Monday in Dallas

Today there were no celebrity sightings.  I took plenty of photos, but I feel as if they are of the same damn buildings.  Whatever, it's a good way to remember a trip - I try to find some good perspectives, good shots, and see how they turn out when I get them printed.

Went to lunch today at the Twisted Root Burger Co. - hey, Guy Fieri, if you're reading, I suggest you come here for Diners, Drive-Ins, & Dives - it's the freakin' coolest burger joint I've ever been in.  You walk up to the counter, order whatever you want, and get a name card.  I was Sean Connery and Lindsay was Uma Thurman.  The guy behind the counter calls your "name" over the mic, and you get your food.  I had some of their Twisted Pineapple Root Beer, pretty damn good.  Lindsay had a peanut butter milkshake. 

We then walked around for a while (2 hours) and stumbled upon the Dallas Farmer's Market - nothing as I had envisioned.  I figured it'd be more or less an outdoor flea market, but I was wrong.  It was a snooze fest.  We passed "The Petropolitan" on S. Harwood and went in.  There was a little short-haired dachshund there with very long fingernails, but damn that thing made me want to buy it.  Problem was, we're in Dallas, we have to take a flight home, and it was someone elses dog.  0-3, no deal.  I think it was a doggy day care kind of place.

We were then at a crossroads - go back to the hotel or keep trekking.  We chose the latter, and went back to Sol Irlandes to have a few afternoon cocktails.  I moved on from the Modelo Especial's from yesterday (#3 imported beer in the USA) to the Negra Modelo today.  That is basically what my Monday afternoon consisted of - walking around downtown Dallas and throwing back some short, fat bottles of beer.  Lindsay had a few sangria's.  We were sick to our stomach looking at real estate prices for the apartments/lofts located on Main St. in downtown.  It's sickening - $900 for a loft in the heart of the city.  If I lived here, I'd go to Sol Irlandes every day for a drink at lunch.  It's a pretty cool town, I assume I'd get used to the heat.  As it stands now, I sweat my ass off.

We are now back at the hotel, relaxing for a while before choosing a dinner spot for the evening.  Time for an afternoon, vacation nap.  There is no other time I can actually take a nap but on vacation.  There's really no other time I can actually have beers in the afternoon, either.  I feel like I am in a foreign country.  Minus the foreigners, plus hundreds of homeless dudes.  I tell you what, Dallas has an abundance of homeless people.  There was a guy wearing corduroy pants and a parka - it's 97° out man, lose the parka.

Nap time.  Spirit Airlines pilots are probably taking a nap too.  They sure ain't flying planes.

What You're $$ Gets You: WRT Style

We'll roll through this similar to the HGTV show "Bang For Your Buck".  We will pick a price point and compare similar characteristics for houses in different regions of the country.  For the sake of simplicity, we'll go with a crisp $250,000 price tag with at least 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. 

For the three cities we select, I will pull up a map of the USA and close my eyes and point to the computer screen (sorry, I can't find a globe).  Omaha, NE is city #1.  Lansing, MI is city #2.  Savannah, GA is city #3.  I am going to use http://www.realtor.com/ in order to search for homes. Here we go:

City #1:  Omaha, NE is the largest city in Nebraska, located right on the eastern edge of the state, bordering Iowa.  Over 438,000 people live in Omaha, and the home to the NCAA Baseball College World Series.  The median listing price of a home in Omaha is $150,000, so we are going way over the average here.

2,212 sq./ft. - 4 bedroom - 3 bathroom - 8 total rooms

Stone Exterior - Patio - Porch - Sprinkler System - Fenced Yard

Master Bedroom - 17' x 15'

Pretty nice looking house, interior looks ridiculous (kitchen anyway, which is my big thing).  Backyard lacks some usability, but it looks like a nice place to lounge - not a great place for kids.  I can deal with the lack of yard though, the interior makes up for it's shortcomings.  I would move here, yeah, only drawback is the neighbors right next to you.  No big deal though, growing up in Long Island is the same thing.

OVERALL: A- (better backyard makes this an A)

City #2:  Lansing, MI is located about 80 miles WNW of Detroit.  With just over 113,000 people calling Lansing home, it's the smallest city on our list today, but I'm sure you can get a lot for $250,000 (we'll go to $261,500 here due to lack of homes at our price point).  Lansing may be a little run-down, home prices average under $100,000.  Hmm, maybe I should have picked a different place - no worry, we're sticking with Lansing, home of the Lugnuts (Class A affiliate of the Blue Jays).  OK Lansing, whatta ya got?

1,845 sq./ft. - 4 bedroom - 3 bathroom - 9 total rooms

Basement - Detatched 2.5 car garage

All the bedrooms look small and the backyard is too wide open and there is no fence.  Looks pretty quiet though, no houses looming on top of you.  Not quite sure what there is to do in Lansing, seems like a pretty dead town.  I wouldn't want to move here, unless I was a huge MSU Spartans fan.

OVERALL:  C (not the ideal city, house needs exterior work)

City #3:  Savannah, GA is one of the most quaint cities in the South.  I've visited before and it's awesome.  I think I am biased towards this destination, but let's give it a look.  Very historic and scenic, Savannah has trollies running through town with easy on/easy off access.  There are 22 parklike squares scattered throughout Savannah, so grab a sweet tea and enjoy a moment of relaxation.  Average home price is about $113,000, but trust me, there are homes that go for millions as well.  The water walk is a great spot for an afternoon stroll, but let us visit (10 miles from downtown) Savannah (for $265,000).

2,868 sq./ft. - 4 bedroom - 3 bathroom

Hardwood Floors - Brick Exterior - 2 car garage

Minutes from the water

Backyard is again lacking but you are right near the water, just far enough from the bustling city, and located in a private subdivision.  You also have your own private walkway to the canal, for easy access to your boat (if you have one).  The brick exterior is sweet.  Entry way inside is nice, nice backyard deck.  Looks like a winner to me.

OVERALL:  A- (just outside of the city, backyard leads to water)

So there we have it, Omaha, Lansing, and Savannah.  I know my pick, but it'll cost you a little more than our $250,000 price point.  I think your money goes farthest with the Omaha home, and that house is very spacious, it's just land locked, and I like the water.  Lansing is a college town with a two hour drive to Lake Erie and hour and a half drive to Lake Michigan, but not much else happens up there.  The Savannah home is just outside beautiful downtown, a short walk to your boat slip, and a short drive to the Atlantic Ocean. 

VERDICT:  SAVANNAH, GA is the winner!  I would move there in a heartbeat.  Just would need to find a job.  maybe I can drive a trolley. 

Makes me a little (very) depressed knowing that I pay $1,400 a month for a 2 bedroom apartment that has 1 closet (in the hallway), a leaky roof, and a tiny bathroom.  Renting sucks.  Especially in the Bronx.  I'm going to shed a tear, someone pass me a tissue.