S/O: Most overrated neighborhood in the area?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Then you aren't living. We have great neighbors that get together socially several times a week. Ironically- we are all very successful--but 4 of us are private business owners and only 1 in a group of about 15 is a lawyer. We have writers, geneticists, environmental engineers, an artist, psychologists, economists, professors in the midst. It is very lively, fun group. We somehow managed to surround ourselves with great "real" people. I think liking what you do, being happy with yourself and not buying into the mindset of that McLean poster, e.g., status/classism, etc. Live and love life!

May I ask where you live? Or at least could you say, DC or burbs?

Glad you have found a good scene.

I am in Clarendon, but-truthfully-we found the same thing in our old DC neighborhood. We probably do gravitate/attract the more interesting set. We dont buy into the rat race or play the stiff upper lip/jonese game. If you end up at our house- you'll be drunk, not even ask what somebody does for a living (like it matters!), and dancing. We can smell a douchebag in 15 seconds or less. The funny thing is it has worked for all of us--compared to those selling out and kissing ass to get ahead.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Then you aren't living. We have great neighbors that get together socially several times a week. Ironically- we are all very successful--but 4 of us are private business owners and only 1 in a group of about 15 is a lawyer. We have writers, geneticists, environmental engineers, an artist, psychologists, economists, professors in the midst. It is very lively, fun group. We somehow managed to surround ourselves with great "real" people. I think liking what you do, being happy with yourself and not buying into the mindset of that McLean poster, e.g., status/classism, etc. Live and love life!

May I ask where you live? Or at least could you say, DC or burbs?

Glad you have found a good scene.

I am in Clarendon, but-truthfully-we found the same thing in our old DC neighborhood. We probably do gravitate/attract the more interesting set. We dont buy into the rat race or play the stiff upper lip/jonese game. If you end up at our house- you'll be drunk, not even ask what somebody does for a living (like it matters!), and dancing. We can smell a douchebag in 15 seconds or less. The funny thing is it has worked for all of us--compared to those selling out and kissing ass to get ahead.

You sound smug. Not everyone likes to be part of a giant in group like that - sounds like a hs clique, actually. And I have a very hard time believing you only have 1 lawyer friend in dc.

[Anonymous]

There is a very good reason why those of us in a certain part of Upper NW love that we don't have the metro.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is a very good reason why those of us in a certain part of Upper NW love that we don't have the metro.

Why? To keep the riff raff out?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Then you aren't living. We have great neighbors that get together socially several times a week. Ironically- we are all very successful--but 4 of us are private business owners and only 1 in a group of about 15 is a lawyer. We have writers, geneticists, environmental engineers, an artist, psychologists, economists, professors in the midst. It is very lively, fun group. We somehow managed to surround ourselves with great "real" people. I think liking what you do, being happy with yourself and not buying into the mindset of that McLean poster, e.g., status/classism, etc. Live and love life!

May I ask where you live? Or at least could you say, DC or burbs?

Glad you have found a good scene.

I am in Clarendon, but-truthfully-we found the same thing in our old DC neighborhood. We probably do gravitate/attract the more interesting set. We dont buy into the rat race or play the stiff upper lip/jonese game. If you end up at our house- you'll be drunk, not even ask what somebody does for a living (like it matters!), and dancing. We can smell a douchebag in 15 seconds or less. The funny thing is it has worked for all of us--compared to those selling out and kissing ass to get ahead.

You sound smug. Not everyone likes to be part of a giant in group like that - sounds like a hs clique, actually. And I have a very hard time believing you only have 1 lawyer friend in dc.

Are you a 22 year old recent college grad renter?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is a very good reason why those of us in a certain part of Upper NW love that we don't have the metro.

Why? To keep the riff raff out?

riff raff, tourists, people who don't look like the live here, etc etc etc. BUt they do find their way here. A few weeks ago a bunch of guys with mean signs were standing in front of a neighbors house. I called the cops. Secret Service also showed up. They scurried away like rats back to their sewer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do people who think Arlington is ugly think all of it is ugly? Or just Lyon Village? Or just the many 1950s ramblers that are all over North Arlington.

I heart Maywood. I think it's beautiful, not that I live there and not that I love it enough to want to move.

The problem with arlington is that the tiny crappy 50s 60s homes are above tear down price so they stick around

Not really $800k properties are tear-downs in my neighborhood.

Developers buy them, tear them down, rebuild and sell for $1.4-1.8 mill.

Wrong, some people buy them, remodel them and live in them. Get off your high horse people and get a taste of reality! We are one of these families who bought a home for 800K and cannot afford to rebuild or buy a 1.5 mil house. So, deal with it, our ugly rambler will be there to stay right next to your 2 mil homes. And I know for a fact, we are not alone, not everyone aspires to live in 5000sq.ft drywall palace.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is a very good reason why those of us in a certain part of Upper NW love that we don't have the metro.

Why? To keep the riff raff out?

riff raff, tourists, people who don't look like the live here, etc etc etc. BUt they do find their way here. A few weeks ago a bunch of guys with mean signs were standing in front of a neighbors house. I called the cops. Secret Service also showed up. They scurried away like rats back to their sewer.

you are a troll

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am in Clarendon, but-truthfully-we found the same thing in our old DC neighborhood. We probably do gravitate/attract the more interesting set. We dont buy into the rat race or play the stiff upper lip/jonese game. If you end up at our house- you'll be drunk, not even ask what somebody does for a living (like it matters!), and dancing. We can smell a douchebag in 15 seconds or less. The funny thing is it has worked for all of us--compared to those selling out and kissing ass to get ahead.

You sound smug. Not everyone likes to be part of a giant in group like that - sounds like a hs clique, actually. And I have a very hard time believing you only have 1 lawyer friend in dc.

Are you a 22 year old recent college grad renter?

I think the Clarendon partier is just one of those self-satisfied extroverts who can't imagine why people might rather have one or two close friends than a constant party. I also love the hypocrisy of looking down at the "rat race" while being oh-so-pleased with his "interesting set," and being quick to "sniff out" and immediately expell anyone that "the group" decides is a "douchebag" upon knowing him for all of 15 seconds. Yuck, yuck, yuck. I would rather hang out with McLean mommy and drink chardonay with her in a mall bar at Tyson's Corner.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Then you aren't living. We have great neighbors that get together socially several times a week. Ironically- we are all very successful--but 4 of us are private business owners and only 1 in a group of about 15 is a lawyer. We have writers, geneticists, environmental engineers, an artist, psychologists, economists, professors in the midst. It is very lively, fun group. We somehow managed to surround ourselves with great "real" people. I think liking what you do, being happy with yourself and not buying into the mindset of that McLean poster, e.g., status/classism, etc. Live and love life!

Also, can you say what type of private business you all are in...roughly? Thanks.

OMG, we are still talking about it? Have you ever driven around Mclean? Despite the supply of expensive homes and mansions and new construction there are tons of split levels and ranchers that are under 1 mil and are populated by old people and families that moved in a few years ago for less to put their kids through school, e.g. not your "status" crowd you are referring to. And, there are new families moving in looking for free public schools who cannot afford to spend more than 900K on a house and definitely won't be building brilliant new palaces in place of these old ugly homes. They'll just move in, freshen things up and wait to put their kids through school. I am pretty certain Arlington/Bethesda is all the same.

Honestly, when I drive around Arlington/Mclean/Bethesda it all looks the same to me, it makes no difference, you would close your eyes and forget where you are and would not tell if you are in one area or the other. Similar nature, trees, hills, housing stock, etc. Especially when you drive from Mclean to N.Arlington parts the boundaries blend, you cannot tell when one town ends and another begins. It's all the same to me, but then, I am not from here, so I guess maybe different for a local. FYI, have been looking for homes in NOVA, Arlington, Mclean, Falls Church, don't care really where we end up as long as the house meets our budget and needs and the schools are good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do people who think Arlington is ugly think all of it is ugly? Or just Lyon Village? Or just the many 1950s ramblers that are all over North Arlington.

I heart Maywood. I think it's beautiful, not that I live there and not that I love it enough to want to move.

The problem with arlington is that the tiny crappy 50s 60s homes are above tear down price so they stick around

Not really $800k properties are tear-downs in my neighborhood.

Developers buy them, tear them down, rebuild and sell for $1.4-1.8 mill.

Wrong, some people buy them, remodel them and live in them. Get off your high horse people and get a taste of reality! We are one of these families who bought a home for 800K and cannot afford to rebuild or buy a 1.5 mil house. So, deal with it, our ugly rambler will be there to stay right next to your 2 mil homes. And I know for a fact, we are not alone, not everyone aspires to live in 5000sq.ft drywall palace.

You are not Mickey Simpson, BCN, Arl. Dealt, etc. I said "developers".

[Anonymous]

I agree with 11:53 and I am from here too. I think DCUM is populated--just like much of the DC area in general--by people from other places. For whatever reason, it seems like those are the people who want to define everything and rank order everything. I grew up in Bethesda--I say that because some of you will try to discount my view as an excuse for where I am from around here and I doubt you can do that to Bethesda gal (Burning Tree, Whitman). Oh--and for you private schools snobs, I finished up at a prep school because Whitman is just like any other school and isn't the best fit for everyone. I now live in Virginia outside the beltway and I like it here too. I think a lot of you were cream of the crop where you came from and you get to DC and you are normal and now you have to figure out some way to be better than others so you turn to real estate or schools. It is insane--relax. Don't try so hard.

Oh--and no one who is actually from here or a member of Congressional Country Club calls it Congo.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree with 11:53 and I am from here too. I think DCUM is populated--just like much of the DC area in general--by people from other places. For whatever reason, it seems like those are the people who want to define everything and rank order everything. I grew up in Bethesda--I say that because some of you will try to discount my view as an excuse for where I am from around here and I doubt you can do that to Bethesda gal (Burning Tree, Whitman). Oh--and for you private schools snobs, I finished up at a prep school because Whitman is just like any other school and isn't the best fit for everyone. I now live in Virginia outside the beltway and I like it here too. I think a lot of you were cream of the crop where you came from and you get to DC and you are normal and now you have to figure out some way to be better than others so you turn to real estate or schools. It is insane--relax. Don't try so hard.

Oh--and no one who is actually from here or a member of Congressional Country Club calls it Congo.

11:53 and 14:07, I love you both. I'm from here too and 14:07, you particularly nailed it on the head. Everybody else, just chill.

"Congo" - this one particularly makes me laugh.

[Anonymous]

yeah they do. My friend's handle on another message board is "CongoHoya" because he is a member.

[Anonymous]

How long has your friend lived here? If may be a newbie thing but the longstanding members do not call it that. Sorry.