Fast paced city or slow quiet one

[tigonian02]

Actually this is a nice topic because I've been wondering about something for a while Leaving aside big or small cities, which city in North America would you say has the best downtown lifestyle? Walkability, public transport, thriving outdoor culture, arts and museums, and not muggers and stabbers around every block I only know ones from Europe but America I get confused And please don't say New York because people are rude as phuk there

I live in the metro Atlanta area. In the United States everything is very dependent on what you’re looking for. Atlanta is what would be stereotyped as THE SOUTH. There are plenty of things to complain about, but what people don’t talk about is how much of a transient city this has become. There are nearly 7 million people in this metro area and many of them are not actually from here. There’s a recognizable economic benefit to living here... housing is way more affordable compared to other similarly sized areas. A $300,000 house on an acre of land in Kennesaw Ga, would be more than $1,000,000 in metro areas of California, NY, Massachusetts, Colorado, etc, since land priced much higher/harder to come by in these places. And then there’s tennis... Atlanta and the surrounding 30 or so miles, has the Atlanta Lawn and Tennis Association (ALTA) which may be the worlds largest rec league. There’s tennis everywhere here. Traffic can be really bad here. Inside the city, there’s shopping, a few museums, and a nightlife for whatever you’re into, and you can probably find entertainment to fit whatever budget you have also. Outside the city there are theme parks and other attractions also, so Uber is definitely your friend. I would definitely say that there are better large cities for excitement if you’re into the hustle and bustle. Overall though Atlanta is a city where you can choose to be in the mix of things, or live 30 miles out and have peace and quiet, while still living in the metro area (this is what I do).

 

[jhick]

Both big and small towns are awesome You want the best of everything, London, New York, Tokyo every imaginable convenience and opportunity at your finger tips
You want the time to reflect and enjoy it’s gotta be a small town Mid sized towns are a compromise on both so I don’t like them at all

What would you consider to be a mid sized town?

 

[Pandora Mikado]

What would you consider to be a mid sized town?

Let’s see keeping it exclusively to US, some mid sized towns might be:

Portland
Sacramento
Minneapolis
Cincinnati
Tampa

Generally speaking, if it’s airport has mostly regional connections its probably a mid sized town

 

[Mike Bulgakov]

Let’s see keeping it exclusively to US, some mid sized towns might be:

Portland
Sacramento
Minneapolis
Cincinnati
Tampa

Generally speaking, if it’s airport has mostly regional connections its probably a mid sized town

Have you considered San Diego? It has great weather for year-round tennis, plus pretty much everything else that you mentioned.

 

[Crocodile]

SHHH!!!

San Diego is great, but people have been catching on to this. I have been visiting Del Mar since my early twenties. In twenty-five years, it's gotten way more crowded and freeway traffic has become a problem. Del Mar is still pretty peaceful, and I try to walk to places when I'm in town.

https://hdontap.com/index.php/video/stream/del_mar_beach

Looks great. C

 

[dgold44]

I hate crowds. I am very old at 22 years of age. No big cities for me. But sadly(very) life is definitely taking me to some big city.
While all my friends are excited about the new life ahead with the bars and the dominos and cars and whatnot but I just wish the days of childhood had never passed. There are a lot of things I love about being an adult but the baggage that comes with it is so not what I like.
I grew up in a small town which itself is not the same anymore with all the big buildings and malls opening there. But still I would love to live my life in my sweet little hometown. But we can't always get what we want.

22 is a boy !!!

 

[Pandora Mikado]

Have you considered San Diego? It has great weather for year-round tennis, plus pretty much everything else that you mentioned.

Can’t deny San Diego is an awesome city The weather specifically My main problem and maybe confusion with North American cities is public transport tends to not be great I detest the idea of being stuck in traffic whole days of my life and having to drive for long distances to get services I need I’m more used to Europe where distances are not huge and even smaller cities have great public transport

Hate the idea of owning a car, seems a waste Insurance maintenance depreciating asset is a fun way of saying reckless expense Like throwing away hundreds of thousands of dollars over your lifetime Then add all the hundreds of hours you waste in traffic and cleaning that thing

When I am in the mood to drive I rent something fancy from Turo a cabriolet Audi or Porsche or something and get it out of my system.

For US I feel downtown New York, Chicago, Seattle maybe Miami or Houston is awesome When I want beaches I return home to Arcachon which is like a French version of San Diego

I do love California though, maybe my favourite dreamy town is nearby San Diego - Carmel By the Sea

 

[Pandora Mikado]

I live in the metro Atlanta area. In the United States everything is very dependent on what you’re looking for. Atlanta is what would be stereotyped as THE SOUTH. There are plenty of things to complain about, but what people don’t talk about is how much of a transient city this has become. There are nearly 7 million people in this metro area and many of them are not actually from here. There’s a recognizable economic benefit to living here... housing is way more affordable compared to other similarly sized areas. A $300,000 house on an acre of land in Kennesaw Ga, would be more than $1,000,000 in metro areas of California, NY, Massachusetts, Colorado, etc, since land priced much higher/harder to come by in these places. And then there’s tennis... Atlanta and the surrounding 30 or so miles, has the Atlanta Lawn and Tennis Association (ALTA) which may be the worlds largest rec league. There’s tennis everywhere here. Traffic can be really bad here. Inside the city, there’s shopping, a few museums, and a nightlife for whatever you’re into, and you can probably find entertainment to fit whatever budget you have also. Outside the city there are theme parks and other attractions also, so Uber is definitely your friend. I would definitely say that there are better large cities for excitement if you’re into the hustle and bustle. Overall though Atlanta is a city where you can choose to be in the mix of things, or live 30 miles out and have peace and quiet, while still living in the metro area (this is what I do).

Thanks I’ve never thought about Atlanta before I know it’s probably the best city for rec tennis 5.0 NTRP actually means 5.0 there unlike many other cities What is downtown like, would you have an idea One day I must visit to take a look for sure And what about public transport in downtown Atlanta, do they have a dependable tube or subway system

 

[Mike Bulgakov]

Can’t deny San Diego is an awesome city The weather specifically My main problem and maybe confusion with North American cities is public transport tends to not be great I detest the idea of being stuck in traffic whole days of my life and having to drive for long distances to get services I need I’m more used to Europe where distances are not huge and even smaller cities have great public transport

Hate the idea of owning a car, seems a waste Insurance maintenance depreciating asset is a fun way of saying reckless expense Like throwing away hundreds of thousands of dollars over your lifetime Then add all the hundreds of hours you waste in traffic and cleaning that thing

When I am in the mood to drive I rent something fancy from Turo a cabriolet Audi or Porsche or something and get it out of my system.

For US I feel downtown New York, Chicago, Seattle maybe Miami or Houston is awesome When I want beaches I return home to Arcachon which is like a French version of San Diego

I do love California though, maybe my favourite dreamy town is nearby San Diego - Carmel By the Sea

Cardiff-by-the-Sea is actually in San Diego, just not downtown. It's like Hollywood and Beverly Hills being in Los Angeles. I have spent a great deal of time in Del Mar, which is next to Cardiff-by-the-Sea (just south), and I really love the area.

Public transportation is a problem. There is a pretty good commuter train line that runs along the coast that takes you downtown. Solana Beach has a stop. Otherwise, you have to rely on buses (no fun!) or Uber. Everyone drives in Southern California, so the public transportation is not expansive. CoCo Vandeweghe lives nearby, and @sureshs is about fifteen miles south, so you will be rubbing shoulders with top tennis players.

 

[onehandbh]

I think Copenhagen has the right balance. It has the attributes of a big city, but feels like a relaxed small town. Cities like NYC, Moscow, and even Paris are a little too loud, chaotic, and crowded for me

Was there for for only a week but I really enjoyed Copenhagen.

 

[Pandora Mikado]

Cardiff-by-the-Sea is actually in San Diego, just not downtown. It's like Hollywood and Beverly Hills being in Los Angeles. I have spent a great deal of time in Del Mar, which is next to Cardiff-by-the-Sea (just south), and I really love the area.

Public transportation is a problem. There is a pretty good commuter train line that runs along the coast that takes you downtown. Solana Beach has a stop. Otherwise, you have to rely on buses (no fun!) or Uber. Everyone drives in Southern California, so the public transportation is not expansive. CoCo Vandeweghe lives nearby, and @sureshs is about fifteen miles south, so you will be rubbing shoulders with top tennis players.

Not Cardiff By The Sea.


Carmel By The Sea

https://www.carmelcalifornia.com/visit-carmel.htm

My favourite spot in California

Also, who is sureshs Is he a famous pro or former one How come he has a huge ass thread, I don’t think even Federer or Nadal has one that big Is it the same suresh I see commenting in this forum because I never heard of him before in tennis

 

[Mike Bulgakov]

Not Cardiff By The Sea.


Carmel By The Sea

https://www.carmelcalifornia.com/visit-carmel.htm

My favourite spot in California

How funny. I hadn't had my morning coffee yet and I guess my eyes were still blurry. I have been there as well, and it's amazing. My main residence is in the San Francisco Bay Area, and I sometimes take quick trips to nearby Big Sur.

 

[jhick]

Thanks I’ve never thought about Atlanta before I know it’s probably the best city for rec tennis 5.0 NTRP actually means 5.0 there unlike many other cities What is downtown like, would you have an idea One day I must visit to take a look for sure And what about public transport in downtown Atlanta, do they have a dependable tube or subway system

Public transportation for Atlanta is not great and traffic is not great either. Those are probably the 2 biggest downsides (besides the humidity/heat). Pluses are lower standard of living costs, weather at certain times of the year, high tennis participation, I think the crime level is pretty low.

What do you mean by 5.0 actually means 5.0 there? Most of the USTA regions are pretty accurate as far as ratings go. I think some of the southern teams have a slight advantage when it comes to nationals, mainly because of more depth because of the number of players playing and that they can play outdoors year round. But the year my 4.5 team won nationals (northern), a number of our matches came down to the wire and were 3-2 scores, and we only played 1 southern team.

 

[Raul_SJ]

Also, who is sureshs Is he a famous pro or former one How come he has a huge ass thread, I don’t think even Federer or Nadal has one that big Is it the same suresh I see commenting in this forum because I never heard of him before in tennis

Yes, Sureshs is a former pro. He still gets paid by San Diego resorts who call upon him whenever visiting tourists need a hitting partner.
Yes, he has a huge ass thread bigger than Federer or Nadal. That is @stringertom's doing.

 

[stringertom]

Yes, Sureshs is a former pro. He still gets paid by San Diego resorts who call upon him whenever visiting tourists need a hitting partner.
Yes, he has a huge ass thread bigger than Federer or Nadal. That is @stringertom's doing.

Au contraire, mon frere! Look closer and ewe will sea eye am knot OP anne at furst aye foursaked that thread four won awlreddy inn circqueuelashun.

 

[Raul_SJ]

https://www.carmelcalifornia.com/visit-carmel.htm
My favourite spot in California

Carmel looks like a nice place. But who can live there besides very wealthy and retirees?
Tourist town with very few employment opportunities.

Major employers in Carmel-by-the-Sea include the La Playa Carmel hotel, Carmel Realty, and the restaurants Forge in the Forest, Il Fornaio, Portabella, and Casanova.

 

[mmk]

Yes, Sureshs is a former pro. He still gets paid by San Diego resorts who call upon him whenever visiting tourists need a hitting partner.
Yes, he has a huge ass thread bigger than Federer or Nadal. That is @stringertom's doing.

Did you mean to have the word thread in that sentence?

 

[Pandora Mikado]

Carmel looks like a nice place. But who can live there besides very wealthy and retirees?
Tourist town with very few employment opportunities.

Major employers in Carmel-by-the-Sea include the La Playa Carmel hotel, Carmel Realty, and the restaurants Forge in the Forest, Il Fornaio, Portabella, and Casanova.

Completely right It's my favourite spot in California but I would never think of living there Finances aside, too small Would go stronkers in 10 days and need to take up painting or gardening something Small cites in Europe are awesome, they have a long history and centuries have given them a sort of depth Small cities in US are generally just for visiting I think Ker-plunk a few days and you're good to go So back to the original question: What are the big cities in the US with a livable downtown [no need for car, good public transport, all the conveniences and services on offer]

 

[Pandora Mikado]

Public transportation for Atlanta is not great and traffic is not great either. Those are probably the 2 biggest downsides (besides the humidity/heat). Pluses are lower standard of living costs, weather at certain times of the year, high tennis participation, I think the crime level is pretty low.

What do you mean by 5.0 actually means 5.0 there? Most of the USTA regions are pretty accurate as far as ratings go. I think some of the southern teams have a slight advantage when it comes to nationals, mainly because of more depth because of the number of players playing and that they can play outdoors year round. But the year my 4.5 team won nationals (northern), a number of our matches came down to the wire and were 3-2 scores, and we only played 1 southern team.

5.0 is not all the same It's all relative to competition I've played against 4.0's in Florida much stronger than 5.0's in Delaware for example I imagine Atlanta having such a deep tennis subculture all levels would be battle hardened

 

[Raul_SJ]

So back to the original question: What are the big cities in the US with a livable downtown [no need for car, good public transport, all the conveniences and services on offer]

Don't think any place in CA meets that criteria. Mass transportation mostly sucks.
Maybe San Francisco comes the closest...

 

[Pandora Mikado]

Yes, Sureshs is a former pro. He still gets paid by San Diego resorts who call upon him whenever visiting tourists need a hitting partner.
Yes, he has a huge ass thread bigger than Federer or Nadal. That is @stringertom's doing.

I don't get it Why does a former pro have such a big following

 

[Raul_SJ]

I don't get it Why does a former pro have such a big following

He is a Bionic Poaster. 50,000 posts.
Has posted many valuable coaching tips here. All for free. Master of The Drop Volley.
Truly a selfless fellow.

Rod Laver and Sureshs pictured below.

 

[sureshs]

He is a Bionic Poaster. 50,000 posts.
Has posted many valuable coaching tips here. All for free. Master of The Drop Volley.
Truly a selfless fellow.

Rod Laver and Sureshs pictured below.

Laver is the one with the blue pants, in case there is any confusion.

The Rocket is the one with black pants.

 

[Raul_SJ]

I live in the metro Atlanta area. In the United States everything is very dependent on what you’re looking for. Atlanta is what would be stereotyped as THE SOUTH. There are plenty of things to complain about, but what people don’t talk about is how much of a transient city this has become. There are nearly 7 million people in this metro area and many of them are not actually from here. There’s a recognizable economic benefit to living here... housing is way more affordable compared to other similarly sized areas. A $300,000 house on an acre of land in Kennesaw Ga, would be more than $1,000,000 in metro areas of California, NY, Massachusetts, Colorado, etc, since land priced much higher/harder to come by in these places. And then there’s tennis... Atlanta and the surrounding 30 or so miles, has the Atlanta Lawn and Tennis Association (ALTA) which may be the worlds largest rec league. There’s tennis everywhere here. Traffic can be really bad here. Inside the city, there’s shopping, a few museums, and a nightlife for whatever you’re into, and you can probably find entertainment to fit whatever budget you have also. Outside the city there are theme parks and other attractions also, so Uber is definitely your friend. I would definitely say that there are better large cities for excitement if you’re into the hustle and bustle. Overall though Atlanta is a city where you can choose to be in the mix of things, or live 30 miles out and have peace and quiet, while still living in the metro area (this is what I do).

Interesting that Atlanta is such a tennis hotbed.

 

[jhick]

5.0 is not all the same It's all relative to competition I've played against 4.0's in Florida much stronger than 5.0's in Delaware for example I imagine Atlanta having such a deep tennis subculture all levels would be battle hardened

I would agree there are areas where 5.0 levels do not have the depth, where 4.5's may play up because the lack of that depth (but they are still USTA rated 4.5's playing up, not 5.0's). I think at the top levels overall there is not all that much difference. Which is why at nationals teams from the same section don't dominate it year after year. Case in point, the year my 4.5 team won nationals 1. Northern 2. Northern California 3. Alabama 4. Maryland . I looked up Georgia and their team finished dead last in their southern section at 0-4.

 

[Raul_SJ]

I would agree there are areas where 5.0 levels do not have the depth, where 4.5's may play up because the lack of that depth (but they are still USTA rated 4.5's playing up, not 5.0's).

It can work the other way.
There is another thread that says there is a lack of 5.0 teams in MA. So basically you have a lot of sandbagging 5.0s playing at 4.5.

If I'm not mistaken this match is taking placing at the indoor courts at Harvard, my area. The problem is MA doesn't have a good 5.0 league. There are a lot of players in 4.5 that really should be in 5.0 and so to make the move from 4.0 to 4.5 is difficult.

 

[tigonian02]

5.0 is not all the same It's all relative to competition I've played against 4.0's in Florida much stronger than 5.0's in Delaware for example I imagine Atlanta having such a deep tennis subculture all levels would be battle hardened

Most definitely agree. Even in other towns in Georgia there’s a bit of a difference. What the poster above said is true...the transit in Atlanta needs improvements. Up North and out West are both way better in terms of Subway Systems. If you draw a cross over Atlanta, that’s basically the subway system. It’s on county ballots seemingly every year, and every time expansion gets voted against. The Bus system is alright though. The large counties all have buses with Wifi that commute into the and out of the city.

 

[tigonian02]

Interesting that Atlanta is such a tennis hotbed.

Yeah...go figure right?

 

[onehandbh]

Seattle's public transportation has really improved over the years. They are in the midst of also building a train that goes straight from the airport to Bellevue.

There are some decent public courts available in Seattle and Bellevue.

 

[onehandbh]

There isn't any ONE city or place that I find has everything I like.

I like a lot of different things and at varying times -- from the orderly neatness & hidden naughtiness of Tokyo to the bustling life of NYC to peacefulness of Iceland.

• the art & culture of a big diverse city (expression through theatre, music, art, museums, creative groups,.. )
• civil rights & political engagement and discussion
• quiet suburbs
• national forests & parks
• beach
• warm weather
• cold & snow & rain
• efficient public transportation
• Meeting people from different cultures that speak different languages than English
• streets that you can walk on and see and meet people
• highways without a lot of traffic where you can make use of a well-engineered vehicle or rumble of a vintage muscle car
• the amazing resourcefulness that those with little monetary means sometimes have

My solution?
Mostly live in one place as my "home base", and then travel to different places around the world as much as budget and schedule allows (with some repeats of place I am more fond of)

 

[Pandora Mikado]

There isn't any ONE city or place that I find has everything I like.

I like a lot of different things and at varying times -- from the orderly neatness & hidden naughtiness of Tokyo to the bustling life of NYC to peacefulness of Iceland.

• the art & culture of a big diverse city (expression through theatre, music, art, museums, creative groups,.. )
• civil rights & political engagement and discussion
• quiet suburbs
• national forests & parks
• beach
• warm weather
• cold & snow & rain
• efficient public transportation
• Meeting people from different cultures that speak different languages than English
• streets that you can walk on and see and meet people
• highways without a lot of traffic where you can make use of a well-engineered vehicle or rumble of a vintage muscle car
• the amazing resourcefulness that those with little monetary means sometimes have

My solution?
Mostly live in one place as my "home base", and then travel to different places around the world as much as budget and schedule allows (with some repeats of place I am more fond of)

You write “travel to different places”, which is why I ask the question about cities in the US The last thing I want is to be stuck driving, cost and especially time. In Europe I can think of maybe 20 cities I don’t need to worry about with that, big to medium size Asia also has many cities with great public transport you can live right downtown - Toyko, Osaka, Hong Kong, Taipei, Shanghai, Bangkok.

 

[onehandbh]

You write “travel to different places”, which is why I ask the question about cities in the US The last thing I want is to be stuck driving, cost and especially time. In Europe I can think of maybe 20 cities I don’t need to worry about with that, big to medium size Asia also has many cities with great public transport you can live right downtown - Toyko, Osaka, Hong Kong, Taipei, Shanghai, Bangkok.

Hmm. I personally like walking and bicycling. If you don’t mind those two things as modes of transportation, some of the beach cities in “LA” are nice, like Manhattan or Hermosa Beach. There is even a bike path that can take you all the way to Malibu.

 

[Pandora Mikado]

Hmm. I personally like walking and bicycling. If you don’t mind those two things as modes of transportation, some of the beach cities in “LA” are nice, like Manhattan or Hermosa Beach. There is even a bike path that can take you all the way to Malibu.

Me too Walking and cycling is my preference. It works perfectky when I travel. I’ve been to Hermosa and Redondo, both are lovely LA can be a great place if you know how to avoid driving

 

[Pandora Mikado]

He is a Bionic Poaster. 50,000 posts.
Has posted many valuable coaching tips here. All for free. Master of The Drop Volley.
Truly a selfless fellow.

Rod Laver and Sureshs pictured below.

Great picture