My Community, My People

Laura Pitcher is a blogger (The Bucket List Narratives) who travels to different destinations (especially Disney parks around the world) with her husband David.

How did you get to the Dallas Region?
I was born in Dallas and grew up in Plano. I went to Trinity Christian Academy and American Heritage Academy. I left and attended college for two years in Oklahoma and then moved back. I always knew that I wanted to live here long term.

What made you decide to Say Yes to Dallas?
With what I do, it’d probably be more practical for me to live in Orlando or Anaheim, since I travel so much, but what’s nice about running a mobile business is that I can choose to live anywhere, and I’ve chosen to be based out of Dallas. I’ve found that I like Dallas the most. It’s where I have my community, it’s where I have my people, and, at the end of the day, that’s what I value. There’s a sense of pride and sense of belonging that Texans have, and Dallas has more of a big-city vibe that you don’t get anywhere else in Texas.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to move here?
It’s an easy city to be rooted in. I think that the South in general is a very community-driven place and a very relationship-driven place. We have a lot of urban things to do, but it has very Southern roots, so it’s an easy place to find your tribe and your people. Dallas has all the appeal of a big city like New York or Chicago, but you have hospitality and friendship and community and sort of that small town feel.

Do you travel often? Is it easier or harder to do here?
I’m gone at least once a month, sometimes more, but I’m at the airport at least once a month. I’ve been to so many airports all over the world and DFW International Airport is definitely the easiest to navigate. It’s just so easy to fly out of and fly into. It’s also the easiest city to drive in compared to other cities. California traffic, Orlando traffic, anywhere – Dallas roadways are just the best.

What would you miss most about the area if you had to leave?
I would definitely miss my community the most. That’s what mainly keeps me rooted in Dallas, but I also just love the area. There’s always something new to eat, there’s always something new to try, and it’s not super expensive yet like New York or Paris.

What is your passion, and how does the Dallas Region help fulfill it?
What I really want to be able to do is travel and write about it and fulfill my dreams while still being rooted in community. Dallas helps me do that by providing a home base that feels safe and feels familiar and feels comfortable, but also lets me grow and lets me expand.

Where do you like to shop? Why?
I like to shop at NorthPark Center. I’ve been coming here since I was a kid. It has a lot of good memories and I think anyone that lives in the Dallas Region likes going to NorthPark. I also like the shops at Watters Creek and Highland Park Village. If I’m going to thrift stores, I really like Buffalo Exchange and Genesis’ Benefit Thrift Store. Dallas has a lot of good thrift stores in general.

What do you like to do when you aren’t traveling?
I love to hang out with my friends. My husband and I love going to Klyde Warren Park and coffee shops. We spend a good amount of time going to Alamo Drafthouse Cinema. They have really fun movie parties – they just did a Christmas in July “Elf” movie party where you throw snowballs at each other in the theater. When we aren’t traveling to Disney, we like to travel to other places – and when I’m not traveling, I’m planning my traveling. We just got back from Hawaii, Europe, Savannah, and Charleston.

What is your favorite festival/event?
I love Taste Addison, I love Texas Tulips at Pilot Point, I love the Bluebonnet Trails Festival. I love Christmas in Dallas – that’s my favorite. I love NorthPark at Christmas, I love watching “A Christmas Carol” they put on every year at Wyly Theatre. I love the lights at Highland Village Park. They do a “Gingerbread Stroll” where you can walk around store to store and look at gingerbread houses.

What’s your favorite Disney event?
They do a “Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas” event every year which is very fun. There’s an “International Flower and Garden Festival” at Epcot where they do these giant flower topiaries and there’s food and it’s super fun. I just like all of it.

Photo Credit: Holly Nguyen