I'm looking for a more descriptive choice of words to evoke the sense of "magic in the air", or "something in the water", something intangible, hard to place, etc, to describe a phenomenon that is ostensibly unexplainable or unplaceable, so the best explanation is attributing it to some supernatural power.
The community's unmistakably rural feel is not due to [something intangible]; it can be explained by zoning and minimum lot size regulations.
So far, the best word that gets at what I'm trying to say is "alchemy" or something along those lines: witchcraft, black magic, etc. Are there any idioms that capture this idea as well? I'm seeking either single words, or multiple word phrases. I understand that the words I've floated so far span a range of connotations; I'd welcome suggestions covering a spectrum of positive to negative connotations.
Any insight on this type of construction would be appreciated. Especially examples of similar ideas expressed in literature or common speech.
Best Answer
The word ambience is defined by the Oxford online dictionary as "The character and atmosphere of a place." The "unmistakably rural feel" of the community is, of course, it's ambience but to make the distinction between something inherent and something contrived you could use the phrase "its natural ambience" in the space left in you text.