MalibuRenter's summer in Dallas

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I was in Dallas for a few days last week and stopped by some new home developments in Frisco and Lewisville. Most of the two story floorplans have master bedrooms on the first level, while in California most two story floorplans have the master on the second level. Have you noticed that in other Dallas tracts, and do you know why the preference to put the MBR downstairs?
 
I lived in Dallas for 9 months about 15 years ago. I was working for Citicorp in Richardson and I lived in Plano. I found it to be a really bizarre place. For example I remember seeing my upstairs neighbor coming down the stairs in a mink coat with a walmart bag O.o.. Also I used to wake up in the middle of the night scared stiff because the guy in the next apartment was yelling so loud and beating the crap out of his girlfriend, it sounded like they were in my apartment. After calling the police multiple times and her refusing the press charges I asked to be moved to another apartment.



One morning I was driving to work early around 5am, and about to turn onto the road where my office was. Some dick in a giant GMC suburban didn't think I was going fast enough, passed me, then pulled diagonally in front of me and parked. I had to brake really hard to avoid hitting his truck. He got out of the truck, came up to my car and ripped the door open and tried to drag me out of the car by the neck. I was wearing my seatbelt so he couldn't but all the same it scared the hell out of me. I was able to close the door and get away but this guy? He looked like someones 55 year old dad.



I found this weird violence right under the surface there, this crazy anger that was inexplicable. Im probably not articulating it well but it was definitely something I could feel.



There was nothing to do there, but go shopping, or watch sports on tv and drink beer. And if you want to drink beer you had to have a unicard. I don't know if Texas is still functioning under the blue laws but it was then, and again it was bizarre.



There is only one place liked less than Texas and that was Atlanta. And that was a whole other can of worms. I came to realize that I am not fit to live in places that are land locked. I don't visit the beach much, as I am very fair skinned and burn, but I love the water and feel better just knowing its there.
 
[quote author="fumbling" date=1252503469]I was in Dallas for a few days last week and stopped by some new home developments in Frisco and Lewisville. Most of the two story floorplans have master bedrooms on the first level, while in California most two story floorplans have the master on the second level. Have you noticed that in other Dallas tracts, and do you know why the preference to put the MBR downstairs?</blockquote>


It's easier to keep the bedrooms cool in summer if they are downstairs.
 
[quote author="GraceOMalley" date=1252540862]I lived in Dallas for 9 months about 15 years ago. I was working for Citicorp in Richardson and I lived in Plano. I found it to be a really bizarre place. For example I remember seeing my upstairs neighbor coming down the stairs in a mink coat with a walmart bag O.o.. Also I used to wake up in the middle of the night scared stiff because the guy in the next apartment was yelling so loud and beating the crap out of his girlfriend, it sounded like they were in my apartment. After calling the police multiple times and her refusing the press charges I asked to be moved to another apartment.



One morning I was driving to work early around 5am, and about to turn onto the road where my office was. Some dick in a giant GMC suburban didn't think I was going fast enough, passed me, then pulled diagonally in front of me and parked. I had to brake really hard to avoid hitting his truck. He got out of the truck, came up to my car and ripped the door open and tried to drag me out of the car by the neck. I was wearing my seatbelt so he couldn't but all the same it scared the hell out of me. I was able to close the door and get away but this guy? He looked like someones 55 year old dad.



I found this weird violence right under the surface there, this crazy anger that was inexplicable. Im probably not articulating it well but it was definitely something I could feel.



There was nothing to do there, but go shopping, or watch sports on tv and drink beer. And if you want to drink beer you had to have a unicard. I don't know if Texas is still functioning under the blue laws but it was then, and again it was bizarre.



There is only one place liked less than Texas and that was Atlanta. And that was a whole other can of worms. I came to realize that I am not fit to live in places that are land locked. I don't visit the beach much, as I am very fair skinned and burn, but I love the water and feel better just knowing its there.</blockquote>


Odd. I had similar experiences in Woodland Hills, CA. However, the idiot in the truck wasn't able to catch up to my car. Note to SUV drivers: threatening and then trying to catch a Mercedes with supercharger and a skilled driver on the curves of Topanga is a good way to have a single car rollover accident.



My neighbors in Dallas range from quiet to very friendly. I've only met one nutcase here.
 
Can we talk about religion?



I have been trying to figure out why Dallas and LA seem so different in religion, despite many things appearing very similar.



Here are some things which are extremely similar:

1. Virtually the same percent of people in both counties refer to themselves as religious adherents. "adherents" include all full members, their children, and others who regularly attend services or participate in the congregation. Seehttp://www.thearda.com/mapsReports/RCMS_Notes.asp

2. There are the same percentage of Muslims. 1% in each county.

3. There are similar percentages of Christians, 43% in Dallas, 46% in LA. Yes, more in LA.



Now for the differences:

4. Many more people in LA are Jewish, 6% vs 1.7% in Dallas.

5. Many more of the Christians in LA are Catholic, 40% vs 22% in Dallas.

6. Fewer of the Christians in LA are Protestant, 6% vs 21% in Dallas.

7. Southern Baptists are 13% of the population in Dallas, but about 1% in LA.

8. In both cities, the average Catholic congregation is far larger, usually about 10,000 people. This may help explain the larger number of services at Catholic churches. For Protestant churches, in LA they have about 300 people. In Dallas, a little over 500.



Following longstanding tradition, the Census Bureau does not collect data on religion. This data comes fromhttp://www.thearda.com/mapsReports/RCMS_Notes.asp, The Association of Religious Data Archives.
 
The real question is which group practice their religion outside of church. I would guess a higher percentage in Dallas than LA.
 
[quote author="USCTrojanCPA" date=1248865841][quote author="MalibuRenter" date=1248243984]Despite the lack of In N Out here, there are several Potbelly locations in Dallas, a very good sandwich shop. It's one of the things which also makes Midway airport better than O'hare.



All of the Carl's locations are out in the boonies.</blockquote>
So they aren't called Hardies out in Texas?</blockquote>


I loved the Chicken Express chain in Dallas, very good fried chicken (even better than Popeyes in CA), and they sell fried chicken livers too (only place I've seen sell that), very tasty.
 
[quote author="autox" date=1252963992]The real question is which group practice their religion outside of church. I would guess a higher percentage in Dallas than LA.</blockquote>


There are certainly more people who discuss religion here. There are also a lot more people with religious signs and symbols on their houses, or in their yards. The cross with "He is risen" is pretty popular here.
 
Something I've noticed after moving back to CA - lots of people use bicycles for transportation much moreso than I ever saw in TX. It might be more noticeable to me, as we now live in a beach community (Ventura, about ~1 block from the beach), vs the 'burb area we previously lived in in TX.



Most of the cycle traffic I noticed in TX was either kids, or the long distance type of road cyclist (full-on road cyclist gear, expensive bike, etc). Few people used them to go to the grocery store, book store, coffee shop, or to get to work. Here, many people (myself included) use a bike to ride down to the local grocery store when running a quick errand. Or, use them to get to work. No doubt, weather is a factor.



I'm using my bike so much more, that I'm going to have to replace it. Years of neglect have finally caught up - it'll cost either the same, or more, to fix everything (levers/derailleurs/bearings/brakes/brake cables) then to simply purchase a brand new bicycle in the ~$230 range. I suppose getting ~22 years out of my current bike isn't all bad. ;)
 
[quote author="Adam Ginsberg" date=1254462197]Something I've noticed after moving back to CA - lots of people use bicycles for transportation much moreso than I ever saw in TX. It might be more noticeable to me, as we now live in a beach community (Ventura, about ~1 block from the beach), vs the 'burb area we previously lived in in TX.



Most of the cycle traffic I noticed in TX was either kids, or the long distance type of road cyclist (full-on road cyclist gear, expensive bike, etc). Few people used them to go to the grocery store, book store, coffee shop, or to get to work. Here, many people (myself included) use a bike to ride down to the local grocery store when running a quick errand. Or, use them to get to work. No doubt, weather is a factor.



I'm using my bike so much more, that I'm going to have to replace it. Years of neglect have finally caught up - it'll cost either the same, or more, to fix everything (levers/derailleurs/bearings/brakes/brake cables) then to simply purchase a brand new bicycle in the ~$230 range. I suppose getting ~22 years out of my current bike isn't all bad. ;)</blockquote>


We spent a weekend visiting some of the national forests in East Texas. We didn't see a single bike.
 
[quote author="MalibuRenter" date=1254846100]We spent a weekend visiting some of the national forests in East Texas. We didn't see a single bike.</blockquote>


East Texas is a damn nice area - rolling hills, lots of trees, great landscape.
 
MR,



Have you visited a 1920's neighborhood Highland Park in Dallas yet. It is beautiful. I knew about it for years. Near by is the National Historic registered strip mall built in 1929 in the Spanish Colonial style. It was the first in the country integrated with the neighborhood style. I will research some photos.



A book Great American Suburbs the Homes of the Park Cities, Dallas documented this neighborhood.
 
Highland Park, the homes of oil tycoons.





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[quote author="bkshopr" date=1255657114]

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</blockquote>


This is the one that doesn't fit.



I love this game!
 
:-S It is painful looking at those beautiful homes. I'm finding the idea of committing my life to an ugly Irvine stucco box more & more difficult to accept. The Dallas area definitely has some beautiful homes, even homes that may not be considered a historic area - like Plano? - has some beautiful houses (or should I say "estates" - they are mansions compared to this area.)
 
[quote author="Nude" date=1255659594][quote author="bkshopr" date=1255657114]

<img src="http://www.designlens.com/projects/2004/10/2/39.jpg" alt="" />

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This is the one that doesn't fit.



I love this game!</blockquote>


Oops! How did Woodbury get in there?
 
[quote author="SoCal78" date=1255664152]:-S It is painful looking at those beautiful homes. I'm finding the idea of committing my life to an ugly Irvine stucco box more & more difficult to accept. <blockquote>



I think it is harder and harder to commit to Irvine as your kids age. When we first move to Irvine our kids enjoyed going to the community pool, parks, riding their bikes on the various trails. Some of my happiest moments were playing with them at the park. They have pretty much grown out of doing all of that. They are growing up and starting the seeds of their own life. There are many weekends we are childless because they have their own thing going on. It would be so nice to be near some things of interest for adults. In 8 years after twenty years of parenthood the last thing I want is to be the person with the T-shirt that says "I raised two kids and I'll I got is debt enslavement to this stucco box".
 
[quote author="SoCal78" date=1255664152]:-S It is painful looking at those beautiful homes. I'm finding the idea of committing my life to an ugly Irvine stucco box more & more difficult to accept. The Dallas area definitely has some beautiful homes, even homes that may not be considered a historic area - like Plano? - has some beautiful houses (or should I say "estates" - they are mansions compared to this area.)</blockquote>


Sorry Socal,



I don't mean to stir up bad emotion for you. It is a really hard decision to make. 13 years will go by really quick. It seems like yesterday when my daughter started first grade and she will be attending high school next fall. There will be light at the end of the tunnel. You are very young. I got out of stucco prison in my mid 40s.
 
[quote author="bkshopr" date=1255665170][quote author="Nude" date=1255659594][quote author="bkshopr" date=1255657114]

<img src="http://www.designlens.com/projects/2004/10/2/39.jpg" alt="" />

</blockquote>


This is the one that doesn't fit.



I love this game!</blockquote>


Oops! How did Woodbury get in there?</blockquote>


Damn that Nude! Reason #133 why I hate him... he beat me to the punch. Had I checked this thread earlier we might have been tied in this match. But... alas, IHB is not on the forefront in my life. How anyone else didn't catch this garbage is truly a sin in housing, and everyone who "thinks" they took the BK class failed. Nude passed, now I need a second, er third, er fourth chance to pass. Nude is top of BK's class, and the rest of you who did not see this move to the bottom of his class. Seriously, you all let some jack a$$ from Seattle best you on this... you should be ashamed! I saw it (the nasty Irvine home) as I quickly hit the down arrow key... sad... truly sad.
 
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