Is Dallas a better place to live than Austin? (Houston: sex offender, crime)

[artsyguy]

I don't know why people think you have to go to Austin to have a party LOL. That is just ridiculous and strange logic.

Originally Posted by Lakewooder

I know that's right!

[tashina]

Originally Posted by DWong

Excellent post. I wondered though.... SF/SD to Plano is quite a contrast in terms of urban feel. Especially in your old areas out west, going from an urbanite to a burb is quite the difference. How did you find the adjustment?

It was an adjustment, but I have lived in so many places that I've tried to learn to love the good in wherever I am. Probably the most urban I've been is living 7 months in Islington in London. And the most suburb-y is living in a faceless new home tract in Temecula near San Diego.

For 10 years, I loved living on 5th Ave in San Diego. I could walk out my front door and visit an artsy theatre, 3-4 restaurants, a music store and 4 used book stores without leaving the block. It was also across the street from the bus stop and I could get almost everywhere in the city without a car. The only bad thing is that it was sort of hard to "get away from it all". I could hear the bars letting all the rowdy guys out at 2am and hear the traffic non-stop. When I went out at night to get a donut, I'd have to navigate past the homeless people peeing behind the dumpster in the alley.

I suppose as I got older, I just wanted to be able to control my surroundings a bit more. So here I am on a peaceful tree lined street in Plano, but guess what? I'm still 2 blocks from the grocery store and Half-Price books is about the same distance along with some restaurants/fast food. So it's not like Temecula where it was a 5 mile drive to the grocery store. Since my husband and I work from home, it's more of a challenge to find things I need to do in the outside world, meaning that the house takes on more importance. We drive so little that we only need gas every couple of months, but we really enjoy being able to afford "more house" because in urban California at this price we'd be in a 1200 sq ft condo.

I have a feeling things will swing back the other way in 10-20 years. I'm 44 now and like to sit in my big living room in the suburbs and paint watercolors and swim in the pool out back. But maybe when I'm 65 I'll see the benefit again of living within walking distance of galleries and other urban amenities. For now, I don't mind a little drive to get to that sort of activity.

Just as a note for people coming from the Bay Area, Plano and Allen most remind me of Dublin/Pleasanton where I also lived. A lot of Austin (not the middle of the city, but the suburbs) reminded me more of El Cajon/Santee in San Diego. More dusty/rural/wild, whereas Plano is clean, lots of concrete and tree-lined. West Austin has mostly messy looking wild oaks which they tried to preserve as the streets took shape. Plano looks more like it started from scratch in the late 70's, building the streets, then planting a variety of trees like you see in California (except the palms - not so many of them). This makes Plano and Dallas suburbs look more tidy. Not saying that one is better than the other, but when I saw Plano, it was my sort of place.

[txgolfer130]

Originally Posted by artsyguy

lol it does?? How would you know. You are NOT gay.

Wow. So the friends that I do have that are don't count either? If I've gone to events w/ them, and even hang around with some of their friends and know where they go, that doesn't count either?

I think you're just reaching for straws now.

[artsyguy]

So your friends are gay. You went to a few gay bars, possibly a gay parade. Big deal.

Originally Posted by txgolfer130

Wow. So the friends that I do have that are don't count either? If I've gone to events w/ them, and even hang around with some of their friends and know where they go, that doesn't count either?

I think you're just reaching for straws now.

[txgolfer130]

Originally Posted by artsyguy

So your friends are gay. You went to a few gay bars, possibly a gay parade. Big deal.

Right. You visited Austin, stayed awhile. Visited some grocery stores and probably a couple of movie theaters. Walked downtown....

Cuts both ways, don't it.

[artsyguy]

I'm sorry what are you saying?? I thought we were talking about the huge austin gay scene.

Originally Posted by txgolfer130

Right. You visited Austin, stayed awhile. Visited some grocery stores and probably a couple of movie theaters. Walked downtown....

Cuts both ways, don't it.

[nomore07]

Originally Posted by aceplace

Comparing Austin to Dallas is like comparing Dallas to New York.

Fugheddaboutit

[txgolfer130]

Originally Posted by artsyguy

I'm sorry what are you saying?? I thought we were talking about the huge austin gay scene.

No, you're saying since I'm not gay I can't comment about it. You don't live in Austin, so it should cut both ways according to your logic.

And if you want a HUGE gay scene, Austin won't be for you. Neither will Dallas, nor Houston, nor Denver, nor Seattle, nor San Antonio, nor Atlanta. They all have them, they are all present and have their own scene's. But I would guess they wouldn't be for you either.

I guess you should stick to NY, SF, maybe MIA or LA. I haven't been to Chicago in a while, but possibly there....but then again I'm not gay so I guess I can't comment on ANYTHING of that nature.

[liloo]

Seattle has one of the largest gay communities in the country. Denver, Atlanta and Dallas have very large gay communites also. I liked Austin well enough while I lived there, but the gay community there was very dissapointing in many ways. Sorry, just my 2 cents.

[artsyguy]

He he ha ha ..... see another person agrees with my amazing opinions.

My only difference is that I believe Austin to be one of the most craptacular cities to live in unless you're a conservative roughneck.

Originally Posted by liloo

Seattle has one of the largest gay communities in the country. Denver, Atlanta and Dallas have very large gay communites also. I liked Austin well enough while I lived there, but the gay community there was very dissapointing in many ways. Sorry, just my 2 cents.