Biggest misconceptions about the triangle (stereotypes, values, liberal)

[starla]

Originally Posted by rnc2mbfl

Okay...below are some misconceptions that I'd like to dispell.

1. Downtown Raleigh is dead
2. The Triangle is only good for married families with children
3. All progressive and liberal people live in Chapel Hill/Carrboro and Durham
4. "I can't live inside the beltline or downtown because I can't afford it"
5. There's no "walkable" locations in the Triangle

1. Downtown Raleigh is not dead and those that would suggest otherwise have either not been there recently or never go. While DTR does not yet rival the activity of major cities like NY, it does offer many things to do. The bars, clubs and restaurants in the Warehouse & Glenwood South districts are hopping each and every weekend. The Moore Sq. District anchors its own lively scene and is site to many festivals through the year. The performing arts center hosts theatre and musical productions as well as headliner comedians, etc. Housing is under contruction in each of the 5 downtown districts with the majority of it located in Glenwood South and the Warehouse districts.
2. See Above.... :-) While the Triangle is a wonderful place for families, it's also a terrific place for singles too. The singles in the Triangle are often highly educated, worldly and well travelled. They are the heartbeat of the area's growing urban renewal.
3. While Chapel Hill and Durham are often cited as places for liberals to settle, ITB and downtown Raleigh are decidely progressive, especially when compared to the rest of the city and the county. As Raleigh grows, its identity is becoming more complex. While downtown has identified specific districts, Raleigh is moving towards more and more localized identities that offer different experiences to its residents. Many of these neighborhoods are decidely liberal: 5 Points, Oakwood, Boylan Heights, Cameron Village immediately come to mind.
4. Housing in the more urban areas of Raleigh can be had for good prices. Older and affordable apartments abound in or near some of the area's most desired locations. But, to live in these locations for cheaper prices comes with some tradeoffs. If you expect to exactly duplicate an amenity rich new apt. complex in the burbs for the same price, you will be sadly disappointed. Older apartments are available along Hillsborough St. west of downtown, between Cameron Village and Glenwood South and are dotted/hidden in many older desirable neighborhoods north of Wade Ave. If you look and re-align what's important to you, you can live ITB and near downtown on a much smaller budget than you might expect.
5. While the Triangle is certainly not Manhattan, there are areas where you can live and not drive to everything you need. Areas around the 3 major Triangle universities as well as Cameron Village, 5 points, Glenwood South in Raleigh offer a real choice to walk to many shops, services, activities, etc. As downtown Raleigh matures in its neighborhoods, I expect a connected walkable environment to fully emerge from the central business district all the way to Cameron Village. If the national economy doesn't stifle it, I think that's just a few years from away from reality.

Good post. People really need to read and understand point #4 though. There are tradeoffs to living downtown, and you will NOT get the same level of luxury for your money that you'd get in the burbs. A lot of people think there's a lack of affordable housing, but I disagree. It's just that the affordable housing isn't a 3bd/2ba two story with a yard and garage at the end of a cul-de-sac, it's more like a 900sqft condo built in the 80s or an 80-year-old fixer-upper on a postage stamp lot in a neighborhood at the beginning of its resurgence.

[PDXmom]

Originally Posted by welovedurham

I think Southern cooking can be healthy, if it's coming straight from the garden and cooked well. And there's nothing wrong with grits, even if they aren't on the Atkins diet. But when you taste those really savory Southern-style veggies, that's the fatback talking!

I completely agree. Growing up in Eastern NC, all of my friend's families were natives and all cooked "southern". But none of us were obese. I think obesity today is linked more to processed food, high fructose corn syrup, and the lack of exercise. Southern communities were agrarian... everyone had at least a personal garden. People ate fresh out of the garden. And the fatback was worked off by working in the garden in the summer and chopping your own wood in the winter. We've gotten away from that lifestyle so I do see more obesity now (in my hometown) than I did 30 years ago.

WLD, now I really want some Grits w/ red-eye-gravy. Think I'm going to the store now!!

[Liza54]

I suppose it's really what you're ussed to as far as diet. I honestly didn't even know what fatback was until I moved here from Cali. "You mean you purposely eat fat off the animal?" And when I saw folks putting butter and mounds of cheese in grits ( in my mind ruining what was a healthy choice, to a fat laden, cholesterol dish), - yuck. Plus I pretty much only steam my veges, never fry them, never breaded them and never add butter. You better believe though, people look at me strange at work as I stack my whole grain bread w/ tons of veges and avocado, etc or vegetarian meatballs....they joke me at work.."where's the beef?" I brought in hummus the other day only to hear "uh, mashed peas...no". Boy people would hate eating at my house! At least I'd have wine to serve to get them tipsy before my boring (but healthy!) food....

[PDXmom]

Originally Posted by amymcc

I suppose it's really what you're ussed to as far as diet. I honestly didn't even know what fatback was until I moved here from Cali. "You mean you purposely eat fat off the animal?" And when I saw folks putting butter and mounds of cheese in grits ( in my mind ruining what was a healthy choice, to a fat laden, cholesterol dish), - yuck. Plus I pretty much only steam my veges, never fry them, never breaded them and never add butter. You better believe though, people look at me strange at work as I stack my whole grain bread w/ tons of veges and avocado, etc or vegetarian meatballs....they joke me at work.."where's the beef?" I brought in hummus the other day only to hear "uh, mashed peas...no". Boy people would hate eating at my house! At least I'd have wine to serve to get them tipsy before my boring (but healthy!) food....

amymcc, your hummus story is cute. I have a similar story about telling my parents about tofu ... they thougth tofu was something you sleep on (a futon). The next time you take in hummus tell your co-workers that chickpeas are cousins to crowder peas and field peas.

And as for fatback, my grandmother would and my aunt (who is very skinny) does eat fat back straight. But most people use it to season things like green beans or collards. I prefer my collards in a quick boil of chicken broth or stir fried w/ a touch of oil olive and garlic.

Maybe season your hummus w/ fatback your co-workers will try it.

[dansdrive]

Misconceptions.

5. Its hilly in the triangle.
4. Hurricane's hit the area often. (Only during the Hockey season)
3. We somehow have worse bug and reptile problems than we actually do.
2. We are overrun with new subdivisions.
1. We stay in doors all summer due to the extreme heat!

Oh yea and that we all pronounce Raleigh as 'Raw-lee'

[welovedurham]

Aaaa! Raw-lee! I've also heard Ra-lee, with a short a. It's RAH-lee, obviously.

Or when people spell it Raliegh in support of the i before e rule. Shiver.

(I do find it's hilly when I bike around!)

[scorp200]

ha! but it IS hilly - if you've moved here from Florida!

Originally Posted by dansdrive

Misconceptions.

5. Its hilly in the triangle.
4. Hurricane's hit the area often. (Only during the Hockey season)
3. We somehow have worse bug and reptile problems than we actually do.
2. We are overrun with new subdivisions.
1. We stay in doors all summer due to the extreme heat!

Oh yea and that we all pronounce Raleigh as 'Raw-lee'

[Francois]

Originally Posted by NcerfromNY

Not necessarily a Chevy ... but I've seen me plenty of pick 'em up trucks with them thar flags in 'em ...

And how can you be so sure they are natives?

Originally Posted by lamishra

IMO as a local, the biggest misconception is that people in the triangle who drink sweet tea, are obese, drive pick ups and are church going conservatives are natives.

Hear, hear!

There are PLENTY of us "Tarheel born, Tarheel bred" folks who are EDUCATED, PROGRESSIVE, and NONRELIGIOUS! And, there are PLENTY of transplants who are Conservative, narrow-minded, and super-religious...and are NASCAR fans! This seems to be one of the biggest assumptions about the area, voiced almost universally by transplants ("Well, it's a pretty educated area--all those transplants and all" or the above statement apparently assuming that every pick-up with a gun rack or a "#3" sticker is driven by a NC native).

I think all other misconceptions pale as long as people still insist on believing this one.

[Francois]

Originally Posted by dansdrive

Misconceptions.

5. Its hilly in the triangle.

That's very relative--but the "Piedmont" terrain is in fact called that because it is distinct from the flat East. It's not "mountainous", but I would sure call it "hilly"--if you come from Colorado, you would obviously have a different definition of "hilly", though.

4. Hurricanes hit the area often. (Only during the Hockey season)

Yes, that one is quite amusing.

2. We are overrun with new subdivisions.

I actually think this is kind of true...

Oh yea and that we all pronounce Raleigh as 'Raw-lee'

Just our once-Congressman Fred Heineman, from New YAWWK. I worked to get him out of office less because of his politics than because of his accent!

[In & Out]

Originally Posted by Francois

There are PLENTY of us "Tarheel born, Tarheel bred" folks who are EDUCATED, PROGRESSIVE, and NONRELIGIOUS! And, there are PLENTY of transplants who are Conservative, narrow-minded, and super-religious...and are NASCAR fans! This seems to be one of the biggest assumptions about the area, voiced almost universally by transplants ("Well, it's a pretty educated area--all those transplants and all" or the above statement apparently assuming that every pick-up with a gun rack or a "#3" sticker is driven by a NC native).

I think all other misconceptions pale as long as people still insist on believing this one.

Well here is a big misconception. Why was conservative lumped together with close minded? I know plenty of conservative OPEN MINDED people here and plenty of Liberal CLOSED MINDED people here also.

How does this grab anyone? I am a YANKEE. I am moderate. I like some liberal things and some conservative things. Call me a free thinker. I have my own "different" views on religion. I am in favor of many free market ideas, but also in favor of some government mandated (not government run) ideas. I like NASCAR, golf, tennis, football. I don't drink and I don't go to church. I love nature and trees big time, but I am for growth, open drilling and nuclear power.

I think people in this area are pigeon holed into categories by others.