If you HAD to live in a CITY, which one and why?

[shamrockpow]

I don't really see anything in your post that contradicts my point. Yes, Vancouver has good food. So does Toronto, Chicago, LA, NYC, etc.

I've never been to Santiago so I'll take rideit's word that the food sucks. Big deal, though. My point is you can't pick city X because of good food, because nearly all big cities have good food.

But you just named Vancouver plus 4 of the biggest cities in North America. Once you get down to SLC vs. SF or Boise vs. SD the equation for cuisine changes big time.

I'm from Boston and would put our seafood/Italian food up there with anyone. Quality of our Chinese/BBQ/fancy French/Mexican is not good and what is decent usually ain't cheap!

And outside the U.S. food can be much less varied ethnically. Tastes and price for your preferred type of food actually can vary widely when you look at different cities...

I would live in Van in a heartbeat, BUT, for quality and price, Lima kicks Van up and down the street, Sushi-wise.

Quality I can buy, but price? Where is there downscale sushi in Lima? Matsuhei (opened by some guy named Noboyuki Matshuisa) is great and the other places are good, but they're not cheap.

If I'm wrong, then bring on the suggestions!

[rideit]

Yeah, compared to what those guys are saying about Van, Lima sushi is only a bargain relative to US city prices...learn something useful every day!

I like the San Isidro matsuei, good shit!

[pappag]

I haven't had the fortune in living in many cities, but I certainly wouldn't mind returning to the hills of Tuscany - Siena or San Gimignano... so I guess the city of choice would be Florence.

[Plakespear]

If I didn't ski and bike- I would say NYC hands down.

I really liked Seattle, although I don't think I could live there if I had to sleep on Squirrel and Z-Bo's couch forever

Oslo, Norway. That place rules, although it makes Manhattan look cheap.

[grrrr]

Either you haven't been to Denver lately, or you haven't been to the midwest. I don't know which.

Been to both lately. Denver is a sprawling hole with nothing I have found worth visiting for. There are actually better cities in the midwest...even though I said nothing about the midwest in my previous post.

[EVILLIVE]

pdx has its up side. been here forever. so discontent w/ meadows. thinking getting closer to the hill would be good. slc or there abouts is topping the current list for new base camp.

[Natedogg]

So for the sake of continued argument, what cities would you rate as top in this category? I'm thinking easy access without driving a significant distance outside the city.

That question is trickier--for skiing, you need pretty specific criteria that dramatically limit the geographical area youre looking at: mountains and climate that sustains snow. For mountain biking, you just need woods. Furthermore, there are probably great trails near every city that most of us will never ride since there are so many...

Id say this question is unpossible...

[iceman]

When you balance the whole equation- arts, culture, history, the ocean, access to mountains, pro sports, etc. etc. etc., Boston is the best city in North America.

You can argue but you'll never change my mind.

So fuck off Larry.

New York is the best city to spend a weekend or maybe a few years in though.

[Dexter Rutecki]

I'm a little slow, explain me the math to this one?

December = four weekends
January = four weekends
February = four weekends
March = four weekends

4 months x 4 weekends x 2 days/weekend = 32 days.

I'll throw you a bone and give you (although this is stretching it):
November = 2 weekends
April = 2 weekends

And I'll give you:
Christmas/New Years = 3 extra days
Presidents Day break = 1 extra day

Now we're up to 44 days... And that is skiing every single friggin weekend possible from start to close and during major holidays.

Not even close to 60 days. So I'm not sure where you're getting an "easy" 60 days. Unless you have no life and don't get bored as hell skiing the same old EC boilerplate crap. Oh yeah, and if you don't mind putting a shitload of miles on your car...

Sorry, I'm just bitter cuz I can't ski 100 days like some of you fuckers.

Here's your math (this is old math, not the new you've presented):
October: 2 weekends
November: four weekends
December: four weekends plus five extra days
January: four weekends plus an extra day (or is it two?)
February: four weekends plus two extra days (Prez Day break)
March: four weekends
April: four weekends
May: three weekends, two days hiking Mt. Washington

I believe that's 68 days. Now as I said, that's the old math, with Kmart giving you the October days and most of the May days (can't count on that so much these days), but even without that you're around 60. Throw in a few vacation days (screw summer vacations) and you're over 70. And you can stretch it into June if you don't mind hiking for a minimal turns.

[Dexter Rutecki]

When you balance the whole equation- arts, culture, history, the ocean, access to mountains, pro sports, etc. etc. etc., Boston is the best city in North America.

Why does iceman saying that not surprise me? And no love for current home turf--Baltimore?
But hey, neither city is the center of cosmopolitanism known as Denver(!)...

I have a few friends from Boston who live in NYC and all they do when Boston comes up is talk about how small it is, which is true, but I've contemplated moving back. It's probably my favorite smaller city (and I'm told Waltham is going on these days).

[pointedem]

Rio in the summer









SLC in the winter:

[Dexter Rutecki]

Based purely on the above post, I'm afraid SLC gets the nod.

They also tend to execute their poor people less frequently, from what I understand.

[iceman]

I've contemplated moving back. It's probably my favorite smaller city

Well they're all smaller than NYC (in America, duh), but it's not small, except for the geographically-dictated borders of the city itself.

(and I'm told Waltham is going on these days).

Well, Waltham's got the wings, right? Can't go wrong with good wings.

I live outside D.C., Dex. A good city, but not the one I'd choose to live in if my vote counted.

[basom]

damn countless votes

[Dexter Rutecki]

Those D.C.ers are always going on about the uncounted votes, I say we don't give them congressional seats just out of spite.

Yeah, I forgot about D.C., I was just thinking of cities in MD (and I'm not sure I can get another one aside from Annapolis).

[iceman]

You pretty much covered it with Baltimore and Annapolis, although Frederick's growing. The MD suburbs of DC is at least as big and populated an area as all of B'more is, though.

[Dexter Rutecki]

I think the only other place I can name there is Waldorf, and I was told that's basically a few fields and maybe a building.

Oh yeah, Chevy Chase...

[iceman]

Waldorf is the WORLD'S biggest strip mall, I've never seen anything like it. It's amazing.

And Chevy Chase is a beautiful in-close urban/suburban community. Tipp basically lives in Chevy Chase, it's a nice area.

"Chevy Chase, you are one funny suburb."

-Gerald Ford, to Chevy Chase the comedian.

[stump832]

I'm a big fan of greedyoldbastardland, MD.

[basom]

I'm a big fan of greedyoldbastardland, MD.

its almost as nice as sandstorm of regret, UT.

[iceman]

Hey, you have to live somewhere.

[stump832]

its almost as nice as sandstorm of regret, UT.

A little more humid, though.

[iceman]

A little more humid, though.

Near Crying Fit of Remorse, UT, if I recall.

[stump832]

Near Crying Fit of Remorse, UT, if I recall.

Thats a bit downhill from my current locale. Nice place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there.

[iceman]

Thats a bit downhill from my current locale. Nice place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there.

Yeah, skip that one. It was supposed to be a joke, sorry man.