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Old 05-20-2014, 02:17 PM
 
Location: Englewood, Near Eastside Indy
8,940 posts, read 17,164,742 times
Reputation: 7270

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Quote:
Originally Posted by Emigrations View Post
Not from Knoxville. I'm from about a hundred miles east of Knoxville from a smallish town called Kingsport. Salaries, crime, and everything bad is much worse where I'm from than Knoxville. Knoxville is a paradise compared to Kingsport.

The roads are what they are I guess. It still seems odd that as nice as the weather has been there's no effort to repair them. There's a billboard advertising a Civic I465-E that a caution sign saying "Indiana Road Improvements" that I found amusing.

I do agree with the slowness of drivers in east TN. Going up 75 in KY is like a different world than Knoxville. People absolutely book it up 75. It's not the speed that bothers me - I've honestly not found people driving faster here than most places - it's the constant honking of horns. Never saw any of that around Boston.

I've been to a few places in Broad Ripple and downtown, mostly on Saturday night. Granted, I've been out on the weekends like twice other than to basketball games and I'm not a club goer - mostly bars (went home one weekend, went to Nashville another, and haven't been out some weekends) and online. I've met a few women from dating sites (more than I'd find in east TN) but they were either 10+ years older than me with adult/teenage/no kids (not so bad) or young (18-19) and no kids. It's even harder to find someone making around what I do. I'm not saying they need to be rich, but a lot of people seem to be in the $10-$12/hr range like you'd fine in Knoxville. Again, not saying this is any different than what I'm used to (except for I went from making below average money to somewhat above average), but I expected a little different feel going from a metro of 300-400k to one about 1.8 million.

I also see a lot of NASCAR, hunting stuff, people wearing camo, people into mudding/fishing, etc. Nothing wrong with that per se, but like I said, it feels culturally very similar to east TN and I'm just not into that stuff.

I think the religion thing has tapered off a bit over the last few years but I see A LOT of churches in the area. Not as many as in TN, but it's a far, far bigger than in the northeast. I'm not religious and haven't been really badgered even in east TN on church in years, but it was something I picked up on.

I work on 96th. We have an Indy address, but the Carmel police services the area. The place I got in Carmel was actually roomier and cheaper than what I was seeing in BR. Granted, I didn't have a lot of time to look, but the apartment I'm in is not bad at all. I can get a sandwich, get all my groceries, go to Wal-Mart within five minutes, and walk to several restaurants on the Hagan-Burke.


NASCAR gear and camo? Are you hanging out in Rushville on the weekends? I don't fish; but Paul George does. He is from California. Sounds like you love your stereotypes.

To summarize your plight on women........you've made minimal effort outside of online dating. Once online, you are only finding people really young or older, and you are only meeting people who make under $12 an hour. That is a you problem. Not a "I moved somewhere and can't meet anyone" problem. Of course, that is always the easier path to take.

As far what I bolded in your comment.............how would you know? You've only been here two months according to your post.
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Old 05-20-2014, 03:20 PM
 
Location: TN/NC
34,822 posts, read 30,876,901 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Toxic Toast View Post
NASCAR gear and camo? Are you hanging out in Rushville on the weekends? I don't fish; but Paul George does. He is from California. Sounds like you love your stereotypes.

To summarize your plight on women........you've made minimal effort outside of online dating. Once online, you are only finding people really young or older, and you are only meeting people who make under $12 an hour. That is a you problem. Not a "I moved somewhere and can't meet anyone" problem. Of course, that is always the easier path to take.

As far what I bolded in your comment.............how would you know? You've only been here two months according to your post.
I didn't say there was anything wrong with fishing per se. Fishing, hunting, mudding, etc, are associated with "Duck Dynasty" culture where. That's not saying everyone that partakes in these activities is like that, but there does seem to be a "country" vibe here that I didn't expect to find in a metro this size.

The women issue is, again, something I'm familiar with back home and wasn't expecting it to continue here. It's not high on my priorities list, but finding single, reasonably well-educated, attractive women in their 20s who aren't already taken doesn't seem easy. Admittedly my time here and sample size is limited, but I met some smart, reasonably attractive women with no kids that were making decent money when I was in Boston. Even on a per capita basis, that type of woman seems rare here.

The religion issue seems to have been on the decline in the South at least since Bush left office.
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Old 05-20-2014, 03:36 PM
 
Location: Seattle, WA
918 posts, read 1,688,191 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Toxic Toast View Post
NASCAR gear and camo? Are you hanging out in Rushville on the weekends? I don't fish; but Paul George does. He is from California. Sounds like you love your stereotypes.
Merely stating that he's been observing people who dress like such is not a stereotype. Stereotype would be "Most or all Hoosiers follow NASCAR and wear camo"
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Old 05-20-2014, 03:44 PM
 
Location: Fishers, IN
6,485 posts, read 12,475,908 times
Reputation: 4125
Quote:
Originally Posted by Emigrations View Post
I didn't say there was anything wrong with fishing per se. Fishing, hunting, mudding, etc, are associated with "Duck Dynasty" culture where. That's not saying everyone that partakes in these activities is like that, but there does seem to be a "country" vibe here that I didn't expect to find in a metro this size.

The women issue is, again, something I'm familiar with back home and wasn't expecting it to continue here. It's not high on my priorities list, but finding single, reasonably well-educated, attractive women in their 20s who aren't already taken doesn't seem easy. Admittedly my time here and sample size is limited, but I met some smart, reasonably attractive women with no kids that were making decent money when I was in Boston. Even on a per capita basis, that type of woman seems rare here.

The religion issue seems to have been on the decline in the South at least since Bush left office.
1. Canada has a lot of good fishing and hunting. Does that give it a country vibe? Have to say, though, I've never heard many rave about fishing in Indiana.

2. Why do you like to strike up conversations with strangers?

3. The type of woman you prefer is undoubtedly in high demand, so, yeah, chances are they've found a mate.

4. Having gone to HS and college in Arkansas, I laugh when people complain about religiosity in Indiana.

5. I've traveled all over the Midwest. Chain restaurants dominate everywhere. Still, it's easy to find good local places.
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Old 05-20-2014, 04:23 PM
 
Location: Englewood, Near Eastside Indy
8,940 posts, read 17,164,742 times
Reputation: 7270
Quote:
Originally Posted by W & C View Post
Merely stating that he's been observing people who dress like such is not a stereotype. Stereotype would be "Most or all Hoosiers follow NASCAR and wear camo"
I am not interested in arguing semantics with you, and I am not re-hashing a post because you missed a point.
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Old 05-20-2014, 04:26 PM
 
Location: Seattle, WA
918 posts, read 1,688,191 times
Reputation: 971
Quote:
Originally Posted by Toxic Toast View Post
I am not interested in arguing semantics with you, and I am not re-hashing a post because you missed a point.
Welp, still nice of you to reply, I guess...
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Old 05-20-2014, 07:04 PM
 
3,004 posts, read 5,123,035 times
Reputation: 1547
Really haven't described anything different than any other metro. Been living in tampa for past 2 months and no different. Heavy chain rest focus esp for tourists. Fishing in FL everyone everywhere so definite stereotype. While the roads aren't bad as far as use, it lacks indy's grid and just **** poor design. Simply put metros all share certain characteristics and chains, fishing etc are all the same. Its up to you to get out and experience.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Emigrations View Post
Not from Knoxville. I'm from about a hundred miles east of Knoxville from a smallish town called Kingsport. Salaries, crime, and everything bad is much worse where I'm from than Knoxville. Knoxville is a paradise compared to Kingsport.

The roads are what they are I guess. It still seems odd that as nice as the weather has been there's no effort to repair them. There's a billboard advertising a Civic I465-E that a caution sign saying "Indiana Road Improvements" that I found amusing.

I do agree with the slowness of drivers in east TN. Going up 75 in KY is like a different world than Knoxville. People absolutely book it up 75. It's not the speed that bothers me - I've honestly not found people driving faster here than most places - it's the constant honking of horns. Never saw any of that around Boston.

I've been to a few places in Broad Ripple and downtown, mostly on Saturday night. Granted, I've been out on the weekends like twice other than to basketball games and I'm not a club goer - mostly bars (went home one weekend, went to Nashville another, and haven't been out some weekends) and online. I've met a few women from dating sites (more than I'd find in east TN) but they were either 10+ years older than me with adult/teenage/no kids (not so bad) or young (18-19) and no kids. It's even harder to find someone making around what I do. I'm not saying they need to be rich, but a lot of people seem to be in the $10-$12/hr range like you'd fine in Knoxville. Again, not saying this is any different than what I'm used to (except for I went from making below average money to somewhat above average), but I expected a little different feel going from a metro of 300-400k to one about 1.8 million.

I also see a lot of NASCAR, hunting stuff, people wearing camo, people into mudding/fishing, etc. Nothing wrong with that per se, but like I said, it feels culturally very similar to east TN and I'm just not into that stuff.

I think the religion thing has tapered off a bit over the last few years but I see A LOT of churches in the area. Not as many as in TN, but it's a far, far bigger than in the northeast. I'm not religious and haven't been really badgered even in east TN on church in years, but it was something I picked up on.

I work on 96th. We have an Indy address, but the Carmel police services the area. The place I got in Carmel was actually roomier and cheaper than what I was seeing in BR. Granted, I didn't have a lot of time to look, but the apartment I'm in is not bad at all. I can get a sandwich, get all my groceries, go to Wal-Mart within five minutes, and walk to several restaurants on the Hagan-Burke.
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Old 05-20-2014, 10:53 PM
 
Location: NC
67 posts, read 133,735 times
Reputation: 87
Quote:
Originally Posted by Emigrations View Post
I moved here for a job from east TN about two months ago. Here are some things I've noticed, good and bad.

1) I live in Carmel, but work in the city and am in the city quite a bit for dining, sports, and nightlife. The roads throughout the metro are the worst I've seen anywhere, bar none. This is my biggest complaint about the metro and state. It's common to see potholes several inches deep, road "patching" that isn't level with the surrounding asphalt, road closures, etc. I've been in Carmel, Fishers, Brownsburg, and Bloomington so far, and the roads have been poor to downright hazardous almost everywhere. I-65 south of town all the way to Louisville is terrible. While I understand this was a tough winter and not just a city problem, there seems to be no effort made to fix these roads. I was training for this job in MA and had been to VT, NH, and ME in March, and the roads there were better than these.

2) I thought the weather would be lousy, but this spring has actually been very nice. The scenery is bland, but I know that coming in.

3) This is a good sports city. I've really gotten into the Pacers since I've been here. From my door in Carmel to seated in the arena only takes about an hour, and getting out isn't much hassle either. Much better than most arenas I've been to.

4) There's a huge emphasis on chain dining here. There are a lot of chains, including some of my favorites, but the local options, outside of downtown and Broad Ripple, seem very limited. I'm from east TN, but have spent a lot of my personal time the past year in Asheville, NC, Greenville, SC, and Nashville, TN, and the local dining options are pretty poor, even compared to the smaller cities.

5) Traffic isn't bad for a metro of this size. On the flip side, the "loop" around the metro takes forever to get around, and simply leaving the metro east, west, or southbound from Carmel is a bear if 465 clogs up in the evening.

6) COL is pretty good - I got an apartment of about the same quality and size that I could find for the same price back home, but my salary more than doubled, although this is probably an edge case. For being a red state, IN has awfully high taxes and fees. I'm fortunate that my salary more than makes up for the difference in taxes between here and east TN, but I'm not sure if this comparison would be as favorable with Nashville, which has the TN low taxes but higher salaries. Everything but taxes seems cheaper than east TN, especially food.

7) Culturally, I don't like it. I've found many of the locals to be downright rude, or at the least, not friendly, and the friendliest people I've met were either in Bloomington or other transplanted Southerners. I've seen a lot of blowing of horns, aggressive driving, people being unwilling to chat in public places where there's normally chatting (bars, sauna at gym), which is odd to me coming from the South and just coming back from New England. People are nicer in both places than they are here. The "reservedness" reminds me of Iowa, but Iowans were nowhere near as aggressive on the roads, and the quietness here seems to be more of a cold shoulder, rather than just something in their culture like Iowa.

Indiana also has a lot of the Bible Belt issues (preachy billboards and signs along the road, lots of churches, church seems to be where friends are made) that I didn't like in TN, but without the Southern charm of middle TN and the Carolinas. Indy also doesn't seem like a happening place for young singles - granted, I don't live in the city, but am having a hell of a time finding single women without kids around making a decent amount (I'm 28). Culturally, I stick out.

Overall, I guess I'd rate the city a solid 'C.' I like the sports, shopping, and ease of getting around, but culturally it still seems like a small town in the Bible Belt in many ways.
They say it takes a year or two in a new location to really feel like you live there.
I currently live in NC now, have for a couple of decades, but grew up in Indy, so maybe I put my spin on it, having spent time in both places.
I haven't been in Indy since 2007, so maybe stuff has changed a bit, but ill go ahead anyway.


1. Cant really comment, but Indy has always had 'chuck holes' or potholes.

2. Wait until the fall.

3. cant comment

4. True, there are a lot of chain restaurants in Indy. There are a lot of chain restaurants that originate in the Midwest and test market there in the midwest. There are however a great many independently owned places around the city.
Here is a link to an Indy food blog.

Indianapolis Restaurant Scene

I'm considering a move back at somepoint and wondered how far the food scene had come in the past 10 or so years. Looks like a lot of cool places serving just about anything you'd want.

5. cant comment


6. will note


7. The rude people are the Kentuckians! Just joking.
When I first moved to NC, and total strangers would wave or start a conversation with you, I didn't know how to take it.
It was kind of wierd at first, but eventually, I guess i got used to it.
I could see how someone from the south would consider the reservedness to come off as aloof or cold or whatever.
I have the benefit of friends and family up there, so i cant really know what its like to be there without that.
I'm not saying it cant happen in Indy, but in my experience, here in the south it is easier to chat up people. But usually at bars when people are more receptive to talk or not in hurry or whatever. Perhaps I may suffer the same fate moving back, having been 'southernized' that way so to speak. Maybe someone could lay down the etiquette of striking up conversations with strangers here. I'm guessing you mean chatting with ladies in public?
At any rate, I'd think once you start becoming a regular at places, perhaps people would warm up to you.
I wouldn't entirely say people were blowing you off, I think its just that they don't know you.
If they had a friend that knew you, perhaps it would be ok to know you! I think that's kind of how it works up there. I'm pretty certain it works that way other places too, its just the etiquette is different.
I will however say, having spent some time in Bloomington, it does seem to have a more laid back vibe
and people seem more approachable/ 'drinking buddyable'
Besides you are so freshly new there, everything culturally is gonna seem magnified/distorted x 100.

I find the south to be way more churchy actually. "Churches are where friends are made" I had the same thoughts about the south.
Or should I say networking friends for jobs,etc. I find people to be more judgemental of you in the south if you don't go to church.

After a certain age, the dating pool does get smaller for everyone. I'm a bit older than you,and at my age, the women I see on dating sites around my age are the same you are talking about here in NC, just less of a selection.
Just for fun and research , I have been checking out the single women on OKcupid for the Indianapolis area. There seems to be quite a bit more to offer there.

Anyone at your job ask you to hang out or do anything? Like I said, maybe someone else on here currently living in Indy may have a better idea about the etiquette.
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Old 05-20-2014, 11:51 PM
 
Location: TN/NC
34,822 posts, read 30,876,901 times
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On the food situation, I'm not looking for five star dining for just me. I enjoy lots of different foods, but am not that picky nor do I want to spend that much. I'll be cruising through South Carolina the middle through end of next week and will find plenty I like there. Hell, a local deli at lunch would be nice, coming from Boston where I had a dozen of them. I frequented a chain at home that is up here as well, but the chain at home made a lot of things by request that were off the menu. If I'm going out for dinner only, I want to pay no more than $20 by myself. I basically ate my way through local restaurants on the southern Maine coast to Portland and there were no chains. The food was wonderful - everywhere - even better than Boston proper.

I'm loud and upfront with people. I'm a backslapper, chummy, and like to shake hands. This people looking to the floor when I talk to them is just bizarre. I did have a nice conversation tonight in the sauna with some locals. FWIW, I've noticed African-Americans here are often far nicer than local whites.
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Old 05-21-2014, 08:08 AM
 
76 posts, read 143,399 times
Reputation: 118
I would say give it time. Regarding the restaurant scene, go to urbanspoon.com or yelp.com and just search for whatever style cuisine you're in the mood for, and I guarantee you'll find options that are non-chain restaurants. French cuisine may be a little skimp, but there's a new French restaurant coming to Mass Ave this summer!

As for the pothole scenario, I'm not sure if you watch the news or not, but in Marion county there's this tug of war going on between the mayor and the city council as to where to fix the potholes at first and how much money to spend on it. Unfortunately there's not a lot of money in the pot and some funds are being taken from other sources and some funds are being borrowed against savings for the future. But this is Marion County. I'm not sure about Hamilton county where you live. Anyway, efforts are underway to fix the problem, it's just going to take awhile. Reading Indianapolis Business News - Latest Indiana Headlines, Top Stories, Breaking News - Indianapolis Business Journal - IBJ.com and watching the news and stuff like Indiana Week in Review on WFYI will keep you in the loop. Yeah I know that may not sound like appealing entertainment, but what can I say, I like to know what's going on.

Regarding the single women on your level factor, that may be a tough one. I know for me, I found my boyfriend while I was in school in Chicago and he's from LA. So yeah, right now we're doing the long distance thing; the across three time zones long distance thing. The person you find may not even be from here. But get out, go to places like parks and local events, and you never know what might happen. You live in Carmel and you work on 96th street. You're not going to find too many singles up that way. I think there probably would be more to choose from here in the city. Who knows, you might find the love of your life riding your bike on the monon trail near 86th street. Yeah, cheesy I know, but you get the gist of what I'm saying. Just give it time.
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