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"Social life revolves around family, sports, and church"
Really the above statement applies to small towns all over the country.
It seems like the biggest turn off to being accepted in a new place is going on about how great the old place was and why aren't things done like back home. Its fine to talk of the old place but not like its better, the people smarter and so on. Common sense says it won't be the same, selection, things to do and so on, but people should be well aware of that much before deciding on the move. Be friendly, kind and smile, that helps a great deal in a new place.
I am a transplanted New Yorker, Long Islander to be exact. I miss my NY food but other than that, Kentucky is the place for me. Lexington is a great little city. There are all walks of life in Lexington and you will fit right in. It's one of those places that you make what you want out of it. I had the chance to move back to LI many years ago and I stayed here and have never regretted it.
No children, so I can't help you with that.
hiya from another Lawn Guyander!!
I've been in Lex-vegas for about 13 years and I love it here... but I miss a lot about NY too, and try to go back to visit a couple times a year.
Most of my life was spent in the tri-state area and in Manhattan. I've lived in Lexington for 5 years plus. IrishTom's assessment of Lexington is the unvarnished truth. Social life revolves around family, sports, and church (it is said of Wilmore that there is a church on every corner). Consider that a lecture by Kingsolver at a bookstore is mentioned in one post as a significant cultural event, and compare with the offerings of a major metro area. On the plus side, there is the low cost of living and the natural beauty of the area.
I'm one who posted about Barbara Kingsolver's local appearance - but I never claimed it was a "significant cultural event" - that's your terminology - although I suppose that argument could be made. Instead, I noted Kingsolver's (very well-attended) appearance, which included not only signing her books but also speaking at length about her latest novel, as a typical free event available in the Lexington area. It was hardly an isolated activity, and despite not being what you might judge "significant" culturally, it certainly was a very notable evening, not because of its rarity in Lexington but because of the opportunity to hear and respond to one of the finest contemporary writers in America.
I have to wonder how many of Kingsolver's books you have read, and if you are familiar with the ideas about rural vs. urban life expressed in her books. "Significant cultural events" are not entirely urban in nature, nor is "culture" limited to the tri-state and Manhattan or other "major metro area(s)".
Most of my life was spent in the tri-state area and in Manhattan. I've lived in Lexington for 5 years plus. IrishTom's assessment of Lexington is the unvarnished truth. Social life revolves around family, sports, and church (it is said of Wilmore that there is a church on every corner). Consider that a lecture by Kingsolver at a bookstore is mentioned in one post as a significant cultural event, and compare with the offerings of a major metro area. On the plus side, there is the low cost of living and the natural beauty of the area.
Wilmore is not Lexington, nor is it located within Fayette County. It is a tiny, historic town, about twelve miles from Lexington's unofficial city limits, in Jessamine County.
Wilmore grew up around Asbury University and Seminary, a United Methodist Church affiliated college. Wilmore is known for its conservatism (and its many churches), but it is also known for bringing many outstanding speakers, musical groups, and other performers to town. All of these performances and lectures are open to the general public. I heard the Vienna Boys Choir sing at Asbury a good many years ago - bringing cultural attractions of this calibre to Wilmore is a long-established practice of the university.
Lexington is dull. The best place to eat in town is one of the Waffle Houses and the town is full of yahoos who can't even spell "university" sporting UK clothing including UK ball caps they refuse to remove indoors, even while eating at the Waffle House, holding their forks like shovels. The local cuisine combines too much salt, too much grease AND too much sugar all in the same dish. There's one good pizza place in town and it's run by a Buckeye who somehow learned how to make a decent "old neighborhood" thin crust Chicago pizza cut in squares. Other than that forget it. And Polish, Lithuanian, Jewish, Bohemian and German chow is out of the question. You ain't gonna find pierogis, kugelis and zeppelins. No good bakeries either.
The population is lethargic and unenterprising and most things are done in a half-assed manner. When something is done in a proper and timely manner someone who moved down from Michigan, Illinois or New York is probably responsible.
Many people smoke Marlboros and wear Winston caps. When confused they ask their minister what to do.
Much social and economic life revolves around a large so called university which is actually a sports franchise. UK sports gives the average Kentuckian something trivial to be an expert on, this way they don't become experts on important things like politics and economics and get "uppity" with the ministers, car dealers, real estate developers and horse farm owners. Note that UK produces many basketball winners but no Nobel winners.
How incredibly untruthful.
Yes, a lot of people wear UK t-shirts and hats, I'll give you that. The rest of what you're describing sounds like some smaller towns in Kentucky, but not Lexington. I think you're hanging around with the wrong people in the wrong parts of town.
We are very politically involved, as are many of our friends. We belong to a progressive church and our minister would not dream of telling us what to do. I can think of many ethnic restaurants that we enjoy (but, eww, Wafflehouse?!). Many successful people are graduates of the University of Kentucky and ground-breaking research has come out of it.
My husband and I are life long NYers, having lived in NYC, Long Island, Albany, Binghamton and for the last 32 years in the Hudson Valley. We moved to Richmond (just south of Lexington) 10 months ago. We love it here! If you areaccepting ofthem, Kentuckians are very accepting of you. They love their state and only seem to get stand offish if you are a north east snob. We have met many wonderful Kentuckians and quite a few former NYers.
I knew two Jewish families from New York who were living in Lexington in the 70's and they loved it and felt very accepted there. I am sure Lexington has only become more welcoming to New Yorkers since then, as all of the South has. Lexington is gay-friendly and has a gay mayor who is well-liked, so I think anyone who deserves respect there will get respect there.
Crime is worse in the northeast part of the city, but as a rule I think of Lexington as a city with comparably little crime.
I just found this old thread I started many years ago. So now it's November 2016. We are still in Nevada. We are originally from Long Island NY.
Any more additional info on Lexington would be great. pros & cons.
Any info helps
Thank you
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