Where should I move?

[StellaBlue]

I have previously lived in East Texas (back here, unfortunately); Austin, Texas; and the UK. I would go back to the UK if I could - long story.

Within a year, I will have an MLIS and an MA and be looking for an academic librarian job (preferably archives - ultimately). I will be willing to move anywhere in the US or Canada (if I could get in there!).

I enjoy art, live music, drinking wine on a sunny patio, 'multiculturalism', intellectual discussions in cafes, and eating vegetarian. I am obviously a hardcore, treehugging, ACLU-dues-paying, NPR-listening liberal.

I have no regional preferences or biases, but I cannot stand to spend the rest of my life surrounded by Southern Baptist W-apologists. Gotta get the hell outta here.

Where should I move?

(My bets are on the most votes for NYC, followed by San Francisco or Boston).

[LeftyMom]

1. Have you looked into Davis, CA?

UCD is a good school and it's a very liberal crunchy town.

Santa Cruz is awesome too, sorta like everybody expects Berkley to be (liberal, sorta bohemian, college kids doing naked protests all over the place) and very pretty to boot. It's only a CSU school, though.

[StellaBlue]

5. I haven't been to either

but I have a Spanish friend who went to Santa Cruz for a year abroad thing, and loved it.

[LeftyMom]

10. Santa Cruz is the best place in the universe

Seriously. If I ever come into a shitload of money, I'm either moving there or the moutains just above it. As is, I visit and vacation in the area whenever I can.

I don't think I've ever been to a restraunt there that didn't have multiple veg and vegan options, either. I guess there are a lot of veggies at the school there.

[Flaxbee]

18. Santa Cruz is muy expensivo

...well, all of California is, but last time I checked Davis was still OK (even if you're looking to buy). My sister went to vet school there and I visited often; Davis is neat b/c it's only about an hour - hour 1/2 to SF, and is in a lovely area.

Very good suggestion, LeftyMom!

My best friend from LA (a law librarian) spent many, many, many happy years in Santa Cruz, but that was back in the 70s.

[LeftyMom]

21. Santa Cruz got a bit cheaper housing-wise when the dot com bust happened

and Davis is pretty damn expensive now between Bay Area expats and an intentional housing shortage (they limit the number of houses built there and it's well below demand.) YOu get alot more house for the money in Davis though, just because the houses there tend to be much bigger and have a lot more yard to them.

A lot of people are settling for places in Woodland (scrungy depressing little overgrown farm town) and commuting to Davis. Personally I'd rather live in Sacto or even West Sac than Woodland, even if that does mean braving the Yolo causeway to commute.

[Redstone]

2. Boston's the place for you.

Redstone

[WhollyHeretic]

3. Boston would be my vote. It's a great city and has a number of great

veggie cafes. It is filled with liberal, crunchy, commie academics like you. :evilgrin: Though San Fran has much better weather.

[StellaBlue]

I like the idea of Boston

...especially the history. That's the main thing I miss about the UK - except, of course, that the people in the UK are 95% agnostic, W-hating, tiny-car-driving lovelies. haha

But I don't know if I could handle the winters. Not a nice prospect to a girl from Texas.

[WhollyHeretic]

12. The winters can be quite a transition. The storm this weekend was crazy

the snow is up to my thighs and I'm 6'2. I've never seen snow this deep before around here.

[last_texas_dem]

4. I like Madison, WI

I've never lived anywhere but East Texas myself so I definitely know how you feel. In southeast TX, where I live, it's a little less Bush-loving than most of East Texas but perhaps more racist and Bible-thumping.

I spent a few days in Madison, WI a while back and decided that it was definitely a place I wouldn't mind spending some time in if I ever get out of this place. It's a liberal college town of about my ideal size. When I was up there, as nonsensical as this may sound, I just liked the way the town made me "feel." Yeah, I guess the temperatures get a little extreme, but I honestly prefer freezing cold temperatures over southeast Texas's year-round humidity and summers that go on for half of the year.

[PittPoliSci]

6. Pittsburgh?

We need more good liberals!

[Kerrytravelers]

7. Certain parts of Los Angeles...

Pasadena is very friendly!

[Oeditpus Rex]

8. Next door to me

:hi:

[StellaBlue]

9. haha

Thanks!

:hi:

[Oeditpus Rex]

16. Santa Cruz would be close enough, though

And I concur with LM; it's a scaled-down version of San Francisco. I love the place.

Some really good music venues, too — the Catalyst, Kuumbwa Jazz Center, Moe's Alley for blues.

And Pacific Street for all kinds o' wonderfully weird people. :thumbsup:

On the down side, housing is ridiculously expensive.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

11. i think sf sound better for you than nyc

but then i could just be telling you what applicable to my life---

[Maddy McCall]

13. Which part of East Texas?

I love to visit there, and I have lived there, but I wouldn't want to establish my whole future there. Can't blame you for wanting to move.

I lived in Longview; my grandmother and family live in the Center/Timpson area; and I was raised in and still have relatives in the Port Arthur area.

[StellaBlue]

17. NE

nearer to the Red River...

[Fredda Weinberg]

14. Queens, NYC

Live within' walking distance of every ethnicity you can imagine.

It's more insular in Brooklyn, but I'll stay near my brother.

I miss Briarwood ... get a seat every morning on the F or E train to midtown ... underground stations are comfortable almost year round.

[Catchawave]

15. San Franciso, NYC, Boston and Chicago

Not necessarily in that order, but definitely areas I would send my resumes out to...Good Luck to you :hi

[Flaxbee]

19. If you'd like a smaller town, Asheville NC is lovely and progressive,

and Charlottesville, VA is interesting, too. Asheville you have UNCA and a host of other universities, Charlottesville you have UVA & a bunch of smaller colleges, too.

Both places fit the bill if you're looking for liberal towns (though you're surrounded, of course, by red countryside).

[deadparrot]

20. Seattle?

:shrug: