D Magazine Publishes Insane List and Knocks University Park to Number 7
Our step cousin D Magazine has launched a nasty spit wad at the Park Cities with their July issue in which they ranked the burbs based on safety, education, housing values, and ambiance. I lovingly send this super wet loogie in response to the absurdity of University Park falling to number 7. Highland Park remained number 6 which is a tad on the insulting side too.
The following items were obviously excluded from the formula to hurt us.
- Ratio of turrets to homes built before 2009.
- Number of banks.
- Ratio of prostitutes to other area residents.
Here’s what totally screwed us:
- The white van, the rubber gloves and the freaking mass e-mails.
- The Leagues.
- Queue lane chaos.
By Merritt Patterson
Jun. 24, 2010 | 10:23 am | 38 Comments | Comments RSS
38 comments to "D Magazine Publishes Insane List and Knocks University Park to Number 7"
I’ll read this later and respond. My gut reaction to just reading Merritt’s post is – Good, we’re crowded enough, go ahead and tell everyone we su*%.
I think HP/UPers real problem with other suburbs is that you can afford to live in HP/UP and need everyone to know that. So, what if we got some yard signs or bumper stickers that let everyone know that even though you’re living in a potentially better neighborhood, you can totally afford to live in a more expensive, worse rated neighborhood?
At first, the lure of the bright lights lured me to the Uptown area. For two years I lived there and enjoyed the urban lifestyle, a lifestyle I had always dreamed about growing up in the Piney Woods. After I settled into a committed relationship and no longer was an “Uptown single”, I decided to move in with my wife (my fiancee at the time) and after spending a couple of years on the outskirts of the Park Cities, we finally decided on a great rental unit in UP.
Sure, we could have gone East or North and owned, but those suburbs lacked history and character. Believe it or not, living in the Park Cities reminded me a lot of my native East Texas. I could go into Wild About Harry’s and listen to some of the town’s more seasoned citizens discuss Highland Park football, just as you could walk into Miles Drug Store in downtown Atlanta, Texas and find a group of men discussing Atlanta Rabbit football over coffee. I love reading Park Cities People because it reminds me so much of reading my hometown newspaper, the Citizens Journal (the PCP is higher quality of course, but its focus on the community is the same). At the same time, it offers all the creature comforts and cultural sophistication of living in a major metropolitan area.
Our rental unit will soon be destroyed to give way to a Frisco-like development, void of history and character. At that time, my wife and I will have the decision to move north or east and buy or try and find another rental property in the Park Cities and stay a little bit longer. If I have learned anything over the past three years of living here, it’s that I’d rather rent and live here than own and live in some other suburb.
1. Location is always subjective, but UP has an excellent location for an urban environment, and enjoys the added advantage of NorthPark, Love Field, SMU, and other amenities within a few minute’s drive.
2. University Park has a number of churches, the YMCA, and several schools – all of which have tax exemptions. Highland Park has two schools for tax exemptions, and not a single church. UP takes pride in furnishing HP with places to worship, learn, work out, and other stuff.
3. UP has one of the finest public safety departments on the planet; much better than HP’s. It also has reciprocal agreements with other departments to be able to deliver police, fire, ambulance, or rescue services often with seconds, and generally within just a few minutes.
4. UP has extraordinarily stable property values.
5. The HPISD system almost needs no mention. but some people take it for granted. We gladly share it, and the taxes, with HP. Together, we have produced some of the finest leaders in the world in almost every field of endeavor.
6. UP has a much larger and better municipal services system than HP. HP has a real library that’s not a stepchild and a really cool bridge.
7. UP is a planned community that is expertly managed, and has planned decades ahead for everything from water to various disaster and crisis plans. UP is famous for its Coffees.
8. UP has many more retail stores than HP, and may someday have adequate parking for them.
9. UP has a rich and interesting history; HP not so much, although it’s rich and interesting.
10. Many people think of the Park Cities as one place. Many people will not be surprised D Magazine doesn’t. Park Cities People does. Kinda like UP and HP.
P.S. I don’t understand why people put the stickers on their cars. I don’t want anyone outside the neighborhood to know I live here. Maybe they haven’t noticed…..but people from other towns hate us.
@citygirl- I’m glad you love living in the Park Cities. There is a lot to be proud of here and you shouldn’t care what other people think. If you can’t be proud of where you live you shouldn’t live there. I’m just sayin’
Grade school stickers and the ever-popular “MIS” decals sprang up a few years ago. Most people outside of the Park Cities don’t care what they mean, and assume “MIS” has to do with prisons or computers.
Most people outside the Park Cities don’t hate people in the Park Cities. If you think they do, there could be something else going on with you, or they could just be jealous.
Interesting model for a magazine. Even more interesting model for a business.
Methinks that D magazine is once again indulging in hair pulling.
we sold our home in the suburbs to move to the Park Cities. (I use the word sold loosely- we took money to the closing table) We pay double in rent what we paid on a mortage previously, but I totally echo your sentiments about loving living here, and renting here is better than owning elsewhere. Our decision was based almost solely on the school district and for our children, but I absolutely love the access we have to everything here. I can’t imagine living- or raising children- any place else. D Magazine can rank it 7th or 700th… Wouldn’t change how I feel about where I’m proud to call home.
And I doubt anyone would be jealous of me. I am not that great.
@laurie-I’m with you. My Suburban is White. I can’t tell you how many kids try to climb into it at carpool only to look dumbfounded at me like “what are you doing in my parents car?”. I solved that problem with a yellow Gadsden flag sticker with Palin 2012 on it.
Kersten-I am firmly in Stickerstown since the media stopped reporting the truth 2 years ago. I am currently sporting the following non-HP related Stickers:
Plug the D**n Hole (with a pic of Obama shoving a hot dog into his mouth)
I’m with the Death Panel. I am on my what to your Grandmother’s House.
America needs some R & R; Repeal and Replace
Whose A*s to kick? More Like Whose A*s to Kiss.
And then my Palin/Bachmann 2012 sticker.
I think it needs to be said.
Maybe someday, before my two kids are out of HPHS, I might end up with a sticker on my car. But the truth is, sometimes I drive badly. I forget to put my turn signal on and sometimes I do dumb things. I’d rather not stick out, if you know what I’m saying.
Before I get flamed I would like to say that I am exagerating for comic appeal : )
Viral marketing! Well played, Tim Rogers.
We can’t compete with that!
I pity all of you.
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