My little snapshot view of Tampa (Orlando, Cheval: theater, high school, living in)

[craigm1841]

Originally Posted by gypsychic

I agree with all the posts here except algia's, so I won't repeat the answers. As a native of Tampa who has visited many other cities the same size, I have to say that Tampa stacks up pretty well, and has more to offer than many.

While it's true that currently downtown is mostly a business core with the exception of Channelside and Ybor City (main entertainment districts), I believe that once the Encore project is built we are going to see a whole new vibrancy, especially once the high-speed rail gets built. The Encore project is sort of the "missing link" that hooks all the areas together. My husband has worked downtown for 10 years, and he has seen massive, positive changes. He says more new places are opening all the time.

We have tons of cultural diversity here. Tampa is, and always has been a melting pot of cultures, originally established by Spaniards, Cubans, Italians, Germans and African-Americans. Today we have all those in addition to many other island cultures, Europeans, and transplants from all over the US, who recognize that this is a pretty nice place to live. When I was growing up, people DID seem to live in "villages" of ethnic origin (I grew up in old West Tampa, being Spanish) but today everyone mixes and lives together.

The cons are that a lot of it is spread out, right now public transit could be improved upon, but honestly it's the same all over the country in cities the size of Tampa, you only find good transit in pretty large metros, with just a few exceptions.

The single most awesome bar in the tampa bay area is located in north downtown on franklin. Fly Bar and Resturant.

[cheerbaby112]

Originally Posted by Mike Peterson

You also didn't answer how long you lived in NYC. It seemed you were questioning my answer because you didn't think I had experience with living elsewhere.

How long did you live in NYC?

Do you seriously have to question every bad opinion of tampa?

[craigm1841]

Originally Posted by cheerbaby112

Do you seriously have to question every bad opinion of tampa?

Do you really have to badmouth tampa every chance you get?

[Mike1306]

Originally Posted by algia

Have you ever been to NYC? at all? an hour maybe?

Originally Posted by Mike Peterson

Have I ever been to NYC?

I lived there for 25 years, how about you?

Originally Posted by Mike Peterson

You also didn't answer how long you lived in NYC. It seemed you were questioning my answer because you didn't think I had experience with living elsewhere.

How long did you live in NYC?

Originally Posted by algia

This is a talk about "things to do"...I could live in NYC 1 day or 40 years, I would still find it a lot more entertaining than Tampa. So sue me!

*You question my answer by insinuating I have never been to NYC

*I let you know I lived there for 25 years and ask how long you lived there

*You avoid the question and when I ask again dance around it

The fact is I have knowledge of living in NYC and you do not. Yet I never brought up NYC until you questioned me on it.

It's great that you think you would find NYC a better place to live for you. Some people will. Some will also find living around Tampa better.

Just don't question my knowledge of living in NYC when you have none yourself.

[Mike1306]

Originally Posted by cheerbaby112

Do you seriously have to question every bad opinion of tampa?

I didn't question them, I pointed out inaccuracies.

[gypsychic]

Originally Posted by cheerbaby112

Do you seriously have to question every bad opinion of tampa?

Opinions are one thing, too many here state their OPINIONS as "facts". It is especially bad when many falsehoods are presented as said "facts" which is why they get disputed here.

[kbrkr]

Deebin,

You'll have to stay for the whole Movie!!!

I won't go into specifics and details of your post, because the natural propensity is to get defensive with someone's statements finding fault about a place you love.

Since you don't mention where in NY you live, I'll compare it to NYC. I just moved here from New York where I lived for 50 years and worked in lower Manhattan for 30 years and commuted from 65 miles north and west. Please don't try to compare New York to Tampa, it's just not going to work. A more fair comparison would be comparing Tampa with another city the same size and stature. How about Albany?

I will say that I did not find the heat in the summer here, punishing at all. As a matter of fact, I loved it. But hey, that's why I moved here.

I say this all the time to folks who are considering a new area to live; If you focus only on the farts and warts, that's exactly what you will find. And since you listed your Negative attributes first, I can see you are a Glass Half Empty kind of person! LOL

[jdvalle]

Algia-

I have to admit that it's pretty funny how often you get absolutely served on this forum. In another post I was reading, the responder refuted pretty much every statement you had made, annotated with facts and references. I really got a kick out of that... and it's not because I disagree with your sentiments or because I dislike something about you. In all honesty, I can get behind many of your gripes (although I like Tampa more and more ever since we moved to So Tampa). Anyway, I guess since I'm a scientist by trade, I get a kick out of seeing the ease with which passionate but completely unsubstantiated statements are refuted.

I suppose this isn't really supposed to be a "debate" forum (lucky for you). But I would suggest that the next time someone takes issue with your posts that you not assume it is just because of your point-of-view or tone. It could very well be your poor reasoning, factual inaccuracies, and penchant for ideological arguments that are drawing fire.

Originally Posted by algia

This is a talk about "things to do"...I could live in NYC 1 day or 40 years, I would still find it a lot more entertaining than Tampa. So sue me!


There is no real comparison here because we are really comparing apples and oranges from EVERY SINGLE ASPECT.

Anyone considering moving to Tampa or Florida for that matter, needs to come down and spend more than a day before deciding if this is for them or not. & do come in July. Is that simple, we Are looking to move out of here as we speak and at first opportunity we will because this is not what is entertaining to US and this is NOT where we want our kids to grow up either. I am a Northerner too if you will and I am used to living in a real city.

My 30 minute drive better be worth it...and generally IS in a Northern city such as NYC, DC, Chicago etc. 30 minutes to end up on another beach is not my idea of "things to do"! sorry.

I think what would be best is to NAME actual things to do here, so people looking to move here from Either Chicago, NYC, or Indonesia would have an idea of What the "things to do" really are!
Maybe we can have a sticky note on the top of the forum page literally listing every single thing to do, and some info on it, so people can actually have a better understanding. We lived in Miami & Fort Lauderdale too so having that to compare entertainment with, kinda kills it for this area. No offense!

You're right, everyone looking to move here, is looking to find everything they are used to do or have available now, wherever they are but in a WARMER Climate....that is not the case here Because of the fact that This is A Melting pot with all sorts of people coming here from cold & highly entertaining places.
So they won't find the things they are used to having up north because this is "The South"! and there are OTHER things here to entertain with.

"I" do wonder sometimes how come say a Broadway or a free museum has never made it here! Considering how many people want to live here..........bringing me back to my point that this area is not the North and amenities found in the North will not be found here.

[BucFan]

Originally Posted by deebin

Over many years, I have visited Tampa for a limited time to see a relative. I only get a brief snapshot of Tampa but I have the following impressions. I am from New York.
I welcome any comments and opinions on my perspectives.

The Negative:

There is a limited amount of entertainment and just a lack of a sense of "vibrancy" (Hope I am wrong).
Downtown Tampa is strictly a 9 to 5 business city.
The local evening news is boring.
There is little cultural diversity.
Too many chain restaurants. Is there good pizza or Chinese food?
Many months of punishing heat.
Cars with the Stars n Bars flag of the Confederate every so often.
Everything is dependent on your car or you are in trouble.
The area is spread out...I doubt people in Tampa get to St. Pete or people in St. Pete get to Tampa often??


The Positive:

Property taxes, although at a steep 20 mil rate, are still lower than NY.
More affordable housing for purchase.
No state income tax.
Seems to be more choices for Individual health insurance and priced lower too than NY.
No winter cold, ice, snow.
Some nice scenery.

Pretty narrow view. There are enough threads about the positives here - won't list them for you, but I'm sure you've read them. No single city has everything one needs -

[ferret111]

Algia, as much as you complain about heavy traffic, long lights, chain establishments, and an overall lack of things to do, have you ever realized that you live in Avila (or is it Cheval?), which is the epitome of a boring, remote suburb?