alternate name: 'mapgirl city'

I'm on a fool's errand this morning:  trying to figure out where I'll live when I relocate to America. I get there two weeks from today, you know.

Seriously.

I'll live at a hotel for the first 3 weeks, which I'm actually excited about.* But eventually I'll need to have a permanent address where I can receive all my magazines.**  I actually will be working quite far from Atlanta proper, so I can either (a) live in the bowels of suburbia*** and OR (b) have a killer commute. This is a very difficult decision.

I've polled nearly everyone I know with knowledge of the Atlanta metro area, and since none of them is a 41-year-old single woman, I haven't agreed with many of their recommendations. I asked a 20something single woman, and she mentioned Decatur.

It falls into the killer commute category, but the more I read about it, I think it might be tailor-made for me:

-- Great farmer's market

-- Local eateries prevail; "the national chains are not prevalent here" 

-- Located on a main public transportation line

-- Has a ginormous book festival in the fall

-- "May have more used bookstores than any other community in metro Atlanta"

-- Has a renowned local music venue, Eddie's Attic

-- Original Waffle House and museum

I think we may have a winner.

Updated:  And "Decatur Confidential" is available as a URL. Hmm.

--------------------------------

* Check back on Day 17.

** That's one thing I realized realised I can do again: subscribe to American magazines. I am looking forward to that.

*** Been there, done that, have  the polo shirt.

Comments

[Alan in Belfast]

When you say "killer commute" - how bad? And how long to get into the city centre for weekend adventures?

[mapgirl]

Killer commute, according to Google Maps, is 1 hour 5 minutes each way ... but I'm wondering if that's realistic. Everyone tells me the Atlanta traffic is just beyond belief -- a lot of gridlock! Decatur is 9 miles from the city centre and located on the main train line, so very easy to pop into town. Sounds like Decatur has a lot of great stuff on its own as well.

Just can't get my head around 2 hours on the road every day. Then again, Google Maps says the commute from other towns I'm considering, closer to work, is 40-50 minutes on non-motorway routes.

What do you think?

[mazr]

I would bite the bullet and go with Decatur. Of course I won't be making the commute, so it's easy for me to say. I always imagined a train commute would be a great way to keep up on reading.

Also, did you hear about Luciano?

http://www.pjstar.com/homepage/x1655275182/JS-columnist-radio-personality-arrested-after-alleged-bar-fight

[mapgirl]

Hi Mazr - if it were a rail commute, I'd do it. No chance though, all driving. It's not looking good. I was basing the commute on Google Maps; people in Georgia say it's likely to be more like 90 minutes. Augh!

I'm so sad to read that about Luciano. Hope he's OK.

m.