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enlightenme, this is the key, I think. I get it if you're homesick, or if you came here from a place that's very different, then you may not like it here as much. So sure, it's fair to say "I can't walk to the beach every day" or "There aren't hundreds of people walking around downtown all the time" or even "I don't like it here because I'm so homesick". But to categorically say "this place sucks and you won't like it here" is difficult for me to accept, because I know this place has a lot to offer anyone.
Has anyone in this thread esp. enlightenme said this place sucks? I feel for the most part people have been pretty fair in their comments. There was a thread a few months ago (one IIRC you also posted in) about a man and his wife going to Wake Forest for grad school and they were from the Dallas area if I remember correctly. Based on his requirements I felt like W-S would work for him. I even stuck up for W-S when another poster made over the top negative comments.
When commenting if someone will like it I keep in mind what they want and does W-S match that. Sure W-S has something to offer but no sense in recommending it if the persons requirements don't match up. I do think a visit can really make a difference because somethings can just be hard to describe.
Moving to a new area is a big deal so I rather see people research much as possible than just move and give it a try.
enlightenme, thanks for your post. I appreciate differences of opinion, and I realize everyone has their own perspective. Since you have such a different view of WS than I do, I'd like to explore that just a bit. Perhaps we're both a little bit right and a little bit wrong, so help me understand your point of view and maybe we'll find we're not so far apart after all. See my comments below:
There's nothing wrong with liking the place you came from better. But if you can't find things to like about WS, then perhaps it says more about you than it does the city itself. And I don't mean that in a bad way--some people want more than WS has to offer, and I understand that. But that's no reason to put the city down. Just say "It's not for me, and here's why..." I find it hard to believe that crime, poverty, and a "gritty look" are at the root of your reasons.
Hi Everyone, In response to enlightenme's posting: I am a resident of Chicago and personally I can appreciate a smaller city with an affordable cost of living and lower crime rate right about now I live in one of roughest areas in the city, where there's all kinds of violence (gangs, drugs, robberies, etc.) not to mention the city wide high income and sales taxes, foreclosed houses, unemployment....shall I keep going?? The things that I have read about Winston Salem: crime, hunger, unemployment (and even the weather )on this website, the WS Journal and the WS Chronicle is still like an UTOPIA compared to where I am! No doubt, "Chi-town" has a lot of interesting places to go and things to do along with a beautiful skyline (another travel brochure moment ) but as it was mentioned by someone in a previous posting about Winston Salem, they (the magazines, websites, etc.) "paint a pretty picture" of a lot of these cities to draw in more tourists each year to increase the cities' revenue. Remember: Bigger isn't always better!
I'm looking forward to visiting Winston Salem and in the near future relocating in about 2-3 years. I'm in the healthcare field and have two children ages 14 and 11. I would like to know where in Winston Salem are some nice apartment complexes to rent with good schools in the area. I welcome all suggestions and advice.
Hi Everyone, In response to enlightenme's posting: I am a resident of Chicago and personally I can appreciate a smaller city with an affordable cost of living and lower crime rate right about now I live in one of roughest areas in the city, where there's all kinds of violence (gangs, drugs, robberies, etc.) not to mention the city wide high income and sales taxes, foreclosed houses, unemployment....shall I keep going?? The things that I have read about Winston Salem: crime, hunger, unemployment (and even the weather )on this website, the WS Journal and the WS Chronicle is still like an UTOPIA compared to where I am! No doubt, "Chi-town" has a lot of interesting places to go and things to do along with a beautiful skyline (another travel brochure moment ) but as it was mentioned by someone in a previous posting about Winston Salem, they (the magazines, websites, etc.) "paint a pretty picture" of a lot of these cities to draw in more tourists each year to increase the cities' revenue. Remember: Bigger isn't always better!
The OP addresses this in the first post...
Quote:
Originally Posted by jnichols2
Just to give you some additional info... we are pretty liberal, we value walkable areas, culture events, we're not that into pro sports, enjoy good restaurants, dislike the cold, like semi-urban areas (but find cities like NYC, boston, DC way too stressful), and value education. Given all of this you're probably thinking it's a miracle that we tolerate Tampa; but we also know how to make the best of things. The question is, would moving to NC be an improvement of the above, or a step down?
There are tons of cities that are somewhere in the middle, it's not choose a city the size of W-S or Chicago/NYC/LA etc. In North Carolina Charlotte or Raleigh would be an example or another example - TAMPA... The OP is trying to determine if W-S going to provide enough of what they are looking for
Has anyone in this thread esp. enlightenme said this place sucks? I feel for the most part people have been pretty fair in their comments.
Yeah, no one has come right out and said "this place sucks" in so many words, but...(don't mean to pick on enlightenme, but since you asked):
"...we find it pretty close to unbearable in W-S!"
"We find it strange and isolating."
"All of my interactions with people are arranged and scheduled play dates."
"There was an article about W-S in a magazine (I believe it was some airline travel type of magazine my mom found when flying for a visit) and it gave glowing reviews about W-S. It was almost comical to me..."
"You will be homesick before you unpack your moving boxes."
All that together sounds a lot like "this place sucks" to me. And I realize enlightenme is trying to be honest, and she apparently genuinely feels that way, but I can't help but feel that the problem is more her state of mind/feelings than the place. If she wants to point out valid reasons why one wouldn't like it here, that's fine and should be encouraged. But when she starts talking about teen pregnancy, hunger, poverty, etc. to someone who would not likely encounter such things (and again, they're really no worse here than any other city), then it seems disingenuous if not misleading.
I don't mean to come across as a WS cheerleader, but I do happen to think there are many good reasons to live here. I also realize there are many reasons why someone wouldn't want to live here, and that's fine too.
Yeah, no one has come right out and said "this place sucks" in so many words, but...(don't mean to pick on enlightenme, but since you asked):
"...we find it pretty close to unbearable in W-S!"
"We find it strange and isolating."
"All of my interactions with people are arranged and scheduled play dates."
"There was an article about W-S in a magazine (I believe it was some airline travel type of magazine my mom found when flying for a visit) and it gave glowing reviews about W-S. It was almost comical to me..."
"You will be homesick before you unpack your moving boxes."
All that together sounds a lot like "this place sucks" to me. And I realize enlightenme is trying to be honest, and she apparently genuinely feels that way, but I can't help but feel that the problem is more her state of mind/feelings than the place. If she wants to point out valid reasons why one wouldn't like it here, that's fine and should be encouraged. But when she starts talking about teen pregnancy, hunger, poverty, etc. to someone who would not likely encounter such things (and again, they're really no worse here than any other city), then it seems disingenuous if not misleading.
I don't mean to come across as a WS cheerleader, but I do happen to think there are many good reasons to live here. I also realize there are many reasons why someone wouldn't want to live here, and that's fine too.
Arbyunc, it is obvious we are never going to see eye to eye on W-S. For the last time, this isn't a state of mind I have about W-S "sucking" as you want to put it. It is my personal perspective of a city that needs some work and is definitely not for everyone. I can't be the only one with a "state of mind" problem when I have heard many other people voice similar feelings to me. And I am not seeking out or encouraging W-S bashing! I have also had a few people be personally affected by crime and I think it is fair to make sure newcomers realize their neighborhood can easily border a bad school or bad neighborhood. We are always going to agree to disagree and I don't appreciate you "picking" on me for sharing my experiences after my move here. To be honest, one of the reasons I felt compelled to voice my concerns is because I have felt your "W-S cheerleading" comments can also be disingenuous and misleading. You paint a picture of this place that is not completely accurate from my perspective. It can even be something as silly as telling another poster that there is top notch Mexican food choices here. Trust me, if you are accustomed to good culinary experiences it will be one of the first things you miss when moving here. Of course, there are some decent choices to not drive you insane, but ask any transplant and they will tell you they miss good Mexican, Asian and Italian food! In the future, I will privately share my advice to posters that I am personally trying to help. On a positive note, the W-S board needs a cheerleader and you are good at sharing the interesting places for people to visit.
Arbyunc, it is obvious we are never going to see eye to eye on W-S. For the last time, this isn't a state of mind I have about W-S "sucking" as you want to put it. It is my personal perspective of a city that needs some work and is definitely not for everyone. I can't be the only one with a "state of mind" problem when I have heard many other people voice similar feelings to me. And I am not seeking out or encouraging W-S bashing! I have also had a few people be personally affected by crime and I think it is fair to make sure newcomers realize their neighborhood can easily border a bad school or bad neighborhood. We are always going to agree to disagree and I don't appreciate you "picking" on me for sharing my experiences after my move here. To be honest, one of the reasons I felt compelled to voice my concerns is because I have felt your "W-S cheerleading" comments can also be disingenuous and misleading. You paint a picture of this place that is not completely accurate from my perspective. It can even be something as silly as telling another poster that there is top notch Mexican food choices here. Trust me, if you are accustomed to good culinary experiences it will be one of the first things you miss when moving here. Of course, there are some decent choices to not drive you insane, but ask any transplant and they will tell you they miss good Mexican, Asian and Italian food! In the future, I will privately share my advice to posters that I am personally trying to help. On a positive note, the W-S board needs a cheerleader and you are good at sharing the interesting places for people to visit.
Fair enough. You are completely correct that WS isn't for everyone. And I sincerely don't mean to pick on you at all...I understand that you feel the way you do. Like you, my only goal is to paint a fair picture. So if I feel someone's comments are either unfair or inaccurate, I think it's worth discussing. As an example, take your comment about Mexican food--this is not Mexico or south Texas, so one shouldn't reasonably expect to find the same sort of offerings here. But as you say, there are some very decent offerings here, IMO better than one might expect in a smaller city. So I think there's absolutely no reason one would "miss" good Mexican food--they might miss the variety and number of establishments available in other places, but there is darn good (pretty) authentic Mexican food here. So rather than say "You will miss Mexican food if you move here", one could more accurately say "We may not have lots of options, but there is very good Mexican food to be had here." Probably sounds like nitpicking, but there is a difference in the two. Now perhaps you have tried all the Mexican establishments here and you think none of them are worthy, in which case by all means you should express your opinion. And likewise, if you think I've posted something that's not accurate, please point that out. I really do welcome the discussion, because after all, the more opinions someone has about a place, the better decisions they can make.
It can even be something as silly as telling another poster that there is top notch Mexican food choices here. Trust me, if you are accustomed to good culinary experiences it will be one of the first things you miss when moving here.
Just a quick comment on this specific note...
My acquaintances from Michoacan, Mexico City & Guadalajara all say that Greensboro & Winston have options not quite rivaling the choices back home, but on-par with anything in LA, NYC, Texas or Atlanta. We just don't have the quantity.
Fair enough. You are completely correct that WS isn't for everyone. And I sincerely don't mean to pick on you at all...I understand that you feel the way you do. Like you, my only goal is to paint a fair picture. So if I feel someone's comments are either unfair or inaccurate, I think it's worth discussing. As an example, take your comment about Mexican food--this is not Mexico or south Texas, so one shouldn't reasonably expect to find the same sort of offerings here. But as you say, there are some very decent offerings here, IMO better than one might expect in a smaller city. So I think there's absolutely no reason one would "miss" good Mexican food--they might miss the variety and number of establishments available in other places, but there is darn good (pretty) authentic Mexican food here. So rather than say "You will miss Mexican food if you move here", one could more accurately say "We may not have lots of options, but there is very good Mexican food to be had here." Probably sounds like nitpicking, but there is a difference in the two. Now perhaps you have tried all the Mexican establishments here and you think none of them are worthy, in which case by all means you should express your opinion. And likewise, if you think I've posted something that's not accurate, please point that out. I really do welcome the discussion, because after all, the more opinions someone has about a place, the better decisions they can make.
Still friends, I hope?
Truce! We haven't tried all the Mexican food places in town, but after eating at seven or so places in the first 2 years here we have settled on La Botana as being the most authentic and closest to the style we miss. I thought La Rana Loca was decent for fish tacos. There is a definitely more of an Americana style to the Mexican food restaurants we have tried with a mystery cheese sauce dumped on a lot of the dishes or this watered down red sauce over everything. I have met a fair amount of FL transplants who also miss good Cuban food. I really miss taco stands more than actual sit down restaurants with fish tacos and huge, cheap burritos and tamales. If you have suggestions, I would love to try them! I haven't really ventured out into the Waughtown neighborhood, but I have a feeling that area may have the taco stands and good Mexican food I miss. The good thing for me is I have really started to cook more Mexican food at home. If anyone ever needs a nice latin food selection at a cheap price, I have found Super Compare Foods on Silas Creek Pkwy to have the ingredients. I have now taken this thread off topic and developed a strong craving for Mexican food. Sorry!
^ Now you're talking! Let's explore the Mexican thing a bit. Yes, there are a number of small hole-in-the-wall taquerias springing up, but let's face it, some of them aren't in the nicest areas so I can see how one might be hesitant to try them. This is generally the real stuff, though. If you haven't already been there, I highly recommend Las Estrellas (located very near the Compare Foods you mentioned). The same owners have Senor Bravo downtown (near Old Salem)--similar menu but much better atmosphere. Both are worthwhile--if you like La Botana you'll love them, I think.
I'm determined to change your mind about W-S!
And I agree, Cuban food is something we need more of around here. We used to have the Caribbean Cafe, which offered pretty good Cuban and Dominican dishes, but unfortunately it closed a couple of years ago. Maybe there's something in Greensboro?
Agree completely with Enlightenme. Food is lacking the quality found in large Northern areas. And, hey, what's wrong with that , Arbyunc? Did you really think anywhere in NC could compete?
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I live in one of roughest areas in the city, where there's all kinds of violence (gangs, drugs, robberies, etc.) not to mention the city wide high income and sales taxes, foreclosed houses, unemployment....shall I keep going?? The things that I have read about Winston Salem: crime, hunger, unemployment (and even the weather 
)on this website, the WS Journal and the WS Chronicle is still like an UTOPIA compared to where I am! No doubt, "Chi-town" has a lot of interesting places to go and things to do along with a beautiful skyline (another travel brochure moment 
) but as it was mentioned by someone in a previous posting about Winston Salem, they (the magazines, websites, etc.) "paint a pretty picture" of a lot of these cities to draw in more tourists each year to increase the cities' revenue. Remember: Bigger isn't always better!
We haven't tried all the Mexican food places in town, but after eating at seven or so places in the first 2 years here we have settled on La Botana as being the most authentic and closest to the style we miss. I thought La Rana Loca was decent for fish tacos. There is a definitely more of an Americana style to the Mexican food restaurants we have tried with a mystery cheese sauce dumped on a lot of the dishes or this watered down red sauce over everything. I have met a fair amount of FL transplants who also miss good Cuban food. I really miss taco stands more than actual sit down restaurants with fish tacos and huge, cheap burritos and tamales. If you have suggestions, I would love to try them! I haven't really ventured out into the Waughtown neighborhood, but I have a feeling that area may have the taco stands and good Mexican food I miss. The good thing for me is I have really started to cook more Mexican food at home. If anyone ever needs a nice latin food selection at a cheap price, I have found Super Compare Foods on Silas Creek Pkwy to have the ingredients. I have now taken this thread off topic and developed a strong craving for Mexican food. Sorry!
