Review of Tucson from a 25 year old (6.5/10) (neighborhoods, living in)

[ZonyPony]

Originally Posted by sierraAZ

That's OK, ZP! Consider me not living here!

Hmmm...

Originally Posted by Yeledaf

My wife and I wil be there next week checking out real estate in Tucson. I'll put cactus-hugging on our "to-do" list.

We're retired and looking at Oro Valley and Vail.

Good choices, Pony? Anything special we should be looking for?

Excellent choices. You'll never go wrong with either location for yourselves. Oro Valley is just northwest of Tucson, and Vail is southeast. Both are considered tops for residential purposes.

However, retired people live everywhere in Arizona, and there are certainly many happy ones who live right here in Tucson. Its a great place to enjoy life, regardless of your interests! Welcome!

[Grannysroost]

Originally Posted by Yeledaf

Not unlike cactus!

Just stay away from them, do not pet the cacti.... (Oh and they don't freeze your arse...)

[Grannysroost]

Originally Posted by notmuch69

I grew up in Wisconsin and enjoyed all seasons. Being in the country vs. the city probably made a difference.

I grew up in the country in MN...it does not change my views about AZ whatsoever....pictures are great...the only time I want snow is at Christmas....oh well...I will adjust

[ExNooYawk]

Originally Posted by Yeledaf

My wife and I wil be there next week checking out real estate in Tucson. I'll put cactus-hugging on our "to-do" list.

We're retired and looking at Oro Valley and Vail.

Good choices, Pony? Anything special we should be looking for?

So, how did your search go? We took a look at Saddle Brooke Ranch last weekend. I loved it but my husband thought it was a bit remote. Remote from what? Costco? It wasn't remote from five swimming pools or several tennis courts. Maybe we'll rent a house in one of those places next winter and see if we like it. If so, Tucson here we come.

[shiphead]

Originally Posted by Grannysroost

Just stay away from them, do not pet the cacti.... (Oh and they don't freeze your arse...)

Yep... my father says the same thing. Just make sure whatever place you get people do NOT get jumping cactus for a household pet. My father HATES those things.

[Old-Larry]

Originally Posted by scottrc5391

You liked the food huh... Well I'm from KY too and strangely enough, the biggest disappointment for me when I moved to Tucson was the Mexican food. Before I moved here I had spent 20 years eating in East coast Mexican restaurants (run by Mexicans of course) and I think the Mexicans over there are better cooks. Did you know they actually use two completely different kinds of tortillas on their burritos (sorry, burros) and fajitas, etc., than they do here? One must be corn based or something.

Sorry, I just have to set the record straight.

Most of what we eat for Mexican food is about as mexican as the frito bandito. Corn tortillas are mexican the Mayan's were grinding corn to make flat breads thousands of years ago. In fact all corn originates from that area of the world. Flour tortillas are like hamburgers they are US born. Most of the sauces used in the dishes are not mexican in origin.

Everybody has heard this food called Tex-Mex. That's because the Texan's took some basic concepts from the Mexican and made the food a whole lot better. Those ideas were then taken back into Mexico. Burritos and fajitas are not Mexican food. The Chimichaga (called many other things) is a deep fried meat burrito invented in Tucson when a women with the last name of Flynn (not too mexican sounding to me) dropped a meat burrito into a deep fryer on accident. There are restaurants that serve up slop because they think people won't know the difference. I have a place in eastern WA state and in southern AZ. I have eaten good and bad Tex-Mex in both places. In any case the next time you see that sign that says "Authentic Mexican Food" at least you will have more information. To me the so called mexican food is just like Italian food.....you can make the best stuff at home.

[reddesertfox]

I surely do not want any more people moving here.The same mystical feeling that I experienced in the 50's has never left my brain...not to mention my nose,ears,face and overall sense of well being.In keeping with my opening, disturbed statement....I feel sorry for those posters who look for reasons to hate Tucson....these people are hard to find,but there are almost a handful of them.
I am at a point where the very,very few who want out or maybe do not want in,I figure ehhh! Does everyone get it? Yes.

[ohnonothimagain]

Originally Posted by reddesertfox

I surely do not want any more people moving here.The same mystical feeling that I experienced in the 50's has never left my brain...not to mention my nose,ears,face and overall sense of well being.In keeping with my opening, disturbed statement....I feel sorry for those posters who look for reasons to hate Tucson....these people are hard to find,but there are almost a handful of them.
I am at a point where the very,very few who want out or maybe do not want in,I figure ehhh! Does everyone get it? Yes.

YES-I had the same mystical feeling with my first visit to Tucson in 1963, and it's still a vital part of my reason to want to return "home" to Tucson. The feeling that I had somehow arrived was as vivid then as it's been in subsquent visits and living there. The sense of well-being is something that has to be felt and cannot be easily described or imagined by others who find the Desert dry and lifeless. Even when the Desert is without it's natural colors in the Spring it's still very alive and beautiful if you just take a moment to see it as it is...

[Renee187]

The pictures are beautiful of the surrounding areas. All you see from inside city limits are gazillions of crooked telephone poles, poles. poles. and wires, wires, wires.

[Subie2]

Hey, I must have lived....I've hugged a cactus! Well, I faceplanted into one, that counts right? I'm sure it was feeling the love....