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Arcadians: SLC - Help me Grokk it

JohnnyCacheJohnnyCache Starting DefensePlace at the tableRegistered User regular
edited February 2012 in Help / Advice Forum
So my boss is keen to stick me in Salt Lake City - I was therefore wondering if some of you guys might happen to be currently or formerly residents of SLC?

If so, can you break the town down for me a bit? Like the various high and low lights, fast ways to get around, the demographics of the neighborhoods, where I might be able to find a rad apartment, that kind of thing

What would be the raddest apartment? Something over or adjacent to a garage with a 10' door so I can work out of the same building.

JohnnyCache on

Posts

  • JohnnyCacheJohnnyCache Starting Defense Place at the tableRegistered User regular
    one of you people must live here...

  • flowerhoneyflowerhoney Registered User regular
    edited February 2012
    Well...

    I personally think its kind of boring town. Very beautiful though, so if you like hiking or skiing or biking or rock climbing or other heavily outdoorsy activities you're in luck! I feel like downtown is pretty small and doesn't offer a ton of variety though (I can't really speak to the drinking/clubbing aspect as I'm not 21 yet)

    As far as neighborhoods good, I guess the avenues are a pretty cool place! They're on the east side of SLC, pretty close to the mormon temple and the capitol, and are the streets numbered and lettered on an easy to navigate grid. SLC is like the easiest city to drive in cuz its all a big grid and once you're familiar with the town is pretty hard to get lost.
    I can see sugarhouse as being a nice place too, also on the east side
    I have no idea where the raddest apartment is but sugarhouse has a lot of restaurants and shops in the area, and the avenues is a really nice looking neighborhood and close-ish to downtown and the university.

    You don't want to live in rose park on the west side
    Also you don't want to leave salt lake unless you are either very religious or very conservative (its fine if you are, I'm just saying)

    Personally I think the best way to get around is with a car. You CAN use public transportation, but it isn't particularly fast or widespread. Like in high school I commuted from my house in the foothills to my school close to gateway (the big mall) which was across town and it look me like an hour and half with trax and the bus.

    Its cold in the winter and hot in the summer. Very hot, and extremely dry all year around which I personally feel makes the seasons very manageable. They aren't mild, but it doesn't feel as extreme as it is. We get all the seasons though, which looks pretty gorgeous I have to admit!

    What else do you wanna know specifically?

    flowerhoney on
  • RethiusRethius Registered User regular
    Hey. I live in SLC.

    It really depends on what you want. If you are interested in the bar/nightlife thing, you probably want to live downtown or in Sugarhouse like flowerhoney was saying. As a warning, those areas are pretty expensive for what you get - usually more cramped and full of people. If you have a car and you don't mind driving about 10 minutes, there are some really good neighborhoods a bit more south. Draper is about as far south as you can go, and it's really expensive and full of white collar people and their families. Sandy (where I live) is like Draper jr. in that it's not super cheap, but it's not a bad neighborhood. West Jordan and South Jordan are more southwest of downtown (like 20 minutes away) and are nicer but more secluded. I disagree with flowerhoney about having to be mormon or conservative to live outside of the downtown area, most of the badass parties I have gone to have been in West Jordan. You'll find a good mix of non religious/conservative people no matter where you go.

    Places you do not want to live:

    *Rose Park (this is closer to downtown and is scary)
    *South Salt Lake (this is a more nebulous term for the southern downtown area. It's kind of a bad neighborhood in some places and you really have to scope it out before making a decision)
    *West Valley City (this is on the west site and is not a fun place)
    *Kearns (Stay out of Kearns)

    The city operates on a grid system so it's easy to get around. Temple Square (the religious building that looks like disneyland) is 0 north/south and 0 east/west. If you know that it's usually pretty easy to find places.

    You will have to eat at Su Casa. It's a mexican restaurant on State Street and 6800 S. It is delicious. Drink beer from Squatters and Wasatch Brewery, as they are delicious as well. As far as I know we dont have any good wineries.

    SLC is a pretty awesome place to live and is usually underrated.

  • flowerhoneyflowerhoney Registered User regular
    Sorry I didnt mean the downtown, I mean like outside of SLC such as draper or ogden (with park city being the exception)

  • JohnnyCacheJohnnyCache Starting Defense Place at the tableRegistered User regular
    edited February 2012
    My uncle lives in new construction in lehi. Very nice, but very valley of the dolls. I can tell his neighbors hate him but he's awesome and either doesn't notice or doesn't care.

    I kind of like to live in the middle of shit, but i have to park a work vehicle and a personal one, so i need some space.

    JohnnyCache on
  • wakkawawakkawa Registered User regular
    I also live in SLC. I live pretty close to downtown and commute either using TRAX or my bike. The only time I have wanted a car was so I could go hiking in big cottonwood canyon. There isn't really anything to crazy to do downtown but if you love the outdoors you'll be extremely happy.

    Finding an apartment in the foothills and avenues is really hard though. They are all pretty much taken.

  • flowerhoneyflowerhoney Registered User regular
    Well there are lots of apartments near the public library which is pretty close to the downtown and they're near the trax which is convenient!

  • JohnnyCacheJohnnyCache Starting Defense Place at the tableRegistered User regular
    Ewwww...you expect me to live near ....

    readers?

    Kidding. Right now im in west jordan. I cant decide if all these place names are from the bible or types of soda from the 50s....

  • flowerhoneyflowerhoney Registered User regular
    Do you already live in utah?

  • JohnnyCacheJohnnyCache Starting Defense Place at the tableRegistered User regular
    I'm here for work. It's looking like a long term assignment, though

  • necroSYSnecroSYS Registered User, ClubPA regular
    Leave West Jordan and move to the east side. If you have the $$$, move to Sugarhouse or the Avenues. If you have $$, move to Cottonwood Heights (think Ft. Union and Highland Drive).
    Listen to Radio from Hell (FM 96.something)
    Eat at The Copper Onion, Cafe Rio, Rodizio Grill, the Log Haven (on a date), and Tuscany (also on a date)
    Spend as much time up in the canyons as possible, or head down to Moab when the weather gets nice. Hike the Mount Olympus trail (after May or bring snowshoes).

  • JohnnyCacheJohnnyCache Starting Defense Place at the tableRegistered User regular
    cafe rio is kind of like a chipoltle with more standing in line. didn't hate it, didn't go crazy.

    what is $$$ vs $$ in this context

  • necroSYSnecroSYS Registered User, ClubPA regular
    If you get anything but the Rio Salad, Cafe Rio's underwhelming.

    But the Rio Salad with creamy cilantro dressing is the best fresh-mex ever.

    I used those as abstractions because I haven't lived in the area in 10 years. It's mostly to denote that one is quite a bit more expensive than the other.

  • HomelessHomeless Registered User regular
    For cheap mexican food, it's all about the Albertos on 500 south and 300 west. Few places can match a 3am drunken Wednesday night meal as well as they do. I recommend the Avenues, Sugarhouse, and certain streets of the Liberty Wells neighborhood (it's where I live now, and most places advertise it as Sugarhouse but they are fucking liars. It's between State St and 700 East and 900 South and 2100 South. Good balance of $$$ and proximity to interesting stuff.) Most houses in Sugarhouse will run you between $1000 and $1500 a month, whereas Liberty Wells is between about $750 a month and $1000, without being totally ghetto.

  • schussschuss Registered User regular
    I'd live in Sandy, and make sure you take up Mountain Biking and Skiing, as some of the best skiing in the world is there. The mountain biking is also world class, with freeride parks nearby (I street, Ogden) and Moab to the south.

  • KolosusKolosus Registered User regular
    I would suggest going into American Fork Canyon and do some snow shoeing. The SLC night life is pretty good, outside of SLC it exists in pockets. I would stay away from Utah County. As far as dinner recommendations, hit up Market Street Grill, which is located on Market Street. I wouldn't live in the Avenues unless you want to drop loads of cash on rent. Utah is an awesome place to live, plenty of things to do outdoors and indoors. If you like Football, don't be a Ute fan.

  • necroSYSnecroSYS Registered User, ClubPA regular
    Kolosus wrote:
    I would stay away from Utah County.
    Easily the best advice in this thread.

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