Startups and companies where technology is not their main product seem to have easier interview processes. If you can find a company that is contracting out their tech and wants to start developing in-house then they do not necessarily have a rigid tech hiring process.
Go to a store and find a pair that fit. Leave the store and then order multiple pairs of those shoes from Amazon. That way I save some money and I do not need to buy shoes as often.
Physical location does not matter. Why live in NYC? Why do the big tech companies build huge headquarters and make workers commute? Why do interviewers try to determine if you are a good culture fit when all they really care about is how quickly you can produce quality code?
It's important to know what parameters they use to determine who or what needs improvement. There have been times when a manager told me there was a problem and it turned out he had inaccurate information. The manager was looking at the wrong version, branch or had 3rd hand information. Managers have claimed to be unaware of what I was working on even with daily standups, task tracking and working a few desks away. Some managers are terrible.
Harassment goes both ways. I have worked in Silicon Valley for 8 years. I have heard women managers and even a CEO say and do inappropriate things. Not only did the woman CEO say horrible things about her employees, she was also a bad CEO.
They suddenly decide to inventory equipment (determine company value or collateral). Cutting back on benefits like 401k matching. Delays buying new equipment. People quitting and not being replaced. Senior management having all-day private meetings. They request your background information as if to determine if you are qualified for current or new positions (if company is discussing being acquired). Hackathons with a theme completely off target from current products. Multiple sets of men in suits touring the office. Managers stop downloading latest version of the beta-test app. Managers stop showing up for meetings. Managers stop caring about product quality. You look up from your desk and realize the office is empty when it should be busy - either those people are being terminated or you are being terminated.
Austin is modern technically but, small compared to other cities. I moved there in 2005 and moved away in 2010 because the tech companies in my niche went away and I could not even get an interview let alone a job.