Texas Folks?

[anotherfreak]

especially the folks familliar with the Knox-henderson/east dallas side of town.

I may have an opportunity to relocate around here and I am looking for advice, or directions about schools(I have a soon-to-be 5yr old and a 2.5yr old) Pre schools, good neighborhoods, bad neighborhoods? that sort of stuff.

bill

[Brooks]

haven't lived in the dallas area since the late 80's but i am glad to be in NC now. probably depends on where you are from. i lived in the north suburbs of richardson & garland.

[mrjamiam]

[Sugartune]

What's the "not Texas" area? Austin?

[anotherfreak]

Funny!

we are looking in the area around UT Southwestern, we'd hope to have @30min commute, but that's looking less and less likely. Looks like we are gonna check it out next month.

any pointers? places of interest?

I havent' seen mush of a music "scene" yet, nuthing standing out yet(which does frighten me a bit)

[BTMN]

Hamerica is between Dallas and Ft. Worth. Check with him.

[Hamerica]

Hey Bill,

I'm too old to truly provide helpful advice about school districts in Dallas, my kids are all grown. DISD constantly is being investigated by the State. The FBI has been involved over missing and/or fraudulent spending of federally funded money for over a decade. You can google the latest debacle. Its all about perceived power and the cash. It appears the average student is left behind - far behind. Texas isn't known for its education system. Most of the blame should be placed on society and the parents, not the teachers and the school district.

Knox / Henderson is a nice area. Your probably going to find you will want to commute from one of the suburbs.

On the music scene, like most parts of the country, it is not as big as it used to be. Deep Ellum was the King, the West End Marketplace used to be the King, before that it was Lower Greenville Ave. Trees, The Granada Theater are probably the two best venues. As far as major acts touring they all stop here at one of the mega venues. Lots of local bars and local talent. It's not Austin but the Dallas Music scene is fairly good. Used to be great but so was Fort Lauderdale in the 80's with rock clubs - nothing stays the same.

Good luck to you and your family on making a decision to relocate.

Best wishes,

Hamerica

[Hbom]

I guess all I can offer is my condolences.

[anotherfreak]

The statement "Texas isn't known for its education system" is my FULL understanding of the environment

Right now I live in a fantastic liberal hotbed college town of activist friends and neighbors. I am expecting a culture shock, I'm ok with that. I grew up with a single parent in a poor Oklahoma neighborhood(muskogee, yup, Barney Kessel, Loe Kotke are from here) Dallas is just further south, and a ton more urban. I've never lived in a city this size(i lived in Tulsa for 4yrs)

I do appreciate any comments to/of the area around Dallas

thanks so much!

bill

[kenjones]

You lost me at "Dallas". (I'm in Houston)

[JohnnyB]

What's the "not Texas" area? Austin?

I looks like it would be around Brownwood, pop. 19,288, 122 mi. westish of Waco, and about 95 mi. east of San Angelo.

[Guest gearwhore]

matchful is in dallas

[Hamerica]

The statement "Texas isn't know for its education system" is my FULL understanding of the environment

LOL change that to "known".

[anotherfreak]

I just want better fer my kin

[LucSulla]

Austin here (well, finally again in two months).

All those flyovers in the Metroplex scare me. However, it is a big place, so I've no doubt if you are looking for better, it is there to be found.

[anotherfreak]

Hey... I found my thread!!!

Thought I'd been bumped out without my speech and all......

so it looks like we are going to check out N.E. Dallas(75243) next month. stayin' at a BnB for a bit and decide if we could afford to live there.

we just need something with a reasonablecommute to UT Southwestern(45min/less)

any sights to see, stuff we shouldn't miss out on for decisionmaking

music stores....shhhhhhhhh

[dragan]

charleys guitars in dallas

[cynic]

Texas BBQ is all the reason anyone should need to consider living there.

1) Check this list

2) Find something close

3) Enjoy

4) Repeat as necessary

[hamerhead]

It might help - because everything is bigger there - to look thru binoculars backwards for a few weeks.

[Hamerica]

Texas BBQ is all the reason anyone should need to consider living there.

1) Check this list

2) Find something close

3) Enjoy

4) Repeat as necessary

On the Pecan Lodge, it is anywhere from 45 minutes to an 1 1/2 wait in line. This is not for the novice and light fare lunch crowd.

I recommend the Original Sonny Bryan's 2202 Inwood Road, Dallas, TX 75235

I also recommend Rudy's for a chain.

Tons of great restaurants in Dallas.

If you get a chance to go to McKinney, go to The Guitar Sanctuary 6633 Virginia Pkwy, McKinney, TX 75071.

Safe travels.

[LucSulla]

Haven't spent much time in Dallas, but I've been drunk at Billy Bob's a time or two.

[bcsride]

Some Texas schools (K-12) are very good and some are very bad. Like most places, suburban schools are pretty good. Rural and urban schools are not so good. Dallas and the surrounding suburbs is a big place. You can live “in" Dallas in Highland park and have very good schools - but homes are expensive. I don’t know East Dallas. South Dallas is rough. Many of the suburbs are good.

I’d ignore generalizations of Texas. Texas is big place. East Texas isn’t anything like South Texas. Houston isn’t anything like Dallas. Austin isn’t anything like San Antonio. For what it’s worth, East Austin isn’t anything like West Austin (or at least it didn’t used to be). Well, except for the heat. It’s hot everywhere.

And yes, Texas BBQ rules (IMHO). It is generally a brisket based smoked BBQ and is fantastic. Just keep your eyes open for some guy along side the road with a big black smoker, pull over and partake. No need to go to fancy places with lines.

Best of luck with schools in Dallas. I don’t know the music scene in Dallas anymore. Years ago Deep Ellum was a good place to be. I don’ know anymore.

[LucSulla]

For what it’s worth, East Austin isn’t anything like West Austin (or at least it didn’t used to be).

Well, the hipsters have definitely established a beach head east of I35. What was East Austin just 6 or 7 years ago is now East East Austin. I couldn't help but chuckle a little when Vice called Austin a city built for segregation and a lot of friends of mine got pissed. I love the town myself, but there is more than a little truth to that.

Funny. I used to be able to get really good solid fried chicken back in 05 on the east side for peanuts. Now if you can find it, it costs twice as much and is half as good. I used to date a hispanic girl who lived on the east side, and oddly enough me and a couple of other folks I ran into from Mississippi used to get southern food over there back before it became the place to be. I dug it over there aside from the petty crime. I also learned that you can take expats from Mississippi from all different backgrounds and colors, but knowing a place to get good cornbread and greens supersedes all of that.

Anyway, sorry for the tangent.

[anotherfreak]

ok,

so we are taking a trip and staying in lower Greenville at a BNB for a week next month.

got any specific sights? tastes? sounds?

any good music clubs? stores?

map shows some good lookin' parks close by, and we're really just gonna check out the area

[anotherfreak]

currently hangin' in a BnB on lower Greenville, i have been hitting the parks and walking trails with the girls and having a great time

[anotherfreak]

refreshed!

ok, house has an accepted offer! looks like we are Texas bound and down!

we are looking at the richardson/Lake highlands school districts for what we think we can swing.

If anyone here is around tthat area, feel free to drop me a line!

:wub: