Before the pandemic, metropolitan living was often perceived as the pinnacle of an ideal lifestyle. New York City, with its relentless dynamism, internationally acclaimed theatres, superior culinary experiences, and prospects of higher-than-average earnings, enthralled many. Not far behind was the enchantment of San Francisco, offering a unique combination of outdoor adventures — the rare chance to ski and surf within the same day — and a close link to the world’s nucleus of technological breakthroughs. Then there was Miami, a subtropical sanctuary where residents basked in supreme beaches, a rich blend of cultures, and a warm utopia.

Yet, the pandemic ignited a substantial shift in working habits, allowing employees, no longer tethered to proximity to their workplaces, to relocate to more distant and suburban areas. Today, some of these suburban lifestyles have ascended to be among the most desired in America, each providing expansive spaces and nature, closeness to major city centers, and access to various state attractions.

But which suburban lifestyles are the most sought-after in America?

This intriguing question was posed by “MovingFeedback.com” in a nationwide survey involving 3,000 American respondents.

Showing up really strong in what can only be described as a competitive field, two Oklahoma suburbs were voted as places with the most envied lifestyles in the country.

These were:

#39 Edmond: Residents of Edmond enjoy a great lifestyle due to the town’s friendly community, strong sense of safety, and a variety of recreational opportunities. With its well-maintained neighborhoods, excellent schools, and numerous parks and green spaces, Edmond offers a family-friendly environment that fosters a high quality of life. The town’s thriving local economy, access to cultural events, and convenient proximity to Oklahoma City provide residents with a balanced and fulfilling living experience, making Edmond an ideal place for individuals and families seeking a welcoming and dynamic lifestyle in the heart of Oklahoma.

#168 Nichols Hills: With its beautiful tree-lined streets, large properties, and well-maintained parks, Nichols Hills offers a serene and upscale environment for residents to call home. The town’s excellent schools, low crime rate, and proximity to Oklahoma City provide residents with a high quality of life, making Nichols Hills an attractive and fulfilling place to live.

Harrison Gough, who organized and led the nationwide survey, said in a press release sent to Pat McGuigan of The City Sentinel (Oklahoma City):

“The pandemic certainly reshaped the American dream when it comes to choosing a living environment. Our survey reveals a growing interest in suburbs that combine the tranquility and space of rural areas with the convenience and vibrancy of city life. The 175 suburbs voted in our survey exemplify the evolving aspirations of Americans in the post-pandemic era. As we continue to redefine our work and lifestyle preferences, we anticipate an ongoing shift towards these coveted suburban settings.”

The aim of the ‘Moving Feedback’ survey was to unveil the most desirable suburban lifestyles across the nation and rank them in a list of 1-175.

The survey’s findings of the most valued suburbs offered some intriguing insights:

#1 Calabasas, California

The most envied suburban lifestyle in America belongs to the residents of Calabasas in California. This neighborhood north of Los Angeles is defined by its idyllic suburban charm and proximity to the bustling entertainment industry. Surrounded by the scenic Santa Monica Mountains, residents can revel in the natural beauty of the area, enjoying hiking trails and open spaces. Moreover, being a stone’s throw away from LA allows residents to access a plethora of cultural events, dining experiences, and career opportunities, making Calabasas a desirable place to call home, where the best of both worlds converge.

#2 Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida

In second place came Ponte Vedra Beach in Florida, offering an unparalleled lifestyle characterized by sun-kissed beaches and a relaxed coastal atmosphere. Living in this vibrant community, residents can indulge in a wide range of water-based activities, such as surfing, boating, and beachcombing. Additionally, the area is renowned for its prestigious golf courses, offering enthusiasts world-class facilities and tournaments. The charming small-town feel, complemented by nearby cultural hubs like Jacksonville, grants residents the opportunity to enjoy a serene coastal retreat while still having access to urban amenities and cultural events.

#3 Huntington Bay, New York

Huntington Bay in New York (in third place) promises residents an exclusive and luxurious lifestyle along the stunning North Shore of Long Island. Nestled between the picturesque Huntington Harbor and Long Island Sound, the town boasts breathtaking waterfront properties and panoramic views, providing an enchanting coastal living experience. With its close-knit community and pristine beaches, residents can savor a tranquil and family-friendly atmosphere. The town’s proximity to New York City offers convenient access to world-class cultural attractions, fine dining, and career opportunities.

#4 SouthPark, North Carolina

The lifestyle in SouthPark, North Carolina, is the 4th most coveted in the country. It is a highly sought-after area due to its upscale SouthPark Mall, the largest in the Carolinas, and its prime location just six miles south of Charlotte. It offers a mix of luxurious shopping, upscale residential living, and a thriving business district, making it an attractive destination for those seeking a coveted lifestyle close to the city.

#5 Forest Acres, South Carolina

Rounding up the top 5 is Forest Acres in neighboring South Carolina. Known for its tree-lined streets, abundant green spaces, and beautiful parks, Forest Acres offers residents a tranquil and picturesque setting to call home. The area’s proximity to downtown Columbia allows residents to access a wide range of cultural events, dining establishments, and recreational activities, striking the perfect balance between suburban serenity and urban convenience.

Other suburbs that made the top 10:

#6 Sugar Land, Texas which boasts a range of upscale residential neighborhoods, excellent schools, and well-maintained public amenities.

#7 Alpharetta, Georgia is considered an attractive place to live due to its robust job market, high average incomes, well-planned neighborhoods, excellent schools, and proximity to Atlanta’s cultural and entertainment opportunities.

#8 Alamo Heights, Texas — its proximity to San Antonio provides residents with various amenities and cultural opportunities, making it an attractive choice for affluent families.

#9 Mercer Island, Washington provides picturesque waterfront properties and scenic views, which contribute to its desirability.

#10 McLean, Virginia offers upscale neighborhoods with luxurious properties, top-rated schools, and proximity to various amenities and cultural attractions.

The source is: https://www.movingfeedback.com/ . It is worth the time for anyone interested to review this information. To review the full list of 175 suburbs that made the cut, go here:

https://www.movingfeedback.com/americas-most-envied-suburban-lifestyles/

Notes: Pat McGuigan prepared this story for posting, working with the ‘Moving Feedback’ material provided. It came from ‘apricot content’ – lifestyle, 3415 NE 25th Avenue, Portland, Oregon, 97212

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OAKLAND (CBS SF) — A warning went out to mountain bikers in the Oakland hills Friday, alerting to a recent spree of several armed robberies targeting cyclists.

Avid mountain biker Louisa Spier was believed to be the first victim in the recent cases.’

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“Everything about it just fitted me perfect. The handlebars, the seat, I could lift it up,” described Spier of her beloved Giant Trance X29 mountain bike.

On Tuesday, March 29th around noon, she was riding solo on the Skyline Boulevard median trail near Parkridge drive not far from Oakland Fire Station 21. Spier said three masked suspects cornered her.

“The first one just said, ‘Give me your bike’ and I started to get off my bike,” Spier told KPIX. “And the one on the street came and pointed a gun at me and said, ‘Give us your bike’”

Spier jumped off her bike and ran into oncoming traffic. She said a woman driving on Skyline Boulevard stopped, let her in and drove her away from the gunman.

“To have a gun pointed at your face when you’re out just trying to enjoy nature and clear your mind is like the worse possible experience,” Spier said.

Police said after Spier’s robbery, they responded to two other robberies of mountain bikers on Skyline Boulevard near Joaquin Miller Road.

On March 31st, robbers pulled a gun on a father and son to take their bike. On April 6th at the same location, robbers took two bikes from bikers who were riding together.

The biking community reported on social media there was a fourth gunpoint robbery this week on a group of three bikers at the end of Skyline Boulevard near the Clyde Woolridge Staging parking lot. Police have not confirmed a fourth case.

“We made the decision to move our practice location this week because of this rash of thefts,” said Morgan Fletcher, a mountain bike coach.

He and fellow volunteers coach about 100 middle schoolers on how to bike in the Oakland Hills. Aside from moving their location, they now strongly encourage parents to pick up their kids after each session.

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“We’re guiding the children that if someone asks for you bike, just give them the bike,” Fletcher said.

Last April, Berkeley police reported a group of robbers targeting bicyclists near Grizzly Peak. It was unclear if police arrested that group.

Victims in the latest cases reported on social media the robbers were driving SUV’s. And given the proximity of the recent locations, the victims suspected the latest cases were connected.

But Oakland police have not released any information on the suspects.

Police report that the number of overall robberies involving guns in Oakland is down slightly this year compared to last. They said from January 1 to April 3, 2021, there were 324 gunpoint robberies.

In the same period this year, there were 307 cases.

“We try to ride in big groups now,” mountain biker Jose Luis Monroy said. “We love to do night rides, (but) we start to avoid that.”

The crimes may be the latest in crimes of opportunity. Many carbon fiber bikes cost between $5,000 and $10,000.

Spier said her bike was worth less, but it was the perfect Christmas gift from her husband a few months ago.

“(I’m) really afraid and upset and scared to go back out on a bike right now,” Spier said.

Safety advocates used to tell bikers to ride with at least one other person. Now they are telling people to ride in very large groups, citing strength in numbers.

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Oakland police said they were deploying more officers to areas where they were seeing spikes in robberies.

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LOS ALTOS HILLS (CBS SF) — A Bay Area city is pushing the installation of automatic license plate readers (ALPR) in hopes of fighting and deterring crime.

According to a city government analyst, 10 ALPRs are currently operational in Los Altos Hills, and 30 more should be operational by sometime in February.

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They will be placed at every street entrance in Los Altos Hills, as well as numerous other streets throughout the city, says the management analyst. They run 24 hours a day, and the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office can use the ALPRs as a crime investigation tool.

“We hope it will make people safer, we hope it will stop people from committing crimes in our city,” said resident Rajiv Bhateja. “We have very few burglaries a year, but we have very few apartments.”

Bhateja has been a big supporter of the idea for several years and helped introduce it to the city leadership.

“Our community tends to be what we call a goal-rich environment,” he said. “I think if we can make our city and the world a little bit safer, that’s a good thing for everyone.”

Los Altos Hills partnered with Flock Safety to implement the cameras.

“Our technology is designed to capture objective evidence. We take photos of the back of a car as it drives by and use machine learning from that to identify what kind of car it is – make, model, color – unique features like bumper stickers, roof racks, aftermarket wheels and too The important thing is to identify the license plate yourself,” said Josh Thomas of Flock Safety. “They indiscriminately collect objective data from vehicles.”

Some local residents have expressed concerns about privacy.

“I’m not convinced that we really have a problem. I feel it is an invasion of my privacy,” said a Los Altos Hills resident, who asked not to be named. “I’m just really concerned about privacy issues and I’m also concerned about racial profiling.”

Thomas explained that their technology only captures still images of the vehicles’ rear license plates and features.

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“We collect vehicle information. Not people. There is no face recognition. We don’t collect anything about people. It’s just the back of a car – and in fact we don’t even know who’s driving the car.”

However, residents of Los Altos Hills have the option to opt out. They can submit a form online to prove their vehicles are registered to a Los Altos Hills address and then the system will not record any data on those vehicles.

Bhateja believes in the ALPRs.

“It’s only supposed to take pictures of rear license plates and only still pictures. So it can’t be used for traffic violations, speeding, stop signs and all that,” he said. “The sheriff needs to have a case number when accessing the information. They must have an investigative reason for looking at this data.”

According to the city, the ALPR cameras have three major benefits:
• The physical presence of a camera and accompanying street signs indicating that a recording is in progress can limit crime in the first place.
• After a crime, the data collected can give the law enforcement authorities clues for investigations.
• Cameras can send instant alerts to law enforcement agencies when a vehicle of interest is identified.

A spokesman for the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office provided KPIX 5 with the following statement:
“The Sheriff’s Office is pleased to assist the City of Los Altos Hills with the introduction of License Plate Readers (LPRs). LPRs will help the Sheriff’s Office use technology to improve prevention and solve crimes. We are committed to using all available resources to improve the safety of residents of the City of Los Altos Hills.”

Los Altos Hills isn’t the first Bay Area community to use Flock’s technology.

“All over the Bay Area,” Thomas said. “Morgan Hill, Benicia, Vallejo, Colma – all up and down the Peninsula, North Bay, East Bay.”

Los Altos Hills residents who wish to opt out can do so here.

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Years ago, Dee Nguyen realized that the sun might set on his foodie career because he had to focus on caring for his son. So he had a brilliant idea: Break of Dawn.

The restaurant concept would only be breakfast-brunch. This way he would not work late at night as a top chef at the Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel, as he used to do before. He announced and accepted his new concept. After a year, it became a critic’s darling.

• Chef Dee Nguyen at his Break of Dawn restaurant in Laguna Hills, California on Wednesday, July 21, 2021. Nguyen is closing his restaurant in late August. He will convert the concept to BoD, a 70% plant-based menu with a fixed price steak option, and move the entire operation to Old Towne Orange. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register / SCNG)

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  Chef Dee Nguyen at his Break of Dawn restaurant in Laguna Hills, California on Wednesday, July 21, 2021. Nguyen is closing his restaurant in late August. He will convert the concept to BoD, a 70% plant-based menu with a fixed price steak option, and move the entire operation to Old Towne Orange. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register / SCNG)

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  Chef Dee Nguyen at his Break of Dawn restaurant in Laguna Hills, California on Wednesday, July 21, 2021. Nguyen is closing his restaurant in late August. He will convert the concept to BoD, a 70% plant-based menu with a fixed price steak option, and move the entire operation to Old Towne Orange. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register / SCNG)

• 

  Chef Dee Nguyen at his Break of Dawn restaurant in Laguna Hills, California on Wednesday, July 21, 2021. Nguyen is closing his restaurant in late August. He will convert the concept to BoD, a 70% plant-based menu with a fixed price steak option, and move the entire operation to Old Towne Orange. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register / SCNG)

• 

  Chef Dee Nguyen at his Break of Dawn restaurant in Laguna Hills, California on Wednesday, July 21, 2021. Nguyen is closing his restaurant in late August. He will convert the concept to BoD, a 70% plant-based menu with a fixed price steak option, and move the entire operation to Old Towne Orange. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register / SCNG)

• 

  Chef Dee Nguyen took advantage of seats in an old theater outside his Break of Dawn restaurant in Laguna Hills, California on Wednesday, July 21, 2021. Nguyen closes his restaurant at the end of August. He will convert the concept to BoD, a 70% plant-based menu with a fixed price steak option, and move the entire operation to Old Towne Orange. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register / SCNG)

• 

  Chef Dee Nguyen made tables out of old sewing machines at his Break of Dawn restaurant in Laguna Hills, California on Wednesday, July 21, 2021. Nguyen closes his restaurant at the end of August. He will convert the concept to BoD, a 70% plant-based menu with a fixed price steak option, and move the entire operation to Old Towne Orange. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register / SCNG)

It’s bittersweet that he’s closing his restaurant in Laguna Hills at the end of August, but he’s embraced a second brilliant idea: moving operations to Old Towne Orange and starting a new concept: BoD. He will live on site, include dinner and still be able to properly take care of his son Berlin.

That is Nguyen’s top priority, because Berlin was born with kidney damage and complications arose. In April 2003, he was operated on at the age of 16 months. During the operation, his breathing tube became blocked and he was left without oxygen for at least 10 minutes. He was in a coma for a month, suffered brain damage, and was diagnosed with cerebral palsy.

Even now, Berlin still needs a lot of care and attention. Moving to Orange guarantees that his father will continue to be there for him.

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The new location will consist of two parts, an approximately 2,000 square meter area at 171 N. Cypress St., which is intended for the restaurant, and an adjacent 950 square meter house for Nguyen’s residence. The property is located in Old Towne, very close to the Hilbert Museum of California Art.

Nguyen is doing well in South County but is looking forward to the move.

“The reason we’ve been successful here for 14 years is because of loyalty because this is not a walk-up restaurant,” he said. “You have to know that we exist in order to come back here. Orange is right in the middle of Chapman University and tourism is constantly flowing through it. So you will always have customers. “

Po-Sun Chen and Mark Carlos of the BrightView Design Group have designed plans that include an owner’s room, culinary garden, fruit grove with communal table, shade structure with vines and a “promenade” garden with raised planters.

Nguyen will work with the city commissioned by architect Susan Secoy, owner of Orange’s historic Ice House, to design the restaurant. Construction is scheduled to start in early 2022. Nguyen calls his style a “modern farmhouse with Eichler influences”.

“I told her, Susan, my house is a hipped roof house from 1905, but I love Eichler houses. Can you integrate and manufacture this modern Eichler farmhouse for me? So she’s building a courtyard with a tree. ”This room, which is located in the driveway between the two houses, will be the entrance to the restaurant with 50 seats.

She will add an orange steel wall. “A blank space with the BoD logo on it,” said Ngyuen. “Perfect for Instagram. Children love this stuff. “

Nguyen has already started testing the steak portion of his fresh concept at pop-ups on Saturday night. “It’s a fixed point, the same setup,” he said. When it opens in orange, it goes one step further. “You get a four-course meal, but you have four or five options for the steak itself. You can choose different types of cuts at different prices. ”Along with the beef, he serves a 70 percent plant-based menu with seafood.

Nguyen’s menus have always been creative. Born in Vietnam and classically trained at the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco, he layers Asian flavors and preparations on many classics of fine cuisine. Parker House rolls are glossy glazed with a little sweetened condensed milk to give the tips the texture of a dim sum bun. Smoked salmon, served on hearty oat pancakes, contains pickled onions that are deliciously tucked away in a banh mi.

But this chef also knows how to keep prices reasonable and serve home-style cooking like a hearty pan of potatoes or wild desserts like white chocolate and Basque-style parmesan cheesecake. Some of the breakfast items will be temporarily available at the old location, which is becoming a Mexican restaurant operated by Break of Dawn employee Alejandro Cuellar.

In the new BoD, the fixed-price steak menu starts at $ 40, then prices vary depending on whether you choose a more unusual cut such as rib-eye or New York steak. The meal includes soup, salad, and a side dish like french fries. Starters and desserts are available at an additional cost.

The restaurant will only have about 50 seats, but Nguyen is completely satisfied with it. “If I pay my rent and at the end of the night have my $ 10 and eat my in-n-out hamburger, I’ll be fine,” said Nguyen. “I’m not here to make money. I am not here to get rich. I have never been. Since the accident in Berlin I’ve seen life differently. “

breaking Dawn

Find it: 24291 Avenida De La Carlota, Laguna Hills, 949-587-9418.

Open: Until August 29th with breakfast and brunch 8 am-1pm Wednesday-Sunday and Steak-Prix-Fix-Dinner Saturday, August 7th, 14th and 21st, from 5.30pm to 7.30pm takes place on August 28th for 100 USD per person instead, cash only. For more information, visit facebook.com/breakofdawnrestaurant.

What’s next: BoD comes to 171 N. Cypress St., Orange in 2022.

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Skateboarder Zane Timpson glides down a residential street on one of San Francisco’s famous steep hills. The sun seems to be balancing on the horizon. He stretches a hand back towards the camera that is following him – perhaps to keep his balance or as if he were inviting the audience to come along. Timpson bombs hills – high-speed skating on dizzying tracks – and the latest New Yorker video follows him, his fellow traveler Adam Anorga, and other members of their crew as they sail downhill like a rolling tableau alternating between deep asphalt and asphalt Leaning incredibly high on bends in the road, arms outstretched as if surfing on Christ the Redeemer.

Bombing hills requires a different skill than traditional flat-bottomed street skating or bowl skating. “Essentially, all you have to do is stand there and make sure you don’t fall off,” Anorga told me. Instead of working out technical tricks, bombers rely on serenity in the face of adrenaline. He said that some of the lightest skaters he knows “just know how to hold on and trust yourself and trust their intuition”. He went on, “I mean, if you can do this to bomb a hill, you are sure you could. . . apply that to all other aspects of your life that. . . can be profound if used properly. “

The steep falls, the presence of traffic, and the high speeds – Timpson estimates he is traveling at speeds of 20 to 30 mph on a typical hill – can be a dangerous combination. People have died in hill bombs. “It’s not a joke. It’s not easy to take,” says Timpson in the video. In 2019, the pro-skater Pablo (P-Spliff) Ramirez, who appeared in the videos “Awaysted” and “Fffurther” by Anorga and Timpson, died can be seen while skating in traffic in San Francisco’s SoMa neighborhood. The acclaimed GX1000 skater did not bomb, but pawed when the accident occurred while he was holding onto the bumper of a moving vehicle. Anorga, which occurred the same day how his friend’s accident hit a doctor to undergo reconstructive surgery for a ruptured ACL remembers a turning point. “Wow, I hardly go here and my best friend is no longer here,” he recalled. Seeing it as an opportunity to commit to himself, he said it made him take care of his body so he could keep running for as long as possible. Anorga is philosophical about the risks of extreme skiing: “We use our K body to its absolute limits and to its absolute potential. We don’t just waste our bodies as we get older, ”said Anorga. “Often it means that we cross our threshold and get hurt.”

Timpson and Anorga both moved to San Francisco because of its knotty hills and tight skateboarding community, and they credit that community with the safety. “When you have a full squad,” explains Timpson in the video, drivers will pay more attention and treat the crew more like another vehicle. During the filming, the skaters walk with a group and use spotters at intersections to ensure that cars don’t interrupt the bomber’s path. “Ask yourself … do you have supportive friends who will be there for you when you need them?” Anorga said. “This is something that is very important,” he said, then paused and added: “Although some of the funniest times I’ve ever had without it.” … It’s that risk, that adrenaline rush that drives you in a different direction. But yeah, that’s a whole different story. “

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