Top comments when people hear we are moving to St Louis (Kansas City: house, neighborhoods)

[FrankMiller]

Originally Posted by topospace

Hiking trails? You must be joking. There is nothing around St. Louis that could be considered a real hiking trail.

St. Louis does not have an outdoor lifestyle. Have seen how many obese people there are in St. Louis?

I always thought a hiking trail was a trail people hike, but I guess I don't know what a "real" hiking trail is.

"Proportion of local population that hikes" is a whole other topic, but there are plenty of outdoorsy people around.

[inahandbasket]

Originally Posted by DinsdalePirahna

When I moved from Southern California to the Saint Louis Area, my new neighbors would ask "why?"

I began asking myself the same question.

I soon realized that I did miss The Beach. The Mountains. The Diversity. The Weather. The People. Good Mexican Food. Decent Pizza. I moved back within two years.

But, DP, you seemingly can't quit the St. Louis forum and the chance to dis our town. You didn't live in St. Louis. You lived in a non-diverse, lily white upper class retiree no side walks exurb some 30 miles from St. Louis City. No wonder you couldn't find anything you liked.

[luckodeirish]

Originally Posted by mjtinmemphis

That's true.

I was thinking more in line with activities that are related to the southern California mountains and beaches.

Have you known anyone who moved to STL and then was shocked there were no beaches?

[Old Trafford]

Originally Posted by SC616

Old Trafford, I just wanted to say that I loved reading your comments and laughed aloud at many of the things you have heard over the years. A STL local had told me that there is a rivalry between Chicago and a couple other cities I cannot recall. That just makes me adore it even more--I love to cheer on the Underdog.

Heh, thanks - I should note most of the people who said those things were smart, and generally nice people, "image of place" in the US has been carefully crafted by the media centers over the years. This is an inadvertent byproduct of standardization in the retail, advertising, news and real estate "industries" - nothing conspiratorial or nefarious - it is just easier to sell us stuff when our market, hence our city is defined by someone who wants us to buy what they are selling read "Lifestyle Shopping" great book

http://www.amazon.com/Lifestyle-Shop.../dp/0415060605


As far as DP - every post he writes reminds me of my favorite song from Talking Heads

"The Big Country"

I see the shapes,
I remember from maps.
I see the shoreline.
I see the whitecaps.
A baseball diamond, nice weather down there.
I see the school and the houses where the kids are.
Places to park by the fac'tries and buildings.
Restaurants and bar for later in the evening.
Then we come to the farmlands, and the undeveloped areas.
And I have learned how these things work together.
I see the parkway that passes through them all.
And I have learned how to look at these things and I say,

[Chorus]
I wouldn't live there if you paid me.
I couldn't live like that, no siree!
I couldn't do the things the way those people do.
I couldn't live there if you paid me to.

I guess it's healthy, I guess the air is clean.
I guess those people have fun with their neighbors and friends.
Look at that kitchen and all of that food.
Look at them eat it' guess it tastes real good.

They grow it in the farmlands
And they take it to the stores
They put it in the car trunk
And they bring it back home
And I say...

[Chorus]

I'm tired of looking out the windows of the airplane
I'm tired of traveling, I want to be somewhere.
It's not even worth talking
About those people down there.

Goo Goo Ga Ga Ga
Goo Goo Ga Ga Ga

[mjtinmemphis]

Originally Posted by luckodeirish

Have you known anyone who moved to STL and then was shocked there were no beaches?

I do remember people move to St. Louis and complain that there where no beaches. (I remember asking myself why did you move)

[SC616]

Originally Posted by luckodeirish

Have you known anyone who moved to STL and then was shocked there were no beaches?

So true! I grew up loving beaches so I could get a good tan--oh, I mean a blistering sunburn!! After years of seeing and having family/friends develop skin cancers (yes, I know that there is skin cancer and hot sun in the Midwest)---but my point is it changed my perspective on laying out on the beaches. The sound of the waves is nice, but truthfully I can't count on two hands the number of times I have spent at a beach here in the past 3 years. Oh, unless you count a trip to a beach during summer break. But if I am going to do that, I don't need the ocean 20-60 minutes driving distance. I would rather have the beach be an annual vacation when I will appreciate its beauty and feel. Also I am so done with traffic on these freeways. Rush hour on a Friday on I40 (see I am starting to use my lingo!)--is nothing compared to the 5 freeway in CA at any time of the day.

I think I will probably miss the mountains more, but you can at least get a nice rolling hills feeling in St. Louis.

IMHO, there are people who are more Midwest at heart. Hopefully that is our family. If not, then we just discover activities that we do love in the new town.

[SC616]

Originally Posted by inahandbasket

But, DP, you seemingly can't quit the St. Louis forum and the chance to dis our town. You didn't live in St. Louis. You lived in a non-diverse, lily white upper class retiree no side walks exurb some 30 miles from St. Louis City. No wonder you couldn't find anything you liked.

Secretly deep down inside maybe DP has a soft spot for Saint Louis

[Osito]

Isn't that funny how people who've never been somewhere know all about it? There are some neat bridges in St. Louis I'd like to see in person as well as tons of historic architecture.

[OuttaTheLouBurbs]

Originally Posted by Osito

Isn't that funny how people who've never been somewhere know all about it? There are some neat bridges in St. Louis I'd like to see in person as well as tons of historic architecture.

Which bridges are we talking here? Mississippi River bridges, like the Eads Bridge, or the Stan Musial Bridge? Or smaller bridges of whatever sort?

[luckodeirish]

Originally Posted by mjtinmemphis

I do remember people move to St. Louis and complain that there where no beaches. (I remember asking myself why did you move)

I promise to never complain about the lack of beaches!