How would a 38-year-old single, highly educated female from the BIG CITY like Raleigh? (theater, restaurants)

[rdugirl]

Thank you!

[jmellc]

In my mind, NYC is a "nice place to visit but I wouldn't want to live there". I went once and I enjoyed it. We went with friends, visited their sister in Forest Hills. People i her church were much friendlier than New Yorkers I had dealt with on the phone from the office. Went to a Broadway play, had dinner in Queens. Not bad, having hundreds of restaurants within a few miles, shops & stores of every description, etc. But I also don't like being in a place where it would take all day to get out of town, if I need a breather & a little space. We rode the subway about an hour I think, from Forest Hills to Times Square, or wherever was closest to Broadway. Around here, an hour can usually get you out of town, unless it's rush hour or a wreck on the road, etc.

[lovebrentwood]

Great post (quoted below). The Brentwood subdivision is just a block from "Inside the Beltline," and I like living here for all the reasons listed.

You can't walk to everything (except during one wicked snowstorm that closed the roads, we did walk to Food Lion with little problem). BUT -- everything is literally minutes away. Higher gas prices aren't a huge problem for us.

Younger people -- including young families, singles, gay and straight couples -- are discovering Brentwood, and it's wonderful to see how they are investing in and updating the homes for themselves. It reminds me a lot of what happened in Oakwood.

There's plenty to do in the Triangle. It just takes more investigation and planning than some other places.

Originally Posted by rdugirl

Hey there...I am a Yankee who has been living in Raleigh since 1999 with a brief exit back North from 2005-2008. I left kicking and screaming and couldn't wait to get back to Raleigh. I am in my mid 40's and I find that Raleigh has everything NYC/Philly have, just on a smaller scale.

If you are looking for suburbia, there is plenty to be found in Cary, North Raleigh, Wake Forest, etc. CARY is a place I avoid like the plague. It is a containment area for those who live in a bubble and don't want to get 'dirty' if you know what I mean. Please CARY folks, don't go crazy, as I'm sure there are plenty of you who don't fit the bill, but you know what I mean. North Raleigh has some great areas but it is all family oriented.

I live downtown and love it! I live in a great historic neighborhood and can walk or ride my bike to all the great restaurants, music venues, museums, festivals, concerts. Again, it is a MUCH smaller scale when compare to NYC, but it has all that you need. I live in Oakwood, but Mordecai and Five Points are great neighborhoods that are located downtown. It is an area otherwise known as "ITB" or "inside the beltline'.

There is a good mix of young professionals, college kids and the married with children set. We have great sports with NHL, college basketball, and one of the best minor league baseball teams in the country. The shopping is good with 4 major malls in the area and a good mix of specialty shops. We are close to great beaches and the mountains. Ashville is gorgeous and only about a 4 hr drive. We are close to DC, Philly and NYC would be about 8-9 hr drive. RDU is a great airport so you can easily fly anywhere you needed to go.

Feel free to PM me with any specific questions.

[saint_elsewhere]

Its not exactly a village. It may not be a "big city" but it has the feel of one....

[Sluv]

Depends on how high you were when you were educated.

[Nativechief]

If you want to get a feel for the night life in Raleigh here is what I suggest . On any friday night after 11pm drive downtown and park your car and then get out and start walking. Be sure you walk at least 3 or four blocks in each direction. You will get a feel for the city and its exciting "nightlife"... Oh yea be sure your cell phone has 911 on speed dial and you are wearing a good pair of running shoes..

[Hamish Forbes]

Originally Posted by lovebrentwood

Great post (quoted below). The Brentwood subdivision is just a block from "Inside the Beltline"

I think that this is true only in a geographic sense. Culturally, Brentwood has none of the flavor of "inside the beltline," as the term is generally used. The two are so unalike that they might as well be in different States given their very different natures.

Someone might indeed like Brentwood (I dislike it very much personally, but that's just me); however, a stranger coming to the area should not confuse Brentwood with the older and more traditional parts of Raleigh.

[lovebrentwood]

I don't think anyone was confused or could be confused.

But Brentwood (vintage sixties) homes have some similarities to older neighborhoods inside the beltline (late 1800's to 1950's) that are not evident in most newer neighborhoods: hardwood floors, large yards, streetlights, sidewalks, well-built homes, a nice park, and a strong neighborhood association.

And many people enjoy those types of amenities and often think they can get them only inside the beltline.

[Raleigh39m]

Raleigh is what you make of it. There is always something to do around here.

Although most people writing are correct about Raleigh being ACC country and big basketball area, there are more around here than just ACC. We have the Carolina Hurricanes and Raleigh is one of the top soccer areas in the country (the NCAA championships for soccer are here every other year). This is also a big golf area and there are some mixed martial arts gyms that are open.

We also have tons of movie theatres throughout town and an IMAX theatre in downtown Raleigh.

I have lived here for ten years and I love it. My favorite thing about Raleigh is the convenience. Anytime you want something, it's less than 5 minutes away. When the rest of the country has been getting killed with losing their real estate values, Raleigh has performed much stronger than the rest of the country.

Unfortunately for you, though, believe it or not there are lots of Ohio State fans down here. It's mainly because of all the hi-tech companies like IBM, HP, and Cisco that have operations here. Raleigh is also a big medical area wig several hospitals. These industries have attracted my Buckeyes down here.
Also, I'm single and 39, and have to admit most of my friends are married with kids and it's not always easy to find available single women down here.

Tons of smokers down here. Almost all the women I know smoke.

I hope this helps

[lovebrentwood]

I'm a bit older, but I know women of all ages here, and it's weird -- I know only 2 people who smoke -- and they are at work. That's it. But it's sad to hear that so many do.

Tons of smokers down here. Almost all the women I know smoke.