The truth about north dallas
I've been meaning to write this blog for sometime.
As this general area has become the place to move from other regions of the US, largely due to its stronger economy, i think it is important that i express my impression of north dallas to others contemplating the move and unfamiliar with these parts.
I recognise this may be more of a commentary of moving across country than perhaps anything, but i would have appreciated, prior to moving, the insight i have now.
You should know that i am well traveled and have lived most of my life in western massachusetts. Nearly three years ago my husband and our two teenage sons relocated to Mckinney, Texas to open a satellite location to our energy conservation business which depended upon us being in the north dallas area.
While our company has thrived in a difficult economy--(tx is certainly an excellent state to do business,) our overall lifestyle has been altered dramically.
I quite assummed life would be different here. I however, assummed also that though it would be different from living in new england, and i would not get apples for apples, i would, get oranges for apples, or hatch chilis for apples, or whatever.*I knew pick- ur- own apple farms, maple sugar shacks, state parks with mountain climbing, skiing, natural swimming hole bathing,weekend trips to the cape and all things quintessential new england would be non existant here.
But, being a naturally positive person, I thought that through a few lifestyle adjustments i would be able to replace the things/activites i did in new england for something equally satisfying.
I was wrong.*
Turns out, if you do not appreciate the Big Three of the Big D this area has to offer,*
1. Strip mall shopping/dining
2. Church
3. Football
...your soul will shrivel up and die.
There is no escape here. No driving off into the country for a few hours to renew yourself. There is nothing worth foraging for, or exploring. There is no nice body of water to put your toe in, or a pretty stream of water. There are no variety in landscape or vegetation. If it is not a plain of grass it is concrete. Every town looks like the other. There is no familiar bend in the road. There is nothing unique here, despite Mckinney's claim with their slogan "Unique by Nature."
For months i ran about looking for the hidden gems i took for granted back home and in my travels to other states and found none. There isnt any, despite what north dallas city websites portray.
There are creeks, ...sometimes.
Clearly, i should have expected this.
I should have expected also that the church culture would be very strong, i did not however expect that this was the ONLY culture here.
And, as i mentioned, football (and, to be fair a few other competitive sports) are the only recreational activies.
I dont know how this area is satisfying to anybody. I find myself just going out to eat at another chain restaurant weekend after weekend for lack of anything else to do.
On a positive note, the schools are a far cry better and the homes are well built.
Anyway, we are again relocating to the only place in texas worth moving to (as far as im concerned anyway) --the austin hill country area.
Yeh. Never thought i'd miss bohemian hippy people, pretty landscape, sweet natural swimming spots and CULTURE so much. Damn.
So, if you are considering the move to north dallas, be very sure you are into at least two of the three the big d has to offer.
Be very sure.
This IS nothing else.
As this general area has become the place to move from other regions of the US, largely due to its stronger economy, i think it is important that i express my impression of north dallas to others contemplating the move and unfamiliar with these parts.
I recognise this may be more of a commentary of moving across country than perhaps anything, but i would have appreciated, prior to moving, the insight i have now.
You should know that i am well traveled and have lived most of my life in western massachusetts. Nearly three years ago my husband and our two teenage sons relocated to Mckinney, Texas to open a satellite location to our energy conservation business which depended upon us being in the north dallas area.
While our company has thrived in a difficult economy--(tx is certainly an excellent state to do business,) our overall lifestyle has been altered dramically.
I quite assummed life would be different here. I however, assummed also that though it would be different from living in new england, and i would not get apples for apples, i would, get oranges for apples, or hatch chilis for apples, or whatever.*I knew pick- ur- own apple farms, maple sugar shacks, state parks with mountain climbing, skiing, natural swimming hole bathing,weekend trips to the cape and all things quintessential new england would be non existant here.
But, being a naturally positive person, I thought that through a few lifestyle adjustments i would be able to replace the things/activites i did in new england for something equally satisfying.
I was wrong.*
Turns out, if you do not appreciate the Big Three of the Big D this area has to offer,*
1. Strip mall shopping/dining
2. Church
3. Football
...your soul will shrivel up and die.
There is no escape here. No driving off into the country for a few hours to renew yourself. There is nothing worth foraging for, or exploring. There is no nice body of water to put your toe in, or a pretty stream of water. There are no variety in landscape or vegetation. If it is not a plain of grass it is concrete. Every town looks like the other. There is no familiar bend in the road. There is nothing unique here, despite Mckinney's claim with their slogan "Unique by Nature."
For months i ran about looking for the hidden gems i took for granted back home and in my travels to other states and found none. There isnt any, despite what north dallas city websites portray.
There are creeks, ...sometimes.
Clearly, i should have expected this.
I should have expected also that the church culture would be very strong, i did not however expect that this was the ONLY culture here.
And, as i mentioned, football (and, to be fair a few other competitive sports) are the only recreational activies.
I dont know how this area is satisfying to anybody. I find myself just going out to eat at another chain restaurant weekend after weekend for lack of anything else to do.
On a positive note, the schools are a far cry better and the homes are well built.
Anyway, we are again relocating to the only place in texas worth moving to (as far as im concerned anyway) --the austin hill country area.
Yeh. Never thought i'd miss bohemian hippy people, pretty landscape, sweet natural swimming spots and CULTURE so much. Damn.
So, if you are considering the move to north dallas, be very sure you are into at least two of the three the big d has to offer.
Be very sure.
This IS nothing else.
Total Comments 2
Comments
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First of all, I'm sorry that your North Texas experience hasn't been what you'd hoped it would be. Evidently, you have not visited our many lakes in the Dallas-Ft Worth area, and you certainly would have had a great time boating or getting in the water. Lake Ray Hubbard and Joe Pool Lake offer some of the best lakeside scenery in this area. We do have restaurants that are of the mom-and-pop variety and not chains, and I am sorry you couldn't find any (They're there. You just have to look). And there is countryside nearby; all it takes is a one-hour drive out of the area in any direction, and you'll be in the country (Keep in mind, this is a big metro with six million people). Where you are concerned, I think Austin would be a great choice for you if that's what you wish, as it does have some places and things you'll see there that you didn't in Dallas. The city proper is more liberal than the suburbs are, but you'll have some fabulous sights, live music, natural settings, and more as you venture off into the Hill Country. They've also got great Texas barbecue, and better than you'll find even up here. I like basically all parts of Texas. I've lived in Dallas all my life and enjoy living in this area, as it's one of the most livable in the United States.
While your assessment of Dallas is subjective, I do appreciate your honesty. Not every place is for everyone. Yes, we love football, shopping, and many of us do go to church, but you have to get past the stereotypes that people too often associate with Texas and Texans. Hope everything goes very well for you in Austin and I hope you'll see that we have more to offer than you realize.
And can always get a new pair of cowboy boots to call your own.
Posted 02-28-2012 at 03:15 PM by case44
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I tend not to post as is will always offend someone. I have been to Joe pool and hubbard AND lewisville, texoma and caddo (caddo is cool). They just don't seem like lakes to me. They are reservoirs on shallow grades of land with poor water clarity and artifical shorelines. When I think of lakes I think of berryessa in norcal, winnapasauke in nh, lake George in upstate ny. Sorry, I was pretty sad when I saw my new lakes here.
I give you the mom and pop thing, I'm a foodie.
I like cackle and oink of Sherman and San miguels of old mckinney ++++ however these gems are profoundly harder to find than they are in other areas of the country.
And regarding country, I think you misunderstand my meaning of country escape. I've driven the roads of Murphy and prosper and celina etc, it is flat farmland. It is a place not an activity. There is no destination point, no vistas, no place to wade, no big red barn with fresh produce for sale,
ya know.
It is subjective, yes. I have a different perspective.
I did not mean to offend. And yes indeed, I will much happier in hill county.
My hope was to prepare people from say new England or norcal or washington state say, for what may be their bew reality.Posted 02-28-2012 at 03:56 PM by Girlfromwm
