When the world is a mean and nasty little place, finding the truth can be a little tricky.

Don't go punch yourself in the face. Just listen to an unpucking quickie.

Part one, Asheville.

A relative of mine who works in the renewable energy financing sector said something a couple of

years ago that really stuck with me. He and his wife were thinking about having a child and evaluating

the best places to start a family while keeping their career prospects open. Now, as a New Yorker,

I'm used to these conversations all along the age spectrum because of the

insane cost of living here. And it seems like nine out of ten relocation conversations involved

somewhere in the southeast of the United States. So-and-so moved to Florida. Our friends just

bought a place in South Carolina. Twice the size, half the price. There's a ton of New Yorkers in North Carolina.

It just feels like home, blah, blah, blah. But my relative wasn't thinking that way. According to the

models he and his team had built, a band of real estate from upstate New York all the way through

Quebec will have more favorable climate conditions in the coming decades.

Investing down south was simply more of a risk for the large-scale projects they work on,

because, you know, climate change.

North Carolina in particular has seen a huge influx of New Yorkers. In fact, New Yorkers make up the largest percentage of transplants in the state.

And one of the idealic places we often hear about is beautiful Asheville, North Carolina.

Asheville, it's a magical artsy Southern Futopia bubble.

These blue mountains inspire you to try new things, like doing mountain pose on top of a mountain or blowing your own glass

than drinking your craft beer out of it.

There are sound bats,

forest baths, and luxurious spa baths.

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