Best Zip Code for Perfect Life

What about Portland? Anybody from there?

thanx john_l for your pitch for my town, denver,co. denver is, indeed, a haven for audiophiles. not only do we have close by the audio firms mentioned but several others, too: avalon acoustics, boulder amplifiers, inc., ayre, green mountain audio, among others. we also have some top-notch retailers who, together, carry a huge array of products. within 60 miles, we have numerous universities and colleges, public and private. the front range corridor is also a nationally prominent high tech center, with loads of high-paying jobs for those with the right mix of skills/experience. the number of live music venues has exploded in the past few years, from large to intimate; 'course we have as a city park the favorite venue among many performers: red rocks. it's hard to imagine a spot more geared toward outdoor pursuits. you can kayak, ice climb, ski, snow shoe, hike, fish, etc., etc. what's more you can drive or ride the roads used in tire commercials, which also serve as test grounds for nearly all the us and international auto manufacturers. we don't have the history of the east, of course. colo is the "centennial state" because it was admitted into the union in 1876. what we do have by way of historical buildings, we've preserved. those buildings surround our 2 newest and about-to-be completed 3rd major league venue. this town is a 4- league sports mecca; every avalanche game ever played here has been a sellout and every broncos game, too, since the early 70's. unfortunately, as john_l, notes, denver is no longer affordable in terms of housing (mean home price surpassed $265k this year). there are some affordable areas left if you're willing to commute or be an urban pioneer. on the whole, there are few places i'd rather call home. (i'd really like to live in london, but that's another story)

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.

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.

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.