I spent Easter weekend in my home state of California. I live in a small town right outside of L.A.
Every time I go home I realize why I love Dallas so much more than the annoying hustle and bustle of L.A. And for someone who grew up in L.A. and spent the summers in NYC, I am a city girl at heart. But for some reason, the big/small town vibe of Dallas has swept me off my feet. I miss it when I’m gone, and get completely happy when I return. So in case you didn’t know these things already, I’ve compiled a list of all the things I love about Dallas.
Nicer People- The first thing I noticed about Dallas was how nice people are. In L.A. people don’t smile at each other while passing, nor do they strike up conversations with strangers. Example: I go to the same Starbucks almost every day. The barista knows pretty much everything about me simply because I am there so often. In high school I went to the same Starbucks for four years. I don’t even think the barista knew my name.
Katy Trail- Granted, in California you can drive for an hour and accomplish a lot of outdoor activity (be at the beach, hike a mountain, ski or hang out in the dessert). Since I’m not a fan of outdoorsy activities, walking on Katy Trail is just enough for me. It’s flat and straight, which makes any activity (biking, walking, rollerblading) easier and less strenuous. Also, I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but despite all the outdoor opportunity (and great weather) in California, I feel like more people get out and enjoy nice days in Dallas. It’s almost like people in California take the great weather for granted, whereas people in Dallas take advantage of it.
Slower Drivers- This one’s pretty simple. Because of a (ridiculous) long-distance relationship in high school, I was constantly driving from L.A. to San Diego. I’d speed down the freeway at 80 mph (and higher but we won’t tell my parents). So dangerous! After moving to Dallas and abiding by the whole 60 mph speed limit thing…well let’s just say it has been a life-changer. There’s something to be said about being a patient driver. I don’t drive on the freeways in California anymore. There are just too many 80 mph maniacs out there.
Better Restaurants- One word: queso. I never had queso until I came to Dallas and let’s just say it’s become a staple in my diet. But besides all the great Tex-Mex choices, Dallas has tons of great (and affordable) restaurants. In L.A. all somewhat nice restaurants are generally overpriced and definitely not worth it. In Dallas you can go to a nice restaurant, enjoy great food and not have to break the bank.
Drink Specials- Seven dollar bottomless mimosas at brunch from La Cubanita. Four dollar margaritas from Gloria’s. Twelve dollar buckets of beer from Frankie’s. Reverse happy hour at Kona Grill. I’ll end there but the list goes on and frankly, it speaks for itself.
Warm Nights- In L.A., hot days (no matter how hot they may be) never turn in to hot nights. You always have to bring a sweater out and it’s a pain. Even though the muggy nights in Dallas get kind of annoying, I always find myself looking forward to them. I love being able to be outside, into the night hours, sweater-less and comfortable.
McCain/Palin Bumper Stickers- I won’t lie, I’m pretty conservative when it comes to most issues. I voted red in the last election, and every time I return to Dallas after a weekend in California the “McCain/Palin” bumper stickers are a happy reminder that I’m in a wonderfully conservative state.
Ya’ll- Now, I won’t go so far as to say that I use “ya’ll” on a regular basis. But it has come in handy on certain occasions. Most languages have a word that represents “you all” and basically, ya’ll just has a nice ring to it.
So…in the wise words of Davy Crockett “You may all go to hell and I will go to Texas.”
– Christina Geyer
Chief Copy Editor
