Moving to Dallas from London (Fort Worth, Plano: sales, pre-k, college)

[Cowboys fan in Houston]

Comparing Plano to Milton Keynes is stupid. Plano is much closer to Dallas and part of the urban area of Dallas. Milton Keynes is 50 miles from London. A better comparrison may be Hounslow.

I lived in Dallas and now live in the Plano, to be fair I like Plano tons and tons more. However, Im married and I spend the bulk of my time on the road. When I come home, I want a safe and quite place to just chill.

I lucked out in the place I live. Im right next to a very large park, there are tons of Asian ethnic places to eat (which is my favorite) and way more so than anything in Dallas minus Koreatown, and my neighborhood is one of the multicultural around (we have people from Ethiopia, Korea, China, India, and Vietnam on our street). Since those are things I value, I love it here.

This all said, I would not advise a sinlge person to move to Plano, but also bear in mind if you dont have a car and commute from Dallas to the Legacy area, your screwed. Dallas is still the best for young single people. I cant stand the snobbery and douchebaggyness of Uptown, but Lower Greenville, Deep Ellum, Oak Lawn, and Bishop Arts are all awesome!

[BigT3x]

Originally Posted by Saintmarks

Yes, walkable neighborhoods with residential, retail, office, restaurants and bars all in one location. Not the typical suburban model. So?

SHE DOESN"T HAVE A CAR and all you people want her to live 30 miles from her job in an area that doesn't have 1% of the available public transport as her home country solely to win a point for your inner city elitism on an internet site. This site is to give people advice and yours is lacking in the fact that she does not have a license or a car. You are not taking this point into account and the ramifications she will experience until she has one.... and even after she has one.

Trammell Crow buying a corn field and stacking the suburban style apartments on top of the chain restaurants does not make a place urban. Places like Legacy are not neighborhoods. They're like theme parks or shopping malls.

She clearly states in her post that she'll start working on getting a car immediately. For the first six months or so, I assure you she'll survive taking the red line to Plano and the bus to her final destination. By London standards, that's an easy commute. That inconvenience is not reason enough to trap yourself in Plano.

[Saintmarks]

Originally Posted by BigT3x

Trammell Crow buying a corn field and stacking the suburban style apartments on top of the chain restaurants does not make a place urban. Places like Legacy are not neighborhoods. They're like theme parks or shopping malls.

She clearly states in her post that she'll start working on getting a car immediately. For the first six months or so, I assure you she'll survive taking the red line to Plano and the bus to her final destination. By London standards, that's an easy commute. That inconvenience is not reason enough to trap yourself in Plano.

So? All of the metroplex was a cornfield at one point in history.

Please show me a timetable of buses in Plano and where they stop.

[synchronicity]

Well, as you’ve noticed from this thread, if you’re under 35 and single you must live in the “hip” areas of Dallas. Then it’s kind of like Logan’s Run, except instead of killing you when you turn 30 they wait until you’re 35 and move you to Plano with a spouse and kid. However, at that point you would start complaining about all the “cool” kids making all that racket and preventing your baby from sleeping WOULD YOU PLEASE QUIET DOWN OUT THERE so you’ll be glad to be in Plano. If for some reason you’re over 35 and not married with a kid, you live in Plano and go out to Addison every night. :-)

Seriously, given what you’ve stated for your preferences, no reason not to live within the nightlife-intensive parts of Dallas for now. Yes, the suburbs have some things that are kinda-sorta similar, but they’re not the same and likely not a good fit for you, but by all means check them out and see for yourself. As for travel – yes, you should get a car. There is public transit to Plano but it’s nothing compared to London standards. THBS, back in 2005 I bought a 94 Prizm with 89K miles for $2,500 (about 1,600 quid) and my wife still uses it for a 40+ mile daily round trip commute today, so you CAN find reliable if unglamorous autos on limited funds.

Also as an FYI, Plano is the largest suburb of Dallas (population over 250K), so for that and other reasons it is often used as the main example of “Suburban Generica”. However, the entire Metroplex in general is pretty young even by US standards (the vast majority of the area outside of Dallas proper has only been developed since the late 1970’s), so it will be quite a contrast from London.

-synchronicity, comfortably on the “Plano” side of my life

[MckinneyOwnr]

I still say Addison would be a good choice given the realities of her transportation situation and job location. I don't go to Addison much anymore, but there's definitely a younger crowd still present there. I think the OP would enjoy the Flying Saucer, or the Mucky Duck (formerly Zen bar) and that entire area by Addison Circle.

Being in Addison is just a quick drive down the tollway to Dallas/Uptown anyway. There's plenty of 20-30somethings that hang out there, so I don't know where some of you guys are saying that you're only going to find that crowd in Dallas, it's simply false.

[VonHuffenHausen]

Addison is boring and not walkable. Just a big wide unwalkable road of strip mallEsque chain restaurants n a few bars. Addison circle is just apartments and an isolated area not interconnected to anything. This area would not be considered hip by anyone's standards coming from a large city.

[Lakewooder]

I'm way older than 35 (I was there for part of the Logan's Run filming at the Market Center) and go out to many, many places in Dallas and have no problem hanging with the young people, people my age or even older - yes they do go out. As a matter of fact tonight I am headed to the Melrose Toast to 10 Most Beautiful Winner Aubree-Anna | Warwick Melrose Hotel, Dallas | Dallas, TX | Events | D Magazine and Candleroom and am trying to work in the Lakewood Cantina Laredo WW Class of 2015 fundraiser.

[Double-G]

I think the OP definitely needs to check out Uptown and Deep Elum. If I was young and single I'd definitely be looking there.

And OP, believe me there are parts of Uptown that are inches away from down and dirty as you say...

Moderator cut: off-topic

[MckinneyOwnr]

Originally Posted by Lakewooder

I'm way older than 35 (I was there for part of the Logan's Run filming at the Market Center) and go out to many, many places in Dallas and have no problem hanging with the young people, people my age or even older - yes they do go out. As a matter of fact tonight I am headed to the Melrose Toast to 10 Most Beautiful Winner Aubree-Anna | Warwick Melrose Hotel, Dallas | Dallas, TX | Events | D Magazine and Candleroom and am trying to work in the Lakewood Cantina Laredo WW Class of 2015 fundraiser.

I was there last Saturday with my wife listening to Aubree. (However, at age 34 for myself, and 27 for my wife, we were the youngest people there!)

Kids these days... just don't appreciate a good jazz piano bar.

[MckinneyOwnr]

Originally Posted by VonHuffenHausen

Addison is boring and not walkable. Just a big wide unwalkable road of strip mallEsque chain restaurants n a few bars. Addison circle is just apartments and an isolated area not interconnected to anything. This area would not be considered hip by anyone's standards coming from a large city.

It can be argued that nowhere in north TX is an area truly "walkable," especially if her job will be in Plano, so your point is moot. She'll have to get a car soon.

(Using the word "hip" is pretty much the nail in the coffin for your credibility in this argument however.)