Where to live for two months? - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

alabbasi · #16 03-18-2013, 06:47 PM

I lived in St Augustine for about 8 months when I first moved to the US in 2000. I was on a project at the time and they put me up in a pretty nice long stay apartment.

I loved living there for the weather. Every weekend , I'd take a slow drive down to Daytona Beach on A1A and eat there. You pretty much see the ocean all the way down.

I was going to buy a house there as at the time, as I was a consultant and it really did not matter where I lived as long as I was willing to travel. But the economy tanked and I worked for a tech company so I played it safe and moved to Dallas where the development office was.

When I first moved here, I hated. it seemed so big but full of sprawl and there was nothing to do. However, in the last 5-6 years, there's been a lot of urban development and it has really picked up.

Apart from 3 months in the year (mid June to mid September when it's hellish hot), the weather for the most part is great, people are generally good and there's no shortage of cars to wrench on from the 70's and 80's.

You can get a long stay apartment for about $200/week.

elchivito · #17 03-18-2013, 07:51 PM

If you have a pulse and can pass a drug test and sign your name there are 17 dollar an hour jobs going begging in the oil fields between SE New Mexico and Odessa, Tejas. Everybody has help wanted signs out. My cousin in Odessa tells me even the local WalMart is offering that much per hour and can't find enough help.

Avoid Arizona. It's an awful place.

strelnik · #18 03-19-2013, 12:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skid Row Joe

Daytona Beach is listed as 'on-sale' for homes at a bargain at this time too. I love Fla. weather in the late Fall, Winter, and Spring. You haven't lived, (with heat/humidity) until you've spent the summer in Fla. Ha!

I did live previously in Orlando when I worked for Chrysler, but it is too crowded now because of Disney and Universal. Tampa might work.
I'd like to know a city near where Aquatic Edge lives.

Texas might work too.

cjlipps · #19 03-19-2013, 12:34 PM

I've spent some time in the Tex-Ark-Ok-La corner the last several months and the climate in winter is fairly pleasant and the scenery is nice if you like trees. The economy is very depressed and there are a lot of run down areas so living expenses shouldn't be too bad. Lots of old cars too.
Not someplace I'd want to raise a family or try to make a good living but the scenery and climate has been a nice change from flat, windy, dry, cold and barren that I'm used to in the winter.

strelnik · #20 03-19-2013, 12:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elchivito

If you have a pulse and can pass a drug test and sign your name there are 17 dollar an hour jobs going begging in the oil fields between SE New Mexico and Odessa, Tejas. Everybody has help wanted signs out. My cousin in Odessa tells me even the local WalMart is offering that much per hour and can't find enough help.

Avoid Arizona. It's an awful place.

I really don't want to work any more except on the Benzes or Cits that I find. maybe a part-time quickie job, but nothing steady. I might do a one-time translation or a voice-over ( for a couple years I was the voice of BMW and DHL in French Canada, but nothing lately, by choice).

what's still in the running:
San Antonio
St. Augustine
possibly Tampa (?)
possibly wherever Aquatic Edge lives in FL
possibly Toulouse (many vintage Benzes still used there, diesel taxis abound, 123 cars can be shipped out as antiques)

Mike D · #21 03-19-2013, 01:36 PM

For just a 2 month stay I'd pick San Antonio. Local car pickings might be slim but if you're willing to drive a bit, there's plenty of cars around. Enough stuff to do to keep out of trouble and the folks are pretty easy going. They do tawk funny though and your translation skills might come in handy.

strelnik · #22 03-19-2013, 01:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike D

For just a 2 month stay I'd pick San Antonio. Local car pickings might be slim but if you're willing to drive a bit, there's plenty of cars around. Enough stuff to do to keep out of trouble and the folks are pretty easy going. They do tawk funny though and your translation skills might come in handy.

Thanks, got to find the right place and the right place to rent, too.

Skid Row Joe · #23 03-19-2013, 03:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by strelnik

I did live previously in Orlando when I worked for Chrysler, but it is too crowded now because of Disney and Universal. Tampa might work.
I'd like to know a city near where Aquatic Edge lives.

Texas might work too.

I believe AE lives in Tallahassee - which is inland out in the panhandle.

jcyuhn · #24 03-19-2013, 03:22 PM

I'm a MI native and my folks did the snowbird thing for a lot of years. I don't think north Texas or anything at this lattitude is going to be warm enough to bother. Winters are mild here, but most mornings are in the 30s and it does snow from time to time. It also looks and feels like winter; the trees are bare and the grass is dormant.

Farther south in Texas might work. As you move toward Houston the climate becomes subtropical and winter largely ceases to exist. Not sure just how far you need to go. I spend a good amount of time in the hill country west of Austin & SA; they have a milder form of winter there, but everything is still dormant.

My folks ended up in the Florida keys. After spending his entire life in Michigan, dad wanted to go somewhere that never sees snow and never frosts. Apparently Miami isn't far enough south...

Stoneseller · #25 03-19-2013, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elchivito

If you have a pulse and can pass a drug test and sign your name there are 17 dollar an hour jobs going begging in the oil fields between SE New Mexico and Odessa, Tejas. Everybody has help wanted signs out. My cousin in Odessa tells me even the local WalMart is offering that much per hour and can't find enough help.

Avoid Arizona. It's an awful place.

I can't help thinking about the movie No Country for Old Men any time I hear Odessa mentioned. Movie made a pretty lasting impression on me.

OTOH, I'm about to head to the airport to pick up Sis-in-law coming in from Austin shortly. I loved that city when I visited.
Looking forward to hearing how things are there over dinner tonight.

spdrun · #26 03-19-2013, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stoneseller

I can't help thinking about the movie No Country for Old Men any time I hear Odessa mentioned. Movie made a pretty lasting impression on me.

As long as you keep out of the way of creepy longhairs carrying air tanks, I suspect it's pretty safe.

Skid Row Joe · #27 03-19-2013, 04:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jcyuhn

I'm a MI native and my folks did the snowbird thing for a lot of years. I don't think north Texas or anything at this lattitude is going to be warm enough to bother. Winters are mild here, but most mornings are in the 30s and it does snow from time to time. It also looks and feels like winter; the trees are bare and the grass is dormant.

Farther south in Texas might work. As you move toward Houston the climate becomes subtropical and winter largely ceases to exist. Not sure just how far you need to go. I spend a good amount of time in the hill country west of Austin & SA; they have a milder form of winter there, but everything is still dormant.

My folks ended up in the Florida keys. After spending his entire life in Michigan, dad wanted to go somewhere that never sees snow and never frosts. Apparently Miami isn't far enough south...

Key West, FL had a record low temp. of +34F as I recall about 20 years ago. At the same time in December approaching Christmas time - it got to -10F in Dallas, Texas. I know - I was here. It was miserable for several days. You're absolutely right about winter in Texas. It is very cold here at times. Brownsville/McAllen, Texas is where one would need to go to escape most of the winter weather blast in Texas. It's a laid back lifestyle in the Valley, as it's called, with very cheap living for groceries, restaurants, AND for rentals. With LOTS and LOTS of them - rentals.

I love living in Texas, all things considered. I was lucky to get my beginning opportunity in the Deep South (GA/FL/TN) when starting out from Nebraska where I grew up - and I decided to stay 5 years living in the Southeast and Memphis, TN.........36 years now in Dallas. If I were to move anywhere else in Texas, it would have to be El Paso. I love the weather there year around, especially in the summer, versus the rest of the state. I've had the luxury of travelling the state for 25 years on business - and have gotten to all far reaches during every season, so I know from whence I speak.

jcyuhn · #28 03-19-2013, 05:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skid Row Joe

Key West, FL had a record low temp. of +34F as I recall about 20 years ago. At the same time in December approaching Christmas time - it got to -10F in Dallas, Texas. I know - I was here. It was miserable for several days. You're absolutely right about winter in Texas. It is very cold here at times. Brownsville/McAllen, Texas is where one would need to go to escape most of the winter weather blast in Texas. It's a laid back lifestyle in the Valley, as it's called, with very cheap living for groceries, restaurants, AND for rentals. With LOTS and LOTS of them - rentals.

That was just before Christmas 1989. I had moved here from San Diego about 6 months prior and was really questioning that decision when it hit -5F and the furnace couldn't keep the house warm...

Skid Row Joe · #29 03-19-2013, 05:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jcyuhn

That was just before Christmas 1989. I had moved here from San Diego about 6 months prior and was really questioning that decision when it hit -5F and the furnace couldn't keep the house warm...

I couldn't remember the exact year, jcyuhn - but it was incrediby cold here in Dallas for several days. I was holed-up in the large, eat-in kitchen running one space heater, versus heating the whole house with it's radiant-heat furnace. I distinctly remember the weather report of how cold it got in Key West one night as the front dipped to even far south Florida.

A lot of elderly, retired folks flock and snowbird to far south Texas for the winter months. I may be one of them too one of these years......

daw_two · #30 03-19-2013, 05:23 PM

Darryl.

Find a place in Florida near the Gulf of Mexico that has a concrete block garage. Are you planning on having tools stored down there or are you going to move everything back and forth each visit? If you don't have one already, sounds like you need a truck and car hauling trailer as a minimum.

Wish I could join you once a week for a coffee, beer, cocktail, lunch, dinner, wrenching, car ride, etc. Good Luck in your search and let us know what you find.

When I lived in Orlando, my inlaws lived in Venice. I like the Venice, Port Charlotte area. Sarasota would be something I would check out; small enough; yet close enough to Tampa/Clearwater.