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Best Zip Code for Perfect Life

Two recent threads have inspired me. One was on persuading the wife for an audio shopping "romantic weekend" and the other on all of your hobbies outside of audio. Given that many of you seem interested in contemplative and creative things, fishing bicycling etc as well as quite a few car nuts, here is the ultimate question: Where can I chuck in the big city rat race and move that would offer: natural beauty, pre war architecture (at least some) and privacy where one could fish, cycle, enjoy nature etc and not worry about neighbors when playing MFSL Dark Side of the Moon at concert levels through subwoofers, drive 30-60 minutes maximum to check out some girls, visit a good audio dealer, book shop, music store and eat some decent Italian food, without spending a zillion bucks on real estate or living in an overpopulated or pre fab "McMansion" atmosphere. Extra Credit: roads ideally would be somewhat rural, bucolic, winding and not ruined by traffic or constant speed traps.(One for the car geeks, of which I am one.)Let's keep this gem to our forum, but WE can all move there and start an audio club and the best dealers will follow. Thanks for the tip and I will hope to see you in the village market and have you over for a drink and a demo!
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cwlondon
1,198 posts
 
Cornfedboy -- delighted you like my town more than you like my posts. I think London is the new center of the global village and universe and I am devastated to now be moving back to NYC after many years there. Despite my devotion to London, however, I would say it fails in most if not all of the "perfect life" criteria. Very expensive real estate (easy to spend $500-1 MM USD in town on a 1-2 BR apartment), Italian food available but also very expensive, interesting cars available and popular but traffic moves at 3 MPH. And I haven't found any good audio dealers -- more or less everything but especially (!!) electronics cost in pounds what they would cost in dollars over here. This has led to a vibrant grey market in high end. (Still ridiculously overpriced.) But the access to Europe, the naughty, witty English girls and the pubs and Guiness make it all worth it and I would move back in a second!!!! Please let me know if I can help you if you are ever there.
cornfedboy
1,645 posts
 
Cwlondon@hotmail.com: don't wanna go off subject but must say i quite agree about london being the center of the social and cultural universe, at least for the nonce. also agree it's bloody awful expensive. interesting to hear your "italian food available" with no attached superlatives; i've had some of the best italian food ever in london (and, yes, i've traveled extensively in italy). i do feel sorry for your apparently involuntary move back to nyc. tho my wife, grown sons and their spouses disagree with me quite vehemently, i find nyc to be far outside the class of other "international" cities.
cwlondon
1,198 posts
 
CFB, not to follow you off subject but I think you are absolutely right -- NYC, for all of its culture and world class bluster and bravado is a very money and career obsessed, American city. It is international from the perspective of its working class immigrant population, but ultimately much less cosmopolitan than London or other cities I have visited. (New Yorkers typically don't understand this and are very offended by the idea, but it is true. ) The food in London has improved immensely since '94 - perhaps you are thinking of Zafferano's in Knightsbridge? I hope you were traveling on expense account! For a "cheap and cheerful" not amazing but authentic and fun Italian for slumming it a bit, you should try Spago on Glendower Place in South Kensington. Run by a bunch of crazy Italians (food may not be their only "business", I think the best deal in town for a raw chianti and a brick oven pizza or some linguini vongole. I ate there from 2-6 nights a week for 7 years so I am reasonably familiar with the menu. Please feel free to write to me directly if you would like to discuss London.
khrys
446 posts
 
London the center of the social and cultural universe? Ever had Mexican food there? Sorry, Mechsiquan Phoode. Shaken. Not stirred. Cheers to the palate of the Stiff Upper Lip. Where's the best place to get English food in London?
khrys
446 posts
 
You know, I'm just dying to go to London for the linguine vongole. Do you think the difference between Knightsbridge, Chelsea and South Kensington is worth the tube ride? Maybe a ticket to Florence is worth considering? Execpt for the phoode.
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