Sho Nuff

My job is transferring me to one of those cities. I have to put in a request but NY is the only one Ive spent any time time. If you live or have visited those areas frequently, give me an idea of the pros and cons in each (NY included) Thanks.

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The_wall

well don't go to houston, who wants to be a texan. If you like warm temperatures and the beach obviously Miami would be good. Between LA and NY I think I would rather live in NY, California's got problems.

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sailor

Personally, I would pick NY. I hate the beach (thus no Miami), I hate suburban sprawl (thus no LA), and Houston just doesnt appeal to me for some reason.

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dogzilla

I live about 2 hours north of NYC. I also lived in LA (Santa Monica) for 4 months about 15 years ago.

When I think of NYC, I think of Manhattan and how crowded it feels, maybe because of all the high rises. LA didn't feel as crowded but very spread out.

There are beaches near NYC. There are some decent beaches within a couple hours in New Jersey and in Delaware.

There are state parks with hiking, camping, boating and fishing within a couple hours of NYC, and a couple rivers with whitewater rafting, one in Pennsylvania, near Jim Thorpe and then along the Delaware river.

The Catskill mountains, near where I live are a couple hours or so from NYC. There are a few ski resorts here, but nothing like the ones in Vermont

NYC does get cold in the wintertime, and does get snow. Summers can be hot and humid.

NYC is the only city I know of where you pay federal, state, and city income tax.

onetime2

Well, it depends on what your wants are. How long of a commute do you want? What can you afford for rent/mortgage? What activities do you like?

I've been to Miami a few times and NY too many times to count. Depending on where in NY the job will be and where you can afford to live, the commute can either be relatively painless or a couple of hours long. You could spend it in traffic, or on a crowded bus, train, or ferry.

Miami is nice but also a bit expensive if you get anywhere near South Beach. Commuting into the city can also be a bit of a pain if you live outside of it.

I think you'll get better advice if you provide a little more info.

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Cynthetiq

cost of living vs. quality of life.

for me NYC is where it's at. I've lived here for close to 13 years. I lived in LA for my first 18.

I hated living in LA. I don't even like to visit. I hate the plastic people who only like you if you can do something for them. I like the cars, I like the laid back attitude. I don't like the constant sunny days. I hate the fact they have no seasons. I like the fact you can surf in the AM and in the afternoon you can ski, since all the activities are a short drivce from each other. I like the mexican food, best there is.

NYC, I love the energy, the pace, the in your face attitude. I like the seasons, I like that one day it can rain, the next it can be sunny, the next can be snowy. I love the fall. I love the theater, I love the bars. I love public transportation which allows me to drink and pour myself into a cab and not worry about drunk driving or other drunk drivers. I love living near lots of history both real and pop culture.

I don't know anything about Miami...

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Ratman

Like Cynthetiq, I have lived in both NYC and El Lay. For the reasons he stated GO WITH NEW YORK!!!

Miami and Houston are nice places to visit but...

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Rodney

All have their pros and cons. Others have spoken for NY. Everything bad you want to say about LA true. But if you've never done it... and you're single and maybe are only going to be there a couple years... do it. It'll be an experience you won't get elsewhere, and you'll be glad you did, even if you decide you've had enough after a while. I say this as a Northern Californian, who by law has to despise everything that LA stands for. Live in the LA core, too, not in the 'burbs.

rogue49

Houston & Miami = humidity. (yuck)

If you're going to have to deal with crime & traffic & crowds,
go for the place with more class.
Not LA,
Go for NYC...much more interesting there.

oberon

If I had the choice of working anywhere in the world, all of those places would be fairly low on my list.

But just because of the seasons and the fact I've never lived in a big city, I'd go with NY.

Good luck!

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wario

Well, Houston sucks, but at least it has the lowest probability of breaking off and floating away into the ocean...

asudevil83

i would personally go to New York...the city has so much personality. so many things to do and see, and if you get tired of it, there are so many places just outside the city that quiet and beautiful

i myself will probably be settling there once i get out of school if i can find a nice job out there.

Sho Nuff

I was considering New York because it has the longest snowriding season of the three and my girlfriend lived there but we just broke up so thats a - for NY. Im leaning toward Miami or LA because I love the beach and I could trade my snowboard for a surfboard if necessary.

I like smaller cities and/ or green cities usually. NY is too concrete for me.

Questions:

Hows the surf in Miami?

Whats access is there to snowboarding in LA?

Anyone been to Houston at all?

Also, money isnt too big of an issue. My income is adjusted for the region I live in and the appointment is only for 1 year. And Im born and raised in DC so Im used to seasons changing. I lived in Florida for a year and the heat and humidity was a pain but living near the beach could make it more bareable. Where I was living was an hours drive to a decent beach.

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punx1325

Houston SUCKS!!!! All it has is traffic, heat and humidity. I lived there for 2 years. There is nothing to do at all. I'd rather live in the crappiest part of Mexico then go back there. I'm sorry for anyone that lives there. There is nothing good that comes out of Texas. LA has horrible traffic and decent snowboarding an hour away, but I still wouldn't recommend it. Miami and NY are your 2 best bets. If you want warm weather and surf then move to Miami. If you want cold weather and snowboarding hours away then move to NY. If it were me I'd take NY.

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Hercules

I've lived near (about.. 45 miles SE of) LA for 16 years, and let me tell you, it was not enjoyable.

The traffic is, if I'm not mistaken, the worst in the US. (91 freeway)
Overcrowding, massive pollution, etc.
Whenever I went to LA, I just had bad experiences with the people, and the city, etc.
And like someone said above, I hate the constant summer season.

Not a place I would ever want to live in again, personally.

If I had to pick with one of those, I would go with Miami as first choice, and NY as second, although I dont know as much as I'd like about either.

Peryn

They will adjust your income right? Thats a good thing, since CA has an incredibly unbelievably high cost of living. Youll make lots of money here, but it will cost you a lot to stay. I live in So Cal, but have been to LA on numerous occasions. It really doesn't do southern California justice. The city is crowded, and get a really....dirty... vibe from it. Also, smog is horrible. If you could get a reasonably suburban place to live though....since its only for a year, id recommend it. Give it a try, it'll be different. From my experiences, the people are far different on the west coast than the east side of the country. On a side note...weather isn't what most people expect. Its downright HOT several months outta the year unless you live on the coast, and sunny all the time...seems like it can be sunny even when its raining.

From what i hear though, and my own personal preferences, rule texas right out. As for Miami, well....its got the southern beach thing going for it, but from what i have heard, its humid all the time. Personally, i HATE humidity. Also they have the whole old people issue, along with that little hurricane season. Great Fishing though

Anyway, id say give LA a try. Its by no means the best southern CA has to offer, but its unique in its own right, and could be fun for a short while. Snowboarding and surfing are available year round, though the snow could be a little bit of a drive (hour, maybe two). A decent wetsuit and surfing goes on throughout the winter. Heck, i went through SCUBA training in the mid/beginning of January. Always a beach to surf at, and always a mountain to snow on. You might hate it when your done, but i think it would be a fun change from the NE that youd never forget.

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It depends. Some companies distinguish between an employee request and an employer request, with only the employer request providing salary adjustment. Read the fine print. You may actually get no adjustment either way, in which case NY is out as far as cost of living, unless you're already making a comfortable living. Can you afford $1500 and up for a one bedroom apartment? $2k on up for a two bedroom apt?

Bloodslick

Why is EVERYONE so down on Houston? Don't tell me that there's nothing to do: one Thursday this summer, my girlfriend and I went to museums all day for free, then in the evening we got a pizza and went to see a free performance of Shakespeare in the Park.

I love Houston. While there is a lot of traffic, people generally know how to drive. If you're in the right parts of town, you can't go for more than five minutes without seeing either a porn store or a strip club. Winter temperatures don't dip much farther than 30 degrees. The liquor stores have an extensive selection. And, more than anything else, Texans aren't all the people that television would lead you to believe they are. They are generally real, down-to-earth people with educations. GASP! How can that be? Television comedies don't lie!

I've been to New York, and loved the fact that I felt like I was inside while I was outside. I hated the traffic and the parking. Everyone had a car, and everyone in a car was an idiot.

Don't live in Miami unless you're prepared to go to McDonald's to speak English, from what I've heard from residents.

I've never been to LA.

Sho Nuff

Thanks for all the feedback. Im leaning toward LA or Miami. Ultimately, Ill be assigned where needed, but since I have a background in Spanish I can request Miami or LA and most likely get it. I love the fact that I'll be able to snowboard and surf at the same time. I hate having to wait for the season to roll around in the NE. Ive lived in Florida before but Ive never lived on the West Coast. Maybe would be an experience worth having. I do HATE fake people though, but they cant be ALL bad.

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dy156

I'm from Texas, and would not want to live in Houston. These are some of my impressions, based largely on a comparison with Dallas. Houston is famous for it's lack of urban planning. Yes, you'll see strip clubs and liquor stores, and they'll be right down the street from nice houses. There's basically no zoning, and downtown has been a mess for a long time. They built all this stuff like HOV lanes that are not helpful at all and a light rail system that goes between sports venues, which is great if you want to get the Olympics, but if not, no one goes along those routes, and it did nothing to relieve commuter congestion. Though some of them are very nice, there are massive suburbs and the commutes that go with them. Be prepared to answer, "What part of Houston are you from?" It's the first question people ask. It's by no means close to surf or mountains. The Texas beaches are good only for fishing, and they're ugly. Forget seasons, and it rains alot and is terribly humid. It is green though. If you'll only be there a year, I'd go to Miami, just to experience something different.

Just to be fair:
On the other hand, if you were looking to settle down or start your own business, Houston's economy is doing better than just about anywhere, and the taxes and property are relatively low. The same anything-goes attitude that leads to a lack of real neighborhoods would be helpful and it is easier to break into than in a more structured, older city. If you want culture, Houston actually has quite a bit, and it's world class. Many suburban public schools are great, and if you can get in, Rice is truly an incredible value, and the area around it is very nice. Houston's medical center is truly world class too. Houston is by far the most multicultural city in Texas. San Antonio has a huge Mexican population and influence, but in Houston you will find substantial numbers of Indians, Asians, Middle Easterners, and everyone else, plus the large number of Hispanics-proximity to Mexico, and African Americans-proximity to the deep south. I think this is due to the diversified economy, large multinational corporations and huge port, but it brings with it great restaurants too. Also, Houston drivers are the most courteously aggressive I've seen, if that makes sense.
Hope this helps.

Bloodslick

Yay, dy156. Thanks for helping to point out some of Houston's finer points.

Crazy/Beautiful

I too live in Houston. The positive points are Houston has an extremely diverse population and a lower cost of lving than all the afore mentioned places. But the heat index in the summer is enough to make you cry and traffic is a bitch. Plus Houston floods easy and is prone to Hurricanes and Tornados, (as miami probably is too) I would personally rather live in NY or Miami, but then again I have only lived in Houston my whole life. NY too me seems the meca for activity in the US, people in other countries know about NY and do business there. But I would miss the beachs

Bill O'Rights

To me, Houston = Omaha...in Texas. Not a bad thing, just not what I would probably pick because...well, I've already got that. All, of course, will have various pros and cons, but if it were me...I'd more like as not pick NYC.

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Sho Nuff

Despite the bad traffic and smog Im leaning toward LA. Never lived on the West Coast. It'll be whole new region to travel in. The thought of an extended snowboarding season, and taking up surfing sounds good too.

Thanks for all the feedback folk!

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onetime2

Good luck! Let us know how it goes. I'e got a friend who lives right in Hollywood and he loves it. It took him two tries to get it right. The first time he went out there he couldn't find a job and blew through his savings. Came back to our hometown and vowed to get back there again. This time he saved a lot more money, found a couple of friends to bunk with until he found the right place to live, and then he moved. After a month or two he found a person looking for a roommate and has taken two jobs to earn a living. He's happier than I've ever seen him. Sounds like you're in a good position with a stable job and the rest will fall into place.

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gringoarnold

I live in LA, it's my favorite place. I lived in New Jersey for half my life, and I hate the NorthEast.

The phony people thing is quite exaggerated, from what I've seen.

teshadoh

Well - pick LA if you want to. LA didn't interest me in the slightest, but there are some nice cities a day's drive away at least - San Diego & San Francisco. You at least chose wisely in not picking Houston - of course just like Pittsburgh it has the 'but the city is really improving tag'. As exotic as Miami sounds, beyond Miami Beach & Cocunut Grove - the city is a hot humid Detroit.

Anyways, I simply can't understand not picking NYC - but what do I know - I live in Asslanta.

lions20

Miami is NY of Florida. You will find the same type of people and nightlife except in a warmer climate.

Supple Cow

I'm insulted that everybody thinks that Angelinos are such tools when it comes to personality! My personal feelings aside, I'd just like to point out that fake people have colonized every major city- not just LA -and that the perhaps the progressive (or just different) attitude in California in comparison with the rest of the country may lend to the general misconception that fake people here are more fake that the ones in other states. I can attest to this, being a native Angelino currently going to school in Manhattan. "Hip" New Yorkers who labor to read Dostoevsky on the subway in order to look intellectual are just as fake as bleached-blond, tanning-booth brown, wanna-be actor Angelinos are.

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Hrothgar

I'm in Miami. Don't move here. Hurricane warnings every other day it seems, mosquitos the size of puppies and the humidity so thick it envelops your body in a sticky sweet film.

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thingstodo

After 6 years in Ft. Lauderdale I can honestly say don't go there (I live in Michigan now and love it).

Miami is worse than Ft. Lauderdale. Too many people, NYorkers but mostly old ones. You'd do OK speaking Spanish. Even if you live near the beach you'll find that after the newness wears off, you won't go much. And there is no surf unless there is a storm. Yo have to go near Daytona for that.... five hours away.

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santafe5000

I have been to all of these cities. Have only lived in Houston, 20 years ago. They all have their problems. Personnally, i wouldn't live in any of them. Good luck. If i really had to choose for work, i'd choose NYC. Lots to do and see.

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