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My husband is a bit concerned I will not be happy in a place like Greenville. I was born and raised on Long Island and worked in New York City for over 20 years.
He is concerned that you cannot take the city out of this girl -- but I beg to differ. Being someone who always wants to be able to step back and 'look at herself' -- I wonder if he is more objective than I am.
So -- for the former big-city-dwellers -- how was it adjusting to life in Greenville after being in a place like New York City? Will life be too slow paced and laid back for me? Will there be less access to shows, opera, ballet and the like? Will I be able to easily find (and afford) great restaurants?
I will NOT miss the liberal/tax and spend mentality that is pervasive on Long Island -- so no worries about that!
My husband is a bit concerned I will not be happy in a place like Greenville. I was born and raised on Long Island and worked in New York City for over 20 years.
He is concerned that you cannot take the city out of this girl -- but I beg to differ. Being someone who always wants to be able to step back and 'look at herself' -- I wonder if he is more objective than I am.
So -- for the former big-city-dwellers -- how was it adjusting to life in Greenville after being in a place like New York City? Will life be too slow paced and laid back for me? Will there be less access to shows, opera, ballet and the like? Will I be able to easily find (and afford) great restaurants?
I will NOT miss the liberal/tax and spend mentality that is pervasive on Long Island -- so no worries about that!
Thank you in advance for all of your help!
We just moved from Miami. I couldn't wait to leave and that's after living there my entire life. I've never lived anywhere else. I didn't like what Miami had become and how I felt being there.
Life is definitely slower paced than in SOFLA, and thank goodness for that. It's what I wanted and what I was looking for. But it's not like it's dead here either.
There is so much to do, and with a slower pace, more time to do them. I'm sure others can give you a better sense of what's been available in the past, but I do know the Peace Center does have Broadway Shows come in (saw Dream Girls)
Great restaurants - we've found some great restaurants and with help of Groupon and Living Social we've been able to try new places (was at Yia Yia's last night - great meal!)
So, for me, I am very happy to be away from the fast pace of the city, I'm happy to be in an area where people are not in such a hurry they'll run you over and not look back, something that's been an epidemic in SOFLA. I'm happy to be in a place where people have manners, and they enjoy to stop and talk with you.
I can't say how you yourself will be here, but as for this big city gal, so far, so good!
Will life be too slow paced and laid back for me? Will there be less access to shows, opera, ballet and the like? Will I be able to easily find (and afford) great restaurants?
If you feel you are always running to catch up to NYC you probably will appreciate the slow pace. If you are keeping up it maybe too slow here. Greenville doesn't have millions of people and that means we don't have the selection (in anything) that NYC has. We have theatre and shows but many fewer to choose than NYC offers and we have a good selection of restaurants too but not like NYC.
We moved here from Chicago. We miss the most; pizza, white castle, Popeyes (see above), so you see where that's going. There is no family there anymore and we miss our friends but it was too hard to live there as we got older.
For what it's worth, I think a piece of you will always miss NYC. There is no place in the world like NYC. I miss it -- I lived there for a few years and then in NJ.
But I think Greenville is a lovely and charming small city and if you are ready to take on a different sort of lifestyle, it's a great place to try it out.
But, truly, this is such a personal question it will be hard for anyone to answer without simply giving you their own perspective. I have lived in NYC/NJ and I will always miss it. But do I really want to move back there - to that HIGH cost of living and nonstop hectic/stress pace? No, I don't. But there will always be nostalgia and visits to the city that never sleeps...
For what it's worth, I think a piece of you will always miss NYC. There is no place in the world like NYC. I miss it -- I lived there for a few years and then in NJ.
But I think Greenville is a lovely and charming small city and if you are ready to take on a different sort of lifestyle, it's a great place to try it out.
But, truly, this is such a personal question it will be hard for anyone to answer without simply giving you their own perspective. I have lived in NYC/NJ and I will always miss it. But do I really want to move back there - to that HIGH cost of living and nonstop hectic/stress pace? No, I don't. But there will always be nostalgia and visits to the city that never sleeps...
I agree. From everything I've learned about you from our pm's and your posts on this forum, you will love it here. You are tired of the same things about NY as I was. There are other posters on this forum that were just unhappy here in SC and are glad to be back in NY. But more often are the posters who love it here and can't imagine why they did not move sooner. Yes, it's slower, but in a great way. It's slower because you don't have to bust your butt trying to just get by financially. It's slower because you don't have to leave extra time to get somewhere just because of traffic. I can't believe how much time I wasted sitting in traffic! But your time is filled with fun things to do. If you want to be, you can be even busier here. You can fill your time with exploring the area, plays/shows, Shakespeare in the park, all kinds of music, art shows, local fresh markets, drive thru scenic highways, I could just keep listing for and hour. I will say there are so many festivals you will have to keep a calendar in the spring/summer/fall. You won't be bored unless you want to be.
I grew up in a city with 3.5 million people (Berlin, Germany) so I understand your worries. Growing up I always thought I wouldn't want to live anywhere else because the big city mentality is that everything else sucks anyways. I am sure you know what I am talking about. I don't think people in NYC are any different about that. Now, after living a few years in smaller towns, I have to say that I wouldn't want to live in a big city anymore. I really enjoy seeing so much green and all the fields and trees everywhere. I know, that might sound silly for everybody who grew up here but you just don't have that in a big city. I am also glad that the traffic in smaller towns is not so crazy. You just don't have to deal with all of that unless you drive on Woodruff Road on a weekend (holy crap ). If you accept that fact that some things are just different you might enjoy the slower life of a small city like Greenville. When a big city boy like me can do it, everybody can. And yes, I sometimes miss Berlin and think about the good times I had there but life sometimes is about moving on. It will always be a part of you and you can always go back to visit.
My wife and I have lived in Washington DC, Pittsburgh, Miami, Atlanta and New York and not a one of them can hold a flame to Greenville. I would much rather live here and visit there. When i fly back from a business trip I can actually feel my blood pressure go down when I land at GSP (or Chartlotte). You cant beat it here.
I grew up in a city with 3.5 million people (Berlin, Germany) so I understand your worries. Growing up I always thought I wouldn't want to live anywhere else because the big city mentality is that everything else sucks anyways. I am sure you know what I am talking about. I don't think people in NYC are any different about that. .
How right you are! I admit to being a "New York/Long Island snob" growing up. I thought it was the best place to live....until I started to travel and found out how wrong I was. Friends that still live there think we are crazy to have moved to SC. Then they come to visit us and find they want to live here too. They are always impressed with Falls Park and I am proud to show off my new home town.
Thank you EVERYONE for your candor and time. Yes, I believe it is a personal journey but having the thoughts and emotions and experiences of others, helps create a consciousness that is necessary.
I don't expect this to be the big city -- if I did -- I wouldn't bother leaving! I know there will be an adjustment.......I loved what I read about it being slower but not dead! IMPORTANT! My husband comes from an area upstate that is D-E-A-D and that I could not handle.
Born in Brooklyn, NY....lived here my entire life with the exception of the few years spent living in Greenville. Left Greenville over a year ago.
While living there missed the following things about NYC:
1) Being able to get a drink in any restaurant on Sunday
2) The abundance of ballet, opera, broadway plays, jazz clubs and ethnic restaurants (Chinese, Indian, Italian) that serve authentic cuisine.
3) The fabulous shopping along 5th & Madison Avenues, the huge Macys on 34th street.
4) Juniors & Carnegie deli cheesecake.....although they do have Carnegie deli cheesecake at the Copper River restaurant in Greenville.
5) The action, excitement and energy of NYC
6) Even missed the 9 million people too
7) 24 hour stores, subways and buses or just being able to walk all over the city
Greenville is a nice city....I have been to a lot of nice cities....but none have even come close to this city and that is why I am glad to be home. Often imitated but never duplicated!!
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And yes, I sometimes miss Berlin and think about the good times I had there but life sometimes is about moving on. It will always be a part of you and you can always go back to visit.
