From Portland, Hello Jacksonville! (Springfield: rent, townhouse, neighborhoods)
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fsu813, i think this is one example of what luvingme23 and I were talking about on the other thread about why people would want (or not want) to live in Jax. I guess this person lives in the wrong neighborhood.
And why is that? Because there are foreign-born American citizens living in my neighborhood?
Last edited by IndigoLight; 06-06-2010 at 08:07 AM..
Well my husband tells me to grin and bear it for the Summer months. I'm quite sure we'll enjoy the sparkling swimming pool and palm trees. Maybe it'll help my writing. He's told me the heat has been harsh over the last couple of days. Though i'm trying to be optimistic about it, I think my husband knows we won't be fond of the living situation. Not the heat, but the part of the city. I need trees. I need to be able to go for a walk after breakfast. I need a local nook that I become familar with, as it becomes familar with me. Living next to a shopping mall isn't my vision of happiness, which he has described. BUT - it will be a change, and change inspires. It will help my writing and we'll find our sanctuary in due time. Heat, here we come!
I think you'll learn to adapt to the weather. For example - no reason you can't walk in the morning. I believe most of that area has sidewalks. And the mall is one of the newer type malls - unenclosed. Perhaps you could map a walking route that takes you through the mall. In addition to Starbucks - there's a Barnes & Noble with a "coffeehouse". There are always people hanging out at both places. Note that the worst months of the year in terms of the heat are July - August - and especially September (because you expect it to get cool in September and it doesn't). So you want to do your outdoor things in the morning.
A nice place to walk with lots of trees (and coffee places) is the UNF campus. You need a $3 daily pass to park on campus - but - depending on how far you like to walk - you might be able to find a parking lot somewhere on Town Center Parkway - and walk to the campus. UNF also has an excellent adquatic center - open to the public on a membership basis. Robyn
Well my husband tells me to grin and bear it for the Summer months. I'm quite sure we'll enjoy the sparkling swimming pool and palm trees. Maybe it'll help my writing. He's told me the heat has been harsh over the last couple of days. Though i'm trying to be optimistic about it, I think my husband knows we won't be fond of the living situation. Not the heat, but the part of the city. I need trees. I need to be able to go for a walk after breakfast. I need a local nook that I become familar with, as it becomes familar with me. Living next to a shopping mall isn't my vision of happiness, which he has described. BUT - it will be a change, and change inspires. It will help my writing and we'll find our sanctuary in due time. Heat, here we come!
this is truely a funny post considering she said that her husband got them a place in Gate Parkway. How much nicer does this poster want it? maybe samantha can try Bel Aire. Seriously though samantha you will be in one of the most happening spots in jville right now. as far as the trees and coffee houses goes. maybe you should try riverside. more particularly 5 Points area. that's the only place i know with a coffee house like the one you described. plus they have that nice park near by. Other than that everything that IndigoLight and Riveree said is dead on about the area you are going to live in. it has everything you need right there within a short drive. and the area is mostly new development. i mean literally nothing but trees there just 10 years ago. so no matter where you are in gate parkway and within a 5 mile radius or so will you be in an area more than 15 years old tops. you have nothing to worry about.
PS take a look out our jville thread sticky because it answers the same questions that you are posting.
Last edited by luvingme23; 06-08-2010 at 03:38 PM..
I need trees. I need to be able to go for a walk after breakfast. I need a local nook that I become familar with, as it becomes familar with me. Living next to a shopping mall isn't my vision of happiness, which he has described. BUT - it will be a change, and change inspires. It will help my writing and we'll find our sanctuary in due time. Heat, here we come!
I understand your needs, however, this city is not set up to provide you with the same surroundings you have in Portland.
Like I said before, get ready for changes, many changes, not all of them you're going to like, but this is life, it requires flexibility and sacrifices.
What doesn't kill you - makes you stronger
You will have to adapt, dear.
Best of luck
Well my husband tells me to grin and bear it for the Summer months. I'm quite sure we'll enjoy the sparkling swimming pool and palm trees. Maybe it'll help my writing. He's told me the heat has been harsh over the last couple of days. Though i'm trying to be optimistic about it, I think my husband knows we won't be fond of the living situation. Not the heat, but the part of the city. I need trees. I need to be able to go for a walk after breakfast. I need a local nook that I become familar with, as it becomes familar with me. Living next to a shopping mall isn't my vision of happiness, which he has described. BUT - it will be a change, and change inspires. It will help my writing and we'll find our sanctuary in due time. Heat, here we come!
Samantha, good luck with your move. A good coffee shop or 'nook' as you call it is one of the things I miss the most about leaving a modern city and moving to Jax. There is always Starbucks and another Starbucks and another Starbucks. And if you don't like that, there is sure to be another Starbucks nearby. The only place within 10-15 minutes that resembles a real coffee nook is The Coffee Grinder in Baymeadows which was already mentioned. I found the coffee to be average at best, but the atmosphere is the closest thing to what you might find in other cities north or west of Atlanta. If you ever get to Neptune/Atlantic Beach (about 20 minutes NE from Gate Pkwy), there is a neat little place with an outdoor patio that is steps from the beach. I think it's called Lillie's now. It used to be called Shelby's, but just noticed it has a new name when I was in the area last weekend. There is also a cute little bookstore nearby called The Book Mark where writers often visit for book signings on a regular basis.
One thing I still don't get about Floridians is they will gladly spend $50K for a Lexus or BMW, but they won't spend $3 for a cup of coffee and a conversation. The same it true in Orlando. I used to go there for work and every cool coffee shop I found 2-3 years ago is now closed. Maybe the heat keeps people from wanting coffee. Conversation... that's a topic for another day.
Yes, change inspires, change is a good teacher, change can bring clarity.
Again, Three Layers in Springfield rivals about any big city coffee house I've seen. It's def not the norm in Jax. The guys who did it did it up right. I'm not advertising for the place, but there's no need to settle for Starbucks or the other places mentioned. They really pale in comparison.
Here's portions of a story in Advantage Magazine, not too long ago:
"People can't stop talking about Three Layers, A Coffee House. The Springfield business was named the Best Coffee House of Jacksonville by Folio Weekly, gained coverage in Southern Living, and garnered a visit from Gov. Charlie Crist. Like many other entrepreneurs, partners Jeff Wright and Shawn McGuire have an interesting story."
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"After reviewing city information on the Internet, Wright and McGuire kept reading about the historic Springfield neighborhood of Jacksonville. After a visit to the active community, they were hooked.
Some locals tried to persuade them not to move to Springfield.
People told us, 'Oh, you don't want to be there', Wright says. The neighborhood was rundown and crime-infested about 10 years ago. But it's nothing like that now.
McGuire began searching for offices for his new real estate venture. He found a four-unit building at 1602 Walnut Street. Although he decided it wasn't suitable for his real estate office, he wanted to show it to Wright because of the unique architecture."
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"The buzz about Three Layers, A Coffee House, has translated to awards, press coverage, and even a visit from Gov. Charlie Crist.
The governor was in Jacksonville to sign a piece of legislation. When he told his local driver he wanted to go to Starbucks, the driver told him he should try Three Layers.
Gov. Crist and his entire entourage came to the coffee house, McGuire says. We had a guitar player during lunch that day. Gov. Crist borrowed his guitar and played a Beatles song for us."
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"Wright says it is still a challenge to get some native Jacksonvillians to visit Three Layers, A Coffee House, because of Springfield's stigma from years ago.
We actually had some part-time applicants call and cancel their interviews once they looked up the location of the coffee house, or when their family or friends heard that the business was in Springfield, Wright says.
Positive press coverage and word-of-mouth have helped the owners combat the old reputation of Springfield."
I agree, this probably the best Coffee house in Jacksonville. They have rotating artwork, live music on most days of the week, trivia nights, monthly wine tastings, a nice garden area, sidewalk seating, etc. It's a coffee house/wine bar, in Springfield.
Both are historic, unique neighborhoods that surrond Downtown (with lots of trres, and people that walk.) I already posted about them in this thread, post #8.
Great pics! I never have a reason to go to Springfield, but Three Layers looks like a good excuse to wander that way.
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