Thinking about leaving Ohio??? Get in line and fill this out (Cleveland: amusement park, public schools)

[jam40jeff]

Originally Posted by Clevelander17

Nice Italian? Little Italy has tons of authentic Italian restaurants.
Nice Parks? Shaker Lakes, Rockefeller Park, Botanical Gardens, etc.
Good concerts? Every year top artists come to TCA and The Q.
Nice BBQ? Okay, I'll pass on that one since I don't know. Hot Sauce Williams, maybe?

BTW #1: Atlanta has Moe's everywhere.
BTW #2: I agree with you about the Rock Hall and Science Center, not a big draw for locals.

EDIT: Although I quoted Clevelander17, the following comments build upon his/hers in response to the original poster.

Good Italian restaurants are everywhere in Northeast Ohio. Atlanta and Houston surely can't match Ohio on that.

Nice parks? Really? You should get out of Stow more. Besides the ones already mentioned, how about the Cleveland Metroparks system and Cuyahoga Valley National Park, both considered to be fantastic assets being beautifdul and well-maintained parks so close to a major city.

Besides the concerts listed, how about the orchestra outdoors at Blossom, Cain Park, weekly concerts at University Circle? Once again, get out and look for things to do!

Cleveland Rib Cook Off? Go there and you'll discover how many good BBQ places there are around Cleveland (and yes Hot Sauce Williams is surely one of them).

No offense, but I actually laughed when you mentioned about how much better your options are in Atlanta. I have relatives on both sides of town, and all they ever eat is fast food (including "sit down fast food" like Crapplebees and McItalian Olive Garden). It's chains and 8 lane roads as far as the eye can see in many places in Atlanta. Sure, you can find places with unique activities, just as you can in Cleveland, but there's 500 Stows around Atlanta and Houston.

If you'll be here this summer, and still need some help on what there is to do around here, here's a good place to start:

Cleveland+ summer festivals/events

[Clevelander17]

I thought about the Metroparks and Blossom after the fact, but was too lazy to edit my post.

I haven't been to Atlanta in years, and I have never been to Houston, but I don't envision either as being hotbeds of authentic ethnic cuisine (maybe Houston has good Mexican food, though). Cleveland has a large population of Italian-Americans and all it takes is one trip down Mayfield/Murray Hill to see that their culture is deeply ingrained in the city. If anyone wants a laugh run a search for "Little Italy" in Houston and Atlanta and see what comes up.

[Buckeye in SC]

Originally Posted by MaryBeth2

Ah, you must be Italian.

Actually, I'm not, but it just cracks me up that we've become so "McDonalized" (read a book called McDonaldization of America once, good read) in our society that people consider Olive Garden great Italian food! I like Olive Garden, but it has nothing on a mom & pop type Italian restaurant! Angello's on Lincoln Way in Perry Twp. between Canton & Massillon is a great choice for those close to it!

[MaryBeth2]

Originally Posted by Buckeye in SC

Actually, I'm not, but it just cracks me up that we've become so "McDonalized" (read a book called McDonaldization of America once, good read) in our society that people consider Olive Garden great Italian food! I like Olive Garden, but it has nothing on a mom & pop type Italian restaurant! Angello's on Lincoln Way in Perry Twp. between Canton & Massillon is a great choice for those close to it!

I agree with you. I'm Italian so I thought that was why you felt that way. I like OG too, but I dont think it is like my mom's meatballs.

[stephanie0175]

Not everybody in Ohio is in love with it, so I am starting this post for those who want to leave, or have left to tell us why.

TELL IT LIKE IT IS

1) Current or former Ohio location: Urbana, Ohio

2) Why do you want to leave or have left?: Sexual harassment, perverts, backwardness, religious bigots, sexists, lack of quality education, poor economy, poor weather, overly-conservative, snobby people, anything different or any change is not accepted, lack of professional jobs and management, Ohio is becoming a welfare state, lack of modernity, no opportunity.
3) Where outside of Ohio and why: Already moved to Denver, CO. better higher education, cleaner, modern, beautiful scenery, better quality of life, greener, healthier, safer, everyday people seem less ignorant, and better educated in Denver than in Ohio, better working environments for women, no humidity, better economy.
4) 2nd and 3rd Place Choices: Boulder, CO

5) What’s currently holding you back from moving if you haven't already left?:

6) Anything else you want to say? I want to say Urbana, OH is a terrible place for women!!! I was sexually harassed by the Campaign County Engineer's brother, and when I tried to get help from the ones I worked with, no one did anything!!! Come to Denver where at least women have rights!

[Clevelander17]

Originally Posted by stephanie0175

Not everybody in Ohio is in love with it, so I am starting this post for those who want to leave, or have left to tell us why.

TELL IT LIKE IT IS

1) Current or former Ohio location: Urbana, Ohio

2) Why do you want to leave or have left?: Sexual harassment, perverts, backwardness, religious bigots, sexists, lack of quality education, poor economy, poor weather, overly-conservative, snobby people, anything different or any change is not accepted, lack of professional jobs and management, Ohio is becoming a welfare state, lack of modernity, no opportunity.
3) Where outside of Ohio and why: Already moved to Denver, CO. better higher education, cleaner, modern, beautiful scenery, better quality of life, greener, healthier, safer, everyday people seem less ignorant, and better educated in Denver than in Ohio, better working environments for women, no humidity, better economy.
4) 2nd and 3rd Place Choices: Boulder, CO

5) What’s currently holding you back from moving if you haven't already left?:

6) Anything else you want to say? I want to say Urbana, OH is a terrible place for women!!! I was sexually harassed by the Campaign County Engineer's brother, and when I tried to get help from the ones I worked with, no one did anything!!! Come to Denver where at least women have rights!

How can one make a legitimate comparison between a small town and a big city? As for the way women are supposedly treated in Colorado, all I have to say to that is "Kobe Bryant."

Happiness is a personal mindset. I wish you nothing but the best in your new home, but seriously don't blame all of your problems on Ohio.

[krock1dk]

Originally Posted by Mikieo415

And that is how it works.

Be careful in reporting Denver as being 'safe'. In fact, its pretty crime ridden with an awful illegal immigration problem.

[canudigit]

TELL IT LIKE IT IS

1) Current or former Ohio location: The Toledo Area

2) Why do you want to leave or have left?: Because, more and more, Toledo has become a depressing place to live with fewer and fewer opportunities. Many of the local politicians are corrupt and care only about advancing their own careers. The same old people keep getting elected because of who they are, rather than WHAT they are. With Chrysler and GM, historically Toledo's two largest employers, going down the tubes, what the future holds for Toledo is scary to contemplate, since thousands here are already jobless. We feel that if we don't get out of here, our kids will have to relocate when they get out of college anyway, since there is nothing here for them. It didn't used to be this way. It's sad. Also, the weather here, after 40+ years, is no longer bearable. As I sit typing this, it is 36 degrees...on May 17!!! Too many cloudy days, too much snow and ice and fewer and fewer funds to remove that nasty precipitation...nah, we're SO outta here!

3) Where outside of Ohio and why: Gilbert, AZ, for the reasons cited above, as well as our daughter's severe allergies to everything that is indigenous to NW Ohio. She feels perfect in the desert SW. Gilbert is sunny, warm, attractive, and well run. Our son is also attending ASU majoring in broadcasting and will have many, many more job opportunities in the Phoenix area than he would ever have in T-town.

4) 2nd and 3rd Place Choices: San Diego, CA and Charleston, SC

5) What’s currently holding you back from moving if you haven't already left?: Waiting for son to graduate from high school and house to sell.

6) Anything else you want to say? I want to say that the people in Toledo are some of the nicest, most down to earth people that I have ever met. I have lived in this area my entire life, and it makes me sad to see what is happening here. The towns outside of Toledo are truly little gems in the fabric of America, but the dark, ugly shadow of Toledo is being cast over them too. Toledo is nothing more than a bunch of do-nothing politicians who work way harder at getting themselves elected and preventing members of "the other party" from getting elected than they ever do at fixing the multitude of problems in Toledo. Toledo, a city of close to 300,000, is down to one mall now. The streets are full of potholes that you could go fishing in. There are tons and tons of blue collar workers sitting around on temporary unemployment who have no idea what they are going to do for a job when the unemployment runs out, and there are definitely no jobs for them in Toledo. It's almost impossible to read about Toledo's history and realize that this was once a viable, world class city, the "glass capital" of the world, where intelligent people actually chose to live and work, and create jobs. WHAT happened?????
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[ksu sucks]

Haha, some of these people have the funniest reasons for leaving. They personify the state of Ohio as some ghastly beast that caused all of their problems.

[jam40jeff]

Didn't you know that Ohio is the root of all of life's problems? I heard they are adding a line to the Dos Equis "Most Interesting Man In The World" commercial:

"He once traveled to Ohio to see what it was like to be instantaneously stripped of your wealth, power, and fame."