Moving to Dallas, Never Been. (San Antonio, Austin: relocate, travel, job)

[MovingFromTexas]

We live in North Dallas - Plano ISD, Dallas address - hardly some far-flung place. And, our mature neighbhorhood has tons of trees. We are regulars at West Village, Shops at Legacy, used to go to White Rock lake all the time (we stopped because I felt uncomfortable there because it was so deserted and I was worried about safety) - its amazing to me how few people are at any of those places. Took my kids to the local sprinkler park this afternoon and another mom there commented that she loves bringing her daughter there because there are so few people there (10 kids total were there - 3 of them were mine). The McKinney Avenue Trolley is convenient because its so empty that our family can have an entire car to ourselves. We are not seeking a Manhattan kind of overcrowding, just a vibrant city where people actually go out and do things (like Boston, Denver, Chicago, Los Angeles, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, DC, etc).

Aceplace - I'm just curious, just what major metropolitan areas are you finding can't compare to Dallas when you write: "DFW at 6 million plus is able to generate that many more zoos and aquariums, more art museums, more state parks in the immediate vicinity, a larger diversity of films and road shows and concerts and theater. A vastly larger choice of restaurants." IMHO, Dallas doesn't compare to Boston, Denver, Chicago, Los Angeles, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, DC. What cities do you think Dallas beats on the cultural amentities you listed?

I have no idea why any of you wanted to know more detail about our experience here. If Dallas works for you, then great. It doesn't for us. FYI - we have "dug deeper" after relocating here - we've found enough things to do here, its just depressing that it seems like you are always doing them on your own. There is an energy to a city like the ones I listed above - an energy that is completely lacking in Dallas. I just wanted to give the OP some advice to really investigate the area before deciding if it works for him. Some people love it here and that is great for them. In reading the OP's description of what he was looking for, I didn't think that Dallas remotely fit what would make him happy.

By the way, we are moving to Los Angeles. Can't wait.

[TrueDat]

That's funny. I'm from LA and love it but I remember, when growing up there, New Yorkers and San Franciscans would level the same criticisms at LA that people make about Dallas now: there's no one on the streets, there's no culture, it's too hot, etc.

Have fun in LA. Be sure to buy bread at Breadbar on 3rd Street, get a burger at In N Out or Fatburger, see a concert at the Hollywood Bowl or the outdoor John Anson Ford, eat Burmese food in Whittier, and visit Angels Gate Park which overlooks the cliffs in San Pedro/Palos Verdes -- just a few of my favorite Cali things.

[MovingFromTexas]

Thanks for the tips!

[rb4browns]

Originally Posted by MovingFromTexas

We live in North Dallas - Plano ISD, Dallas address - hardly some far-flung place. And, our mature neighbhorhood has tons of trees. We are regulars at West Village, Shops at Legacy, used to go to White Rock lake all the time (we stopped because I felt uncomfortable there because it was so deserted and I was worried about safety) - its amazing to me how few people are at any of those places. Took my kids to the local sprinkler park this afternoon and another mom there commented that she loves bringing her daughter there because there are so few people there (10 kids total were there - 3 of them were mine). The McKinney Avenue Trolley is convenient because its so empty that our family can have an entire car to ourselves. We are not seeking a Manhattan kind of overcrowding, just a vibrant city where people actually go out and do things (like Boston, Denver, Chicago, Los Angeles, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, DC, etc).

Aceplace - I'm just curious, just what major metropolitan areas are you finding can't compare to Dallas when you write: "DFW at 6 million plus is able to generate that many more zoos and aquariums, more art museums, more state parks in the immediate vicinity, a larger diversity of films and road shows and concerts and theater. A vastly larger choice of restaurants." IMHO, Dallas doesn't compare to Boston, Denver, Chicago, Los Angeles, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, DC. What cities do you think Dallas beats on the cultural amentities you listed?

I have no idea why any of you wanted to know more detail about our experience here. If Dallas works for you, then great. It doesn't for us. FYI - we have "dug deeper" after relocating here - we've found enough things to do here, its just depressing that it seems like you are always doing them on your own. There is an energy to a city like the ones I listed above - an energy that is completely lacking in Dallas. I just wanted to give the OP some advice to really investigate the area before deciding if it works for him. Some people love it here and that is great for them. In reading the OP's description of what he was looking for, I didn't think that Dallas remotely fit what would make him happy.

By the way, we are moving to Los Angeles. Can't wait.

It's important to note that not everyone is going to love Dallas. That's fine. I moved here from L.A. and there are things I miss about that city. It definitely has more energy (although I do believe Dallas has its own unique flavor, character and energy too, it's just less intense, chaotic and dark than L.A.'s). Bottom line is that everyone, not just the OP, should investigate a city and visit it before deciding to move there.

[RE Diva]

Originally Posted by TJHomer

24 Year old Engineer, taking promotion job within company. Looking for a good urban area to live. Preferably full of younger professional people, condo or lofts available. Easy access to music and sports venues as well as good restaurants, bars, etc... Outdoor sports advocate, looking to join organized leagues as well. I know it sounds like I'm picky, but I just hated the geography of my last condo. Any direction or guidance is appreciated.

Hi TJHomer,

Welcome to Dallas! An awesome area for you to explore would be Las Colinas - especially La Villita. It's a very densely populated area with upscale apartments, town homes and single family homes. We were there last weekend helping with a lot fit at 10:30AM and there were people everywhere walking their dogs, walking, running riding bikes, etc. The 23 mile Campion Trails runs right through there as well. Everything is nearby - restaurants, bars, etc. You will find many people there in your situation as Microsoft, Blackberry and other high tech companies are right around there. Irving All Sports Association has every type of sport you can imagine.

Happy to help,
T. Hayley

[aceplace]

Originally Posted by MovingFromTexas

Aceplace - I'm just curious, just what major metropolitan areas are you finding can't compare to Dallas when you write: "DFW at 6 million plus is able to generate that many more zoos and aquariums, more art museums, more state parks in the immediate vicinity, a larger diversity of films and road shows and concerts and theater. A vastly larger choice of restaurants." IMHO, Dallas doesn't compare to Boston, Denver, Chicago, Los Angeles, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, DC. What cities do you think Dallas beats on the cultural amentities you listed?

DFW has a better selection of indie/foreign/specialty films than Washington, Boston or Denver, but is inferior to LA, SF, Chicago.

DFW has more art museums than places like Denver, Seattle, Portland, is equivalent to Boston and San Francisco, and is inferior to LA, Chicago, Washington.

DFW's 2 zoos and 2 aquariums are equal to Chicago's 2 zoos and Shedd aquarium, are better than San Francisco and Washington, Boston and Portland and Seattle. I don't know about LA.

For classical music concerts, the sheer number of classical groups in DFW is beyond San Francisco, Washington, Portland, Seattle, Denver. Dallas' Arts district, when completed next year, will be beyond the Kennedy Center in Washington. I'd say that Chicago is ahead of Dallas.

For sports facilities, the AAC in Dallas is the most lavish and most expensive arena in America, even more costly than the Staples center in LA. Jerry Jones new stadium at a billion dollars, will be the best in America. Washington is lucky to have a major league baseball team again. The Ballpark in Arlington is beaten by a minor league stadium in Portland, in your opinion? Fenway in Boston is certainly inferior.

For restautants, Dallas is behind Chicago and LA in terms of starred restaurants by one of the two major travel rating organizations. It is significantly ahead of Boston, Portland, Seattle and Denver. It is perhaps equivalent to San Francisco. I'd post the name of the organization and an exact count if It were not a violation of forum TOS. Does it make sense that a metro with 6.5 million people will have more restaurants at all levels of quality than a metro of 2.5 million?

We see a consistent pattern here, based on metro population. Dallas always beats metros with a significantly smaller populations, matches with metros similar in size, and usually loses to significantly larger metros, such as LA and Chicago. The reason is obvious... people support things like restaurants, museums, zoos, etc. The more people, the more support.

Moving to LA, are you? Well, if it works for you... Historically, Los Angeles is a city where the population is fleeing TO Dallas and other similar cities, and is significantly losing its middle class. The metro has some serious problems that are an order of magnitude greater than a concern about how many people visit a park. Things are tough over there.

[Lakewooder]

I'm wondering what times you would have gone to White Rock Lake and seen it deserted. Perhaps while everyone is at work?

The rest of the time it's teeming at the Dog Park, Bath House Cultural Center, The Dallas Arboretum, The Stone Tables, Runner's Lot, Biker's Lot, TeePee (aka Woodrow) Hill, Jackson (aka Enchilada or Tilley's) Point, The T-Docks, Celebration Tree Grove, The Spillway (being redone with new visitor facilities), The Boathouse, Corinthian Sailing Club, White Rock Boat Club and Winfrey Point and The Big Thicket buildings are fully booked (you have to make a reservation almost a year in advance). The old Pump House (with stack) also available for events, was redone several years ago and the Filtration Building is under re-construction now (expansion for the SMU and Woodrow Crew Teams) Also there are two new trails (Santa Fe/Tenison and Katy) soon to be connected to the lake and a couple more on the drawing board: ftp://ftp.dallascityhall.com/PKR/Tra...ate%205-08.ppt

Here is a map to help you find your way around:

Annotated Map of White Rock Lake - by J R Compton. And Google.

You could also try the concerts at The Arboretum:

http://www.dallasarboretum.org/Events/CoolThursdays.htm

[MovingFromTexas]

Aceplace - you can't compare a cities cultural offerings simply by comparing the numbers. The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston is hands down superior to EVERY museum in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex COMBINED. And, you are joking if you try to compare the paltry acquariums in Dallas to the world class Boston acquarium. There is NOTHING in Dallas that can begin to compare to the Seattle waterfront area. Also, having a nice facility in which to watch a sports team play or a concert is not the same as actually having the quality of the experience being exceptional. The experience of watching a baseball game at Fenway (as broken down as that stadium is) is so much better than the Ballpark at Arlington - even in the "good seats" no one seems to really care about their team here.

Its clear that my priorities are different than yours - I'm less about the newness and fanciness of things and more about the experience. I'd take a city completely supporting its marathon, its sports teams, having world class theatre and classical music in less than perfect venues over having nice expensive venues with lower quality performances and a populace that doesn't really care. In a real city, people go crazy over their sports teams (have you ever been to San Antonio when the Spurs are playing in the world championship? Even San Antonio does a better job really getting into their team). Off the top of my head, Boston, Austin, Seattle, Chicago and Denver have vastly superior downtowns and children's museums.

But, that is why Dallas doesn't work for us - we'd rather give up the cheap cost of living and live in a dynamic city where there are a lot of people taking advantage of all the city has to offer. If Dallas works for you, then great. Just don't try to kid yourself or convince anyone else that Dallas can begin to compare with the offerings of a New York, Boston, Chicago, Seattle, etc. The OP gave a set of criteria of what he was looking for in a city - I just wanted to give him a heads up that, in my opinion, Dallas is not a good fit for him. If your interests lie in shopping, eating out and going to see and be seen venues, that Dallas is perfect for you. To each his own.

People who are leaving Los Angeles are doing so because they can't afford to buy a house and send their kids to good schools. However, If you can afford to live in Los Angeles, its a great place to live. Happily, we can afford it. : )

[billdfw]

Originally Posted by MovingFromTexas

We live in North Dallas - Plano ISD, Dallas address - hardly some far-flung place. And, our mature neighbhorhood has tons of trees. We are regulars at West Village, Shops at Legacy, used to go to White Rock lake all the time (we stopped because I felt uncomfortable there because it was so deserted and I was worried about safety) - its amazing to me how few people are at any of those places. Took my kids to the local sprinkler park this afternoon and another mom there commented that she loves bringing her daughter there because there are so few people there (10 kids total were there - 3 of them were mine). The McKinney Avenue Trolley is convenient because its so empty that our family can have an entire car to ourselves. We are not seeking a Manhattan kind of overcrowding, just a vibrant city where people actually go out and do things (like Boston, Denver, Chicago, Los Angeles, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, DC, etc).

Aceplace - I'm just curious, just what major metropolitan areas are you finding can't compare to Dallas when you write: "DFW at 6 million plus is able to generate that many more zoos and aquariums, more art museums, more state parks in the immediate vicinity, a larger diversity of films and road shows and concerts and theater. A vastly larger choice of restaurants." IMHO, Dallas doesn't compare to Boston, Denver, Chicago, Los Angeles, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, DC. What cities do you think Dallas beats on the cultural amentities you listed?

I have no idea why any of you wanted to know more detail about our experience here. If Dallas works for you, then great. It doesn't for us. FYI - we have "dug deeper" after relocating here - we've found enough things to do here, its just depressing that it seems like you are always doing them on your own. There is an energy to a city like the ones I listed above - an energy that is completely lacking in Dallas. I just wanted to give the OP some advice to really investigate the area before deciding if it works for him. Some people love it here and that is great for them. In reading the OP's description of what he was looking for, I didn't think that Dallas remotely fit what would make him happy.

By the way, we are moving to Los Angeles. Can't wait.

I find it amusing that you hate living in "Dallas", but you actually do not even live in Dallas, not really. The "real" dallas is inside 635, and the better parts are the Park Cities and around it, and East Dallas and the famous Lakewood area (if you read this board), Uptown & Downtown and various other places.

If you are in Plano ISD, then you live in a suburban wasteland and no wonder you hate it. Visiting all of the great areas of Dallas is not the same as living in them.

Sure, Dallas does not compare to NYC, Boston, ect.., but Dallas is a great city and there are lot worse places. If you lived here, maybe you would know.

[Lakewooder]

So was that you who wrote the really great review of Pescabar?

Heck the guy should just try going to lunch on one of the patios on Henderson and he would see more life then where he lives..