Most liberal and conservative areas of the Atlanta region (Sandy Springs: condos, low crime)

[AnsleyPark]

If I am successful in my efforts, all of you guys will be liberals in a few years!
okay, maybe not...

[10 feet tall]

Originally Posted by portlandshaws

Another problem is that we really like to be "urban" people and have never felt drawn to live in the suburbs. Any advice for me? Will we find like-minded people?

As someone who moved here recently from Durham, I'm not sure what you are calling "urban" in Durham. There is nothing urban about the place, unless you are calling 9th street "urban" (yeah right). Durham is a big suburb, as is the rest of the triangle. So, though you may have "never felt drawn to live in the suburbs", you in fact live there right now, by Atlanta standards anyway.

But you are right, within the Atlanta area, Decatur is the most similar social environment to Durham.

[portlandshaws]

Originally Posted by 10 feet tall

As someone who moved here recently from Durham, I'm not sure what you are calling "urban" in Durham. There is nothing urban about the place, unless you are calling 9th street "urban" (yeah right). Durham is a big suburb, as is the rest of the triangle. So, though you may have "never felt drawn to live in the suburbs", you in fact live there right now, by Atlanta standards anyway.

But you are right, within the Atlanta area, Decatur is the most similar social environment to Durham.

I know you're right, 10 feet tall! I guess my point is that (for Durham), living close to the downtown (as small as it is) is more "me" than say, Woodcroft or American Village...
Portland was much more of a bigger city, but still small when compared with Atlanta.
What do you think are the biggest differences between the 2 places? Do you like living in Atlanta more than you liked Durham? We live in Durham but both work in Raleigh so we do have a little more urban in our lives...
I would love to hear more thoughts from you about the differences!
And I'm guessing we can't afford Decatur, as much as I wish we could.

[LovelySummer]

Portland,
Don't be sad about having to pass up Decatur. It's a little bit overhyped, I think. It's just a place that is really kid friendly with good schools. It really isn't that urban at all. It really feels (to me) like surburbia in the middle of the city. And it's not all that well-maintained (in terms of lawns). I lived in Northern Cali for awhile and I liken it to a place that kinda wants to feel like Berkeley...but misses the mark just a tad. I think you'd probably like Inman Park, Candler Park, Morningside much more. It feels a bit more urban, I'd say. These are just my opinions, of course. The Decatur people will be on to trample all over my post in 5, 4, 3, 2, ...

Originally Posted by portlandshaws

And I'm guessing we can't afford Decatur, as much as I wish we could.

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by LovelySummer

Portland,
Don't be sad about having to pass up Decatur. It's a little bit overhyped, I think. It's just a place that is really kid friendly with good schools. It really isn't that urban at all. It really feels (to me) like surburbia in the middle of the city. And it's not all that well-maintained (in terms of lawns). I lived in Northern Cali for awhile and I liken it to a place that kinda wants to feel like Berkeley...but misses the mark just a tad. I think you'd probably like Inman Park, Candler Park, Morningside much more. It feels a bit more urban, I'd say. These are just my opinions, of course. The Decatur people will be on to trample all over my post in 5, 4, 3, 2, ...

We gon' git you, LovelySummer...

[LovelySummer]

Lol

Originally Posted by aries4118

we gon' git you, lovelysummer...

[10 feet tall]

Originally Posted by portlandshaws

I know you're right, 10 feet tall! I guess my point is that (for Durham), living close to the downtown (as small as it is) is more "me" than say, Woodcroft or American Village...
Portland was much more of a bigger city, but still small when compared with Atlanta.
What do you think are the biggest differences between the 2 places?

Like everyone always says, it would help to move here and rent a place until you get the vibe of the place. That is really the only way you'll know where you want to be. The two places really are not comparable in the sense that place X is Durham is similar to place Y in Atlanta. For example, the widely derided "out in the suburbs" area of Dunwoody/Sandy Springs is far more urbanized than anything in Durham or Raleigh.

In my experience people use the word "urban" as a code word for something else. Do you mean diverse? Liberal? Tolerant? High rise/apartment living? Walkability? You see, in Atlanta, these things all don't necessarily go together. For example, some of the most liberal areas are the least diverse (Decatur), and some of the most racially diverse areas (Dunwoody/Sandy Springs) lean conservative. The farther out suburbs of Alpharetta and Gwinnett County are some of the most racially diverse areas of the metro region. Also, true high rise/apartment living and true walkability are rare as hen's teeth in Atlanta and only available in a few pockets.

But here is the most significant difference between Atlanta and Durham. In Durham, social currency (i.e. what people value socially, and what social networks are based on) is education. Whereas in Atlanta, social currency is perceived money/wealth. Plain and simple, that will be the biggest culture shock for you.

[portlandshaws]

Originally Posted by 10 feet tall

Like everyone always says, it would help to move here and rent a place until you get the vibe of the place. That is really the only way you'll know where you want to be. The two places really are not comparable in the sense that place X is Durham is similar to place Y in Atlanta. For example, the widely derided "out in the suburbs" area of Dunwoody/Sandy Springs is far more urbanized than anything in Durham or Raleigh.

In my experience people use the word "urban" as a code word for something else. Do you mean diverse? Liberal? Tolerant? High rise/apartment living? Walkability? You see, in Atlanta, these things all don't necessarily go together. For example, some of the most liberal areas are the least diverse (Decatur), and some of the most racially diverse areas (Dunwoody/Sandy Springs) lean conservative. The farther out suburbs of Alpharetta and Gwinnett County are some of the most racially diverse areas of the metro region. Also, true high rise/apartment living and true walkability are rare as hen's teeth in Atlanta and only available in a few pockets.

But here is the most significant difference between Atlanta and Durham. In Durham, social currency (i.e. what people value socially, and what social networks are based on) is education. Whereas in Atlanta, social currency is perceived money/wealth. Plain and simple, that will be the biggest culture shock for you.

Thanks for your post. It's an interesting thought that I can have a more "urban" experience in a suburb like Dunwoody/Sandy Springs than Durham... I'll definitely check that out. Maybe I just need to change my perception of a suburb (in my head, they are pretty much strip malls and cookie-cutter homes, but that's what it's like here and in Portland). Yes, diversity is very important. Yes, tolerant is very important. High rise/apartment... not important. Walkability? Yes, would LOVE IT but we don't really have that here and I've gotten accustomed to it (but that was a big shock coming from Portland).
What you said about what people value is a bit shocking to me. Are you saying that if you're not wealthy, people don't value you and you won't be accepting socially? We've never had a ton of money but that has never stopped us from having a huge circle of friends. Aren't there enough transplants in Atlanta that would be like-minded... people that aren't caught up in the glitz and glamor of Southern wealth?
And one last question: do you LIKE living in Atlanta?

[kferq]

Originally Posted by 10 feet tall

But here is the most significant difference between Atlanta and Durham. In Durham, social currency (i.e. what people value socially, and what social networks are based on) is education. Whereas in Atlanta, social currency is perceived money/wealth. Plain and simple, that will be the biggest culture shock for you.

Atlanta is very diverse, so this also depends where you are and what social group you are talking about. There are massive numbers of people with academic backgrounds in the city proper and to many their education is more important than their wealth. In the Emory/GA Tech, Decatur, East Atlanta, VAHI, Morningside, and in the areas North of Emory (especially Oak Grove), there are a lot of education based social networks. I will meet the same people at museum and gallery openings, lectures, galleries, poetry and spoken word events (Write Club, Naked City, etc). The academic/charity/theology groups are extremely active tying Atlanta Charities (i.e., Care or the Carter Center) with the CDC, schools of public health and seminaries and churches. The academic music/theater and arts people in the city are very close knit. In Buckhead as a private school parent, there was a strong network of academics or people who had left academia to pursue business in their field.

[portlandshaws]

Originally Posted by kferq

Atlanta is very diverse, so this also depends where you are and what social group you are talking about. There are massive numbers of people with academic backgrounds in the city proper and to many their education is more important than their wealth. In the Emory/GA Tech, Decatur, East Atlanta, VAHI, Morningside, and in the areas North of Emory (especially Oak Grove), there are a lot of education based social networks. I will meet the same people at museum and gallery openings, lectures, galleries, poetry and spoken word events (Write Club, Naked City, etc). The academic/charity/theology groups are extremely active tying Atlanta Charities (i.e., Care or the Carter Center) with the CDC, schools of public health and seminaries and churches. The academic music/theater and arts people in the city are very close knit. In Buckhead as a private school parent, there was a strong network of academics or people who had left academia to pursue business in their field.

We are neither in academia nor wealthy... just hoping to find open-minded, accepting awesome people that aren't judging me on having the wrong handbag! (Or am I suppose to call it a pocketbook?)