stuck in suburbia

greetings, fellow connoisseurs!

i created this blog because i recently moved from a large, metropolitan area (dallas, texas) to a small town in the foothills of a suburban valley (american fork, utah). when i first arrived, i was met with not only the initial shock one feels upon adjusting to a new place of residence, but also a severe realization about how different the city and the suburbs really are.






i've always loved learning and experiencing new things, especially those of different cultures and genres than the american mainstream. culturally, dallas was a mecca for this kind of learning. from the many art exhibits and countless restaurants, to the independent music and movie venues (and i'll even include the many different ethnic and religious groups represented throughout the large population) there was never a shortage of things to go see, eat, learn or do. i was constantly able to enrich my life through many different outlets.

here, however, the finest living i've done is found the gourmet cheese counter at my local grocery store. i long for a foreign film theatre, or an art exhibit featuring monet's last paintings. as i look around me -- down the long street of neatly-trimmed lawns, past the elementary school on the corner, through the city streets dotted with mom-and-pop restaurants and discount stores -- i can't see anywhere to find the culture and fine living for which i so yearn! traveling to the nearest big city (salt lake city, utah) means a 45-minute to an hour drive with lots of traffic along the way, and while this is well worth it for some activities, it doesn't prove doable for a daily or even weekly dose of my culture caring.

so i've resolved to find ways to experience the world here, in the suburbs; and i want to share it with other lovers of finer things who have found themselves separated from the big-city bustle, yet still want that enrichment the metropolis brings. traveling to the city will still be necessary, i'm sure. but i'll have updates every few days about things and places i've found locally, as well as different techniques and "stay-at-home" methods of bringing the culture of the world in to the comfort of your suburban abode.

feel free to add suggestions or comments, news or experiences. together we'll discover ways to escape from being stuck in suburbia.