Are there any places for single professionals where your basic needs
are taken care of by staff on the property?  Some similar scenarios
would be psychiatric hospitals and retirement communities.

Some specifics of my situation which drive me to ask:
-I practice voluntary simplicity, so I can move easily and don't need
much space (my belongings all fit in my car)
-I want to eat a balanced diet, but don't have the time to prepare food
-I'd like to be free from obligations such as laundry and cleaning house
-The social possibilities are intriguing

If there isn't a place like this, I'd consider starting one myself. 
At a minimum, all you'd need is one maid/cook per X number of people. 
Imagine if the idea was a hit: you could have a personal trainer on
staff, a nutritionist, a masseuse, a therapist, an activities
coordinator...

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Clarification of Question by severisth-ga on 03 Sep 2004 15:06 PDT

Some of the key features I'd be looking for:
-Balanced diet food service.  Essentially, meals would be provided at
certain times of the day to any residents who cared to partake, and if
one were to eat all the meals, they would be eating a balanced diet. 
It being balanced isn't critical to my vision, but meals being
prepared at regular intervals without having to be ordered is.
-Housecleaning service, including taking out the garbage.
-Laundry service, whereby you can simply place your dirty clothes in a
certain spot and they will be taken care of.

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Request for Question Clarification by pinkfreud-ga on 03 Sep 2004 15:09 PDT

Are you interested in any particular city?

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Clarification of Question by severisth-ga on 03 Sep 2004 15:12 PDT

Preferably Dallas/Ft Worth.

btw, the best way I can think to summarize it would be a "retirement
community for working professionals".

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Clarification of Question by severisth-ga on 04 Sep 2004 18:00 PDT

At this point, I'm mostly looking for anything, anywhere, which sounds similar.

I've found one that sounds similar, except they perform the duties
themselves instead of having staff: http://www.penington.org/ (read
the residents page)

It sounds as if a residential hotel might meet your needs.

Here's a very nice example of a residential hotel:

http://www.envoyclub.com/

Thanks pinkfreud!  That is sounding very similar, and is helping me
nail down the vision that I have.  I'm currently staying at an Intown
Suites (www.intownsuites.com), which is an extended stay hotel and has
all of the key amenities I saw at the EnvoyClub, except for "laundry
and dry cleaning services".

Thanks to your response, I'll post a question clarification.

Well Severisth....

If anyone can find a place like this I would sure be interested!! I
too am a single professional with only my cat. I do so hate housework
( not that I make big messes anyway )and I take no pleasure in
cooking. Laundry also irks me to no end. Your plan sounds absolutley
wonderful to me!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Steph53

Thank you for your comment Steph!  It's inspiring to already have
interest in my idea!  If I find out that nothing of the sort exists,
I'll most definitely put some serious thought into starting one.  I
think the market for it definitely exists, and I could appeal to this
market from numerous angles. Not having to worry about cooking,
laundry, housework, or yardwork would be one angle.  Living a healthy
and conscious lifestyle would be another angle: the meals would be
healthy and balanced (perhaps with a vegetarian option), the garbage
would have recyclables taken out of it, and uneaten food might be
given to the homeless.  May even consider functioning as a non-profit.
 Of course... just ideas at the moment and they might not be
plausible.  Another angle for marketing the idea would be the social
aspect of it - why wait until retirement age to enjoy fun social
activities?  We'd have them right there at the facility.

The list goes on and on!  Any thoughts?

Hi, Severisth

Please put my name down!

For me, the attraction is Steph53 but I'm not sure about her cat.

Could you please insist on a 'No Cats Allowed' policy?

Many thanks

Bryan

Hi again severisth...

Please pay no attention to probonopublico.....

My cat is well behaved and friendly. He just loves to tease little (
and big ) doggies but would never eat one intentionally ;)

Back to your idea: The socialization aspect of this type of community
sounds appealing!!! With all the leisure time we would have on our
hands, thanks to no more mundane household chores, the possibilities
are endless :)

Please accept my application..............

Steph53

would it be too difficult to commit yourself?

hotels do this but it costs allot (usually) resorts do this as well.

there are a variety of food services as well there are a variety of
maid services you could do the services individual(depending on your
locality and budget)

universities/colledges have meal plans etc.. is there a specific
locality you are intersted in? price range etc..

Probono, I thought you were going to be living on a *boat* with a
menagerie and a whole lot of hay, and room service from on high.  And
didn't you invite Steph already?

Severisth, I love the idea too:  assisted living for reasons other
than disability.  I wouldn't be a candidate right now, but when the
kids are grown and gone, well, it might sound pretty good, as long as
it wasn't too much like living in a college dormitory with dining
hall.  Just having the daily and eternal "WFD" question answered would
be a major blessing.

Archae0pteryx

Thanks everyone for your comments!  It's helping me to further whittle
down my vision.

williamashley,
There are two things that I envision making this option different from
hiring help by yourself and/or staying in a hotel:
1. It's seamless.  Your once-a-month check covers rent, bills, maid
service, food, and more.  No worries about fluxuating bills, due
dates, late fees, eating right, etc.  You know exactly what your cost
of living is, and you only need to pay it once!  This makes life easy
-- it changes your bills from being a source of worry to being a
source of pride.  You know you're eating right, you know your little
community is socially conscious (We'll use
http://www.greenmountain.com/, recycle, and have volunteering
options).

A lot of people are disorganized, and unsure of where to even start to
find all of these services.  Even people who are organized find that
they spend an inordinate amount of energy staying organized.  Wouldn't
it be nice if you didn't have to worry about any of that, and could
instead focus your energy on your family, friends, career, and
interests?

2. I believe that as a community, these services could be made
available full-time at a much cheaper rate.  The rates for laundry
service, maid service, food service, and additional services like
personal training, massages, nutritionist, and therapy are by
themselves rather high.  My experience has placed most of these rates
in the $50/hr range.  Food service is particularly high. Most people
pay something like four times as much money eating out as they would
for the same food they could be preparing at home -- if only they had
the time and experience to do so.  My idea would not only include
prepared meals, but a nutritionally balanced diet to boot!

They key component of this idea is convenience.  My vision is to make life simple!

Archae0pteryx, 
"Assisted living" - that's the phrase for it!  I've also been
researching under the terms "boarding house", "cohousing", "community
for working professionals", and "retirement community".  I haven't
found much yet.

Regarding the danger of feeling like a dormitory, I had envisioned it
more as a cross between an extended stay hotel and a recreational
center.  What are some of the things which would give it a dormitory
feel?

Oh, and williamashley mentioned resorts as well (thanks!).  I'll do
some research in that area as well.  I wonder if my vision would
technically qualify as a "resort"...

Hi Again Severisth...

Please pay every attention to steph53 .....

Her cat may be well behaved and friendly. And he may just love to tease little 
(and big) doggies and he may never eat one intentionally BUT ...

I have it on very good authority that Steph's cat is not as you might
suppose a Felinius Domesticus but Leo (for such is his name) is
actually a very much larger variety who considers himself King of the
Jungle.

You have been warned!

I am a nanny and I do other work for the family that I work for upon
request.I think what you are looking for is something similar to a
maid/personal assistant/nanny (caregiver). There is a huge market for
these type of occupations.  I think it would be a great idea.

It sounds like a great job for a college student: free room and board,
possible free car, and reasonable wages.

However the problem areas would include: the fact that two (or more
adults) are living together which allots for cultural and personality
clashes, and trust issues.

Great website! You've got mail.