rough spots/places to avoid (Pittsburgh, Erie: travel, work, homes)

[Stagger Lee]

Let me just say this also. In my opinion, Denver was one of the most boring, drab, and everywhereville places I have ever lived. It has some character, but it was hidden behind a lot of chain stores, stripmalls, endless housing developments, etc. A new housing development in S.E. Aurora or Highlands Ranch is not the same as a old town.

Maybe I should go onto the denver forum everyday, say bad things about it. But hey, I use to live there........

Or better yet, I will go to the Pennslvania forum and bash Altoona all the time, never say a good thing about it, since I grew up there as a kid and have very little memories of it, or don't know anything about how it changed. I will act though like I know every little thing about it. I will just be nice about it when I say it, so people will think I am a quality and nice poster as I put down their town.

[Katiana]

Originally Posted by Stagger Lee

Let me just say this also. In my opinion, Denver was one of the most boring, drab, and everywhereville places I have ever lived. It has some character, but it was hidden behind a lot of chain stores, stripmalls, endless housing developments, etc. A new housing development in S.E. Aurora or Highlands Ranch is not the same as a old town.

Maybe I should go onto the denver forum everyday, say bad things about it. But hey, I use to live there........

Or better yet, I will go to the Pennslvania forum and bash Altoona all the time, never say a good thing about it, since I grew up there as a kid and have very little memories of it, or don't know anything about how it changed. I will act though like I know every little thing about it. I will just be nice about it when I say it, so people will think I am a quality and nice poster as I put down their town.

Well, you have said those things on the Denver forum! I don't know what you spent your time in Denver doing, but it certainly wasn't getting to know the city. There are many unique neighborhoods there. The area around the U of Denver reminds me somewhat of Oakland. But my oh my, I guess that's dissing Oakland, to say it reminds me of another college area. Pittsburgh has suburbs as boring as Highlands Ranch, which I don't like either. The point is, having neighborhoods and suburbs is NOT unique to Pittsburgh. That is not saying something bad about it.

[Stagger Lee]

Originally Posted by pittnurse70

Well, you have said those things on the Denver forum! I don't know what you spent your time in Denver doing, but it certainly wasn't getting to know the city. There are many unique neighborhoods there. The area around the U of Denver reminds me somewhat of Oakland. But my oh my, I guess that's dissing Oakland, to say it reminds me of another college area. Pittsburgh has suburbs as boring as Highlands Ranch, which I don't like either. The point is, having neighborhoods and suburbs is NOT unique to Pittsburgh. That is not saying something bad about it.

Pittnurse, I walked everywhere, and I mean everywhere in Denver. No, I didn't do it by car. I did it walking up and down the streets. I walked through the neighborhoods around Washpark (the one that started with a B to the east of it) I walked through Fivepoints, Capitol Hill, Highlands, east, west, north and south. I walked through Commerce city. I am not saying this to be true since I don't know you, but I bet I walked through more of the city then you probably ever did. I walk, and I walk a lot. I use to walk from Downtown to Glendale everyday from work. I would take the bus in the morning, and walk home a different way everyday. I rode my bike almost everywhere in the city. Denver's neighborhoods is nowhere unique to Pittsburgh. Nowhere.

[Stagger Lee]

Having old style neighberhoods all built by different immigrants from different areas from Europe is unique to Pittsburgh and other eastern cities. YOU DONT have old neighborhoods like that in Denver. Yes some of Capitol hill and FIve points was unique. THat is it. Denver's neighborhoods don't change like Pittsburgh's. You don't have areas that were established by the germans, and then over a hill a complete different one established by the polish. Denver's just slowely change from old victorian houses, slowely into newer victorian houses, into some strange suburbian city mix, into the burbs.

[londonbarcelona]

Originally Posted by Stagger Lee

Let me just say this also. In my opinion, Denver was one of the most boring, drab, and everywhereville places I have ever lived. It has some character, but it was hidden behind a lot of chain stores, stripmalls, endless housing developments, etc.
.

Well you haven't been to Phoenix. Denver has nothing on Phoenix in the boring and drab department. LOL

[londonbarcelona]

Originally Posted by connorkara

If you want to live somewhere safe, I would recommend moving north of Pittsburgh. Areas like Wexford, Sewickley, Allison Park, and Gibsonia are very nice.

Or Washington County, like Peter's Township, Venetia,
Mc Murray or Upper St. Clair (Which is not in WA County but next to Peter's)

[Katiana]

Originally Posted by Stagger Lee

Having old style neighberhoods all built by different immigrants from different areas from Europe is unique to Pittsburgh and other eastern cities. YOU DONT have old neighborhoods like that in Denver. Yes some of Capitol hill and FIve points was unique. THat is it. Denver's neighborhoods don't change like Pittsburgh's. You don't have areas that were established by the germans, and then over a hill a complete different one established by the polish. Denver's just slowely change from old victorian houses, slowely into newer victorian houses, into some strange suburbian city mix, into the burbs.

I like the fact that there is not so much polarization in Denver with "Polish here, Germans there, Italians somewhere else, etc."

[guylocke]

I like the fact that there is not so much polarization in Denver with "Polish here, Germans there, Italians somewhere else, etc."

I love the fact that every neighborhood in Pittsburgh has an ethnic flare!! :P

Polarizing implies something bad or wrong, but those people chose to live together and keep their culture in-tact--and what's even more amazing, is that they also become Americans to the core!! It was really a wonderful thing and created a wealth of unique culture.

The little "sects" weren't at war and weren't hating each other or uncomfortable with each other. In fact, I remember my German side telling me that they would head down to the Italian parts of town to learn how to cook good Italian and get the right ingredients! I mean, that's really cool, I hardly find that to be a problem.

Me, as an American with little connection to my European ancestry, I think it is really wonderful I can expose myself to different cultures even to this day and head to certain towns for certain foods and experiences.

I know there is a big movement to have everyone assimilate and live together in harmony, which is also fine, but when people CHOSE to live in harmony and yet congregate themselves to keep their culture alive for them and for America, I think that's truly fantastic.

Another example is China Town and Little Italy in New York City. Those are big tourist attractions and I personally LOVE places like that. I just love them. I think if you asked even a very liberal and progressive-minded city like New York City, "hey, do you want to strip away China Town and Little Italy and have everyone live together with less polarization" they'd tell you to get lost.

[Katiana]

Growing up a generation before you, I can tell you there was a lot of polarization in the Pgh area. Parents not wanting their kids to date kids from other ethnic groups, etc. The Serbian Club across the street from the Croation Club, and one group not being welcome in the other's place. One of the groups most frequently discriminated against was the Italians. It is changing, for the better.

Beneath the quaint facade of Little Italys and Chinatowns lies a lot of discrimination. It's bad when people feel that's where they HAVE to live, b/c no one else will welcome them.

[Stagger Lee]

Good God, this whole thing goes from how are neighborhoods are unique with local architecture, neighborhood business districts, and charm into negative things about polarization of neighborhoods. YES, this happened in the older east towns. This is not the point. You are really good at twisting everything into something negative to help make some point.