Where should I move? 35 y/o single AA woman needs your help! (Atlanta: townhomes, neighborhood)

[skynard72]

Hi, thanks to everyone in advance for your help. After living in Austin, Texas, for 12 years, and Texas for a total of 30 years, I am finally leaving the nest. I am seeking a position at the CDC in the Chamblee area, which is inside the perimeter near 285 and 85. The campus is located on Brandywine Rd.

What neighborhood should I choose? I am single, so I don't want to isolate in the 'burbs. I want something hip, edgy, somewhat affordable, and a location that would provide a reasonable commute. Ideally, I would take the train to work, or somehow be able to avoid traffic. I plan on going out, and I have a dog, so a nearby dog park would be nice. Also, a diverse neighborhood would be preferable. Price, not so much an issue. In short, where would be the best place for an educated, single, mid-30s, African American woman to live? Your input is really appreciated. Thanks!

[BobKovacs]

Do you need to be near a meeting site or near your sponsor's home?

Oh, sorry- I just read the part about "African American"- I was thinking "Alcoho......oh, never mind.....lol.

[btrfly414]

Originally Posted by skynard72

Hi, thanks to everyone in advance for your help. After living in Austin, Texas, for 12 years, and Texas for a total of 30 years, I am finally leaving the nest. I am seeking a position at the CDC in the Chamblee area, which is inside the perimeter near 285 and 85. The campus is located on Brandywine Rd.

What neighborhood should I choose? I am single, so I don't want to isolate in the 'burbs. I want something hip, edgy, somewhat affordable, and a location that would provide a reasonable commute. Ideally, I would take the train to work, or somehow be able to avoid traffic. I plan on going out, and I have a dog, so a nearby dog park would be nice. Also, a diverse neighborhood would be preferable. Price, not so much an issue. In short, where would be the best place for an educated, single, mid-30s, African American woman to live? Your input is really appreciated. Thanks!

You haven't had much of a reply so I will try to help. Based on your criteria I would suggest:

City of Decatur/Oakhurst - pricey, diverse, hip, nice shops, walking community, walk to train, (on 118 greenwood place there's a row of townhomes that are very reasonable) dog park about 5 - 10 min. away, families and singles Decatur Events

Lindbergh - pricey, but may be able to find good deals, diverse, close to buckhead, walk to train and stores, closest dog park is Piedmont Park which is about a 15 min drive

Virginia Highlands - very pricey, more family oriented but has a nice town feel, close to public transportation but no walking to train station, not sure of dog park Virginia Highland :: Home

Vinings - pricey, hip, close to public transportation (CCT), doubt if they have a dog park ( never took mine there if there is one) Vinings Georgia

West End - very affordable, up and coming but with many iffy areas, becoming diverse, strong sense of community, singles and families, close to train, no dog park but other parks, community gardens, very hip if you are a trail blazer

outside.in · West End, Atlanta GA

Maybe others can be of more help

[fil]

It doesn't sound like you're at the main facility near Emory.

You may want to check out the area near Oglethorpe University:
"Brandywine Rd" atlanta - Google Maps

Just about anything inside the perimeter is diverse, so you won't go wrong there.

Public transit in Atlanta is only slightly better than Austin (non-existent) mass transit, so you'll need to drive. Emory has a green bus system, but you won't need it where you're office plus you'll have a car.

Other spots to look at are Little Five Points, Virginia Highlands, Buckhead, and around the Piedmont Park neighborhood (huge fenced-in, off-leash dog park like Norwood Estate dog park in Austin I-35 and Riverside).

Hope this helps.

I continue to miss the ATL, but digging the family-oriented and safe environment of the ATX.
Oh yeah, there are a lot more brothers in ATL...but I suppose you know this. Good luck, you'll like it.

[NorthmeetsSouth]

Originally Posted by BobKovacs

Do you need to be near a meeting site or near your sponsor's home?

Oh, sorry- I just read the part about "African American"- I was thinking "Alcoho......oh, never mind.....lol.

Yeah... that was my first thought too.
But, just curious... if someone starts a thread that says "White woman moving to Atlanta. Where should I live?" will everybody jump all over her and accuse her of being racist?

[sweettea1]

No, but that's because whites are the majority. When you're a minority of any kind, be it African American, Jewish, Asian, Native American...you want to live in a community that's no only welcoming and diverse, but also where you will meet a few others like you. I say that from personal experience so I think it makes perfect sense from the point of the OP.

[BobKovacs]

Originally Posted by sweettea1

No, but that's because whites are the majority. When you're a minority of any kind, be it African American, Jewish, Asian, Native American...you want to live in a community that's no only welcoming and diverse, but also where you will meet a few others like you. I say that from personal experience so I think it makes perfect sense from the point of the OP.

So because I'm white, I don't want a community that's welcoming and diverse? Does that mean that I'd only want to live in a stodgy, all-white community? If so, wouldn't I be correct in posting a question about "white man moving to Atlanta" so I can avoid the areas that are predominantly black? And even if I did want a community that's welcoming and diverse, wouldn't I again want to avoid the premodinantly black areas, as I probably wouldn't be all that "welcomed" there, and they're not "diverse", so wouldn't I want to post "white man moving to Atlanta" so I could avoid such areas?

These double standards don't seem to work so well.

[sweettea1]

Not necessarily, but being of a majority population, it's a given that there will be other members of that majority in most places. Now, whether those members are 'stodgy' is a totally different question, just as I'm sure the OP wouldn't necessarily want to live in a AA community that exhibited other stereotypes. The point of the post IMO, is that when you're not in a majority and you single that out by specifying it, you are reaching out to others like yourself. You don't have to do this as a member of a majority because it's usually there. And guess what? As someone in the South who is both white and looking for diversity in a community, that puts you, too, in a minority.

[fil]

I'm a minority.

The last few exchanges are what I DON'T miss about Atlanta.

Too many other minorities being so freaking sensitive.

She post AA, I ALSO thought that she was an alcoholic.
Sheesh..lighten up people.

[sncollns]

Please, please, please don't turn this into a racial issue. The OP asked a simple question in regards to an area that she would feel comfortable in. There was some misunderstanding so sweattea clarified it in a very tactful way. If you don't have a decent answer to the OPs question, move on. God!?!