Little Rock, a review. (Hope: 2010, crime, theater)

[stx12499]

Originally Posted by strumpeace

Exactly. Little Rock's peer cities are not Louisville and Chicago. They are Grand Rapids, Augusta, Mobile, Amarillo, Chattanooga, Jackson, Huntsville, etc.

BTW, bchris, you mention Memphis in an earlier post as a getaway destination. Visit the Memphis board, and you'll see the same kind of critiques pointed at it -- and it's twice the size of Louisville and four times the size of LR.

First of all, Louisville and Memphis are nearly identical in size whether it is metro, CSA, or urban area, or city population. Get your facts straight. Second, I was not comparing LR to anywhere but ITSELF. LR lacked the urban hipster vibe, coffee shop culture, and music scene I yearn for. The bars close early and the town rolls up its sidewalks very very early. This is a review from my perspective. I also noted it can be hard to review a city in 3 days, but much easier when you have a rental car, cheap gas (man Arkansas has cheap gas), and are willing to drive 400 miles. I love cities and found a few things I liked about LR, especially some of the historic homes, which I noted in my post.

I wasn't being hard on LR. It was a honest review. As I stated, I can see it being a bit underrated, especially for families. But the lack of an urban culture, the sprawling suburbs which lacked organization or any good retail, and the lack of big city amenities like higher end boutiques, trendy restaurants, amusement parks, and museums, was a turn off for me. There was SOME culture, and I did appreciate the southern Rock-A-Billy Vibe; I saw the same Elvis in River Market and later that night at the mall. But, its not for me. I am lucky to be in one of the only growing fields in the country right now, so I have some job options.

[PurpleLove08]

Originally Posted by stx12499

First of all, Louisville and Memphis are nearly identical in size whether it is metro, CSA, or urban area, or city population. Get your facts straight. Second, I was not comparing LR to anywhere but ITSELF. LR lacked the urban hipster vibe, coffee shop culture, and music scene I yearn for. The bars close early and the town rolls up its sidewalks very very early. This is a review from my perspective. I also noted it can be hard to review a city in 3 days, but much easier when you have a rental car, cheap gas (man Arkansas has cheap gas), and are willing to drive 400 miles. I love cities and found a few things I liked about LR, especially some of the historic homes, which I noted in my post.

I wasn't being hard on LR. It was a honest review. As I stated, I can see it being a bit underrated, especially for families. But the lack of an urban culture, the sprawling suburbs which lacked organization or any good retail, and the lack of big city amenities like higher end boutiques, trendy restaurants, amusement parks, and museums, was a turn off for me. There was SOME culture, and I did appreciate the southern Rock-A-Billy Vibe; I saw the same Elvis in River Market and later that night at the mall. But, its not for me. I am lucky to be in one of the only growing fields in the country right now, so I have some job options.

What is your field if I may ask?

[stx12499]

Originally Posted by LiveTodayLez08

What is your field if I may ask?

healthcare

[Bevil]

the only time time i was in little rock was driving through and stopping to check it out...there was absolutely nobody on the street at all...then i realized that it was New Year's Day and that everyone was probably in bed hungover ...i do think it seemed nice though

[jenni-b]

I enjoyed reading your review, stx; though I don't agree with everything in it, I am glad to see you checked out ALL of Little Rock, not just the usual suspects of the Heights/Hillcrest and WLR. I was especially glad that you visited and enjoyed SWLR (where I grew up) and downtown (where I live now). Everyone puts them down and writes them off, and it's a real shame. Nice to see someone keep an open mind.

I agree with some others who said that you would have seen much more street activity if you were here in the warmer months. People around here don't like cold weather, and 50s and 60s are cold to us.

I was also glad to see that you discovered Midtown and their greasy burgers, as well as SWLR's taco trucks, two recommendations that I think I made to you just a bit too late.

[stx12499]

Originally Posted by jenni-b

I enjoyed reading your review, stx; though I don't agree with everything in it, I am glad to see you checked out ALL of Little Rock, not just the usual suspects of the Heights/Hillcrest and WLR. I was especially glad that you visited and enjoyed SWLR (where I grew up) and downtown (where I live now). Everyone puts them down and writes them off, and it's a real shame. Nice to see someone keep an open mind.

I agree with some others who said that you would have seen much more street activity if you were here in the warmer months. People around here don't like cold weather, and 50s and 60s are cold to us.

I was also glad to see that you discovered Midtown and their greasy burgers, as well as SWLR's taco trucks, two recommendations that I think I made to you just a bit too late.

yes, discovered them on my own. I was pleasantly surprised to find taco trailers and the greasy late night bar, two things I associate with bigger cities. LR has a lot of work to do to be more vibrant, but its not a horrible town given its size. Almost any city has more people out when its warmer, but I can tell you that I saw MAYBE a half dozen people walking or running long distances in three days. Just not my cup of tea....

[arlibguy]

The Univ of Ark at LR is a dumpy suburban campus with no life at all and strictly a commuter school. enough said on that too.

Actually, UALR *does* have some dorms, so it is not strictly a commuter school. It is primarily a commuter school. I do want to also point out that UALR has done a lot in recent years. It is now home to a nanotechnology center, for instance. UALR offers an accessible and affordable education and does the best it can with state funding.

As far as having "no life at all," there are a number of student organizations on campus, including several active Greek fraternities. Is UALR as large or does it have the "image" of other large universities, probably not. However, UALR is not "dumpy" as you suggest it to be.

[PurpleLove08]

Originally Posted by arlibguy

Actually, UALR *does* have some dorms, so it is not strictly a commuter school. It is primarily a commuter school. I do want to also point out that UALR has done a lot in recent years. It is now home to a nanotechnology center, for instance. UALR offers an accessible and affordable education and does the best it can with state funding.

As far as having "no life at all," there are a number of student organizations on campus, including several active Greek fraternities. Is UALR as large or does it have the "image" of other large universities, probably not. However, UALR is not "dumpy" as you suggest it to be.

Like most colleges, what you get out of it is what you put into it.
I think UALR is a great college and I'd love to go there but they don't have my major so UCA it is. Here's to hoping the tuition doesn't go sky high in the next year or so.
Even if the campus is "dumpy" as the OP said...as I have learned...a pretty building does not always mean a quality education nor does a dumpy one automatically mean the education is substandard.

My girlfriend has a 34 on the ACT and she is in the top 5 of her class...and she is attending UALR this fall. She will be in their honors program. It doesn't get as much press as the Honors program at UCA but it is a great program.

I think a lot of the life at UALR is unseen. The students who do stay on campus try to keep things going on and who knows, they might have been enjoying themselves when the OP came on campus or saw the campus...

I think Little Rock really comes alive during the summer time but you aren't going to find a lot of people out during this kind of weather.
I understand LR isn't for everyone and I agree with a lot of what the OP said but it sort of seems like you caught LR at a bad time.

[ridicter]

Originally Posted by LiveTodayLez08

Like most colleges, what you get out of it is what you put into it.
I think UALR is a great college and I'd love to go there but they don't have my major so UCA it is. Here's to hoping the tuition doesn't go sky high in the next year or so.
Even if the campus is "dumpy" as the OP said...as I have learned...a pretty building does not always mean a quality education nor does a dumpy one automatically mean the education is substandard.

My girlfriend has a 34 on the ACT and she is in the top 5 of her class...and she is attending UALR this fall. She will be in their honors program. It doesn't get as much press as the Honors program at UCA but it is a great program.

I think a lot of the life at UALR is unseen. The students who do stay on campus try to keep things going on and who knows, they might have been enjoying themselves when the OP came on campus or saw the campus...

I think Little Rock really comes alive during the summer time but you aren't going to find a lot of people out during this kind of weather.
I understand LR isn't for everyone and I agree with a lot of what the OP said but it sort of seems like you caught LR at a bad time.

She has a 34? Dang, did her score go up 2 points since you last posted (you said 32 last time)? Either way, pretty high.

Half a dozen, styx? That's shocking to me, and I lived in LR over a summer. If that's the case, traffic certainly goes up in warmer months. I remember seeing dozens of people, and dozens of bikers every day when I lived at block II lofts. In fact, I remember being kind of proud at how many bikers took up the streets around downtown. It was comparable to the Loop in St. Louis.

Then again, I'm not sure what constitutes "long distances" and how you measured that.

[PurpleLove08]

Originally Posted by ridicter

She has a 34? Dang, did her score go up 2 points since you last posted (you said 32 last time)? Either way, pretty high.

Half a dozen, styx? That's shocking to me, and I lived in LR over a summer. If that's the case, traffic certainly goes up in warmer months. I remember seeing dozens of people, and dozens of bikers every day when I lived at block II lofts. In fact, I remember being kind of proud at how many bikers took up the streets around downtown. It was comparable to the Loop in St. Louis.

Then again, I'm not sure what constitutes "long distances" and how you measured that.

Ha, it probably is in the 32-34 range. Sorry about that.
In either case, it's better than my measly 25.
You sure do pay attention.