backup battery.

According to a googled web page, I need to replace the box.

1. Can I just get a six station controller at a big box home repair place?

2. I will write down which color of wire is connected to each controller, but will the box come with sufficient instructions to connect those to the proper terminals?

My lawn basically looks like a dryed out meadow at this point. I am in Z5, Utah, and it has been a very Global Summer.

I know there will be a xeriscaping recommendation, and my only objection is that good xeriscaping is not cheap, and my kids need some lawn to run around on. I would like to gradually start replacing the front lawn, however, and I am looking into overseeding with something like Sheep Fescue and/or a good ryegrass or something that requires less water and is more interesting.

All of my neighbors except one have the green postage stamp thing going on.

Thanks for any suggestions.

Is living in NYC environmentally superior to the suburbs?

logovisual — Mon, 24 Apr 2006 11:41:37 -0800

Is living in New York City more environmentally sensitive than living in the suburbs? I've always been curious about the relative energy- and waste-efficiency of living in a major city like New York as opposed to the suburbs I grew up in. Comparing my hometown on the coast of Florida as a "suburb" (urban sprawl, single-family homes, travel exclusively by car, extreme climate control, etc.), and my current residency in Brooklyn (travel exclusively by mass transit, vastly more complicated energy/waste/resource infrastructure, etc.), which is having a more detrimental effect on the planet's health? Can a comparison be made? I'm sure a similar question has been asked before, but it was difficult to coax out of a search with keywords... my instinct is that the suburbs are more detrimental, but I might be very naive about what it takes to keep a city like New York running.

Best Houston Neighborhoods for a Young Family?

roundrock — Tue, 18 Apr 2006 06:43:44 -0800

My husband and I (and our five month old son) are thinking of relocating from Austin to Houston, but we really know very little about the area. We're looking for some advice/recommendations about neighborhoods and suburbs in the greater metropolitan area, particularly those within a reasonable commute to UH. We're hoping to find a pretty, family oriented community, preferably in a newer area. I'm an attorney, and he's a captain in the Army, but money is tight since we are young and just started a family, so we're looking to find neighborhoods that would have homes in the mid 100s (but we'd be happy to be the smallest house on the block in a nicer neighborhood). The more specific, the better -- subdivision names would be great. All recommendations and advice about areas that might be a good match (or, conversely, areas to stay away from) are much appreciated, though I'm familiar with the criticisms of Houston as ugly/smoggy/etc, so I don't really need people to try to dissuade me from going there altogether.

Chicago neighbourhood question

Johnny Assay — Fri, 24 Mar 2006 12:02:43 -0800

Posted on behalf of colleen711, who joined too recently to be able to post this herself: My roomate and I are recent college graduates, she's working in libertyville and I'm working in deer park. We want to live in the city, but keep our commute to less than or equal to one hour. We've heard lincoln park, wrigleyville and lakeview (lakewood?) are really great places to live, but I can't figure out if there are metra stations in these areas, how long the metra takes, etc. If you could help me out or recommend other neighborhoods I would sincerely appreciate any help.
We have an appointment with an apt finding service next week. Unfortunately neither of us know anything about Chicago.

Big Bad Developer?

frecklefaerie — Thu, 04 Aug 2005 21:35:43 -0800

Do any of you live in a suburban community that actually benefited from development? [MI] My question is related somewhat to the issue posted here, but I'm asking for some concrete or anecdotal evidence.

The ninety year-old suburb of DC where I live is currently in a chokehold from a developer who owns most of the town center, and appears to be doing his best to force out the few barely viable businesses left. But when he bought the properties, everyone was excited at the possibilities and allowed themselves to be charmed by his ideas. Two years later, after cosmetic work to the storefronts, the buildings sit empty and calls made to the "For Lease" sign are not returned.

I had thought the "big bad developer" was a stereotype, now I'm not so sure. Does anyone have a story with a happy ending 5-10 years from when a developer came in to your communities?

Where should I buy a home in Cleveland, Ohio?

googly — Sun, 23 Jan 2005 17:14:49 -0800

[MovingtoCleveland filter] My SO and I are moving to Cleveland. We have some questions about life choices, buying a house in a new city, and Cleveland in particular. [MI] [well, OH actually]. We’re both transplants from big, cosmopolitan, coastal cities, who are moving to Cleveland for jobs at Case Western U. We are, to put it mildly, less than thrilled to be moving here but determined to make the most of it. Where should we live? The particulars:

- We can afford a house in the $2-300K range.
- We expect to live here for 5-7 years.
- Its just the two of us (and a cat) for now, but possibly another in a year or two, so we we’re thinking about 3 bedrooms.
- For a neighborhood, we value funkiness, diversity, mixed use (i.e. we’d like to be able to walk to things), proximity to Case Western and moderate safety.

So far, it seems clear that we aren’t going to find what we really want in Cleveland. And given Cleveland’s economy and recent history, things aren’t going to change any time soon. So do we buy a house in a transitional neighborhood and hope that in a few years things change? Or do we do the safe thing and buy a perfectly nice house (and good investment) in Cleveland Heights or a similar inner-ring suburb, which all seem boring and car-dependent to us? We’d especially like to hear from people who know the Cleveland area.

On a larger level, if you can’t get everything that you want in a place to live, do you take a big risk that it might develop in the future, or do you play it safe, suck it up, and make a good investment?

Working and Commuting in New England

Anonymous — Sun, 23 Jan 2005 09:50:57 -0800

One of us needs to be in Providence, RI. One in Bedford, MA. Is the commute doable from one to the other? Are there good places to live in between? We're 20something liberals, but we're okay with interesting suburbs.

(Posting anon to preserve pseudononymity.)

Parking Outside NYC

Vidiot — Mon, 29 Nov 2004 10:57:58 -0800

NYC suburban parking help? [mi] My parents are visiting from Dec. 21-27, and staying in a midtown hotel. They will be driving, however, and are looking for a relatively cheap, safe, convenient place to park outside the city. Park-n-rides or access to public transportation are preferred. (I once parked at a hotel's parking lot near Newark airport, and that worked well, but I think that's a lot more expensive than it used to be.)

Mountain View, CA - is it livable?

zpousman — Tue, 13 Apr 2004 18:44:52 -0800

Mountain View Mountain View Mountain View. 'Might be moving there for a summer. Is it livable? [more inside] I've got a chance to intern out in Mountain View for the summer. Living arrangements are taken care of for me, so I'm not so much worried about rental price stickershock. But the apartmen is *in Mountain View* and thus, I can't live in San Francisco (I've never been there, but I hear great things of course).

1. What's to do in Mountain View?
2. What's to eat in Mountain View?
3. What is accessible without a car? (I'll be by the Moffet Air Field) Is there any city in Mountain View or is it one huge suburb?
4. Can I get into San Fran easily on Caltrain. Does the train run late?
5. Should I get a bike? I hear the biking is great in and around San Fran. Should I get a surf board? I'm not good, but hey, the cold pacific is calling my name.
6. Anything else (you beautiful) people can tell me?