Does anyone else hate Bethesda?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't really like white affluent mainstream culture. I can blend, but my people are not those people. And other women are the worst. Passive aggressive, so positive that they're toxic, competitive, and really cruel.

"I don't know anyone like that," you'd say. "You must just have not met the right people. Or maybe it's you. You're the toxic one."

No. It's not me.

Things to dislike about Bethesda:

The Barnes and Noble closed (the one thing we liked about Bethesda).

Chain counter-service restaurants that serve carb-conscious "bowls" of food.

The lack of a grid and the confusing layout.

Parking manages to feel both unsafe and is expensive.

Chain sit-down restaurants that make you think you are in Walnut Creek, CA with your retired nana.

So many blonde ponytails.

So many SUVs.

Hyper-competutive, neurotic children with rich-kid kid problems: anxiety, etc.

People who think disliking these things means I'm jealous. Not jealous. I just don't like you or your town.

What if I wrote “too many black ponytails”? I’d be jumped on as a racist. I think you sound like an a-hole

[Anonymous]

I think there is a generational difference in terms of who lives in Bethesda. If you are middle aged you either bought when property values were not as insane as they are now, or you've had decades to save to live there. Or you are among a minority of apartment renters. I grew up in Bethesda. Absolutely I was very privileged to live there, but my dad was a fed and my mom was a SAHM. They bought when my brother and I were elementary age. Very few families like that can afford to buy an SFH in Bethesda these days. It takes more than a good salary, and even with two good salaries it would be a stretch. And the "affordable" homes are now 70+ years old (when my parents bought those houses were 40 years old) so you'd better have a good financial cushion to deal with old house issues. I do think that for young families, Bethesda has shifted from a place for run of the mill UMC families to a place for people with high paying private sector jobs and/or family wealth. And that's not relatable to many people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I grew up there and it was good enough. Private schools were barely on my radar back then, except a number of foreigners would attend FIS or Holton. Otherwise, they’d have to pay for public.

I don’t think I’d want to live there now as I don’t want my kids growing up with the affluenza.

It’s materialistic now and lots of Botox.

I'm a middle aged woman living in Bethesda and no one I know does Botox or any other age-related intervention. My circle is not afflicted by affluenza, as in, they don't buy their kid a Jeep at 16, they don't run around covered in designer brands, they don't look down on others who live elsewhere. We save our money to pay for whatever college our kids can get into, or pay for expensive nursing homes for our parents. That's where the money goes!

It's pathetic when people just slap labels on neighborhoods and write them off. Morons think east MoCo is unsafe and gang-infested, they think Bethesda-Chevy Chase is full of rich snobs, upper county is full of hicks...

The stupidity is just mind-blowing.

I mostly agree. We make good money but definitely sweat the big expenses. "The best college your kid can get into or nursing homes for our parents" really hits home. And we live in Potomac, and whatever everyone things about Potomac is worse, yet totally disjointed with our lifestyle (normal house, don't always mow the lawn when we should, drive Mazdas, didn't take a vacation last year and probably not going to take an international vacation this year, etc...). People raise their eyebrows when their hear your zip code and yes the schools are great but it's not like that. That said, I do get a little botox.

Bethesda is...a very large area. You hater pps know that, right? There's literally like 3-4 massive high schools serving the area. It's like not just Bethesda Ave. Ofc it's a bit dull but that is just a product of bland, risk averse dmv.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't really like white affluent mainstream culture. I can blend, but my people are not those people. And other women are the worst. Passive aggressive, so positive that they're toxic, competitive, and really cruel.

"I don't know anyone like that," you'd say. "You must just have not met the right people. Or maybe it's you. You're the toxic one."

No. It's not me.

Things to dislike about Bethesda:

The Barnes and Noble closed (the one thing we liked about Bethesda).

Chain counter-service restaurants that serve carb-conscious "bowls" of food.

The lack of a grid and the confusing layout.

Parking manages to feel both unsafe and is expensive.

Chain sit-down restaurants that make you think you are in Walnut Creek, CA with your retired nana.

So many blonde ponytails.

So many SUVs.

Hyper-competutive, neurotic children with rich-kid kid problems: anxiety, etc.

People who think disliking these things means I'm jealous. Not jealous. I just don't like you or your town.

Do you like black affluent mainstream culture? asian affluent mainstream culture? WTF are you even talking about

Not sure. Help us notice it. Describe it please!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Having been in Bethesda for several years, your experience could differ greatly depending on your race.

How NPR of you!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't really like white affluent mainstream culture. I can blend, but my people are not those people. And other women are the worst. Passive aggressive, so positive that they're toxic, competitive, and really cruel.

"I don't know anyone like that," you'd say. "You must just have not met the right people. Or maybe it's you. You're the toxic one."

No. It's not me.

Things to dislike about Bethesda:

The Barnes and Noble closed (the one thing we liked about Bethesda).

Chain counter-service restaurants that serve carb-conscious "bowls" of food.

The lack of a grid and the confusing layout.

Parking manages to feel both unsafe and is expensive.

Chain sit-down restaurants that make you think you are in Walnut Creek, CA with your retired nana.

So many blonde ponytails.

So many SUVs.

Hyper-competutive, neurotic children with rich-kid kid problems: anxiety, etc.

People who think disliking these things means I'm jealous. Not jealous. I just don't like you or your town.

so you hate white blonde women? got it!

...no one is forcing you to live here. Takoma Park may be for you!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't really like white affluent mainstream culture. I can blend, but my people are not those people. And other women are the worst. Passive aggressive, so positive that they're toxic, competitive, and really cruel.

"I don't know anyone like that," you'd say. "You must just have not met the right people. Or maybe it's you. You're the toxic one."

No. It's not me.

Things to dislike about Bethesda:

The Barnes and Noble closed (the one thing we liked about Bethesda).

Chain counter-service restaurants that serve carb-conscious "bowls" of food.

The lack of a grid and the confusing layout.

Parking manages to feel both unsafe and is expensive.

Chain sit-down restaurants that make you think you are in Walnut Creek, CA with your retired nana.

So many blonde ponytails.

So many SUVs.

Hyper-competutive, neurotic children with rich-kid kid problems: anxiety, etc.

People who think disliking these things means I'm jealous. Not jealous. I just don't like you or your town.

so you hate white blonde women? got it!

...no one is forcing you to live here. Takoma Park may be for you!

I didn’t take this as an attack on all white people, just a specific type of white person that exists in Bethesda. I’m white and totally get what PPs saying. I don’t feel the same way about places like Williamsburg, Red Hook, and SoHo, which have plenty of UMC white people that totally different from the ones that PP is talking about.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't really like white affluent mainstream culture. I can blend, but my people are not those people. And other women are the worst. Passive aggressive, so positive that they're toxic, competitive, and really cruel.

"I don't know anyone like that," you'd say. "You must just have not met the right people. Or maybe it's you. You're the toxic one."

No. It's not me.

Things to dislike about Bethesda:

The Barnes and Noble closed (the one thing we liked about Bethesda).

Chain counter-service restaurants that serve carb-conscious "bowls" of food.

The lack of a grid and the confusing layout.

Parking manages to feel both unsafe and is expensive.

Chain sit-down restaurants that make you think you are in Walnut Creek, CA with your retired nana.

So many blonde ponytails.

So many SUVs.

Hyper-competutive, neurotic children with rich-kid kid problems: anxiety, etc.

People who think disliking these things means I'm jealous. Not jealous. I just don't like you or your town.

so you hate white blonde women? got it!

...no one is forcing you to live here. Takoma Park may be for you!

I didn’t take this as an attack on all white people, just a specific type of white person that exists in Bethesda. I’m white and totally get what PPs saying. I don’t feel the same way about places like Williamsburg, Red Hook, and SoHo, which have plenty of UMC white people that totally different from the ones that PP is talking about.

There's a lot of subtle racism and classism that's unique to Bethesda/CC that's much less prevalent in other areas of MoCo

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't really like white affluent mainstream culture. I can blend, but my people are not those people. And other women are the worst. Passive aggressive, so positive that they're toxic, competitive, and really cruel.

"I don't know anyone like that," you'd say. "You must just have not met the right people. Or maybe it's you. You're the toxic one."

No. It's not me.

Things to dislike about Bethesda:

The Barnes and Noble closed (the one thing we liked about Bethesda).

Chain counter-service restaurants that serve carb-conscious "bowls" of food.

The lack of a grid and the confusing layout.

Parking manages to feel both unsafe and is expensive.

Chain sit-down restaurants that make you think you are in Walnut Creek, CA with your retired nana.

So many blonde ponytails.

So many SUVs.

Hyper-competutive, neurotic children with rich-kid kid problems: anxiety, etc.

People who think disliking these things means I'm jealous. Not jealous. I just don't like you or your town.

so you hate white blonde women? got it!

...no one is forcing you to live here. Takoma Park may be for you!

I didn’t take this as an attack on all white people, just a specific type of white person that exists in Bethesda. I’m white and totally get what PPs saying. I don’t feel the same way about places like Williamsburg, Red Hook, and SoHo, which have plenty of UMC white people that totally different from the ones that PP is talking about.

There's a lot of subtle racism and classism that's unique to Bethesda/CC that's much less prevalent in other areas of MoCo

This is why Rockville stays winning as the non-toxic suburb

[Anonymous]

Bethesda... Yikes!

[Anonymous]

My house hunt in Bethesda was short lived. The houses walking distance to Metro or downtown area are either tiny, run down and on loud blocks with traffic. The homes that are larger and in prefect locations with good lots walking distance to downtown and train are now like 2.5 to 4 million.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My issue with Bethesda is the lack of diversity. Period. Our family moved here (from another part of the US) hoping for a nice neighborhood with interesting, diverse (race, ethnicity, careers, interests) people. This place is anything but that, and it seems like everyone got memo before they moved in: Vineyard Vines wardrobe, check. Range Rover, check. Yellow goldendoodle, check.

Nobody is wearing a vineyard vines wardrobe, wtf. Please.

Yes I'd love to know where this is. I have been very surprised by the lack of prep after moving here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My house hunt in Bethesda was short lived. The houses walking distance to Metro or downtown area are either tiny, run down and on loud blocks with traffic. The homes that are larger and in prefect locations with good lots walking distance to downtown and train are now like 2.5 to 4 million.

Our housing hunt was also short-lived in Bethesda. If I'm going to be spending close to 4 million, I don't want to be on a tiny lot within 10 or 15 ft from my neighbor's house and be able to see into their bathroom or bedroom

[Anonymous]

I like Bethesda, it’s fine! It’s where everybody’s parents live.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I grew up there and it was good enough. Private schools were barely on my radar back then, except a number of foreigners would attend FIS or Holton. Otherwise, they’d have to pay for public.

I don’t think I’d want to live there now as I don’t want my kids growing up with the affluenza.

It’s materialistic now and lots of Botox.

I'm a middle aged woman living in Bethesda and no one I know does Botox or any other age-related intervention. My circle is not afflicted by affluenza, as in, they don't buy their kid a Jeep at 16, they don't run around covered in designer brands, they don't look down on others who live elsewhere. We save our money to pay for whatever college our kids can get into, or pay for expensive nursing homes for our parents. That's where the money goes!

It's pathetic when people just slap labels on neighborhoods and write them off. Morons think east MoCo is unsafe and gang-infested, they think Bethesda-Chevy Chase is full of rich snobs, upper county is full of hicks...

The stupidity is just mind-blowing.

How do you know that?

Yeah, some of your friends definitely do Botox and take Ozempic. I live in my hometown of Chevy Chase and most of my friends have Botox or take GLP-1s or do both. I genuinely had no idea until one friend mentioned it and suddenly everyone else said they were doing it too. None of these women have lip filler, wear lots of makeup, or otherwise look like altered or vampy. I was totally ignorant how widespread this is with Bethesda moms.

I admit I felt left behind and had my Botox virginity taken earlier this month at age 40. I still don't wear makeup or get my nails done, but I do actually look more well rested.