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It really upsets me when people in the Los Angeles forum read I'm on my way to Arkansas and they start in on the "backwoods" and "redneck" jokes. It's highly annoying.
I can tell you this is Armadillo road scraping season. It's been a good year. Armadillo goes well with a nice white such as Oak Leaf Pinot Grigio. (Oak Leaf is great Walmart Exclusive California wine which can be purchase at the Jane, Missoura Walmart across the border from Bella Vista for $2.97) I recommend the Oak Leaf Merlot for Gopher, Skunk, & Turkey Vultures.
I'm assuming you had less than an acre of open land. My grandparents had 3 acres full of crops. Highly unlikely you had that.
I guess you missed the memo where I said It's just not for me, meaning I don't personally care for it. It's a matter of bad or good; I just don't like it. My parents still have not gotten rid of theirs. In my experience, living in California, you really need to sound like you've been here for 20-something years or people think down on you. Hence, the topic of this thread. If people never asked me where I was from, they'd never figure I was born in Florida, or had family in Arkansas just by the tone of my voice and its lack of any appreciable accent.
Maybe they've evolved. The last time I went to Fort Smith was approximately 15 or so years ago. In the residential areas, cars just were not there. Of course people had cars, but there was no driving up and down the streets like out here. Here, traffic signals in major residential areas is common; out there, they made do with stop signs. That alone should tell you that traffic was not nearly thick enough as compared to out here.
In N Out has two things on its side: Burgers, and shakes. The fries are disgusting compared to every other fast food joint. They're slow to prepare the food, lines are frequently long (because of the burgers and hidden menu items) and the place is hardly ever clean due to the rampant amount of traffic. Trader Joes I can't speak to, never been, never bothered, but IMO, Hardees blows most San Diego fast foods "In N Out" of the water; greatest shakes on earth. And don't even get me started on the A&W restaurant. Ours is bulked in with an Arby's or something stupid - a pale shadow of the Fort Smith one.
You missed the other memo where I said, I'm specifically referring to Fort Smith. I'm not judging any other part of Arkansas. In fact I'm not even negatively judging Fort Smith. It's just not for me. Read the memos, please.
my or my, 15 years ago: obviously you are not aware NWA is the fastest growning area in the mid/west or should we say northern part of the south.
I was born and raised in Calif and spend time there every year: you can have an accent and be accepted? maybe not in your circle of life, but in most. I don't know where you live in San Diego, I went to San Diego State as did hubby and our daughter. I believe your governor has somewhat of an accent, am I wrong?
Yes, you did refer to Ft Smith and that is why I made the comparison of Escondido to other parts of Calif, every state has diversity. You mentioned we were just getting Play Station One and you already had Play Station 2? That is super interesting, being I don't think either were out 15 years ago.
Your grandmparents had 3 acres full of crops, of coruse we didn't but your comment was very scarsactic: they didn't even have a farm, as if only true farmers should be able to grow crops or those who grow them in the yards are country folk. I just don't get the connection between 3 acres of land, growing produce and growning produce on an acre of land or less.
Have you even thought why the lines are long at In and Out? There are 2 reasons: 1-everything is made fresh including the fries being cut from fresh potatoes daily and 2-people flock to In and Out, no matter where it is located. I have never been in one, anytime of the day where there hasn't been a wait or a back up at the drive thru. If you don't like the freshness of the fries that is a taste opinion, but there are reasons why they are so popular and I have never, in my many years of traveling heard anyone rate a Harddes above In and Out.
yes, you did mention it wasn't for you and i think you are right. It appears the one thing you have never learned in life, at least at this stage, is to slow down and smell the roses as "dear abby" would say. You probably talk on your cell phone as you are driving in the inside lane on the San Diego Freeway as well or take it with you everywhere you go so you won't miss one call.....
My family lives in Arkansas - cousins, uncle/aunt, etc. My brother moved out there some decades ago and hasn't looked back.
It's just not for me. It's TOO behind the times. I'm specifically referring to Fort Smith, by the way.
- Grandparents had all sorts of crops in their backyard. And it wasn't even a farm! You just don't see that out this way.
- Grandparents on my father's side had an old (circa 1900, by my estimate) tractor on the side of their house. I think it's still there.
- Cars were rare. The streets were frequently empty.
- Sidewalks are almost unheard of.
- No kids playing in the streets (I do like that though)
- Everyone had the southern drawl - this is the deal breaker right here.
I'll never forget going out there to visit my grandmother and going to the mall out there - they'd just gotten the PlayStation in stock when I was busy playing PlayStation 2. Come on now.
One thing I'll give Fort Smith AR credit for: food.
Crab legs from White Castle w/butter = no comparison to anything California has, not even Brigantine.
What-a-Burger (did they go out of business?)
Sonic Drive In (they're in California, but not nearly as authentic as out there)
Hardee's
Wow....the things you are listing as negatives....strange.
So what if you don't see "crops" in people's back yards where you are. Why is that a negative? I've noticed plenty of hip, urbane people on TV gushing about growing vegetables in their back yards, and they would grow more if they had 3 acres, I'll bet!
I'd love to have that circa-1900 tractor at your grandparents, as would a lot of other people. Nearly every magazine you look at these days, people who have a nice country place have restored trucks and tractors all over the place. It's cool. You should ask them for it!
How on God's green earth could not having lots of cars in the streets be a negative?!
Southern drawls are no more negative than Yankee, midwestern, Hispanic, British, or any other accents. Sheesh.
Already playing PlayStation 2? Wow, you are really something. We're all really impressed.
You sound very young. Someday you'll have a better perspective of what really matters in life. I bet you'll even come to appreciate your grandparents' way of life eventually. And if gas and groceries keep going up, you might have to go live with them just to be able to eat! People who know how to grow "crops" will fare much better than people who are already playing the latest video games.
I hope you two, as well as others, now understand why Arkansas is so stereotyped. When someone expresses a personal opinion - not bashing anything, just expressing personal preference or taste - you start attacking them.
Are you incapable of simply accepting someone's preference as-is instead of acting like pitbulls....or "razorbacks" is probably the more politically correct term?
Age has nothing to do with perception. I'm not comparing one city to the entire state; I'm comparing THAT city with THIS city in why I prefer to live here over there. If you guys like to flip two bits into the barber's cup for a shave and a haircut, that's all on you.
Fort Smith is not as economically evolved as San Diego, period. That's why as a matter of preference, I choose San Diego. However, Fort Smith has better quality eating establishments than San Diego, bar none. All of them stomp anything San Diego has to offer.
I hope you two, as well as others, now understand why Arkansas is so stereotyped. When someone expresses a personal opinion - not bashing anything, just expressing personal preference or taste - you start attacking them.
Are you incapable of simply accepting someone's preference as-is instead of acting like pitbulls....or "razorbacks" is probably the more politically correct term?
Age has nothing to do with perception. I'm not comparing one city to the entire state; I'm comparing THAT city with THIS city in why I prefer to live here over there. If you guys like to flip two bits into the barber's cup for a shave and a haircut, that's all on you.
Fort Smith is not as economically evolved as San Diego, period. That's why as a matter of preference, I choose San Diego. However, Fort Smith has better quality eating establishments than San Diego, bar none. All of them stomp anything San Diego has to offer.
My or my, what does this have to do with sterotyping? You are overlooking the fact that I was raised in So California and am punching holes in most of your comments and comparisons. Your comments on eating alone shows me something. Anyone that would judge or compare dining by using fast food chain restaurants indicates to me, you have little experience in the world. Even my grandkids wouldn't use Hardees or What a burger as a way to judge restaurant quality. BTW, I am not sure I agree with you on this period. We do have some wonderful mom and pop places, but we have the same chain dining you do. We don't have Anthony's fish grotto (sorry to say) we don't have the fresh seafood you have period. As for crablegs, what you get and what we get are all the same: frozen. The only place to get really fresh crab legs in along the Northern coast of CAlif, Or, Wash, into Alaska and the some places on the Atlantic coast.
AS I said, you belong in So Calif, but you may someday understand why so many people are leaving CA for places like AR. What you didn't see when you were playing with your Play Station 2 (15 years ago, which of course it wasn't even out then) is beauty of living with deer at your back door, trees instead of cement everywhere, truely nice people who do not judge you by your education or money, clean air and yet, we are only 15 or 20 minutes from good dining, new malls that are probable better than anything you have seen recently, top entertainment, good medical care and yes, even a very good higher education institution. Go Razorbacks!!!! Did you know OKC, only a few hours away is getting pro basketball next year? Does that surprise you?
I watched So Calif go from a wonderful place to live to a blackboard jungle (not all of it mind you) and I don't want to see this happen here.
One last thing: I am not sure anyone is questioning your preferance on where you want to live as much as your comments and facts. This is where you get yourself in trouble. No cars on the road, better food, play station 15 years ago?
Nita
I hope you two, as well as others, now understand why Arkansas is so stereotyped. When someone expresses a personal opinion - not bashing anything, just expressing personal preference or taste - you start attacking them.
Are you incapable of simply accepting someone's preference as-is instead of acting like pitbulls....or "razorbacks" is probably the more politically correct term?
Age has nothing to do with perception. I'm not comparing one city to the entire state; I'm comparing THAT city with THIS city in why I prefer to live here over there. If you guys like to flip two bits into the barber's cup for a shave and a haircut, that's all on you.
Fort Smith is not as economically evolved as San Diego, period. That's why as a matter of preference, I choose San Diego. However, Fort Smith has better quality eating establishments than San Diego, bar none. All of them stomp anything San Diego has to offer.
If we don't attack you, you just keep right on doing it. Why on earth would you compare Fort Smith to San Diego?!?!? They aren't in the same class and that's obvious.
So much of what you assert in your first post is incredibly subjective:
- Cars were rare - compared to what San Diego? The city only has about 50,000 residents with much lower population density. What do you expect? If San Diego had a similar population density your perception of the number of cars might actually be similar. You make it sound almost as if people in Fort Smith don't own cars or something. I've never bothered to do a study of the percentage of car ownership but I'd bet my house that around 90% of households have at least 2 cars.
- Your grandparents have crops - well this is obviously a lifestyle difference between a mostly agrarian culture and long-time urbanized culture. But as someone else also mentioned, growing your own crops in your backyard has become somewhat of a hip thing to do. And at least they have a backyard big enough to grow something in. Their backyard is probably is twice the square footage of the house you live in! LOL
- Playstation - Just in case you've never heard of it, there's this really cool place called Best Buy. It's this whole national chain and they carry all the latest in electronics and they stock it right when it comes out too! Fort Smith has one and it's been there for all of about 15 years. And yes, trucks carrying all the latest hardware DO actually run to Fort Smith just like San Diego.
You give Fort Smith credit for food??? Your sanity MUST be questioned!
Arkansas is a great state. It's full of natural beauty and friendly people. Really nice state, and it is not filled with hillbillies. I don't get where that stereotype comes from. You can't say that any state is filled with hillbillies.
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