What's with this city?? (Houston, Dallas: crime, home, where to live)
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Sounds to me that this person from Boston's idea of nightlife is very different from yours. To you, because of your interest in rodeo that Forth Worth fits right in with you but to him, he may be looking at different requirements for night life. Both perceptions are NOT wrong at all. Just different. I think it's very important to first ask what he/she may be looking for and then evaluate if indeed the city has that type of night/life/culture and if not, then it sounds like the city is not a fit with him/her. And that's OK too. Maybe you can recommend nearby places or cities that may have what he/she needs. It also sounds like he/she sees that there aren't any cultural activities that he/she needs and wants to move to Dallas instead.
It's really not a yankee vs. Texan thing. It's just a differerent need for a different life from yours. Texas always touts itself that it has a "larger" bit of everything. It's important to show that it has people with a large and open minds enough to accomodate everyone no matter who they are, as different as they are in their search for a new life. Last I checked, we are first Americans before we are anything else. I think all the "Yankees go home" attitude is very hostile toward someone who was just asking for directions to things that may better suit him/her. Nothing wrong with that.
My $0.02.
Quote:
Originally Posted by bellestaroftexas
nightlife sucks? SHOOT...no way! i had the BIGGEST time in my life in the Ft Worth Stockyards. Rodeo Exchange was my "hang out", as was Cadillac Cantina..both on Exchange. you must not like country and western. Rodeo Exchange even has/had a SPUR RACK!!! this is one COWBOY'D UP TOWN. Ft Worth is great. it aint Yuppieville. yall can keep Dallas and Plano. Cowtown is a GREAT FRIENDLY DOWN HOME CITY!
I live in Fort Worth, and it has more of a cultural district than Dallas does, IMO. I go to the Kimbell Art Museum and the Museum of Science and History fairly often, and the Ft Worth Symphony is quite good (although I wouldn't put it up with the Boston Symphony just yet). I'm not much of a cowboy type, but Fort Worth has a lot more than just the North Side.
I moved to FW, from Boston to start a business with my brother and his wife.
All I can say is this city sucks. It's horribly unattractive (just look at that skyline..how sad is that), slow, and just downright boring. The nightlife sucks, the shopping sucks, and recreational activities suck. Most of the city is dead after 7PM. For all of the bragging I hear about downtown, usually from FW people, it's just okay. The downtown area is very generic...no different than any of the new "towncenter" projects going up everywhere around here. It offers little that is different or unique. The Bass Hall only has shows for old people...Tony Orlando played there last week. Give me a break. For anything fun, be it concerts, shopping or whatever, you have to go to Dallas. Also, the job market here is not good at all. The city is mainly blue collar and industrial (not that there's anything wrong with that), so if you're seeking a high level corporate job, good luck. Also there's been several sizable layoffs from Fort Worth companies lately. And there's been no decent new businesses moving here. I'm currently looking at a loft in downtown Dallas and a house in Plano. The commute is worth it to live in civilization again.
Txman-
As a native Texan and someone who lived in Fort Worth for a very short stint some years ago, I think unless you like country music and sawdust floor bars Fort Worth is probably not your kind of place. I also want to apologize for some closed-minded, defensive Texans who seem to take any criticism as a personal threat. Some people in Texas can be very tribalistic and insecure (but not everyone, of course). You’ll find many “cities” in Texas still have a small town feel, which some people like of course, but is night and day when compared to Boston. I think you’ll find a much more urban and sophisticated lifestyle in Dallas, although, if you haven’t been there yet the Frederick Remington Collection in the Amon Carter Museum is stunning.
In the end, Ft. Worth is not called “Cowtown” for nothing. Good luck…I’m off to Boston in May for a new job!
I can't believe some of the statements on this thread - wow!
We are not into country music at all, moved to Texas 7 years ago and really love it (though we may be moving next year for a job change). The museums, the friendly people, the botanic gardens, the zoo, the restaurants, Sundance Square, affordable housing, the bike trails, etc. The only time we've gone to the Stockyards is w/people who came from out-of-town and wanted to go but other than that, we stay busy w/o the typical "country" activities. We love it here.
How can you blame people for thinking FW (or Texas) is full of cowboys when cowboy culture seems to be the only image the city really promotes. Sorry, but the "Old West" image is cheesy to many people. Kinda like a theme restaurant. The old west is not seen as cosmopolitan, current, progressive, or diverse ( Spare me the there were black cowboys speech. I know there were ethnic cowboys, but to most of the country now, cowboys and rednecks are one and the same). So you can't blame people for thinking FW is none of these things, no matter what museums you have. BTW, the average person isn't really interested in museums. They're great bragging rights for cities, and tourist will visit them, but how much time does the average FW citizen spend hanging out at the Kimbell. And unless someone is really into classical art, outside of DFW and outside of Texas, nonone's ever heard of the Kimbell, yet people in FW talk about it like it's the Louve. Whatever!!!
I can totally understand why someone from Boston would come here and find it a little to country-fide. FW does have an image of a cowtown, I mean it's often CALLED Cowtown for goodness sakes. Regardless, I like Fort Worth, but I can still understand why someone from the NorthEast would think it was a little backward - again, the city promotes the old west as part of its image. However, the person from Boston should've known that before they came here. In my opinion, Dallas is much more urban and has a more urban nightlife. But, with that comes a high crime rate and such. You take the good with the bad; pick your poison.
The ideal and culture that goes with Texas(and most of the west) is not so much cowboy as being yourself and free to be left alone. That is something you will never find in eastern cities, which is why thousands of easterners move west every year. Also many move east because they need the environment it provides. If you are going to take a job out west, don't expect it to be anything but western in culture. It's been "cowboy" for 170 years now...so read a book before you move, the culture is no secret. Either you like it or you don't. Would you move to Thailand and be pissed there is no opera or skyline...you might and people like that are what destroys cultures. Embrace diversity, doesn't mean change something till it fits your ideal...so LONG LIVE TEXAS COWBOYS, and Boston..eh..what ever Boston culture is.
Embrace diversity, doesn't mean change something till it fits your ideal...so LONG LIVE TEXAS COWBOYS, and Boston..eh..what ever Boston culture is.
Huh? He’s not changing anything, he’s just complaining about what Fort Worth lacks.
Culture is not static. For example, the suburban, sprawl that exemplifies Texas cities really is a result of the automobile. On hundred years ago cities in Texas were denser and (ironically) had a great public transportation system. The Old West culture of Fort Worth is fine, but it certainly isn’t for everyone. It has also changed a lot and has largely been crafted by Hollywood. That’s a big part of the reason a lot of people think it’s cheesy.
And if you don’t think Boston has culture, well…you don't know what you are talking about.
Hello, been a long time reader, first time poster, and was really appalled by the original post starter. That's his .02, and he's entitled to it just like anybody else's opinion... Now heres my .02: Really surprised in the amount of folks that try to explain/convince someone 'it's not that bad here etc...' That said, really am getting sick/tired of people come down here selling their $500k home (carpetbaggers, snotty/snutie types) and expect everything/everyone to graviate towards whatever mentality they came from. Don't get me wrong, I like cross-pollination like the next folk, but I still stick by the old adage, love it or leave it. And I grew up and lived in the DFW area my whole life, so at least my .02 is justified here.
Our ancestors came out to the Western U.S. states for a reason. They made the dangerous trip because they did not like the Eastern Establishment. In some aspects of setting up the Western statehoods, they did not want to re-create the Eastern Establishment.
The Arab Oil Embargo of 1973 pushed people in the Eastern Establishment out to the Southern and Western states. They have, in some cases, been surprised that these states are not the same as the ones that they left.
Someone from Boston is not going to like states outside the East.
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