title: Matplotlib cannot find basic fonts
body: <p>I am using matplotlib version 2.0.0 on Python 3 in a miniconda virtual environment. I am working on a unix scientific computing cluster where I don't have root privileges. I am generally executing python code through an ipython notebook. If I do a basic command such as:</p>
  
  <pre><code>import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
  plt.scatter([1,5], [1,5])
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>I get an error message:</p>
  
  <pre><code>path_to_miniconda/miniconda3/envs/conda34/lib/python3.4/site-
  packages/matplotlib/font_manager.py:1297: UserWarning: findfont: Font family
  ['sans-serif'] not found. Falling back to DejaVu Sans
  (prop.get_family(), self.defaultFamily[fontext]))
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>I would like to be able to use a Times New Roman font but even after deleting the Font cache file (fontList.py3k.cache) which I find from here:</p>
  
  <pre><code>import matplotlib as mpl
  fm = mpl.font_manager
  fm.get_cachedir()
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>The commands:</p>
  
  <pre><code>mpl.rcParams['font.family'] = ['serif']
  mpl.rcParams['font.serif'] = ['Times New Roman']
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>have no effect, I get the same error as above. The true type fonts directory:</p>
  
  <p>path_to_miniconda/miniconda3/envs/conda34/lib/python3.4/site-packages/matplotlib/mpl-data/fonts/ttf/</p>
  
  <p>only has 40 fonts in it of the type: DejaVuSerif,DejaVuSans,STIX,cmb, cmt, cmy</p>
  
  <p>Any idea what could be going on and how I can add additional fonts? Thanks!</p>