I might have missed it, but why are you choosing Dallas?
I think Austin would be a way better place for you.
I lived in North Dallas for about 9 months and it sucked. Everyone was way too superficial and finding a place to buy beer was slightly easier than finding a decent place to eat. Greenville and Deep Ellum were pretty cool, if I was up for the 30 minute drive each way. I would definitely choose Austin if I had a choice.
Hell start another thread titled “So what’s Austin like?”
It’s sort of a “jumping off place”. I did basics in San Antonio and loved it. My mom and sis have visited and one of my aunts lives in San Antonio, in fact my mom lived there for a little while after she retired (from Anchorage water utility), but the scorpions scared her and she moved to CA. We don’t have anything like scorpions, and we don’t have snakes. But, everyplace has its drawbacks right?
My sister flew down at the end of May to drive my mom and the horses from CA to Dallas. So mom will be getting things ready, looking for apts, or houses and such while sis and I wrap things up here (we both own homes and have the usual financial stuff to finish).
Thanks for not flaying me alive for the “high maintenance” thing. And FTR? I think high maintenance spoiled princesses are AWESOME. Makes we “real” girls look SO much better to the guys!
Maybe I should have titled my thread “So What’s Texas Like”???
No, no…there are radical differences between Texas cities. Dallas is urban, Fort Worth is hicks-ville, Houston is just like Dallas except a tad bit more shallow, and the traffic sucks to a greater degree, if that’s possible.
Then you have Texarkana, a scruffy little mafia town – and Amarillo, god-forsaken cattle-killing city.
I could go on to mention San Antonio (The Mavericks are going to to KICK your ass next year, dammit. And the Alamo should be in the dictionary next to the word “unimpressive”).
I’m just kidding, love all the Texas towns I’ve been dragged through!
The best months to visit are November, and…November.
Dallas is OK I guess. A little too pretentious. A little too generic looking in places. The music scene is good. Between Deep Ellum and Denton there is no lack of talent(?). The houses are a little more expensive than in other Texas cities. The climate is excellent in my opinion. Hot, but not as humid as coastal cities.
I like it, but I’m bored of being here. Most everyone everyone in Texas wants to live near Austin instead.
Ok, I’ve got to speak up in defense of Fort Worth. While it does have more than its share of rednecks and cowboys (both the real kind and the wannabes), Fort Worth is a great town! Not as big as Dallas (a good thing, IMO), Fort Worth is a very nice, easy-going place. Sundance Square downtown is a fun venue for outdoor concerts. The stockyards are also fun occasionally for that “old west” or even an “urban cowboy” experience. The Bass Hall is a premier performance hall in Texas. And the world-class museum triumvirate of the Kimball, the Amon Carter, and the Modern makes the Fort Worth Cultural District at least as important as that in any other Texas city.
The best thing I’ve heard about Dallas here is that THERE’S NOW A FREEBIRDS!?! Whooop! Tell me exactly where it is! Please!
OK, OK, I SAID I was kidding about bashing other Texas cities. Fort Worth is a fine town - I just hate country music and happen to be a vegetarian, so I don’t have a lot in common with the average Fort Worth person. That, and I had to take the CPA exam there. It is a prettier town than Dallas (which isn’t saying too much)
I have an outsider’s view. I have visited Dallas a few times becuase of mywork. It is hot and dry and flat. I got a kick out of the man made lakes. The people were very friendly for a big city and the food was great. I caused quite a stir when I asked a waitress what fried okra was like; “YOU’VE NEVER HAD FRIED OKRA??” It was like those old Pace picante sauce commercials every one stopped and stared at me. There was no way in hell I was getting out of there with out a plate of fried okra she brought out a plate and I think the whole staff stood around and watched me eat it. It was hillarious. On the down side it is sprawl hell, suburb after suburb for miles, VERY conservative politically, and BIGTIME christian. It got to be a bit much for and agnostic Oregon hippy to take.
Since it’s about Dallas I thought I’d make my request once more:
If any of you Dallas people ever frequent the West End area, pick up a t-shirt for me (for which you’ll be duely compensated) at the Cadillac Bar. I’ve been trying to get one for four years now.
Home-grown fried okra and tomatoes!! Used to eat that for lunch every day as a child - mom grew a little garden out back. Heaven. Oh, and on that subject…yes, Dallas is pretty conservative/religious. Until maybe 10 years ago (my memory could be way off on that) the malls weren’t open on Sundays. Visitors are often dumbfounded that you can’t buy hard liquor on Sundays, even now. Guess it is what it is.
I also don’t frequent the West End often – it’s a major tourist trap. If I had my druthers, I’d live in Austin.