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I left NYC a few months ago and had narrowed my choices down to Raleigh or Austin, TX. Now that I've been here a few months I can give it a review which may benefit someone else thinking of making the move.
Good stuff:
It's very pretty, lots of trees and grass, not much in the way of "visual pollution" (i.e. advertising signage everywhere), less expensive overall, and feels safe.
Bad stuff:
It's reallllllly frickin boring, the people are polite but not really that friendly (you'd think they would be but I guess most are from somewhere else and not really Southerners anyway), it's not easy to fit in if you A) don't have kids, B) want to partake in any cultural activities (unless you consider BBQ eateries and playgrounds cultural), or C) aren't planning to buy a home and live under some HOA rules. It's also NOT very pet friendly.
It's nice in many ways and I think probably awesome if you just want a safe good place to raise kids and you don't need much in the way of intellectual/artistic/physical stimulation. But if you do, you may want to reconsider.
We're moving on to Austin in a few months. Little too conservative/religious/Mayberry/stepford like for our taste.
On your "good stuff"--this is precisely why I love it here--one reason, anyway. There is something so jarring about the visual pollution in so many cities I've lived in--the tacky signage, run-down strip clubs, little to no green space. I mean, I have never before seen such an effort put to interstate on-ramps and medians (where we see so many wildflowers and daylillies).
On your "Bad stuff"--I don't know what rock you're hiding under, but I really enjoy the ballet here, the independent bookstores with lots of poetry readings and support for local authors, the Durham Bulls, the diversity of restaurants....I happen to live in a suburban community with an HOA but I know there are many, many alternative housing options here. And I reach outside of my zip code on a weekly basis (if not daily) to explore my opportunities.
Yeah, there are Mayberry and Stepford zones (gee, mine is probably one) but they're not the only zones, and living in one (as I hope I'm demonstrating here) doesn't mean you aren't allowed to a) leave or b) partake in the many civic, cultural, and recreational activities here (the last of which, I should note, is MUCH more than monthly Bunco and town soccer leagues).
As a native southerner (but not North Carolinian) I would like to extend this tidbit to you and other non-southerners: kindly do not confuse our reputation for politeness with friendliness--southerners are NOT bred to make friends with every person they see like some kind of trained dog; making friends takes time and personal mutual effort. We are, however, raised to be polite to everyone, because it sure does help folks, especially those from elsewhere, to get along a bit better, and we all know that you catch more flies with honey than vinegar.
Have fun in Austin. I hear it's amazing!
Last edited by annesg; 06-04-2010 at 09:34 AM..
Reason: add more
Hmmm.... intellecutual stimulation... I think maybe you just haven't connected with enough people here. You do realize this area has one of the highest concentrations of PhDs in the country??? Several Unis and all the medical research facilities in this area seem to be fodder for intellect.
Ph.D. raising her hand here. Also part of the creative class (writer).
Austin is in fact often said to be very similar to the Triangle [capital/state govt, like Raleigh; liberal environment/music scene like Chapel Hill, good university like NCSU/UNC/Duke) but more compact (though with a much better job market at the present).
Some thread. I never lived in NYC but I've lived in Central and North Jersey my whole life. I've been to the City quite a few times mostly when I was a hell of a lot younger. It's overcrowded and overpriced. Lots of things to do but I much prefer a slower pace at this point in my life. I've visited the Durham area a few times and think it is a great place. You can keep NYC and the attitude.
I left NYC a few months ago and had narrowed my choices down to Raleigh or Austin, TX. Now that I've been here a few months I can give it a review which may benefit someone else thinking of making the move.
Good stuff:
It's very pretty, lots of trees and grass, not much in the way of "visual pollution" (i.e. advertising signage everywhere), less expensive overall, and feels safe.
Bad stuff:
It's reallllllly frickin boring, the people are polite but not really that friendly (you'd think they would be but I guess most are from somewhere else and not really Southerners anyway), it's not easy to fit in if you A) don't have kids, B) want to partake in any cultural activities (unless you consider BBQ eateries and playgrounds cultural), or C) aren't planning to buy a home and live under some HOA rules. It's also NOT very pet friendly.
It's nice in many ways and I think probably awesome if you just want a safe good place to raise kids and you don't need much in the way of intellectual/artistic/physical stimulation. But if you do, you may want to reconsider.
We're moving on to Austin in a few months. Little too conservative/religious/Mayberry/stepford like for our taste.
Sounds perfect!!! I can't wait to move in. I hope I get the opportunity.
"people are polite but not really that friendly" Polite opens the door to make quite a few friends.
"unless you consider BBQ eateries" All I can say is "TASTE-EEE!"
"want to partake in any cultural activities" D.C. is a place that really fits this requirement.
"aren't planning to buy a home and live under some HOA rules." HOA stops your neighbor from putting their old car on blocks in the front yard.
" It's also NOT very pet friendly." I have a 90 pound Golden. I am sure he will be quite at home in Cary.
"Little too conservative/religious" Fantastic!!! If you want the opposite, try Portland Oregon. They have strip clubs and bars in the neighborhoods, right down the street near the kid's playground. Those "churchy, conservative" types prevent this type of stuff.
".../physical stimulation"? I am thinking... lots of swimming and weekend beach trips in the summer: jogging, tennis, bike riding all the other seasons.
Good luck with your move. I hope you find what you are looking for.
I am smiling as I write that Austin is Raleigh's sister city. I love the people there, the Texas attitude/spunk. If you tire of BBQ here, no worries, you can have beef with beef and a side of beef there. Perhaps the humidity there will make you yearn for NC's weather??
The big difference I noticed between Austin and Raleigh is that Raleigh is a cleaner city (downtown). Austin is somewhat scruffy. We have our trash on the highways, they have it on the city streets.
As for cultural activities, maybe your definition is different than mine. But there is plenty to do here for a city this size. I've attended Broadway South series, ballet, opera, and seen many national and international music acts here. If the trade off to have more "culture" means that our taxes go up, density increases, and we have the problems that a NY or similar city has, I am happy with what we have.
If people move here from London, Paris, NY, Rome, etc, and are happy, then Raleigh must have something going for it. Sorry you didn't get to discover it.
I just had two people who moved from Austin to NC and both say "Austin is fun to visit, but NC is a great place to live". They are both married no kids. Lived in Austin since 2000.
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