Moving to Georgia(Atlanta)

[Iconodule]

6. Expect sheer panic and terror from the locals on the rare occasions that snow is predicted. A mere flurry in Atlanta can cause widespread panic, lead to near riots in the grocery stores over who gets the last loaf of bread or gallon of milk. God forbid you work downtown, then the city gets perhaps 2 inches of snow, and your workplace closes early and you have to drive home in the mess. 

On the other hand, if you're a teacher, you get the day off.

 

[Tikhon29605]

Very true!  Practically guaranteed!

 

[kurtismjohnson]

5. Don't expect a lot of historic architecture like Savannah, Charleston or other southern cities.  Most of Atlanta's growth came after 1960 and most of it is steel and glass skyscrapers.

Head down to the Southeast side! Grant Park and surrounding neighborhoods have a lot of history!

But generally speaking, you are correct.

 

[TheTrisagion]

5. Don't expect a lot of historic architecture like Savannah, Charleston or other southern cities.  Most of Atlanta's growth came after 1960 and most of it is steel and glass skyscrapers.

Head down to the Southeast side! Grant Park and surrounding neighborhoods have a lot of history!

But generally speaking, you are correct.

 

[ironchapman]

I can't really add much that hasn't already been posted here, just be prepared for the humidity. 95 degrees with 90% humidity might not be Hell, but it's not too far off. Other than that, watch out for the horrible traffic

St. John the Wonderworker is a beautiful parish, and from my visit there, the community is a great one.

However, I attend St. Stephen's Antiochian. It's on the other side of Atlanta, but it's definitely worth a visit if you get the chance. http://martyr1.org/

 

[Cyrillic]

5. Don't expect a lot of historic architecture like Savannah, Charleston or other southern cities.  Most of Atlanta's growth came after 1960 and most of it is steel and glass skyscrapers.

Head down to the Southeast side! Grant Park and surrounding neighborhoods have a lot of history!

But generally speaking, you are correct.

Brilliant!

 

[Gebre Menfes Kidus]

I loved growing up in Atlanta. But it's a completely different place now. All the really cool places in the ATL have now become the "cool" places, and thus are no longer cool. The hipsters have ruined all the truly hip areas, and the things once authentic have become caricatures of themselves.

Contemporary carpetbaggers infiltrated Atlanta because they wanted a piece of our Southern charm, but in the process they destroyed all that was truly charming about our city. I've never understood why people from big cities up North felt the need to come down South and ruin all that was great about Atlanta. But such is the way of the world, and the cost of "progress."

It's been 20 years since I've lived in Atlanta, so I have no advice for you, other than to say be prepared for some truly hellish traffic. If you want to spend four hours of your daily life driving to and from work, then be my guest. I hope the job is worth it. But there's no way I'd want to raise my family in that city today. It makes me sad to say that. My heart will always be attached to Atlanta in many ways. But I just don't recognize the place anymore.

Anyway, I wish you great success with your move. I hope you find a lot of happiness there. I'm sure those who still live in the area can steer you to many of the positive things I'm sure the city still has to offer. If you want to know about some good restaurants, I can give you some recommendations. That's one thing Atlanta definitely still has going for it. Some terrific food, of all types.


Selam

 

[TheTrisagion]

I loved growing up in Atlanta. But it's a completely different place now. All the really cool places in the ATL have now become the "cool" places, and thus are no longer cool. The hipsters have ruined all the truly hip areas, and the things once authentic have become caricatures of themselves.

Contemporary carpetbaggers infiltrated Atlanta because they wanted a piece of our Southern charm, but in the process they destroyed all that was truly charming about our city. I've never understood why people from big cities up North felt the need to come down South and ruin all that was great about Atlanta. But such is the way of the world, and the cost of "progress."

It's been 20 years since I've lived in Atlanta, so I have no advice for you, other than to say be prepared for some truly hellish traffic. If you want to spend four hours of your daily life driving to and from work, then be my guest. I hope the job is worth it. But there's no way I'd want to raise my family in that city today. It makes me sad to say that. My heart will always be attached to Atlanta in many ways. But I just don't recognize the place anymore.

Anyway, I wish you great success with your move. I hope you find a lot of happiness there. I'm sure those who still live in the area can steer you to many of the positive things I'm sure the city still has to offer. If you want to know about some good restaurants, I can give you some recommendations. That's one thing Atlanta definitely still has going for it. Some terrific food, of all types.


Selam

It's because regardless of how much we brag about our cold weather cred, we hate snow and want to leave it far behind whenever possible.

 

[kurtismjohnson]

I loved growing up in Atlanta. But it's a completely different place now. All the really cool places in the ATL have now become the "cool" places, and thus are no longer cool. The hipsters have ruined all the truly hip areas, and the things once authentic have become caricatures of themselves.

Contemporary carpetbaggers infiltrated Atlanta because they wanted a piece of our Southern charm, but in the process they destroyed all that was truly charming about our city. I've never understood why people from big cities up North felt the need to come down South and ruin all that was great about Atlanta. But such is the way of the world, and the cost of "progress."

It's been 20 years since I've lived in Atlanta, so I have no advice for you, other than to say be prepared for some truly hellish traffic. If you want to spend four hours of your daily life driving to and from work, then be my guest. I hope the job is worth it. But there's no way I'd want to raise my family in that city today. It makes me sad to say that. My heart will always be attached to Atlanta in many ways. But I just don't recognize the place anymore.

Anyway, I wish you great success with your move. I hope you find a lot of happiness there. I'm sure those who still live in the area can steer you to many of the positive things I'm sure the city still has to offer. If you want to know about some good restaurants, I can give you some recommendations. That's one thing Atlanta definitely still has going for it. Some terrific food, of all types.


Selam

Sad to hear you say that. I actually disagree. I think the city is actually getting better. At least the "in town" neighborhoods are. Sure, there are plenty of hipsters, but there is a huge wave of young, creative entrepreneurs who are turning some of the rundown "ghetto" neighborhoods, particularly on the south/east side of town, into areas that are worth being around again. Im not talking about suburbs, but rather Grant Park, East Atlanta Village, etc.

If anyone is destroying the charm, its the bigger developers who are putting new shopping malls (Kroger, Target, American Deli, Ross, etc.) into these neighborhoods. Those types of places do suck a lot of the charm of the city, but thats far from the hipsters fault. I'd throw Atlantic Station into this category as well. That place belongs in the suburbs.

The flip side is the newer Krog Street market development. It is full of small/local businesses and has turned a completely useless, dangerous area into something thats actually cool, bringing jobs and increasing property value to the surrounding area. There is a similar project soon to be underway on Memorial Drive.

Anyways, maybe we just have different opinions about whats "cool." While the suburbs have always flourished, the city itself was mostly known for traffic, crime, and poverty, unless you were a fortune 500 company like coca cola. Now, that is changing. Even the traffic ranks far lower than it ever has in recent years, and there is a chance that projects like the Beltline will continue to help with that. Crime has dropped over the last decade as well.

I say all that to say, as a current resident, who grew up only 20 minutes away from downtown, I have to say that we are in a pretty good spot. I say its an exciting time to be a resident!

*exhales*

 

[Gebre Menfes Kidus]

I loved growing up in Atlanta. But it's a completely different place now. All the really cool places in the ATL have now become the "cool" places, and thus are no longer cool. The hipsters have ruined all the truly hip areas, and the things once authentic have become caricatures of themselves.

Contemporary carpetbaggers infiltrated Atlanta because they wanted a piece of our Southern charm, but in the process they destroyed all that was truly charming about our city. I've never understood why people from big cities up North felt the need to come down South and ruin all that was great about Atlanta. But such is the way of the world, and the cost of "progress."

It's been 20 years since I've lived in Atlanta, so I have no advice for you, other than to say be prepared for some truly hellish traffic. If you want to spend four hours of your daily life driving to and from work, then be my guest. I hope the job is worth it. But there's no way I'd want to raise my family in that city today. It makes me sad to say that. My heart will always be attached to Atlanta in many ways. But I just don't recognize the place anymore.

Anyway, I wish you great success with your move. I hope you find a lot of happiness there. I'm sure those who still live in the area can steer you to many of the positive things I'm sure the city still has to offer. If you want to know about some good restaurants, I can give you some recommendations. That's one thing Atlanta definitely still has going for it. Some terrific food, of all types.


Selam

Sad to hear you say that. I actually disagree. I think the city is actually getting better. At least the "in town" neighborhoods are. Sure, there are plenty of hipsters, but there is a huge wave of young, creative entrepreneurs who are turning some of the rundown "ghetto" neighborhoods, particularly on the south/east side of town, into areas that are worth being around again. Im not talking about suburbs, but rather Grant Park, East Atlanta Village, etc.

If anyone is destroying the charm, its the bigger developers who are putting new shopping malls (Kroger, Target, American Deli, Ross, etc.) into these neighborhoods. Those types of places do suck a lot of the charm of the city, but thats far from the hipsters fault. I'd throw Atlantic Station into this category as well. That place belongs in the suburbs.

The flip side is the newer Krog Street market development. It is full of small/local businesses and has turned a completely useless, dangerous area into something thats actually cool, bringing jobs and increasing property value to the surrounding area. There is a similar project soon to be underway on Memorial Drive.

Anyways, maybe we just have different opinions about whats "cool." While the suburbs have always flourished, the city itself was mostly known for traffic, crime, and poverty, unless you were a fortune 500 company like coca cola. Now, that is changing. Even the traffic ranks far lower than it ever has in recent years, and there is a chance that projects like the Beltline will continue to help with that. Crime has dropped over the last decade as well.

I say all that to say, as a current resident, who grew up only 20 minutes away from downtown, I have to say that we are in a pretty good spot. I say its an exciting time to be a resident!

*exhales*

I'm glad to hear that perspective. Many of my friends who still live there have expressed the same optimism you have. A few others feel like I do. I guess it's all a matter of perspective.

I guess I knew things had permanently changed when I was visiting my parents about ten years ago. I grew up two blocks from Lenox Square, and my dad was taking us out to eat. He was already pretty old at that point, and he drove very slowly as elderly people tend to do. Well, anyway, this S.O.B. with a New York accent pulled up beside us, gave my dad the finger, cussed him out, and sped away. This was right on Peachtree Rd., one block from our house. True Atlanta natives never would have acted like that. I was pissed. I thought, why in the hell are you coming down here to our city with that obnoxious and cowardly attitude? Keep that mess up in New York City where it belongs. I realized then that my city was lost forever. The sad but inevitable tides of change.

Selam

 

[kurtismjohnson]

I loved growing up in Atlanta. But it's a completely different place now. All the really cool places in the ATL have now become the "cool" places, and thus are no longer cool. The hipsters have ruined all the truly hip areas, and the things once authentic have become caricatures of themselves.

Contemporary carpetbaggers infiltrated Atlanta because they wanted a piece of our Southern charm, but in the process they destroyed all that was truly charming about our city. I've never understood why people from big cities up North felt the need to come down South and ruin all that was great about Atlanta. But such is the way of the world, and the cost of "progress."

It's been 20 years since I've lived in Atlanta, so I have no advice for you, other than to say be prepared for some truly hellish traffic. If you want to spend four hours of your daily life driving to and from work, then be my guest. I hope the job is worth it. But there's no way I'd want to raise my family in that city today. It makes me sad to say that. My heart will always be attached to Atlanta in many ways. But I just don't recognize the place anymore.

Anyway, I wish you great success with your move. I hope you find a lot of happiness there. I'm sure those who still live in the area can steer you to many of the positive things I'm sure the city still has to offer. If you want to know about some good restaurants, I can give you some recommendations. That's one thing Atlanta definitely still has going for it. Some terrific food, of all types.


Selam

Sad to hear you say that. I actually disagree. I think the city is actually getting better. At least the "in town" neighborhoods are. Sure, there are plenty of hipsters, but there is a huge wave of young, creative entrepreneurs who are turning some of the rundown "ghetto" neighborhoods, particularly on the south/east side of town, into areas that are worth being around again. Im not talking about suburbs, but rather Grant Park, East Atlanta Village, etc.

If anyone is destroying the charm, its the bigger developers who are putting new shopping malls (Kroger, Target, American Deli, Ross, etc.) into these neighborhoods. Those types of places do suck a lot of the charm of the city, but thats far from the hipsters fault. I'd throw Atlantic Station into this category as well. That place belongs in the suburbs.

The flip side is the newer Krog Street market development. It is full of small/local businesses and has turned a completely useless, dangerous area into something thats actually cool, bringing jobs and increasing property value to the surrounding area. There is a similar project soon to be underway on Memorial Drive.

Anyways, maybe we just have different opinions about whats "cool." While the suburbs have always flourished, the city itself was mostly known for traffic, crime, and poverty, unless you were a fortune 500 company like coca cola. Now, that is changing. Even the traffic ranks far lower than it ever has in recent years, and there is a chance that projects like the Beltline will continue to help with that. Crime has dropped over the last decade as well.

I say all that to say, as a current resident, who grew up only 20 minutes away from downtown, I have to say that we are in a pretty good spot. I say its an exciting time to be a resident!

*exhales*

I'm glad to hear that perspective. Many of my friends who still live there have expressed the same optimism you have. A few others feel like I do. I guess it's all a matter of perspective.

I guess I knew things had permanently changed when I was visiting my parents about ten years ago. I grew up two blocks from Lenox Square, and my dad was taking us out to eat. He was already pretty old at that point, and he drove very slowly as elderly people tend to do. Well, anyway, this S.O.B. with a New York accent pulled up beside us, gave my dad the finger, cussed him out, and sped away. This was right on Peachtree Rd., one block from our house. True Atlanta natives never would have acted like that. I was pissed. I thought, why in the hell are you coming down here to our city with that obnoxious and cowardly attitude? Keep that mess up in New York City where it belongs. I realized then that my city was lost forever. The sad but inevitable tides of change.

Selam

Ahh yes... Buckhead. Sounds about right, actually. There are definitely plenty of "bros" up there. By now its probably a bunch of spoiled rich kids who are in their 20s and have never worked a day in their lives and have never had anyone tell them "no." I rarely go up there unless I have to.

It's funny how different Buckhead, and even Midtown in some parts, are so much different than Downtown and the neighborhoods that surround it.

 

[Gebre Menfes Kidus]

I loved growing up in Atlanta. But it's a completely different place now. All the really cool places in the ATL have now become the "cool" places, and thus are no longer cool. The hipsters have ruined all the truly hip areas, and the things once authentic have become caricatures of themselves.

Contemporary carpetbaggers infiltrated Atlanta because they wanted a piece of our Southern charm, but in the process they destroyed all that was truly charming about our city. I've never understood why people from big cities up North felt the need to come down South and ruin all that was great about Atlanta. But such is the way of the world, and the cost of "progress."

It's been 20 years since I've lived in Atlanta, so I have no advice for you, other than to say be prepared for some truly hellish traffic. If you want to spend four hours of your daily life driving to and from work, then be my guest. I hope the job is worth it. But there's no way I'd want to raise my family in that city today. It makes me sad to say that. My heart will always be attached to Atlanta in many ways. But I just don't recognize the place anymore.

Anyway, I wish you great success with your move. I hope you find a lot of happiness there. I'm sure those who still live in the area can steer you to many of the positive things I'm sure the city still has to offer. If you want to know about some good restaurants, I can give you some recommendations. That's one thing Atlanta definitely still has going for it. Some terrific food, of all types.


Selam

Sad to hear you say that. I actually disagree. I think the city is actually getting better. At least the "in town" neighborhoods are. Sure, there are plenty of hipsters, but there is a huge wave of young, creative entrepreneurs who are turning some of the rundown "ghetto" neighborhoods, particularly on the south/east side of town, into areas that are worth being around again. Im not talking about suburbs, but rather Grant Park, East Atlanta Village, etc.

If anyone is destroying the charm, its the bigger developers who are putting new shopping malls (Kroger, Target, American Deli, Ross, etc.) into these neighborhoods. Those types of places do suck a lot of the charm of the city, but thats far from the hipsters fault. I'd throw Atlantic Station into this category as well. That place belongs in the suburbs.

The flip side is the newer Krog Street market development. It is full of small/local businesses and has turned a completely useless, dangerous area into something thats actually cool, bringing jobs and increasing property value to the surrounding area. There is a similar project soon to be underway on Memorial Drive.

Anyways, maybe we just have different opinions about whats "cool." While the suburbs have always flourished, the city itself was mostly known for traffic, crime, and poverty, unless you were a fortune 500 company like coca cola. Now, that is changing. Even the traffic ranks far lower than it ever has in recent years, and there is a chance that projects like the Beltline will continue to help with that. Crime has dropped over the last decade as well.

I say all that to say, as a current resident, who grew up only 20 minutes away from downtown, I have to say that we are in a pretty good spot. I say its an exciting time to be a resident!

*exhales*

I'm glad to hear that perspective. Many of my friends who still live there have expressed the same optimism you have. A few others feel like I do. I guess it's all a matter of perspective.

I guess I knew things had permanently changed when I was visiting my parents about ten years ago. I grew up two blocks from Lenox Square, and my dad was taking us out to eat. He was already pretty old at that point, and he drove very slowly as elderly people tend to do. Well, anyway, this S.O.B. with a New York accent pulled up beside us, gave my dad the finger, cussed him out, and sped away. This was right on Peachtree Rd., one block from our house. True Atlanta natives never would have acted like that. I was pissed. I thought, why in the hell are you coming down here to our city with that obnoxious and cowardly attitude? Keep that mess up in New York City where it belongs. I realized then that my city was lost forever. The sad but inevitable tides of change.

Selam

Ahh yes... Buckhead. Sounds about right, actually. There are definitely plenty of "bros" up there. By now its probably a bunch of spoiled rich kids who are in their 20s and have never worked a day in their lives and have never had anyone tell them "no." I rarely go up there unless I have to.

It's funny how different Buckhead, and even Midtown in some parts, are so much different than Downtown and the neighborhoods that surround it.

Atlanta will always be in my blood. I'm a rare breed: a deeply Southern city boy.


Selam

 

[katherineofdixie]

6. Expect sheer panic and terror from the locals on the rare occasions that snow is predicted. A mere flurry in Atlanta can cause widespread panic, lead to near riots in the grocery stores over who gets the last loaf of bread or gallon of milk. God forbid you work downtown, then the city gets perhaps 2 inches of snow, and your workplace closes early and you have to drive home in the mess.  Then you will actually MISS Buffalo and its efficient snow removal and level-headed people who realize a little snow is not the Apocalypse.

I feel the need to point out that, since snow is a rare occurrence (most likely it will be ice), there is not much in the way of snow-removal equipment in the area. So that if you live off the main roads, you will have to wait for the ice to melt to get out of your street (and believe it or not, Atlanta is quite hilly). Also, those of us who have lived here for awhile have had experiences where we were not able to get out for days at a time, (because removal and salting is pretty much confined to main roads) so we appreciated the milk and bread we were able to get at the store beforehand. Being prepared for the worst, based on past experience, seems pretty sane to me.

We longtime Atlantans prefer to sit at home when it snows, eating toast and drinking milk, while we laugh at the funny news stories of Yankees attempting to drive on black ice that hasn't been treated at all.

 

[kurtismjohnson]

6. Expect sheer panic and terror from the locals on the rare occasions that snow is predicted. A mere flurry in Atlanta can cause widespread panic, lead to near riots in the grocery stores over who gets the last loaf of bread or gallon of milk. God forbid you work downtown, then the city gets perhaps 2 inches of snow, and your workplace closes early and you have to drive home in the mess.  Then you will actually MISS Buffalo and its efficient snow removal and level-headed people who realize a little snow is not the Apocalypse.

I feel the need to point out that, since snow is a rare occurrence (most likely it will be ice), there is not much in the way of snow-removal equipment in the area. So that if you live off the main roads, you will have to wait for the ice to melt to get out of your street (and believe it or not, Atlanta is quite hilly). Also, those of us who have lived here for awhile have had experiences where we were not able to get out for days at a time, (because removal and salting is pretty much confined to main roads) so we appreciated the milk and bread we were able to get at the store beforehand. Being prepared for the worst, based on past experience, seems pretty sane to me.

We longtime Atlantans prefer to sit at home when it snows, eating toast and drinking milk, while we laugh at the funny news stories of Yankees attempting to drive on black ice that hasn't been treated at all.

Yup. Ice and the lack of salt trucks are the real culprit. Its not the "two inches of snow" that the rest of the country makes fun of us for. I dont care if youre from northern Siberia, you still wouldnt be able to drive on a road with a 1-2 inch sheet of unsalted ice over it.

 

[TheTrisagion]

6. Expect sheer panic and terror from the locals on the rare occasions that snow is predicted. A mere flurry in Atlanta can cause widespread panic, lead to near riots in the grocery stores over who gets the last loaf of bread or gallon of milk. God forbid you work downtown, then the city gets perhaps 2 inches of snow, and your workplace closes early and you have to drive home in the mess.  Then you will actually MISS Buffalo and its efficient snow removal and level-headed people who realize a little snow is not the Apocalypse.

I feel the need to point out that, since snow is a rare occurrence (most likely it will be ice), there is not much in the way of snow-removal equipment in the area. So that if you live off the main roads, you will have to wait for the ice to melt to get out of your street (and believe it or not, Atlanta is quite hilly). Also, those of us who have lived here for awhile have had experiences where we were not able to get out for days at a time, (because removal and salting is pretty much confined to main roads) so we appreciated the milk and bread we were able to get at the store beforehand. Being prepared for the worst, based on past experience, seems pretty sane to me.

We longtime Atlantans prefer to sit at home when it snows, eating toast and drinking milk, while we laugh at the funny news stories of Yankees attempting to drive on black ice that hasn't been treated at all.

Yup. Ice and the lack of salt trucks are the real culprit. Its not the "two inches of snow" that the rest of the country makes fun of us for. I dont care if youre from northern Siberia, you still wouldnt be able to drive on a road with a 1-2 inch sheet of unsalted ice over it.

Chain up, son.

 

[kurtismjohnson]

No thanks! I'll just enjoy a couple days off!

 

[Tikhon29605]

Not to brag, but the SCDOT (South Carolina Department of Transportation)  does a FINE job of keeping our roads clear and safe here in Upstate South Carolina about 2.5 hrs north of Atlanta on I-85 when we have snow.  It did not used to be this way. Years ago it was just as chaotic and as unorganized as Georgia snow removal.  But in the last couple years, it has gotten significantly better.  We had several snows this past winter, and even before the first flake fell, I 85 and 385 were salted.  Greenville, SC has even established "snow emergency routes" (like many Northern cities do) so that roads leading to hospitals and main arteries in the city can be kept open during winter weather.  I work for a German employer and we had our shift delayed for a couple hours for snow one time this year, but when I arrived at work the very efficient Germans had already plowed the parking lot and salted the sidewalks and there was no problem at all. 

 

[Cyrillic]

In the civilized parts of the world all the roads are salted before anyone wakes up when there has been snow or frost. With a bit of luck even the streets have been salted.

 

[Alpo]

In the civilized parts of the world all the roads are salted before anyone wakes up when there has been snow or frost. With a bit of luck even the streets have been salted.

I hate salting. It won't melt the snow but turn it into loska and ruins your shoes.

 

[TheTrisagion]

In the civilized parts of the world all the roads are salted before anyone wakes up when there has been snow or frost. With a bit of luck even the streets have been salted.

Tru dat.

Southerners are barbarians.

 

[katherineofdixie]

6. Expect sheer panic and terror from the locals on the rare occasions that snow is predicted. A mere flurry in Atlanta can cause widespread panic, lead to near riots in the grocery stores over who gets the last loaf of bread or gallon of milk. God forbid you work downtown, then the city gets perhaps 2 inches of snow, and your workplace closes early and you have to drive home in the mess.  Then you will actually MISS Buffalo and its efficient snow removal and level-headed people who realize a little snow is not the Apocalypse.

I feel the need to point out that, since snow is a rare occurrence (most likely it will be ice), there is not much in the way of snow-removal equipment in the area. So that if you live off the main roads, you will have to wait for the ice to melt to get out of your street (and believe it or not, Atlanta is quite hilly). Also, those of us who have lived here for awhile have had experiences where we were not able to get out for days at a time, (because removal and salting is pretty much confined to main roads) so we appreciated the milk and bread we were able to get at the store beforehand. Being prepared for the worst, based on past experience, seems pretty sane to me.

We longtime Atlantans prefer to sit at home when it snows, eating toast and drinking milk, while we laugh at the funny news stories of Yankees attempting to drive on black ice that hasn't been treated at all.

Yup. Ice and the lack of salt trucks are the real culprit. Its not the "two inches of snow" that the rest of the country makes fun of us for. I dont care if youre from northern Siberia, you still wouldnt be able to drive on a road with a 1-2 inch sheet of unsalted ice over it.

Chain up, son.

Come down for a visit next time we have a major ice storm. I'll make us some toast.