Dallas-Dallas
When I say I moved to Dallas, what I mean is that I moved to the Dallas area. (Side note: people here take more offense to that than anywhere else I have ever lived — generally speaking, when you tell people where you’re from, you defer to the commanding city in your area as a reference point. Katy defers to Houston. Dripping Springs or Lakeway or Round Rock would defer to Austin. If I call McKinney or Allen or Frisco “Dallas,” though, people adamantly protest, which is super Dallas of them.)
McKinney is actually home for me, which is a good 30-40 minute northbound trek from the city itself. Every now and then, though, I do venture into Dallas proper for a fix of its energy, and this is what it looks like when I do.
Each neighborhood — Bishop Arts District, Deep Ellum, Lower Greenville, Oak Cliff, etc. — has its own unique vibe and share of coffee, quirky shops, good eats and interesting people. And almost nothing beats a Stars game in my book. (The only Dallas team I will ever root for, and only because it is the entire state’s.)
My time in Dallas-Dallas has only come in pockets here and there, but I've loved getting to know it.
And if you, like me, grew up in another area of Texas and refuse to venture into the city on account of its pretentiousness*, here’s a chance to get a little inside look at the place without actually gracing it with your presence. You’re welcome.
*This is something else Dallas people take offense to. If you don’t appreciate your reputation for being pretentious, Dallas people, my suggestion would be to be less pretentious.
