phillyb Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 (edited) I'd love to move to Canada, but that isn't happening right now. I must sell my house in Chicago and I need to figure out where I'm gonna move within the US. Requirements: Legal weed Not car-centric: I really don't want to have to get in my car to do any and everything. I have three grocery stores within walking distance and two 24 hour stores to get shit if I'm in a bind. My bank, Target, and like 30 restaurants are all within walking distance from my current house as well. House or townhouse. I can be convinced to live in a condo if a lot of other boxes are checked, but looking mostly for "space" Space: I need a yard and other outdoor space. I require indoor space for my music shit too (stereo, guitars, amps, etc.) Near water: Somewhat of an odd-ball requirement, but I find water calming and I like to be around it - rivers, lakes, ponds, cabin in the forest on water. It's Sunday at 11pm and I need toilet paper, ice cream, and a lighter - where can I go? IL/Chicago has been ramming me hard in the ass regarding taxes so it'd be nice to take a break from getting rammed in the fucking ass on this topic. Diversity: Different walks of life, people, food options, etc. Places that have crossed my desk as options: The Virginia Beach area: I have no idea why I keep looking at these towns because I don't think they're walkable, but I might be wrong. I haven't visited. Vermont. Whether Burlington, Middlebury, Brattleboro, St. Albans, or anything in between, Vermont is always on my radar, though it doesn't really offer me diversity. Vermont is white as fuck and I'm not just talking about the snow. Colorado is always on my radar, but I don't know anything about the areas, I've never been. School me. DC: Feel like DC falls under the "it can be nice, but it can also be a shithole" category and I already live in this category. That might be enough to stay away. NY: I'd move back to NY in a heartbeat, but I don't want to live in fucking Poughkeepsie. That comment is more of my ignorance of options as opposed to a shot at Poughkeepsie lol. OR/WA: Idk, for some reason, I haven't ever seriously considered the PNW, but I think it might be time. No legal weed: Delaware, Philly, Nashville, NC. Where is weed legal at a recreational level? AK, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, IL, ME, MD, MA, MI, MO, MT (really? fucking montana?), NV, NJ, NM, NY, OR, RI, VT, WA. Edited February 1, 2023 by phillyb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morphinity 2.0 Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 Weed is legal in NJ. Reading your list of requirements, my first thoughts were Washington or Oregon. Idk what the tax situation in PNW is, but I can tell you, having lived in all three areas, that NJ/NY/DC are all very high tax areas. My sister-in-law lived in Virginia Beach for a while and it's not very walkable/bikeable. I didn't like it very much down there the couple of times I visted. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozzy Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 Come to Long Island, Philly! We'll have a seat at the bar waiting for you, dude!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 Given your list, my first thought was Oregon, as well. I guess Washington, too. That whole Pacific Northwest feels like it'd be exactly the vibe you're looking for. We have a bunch of friends who've moved there. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 2 minutes ago, Ozzy said: Come to Long Island, Philly! We'll have a seat at the bar waiting for you, dude!!! Agreed! Great place to live if you like spending half a million dollars to live in a small walk-in closet, surrounded by hideous accents @phillyb. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phillyb Posted January 31, 2023 Author Share Posted January 31, 2023 Yooo, you're right @Morphinity 2.0 I misread the fuckin chart. Ty. @Ozzy You'll have to be more specific. As someone that's hated on anything outside of the actual city my entire life, you'll have to forgive my ignorance of the island. I'm sure there's a vast difference between Montauk and Massapequa lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phillyb Posted January 31, 2023 Author Share Posted January 31, 2023 Just now, Phil said: Agreed! Great place to live if you like spending half a million dollars to live in a small walk-in closet, surrounded by hideous accents @phillyb. Thank you for saying what I wanted to say about Long Island. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phillyb Posted January 31, 2023 Author Share Posted January 31, 2023 2 minutes ago, Phil said: Given your list, my first thought was Oregon, as well. I guess Washington, too. That whole Pacific Northwest feels like it'd be exactly the vibe you're looking for. We have a bunch of friends who've moved there. Yeah, I have a friend who's lived in Eugene and Portland. Gonna pick his brain. For some reason when I was doing my research yesterday, I completely forgot about PNW. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 Just now, phillyb said: Yooo, you're right @Morphinity 2.0 I misread the fuckin chart. Ty. @Ozzy You'll have to be more specific. As someone that's hated on anything outside of the actual city my entire life, you'll have to forgive my ignorance of the island. I'm sure there's a vast difference between Montauk and Massapequa lol In all seriousness, it's basically a microcosm of the US as a body. It's divided by an invisible Mason-Dixen line. The entire north shore, with very few exceptions, is big money suburban life. The south shore, also with a few exceptions, is a grab bag of white trash and racial/religious pockets. There are entire towns that are like 90% Jewish, 80% Hispanic, etc. There's a reason it was like the third or fourth most desired place to live in the U.S. for a while. I have no idea where it ranks, but I can tell you this much: outside of big little towns like Huntington/Huntington Village, Patchogue, etc. it will directly violate your first ask about not requiring a car to go anywhere for anything. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phillyb Posted January 31, 2023 Author Share Posted January 31, 2023 (edited) Fuckkkkkkk cars. Edited January 31, 2023 by phillyb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 2 minutes ago, phillyb said: Yeah, I have a friend who's lived in Eugene and Portland. Gonna pick his brain. For some reason when I was doing my research yesterday, I completely forgot about PNW. Another thought was possibly Colorado. We have friends who moved out there like eight years ago to open a little boutique hotel. They love it, but I'd have to get a lot more info from them on exactly where they moved and why. Last I spoke with her, she mentioned their town being like a lot of the Hudson towns that dot the river as you move north — Beacon, Croton on Hudson, etc. Very much big little towns. Very community-based where most folks in the areas kids all go to the same schools, etc. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phillyb Posted January 31, 2023 Author Share Posted January 31, 2023 CO beautiful, but always seemed very west-coasty to me where shit is spread out, but again, I'm ignorant. I've never been and could probably stand to learn a bit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 Oh, and if you don't hate the cold, Buffalo. Wife and I have dozens of friends and family there (and in a few of the surrounding towns). Almost all of them are in the Elmwood Village area, which is basically like living in a colder version of Brooklyn. Niagara is right there, Toronto is just north of you, the city has a great zoo, and it's sports mad with the Sabres and Bills, but it's mostly locally-owned coffee shops, music venues, art galleries, and bars. Very progressive city on the whole. Oh, and they do a yearly BUFFALO WING FESTIVAL. Last time we went to it they held it in the minor league ballpark right by the Sabres arena. Incredible. We've teased the idea of moving there often. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phillyb Posted January 31, 2023 Author Share Posted January 31, 2023 Interesting. Buffalo definitely never on my fucking radar. lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 Just now, phillyb said: Interesting. Buffalo definitely never on my fucking radar. lol I should revise what I said — if you don't mind cold and snow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phillyb Posted January 31, 2023 Author Share Posted January 31, 2023 Just now, Phil said: I should revise what I said — if you don't mind cold and snow. Snow fun. Cold shit, but Buffalo is ten F degrees warmer than Chicago rn lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 Just now, phillyb said: Buffalo ten F degrees warmer than Chicago rn lol I mean, you've lived in Chicago, so if you enjoyed that, Buffalo is no different. They're basically the same climate. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phillyb Posted January 31, 2023 Author Share Posted January 31, 2023 Exactly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozzy Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 11 minutes ago, phillyb said: Yooo, you're right @Morphinity 2.0 I misread the fuckin chart. Ty. @Ozzy You'll have to be more specific. As someone that's hated on anything outside of the actual city my entire life, you'll have to forgive my ignorance of the island. I'm sure there's a vast difference between Montauk and Massapequa lol This is true man....big difference. You get too far out east, and you'll fall off this thing! I actually like the towns like Oakdale, Great River, Bluepoint, and Bayport on the south shore. I live in Holtsville, which is pretty much in the center of the north and south shores. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozzy Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 It's not for everyone, I suppose. But it would be a fucking scream if you came to watch games with us!! LOL 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phillyb Posted January 31, 2023 Author Share Posted January 31, 2023 I'll look. The thought of moving back to NY is always appealing. My mom is in Manhattan and any chance/excuse I can use to see her is always great. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Heaven Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 I lived in Burlington, Vermont for a year and a half. Loved it from May-October. Yes Vermont is white as fuck, but a lot of progressives there. Burlington isnt like the people that live in rural Vermont....there is like 5 colleges in Burlington so their is stuff to do. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phillyb Posted January 31, 2023 Author Share Posted January 31, 2023 (edited) I lived in Vergennes for about 3 years. I’m quite familiar with Burlington and have seriously considered it. Edit - My associate’s degree is from CCV lol Edited January 31, 2023 by phillyb 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Heaven Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 1 minute ago, phillyb said: I lived in Vergennes for about 3 years. I’m quite familiar with Burlington and have seriously considered it. Edit - My associate’s degree is from CCV lol I went to Plattsburgh for 4 years, then made the move over the lake to Burlington, and worked at the ABC affiliate while I was there. Drove through Vergennes plenty of times to/from NY. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phillyb Posted January 31, 2023 Author Share Posted January 31, 2023 Very familiar with the drive up and down route 7. And then over to NY through whatever small towns those were, eventually getting on 87S. Man, I kind of miss it and you’re making me nostalgic @Blue Heaven Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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