What’s wrong with Ashburn?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People complain that western Fairfax is nothing but chains and big box stores. Not e tire my true, but I’m with the Ashburn poster who says, as a parent, who cares? I’m not taking my kids to fancy places. And I’m happy to be close to target and wegman’s.

Yes, Ashburn is great for family with kids lifestyle only.

I don't want this to sound like I'm arguing, but given the PP's note that she doesn't take her kids to fancy places--I think places like Ashburn appeal to families who have a certain take on "kids lifestyle." I have literally nothing against the suburbs, live in one myself though different in character to Ashburn, but I would be thoroughly depressed to only have big-box stores and chain restaurants close by. I love dining out with my kid and exposing her to different foods, as well as just dining out generally. She is five and we really like our evenings out as a family, as well as the mommy-daughter brunches I take her to every other week after soccer practice.

Also, my husband and I also like having a good variety for date nights as well as evenings with friends.

Anyways, "as a parent," I care quite a bit...but others have a different type of lifestyle. Just always think its odd when folks lump "parents" into one group. We are still individuals.

True. But at a certain point, your daughter will be spending more time on HER friends and activities, and the character of those outings will change.

Sure! But as she moves toward more independence, it’ll be even more important for me to really enjoy my own surroundings as an adult woman. The schlepping of kids to play dates and sports happens in whatever setting you live in and obviously is a time suck—but I still like being able to pop around the corner to a great wine bar or art show with my husband, a pal, or even just myself when I can!

But in Loudoun, our wineries are just around the corner. And we do have great wine bars too.

I enjoy my life here. All my neighbors are the same age and we have huge bonfires in the culdesac on Halloween and weekend nights. Tons of kids for mine to play with and nice trails to bike. We work out here, so it wasn't like we were ever going to live in DC. Our options were pretty much Reston or Loudoun County so we could be close to job centers.

I think Loudoun is great! I’m not sure what you’re reading into my post or what I’m presenting—I was just reacting to the idea that everyone equates family life with not going anywhere “nice” or big box/chain stores being adequate in terms of QOL. I believe most of the Ashburn developments are within 15 or so minutes to Leesburg, which is just fine, but for me personally I’d like to be closer to local/interesting restaurants and the like.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People complain that western Fairfax is nothing but chains and big box stores. Not e tire my true, but I’m with the Ashburn poster who says, as a parent, who cares? I’m not taking my kids to fancy places. And I’m happy to be close to target and wegman’s.

Yes, Ashburn is great for family with kids lifestyle only.

I don't want this to sound like I'm arguing, but given the PP's note that she doesn't take her kids to fancy places--I think places like Ashburn appeal to families who have a certain take on "kids lifestyle." I have literally nothing against the suburbs, live in one myself though different in character to Ashburn, but I would be thoroughly depressed to only have big-box stores and chain restaurants close by. I love dining out with my kid and exposing her to different foods, as well as just dining out generally. She is five and we really like our evenings out as a family, as well as the mommy-daughter brunches I take her to every other week after soccer practice.

Also, my husband and I also like having a good variety for date nights as well as evenings with friends.

Anyways, "as a parent," I care quite a bit...but others have a different type of lifestyle. Just always think its odd when folks lump "parents" into one group. We are still individuals.

who says there aren't ethnic restaurants in loudoun?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People complain that western Fairfax is nothing but chains and big box stores. Not e tire my true, but I’m with the Ashburn poster who says, as a parent, who cares? I’m not taking my kids to fancy places. And I’m happy to be close to target and wegman’s.

Yes, Ashburn is great for family with kids lifestyle only.

I don't want this to sound like I'm arguing, but given the PP's note that she doesn't take her kids to fancy places--I think places like Ashburn appeal to families who have a certain take on "kids lifestyle." I have literally nothing against the suburbs, live in one myself though different in character to Ashburn, but I would be thoroughly depressed to only have big-box stores and chain restaurants close by. I love dining out with my kid and exposing her to different foods, as well as just dining out generally. She is five and we really like our evenings out as a family, as well as the mommy-daughter brunches I take her to every other week after soccer practice.

Also, my husband and I also like having a good variety for date nights as well as evenings with friends.

Anyways, "as a parent," I care quite a bit...but others have a different type of lifestyle. Just always think its odd when folks lump "parents" into one group. We are still individuals.

who says there aren't ethnic restaurants in loudoun?

Who said there weren’t? I think people are reading my post as being about a specific place as opposed to a mindset about parenting and family life. I’m really happy for anyone who is lucky enough to enjoy their life. I also just think adult people, even those who are parents, have a variety of different desires for their lifestyle.

[Anonymous]

wait, it's socially conservative to want your kids to have lots of kids nearby, parks and playgrounds, etc?

I guess I'm conservative then for LOVING that the homecoming parade for the local HS goes right past my house. And that the track/cross country teams run through our neighborhood, Or that I can hear the marching band practicing from my house.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:wait, it's socially conservative to want your kids to have lots of kids nearby, parks and playgrounds, etc?

I guess I'm conservative then for LOVING that the homecoming parade for the local HS goes right past my house. And that the track/cross country teams run through our neighborhood, Or that I can hear the marching band practicing from my house.

Come on, this is great but hardly unique to Ashburn or other exurbs. (I’m a fellow exurb person myself and quite happy!)

I do think the socially conservative take is silly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:wait, it's socially conservative to want your kids to have lots of kids nearby, parks and playgrounds, etc?

I guess I'm conservative then for LOVING that the homecoming parade for the local HS goes right past my house. And that the track/cross country teams run through our neighborhood, Or that I can hear the marching band practicing from my house.

Come on, this is great but hardly unique to Ashburn or other exurbs. (I’m a fellow exurb person myself and quite happy!)

I do think the socially conservative take is silly.

I don't even live in ashburn. I was arguing against the idiotic socially conservative poster. They made it sound wrong to like things that are kid friendly from a neighborhood. Not to mention the poster is insufferable babbling on about Ivies and I guess their own superiority? ;P

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I live there but none of my neighbors commute to dc. They commute to Dulles, Reston or maybe tysons.

+1.

Fine for outer suburb commutes. Horrific for DC/inner Arlington commutes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People complain that western Fairfax is nothing but chains and big box stores. Not e tire my true, but I’m with the Ashburn poster who says, as a parent, who cares? I’m not taking my kids to fancy places. And I’m happy to be close to target and wegman’s.

Yes, Ashburn is great for family with kids lifestyle only.

I don't want this to sound like I'm arguing, but given the PP's note that she doesn't take her kids to fancy places--I think places like Ashburn appeal to families who have a certain take on "kids lifestyle." I have literally nothing against the suburbs, live in one myself though different in character to Ashburn, but I would be thoroughly depressed to only have big-box stores and chain restaurants close by. I love dining out with my kid and exposing her to different foods, as well as just dining out generally. She is five and we really like our evenings out as a family, as well as the mommy-daughter brunches I take her to every other week after soccer practice.

Also, my husband and I also like having a good variety for date nights as well as evenings with friends.

Anyways, "as a parent," I care quite a bit...but others have a different type of lifestyle. Just always think its odd when folks lump "parents" into one group. We are still individuals.

who says there aren't ethnic restaurants in loudoun?

Who said there weren’t? I think people are reading my post as being about a specific place as opposed to a mindset about parenting and family life. I’m really happy for anyone who is lucky enough to enjoy their life. I also just think adult people, even those who are parents, have a variety of different desires for their lifestyle.

Of course. I think people are just trying to gently point out that they, too, were still enjoying happy hour on the patio in the city with their preschooler at one point. Fast forward ten years and multiple kids, and no matter how much you enjoy that gallery walk and glass of wine, you are much more likely to be spending your Saturday afternoon driving from a birthday party to a soccer game... conveniently located nearby if you live in Ashburn.

[Anonymous]

LOL! Bragging about the HS team having a Homecoming parade that passes by your house!
I have watched the 4th of July parades in a small CO town, and that was fun.
But, when you post something like that you ought to admit it is a small town mindset to have something like that.
There is nothing wrong with that at all. But, then also acknowledge that it is not "cosmopolitan" and so like the DC!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maybe I'm wrong, but my impression of Ashburn is that it appeals to socially conservative (though not necessarily politically conservative) Gen X and Millennials who are well off but not really affluent by DMV standards, and who embrace a safe and "family-friendly" lifestyle oriented around raising their kids (and therefore don't mind that it's boring to DC and inside-the-Beltway sophisticates.

They make enough money to own nice houses, though many of their homes on postage-stamp lots; they take nice vacations, although they are more likely to rent a big house for their extended family on the Outer Banks every year than travel abroad; they are happy if their kids go to VT and JMU rather than an Ivy or a prestigious OOS school; they make all their kids participate in some type of "group" activity in school; and they'd be fine with only visiting DC once or twice a year.

Sounds perfect to me!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:LOL! Bragging about the HS team having a Homecoming parade that passes by your house!
I have watched the 4th of July parades in a small CO town, and that was fun.
But, when you post something like that you ought to admit it is a small town mindset to have something like that.
There is nothing wrong with that at all. But, then also acknowledge that it is not "cosmopolitan" and so like the DC!

Vomit.

[Anonymous]

oh, you're so cool, "cosmopolitan" person

I enjoy the small town feel of my neighborhood for my kids, but also have DC close enough for when we want to go to the monuments, museums, a baseball game or a performance at the Kennedy Center

Even when we were planning to move to another city and hoping to live closer to downtown than we do here (we're about 20 miles out right now), we still wanted to be walkable to schools and parks and some stores/restaurants.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People complain that western Fairfax is nothing but chains and big box stores. Not e tire my true, but I’m with the Ashburn poster who says, as a parent, who cares? I’m not taking my kids to fancy places. And I’m happy to be close to target and wegman’s.

Yes, Ashburn is great for family with kids lifestyle only.

I don't want this to sound like I'm arguing, but given the PP's note that she doesn't take her kids to fancy places--I think places like Ashburn appeal to families who have a certain take on "kids lifestyle." I have literally nothing against the suburbs, live in one myself though different in character to Ashburn, but I would be thoroughly depressed to only have big-box stores and chain restaurants close by. I love dining out with my kid and exposing her to different foods, as well as just dining out generally. She is five and we really like our evenings out as a family, as well as the mommy-daughter brunches I take her to every other week after soccer practice.

Also, my husband and I also like having a good variety for date nights as well as evenings with friends.

Anyways, "as a parent," I care quite a bit...but others have a different type of lifestyle. Just always think its odd when folks lump "parents" into one group. We are still individuals.

who says there aren't ethnic restaurants in loudoun?

Who said there weren’t? I think people are reading my post as being about a specific place as opposed to a mindset about parenting and family life. I’m really happy for anyone who is lucky enough to enjoy their life. I also just think adult people, even those who are parents, have a variety of different desires for their lifestyle.

Of course. I think people are just trying to gently point out that they, too, were still enjoying happy hour on the patio in the city with their preschooler at one point. Fast forward ten years and multiple kids, and no matter how much you enjoy that gallery walk and glass of wine, you are much more likely to be spending your Saturday afternoon driving from a birthday party to a soccer game... conveniently located nearby if you live in Ashburn.

Huh? I’m much more likely to be spending my Saturday afternoons NOW doing activities like that—or at least I was pre-COVID and am doing so now again. Also, as stated, I live in a suburb, it’s just different than Ashburn. My kids’ friends and activities are right around the corner (as they would have been in the city). I absolutely think getting in and out of Target is easier in the burbs than the city though!

But listen, everyone has their own happy spot in living locations...which is my only point here, after the PPs (don’t know if you were one of them) fell into the weird habit that so many do of assuming their preferences for how they parent/structure their “family life” mirrors others. I don’t think all my parent peers want my life, which I totally get.

Though I will say, in ten years when my kid is 15, I expect my husband and I will be out enjoying our town even more than we do now with a preschooler! 15-year-old can watch themselves!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People complain that western Fairfax is nothing but chains and big box stores. Not e tire my true, but I’m with the Ashburn poster who says, as a parent, who cares? I’m not taking my kids to fancy places. And I’m happy to be close to target and wegman’s.

Yes, Ashburn is great for family with kids lifestyle only.

I don't want this to sound like I'm arguing, but given the PP's note that she doesn't take her kids to fancy places--I think places like Ashburn appeal to families who have a certain take on "kids lifestyle." I have literally nothing against the suburbs, live in one myself though different in character to Ashburn, but I would be thoroughly depressed to only have big-box stores and chain restaurants close by. I love dining out with my kid and exposing her to different foods, as well as just dining out generally. She is five and we really like our evenings out as a family, as well as the mommy-daughter brunches I take her to every other week after soccer practice.

Also, my husband and I also like having a good variety for date nights as well as evenings with friends.

Anyways, "as a parent," I care quite a bit...but others have a different type of lifestyle. Just always think its odd when folks lump "parents" into one group. We are still individuals.

who says there aren't ethnic restaurants in loudoun?

Who said there weren’t? I think people are reading my post as being about a specific place as opposed to a mindset about parenting and family life. I’m really happy for anyone who is lucky enough to enjoy their life. I also just think adult people, even those who are parents, have a variety of different desires for their lifestyle.

Of course. I think people are just trying to gently point out that they, too, were still enjoying happy hour on the patio in the city with their preschooler at one point. Fast forward ten years and multiple kids, and no matter how much you enjoy that gallery walk and glass of wine, you are much more likely to be spending your Saturday afternoon driving from a birthday party to a soccer game... conveniently located nearby if you live in Ashburn.

Huh? I’m much more likely to be spending my Saturday afternoons NOW doing activities like that—or at least I was pre-COVID and am doing so now again. Also, as stated, I live in a suburb, it’s just different than Ashburn. My kids’ friends and activities are right around the corner (as they would have been in the city). I absolutely think getting in and out of Target is easier in the burbs than the city though!

But listen, everyone has their own happy spot in living locations...which is my only point here, after the PPs (don’t know if you were one of them) fell into the weird habit that so many do of assuming their preferences for how they parent/structure their “family life” mirrors others. I don’t think all my parent peers want my life, which I totally get.

Though I will say, in ten years when my kid is 15, I expect my husband and I will be out enjoying our town even more than we do now with a preschooler! 15-year-old can watch themselves!

Oh, I just spotted that for some reason you assume I’m going to have multiple kids. Yeah nooooo. All done, thanks. But I guess that sort of continues the whole pattern of “assuming others will follow the same path and/or want the same things you do.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think you had a typo--unless it's 2am on Christmas Eve, You aren't getting to DC in 20-25 minutes. More like 70-90. I do it every single day from Ashburn Farms leaving at 6am.

+1. Commute still matters.

Does everyone in this area work in DC?