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Where in the US/UK elsewhere would you like to live?

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ONLY NICE THINGS

22:57 / 07.06.03

When I conceived of this I was thinkign specifically about where people in the US might like to live in the UK, and where people in the UK might like to live in the US, but I realised that that might be a bit chauvinistic given the Barbeloids living outside both. It's ironic, given that at present I am struggling to get out of the house most days (combination of work and utterly unreasonable parsimony), but hey.

So, living in London as I do, I wouldn't mind living in New York. This is partly because people keep telling me that I should, and I certainly enjoyed it very much when I was there. Also Boston, which I visited in December. It was so very clean and cold, and I was staying in a rather fabulous hotel pretty much right next to Commonwealth and Mass., so that was possibly an unrealistic picture. Also, wandering around Harvard was like an enormous Oxbridge Academy theme park, which is maybe unhealthy but was also sort of restful.

I've never been to San Francisco, but I'd like to sometime; it spounds like the sort of place I might really enjoy. Cities are, oddly, so much smaller in the States, or perhaps the division between city and suburbs is sharper; I'm not sure, but SF seems to have that same very centralised thing going down...

Also, of course, I'd have to stick to the Northern Latitudes because sun is a no-no. So, Washington State always sounded rather lovely.

Outside the US, I liked Trondheim a lot - so tiny, and so far from everywhere; if you were doing the solitude thing perhaps Tromso rather than Trondheim. Either way, one might go mad after a while. And Paris, since the architecture is fascinating, and the museums enormous. Although I would really have to work on my apologetic-fu...

How about you? Where do you think you could settle?

Matthew Fluxington

23:09 / 07.06.03

I've never been to the UK, but London and Brighton seem like very nice places to be, certainly in terms of culture. Maybe Glasgow too. I don't know, it's very hard to say without having been there.

Tryphena Absent

23:10 / 07.06.03

To be honest I find most cities rather too small after growing up in London but I do have a bit of a thing for New York. It could very well, all too predictably, be the 24 hour nature of the place that appeals to me. It's lovely and cyclical and just cynical enough to feel all homely. I like the diners, New York City is the kind of place that I could envision myself eating breakfast in after a night out. It's wonderful to go out there and there's a certain air of abandon to it that hits you because it's so contained.

I don't see myself anywhere else in the States. It just wouldn't work for me, I'm a Euro girl at heart.

ONLY NICE THINGS

23:16 / 07.06.03

Yes - the Diners - 24 hour breakfasts in Brooklyn, 24-hour bookshops in Manhattan. London just doesn't quite have that. Although there's always 4 hours of coffee with a book in Bar Italia and over to Smithfields for a pint...

01:22 / 08.06.03

I live in Upstate New York, and have lived in the northeastern US my entire life. Once I get my masters, there's some options as where to go, looking for that good ol' doctorate. I think I'd like to live somewhere where the winter doesn't last seven months out of the year. Someplace with seasons.

My parents are from North Carolina, and I have fond memories of visits there, particularly to the outer banks. I fantasize about a lower cost of living, and a place where asking for sweetened iced tea doesn't get me a funny look, some place where things just move a little more slowly.

I fantasize about California now the way I used to fantasize about New Orleans, which scares me, because when I finally got to New Orleans I hated it. Most of my desire for California comes from reading Francesca Lia Block books, for different vegetation, sunsets, smells, a different ocean.

Other than that, someplace in a desert. Maybe Arizona.

Strange Machine Vs The Virus with Shoes

01:50 / 08.06.03

If I were to live in America, I would probably go for New Orleans. I’m not particularly fond of the UK, so would want to live somewhere that is quite different from cities in Britain. Anywhere with a big carnival has to be good. Now, I think London is the only place in the UK I would like to live. I imagine New Orleans is significantly different from any UK cities. Elsewhere in the world: I would like to live in Saigon, Istanbul and maybe Darwin, Perth or Sydney and Chiapas. I’m feeling quite nomadic at the moment.

02:09 / 08.06.03

Come to Colorado. I will huggle you all when you get here.

*this pretty moment brought to you by the Colorado Board of Tourism*

09:44 / 08.06.03

Well, reversing the topic slightly, I'd never again live in Southampton, and nor would I wish it on anyone.

Outside of the UK and US, I could get used to living in Prague, or Florence, or both by splitting my time between them. Cairo was fantastic when I was out there, although I'm with Panarchy on the whole Saigon thing. I think the salient point here is anywhere that isn't the UK sounds appealing.

11:08 / 08.06.03

"I am the Cat that walks by himself and all places are alike to me." (I won't make a habit of quoting Kipling, promise, but that line just seems to sum up how i feel about everywhere really.)

pointless and uncalled for

11:13 / 08.06.03

Right now I have a notion that I would love to move to Ulan Batar. The name itself just seems to carry a very poignant emotive force. Also, as I discovered from a thinly thought out move to Canada, I love culture shock. It's very compelling to be somewhere for a decent lenght of time where you really don't understand the local methodologies and social impetuses (sic, very sic there). I'd also like to be somewhere where no "reality TV" mentality exists.

Ultimately I would like to spend time in as many countries as possible. I love learning cultures through raw experience and despite only experiencing it in a minimal fashion I have decided love culture shock and I want to experience more. I want it bigger, larger, longer, harder and definitely uncut. Oh yeah honey, right there.

Less searchable M0rd4nt

12:18 / 08.06.03

I want to live in Joss Whedon Britain. Joss Whedon Britain has more tea, politer people, and better Cotswolds than regular Britain. You can go kayaking in the Cotswolds in Joss Whedon Britain. Failing that I want to live in Hollywood Nottigham. You knopw, the one with all the mountains.

18:42 / 08.06.03

Devon definitely.... its so quiet.

Tryphena Absent

19:03 / 08.06.03

Well if we're going to go all fictional I would like to live in Time City. Few animals, belts that make your eyesight better, ghosts that wander the streets, portals to practically any historical period and funky ceremonial hats. It's clear that Time City is the place for me.

19:47 / 08.06.03

On my way to New Mexico!

Not only can i sit in a sombrero and drink tequila till the cows, or whatever animals live there, come in, but Elijah even assures me he has new walls. BRICK walls no less. Aaah the novelty.

23:02 / 08.06.03

Well UK wise, Manchester is doing me well at present, but I still have a thing for Bristol (despite the pirates), I expect I'll spend some time in London eventually despite the fact I am off to start a new life in Edinburgh any day now.

My long term planning sees me in New York, then Tokyo followed by "retirement" in some island paradise somewhere - any suggestions?

00:58 / 09.06.03

i would love to live in london for awhile--and edinburgh (during the summer, when london can get too hot. and walking tours down in cornwall. I love the public walk-ways in Britain that go right through sheep pastures and there are stiles. I think stile is a lovely word, and there can't be too many of them.)

otherwise--new york with enough money not to have to work. vienna for awhile. the yucatan peninsula. florence. lucerne. moscow. somewhere in Thailand. Nepal. And actually I hope to spend about a year in Africa in future.

anywhere but swindon, basically.

03:38 / 09.06.03

I've lived in London, Thailand (Chiang Mai, which is loads nicer than Bangkok), Florence, the American Midwest and Texas; I've been in New Orleans for a year and a half now. I've loved and hated all of the above for different reasons. New Orleans is nice enough, if you ignore the tourists and don't mind getting flooded (number one perk: drive-thru daiquiri bars).

Where I'd like to live? Los Angeles, strangely enough. My partner used to reside there, and every time we visit, it's like a load of bricks has been lifted off our shoulders. They call it the city of broken dreams, but at least people there have dreams (unlike New York, which he lived in for three years).

We'd both love to go back to London, but it's just too damn expensive (not that L.A.'s particularly cheap, but at least it's in the country). I desperately want to go back to Thailand, but not to live. I've known plenty of ex-pats (of all stripes) that fit into the Thai groove and never wanted to return, but the Thai lifestyle doesn't jive with my personality long-term.

Actually, of all the places I've lived, New Orleans is the most like Thailand, in a vague way. The weather's similar; the people are similarly laid-back; even the streets are laid out similarly.

08:40 / 09.06.03

I've had my fill of London for a while, I have my sights set on Brighton as a London-on-Sea. If that fails, Joss Whedon's Britain it is...

12:02 / 09.06.03

Predictable answers:

New York, London, Brighton, San Francisco

Less predictable answers:

North Dekota, Providence RI* or deep, deep deep in the Mid Wales countryside disturbed by absolutely nobody

Slightly realistic answers:

Nottingham fulfills all my needs

*yes, I know absolutely nothing about what goes on there at the dawn of the 21st century, have no idea wehat the place is actually like, but y'know..

No star here laces

12:28 / 09.06.03

If I lived in america I'd want to live in the Bayou. I'm not sure what Bayou is, technically, but it always seems to be full of exciting and dangerous wildlife, grizzled old characters and good music.

Also, that place in the Southwest (AZ or TX) where you can park your trailer for free (Cement City?) where old people go for the winter and crazy people live all year round.

Outside of the US, the Amalfi coast in Italy would be nice, or Andros Island in the Bahamas.

Oh, and Rio.

Our Lady of The Two Towers

12:30 / 09.06.03

I'm with Anna on this, don't really want to move away from London, with the usual corollary that when I'm tired of London I'll move to Brighton, though Flyboy's Right-on on Sea looks like a good place to live too.

If I was more self-reliant I quite like the idea of Norway, though having to club my own seals, travel 10 miles by foot to get a pack of Frosties and the ever present cold might start to feck me off eventually. Vienna has a similar romantic appeal but I think I have to lust after small boys and then die after a long and miserable decline, which doesn't sound like a good plan.

12:36 / 09.06.03

I want to be in Boston. I <3 NY but could probably never afford rent in Manhattan (or, increasingly, Brooklyn). Though I doubt I could afford Boston at the moment, either.

14:11 / 09.06.03

I think that I have to travel some more before I could really make up my mind, because I'm so obsessed with decisions that have been carefully thought out.
If I were to be a bit more uninhibited I'd say..... Lisbon, coz its got decaying beauty all sewn up, and Paris - because I'd orgasm every time someone spoke to me - reason enough for anyone.
Anywhere but Slough - town of my birth. Whenever someone asks me where I grew up, I have to say (slough)DON'TQUOTEBETJEMENATME, coz it would be too unbearable to have them chortling at their own wit.

unheimlich manoeuvre

15:32 / 09.06.03

i live in far north-west london near the border with hertfordshire. if i could afford it i'd like to live nearer to all the fun. stoke newington would be good... old street even better.
wish i was in barcelona, a couple of friends of mine flew out for the sonar festival at the weekend. seen sooo many photos of last years debauchery and hell it looks fantastic.
i spent eight months travelling around australia last year. spend new years and christmas in byron bay which was cool. lived in melbourne for three months and i have to say it is my second favourite city after london. great bars on brunswick street and excellent food on lygon.
there are so many other places i'd love to visit so little time to do it...

Tryphena Absent

15:54 / 09.06.03

Slough really is awful.

I live in Hertfordshire near the border of far North West London. There are too many trees here.

17:09 / 09.06.03

You can't ever have too many trees. Unless of course you're Brazil, which clearly seems to think trees suck.

Tryphena Absent

17:44 / 09.06.03

Oh come on now, foliage leads to the dark side.

20:53 / 09.06.03

The sleepy, woozy, bassy market town of Totnes, in pleasant Devon.

I have Plans for this place.

Matthew Fluxington

21:37 / 09.06.03

I (love) NY but could probably never afford rent in Manhattan (or, increasingly, Brooklyn).

Hint: try uptown Manhattan, some parts of the Bronx, and Jersey City/Hoboken.

08:27 / 10.06.03

Good hint (I know a large number of peeps who live uptown), but: I still can't afford it without a job, and getting a job in NYC is fucking difficult if you're a Brit. It's hard enough if you're not.

08:28 / 10.06.03

Oh, and trees and foliage make the air cleaner so they are definitely a good thing.

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

15:54 / 10.06.03

I think that were I ever to leave London, I'd want to live somewhere in the middle of fucking nowhere. (Or failing that, on the edge of a cliff in Cornwall. I've always liked the idea of living on the edge of a cliff, but given my penchant for booze, it'd have to have some sort of illuminated handrail type contraption).

So... a shack somewhere in New England or elsewhere where I could live out all my paranoid survivalist fantasies it is, then.

16:32 / 10.06.03

Not only can i sit in a sombrero and drink tequila till the cows, or whatever animals live there, come in,

Sheep. Lots of sheep.

Some cows, too.

But the real livestock are the vast herds of pinto beans.

16:39 / 10.06.03

I'm quite happy where I am, by the way.

I like the idea of a cabin in Vermont for 3 months out of the year.

It must ramble. And have a very large porch.

Although I'd accept a similar ranch house in Okeechobee on around 5-10 acres. Easier to get to.

If only Norway owned an island in Caribbean, I could emigrate there and take advantage of the family-friendly legal & corporate system.

16:41 / 10.06.03

Oh, and I've considered moving to California. San Francisco is great, but way expensive rent-wise.

LA sprawls unpleasantly, but has much to offer. I'd ideally like to live in some town about an hour or two away from either metropole, somewhere near the Pacific. With a good surf break and no localism.

This is probably an imaginary place.

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