Walkability/bikeability? (Brentwood, Clifton, Watertown: hotel, home, neighborhood)

[scarletneon]

Originally Posted by Watertown Gal

Nope, Tennessee is not for everyone, especially if you come down here with a condescending, superiority mindset and expect the locals to like and accept you. We don't and we won't, and most of us will be glad to direct you to I-65 North.

I don't think I was trying to be condescending. More like, I can't believe that it costs about the same to live in Nashville as it does the third largest city in the country if you're smart about it.

I lived in middle Tennessee for 13 years and my immediate family still lives there. I just got tired of it.

[#Littledog]

Originally Posted by bsdsys

I lived on the corner of 5th & Gay St. in Downtown Nashville and was very unsatisfied with the overall quality of life there.

1. No shopping downtown (Unless you want cowboy hats/boots or a Nashville shirt - which you wouldn't catch me dead in something like that)

2. No restaurants. The only good restaurant downtown in my opinion is Mortons - which doesn't get that busy so it isn't a "Hot spot" for locals.

3. HILLS, HILLS, HILLS! This city is a joke. You can't go anywhere without going up or down a hill.

4. Sidewalks - way too small and the City doesn't do a great job at removing tree branches when it hangs down right over sidewalks. The good thing is they clean the streets almost every day

5. Very few bike lanes.

6. Everyone wants to shop at Wal-Mart, Target, Kroger, or some other big box store.

7. Public transit is a joke. These people have no clue how to run a Public Transit system. I think it goes with they everyone says in that weird city - "We don't want to be another Atlanta!" Atleast they have trains! I wouldn't move to Atlanta but it would be better than Nashville.

8. The prices there are too high to support the quality of life there. I paid 600.00 a month for a studio and had to pay for my electric - which isn't bad but there isn't anything to do there. What, go to Oprymills or hang out on 2nd. Ave N? Haha... no! I have a studio here in Chicago, 739.00 a month with ALL utilities included, 1 block from the lake, 1 block from the El (thats the train btw) , and I will not even get started on what we have here. There is no comparison. Comparing Chicago to Nashville is like comparing Chicago to any suburban area. It just isn't the same.

9. The weather is absolutely terrible. I cannot stand southern weather and I am very happy with my weather up here in Chicago. I cannot wait for winter to come. Don't get me wrong, I love summer, but I hate southern weather.


10. The people are just fake. They smile in your face, pretend to be your friend and then talk behind your back and do not get me started on how much they sugar coat things. They will go to great lengths to make sure someone doesn't believe what they are telling me is worse than what they are saying it is. Too damn reserved, they will not just come right out with things, it's almost like you have to hold their hands for them and when you bring out that other side they just act like you did something inhumane or something. They do not know how to deal with directness very well, but they will be rude about the most stupid things you can come up with.

Conclusion: I am glad I moved away and will never return to the south ever again. My opinion, which btw - that's all it is so make your own choice. Look into another city. I think you would find what you are looking for elsewhere. Enjoy!

Oh, I know some will not enjoy what I wrote, but guess what, I do not care. I gave Nashville an opportunity, disliked the entire city for everything it had, didn't enjoy anything, was very open to things - expect the country scene which I blame myself for that one, and my feelings are what they are. I moved on and will not look back.

How long did you live in Nashville? Are you a Generation Y'er, X'er or a Baby Boomer?

[Watertown Gal]

Originally Posted by supernerdgirl

I don't think I was trying to be condescending. More like, I can't believe that it costs about the same to live in Nashville as it does the third largest city in the country if you're smart about it.

I lived in middle Tennessee for 13 years and my immediate family still lives there. I just got tired of it.

I was referring to bsdsys' post, not yours, although I don't think he was being condescending so much as being disgruntled. A lot of people visit or move down here thinking Tennessee is some kind of utopia, and to a lot of us, it is, but it's just not for everyone, especially those who are used to being in the fast lane. We are slower paced, and we like it that way.

[bsdsys]

Originally Posted by Watertown Gal

I was referring to bsdsys' post, not yours, although I don't think he was being condescending so much as being disgruntled. A lot of people visit or move down here thinking Tennessee is some kind of utopia, and to a lot of us, it is, but it's just not for everyone, especially those who are used to being in the fast lane. We are slower paced, and we like it that way.

Why would I move somewhere with a closed mind? I moved there thinking it would be a city I would enjoy. Disgruntled? Pah-leeze... try not to make excuses for "yourself" of why I didn't like your city. It is what it is and I stand by my statements about "my experience" in "your" city!

[scarletneon]

Originally Posted by Watertown Gal

I was referring to bsdsys' post, not yours, although I don't think he was being condescending so much as being disgruntled. A lot of people visit or move down here thinking Tennessee is some kind of utopia, and to a lot of us, it is, but it's just not for everyone, especially those who are used to being in the fast lane. We are slower paced, and we like it that way.

Yeah, when I told everyone I was moving to Chicago, most people couldn't believe I wanted to move to the "big city," and said they could never do it themselves, but they were proud of me. On the other hand, in Chicago I've never felt more at home anywhere else. That's not a knock on Tennessee (although I do harbor resentment toward Spring Hill and their absolute failure at planning, but that's another post), it's all about preferences.

[jbmill3]

Originally Posted by Watertown Gal

A lot of people visit or move down here thinking Tennessee is some kind of utopia,

From what I understand the utopia is not in Nashville but a little further south, down in Summertown, TN.

Only half-joking....

[mad fiddler]

Originally Posted by supernerdgirl

Yeah, when I told everyone I was moving to Chicago, most people couldn't believe I wanted to move to the "big city," and said they could never do it themselves, but they were proud of me. On the other hand, in Chicago I've never felt more at home anywhere else. That's not a knock on Tennessee (although I do harbor resentment toward Spring Hill and their absolute failure at planning, but that's another post), it's all about preferences.

We adore Chicago, and visit at least once a year, sometimes just to walk around, but we usually catch a show, as well. Always the Art Institute. One of the best things: we don't need a car when we get there! Between trains, buses, and the occasional short cab trip, we don't have to deal with traffic, and can spend our time in relaxed conversation while we're "chauffeured" from place to place. We've never encountered rudeness there -- the locals have always been helpful and kind.

Someday, maybe, we'll move there. We love Nashville, especially because we can live well without having to make a lot of money. And there's a certain laid-backness here that's nice. As Nashville grows and gets more diverse, it's becoming more comfortable for us, but it's still hard to deal with the influence of conservative churches.

I wouldn't compare the two cities, though -- seems kind of apples and oranges. Chicago has been a major city for a very long time, and is much, much larger than Nashville. Nashville in many ways still isn't really a city, but more like a small town that kept growing. This is part of its charm, but also why it's not comparable to a place like Chicago, which passed that stage long ago.

[Watertown Gal]

Originally Posted by jbmill3

From what I understand the utopia is not in Nashville but a little further south, down in Summertown, TN.

Only half-joking....

No, Nashville is no utopia, unless you like honky-tonks, crowds, crime, and traffic. I was born and raised there and I have seen it grow from a sleepy mid-size, Southern city, where you knew just about everybody, to a sprawling, urban, even bigger city that I hardly recognize anymore. Nashville is bigger, but certainly not better than it was....I miss the old Nashville where you didn't have to lock your car doors in certain areas at night, or you could go to the grocery store without fear of being robbed. We bought a mini-farm and moved 40 miles east about three months ago and we love it out here.....we don't even have to lock our doors at night, although old habits are hard to break, and I hardly see more than 10 cars pass by our house each day, and those few that do usually wave as they pass by.
I have a cousin who lives close to Summertown and he tells me it's very nice down there too, but East Tennessee, to me, is one of the prettiest and nicest parts of the state. The people are friendly, the countryside is beautiful, and crime is very low.

[wyldedixie]

I like Nashville ten times better than I liked Chicago. My husband and I are originally from Kentucky, moved to Chicago for a couple of years, and now we're back down south in Nashville. Nashville is more laid back, which I prefer. I LOVED Chicago, but the cost of living there is ridiculous. There's a high state income tax, ridiculous city sales tax, corrupt local government, and a crook for a governor. Granted, people there were friendly but mainly because almost everyone I met was originally from somewhere else. Public transportation is a joke in Chicago as much as it is in Nashville. The CTA is going broke and can't afford to upgrade the existing system to a modern standard. Buses and trains are almost always late. Cabs are pricey. There's constant noise in the city even on the quiet neighborhood streets. In other words, it's a city I'd like to visit but wouldn't want to live there again. The one thing I will miss is the ability to order any kind of food I want even at 3:00 A.M. and have it delivered right to my door.

I forgot to mention that our rent alone was $1390/month for a smallish three-bedroom apartment. We were paying another $75/month in parking. Our rent in Nashville for a large one-bedroom in a nice complex? $825. Much more my style. A one-bedroom condo in Chicago to buy? $250k-$300k in a decent neighborhood. A three-bedroom home in a decent neighborhood in Nashville or the surrounding area? $150k-$200k.

[Watertown Gal]

Originally Posted by bsdsys

Why would I move somewhere with a closed mind? I moved there thinking it would be a city I would enjoy. Disgruntled? Pah-leeze... try not to make excuses for "yourself" of why I didn't like your city. It is what it is and I stand by my statements about "my experience" in "your" city!

I never made excuses for anything. It's a free country and you are allowed to like or dislike any city anywhere in the U.S.A. All I was saying is that Tennessee, and Nashville in particular, are not for everyone. If it didn't meet your standards, then that's too bad, but just because you didn't like it here does not mean that the next person wouldn't. I think you will find that you are in the minority though....most newcomers love it here....perhaps too many, because Nashville and it's surrounding cities are growing by leaps and bounds. Oh and one other thing.....did you ever stop to think that chances are the "unfriendly" people you met during your time here were probably not Nashville natives since almost everybody you meet here is usually from somewhere else....like Chicago?