[Guerita]

How is life in the Bentonville area for single people in their mid-30’s? (Yes, was offered a position at Wal-Mart) I know absolutely nothing about the area besides what I have read on city-data and the internet.

Would I be bored to tears? I am very big into the outdoors and running/cycling/swimming/triathlons but I also like to go to different ethnic restaurants and indie/foreign films

[Myriad_Rocker]

Originally Posted by Guerita

How is life in the Bentonville area for single people in their mid-30’s? (Yes, was offered a position at Wal-Mart) I know absolutely nothing about the area besides what I have read on city-data and the internet.

Would I be bored to tears? I am very big into the outdoors and running/cycling/swimming/triathlons but I also like to go to different ethnic restaurants and indie/foreign films

Your thirst for outdoor events and activities will be quenched. However, there's not a lot of access to indi/foreign films in the area that I'm aware of. There are some ethnic restaurants, though. Mostly Mexican, but there are Indian, Greek, etc. You just really have to look for them. You'll find most of them in Fayetteville (other than Mexican).

[Stormcrow73]

LOTS of outdoorsy things to do!! There are lots of cyclists and at least one pretty major race in the area. There's a running club in Bentonville. Fayetteville has a triathletes club.

Ethnic restaurants will be difficult to find unless it's Mexican, Chinese, or teppanyaki.

I'm not aware of any theaters that host regular indie films. There are some indie film fests but they are really geared to toward Arkansas-based film makers.

[DC at the Ridge]

The U of A will sometimes air indie films. There are some ethnic restaurants in Fayetteville, but Stormcrow is basically right in his assessment. Ooh, also a Thai restaurant. (But it isn't hot enough!)

DC

[Stormcrow73]

Originally Posted by DC at the Ridge

The U of A will sometimes air indie films. There are some ethnic restaurants in Fayetteville, but Stormcrow is basically right in his assessment. Ooh, also a Thai restaurant. (But it isn't hot enough!)

DC

The "thai" restaurants I've eaten at up there barely rate mentioning... Now, a friend of ours has some family who has a new Thai restaurant up there that we should be trying out this weekend I think. If it rates high, I'll tell you!

Added: There's a place called Habibi going in the Old Depot on Dickson that is supposed to serve Arabic and Southeast Asian. Quite a geographic and culinary stretch IMO but it will definitely fill a non-served niche.

[Guerita]

Thanks for the info thus far. Anybody able to talk about the singles scene - is there one? Specifically for a mid-30's woman. Or are most people at that age married in AR?

[oy vey]

Singles scene? Not so much a "scene" per se, but there are many happy singles among my friends in the area, so it's doable. Most single people I know tend to hang/live in Fayetteville more than in Benton County, though that's not an absolute.

Don't forget about our non-stop flights to NYC, LA, and Chicago among other places when you need a weekend away. ;-) I am from the East Coast and will admit that the cultural aspects are sorely lacking in NWA. It's better than many middle America small towns, but when you're used to big city offerings, it will take some adjustment.

Indie films? Don't I wish!

[fulluvit]

The bicycling in this area is really great. Once you learn the side streets that will get you out of town, it is very easy to go riding in all directions from Bentonville. As a W-M employee you will have access to the pools at their fitness center, and the outdoor city pool is 50 meters. They have a Masters Swimming program and host their own meet each June. There are many tri-athletes at the W-M fitness center and you will find yourself crossing their paths almost immediately. Also note that there are at least 20,000 people working at the various buildings around town that comprise the "Home Office", and you will meet many singles in the mix. Many, many weddings come about between employees. Of course, that also means competition. I consider the W-M Home Office to be the single mom capital of Arkansas.

[Capt. Dan]

Originally Posted by Stormcrow73

LOTS of outdoorsy things to do!! There are lots of cyclists and at least one pretty major race in the area. There's a running club in Bentonville. Fayetteville has a triathletes club.

Ethnic restaurants will be difficult to find unless it's Mexican, Chinese, or teppanyaki.

I'm not aware of any theaters that host regular indie films. There are some indie film fests but they are really geared to toward Arkansas-based film makers.

Okay, I'll bite. What the heck is "teppanyaki?"

[Stormcrow73]

Originally Posted by Lt. Dan

Okay, I'll bite. What the heck is "teppanyaki?"

'

Japanese hibachi grilling. Like a Shogun, et. al.

In the Old Depot in Fayetteville where the Habibi will be, another new Japanese grill is supposed to also be moving in. There's already a sushi joint and another teppanyaki style grill on Dickson, this will make 3 Japanese restaurants in about 6 blocks. Then you've got that sweet new Shogun up by the mall. Talk about an overbuilt niche!!