Dallas, Texas

I walked into a bar in Dallas. I was the only white guy in the bar surrounded by preety rough looking black people. Everybody stopped to look at me. the walls were made out of plywood.

Congratulations on the short-listing!

I don't really know much about Dallas. I've been to the Ft. Worth area a few times, which is nearby. I was singularly unimpressed, but my knowledge is not thorough at all -- basically I've just driven from the airport to a house, and back. I can think of such drives in many cities that I otherwise love that would be unimpressive.

It's a bit greener than I expected... more trees and creeks and such, fewer tumbleweeds. :-) There are gigantic pickup trucks with gun racks everywhere, though, and insane, aggressive drivers. Evidence (though not as much as I expected) of Mexican people's presence, particularly restaurants. Occasional spots of garish, over-the-top wealth (oil?) on display.

I haven't interacted with locals much, they didn't make an impression on me either way (friendly, or aloof, or anything). My youngest brother-in-law was largely raised there and he turned out well. Oh and his wife was born and raised there and she is a total sweetheart.

Hope that some knowledgeable locals turn up -- Setanta helped me hugely when I was considering the move to Columbus. I can ask my in-laws for input but I'm not sure that their priorities are a good match for yours. (For example, lack of integrated neighborhoods wouldn't bother them much I don't think...)

My brother lives there. I will ask his opinion.

Thomas,
You will find all of those stereotypes in droves, in Dallas. You will also find them in any part of America if you look hard enough. You'll find kindred spirits in Dallas, if you work at it. (As with anywhere.)

Personally, I think you should open a business of your own... On the Outer Banks of NC, so I could come beg you for a job.

(I have no business talking about business.)

Sorry that I can't help, Thomas, but I figured that edgar could.

LionTamer. You live in the Outer Banks of NC? Fabulous! Love it there.

I have never seen as many drop dead gorgeous women in one place as I saw when I was in Dallas. It must be terrible to be a plain woman in Dallas!

Same in San Antonio.

Congratulations, Thomas!

Dallas is only one days drive from Albuquerque.

And you don't like Thomas, right? :wink:

Re: Dallas, Texas


Gee Thomas, you write good.

I spent a week in Dallas in 1977. So I guess that disqualifies me. Hot. Fast-moving selfconfident cosmopolitan city.

Good luck with the job.

McT

Thomas,

My older brother lived for many years in San Antonio. Many German immigrants settled in Texas and even founded entire towns. My brother once took me to Luchenbach, Texas. Everyone in that town speaks German as a second language. My brother and I spoke German with them. (When they speak English, they have a very thick "Texas drawl".)

... and then there's the "Bavarian Grill", the "Edelweiss restaurant". the "Wienerschnitzel", the "Bavariab Bakery and Café" ...

I'm sure, you'll get your Hax'n somewhere there, Thomas

Sozobe and Walter, thanks for the congratulations.

Sozobe and Edgar, thanks for asking your relatives! Maybe their preferences don't match mine, but they do know what the place is like and I don't, so I can still learn a lot by hearing from them. Green is good, although I don't mind tumble weed , and presence of Mexicans and their restaurants is definitely appreciated.

LionTamerX, one major source of optimism was my drive thorugh the South-East this spring, which proved a lot nicer than my Deep-South clichees had led me to expect. Imagine my surprise when I learned that neither FreeDuck, nor Squinney, nor Bear, nor you are religious-right Bush supporters, and that none of you have Confederate flags on your pickup trucks. (Come to think of it, even Lash didn't seem to care about Bush too much anymore.) On a different note, if I should ever open a business, you will be my first employee. Promise!

Phoenix, drop-dead gorgeous women would definitely be a plus for Dallas, even though there's no way they could compete with you.

Dys -- just a one-day-drive? Great! You and Lady Di can visit me then!

Wandeljw and Walter, that's interesting about the German influence in Texas. We sure are taking over this place. (I can even remember joefromchicago posting audio examples of the "Texas German" dialect. About the Schweinshaxn -- Although I've been in Munich in Munich for 17 years now, I must confess I prefer barbecued beef. And one of the few compelling pro-Dallas arguments so far is that they have divine steak-houses there.

McTag: "Fast-moving selfconfident cosmopolitan city" sounds a bit double-edged, but more goodish than badish. There is yet hope that I might end up liking Dallas after all.

Thanks again for your input, guys!

:-)

I'll ask around and report back to you, Thomas.

Is there any specific area of Dallas that you're more interested in?

Source

Oh, I only eat 'gegrillte Haxn', don't like 'Eisbein' at all.

There is a much better source than your link, Walter. I am speaking, of course, of the 1979 best-seller The German Dimension of American History.

Dallas is a nice city seen from above.

But when I landed, I saw that sign at the airport: No jokes please!

....