Disappointment - Cincinnati: is this really it? (Kent, Ada: crime, houses)

[DaveGl]

When will people learn to appreciate the unique aspects of different cities? Cincinnati isn't Baltimore but there are certain things I appreciate that are "Cincinnati," some that have been mentioned already. Love the hills, the history, the Art Deco, the river, Eden Park, Clifton Gaslight, Mt. Adams..... heck, I even enjoy Cincinnati chili. I don't even live in Cincinnati, currently. I'm in Houston. Know what? Houston isn't Cincinnati but I appreciate what is unique to each city and make the most of it. Beauty IS in the eye of the beholder.

[TomJones123]

Originally Posted by DaveGl

When will people learn to appreciate the unique aspects of different cities? Cincinnati isn't Baltimore but there are certain things I appreciate that are "Cincinnati," some that have been mentioned already. Love the hills, the history, the Art Deco, the river, Eden Park, Clifton Gaslight, Mt. Adams..... heck, I even enjoy Cincinnati chili. I don't even live in Cincinnati, currently. I'm in Houston. Know what? Houston isn't Cincinnati but I appreciate what is unique to each city and make the most of it. Beauty IS in the eye of the beholder.

Hear, hear!

[AeroGuyDC]

Originally Posted by TomJones123

I appreciate the insight. I disagree. I am new to town and my wife and I have many new friends we met since moving here. We are also networked into the neighborhood association. I also frequent restaurants, bars, pubs, and the like. I find the crowds easy to get along with as long as I am willing to be friendly myself.

The divide between Cincy and Kentucky likely dates back before the civil war, though it is utterly ridiculous.

I am not sure where you lived in Cincy. I have never been asked what high school I went to. Though I have heard from more than one person it's that way on the west side.

Really, judging from your apparent disdain for all things Cincy/Northern Kentucky, I am glad you moved. Not everyone is going to be happy here. I certainly would never live in the DC metro area. I am very familiar with Northern VA and can't stand that area. Same with Maryland and DC proper.

I lived in Blue Ash, worked downtown Cincinnati, frequented most every bar and restaurant Mt. Adams/Clifton/Hyde Park/etc had to offer. My job took me to the west side occasionally, but most of my interactions were on the east side, where presumably the best Cincinnati has to offer actually resides. Three years was all I could take. To each his own, I suppose.

My goal was to provide the OP a viewpoint to consider.

[time2roll]

Originally Posted by AeroGuyDC

I lived in Blue Ash, worked downtown Cincinnati, frequented most every bar and restaurant Mt. Adams/Clifton/Hyde Park/etc had to offer. My job took me to the west side occasionally, but most of my interactions were on the east side, where presumably the best Cincinnati has to offer actually resides. Three years was all I could take. To each his own, I suppose.

My goal was to provide the OP a viewpoint to consider.

for me, it's been 7 years in n. ky. not a bar person, but a very outdoors/sports one and have met many people that way. lived in many u.s. cities (mostly large) and this is the longest i've lived anywhere but my hometown. this is the first one where i haven't made any real friends. for the first time since leaving home 20+ years ago, i had to reveal my high school (it's in PA) to many natives here on both sides of the river who asked. right after my answer came the drone of crickets and snubbing. there are a few nice elderly neighbors i enjoy helping out, but way too senior over me to socialize with on a peer level. wore myself out chasing down peers to do things with. i gave up.

[AeroGuyDC]

Originally Posted by time2roll

for me, it's been 7 years in n. ky. not a bar person, but a very outdoors/sports one and have met many people that way. lived in many u.s. cities (mostly large) and this is the longest i've lived anywhere but my hometown. this is the first one where i haven't made any real friends. for the first time since leaving home 20+ years ago, i had to reveal my high school (it's in PA) to many natives here who asked. right after my answer came the drone of crickets and snubbing. there are a few nice elderly neighbors i enjoy helping out, but way too senior over me to socialize with on a peer level. wore myself out chasing down peers to do things with. i gave up.

What you described is exactly the scenario I encountered in the 3 years that I lived in Cincinnati. Prior to that, I lived in Charlotte, NC...Nashville, TN,....Jacksonville, FL...and Tulsa, OK. I had plenty of comparisons to go by....and Cincinnati just didn't cut it. One of the running jokes I kept to myself is that native Cincinnatian's don't know that a world even exists south of the Ohio River and north of the Walmart parking lot in Mason. LOL

[TomJones123]

Originally Posted by AeroGuyDC

but most of my interactions were on the east side, where presumably the best Cincinnati has to offer actually resides.

Presumably, but I find the east side is not my cup of tea. I am hang around downtown, Prospect Hill, Mount Adams to a small degree, and CUF - where I live.

For what it's worth, I lived in Dayton and was treated the same way. It may be a midwest sort of thing. When I shopped homes in Cincy I made sure it was in a more transient neighborhood that was close to downtown/OTR.

[jmecklenborg]

Oh please, not the whole high school bit. I've lived in 7 different cities. In every single one, people ask each other which neighborhood they were raised in and usually which high school they went to ALL THE TIME. When two people meet from the same foreign country, it's only natural to ask which city they're from, and if they're from the same one, which neighborhood and schools. I've seen people from Iran who live in Cincinnati ask each other about which neighborhood they're from in Tehran.

Anyway, it's the same old transplant versus native argument. People who are transplants to New York City tend to befriend other transplants while natives tend to stick with other natives.

[Ohiogirl81]

Originally Posted by AeroGuyDC

Well, let's just say that when people approach you in a social setting and one of the first questions out of their collective mouths is "What high school did you go to?"

I thought Cincinnati was the biggest small town I'd ever lived in until I moved to Philadelphia. The proper answer is: "I'm not from around here."

To be sure, the reason people ask about "high school" is because the high school of attendance actually spells out the class and social status of the person.

I don't know if it's that or a way to find common ground. But honestly, when I'm just introduced to someone and am making small talk, high school is the furthest thing from my mind.

Originally Posted by DaveGl

When will people learn to appreciate the unique aspects of different cities?

I agree with this, and again I see similarities between Cincinnati and Philadelphia; each has its own inferiority complex. Cincinnati pouts because it's not Chicago and whines when Columbus' airport gets a new airline or a movie is shot in Cleveland instead of Cincinnati. There's really nothing wrong with being a midsize city that has its own very distinct identity, personality and culture.

[time2roll]

Originally Posted by jmecklenborg

Oh please, not the whole high school bit. I've lived in 7 different cities. In every single one, people ask each other which neighborhood they were raised in and usually which high school they went to ALL THE TIME.

...Anyway, it's the same old transplant versus native argument. People who are transplants to New York City tend to befriend other transplants while natives tend to stick with other natives.

honestly, when living in los angeles to houston to orlando to atlanta to hartford, i've never been asked what high school i went to. but your observation supports my point well regarding cinti. the high school thing is of utmost significance, because so few move away or move in. about 6 months ago, news5 read a story about pa, oh and wv being the most "stay" states in the u.s., meaning having the least transients. anchor jack atherton then commented how friendly and helpful all the locals are here. lol yea, jack, try being one of the 12 that moves here every year from somewhere else and then tell me of your experience. i recently met a couple from pittsburgh on the little miami bike trail who've lived here for 6 years. once we all realized we weren't natives, first thing out of the man's mouth was "what's up with the first thing the locals ask is what high school did i go to?" that got him a high 5 from me, like he read my mind.

Originally Posted by AeroGuyDC

What you described is exactly the scenario I encountered in the 3 years that I lived in Cincinnati. Prior to that, I lived in Charlotte, NC...Nashville, TN,....Jacksonville, FL...and Tulsa, OK. I had plenty of comparisons to go by....and Cincinnati just didn't cut it. One of the running jokes I kept to myself is that native Cincinnatian's don't know that a world even exists south of the Ohio River and north of the Walmart parking lot in Mason. LOL

so true!

that "we grew up here" pride thing in local news promos is amusing too. never seen that anywhere else, either. i guess it's a source of pride if you really want to be known for not ever having experienced life outside the tri-state.

[TomJones123]

I am a transplant in Cincy for a year and a half now and have never been asked one time what high school I went to. You guys must be an awful young demographic.