Advantages to living in the city?

[DCJenn]

We were in SW, near the marinas.

Jenn

[oceanchild]

I should also add that we live in a more suburban location now for commuting purposes. We are about a mile from DH's hospital. I am all for short commutes. Especially for those who work 30+ consecutive hours.

[DCJenn]

Definitely a valid point, particularly during training. Even being only 8 miles from the hospital, my husband still managed to be drowsy enough that he was pulled over for drunk driving.

There is definitely something to be said for being close to work.

jenn

I can't imagine that my friend would put herself and her baby in danger, but the proximity to the hospital probably plays a big role in their decision to live close by. I'm also surprised because she's very frugal and I don't see her spending that kind of money without good reason. :shrug: That and Jenn's preference for the city life made me question myself.

FWIW, I have several friends who live in Midtown (SueC's old neighborhood, in fact) who have kids, and whom I consider to be wonderful parents. I think they feel they're providing more of a well-rounded life experience by being in the city than in the lily-white, cookie-cutter suburbs. For me, the trade off of safety and schools is too great to make that choice. But these considerations are mine because I have kids. I think I would have a different perspective if I didn't. There literally are folks here who don't go up to KC at all. It baffles my mind, but they don't. we're already NOT lily-white, and we actually do pile in the car and go experience the rest of our city (and beyond).

The preference of mine you mentioned is more for the mindset of those in the city vs. the pull-in-the-garage suburbs. This place is very, very conservative, and the area where I'm most likely to find "my peeps" is up north.

You're not looking to buy a house or even be here long term. I say go what with makes you feel most comfortable.

[GrayMatterWife]

I am so biased (as a personal preference--not as a judgment on others--totally a personal decision!). I mean, really biased. I live in the City of St. Louis within walking distance of the hospital. And I wouldn't trade it for anything.

Yes, the public school system SUCKS. Private school is a presumed part of your overhead.

Yes, there is more property crime (be sure to have a secured, indoor, gated parking area).

Yes, it is hopelessly, overwhelminingly Democrat (a drawback for me, since I get booed openly on the street if my leanings are known).

Yes, I could own a much bigger place with a yard in the burbs.

But...

I love the vibrancy of the city, and I hate strip malls and chain restaurants.

I love the mixed of people--ages, races, religious, ethnic, financial, and educational backgrounds, all of it. I'm not a "diversity" proponent--one of those people who holds diversity for the sake of diversity as a value. I like organic, natural diversity. There is something interesting and stimulating about an environment that attracts and hosts a wide variety of people.

I love the big park across the street, the science center that's free and within walking distance. I love the art museum and the history museums. And the zoo. And the fact that these are common experiences for us...not special, rare field trips.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE the fact that we have to have only one car. And the fact that we can walk to the hospital to see DH. And the fact that he doesn't have to drive sleep deprived.

I love the traffic on the street below. I love the sounds of the city. I love occasionally hearing the helicopters in the distance. It makes me feel like I am surrounded by something more than my own existence.

I'm a city girl.

[SoonerTexan]

Just a thought--you might check out the forums on city-data.com

I've found them helpful in figuring out where in Dallas proper would be best for us as far as safety, best place to rent, etc. It's good info

[MissCrabette]

I did check them out, but the discussion invariably turns into a (not always very nice) MAJOR debate between the suburb lovers from Kansas or Johnson County versus the city loving folks from Kansas City, MO. If you favor the suburbs, you're labeled as a boring person who has no life. If you live in the city, you will be shot walking down the street from your place. Not really very useful.

I did check them out, but the discussion invariably turns into a (not always very nice) MAJOR debate between the suburb lovers from Kansas or Johnson County versus the city loving folks from Kansas City, MO. If you favor the suburbs, you're labeled as a boring person who has no life. If you live in the city, you will be shot walking down the street from your place. Not really very useful.

That is very much how people (on the whole) see things here. I get looked at as though I have 3 heads b/c my playgroup is in midtown, and b/c many of our favorite restaurants are in KC MO. Conversely, I'm often the punchline of jokes by my midtown friends for living in the 'burbs.

Honestly - how long will you be here? Pick the best one for your pocketbook, and you'll work out the rest.

[MissCrabette]

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, we'll be there until we move for residency in 2011. The place in Shawnee actually offers a reduced monthly rate (by $100) if you sign a 15 month lease, making it even more attractive. Don't ask me why 15 and not 12 or 18. I'd really like to take advantage of that, but that means I need to be super duper sure that's where I want to live. On the plus side, it's the closest one to you, Jenn. *wink wink* I still have only met Heidi, so I need to increase my number.

It is, by far, the closest one to me. And it's VERY close to a Super Target (I mean, even w/in walking distance if it's not 100 degrees) which is another plus. I don't know where you'd grocery shop living in Westport. Most of my midtown friends drive all the way to the Target by the apt. you're looking at in Shawnee for their groceries.

[SoonerTexan]

I'm sorry--did I suggest the city-data forums before my earlier post today? I know I did somewhere else, but I thought it was on a different board. Sorry if I was redundant

[Vishenka69]

Personally we absolutely LOVED living in NYC during training and would still be there if we could afford it. I like our current area but still miss NY almost daily (and we go there at least monthly).

Some of my issues with suburbia:
- most things are 20-30 minutes away, often in opposite directions from the house
- there are much lower standards for lots of services (i.e. nail salons, dry cleaning, waxing, etc.)
- NOBODY delivers, except for USPS/UPS/FedEx
- we have to drive to the mailbox and to take out the garbage (which only gets picked up 2x a week)
- one of us has to be a designated driver at all times (makes very hard to share a bottle of wine)
- most businesses have the weirdest hours (as in many restaurants are closed on Mondays, pharmacies don't open until 9am, etc.)
- there isn't much cultural activity (hence our monthly trips to NY)

If there were decent jobs for DH in a large city and we could afford to live in one, we would move in a blink.

[madeintaiwan]

Christina,
Late chiming in, I think I remember the complex you were contemplating about in Shawnee. We live in Shawnee, actually very close to that particular complex. Let me know if you have any questions, I'd be happy to answer them to the best of my ability. I am also pretty certain that my neighbors lived in the same complex you previously mentioned.

Christina,
Late chiming in, I think I remember the complex you were contemplating about in Shawnee. We live in Shawnee, actually very close to that particular complex. Let me know if you have any questions, I'd be happy to answer them to the best of my ability. I am also pretty certain that my neighbors lived in the same complex you previously mentioned.

D - I drove by it the other day on the way home from Target (had picked up an email from Cristina in the parking lot, so just drove home that way). It's on Lackman just south of 435. They look a lot like those new apartments built near me.