[Echo Park]

I was debating between Silver Lake, Echo Park, Los Feliz and some other areas in north east LA since I spend a bit of time there because of friends/bands and I had 1st generation latino family in that area (best of both worlds!). But LA is so massive that these neighborhoods don't really offer everything of what LA is about. So I would probably say Koreatown, just for the convinience of it. It's almost equidistant to the westside adn eastside and shares both of those world but its also one of the most urban spots in LA with its ''three dimensionality'' (considering LA's urban spots are for the most part linear). I love the food, the diveristy, access to mass transit, and the convenience of being in the center of LA. But its a tough call, lotsa good hoods in LA. How about your citY?

[kool maudit]

mile-end, where i live.

(though i have an undeserved soft spot for saint henri.)

[Buckeye Native 001]

A couple:

Los Angeles: Downtown/Fashion District
Orange: Old Towne
Cincinnati: Mt. Auburn

[Cirrus]

Dupont Circle.

Adams Morgan would win if only it had a Metro station.

[peanut gallery]

My first reaction is to say North Beach or Cow Hollow, but I actually spend more free time in upper Fillmore. So I guess that's really my favorite.

[fflint]

Church and Market. While the housing is solid, the corner stores are well-stocked, the bars are great and the all-night eating is pretty sweet, I think I like this area best because of its nature as a major crossroads. This is the epicenter of the Castro, Duboce Triangle, Lower Haight and other nearby neighborhoods both in terms of transportation and in basic goods and services; it's busy day and night, but isn't overwhelming like downtown.

[krudmonk]

Probably downtown. Depending on the definitions (which vary) this can be a pretty big area.
Church and Market.
That's my favorite neighborhood up there. People seem pretty genuine when compared to North Beach, the Marina, SOMA, etc.

[Xing]

In Chicago, it's Bucktown/Wicker Park, although Logan Square is up there. Most of my friends, in Chicago , lived in this area. There's plenty to do, a great atmosphere, and a lot of energy.

In St. Louis, it's Lafayette Square, for it's beauty. The housing architecture, park, and unique randomness, has me salivating. There is no better housing in the midwest. I can see at the pond, inside Lafayette Park, for hours.

[OhioGuy]

Here in Chicago I can't really pick between Lincoln Park & Lakeview. My friends all live on Diversey which is the dividing line between the two, so I tend to spend most of my free time in both neighborhoods. I'm considering moving to Lakeview this winter (though that decision is still very much up in the air).

[Derek]

The East Village.

[LordMandeep]

i am having a hard time deciding..

[Chase Unperson]

Church and Market. While the housing is solid, the corner stores are well-stocked, the bars are great and the all-night eating is pretty sweet, I think I like this area best because of its nature as a major crossroads. This is the epicenter of the Castro, Duboce Triangle, Lower Haight and other nearby neighborhoods both in terms of transportation and in basic goods and services; it's busy day and night, but isn't overwhelming like downtown.

Indeed. I lived at 15th and Castro for a year and that was the best of my SF years.

[Chase Unperson]

This may not seem too creative but I got to go with what I know and where I lived

SF: Duboce Triangle/Castro/Mission/Lower Haight
New Orleans: French Quarter
Chicago: Hancock building (but I really appreciated many of the hoods)
LA: Venice I don't know why anyone would choose to live anywhere else in LA. Venice has the ocean, moderate climate, and an eclectic creative community. It does lack decent nightlife and there is no rock club nearby. People call it silver lake by the beach, but it is not quite. And it is far from the other hot spots of the city. But nothing can trump the ocean in the middle of the night, at dawn, in the morning, afternoon or dusk.

[SpongeG]

i really love Strathcona here in Vancouver - its mainly all houses though but its really eclectic and on the edge of downtown

[neuhickman79]

For Sacramento it would be too hard for me to pick just one...so, I'll say Midtown (obvious choice) and Elmhurst!

[OfCourse]

For Harlingen...I'd say Treasure Hills.

Silk Stocking Row is a nice runner up.

[fangorangutang]

In Portland, my faves are Westmoreland and NW.

[JivecitySTL]

I must say in all honesty that my favorite St. Louis neighborhood is the one I just moved to--- Skinker-DeBaliviere. Great location, housing stock, transit connections, walkability, amenities, etc. I also love the Central West End, where I lived for the past 7 years.

[tdawg]

Either the West Village or Cobble Hill, my old nabe.

[totheskies]

I've got three:

Kansas City: The whole midtown/Westport area... eerily similar to Chicago neighborhoods in some ways.

Houston: The Heights (not that they're very high). Does anyone know why this neighborhood was named this way????

Little Rock: a tie between the ACTUAL Heights (i.e. homes on the tops of the mountains) and Quapaw Quarter-- gotta love the grandeur of the Old South.

[VivaLFuego]

Really tough call for me in Chicago....
I'd probably have to say Gold Coast. I really like a neighborhood that has seen waves of successive development over the course of decades, if not centuries. Not to say that I don't also love well-preserved old neighborhoods (such as our Lincoln Park or Wicker Park), but I love the 'urban fabric' that's obtained with a wide mix of styles, scales, techniques, etc., and Gold Coast combines all of these while also being one of the denser, most ped- and transit-friendly areas of the city, which actually has a wide variety of affordability based on the aforementioned diversity in building stock. This is in contrast to other high-density neighborhoods like South Loop, which is almost exclusively high-priced condos.

[Front_Range_Guy]

I have more than one, but I'm particularly partial to a little neighborhood called Boulder Crescent, on the northwest fringes of downtown.

[travelinmiles]

Houston: The Heights (not that they're very high). Does anyone know why this neighborhood was named this way????



It's called the Heights because its sits 22 feet higher than downtown. It's not quite a bluff but back when it was built it was the highest part of Houston.

[Cleveland Brown]

Detroit:
Hermann Gardens
Chene
Poletown
Delray

Cleveland:
East Cleveland
Near west side
Kingsbury Run
Hough

[brickell]

Miami - Coconut Grove.
It's not what it used to be, but it still has that old school Miami, laid back vibe to me.

[vodnik]

Saint Louis

The Central West End if I had a cool million to buy a house. Since I do not...

Then the historic neighborhoods of Soulard, Lafayette Sq & LaSalle Park.

[Evergrey]

hmmm... that's a tough one...

I guess I'll say Shadyside... centrally-located, multiple business districts with unique characters, lots of dining, shopping, nightlife, gorgeous housing, tree-lined streets, great transit access, close to other great neighborhoods, lots of students and young professionals, mix of houses and small/medium apartment buildings, Apple Store, walkable

[Chicago2020]

In the Phoenix and Maricopa County area, I have to say Scottsdale.

[Rufus]

It's hard to decide. Shadyside is probably considered the best neighborhood in the city, and I just moved here and it's great all in all, but I'm turned off by the type of people who live here and the ultra expensive shops on Walnut St.

My favorite would have to be Squirrel Hill, my old neighborhood. It's like a slightly less urban, but less pretentious Shadyside.

As for most interesting, I'd say the Southside.

[Attrill]

There are so many great neighborhoods in Chicago, but if I have to pick one it's Logan Square. It's got a great mix of everything. My favorite neighborhoods run along the Blue line from Logan Square to Grand (West Town, Ukrainian Village, Logan Square).

[Evergrey]

It's hard to decide. Shadyside is probably considered the best neighborhood in the city, and I just moved here and it's great all in all, but I'm turned off by the type of people who live here and the ultra expensive shops on Walnut St.

My favorite would have to be Squirrel Hill, my old neighborhood. It's like a slightly less urban, but less pretentious Shadyside.

As for most interesting, I'd say the Southside.

I think Squirrel Hill is the most "complete" neighborhood... in that you can pretty much get every good and service you need there... but I just like Shadyside a bit more because it just feels a little more exciting (perhaps because of the type of people lol) than Squirrel Hill (which would probably rank as my 2nd favorite along with SouthSide). I also really love the pedestrian scale of Walnut... it's a really intimate shopping experience. The street is narrow and tucked away from major through corridors... most parking is hidden behind the district. It's easily accessible by non-car modes of transportation.

My favorite neighborhoods for housing stock and streetscapes would be North Side neighborhoods like Manchester, Allegheny West and Mexican War Streets... but that area obviously does not come close to offering the amenities of the SouthSide or East End. My neighborhood of Bloomfield would occupy a 2nd-tier of favorite neighborhoods for me. Great character and density... pretty good business district (though it could use a lot of improvement)... great location... lots of grad students... pretty hideous housing stock though (and I love rowhouses... but these are just ugly)

[JackStraw]

Mine is either Shadyside or Lawrenceville. Both are kind of a contradiction in favorites though. One is upscale, beautiful streets, nice apartments like Evergrey said, the other is the one of the last remaining blue-collar area,s with a old school hard working character that is still left in it.

[Se7en Miles]

Bagley

[LordMandeep]

I still can't decide...

[downtownpdx]

Lots of beautiful neighborhoods in Portland, but I'd have to pick Northwest for its 10-min. walk to downtown, Pearl District, MAX line, streetcar, and overall density and pedestrian-active streets. Everything is a few blocks away--grocery stores, bars, shops, parks, etc.

[rsbear]

In Los Angeles - Toluca Lake. Lot's of people in So Cal don't really know where it is (likely because they're always on the freeways and not surface streets) but it's just down the hill from Universal Studios and Griffith park in the San Fernando Valley.

Some of the reasons I love Toluca Lake:

- Village-like "downtown" that still has a number of locally-owned businesses
- Beautiful residential streets (grid system) with mostly pre-war housing
- Home of an original Bob's Big Boy restaurant that is virtually unchanged since the 1950's
- There are a number of restaurants in walking distance to my home (some people in LA do walk!) :haha:
- Uncongested, unlike all the areas on the Hollywood side of the hill
- Five miles to Hollywood and 15 miles to downtown LA & four miles to Burbank Airport (I travel a lot)
- Walking distance to the Red Line Subway (great way to get to Hollywood club scene without driving) :cheers:
- And lastly, because TL is near the Cahuenga Pass, it's one of the coolest (temperature wise) places in the Valley

[Rusty van Reddick]

If I were still in Toronto- I honestly could not decide. Seaton Village, where we lived? Annex? Roncesvalles? Leslieville? Cabbagetown? I have too many favourites there.

In Calgary- love Bankview, it's home, but I'd prefer to live in a nice Beltline condo or in Bridgeland.

[rockyi]

In Rock Island I would say "The District" which is basically most of the downtown area.
Not a very original name but that's where most of the activity is.
Lots of bars, clubs, a riverboat casino (which I avoid like the plague) a dinner theater, art galleries, comedy clubs, coffee houses and restaurants and with all of the new lofts opening and being so popular with the young folks, I hope to see more drug stores and grocery stores opening there.

[SuburbanNation]

St. Louis - Benton Park, or more generally the near/mid south side where Soulard and the Tower Groves collide in a red brick explosion of weirdness.

[Stephenapolis]

For me in Miineapolis, it would be in the Northeast section of the city. Probably the Holland neighborhood (because I grew up there and know it well) or the Logan Park area ( I know it well too, it adjoins the Holland area, and hads a nicer housing stock). Holland is along Central Ave, so you are very close to shops and restaurants.

[Black Box]

In Seattle, I love my hood, Madrona. It's quiet, leafy, decent access to mass transit, great for my commute to Seward Park, surprisingly diverse, nice eateries and it's scenic. That being said, Madrona is where I like to live, Capitol Hill is where most of my social life exists and is all of those things that Madrona has, but so much more. It's got the nightlife that I need, great things are opening up all of the time, it's a short stroll to downtown neighborhoods, more mass transit and shopping options and a lively atmosphere. The other neighborhood in Seattle I adore is Columbia City. I like the people and the up and coming feel of this oft overlooked area of Seattle. When the light rail line is complete, I may just make the move there.

In NYC, LES and Billyburg (I know, how early 00's of me). Nuff said.

Also, I guess since I'm a former Minneapolitan, Nordeast is my favorite area in all of Minneapolis. I miss those days off Central Avenue, not too far from Holyland.

[Stephenapolis]

^ Holyland is still one of the busiest stores on Central. The restaurant part does even more business. I like to go there as much as I can. I still remember when that place atarted out. Few people thought it would do much business. But there is more than enough middle-easterners and north-africans to support them. It helps that the locals have discovered this place too, and really enjoy it.

[KevinFromTexas]

Definitely SoCo. This is the area in South Austin near Congress Avenue. It gets its name from South Congress of course. It's centrally located, just a mile or 2 south of downtown just south of the Colorado River. Along Congress there are large apartment complexes, but also some new lowrise residential, (3 to 6 floors). There are also 2 old motor inns which date from the 1930s. The Hotel San Jose and the Austin Motel have both been restored and are popular for musicians and locals alike. The Austin Motel has prices as cheap as 18 dollars a night and it's right on the main strip less than 2 miles from downtown. The area actually extends to about 3 miles south of downtown, but what is typically considered to be "officially" SoCo is the area about 2 miles south of the river. This area helps to keep Austin weird, hip and funky. South Congress is lined with shops and restaurants mostly with some new sizable residential projects, all lowrise. The sidewalks are lined with storefronts and sidewalk cafes. The side streets are single family, but the neighborhoods are 100 years old or older. My mom actually grew up in a huge 3-story house that sat on the corner of a block, just a block east of Congress. That house must be be about 100 years old.

The neighborhood also puts on its First Thursday festival. Every first Thursday the neighborhoods throw a big party up and down Congress that attracts thousands of people. There's food and arts and of course live music, this is Austin after all.

Check this link for more about the area and the businesses there. When people say Austin is different from the rest of Texas, this is what they're talking about.
http://www.firstthursday.info/

South Austin Neighborhood
http://austin.smallplanetguide.com/rentals/index.php?p=soco_austin_neighborhood

Here are a couple of photos I took of SoCo along Congress from last September.

The famous Austin Motel sign along South Congress.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b234/KevinFromTexas/Downtown%20Austin%20September%2013%202006/P1010181EDIT.jpg

You can just barely see downtown on the right side of this pic.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b234/KevinFromTexas/Downtown%20Austin%20September%2013%202006/P1010166EDIT.jpg

Have no fear, there were people walking up and down that sidewalk. Believe me, sometimes finding a place where there aren't people on that sidewalk can be a challenge. At some spots the sidewalk is no where near wide enough.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b234/KevinFromTexas/Downtown%20Austin%20September%2013%202006/P1010170EDIT.jpg

[Stephenapolis]

I guess I should let people know what Holyland is. It is a bakery/restaurant/store that specializes in midle-eastern/north African/west med foods. They have great pita bread, Also they might have some of the best gyro's around. Everything there is good.

[ColDayMan]

Columbus

Victorian Village/Short North

Cincinnati

It changes in moods. Sometimes Walnut Hills, other times Mt. Auburn, and strangely at times, the Northside. But today, I'm going with Clifton.

Dayton

College Hill.

[Trojan in NYC]

In Charlotte, Downtown and Dilworth/South End are my favorites.

[Suburban Lou]

Tower Grove South

[BTinSF]

Church and Market. While the housing is solid, the corner stores are well-stocked, the bars are great and the all-night eating is pretty sweet, I think I like this area best because of its nature as a major crossroads. This is the epicenter of the Castro, Duboce Triangle, Lower Haight and other nearby neighborhoods both in terms of transportation and in basic goods and services; it's busy day and night, but isn't overwhelming like downtown.

Psssst! :whisper: It's really http://erossf.com/ that makes that intersection "special" . ;)

But I was gonna say the nearby Dolores Heights.

I also like the downtown-facing slopes of Potrero Hill above 16th St.

[vanhattan]

Psssst! :whisper: It's really http://erossf.com/ that makes that intersection "special" . ;)

LOL :yes: never been, but should I put erossf on my list?

Vancouver, BC;

My favortie areas as far as general locations would be anywhere along the seawall surrounding Downtown, Westend, False Creek North and Coal Harbour. My favoite neighborhoods, depending on my mood; Davie Villiage and Yaletown. Davie Villiage for anthing leaning gritty and gay and Yaletown for the largest amount of good restaurants and pretty people.

[fflint]

Another reason to love Church and Market in SF: hundreds of people dancing at a streetcorner "flash" dance last night.

Some dude with a tricked-out computerized bicycle-soundsystem set up and played some amazing mashups at the corner, and as people (such as my partner and myself) happened upon the scene, the dancing crowd kept getting bigger and bigger--eventually spilling off the sidewalks and into the intersection--until the cops shut us down a good 2 hours after we had arrived. I never imagined "It's Tricky" and "My Sharona" could be played at the same time to such effect...

[tech12]

Another reason to love Church and Market in SF: hundreds of people dancing at a streetcorner "flash" dance last night.

Some dude with a tricked-out computerized bicycle-soundsystem set up and played some amazing mashups at the corner, and as people (such as my partner and myself) happened upon the scene, the dancing crowd kept getting bigger and bigger--eventually spilling off the sidewalks and into the intersection--until the cops shut us down a good 2 hours after we had arrived. I never imagined "It's Tricky" and "My Sharona" could be played at the same time to such effect...

^heh, I had a similar experience at Church and Market a couple months ago. Was with some friends, around 2 or 3 am, and a stretch-escalade limo pulled up, music blaring, and about a dozen women popped out and started freak-dancing with anyone around. This lasted about 5 minutes, until the cops showed up and made everyone leave.

As for my favorite hood, overall it would have to be the Mission. It has just about everything I ever need...

[pdxtex]

i am having a hard time deciding..

i don't live in toronto but my favorite is probably queen street west of younge and chinatown/spadina area.......

[pdxtex]

for my current digs (portland), i nominate hawthorne. for past lives, the entire town of ann arbor.......

[nobody]

Boise's pretty lacking in hip urban areas. The North End is nice but it's sort of like a super condensed suburb. The East End where I live is nice because of it's proximity to downtown, but even at just 3 blocks away it's still a decent walk to a grocery store or a corner store. I really wish we had a neighborhood of rowhouses or low - midrise residential with shops beneath / near. :(

[LordMandeep]

i don't live in toronto but my favorite is probably queen street west of younge and chinatown/spadina area.......


Well Queen street is becoming more of a outdoor mall...However it still has all of the arts and culture further down.


I think the annex wins...also the area around the UFT is great.

In Toronto there is a difference between neighborhoods you would like to eat/walk win and neighborhoods you want to live in.

Mimico doesn't have the vibrancy of Queen Street but i find it more livable.

[sf_eddo]

I would give my left nut to live along Duboce Park, which could be either Duboce Triangle or Lower Haight.

I think I'd also like the Market/Hermann/Laguna/Guerrero area, but I don't know what that area is called.

[sf_eddo]

In the East Bay, I'm going with Temescal in Oakland. It's kind of my dream to buy a house there.

[jerrywcca]

For the metros I've lived in:
Dayton: Oregon District. Fond memories of bar hopping there 25 years ago and I'm glad it's still hopping.
Cincinnati: Northside. Funky, progressive, rough around the edges and not overly gentrified. I lived there 3 years and loved it.
Phoenix:Encanto Village. great housing stock and a central location. I had friends who lived there and the neighbors all seemed to know each other.
San Francisco:A toughie but I have to second Dolores Park. The location between the Castro and Mission is ideal and the park itself has one of the best views in the city.

Although Walnut Creek is really not a city of neighborhoods, I do love living downtown with literally everything I need (including BART) within walking distance.

[UglymanCometh]

Midtown. One of the 3 reasons to live in Detroit.

[MIAMISKYLINE]

Downtown Miami and Brickell Area.

[Echo Park]

Midtown. One of the 3 reasons to live in Detroit.

what are the other two