Moving to Tampa: and a Tribute to TampaGuy03 (University, Holiday: appointed, house)

[thethinktank]

After a good year-and-a-half of research, comparing cities and towns from the San Francisco Bay to Greater Los Angeles, Austin Texas to all of Florida, my fiance' and I have decided upon South Tampa, Florida.

In September of 2008, I began researching different cities and wound up here on the Tampa Bay forum of City-Data. Having looked through thread after thread, I found a common theme that the SoHo/Hyde Park area might be the best fit for my fiance' and I. We're both 30, liberal, love indie restaurants and classic architecture, palm trees and happy people (both liberal and conservative). Having read too many threads to count here, TampaGuy03 and others pointed us in the right direction of SoHo and Hyde Park.

We've since visited Hyde Park twice, with our third visit later this month. In March, we're putting our midwest house on the market and moving down by mid-May.

In short, I wanted to communicate two things:
1) We consider ourselves progressive people who want nothing more than the best, and we've chosen South Tampa over so many highlight destinations throughout the U.S.
2) City-Data and TampaGuy03's posts specifically helped drive us in this direction. So I wanted to thank the community here and TampaGuy03 himself. Without you, god knows where we would have ended up.

For the naysayers, if you haven't seen South Tampa, drop the cliches about Tampa altogether. I lived in Chicago for 8 years, half way between Wrigley Field and DePaul University, and South Tampa is the closest thing to that vibe-- minus the ugly winters. The people of Tampa may have won us over on our visits, but it was this very forum which inspired us to visit in the first place.

So thanks, all. Should I bump into any of you after the move, I'll gladly buy you a friendly beer.

[tampaguy03]

Originally Posted by thethinktank

After a good year-and-a-half of research, comparing cities and towns from the San Francisco Bay to Greater Los Angeles, Austin Texas to all of Florida, my fiance' and I have decided upon South Tampa, Florida.

In September of 2008, I began researching different cities and wound up here on the Tampa Bay forum of City-Data. Having looked through thread after thread, I found a common theme that the SoHo/Hyde Park area might be the best fit for my fiance' and I. We're both 30, liberal, love indie restaurants and classic architecture, palm trees and happy people (both liberal and conservative). Having read too many threads to count here, TampaGuy03 and others pointed us in the right direction of SoHo and Hyde Park.

We've since visited Hyde Park twice, with our third visit later this month. In March, we're putting our midwest house on the market and moving down by mid-May.

In short, I wanted to communicate two things:
1) We consider ourselves progressive people who want nothing more than the best, and we've chosen South Tampa over so many highlight destinations throughout the U.S.
2) City-Data and TampaGuy03's posts specifically helped drive us in this direction. So I wanted to thank the community here and TampaGuy03 himself. Without you, god knows where we would have ended up.

For the naysayers, if you haven't seen South Tampa, drop the cliches about Tampa altogether. I lived in Chicago for 8 years, half way between Wrigley Field and DePaul University, and South Tampa is the closest thing to that vibe-- minus the ugly winters. The people of Tampa may have won us over on our visits, but it was this very forum which inspired us to visit in the first place.

So thanks, all. Should I bump into any of you after the move, I'll gladly buy you a friendly beer.

I try Good Luck with the move!!

[gypsychic]

Awww, what a sweet post! As a born-in-Tampa native, I too appreciate Tampaguy03's many wonderful and informative posts here. City-Data could use a few more like him.

Good luck on the move, you will love living in south Tampa, it's definitely my favorite part of Tampa by far!

[BucFan]

I'd like to give Tampa Guy props as well. He definitely should work for the Tampa Chamber of Commerce.

[si33]

Yes, id second that...thus far, everything ive seen, or experienced here has fit how TampaGuy had described things when i also was looking to move here...thanks buddy ...And id also like to thank Gypsychic..She also has alot of great info to share..and helped influence my decision as well..And welcome fellow Newbees.. I'll tell ya, you can't beat 82 degrees roughly 2 weeks before Christmas.. Happy Holidays!!..

[thethinktank]

Glad to see TG03 has helped a few more souls than my own!

[Sunny-Days-in-Florida]

Congrats on your move to Fla!

[Tanya1521]

Yaya everyone loves Tampa Guy!!!!!

[Sunnydee]

Congratulations on your upcoming move to Tampa. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Tampaguy03 is a wealth of information. We're so lucky to have him on CD.

[housingcrashsurvivor]

You realize of course that he's a just front for the local chamber of commerce. But he lead me to the best pizza so I'm cool with that.