If you could live anywhere...

#127
#127
I've lived in all three grand divisions of Tennessee, and enjoyed them all.

Spent 4 1/2 years in and just outside of Knoxville and loved it. Best scenery in the state. I prefer just east of Knoxville but that's a personal preference. Chattanoga is also nice.

Spent 2 years in Murfreesboro. Pretty nice area and is far enough from Nashville that it is its own town.

Have lived in Memphis for almost 2 years now and really like it here as well. IMO Memphis is not nearily as bad as the rep it gets. Memphis reminds me somewhat of St. Louis, where I went to high school at, so maybe that's why I like it.

Honestly can't go wrong living anywhere in Tennessee.
 
#128
#128
I have family from Memphis and have been there many times. I would visit but not live there.

I personally like the combo of small city and mountains that Knoxville has to offer.

If you want more nightlife I would say Nashville but keep in mind that there are a lot of college students in the Knoxville area.

Make sure you find a nice spacious bathroom so you have enough room for the scale that will weigh your 129 lb potential GF so you know whether to commit.
 
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#131
#131
ATC_VOL said:
I've lived in all three grand divisions of Tennessee, and enjoyed them all.

Spent 4 1/2 years in and just outside of Knoxville and loved it. Best scenery in the state. I prefer just east of Knoxville but that's a personal preference. Chattanoga is also nice.

Spent 2 years in Murfreesboro. Pretty nice area and is far enough from Nashville that it is its own town.

Have lived in Memphis for almost 2 years now and really like it here as well. IMO Memphis is not nearily as bad as the rep it gets. Memphis reminds me somewhat of St. Louis, where I went to high school at, so maybe that's why I like it.

Honestly can't go wrong living anywhere in Tennessee.
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Goldie said:
I have family from Memphis and have been there many times. I would visit but not live there.

I personally like the combo of small city and mountains that Knoxville has to offer.

If you want more nightlife I would say Nashville but keep in mind that there are a lot of college students in the Knoxville area.

Make sure you find a nice spacious bathroom so you have enough room for the scale that will weigh your 129 lb potential GF so you know whether to commit.
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I really like Memphis as well but i'm a little worried about the direction of the city. There is a roof rat problem in Germantown and a lot of places are shutting down like Detroit. I love the water and the food.
 
#134
#134
Nationdom said:
I really like Memphis as well but i'm a little worried about the direction of the city. There is a roof rat problem in Germantown and a lot of places are shutting down like Detroit. I love the water and the food.
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Think we might wind up in Fayette Co. when we buy. Renting now.
 
#135
#135
I grew up in Nashville, went to Knoxville for college, and stayed there for a year afterwards, and moved back to Nashville for work.

Nashville pros:
-chicks, everywhere (and in your "range")
-nightlife, and you don't have to go downtown for drinks, as there are plenty of bars/spots all over the city
-concerts, shows, events going on all the time - you should never be bored
-Titans games
-good time to buy in the area, which is booming (your return on investment should be very good)
-not far from Memphis, Louisville, Knoxville, Chattanooga, Atlanta, Birmingham
-plenty of hunting and fishing all around the city
-opportunity to make more friends and grow your network or social circle
-the airport isn't huge, but it's big enough - should cut down on your travel time

Nashville cons:
-Vandy
-locals will tell you that it's turning into mini-Atlanta (traffic, sprawl)
-sometimes there is an "uppity" attitude when you meet people
-people try to make it something it isn't and think that they're in some hub of commerce and entertainment
-if you're going to be a season ticket holder for UT football, you'll spend time on the road during your "off" weeks

Knoxville pros:
-LOW RENT and cost of living is cheaper, in my opinion (50-60k will go a lot further in Knox than Nashville)
-you're in Big Orange country, and there are tons of coeds right down the street
-the mountains are RIGHT THERE
-not far from Nashville, Tri-Cities, Asheville, Charlotte, Chattanooga, Atlanta
-plenty of places to go hiking, fishing, hunting
-your first year renting, you could probably live with some college kids and "get the party out" or gain some friends in the area
-if you're going to be a season ticket holder for UT football, you won't have to travel for home games at all, and people will likely want to come stay with you
-Knoxville restaurants are better and have much better service, in my opinion.
-your neighbors will probably know where to get some good shine

Knoxville cons:
-I'm not sure if you have direct flights from Knox to ND, but I would imagine it would get annoying hitting connectors all the time
-the traffic in Knox isn't as bad as Nashville, but it's not a breeze by any means either
-not as many places to go out and as much to do as in Nashville, from an entertainment aspect. I love Knoxville and lived there for 5 years, but sometimes the place can feel redundant. (however, you can escape to the mountains)

To be honest with you, I can't see you hating either city if you ended up there. They're both very fun places, they're both growing, and they both have their pros and cons.

To me, it sounds like you might like Knoxville and East TN a little more, but I'll be happy to answer any and all questions about living in either place if you have any.

Also, from a weather standpoint, Nashville doesn't get the same kind of snow that Knoxville does during the winter.
 
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#137
#137
BigSteve09 said:
I grew up in Nashville, went to Knoxville for college, and stayed there for a year afterwards, and moved back to Nashville for work.

Nashville pros:
-chicks, everywhere (and in your "range")
-nightlife, and you don't have to go downtown for drinks, as there are plenty of bars/spots all over the city
-concerts, shows, events going on all the time - you should never be bored
-Titans games
-good time to buy in the area, which is booming (your return on investment should be very good)
-not far from Memphis, Louisville, Knoxville, Chattanooga, Atlanta, Birmingham
-plenty of hunting and fishing all around the city
-opportunity to make more friends and grow your network or social circle
-the airport isn't huge, but it's big enough - should cut down on your travel time

Nashville cons:
-Vandy
-locals will tell you that it's turning into mini-Atlanta (traffic, sprawl)
-sometimes there is an "uppity" attitude when you meet people
-people try to make it something it isn't and think that they're in some hub of commerce and entertainment
-if you're going to be a season ticket holder for UT football, you'll spend time on the road during your "off" weeks

Knoxville pros:
-LOW RENT and cost of living is cheaper, in my opinion (50-60k will go a lot further in Knox than Nashville)
-you're in Big Orange country, and there are tons of coeds right down the street
-the mountains are RIGHT THERE
-not far from Nashville, Tri-Cities, Asheville, Charlotte, Chattanooga, Atlanta
-plenty of places to go hiking, fishing, hunting
-your first year renting, you could probably live with some college kids and "get the party out" or gain some friends in the area
-if you're going to be a season ticket holder for UT football, you won't have to travel for home games at all, and people will likely want to come stay with you
-Knoxville restaurants are better and have much better service, in my opinion.
-your neighbors will probably know where to get some good shine

Knoxville cons:
-I'm not sure if you have direct flights from Knox to ND, but I would imagine it would get annoying hitting connectors all the time
-the traffic in Knox isn't as bad as Nashville, but it's not a breeze by any means either
-not as many places to go out and as much to do as in Nashville, from an entertainment aspect. I love Knoxville and lived there for 5 years, but sometimes the place can feel redundant. (however, you can escape to the mountains)

To be honest with you, I can't see you hating either city if you ended up there. They're both very fun places, they're both growing, and they both have their pros and cons.

To me, it sounds like you might like Knoxville and East TN a little more, but I'll be happy to answer any and all questions about living in either place if you have any.
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Spot on, except the restaurants
 
#138
#138
SDV said:
Spot on, except the restaurants
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I know what you're thinking. I used to think I was crazy or missing something too, but the service for the most part in Nashville is HORRIBLE. I don't know what it is. I do like the hot chicken joints and the food trucks, and there are more options. However, Knoxville had a better restaurant and serving atmosphere, or environment, for whatever reason.

I'd put Memphis above Nashville too.

Whoever said that they heard that Memphis BBQ was amazing, that's an understatement.
Dry rub, wet, they don't mess it up. I could devour a rack of ribs right now.
 
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#139
#139
BigSteve09 said:
I know what you're thinking. I used to think I was crazy or missing something too, but the service for the most part in Nashville is HORRIBLE. I don't know what it is. I do like the hot chicken joints and the food trucks, and there are more options. However, Knoxville had a better restaurant and serving atmosphere, or environment, for whatever reason.

I'd put Memphis above Nashville too.

Whoever said that they heard that Memphis BBQ was amazing, that's an understatement.
Dry rub, wet, they don't mess it up. I could devour a rack of ribs right now.
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Can't go wrong with any Memphis BBQ joint. Central, Commissary, BBQ Shop, One and Only, to name a few.

I strongly believe that rendezvous and Corkys are overrated
 
#140
#140
gordonr24 said:
Can't go wrong with any Memphis BBQ joint. Central, Commissary, BBQ Shop, One and Only, to name a few.

I strongly believe that rendezvous and Corkys are overrated
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I moved back to Nashville in September after being away for 12 years in CA. The restaurants that have come into Nashville the past 5-10 years are light years above what used to be here. Lots of trendy upscale places with top notch chefs. People here are more interested in fine cuisine now, instead of meat and threes.
 
#141
#141
SDV said:
I moved back to Nashville in September after being away for 12 years in CA. The restaurants that have come into Nashville the past 5-10 years are light years above what used to be here. Lots of trendy upscale places with top notch chefs. People here are more interested in fine cuisine now, instead of meat and threes.
Click to expand...

Memphis has the new renowned Restaurant Iris, but Memphis is more of a comfort food city. The best BBQ and the best fried chicken (Gus') although I loved the old sylvan park meat and 3 in Nashville.
 
#142
#142
gordonr24 said:
Can't go wrong with any Memphis BBQ joint. Central, Commissary, BBQ Shop, One and Only, to name a few.

I strongly believe that rendezvous and Corkys are overrated
Click to expand...

My dad lived in Memphis when I was growing up and I remember Rendezvous (The Vous) being a lot better then than it is now. I think that they've completely sold out in hopes of getting the Memphis tourist money while they can.

The other places that you named in that first paragraph are delicious.

Has anyone here had the Hot Chicken in Nashville? Pretty good.

Also, I've visited Johnson City a few times. It's a beautiful place with great people, but a little too small for me. Plus, if he's traveling all the time like that, he might not like being away from an airport. It reminds me of taking a Nashville suburb like Franklin or Memphis suburb like Bartlett and dropping them in the East TN mountains. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but he did say that he wanted to be near a bigger city.

My advice, if you're leaning East TN in general, would be to live in Knox for your first year while you adjust, and visit the Tri-Cities a few times. If you end up wanting to buy, I'm sure that you could find something.

I would just get settled in East TN in general and kind of feel everything out before just outright moving to Johnson City.

However, like I said, JC is a great place with wonderful people.
 
#143
#143
gordonr24 said:
Memphis has the new renowned Restaurant Iris, but Memphis is more of a comfort food city. The best BBQ and the best fried chicken (Gus') although I loved the old sylvan park meat and 3 in Nashville.
Click to expand...

I won't argue with you about Memphis and BBQ. That's a fact
 
#144
#144
SDV said:
I moved back to Nashville in September after being away for 12 years in CA. The restaurants that have come into Nashville the past 5-10 years are light years above what used to be here. Lots of trendy upscale places with top notch chefs. People here are more interested in fine cuisine now, instead of meat and threes.
Click to expand...

I'd agree with that. If you want to go out and wine and dine yourself, there are more options in Nashville than probably any other city in TN. There are a TON of steakhouses here now hahaha.

However, for regular service at restaurants or bars that you're more likely to regularly frequent, it's just not very polished.
'

Another thing about Nashville. The city just opened up the Convention Center downtown and people are expecting a lot of business, opportunity, and growth to follow. More conventions here equals more entertainment and food digs around town too.

Nashville is definitely in the middle of a transition from mid-size southern city to big city. Nashville is probably 10-15 years behind a place like Charlotte and 30 behind Atlanta. I don't know if Nashville would ever get as big as Atlanta is, because the place is enormous, but Nashville is poised to become the next big thing.

I've always heard people talk about Nashville becoming the next Atlanta since I was young. Moreso since the early 2000s. Family/people that come in town say that they can tell Nashville is ready to blow.

I've also had friends from Denver say that they think Nashville is about to make the change into full-fledged big city like a Cincy, KC, STL, Charlotte, or Pitt
 
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#145
#145
The more that I think about it. If I were the OP, unless there were some ridiculous travel problem caused by airlines between Knoxville and ND, I'd probably settle there first. More bang for buck for a young guy. Chance to experience Big Orange Country. He can visit other areas of the state, and if he likes it, he can go buy there.
 
#147
#147
I have ate at Jim n Nick's BBQ on Charoltte Pike in Nashville a couple of times. They have some good BBQ , imo.
 
#148
#148
Gramps said:
I have ate at Jim n Nick's BBQ on Charoltte Pike in Nashville a couple of times. They have some good BBQ , imo.
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Jim n Nicks was good but way too dang expensive. It costs $12.99 for a pork plate, while it costs $8.99 at Central BBQ in Memphis.
 
#149
#149
BigSteve09 said:
I grew up in Nashville, went to Knoxville for college, and stayed there for a year afterwards, and moved back to Nashville for work.

Nashville pros:
-chicks, everywhere (and in your "range")
-nightlife, and you don't have to go downtown for drinks, as there are plenty of bars/spots all over the city
-concerts, shows, events going on all the time - you should never be bored
-Titans games
-good time to buy in the area, which is booming (your return on investment should be very good)
-not far from Memphis, Louisville, Knoxville, Chattanooga, Atlanta, Birmingham
-plenty of hunting and fishing all around the city
-opportunity to make more friends and grow your network or social circle
-the airport isn't huge, but it's big enough - should cut down on your travel time

Nashville cons:
-Vandy
-locals will tell you that it's turning into mini-Atlanta (traffic, sprawl)
-sometimes there is an "uppity" attitude when you meet people
-people try to make it something it isn't and think that they're in some hub of commerce and entertainment
-if you're going to be a season ticket holder for UT football, you'll spend time on the road during your "off" weeks

Knoxville pros:
-LOW RENT and cost of living is cheaper, in my opinion (50-60k will go a lot further in Knox than Nashville)
-you're in Big Orange country, and there are tons of coeds right down the street
-the mountains are RIGHT THERE
-not far from Nashville, Tri-Cities, Asheville, Charlotte, Chattanooga, Atlanta
-plenty of places to go hiking, fishing, hunting
-your first year renting, you could probably live with some college kids and "get the party out" or gain some friends in the area
-if you're going to be a season ticket holder for UT football, you won't have to travel for home games at all, and people will likely want to come stay with you
-Knoxville restaurants are better and have much better service, in my opinion.
-your neighbors will probably know where to get some good shine

Knoxville cons:
-I'm not sure if you have direct flights from Knox to ND, but I would imagine it would get annoying hitting connectors all the time
-the traffic in Knox isn't as bad as Nashville, but it's not a breeze by any means either
-not as many places to go out and as much to do as in Nashville, from an entertainment aspect. I love Knoxville and lived there for 5 years, but sometimes the place can feel redundant. (however, you can escape to the mountains)

To be honest with you, I can't see you hating either city if you ended up there. They're both very fun places, they're both growing, and they both have their pros and cons.

To me, it sounds like you might like Knoxville and East TN a little more, but I'll be happy to answer any and all questions about living in either place if you have any.

Also, from a weather standpoint, Nashville doesn't get the same kind of snow that Knoxville does during the winter.
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Great post, appreciate the effort. I am leaning towards Knoxville. After being in Colorado for so long waisting years of my life, I want to get straight to the source. My mind, body, and soul beg for Big Orange football, Just the feeling of being around other people who share my same passion is something i have never felt.
 
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