BS: The perfect city would have....

Subject: RE: BS: The perfect city would have....
From: Bill D
Date: 15 Jan 08 - 06:24 PM

If a city is big enough to have most of what you want, it will probably be big enough to have many things you don't want, also.

A quick search finds Montevideo, Uruguay and Nürnburg, Germany nominated as good choices.

The closest I have seen to having my own set of desirable characteristics is Seattle, Washington and surrounding area....but it has BAD traffic and weather I'd not care for.

Subject: RE: BS: The perfect city would have....
From: artbrooks
Date: 15 Jan 08 - 06:13 PM

A decent network of bicycle trails.
International folk dancing
Contra dancing

BTW, so far, you are describing Albuquerque

Subject: RE: BS: The perfect city would have....
From: Sorcha
Date: 15 Jan 08 - 06:03 PM

And not too many people.

Subject: RE: BS: The perfect city would have....
From: Rapparee
Date: 15 Jan 08 - 05:28 PM

A well-staffed, well-stocked, well-funded, and well-appreciated public library.

Subject: RE: BS: The perfect city would have....
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 15 Jan 08 - 05:24 PM

An absence of "smoking Nazis" who insist that ALL PLACES OF BUSINESS must be smoke free would be nice. (Only "the right people" are entitled to have a place to enjoy themselves? Of course.)

A good grocery store that doesn't extort higher prices and track all one's purchases via "preferred customer cards" would be helpful for those who don't care to "eat out" all the time.

A TOTAL BAN on "rebates" for all commercial sellers would be a very nice touch.

Handicap access laws that actually work instead of just making the local guvm't feel good would be helpful. Of course the laws wouldn't be necessary if businesses and other "community facilities" just did it.

Streets that don't require complete and total reconstruction (with rerouting) at six month intervals would be a nice addition in my town; but I'm not sure that it's an absolutely mandatory thing for the kind of place being dreamed up here.

Freedom from potholes in the streets would be nice anywhere. A legal limit of 30 inches deep and/or no more than four feet wide would help here.

A total ban on "Karaoke" would be something to consider.

A 60 dB (C-weighted) or lower limit on "amplified performances" would be helpful. Measurement at "any location occupied by members of the audience or by non-participants" would of course be part of the specification.

Ugly people would of course be prohibited, so I probably would not be able to visit there.

John

Subject: RE: BS: The perfect city would have....
From: Wesley S
Date: 15 Jan 08 - 05:02 PM

OOPS - Great schools. And a University

Subject: BS: The perfect city would have....
From: Wesley S
Date: 15 Jan 08 - 05:00 PM

If you were to find the perfect city what qualities would it have? I'm sure it's a given that most of us would want a thriving acoustic music community – folk { whatever that means to you } , bluegrass, prewar blues { delta and Piedmont } Celtic and jazz. And enough venues so those music styles would thrive and cross pollinate. That would include some coffee houses other than Starbucks and your typical Unitarian Church so the singer-songwriters would have a place to play. And at least one promoter in town that would bring in a few nationally known acts. The rest of my list would include:

A good assortment of family owned restaurants with inexpensive oriental, Indian, Tex-Mex and BBQ.
A great place for breakfast.
An "Art" theater that would show old black and white movies – and movies with subtitles.
A few good art galleries
Plenty of parks. Including a dog park.
Good public transport
Copious book stores
At least one good grocery store that sold natural foods
A no smoking ordinance indoors
A crafts fair nearby. I Renfest would do.
A Shakespeare in the park type festival
A city council and mayor that knew how to listen.
Ditto for the police force
At least one good musical instrument store that knew what a mandola was.And stocked strings.
A good newspaper.
A short drive to the mountains and the ocean

What am I leaving out? And does it exist?