Calling all residents of Dallas County
May 4, 2015 9:39 AM Subscribe
It's possible that, sometime in the next five years, we may have to leave Jacksonville, FL for Mrs. Mosley's career. I had always thought that if I did move out of my hometown of 41 years, it would be (a) somewhere somewhat cooler and (b) somewhere somewhat more liberal. Dallas doesn't strike me as either of those. Can someone who lives there give me their impression of the city?
I have lived in DFW for 11 years. Can you go to Austin instead? :)
Is it definitely Dallas? Fort Worth is so much better both in terms of appearance and things to do. But it won't be liberal, I don't think.
posted by getawaysticks at 5:34 PM on May 4, 2015 [1 favorite]
Is it definitely Dallas? Fort Worth is so much better both in terms of appearance and things to do. But it won't be liberal, I don't think.
posted by getawaysticks at 5:34 PM on May 4, 2015 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Is it definitely Dallas?
My wife works in Corporate Treasury (my own previously), and from her research into that particular job market, Dallas seems to have more positions than most cities.
posted by AlonzoMosleyFBI at 6:27 PM on May 4, 2015
My wife works in Corporate Treasury (my own previously), and from her research into that particular job market, Dallas seems to have more positions than most cities.
posted by AlonzoMosleyFBI at 6:27 PM on May 4, 2015
I once lived in Dallas. Hated the traffic, the congestion, the traffic, the congestion -- and did I mention the traffic? I loved my neighborhood (North Dallas, south of LBJ, west of Dallas North Tollway), but hated to venture out of it.
That said, I loved the cultural aspects and the shopping choices.
As to Dallas being liberal or conservative, it depends on the neighborhood and/or the suburb, if you don't live in the city proper.
I also lived in Fort Worth and enjoyed that city much more -- great atmosphere, incredible art museums, fantastic university (TCU) and beautiful neighborhoods.
If I ever had to move back to that area, I'd live in Fort Worth. Hands down.
posted by Smalltown Girl at 1:22 PM on May 5, 2015
That said, I loved the cultural aspects and the shopping choices.
As to Dallas being liberal or conservative, it depends on the neighborhood and/or the suburb, if you don't live in the city proper.
I also lived in Fort Worth and enjoyed that city much more -- great atmosphere, incredible art museums, fantastic university (TCU) and beautiful neighborhoods.
If I ever had to move back to that area, I'd live in Fort Worth. Hands down.
posted by Smalltown Girl at 1:22 PM on May 5, 2015
Current Dallas-ish resident going on 10 years. Lived in the area my whole life. I don't particularly enjoy the city. Yes, there are shopping and dining choices that should keep you occupied for the next 100 years, yes there are museums and some level of culture, but there is precious little to do besides those things. Very little outdoor activity close by, and for most of the year it's too damn hot to go outside anyway. And when I say hot, I mean, oppressively, brain-frying hot. It's not too unusual for us to go months without rain and with 50+ consecutive days of 100 degree during super-summer.
And I would never, ever call Dallas liberal (GWB calls Dallas home), but there are pockets of like-minded individuals here. Maybe compared to some other areas of the state Dallas could be called a liberal utopia, but make no mistake, this is a conservative stronghold. Texas is extremely conservative in general (Austin is your best bet for some place "liberal"), and that's not going to change for quite some time, no matter what the statistics say. I'm extremely liberal, and I definitely feel like a stranger in a strange land here. (Fun fact, our governor recently deployed some national guard to "monitor" a Navy training exercise because he's afraid Obama is about to put Texas under martial law).
Lots of delusional $30,000-a-year millionaires and the attitude that goes with said delusion. Nthing the horrible, rage-inducing traffic at all hours of the day -- public transportation is getting better, but is such that you still need to drive to use it.
Overall, Dallas is a very image- and consumer-conscious place to live. There are better places, but it depends what you're into. Dallas may be perfect for you. Would I choose to move here again? No, but that's me.
posted by doogan nash at 3:49 AM on May 6, 2015
And I would never, ever call Dallas liberal (GWB calls Dallas home), but there are pockets of like-minded individuals here. Maybe compared to some other areas of the state Dallas could be called a liberal utopia, but make no mistake, this is a conservative stronghold. Texas is extremely conservative in general (Austin is your best bet for some place "liberal"), and that's not going to change for quite some time, no matter what the statistics say. I'm extremely liberal, and I definitely feel like a stranger in a strange land here. (Fun fact, our governor recently deployed some national guard to "monitor" a Navy training exercise because he's afraid Obama is about to put Texas under martial law).
Lots of delusional $30,000-a-year millionaires and the attitude that goes with said delusion. Nthing the horrible, rage-inducing traffic at all hours of the day -- public transportation is getting better, but is such that you still need to drive to use it.
Overall, Dallas is a very image- and consumer-conscious place to live. There are better places, but it depends what you're into. Dallas may be perfect for you. Would I choose to move here again? No, but that's me.
posted by doogan nash at 3:49 AM on May 6, 2015
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NYT covers cool Dallas this past November.
How all Texas big cities are turning blue.
Start perusing The Observer, the local progressive weekly.
The Mayor supports same-sex marriage
Why downtown is IT right now:
Investors flocking to Downtown Dallas
8 reasons why downtown's the next big thing again
Dallas-Fort Worth is huge (6 million people in the metropolitan area, as compared to 1.3M in the Jacksonville, FL metro area), and booming. You can find what you are looking for there.
[I no longer live there but did for 8 years, and my extended family still does.]
posted by amaire at 1:37 PM on May 4, 2015