Fort Worth is the largest certified Blue Zones Community® in the country. Each month we talk to a different member of our community and find out how they experience well-being in their neighborhood. This month’s featured guest is Realtor® Tim Young. Tim grew up on Fort Worth’s Westside, as did his wife, Donna. Today they both embrace the downtown Fort Worth lifestyle.
Q: You live on the south end of downtown in the historic Texas & Pacific Lofts (which is a Blue Zones Project participating HOA). How does that support your well-being?
TY: We really embrace the minimalist lifestyle. If we need something we don’t have, we borrow or rent it. And you get to know your neighbors a lot better in a condo. Just being close to people is a good thing.
Q: Moving Naturally is one of the Power 9 principles for longevity. What does that look like for you and Donna?
TY: We like to walk every day. From here, we can go in just about any direction. We’ll often walk to Sundance Square or Magnolia to eat. On weekends we take longer walks, sometimes to Camp Bowie or the Trinity. Taking public transportation back allows us to walk farther.
Q: Your Walking Tours combine natural movement with history and social connections. Tell us about those.
TY: We’ve been doing our Historic Walking Tours for nine years now. It started somewhat as a promotional tool, but I really just did it for fun and to share my curiosity in Fort Worth history and architecture. We offer a free tour every month, usually covering 2-3 miles. We started with 10 to 15 people back in the day; now we may have up to 150 each tour, depending on weather. We’ve really created a community.
Q: And you provide breakfast, too?
TY: Yes, I make breakfast burritos for everyone. Not exactly Blue Zones but it’s all about choices.
Q: The COVID shutdown oddly benefited you and Donna in one way. How so?
TY: With Donna working from home, we were able to get rid of one of our cars. Now we share a car and just walk more. It’s nice living near a train station. And we can easily get downtown or ride the DASH to 7th Street or the Cultural District.
Q: What does dinner in the Young household look like?
TY: We cook at home a lot. I was vegan for a while and still try to cook healthy. We typically go to Tom Thumb, Sprouts, or Whole Foods as they have a great selection of fresh produce.
Q: What are some of your go-to restaurants for a plant-based meal?
TY: Salata is one of our favorite healthy places to eat; Freshii is good too. And believe it or not, Cheesecake Factory has a great vegan cobb salad. I get it without dressing; it’s my favorite. I don’t even get the cheesecake.
Q: Belonging to a faith-based community has been shown to boost well-being. Do you have a church home?
TY: We tried out every church downtown; so many great options. One day during our walking tour, we happened to meet the new pastor of Mount Gilead Baptist Church. He was so welcoming. We went back for Christmas service and fell in love with it. It’s nice to be able to walk to a church that’s consistent with our religious beliefs.
Q: And what about “Steve”?
TY: We took a big step and got a new puppy, a Standard Poodle. This should give us yet another reason to get in more steps. In a condo, you can’t just let the dog out the backdoor. It’s going to be interesting.
