City dweller Boritos, sell me on your city.

[Atramental]

In the not too distant future I plan on finding a new job in a major US city but, for the life of me, can't figure out which one.

So, like the title says, convince me that your city is "The Shit". 

[Purrp Skirrp]

Troy, NY. Also called the Troilet. Gang violence and income inequality. Uncle Sam. Footsy McGoo's. The Ruck. Bomber's. Dinosaur Barbecue. I Love NY Pizza on 4th St. Local colleges include Russel Sage and RPI. Farmer's market every Saturday year round. Get an apartment in the Art District. Fuck alternative bishes. Lose your virginity.

[nudemacusers]

https://mobile.twitter.com/gloryholesea

[Madrun Badrun]

Toronto; Trump won't be your elected official here.

[Atramental]

Just so you know, Arvie, I will be moving in with you as a refugee if Trump becomes president. We can do weird pyscho shit and eat sushi at Sushi Girl's restaurant. And don't worry, I'll cover for you and tell her we're not gay.

[Tasty]

Boston.

I'm here.

But for real, generally friendly people (with lots of drunk and onerous ones too, of course - part of the charm.) Distinct seasons: summer can be pleasantly mild or super fucking hot, autumn is beautiful, and winter is fucking winter (none of that pussy shit like Seattle or SF.) Tons of fantastic places to eat, cheap and far-reaching public transportation (I don't own a car) plus Boston is a really compact city anyways (has never taken me more than half an hour to walk somewhere.) High rent in the city but manageable prices in the nearby hoods (Cambridge, Quincy.) Generally clean and fairly low violent crime rate (Boston has 8.1 murders per capita, compared to 23.2 for NYC.) First state to legalize gay marriage so we got that LGBT scene on lockdown. The premier US "college town" so lots of youngins, educated people, and bar-goers.

Plus we were featured in two recent GOTYs, The Last of Us and Fallout 4, and if that can't sway you I don't know what will.

[Alcoholic Fish]

Philly.

We won't beat you up most of the time.

spoiler (click to show/hide)

Seriously though, what industry do you work in?

[close]

[Atramental]

I'm a graphic designer for a web design and marketing firm.

[Tasty]

Boston's tech scene is top 5 in the US, easily fwiw.

[Atramental]

If I did go to Boston, would I get to say "wicked pissa" un-ironically (or ironically) without anyone decking me? 

[tiesto]

New York, no real need to sell someone on it, you know what to expect and whether or not you wanna be here.

[Tasty]

If I did go to Boston, would I get to say "wicked pissa" un-ironically (or ironically) without anyone decking me? 

I can't guarantee that. No one really says pissa anymore.

Wicked is still in vogue, though.

[Trent Dole]

[Shadow Mod]

Portland

Great Food
Food carts
Reasonably Priced Restaurants
Bars (Because of the general rule that a pub/bar must have food tons of them have damn great eats)
Still can go spendy

Pubs and Bars All Over Town
You can move within a block or two of one
You can hit up a street and bar hop
Microbrews and awesome beers are not generally hard to find

Cleaner Air, Generally
Thanks to the rain
Trees everywhere

Vintage Places All Over Town
People think it's hipster but it ensures you can find reasonably priced:
furniture, clothes, kitchen supplies and other home furnishings
Found some sweet nostalgia items there too

Usually running into really nice chill people, there's also quiz nights, bingo nights at pubs, all sorts of extracurricular adult stuff like recess leagues (dodgeball and other stuff are played). So you can meet people your age and socialize.

Farmers markets in each of the quadrants (seasonal) including a huge one at PSU all year round.

Lots of art and culture despite the onslaught of gentrification.

Only real downers are if you can't stand lots of rain and a shortage of housing unless you can spend bookoo bucks.

Probably forgot some shit so you should ask about anything else.

[Samson Manhug]

I want to move to Portland.

[Trent Dole]

Oh yeah, there is beer literally everywhere here, and it seems like half of the populace have their own microbrewery going on so you will never be able to try everything that is available.

[Shadow Mod]

Also you need to get like a growler or two then you can get that tap only shit to go. 

[CatsCatsCats]

Portland is pretty sweet. And you can just buy marijuana from a store like an adult.

[recursivelyenumerable]

ode to Bellevue

bellevue is a place
it's not all that bad
but I'm moving into seattle soon i hope

[nudemacusers]

Atra does seem like a guy who could fall under the spell of the import Asian masseuse. Be strong.

[Mupepe]

Houston has jam packed highways, great food and great big obese people, guns, humidity like Satan's ass crack, lots of RC hobby love, year round riding weather, tons of nature in all directions, smelly Galveston bay, beautiful Corpus or S Padre Island beaches close, nearby gambling in Louisiana, awful Louisiana is nearby, booming industries in Texas, low cost of living, sexy latinas everywhere, fat white girls everywhere, trucks everywhere, best Mexican food in the US, great Indian and Vietnamese communities and food, one of the largest opera and theater districts in the world, great BBQ and it takes an hour to get anywhere in Houston.

[El Babua]

Hot girls, hot weather.

[bork]

Atlanta!

Shitty traffic!

The worst drivers in the whole country!

The whole city shuts down when there's a snowflake!

Crappy public transportation!

Shitacular downtown!

Nothing of any real note!

On the plus side...uh...it can be relatively cheaper to live here and the weather is pretty nice for most of the year. Sorta.  Yeah Portland sounds nice.  I'd go with Portland.   

[lennedsay]

St Louis - we won't shoot you, we promise*!

*Not an actual promise.

[thisismyusername]

Atlanta!

Shitty traffic!

The worst drivers in the whole country!

The whole city shuts down when there's a snowflake!

Crappy public transportation!

Shitacular downtown!

Nothing of any real note!

On the plus side...uh...it can be relatively cheaper to live here and the weather is pretty nice for most of the year. Sorta.  Yeah Portland sounds nice.  I'd go with Portland.   

He said he wanted to leave North Carolina. Not go to a repeat.

[Human Snorenado]

Bork left out the real draw of Atlanta (probably nfsw-ish, unless your work is cool with looking at a leather bar's website)

http://www.atlantaeagle.com/

[bork]

Want to click but am at work.   

[Barry Egan]

New York: learn to hate yourself and everyone else just like in the movies

[thisismyusername]

New York: learn to hate yourself and everyone else just like in the movies

So you're saying I'm secretly a New Yorker?

[Positive Touch]

St Louis - we won't shoot you, we promise*!

*Not an actual promise.

i came into this thread specifically to tell atra i would do my best to shoot him if he came here

[Shadow Mod]

I did some internet searching on Portland after reading this post. Holy fuck, Portland sounds amazing. I just remembered one thing though. US cities aren't exactly renowned for their bicycle-friendly nature. Good infrastructure for bicycles is a sign of civilization IMO, especially with the whole global warming planet dying thing. So I decided to look that up and came upon this:

http://www.virgin-vacations.com/11-most-bike-friendly-cities.aspx

Oh snap.

Yeah there are bike right of way streets here. There are biking events including one during the summer where people ride naked. Some businesses even have an indoor bike area lock up so your shit doesn't get swiped outside too.

[seagrams hotsauce]

If I did go to Boston, would I get to say "wicked pissa" un-ironically (or ironically) without anyone decking me? 

I can't guarantee that. No one really says pissa anymore.

Wicked is still in vogue, though.

just ooc, are you a native Bostonian?

[headwalk]

london has west aaaaam

[Samson Manhug]

best Mexican food in the US

Is this true? I was in El Paso and Las Crusces recently and it was pretty damn good. What sets Houston apart?

[Trent Dole]

Kick ass mexican probably goes for Texas in general, the best I've ever had was when I visited San Antonio years back.

[Tasty]

If I did go to Boston, would I get to say "wicked pissa" un-ironically (or ironically) without anyone decking me? 

I can't guarantee that. No one really says pissa anymore.

Wicked is still in vogue, though.

just ooc, are you a native Bostonian?

Nope.

And when I say "in vogue" I mean "normal adjective in conversation" and not "every single other word is 'wicked.'"

[Mupepe]

best Mexican food in the US

Is this true? I was in El Paso and Las Crusces recently and it was pretty damn good. What sets Houston apart?

I love that you chose those places because I've lived in both cities before.  Both cities tend to have more restaurants that favor American spices and Norteno style dishes.  Good and authentic food can certainly be found but in Houston it's harder to find a bland taqueria.  The ridiculous abundance and massive Hispanic population gives a lot of competition and variety.  By variety I mean food from all the regions of Mexico and all levels of restaurants from hole in the wall to fancy ass Mexican joints. 

Bonus points for the fact that you can also get authentic food from other Central and South American countries at most of these places too.  Pupusas

[Mr. Gundam]

I love living in Seattle. Close to the mountains and the water, great food, great beer, wonderful neighborhoods, super laid back way of life, and walkability is killer. I'm from here, but even after traveling all over I don't think I'd want to live anywhere else.

[thisismyusername]

I love living in Seattle. Close to the mountains and the water, great food, great beer, wonderful neighborhoods, super laid back way of life, and walkability is killer. I'm from here, but even after traveling all over I don't think I'd want to live anywhere else.

I kinda want to move to the Northwest/Seattle. But the winters and grey would be total turn-offs.

[chronovore]

I have always wanted to live in Portland. I haven't been there since 1990, but it was really, really nice. Unfortunately articles I've read state that there is a housing crisis on right now, and no rent control or anything to prevent longtime residents from being priced out of their home.  :'(

Atlanta!

Shitty traffic!

The worst drivers in the whole country!

The whole city shuts down when there's a snowflake!

Crappy public transportation!

Shitacular downtown!

Nothing of any real note!

On the plus side...uh...it can be relatively cheaper to live here and the weather is pretty nice for most of the year. Sorta.  Yeah Portland sounds nice.  I'd go with Portland.   

You forgot "Jeans Lady."

[Shadow Mod]

I have always wanted to live in Portland. I haven't been there since 1990, but it was really, really nice. Unfortunately articles I've read state that there is a housing crisis on right now, and no rent control or anything to prevent longtime residents from being priced out of their home.  :'(

Many people have been evicted from apartments and homes to capitalize on raising rents or even selling the home thanks to the migration of people from out of state, a lot from CA. Couple this with all of the units being built that are priced out of people's range and then you have a bunch of people who can't afford to live in Portland proper anymore. And the tide of people moving in is not slowing up despite all of that. Most people with student loan debt, my generation and younger cannot outright buy a home so the amount of people who need to rent is ever higher. Then you have houses which used to hold multiple residents (it is/was more economically feasible to rent a house with multiple roomies than an apartment) now being sold to people, some of which are those who can outbid long time residents of the city. So not only are people able to finally afford a home SOL, so are the numerous individuals displaced by the rise in property values due to demand. It's a mess.

[Mr. Gundam]

I have always wanted to live in Portland. I haven't been there since 1990, but it was really, really nice. Unfortunately articles I've read state that there is a housing crisis on right now, and no rent control or anything to prevent longtime residents from being priced out of their home.  :'(

Many people have been evicted from apartments and homes to capitalize on raising rents or even selling the home thanks to the migration of people from out of state, a lot from CA. Couple this with all of the units being built that are priced out of people's range and then you have a bunch of people who can't afford to live in Portland proper anymore. And the tide of people moving in is not slowing up despite all of that. Most people with student loan debt, my generation and younger cannot outright buy a home so the amount of people who need to rent is ever higher. Then you have houses which used to hold multiple residents (it is/was more economically feasible to rent a house with multiple roomies than an apartment) now being sold to people, some of which are those who can outbid long time residents of the city. So not only are people looking for a home finally SOL, so are the numerous individuals displaced by the rise in property values due to demand. It's a mess.

Same thing is happening here in Seattle at an even crazier rate.

[chronovore]

I have always wanted to live in Portland. I haven't been there since 1990, but it was really, really nice. Unfortunately articles I've read state that there is a housing crisis on right now, and no rent control or anything to prevent longtime residents from being priced out of their home.  :'(

Many people have been evicted from apartments and homes to capitalize on raising rents or even selling the home thanks to the migration of people from out of state, a lot from CA. Couple this with all of the units being built that are priced out of people's range and then you have a bunch of people who can't afford to live in Portland proper anymore. And the tide of people moving in is not slowing up despite all of that. Most people with student loan debt, my generation and younger cannot outright buy a home so the amount of people who need to rent is ever higher. Then you have houses which used to hold multiple residents (it is/was more economically feasible to rent a house with multiple roomies than an apartment) now being sold to people, some of which are those who can outbid long time residents of the city. So not only are people looking for a home finally SOL, so are the numerous individuals displaced by the rise in property values due to demand. It's a mess.

Same thing is happening here in Seattle at an even crazier rate.

I thought it had been happening in Seattle ever since Microsoft moved from SiliValley to Redmond, no?

[chronovore]

Many people have been evicted from apartments and homes to capitalize on raising rents or even selling the home thanks to the migration of people from out of state, a lot from CA. Couple this with all of the units being built that are priced out of people's range and then you have a bunch of people who can't afford to live in Portland proper anymore. And the tide of people moving in is not slowing up despite all of that. Most people with student loan debt, my generation and younger cannot outright buy a home so the amount of people who need to rent is ever higher. Then you have houses which used to hold multiple residents (it is/was more economically feasible to rent a house with multiple roomies than an apartment) now being sold to people, some of which are those who can outbid long time residents of the city. So not only are people able to finally afford a home SOL, so are the numerous individuals displaced by the rise in property values due to demand. It's a mess.

Are you at all concerned about your housing situation, then?

[Shadow Mod]

Many people have been evicted from apartments and homes to capitalize on raising rents or even selling the home thanks to the migration of people from out of state, a lot from CA. Couple this with all of the units being built that are priced out of people's range and then you have a bunch of people who can't afford to live in Portland proper anymore. And the tide of people moving in is not slowing up despite all of that. Most people with student loan debt, my generation and younger cannot outright buy a home so the amount of people who need to rent is ever higher. Then you have houses which used to hold multiple residents (it is/was more economically feasible to rent a house with multiple roomies than an apartment) now being sold to people, some of which are those who can outbid long time residents of the city. So not only are people able to finally afford a home SOL, so are the numerous individuals displaced by the rise in property values due to demand. It's a mess.

Are you at all concerned about your housing situation, then?

No I lucked into a situation where I don't.

[Mr. Gundam]

I have always wanted to live in Portland. I haven't been there since 1990, but it was really, really nice. Unfortunately articles I've read state that there is a housing crisis on right now, and no rent control or anything to prevent longtime residents from being priced out of their home.  :'(

Many people have been evicted from apartments and homes to capitalize on raising rents or even selling the home thanks to the migration of people from out of state, a lot from CA. Couple this with all of the units being built that are priced out of people's range and then you have a bunch of people who can't afford to live in Portland proper anymore. And the tide of people moving in is not slowing up despite all of that. Most people with student loan debt, my generation and younger cannot outright buy a home so the amount of people who need to rent is ever higher. Then you have houses which used to hold multiple residents (it is/was more economically feasible to rent a house with multiple roomies than an apartment) now being sold to people, some of which are those who can outbid long time residents of the city. So not only are people looking for a home finally SOL, so are the numerous individuals displaced by the rise in property values due to demand. It's a mess.

Same thing is happening here in Seattle at an even crazier rate.

I thought it had been happening in Seattle ever since Microsoft moved from SiliValley to Redmond, no?

No this is the result of Amazon and other tech companies setting up shop in the city itself. A lot of neighborhoods are pricing out the people who had historically lived there in favor of high paid tech employees who want to live in new condo bundlings. Capitol Hill, which has always been the gay/artist/etc neighborhood is a victim of this.

Very happy I bought a house in the city nine years ago. The housing market is fucking ridiculous now.

[chronovore]

You can sell that house, retire on the excess and move to a coastal no-name town like Yreka, and set up your own brewery.

I'll live in the laundry room.

[Shadow Mod]

The amount they want for some homes in Portland that still need upwards of tens of thousands of dollars (if not hundreds) more in work just astounds me, it's probably even more insane in Seattle and SF.

[nudemacusers]

Yeah MS was nice enough to set up shop outside the city. The last few years+, every time I go to Capitol Hill it just bums me out. Just condo central now.

[Shadow Mod]

There are tons of ugly ass condos being built all over Portland.

There are also tons of neighborhoods that aren't historic districts so a house will get bulldozed and they'll build some ugly modern square pos in between a row of tudors, craftsmans, praries and neocolonials.

Or worse some skinny townhouse looking things that can fit two to a lot. And they're not typical townhouses that actually look appealing, it's two houses with a huge garage on the front and paved everything. It's an eyesore. 

[Mr. Gundam]

My wife and I are both saddened that if we ever sell, whoever buys our house (1932 brick Tudor) will likely tear it down and build condos or townhouses on the ground. We get unsolicited offers in the mail from to time. :-(

[Shadow Mod]

My wife and I are both saddened that if we ever sell, whoever buys our house (1932 brick Tudor) will likely tear it down and build condos or townhouses on the ground. We get unsolicited offers in the mail from to time. :-(

The only thing saving certain Portland neighborhoods are being part of a historic district so usually that can't happen. Though people find ways around it.

[brawndolicious]

I was going to say the Bay Area is pretty sweet for creative/techie types except for the high housing prices but then everybody went into a tangent on that.

[Trent Dole]

When we moved over the summer we nearly went to Seattle but wound up in Portland, mainly due to the logistics of it being a bit easier with family being in this state and all. I more than kind of wish we'd gone to Seattle cause for what I am studying there's a pretty great program in a school there but hey I am in a shorter version of it here and we can always relocate again after.

[Tasty]

Same thing has been happening in Boston, though to a lesser extent it seems like.

There's been like two dozen new apartment buildings built in the last couple years but they're all super fucking expensive ($3955 for a "studio+". ) So despite a huge amount of new housing developments they're all overpriced and not really helping things at all. I think some of it might have to do with investors from China buying a lot of the property up but it's also probably market developments.

You can find good, cheap places around the city if you look though.