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Old 10-08-2009, 04:47 PM
 
Location: Bay Area
10 posts, read 15,954 times
Reputation: 19

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Thanks for all the wonderful comments and suggestions. I'm definitely going to check all the places everyone suggested. I know I've been fortunate (or unfortunate depending on your preference) to be in the bigger cities (i.e. Chicago and SF) but I have no problem being in smaller cities as well. I was in Orlando for about a week and really took advantage of the unlimited miles clause driving everywhere (except the tourist areas). I know the tourist attractions have a diverse crowd but I mainly wanted to focus on more suburban areas away from the visitor places since I don't plan being in those tourist attractions that much unless I have visitors.

For the malls, I went to the Florida Mall (which was quite busy) but I sort of expected it since it's closer to the Universal/Disneyworld area. You can tell the tourists because their usually the ones who have like 6-8 bags filled with Disney memorabilia...lol. The Oviedo Mall was just about dead empty...I can walk down that mall blindfolded and probably not bump into anyone for a few minutes. Mall of Millenia wasn't bad but had hoped to see some more people. It's not that I love being in malls but I figure it's a good factor to determine the number of people around the area. I will check out Altamonte and South Orlando if I decide to take the job in FL.

The reason I keep looking in Orlando is because I have a potential job opportunity that may be hard to turn down. The pay (based on discussions with HR) is very lucrative but the downside is that all my friends, girlfriend, and home are in the Bay Area. Because of the economy, I don't plan to sell my home here and will most likely rent it out for the time being so the financial thing is definitely a concern...will most likely have to pay a portion each month to subsidize for my home in the Bay Area. But at least...I figure at worst, I can still go back to the Bay Area after a year or so but I was just hoping that Orlando would be a bit more festive over here.

I read about the thread that someone posted on this site about the difficulty of finding new friends out here because the large crowd areas are usually more for tourists and now I understand his perspective. I did get a chance to go see the Lake Mary area and I have to say that was one of the areas that definitely looks very desirable. Anyways, I'll keep you all updated on the situation.

Thank you everyone for your help,

Lex
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Old 10-08-2009, 05:13 PM
 
Location: Altamonte Springs, FL
2,168 posts, read 5,031,843 times
Reputation: 1179
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lexneffect View Post
Thanks for all the wonderful comments and suggestions. I'm definitely going to check all the places everyone suggested. I know I've been fortunate (or unfortunate depending on your preference) to be in the bigger cities (i.e. Chicago and SF) but I have no problem being in smaller cities as well. I was in Orlando for about a week and really took advantage of the unlimited miles clause driving everywhere (except the tourist areas). I know the tourist attractions have a diverse crowd but I mainly wanted to focus on more suburban areas away from the visitor places since I don't plan being in those tourist attractions that much unless I have visitors.

For the malls, I went to the Florida Mall (which was quite busy) but I sort of expected it since it's closer to the Universal/Disneyworld area. You can tell the tourists because their usually the ones who have like 6-8 bags filled with Disney memorabilia...lol. The Oviedo Mall was just about dead empty...I can walk down that mall blindfolded and probably not bump into anyone for a few minutes. Mall of Millenia wasn't bad but had hoped to see some more people. It's not that I love being in malls but I figure it's a good factor to determine the number of people around the area. I will check out Altamonte and South Orlando if I decide to take the job in FL.

The reason I keep looking in Orlando is because I have a potential job opportunity that may be hard to turn down. The pay (based on discussions with HR) is very lucrative but the downside is that all my friends, girlfriend, and home are in the Bay Area. Because of the economy, I don't plan to sell my home here and will most likely rent it out for the time being so the financial thing is definitely a concern...will most likely have to pay a portion each month to subsidize for my home in the Bay Area. But at least...I figure at worst, I can still go back to the Bay Area after a year or so but I was just hoping that Orlando would be a bit more festive over here.

I read about the thread that someone posted on this site about the difficulty of finding new friends out here because the large crowd areas are usually more for tourists and now I understand his perspective. I did get a chance to go see the Lake Mary area and I have to say that was one of the areas that definitely looks very desirable. Anyways, I'll keep you all updated on the situation.

Thank you everyone for your help,

Lex
Well if the job is that compelling, don't be totally discouraged just yet, though Orlando is certainly not SF or Chicago! There are people out here, but you have to know where and when and go find the things you like. Also more people will be out when the weather cools off...which is supposed to be next Wednesday to kiss the 90 degree blues goodbye for about 5 months. I would check out the following:

Park Ave and Hannibal Square, in Winter Park, on a Thursday, Friday, or Saturday evening around dinner, or on Saturday during the day..there should be tons of people out there especially during the weekly farmers market every Saturday. Check out The Wine Room and Luma on Park in the evening.

Lake Eola during the weekdays after 5 PM when people are walking around, or on Sunday afternoon during the weekly farmers market...tons of people there every week.

Thornton Park Friday or Saturday evenings. Check out Dexters, Graffiti Junktion, and some of the other little spots over there. It will take some time for all those empty storefronts to fill up since they were built in the boom and then never filled since the crash.

Downtown Orlando Friday or Saturday night after 11 PM...check out Ember for more of a business crowd, the bars on Pine St which are more diverse (NV and AKA Lounge), and East Central/Orange/Wall St for a typical post-college drinking scene. Church St is younger and more rowdy.

Mall of Millennia on a Saturday or Sunday day.

Check out the College Park area too...nice little main street with restaurants and some other places. There are other strips like this around such as Orange Ave just north of downtown by White Wolfe Cafe. And finally Mills Ave just north of downtown there are local places like the Peacock Room (an artsy martini bar) and Funky Monkey Wine Company, which is popular.

A lot of people are broke these days so malls and upscale outdoor shopping areas like Park Ave are not as hoppin as they once were. This will of course turn around in better times.

Last edited by Pete C; 10-08-2009 at 05:26 PM..
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Old 10-08-2009, 05:31 PM
 
Location: Bay Area
10 posts, read 15,954 times
Reputation: 19
Hey Pete,

Wow, that sounds like really experienced knowledge right there! ~Thanks again...I will definitely check those places out.

And with time ranges as well, how can a newcomer go wrong. I'll let you know once my job situation settles down...still a bunch of things that need to happen but if I get relocated over there, I'll definitely be visiting those places.

Lex


Quote:
Originally Posted by Pete C View Post
Well if the job is that compelling, don't be totally discouraged just yet, though Orlando is certainly not SF or Chicago! There are people out here, but you have to know where and when and go find the things you like. Also more people will be out when the weather cools off...which is supposed to be next Wednesday to kiss the 90 degree blues goodbye for about 5 months. I would check out the following:

Park Ave and Hannibal Square, in Winter Park, on a Thursday, Friday, or Saturday evening around dinner, or on Saturday during the day..there should be tons of people out there especially during the weekly farmers market every Saturday. Check out The Wine Room and Luma on Park in the evening.

Lake Eola during the weekdays after 5 PM when people are walking around, or on Sunday afternoon during the weekly farmers market...tons of people there every week.

Thornton Park Friday or Saturday evenings. Check out Dexters, Graffiti Junktion, and some of the other little spots over there. It will take some time for all those empty storefronts to fill up since they were built in the boom and then never filled since the crash.

Downtown Orlando Friday or Saturday night after 11 PM...check out Ember for more of a business crowd, the bars on Pine St which are more diverse (NV and AKA Lounge), and East Central/Orange/Wall St for a typical post-college drinking scene. Church St is younger and more rowdy.

Mall of Millennia on a Saturday or Sunday day.

Check out the College Park area too...nice little main street with restaurants and some other places. There are other strips like this around such as Orange Ave just north of downtown by White Wolfe Cafe. And finally Mills Ave just north of downtown there are local places like the Peacock Room (an artsy martini bar) and Funky Monkey Wine Company, which is popular.

A lot of people are broke these days so malls and upscale outdoor shopping areas like Park Ave are not as hoppin as they once were. This will of course turn around in better times.
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Old 10-08-2009, 10:06 PM
 
Location: Orlando, FL
1,988 posts, read 7,120,494 times
Reputation: 656
I agree with everything Pete C said and he pointed out some little hip places!
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