Has anyone w/ kids chosen to leave NoVA for DC?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wanted to be able to walk or metro to work (I walk).

I wanted to be able to walk or metro to my childs school (my husband metros).

I wanted to be able to walk or metro to playground (we walk).

I wanted to be able to walk or metro to entertainment (we walk to dining, museums, etc.) We walk to grocery store.

We do all of that in our VA neighborhood.

For those of you who "have this in your VA neighborhoods" we no longer have a car, because we don't need one. So, obviously you have managed to get by without a car because you can metro and walk everywhere?

Not having a car is nothing to be proud of. Some families, like ours, live in walking distance to metro, schools and amenities AND have a car for the freedom it affords. I don't covet the dubious glory of dragging bags of groceries home, either.

I don't do my shopping at Costco or Whole Foods.

The Farmers Market and the grocery store are both on my walk home. I can stop at either.

Please, child. What farmer's market is still open when you walk home from work?

[Anonymous]

We have 3 kids. I can't imagine grocery shopping without a car. Impossible.

[Anonymous]

We, I grocery shop without a car in VA. I bring one of those old ladies carts. The grocery store is a few blocks from our house.

I can also fit a weeks worth of groceries in the basket of my Uppababy vista. It really isn't that hard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wanted to be able to walk or metro to work (I walk).

I wanted to be able to walk or metro to my childs school (my husband metros).

I wanted to be able to walk or metro to playground (we walk).

I wanted to be able to walk or metro to entertainment (we walk to dining, museums, etc.) We walk to grocery store.

We do all of that in our VA neighborhood.

For those of you who "have this in your VA neighborhoods" we no longer have a car, because we don't need one. So, obviously you have managed to get by without a car because you can metro and walk everywhere?

Not having a car is nothing to be proud of. Some families, like ours, live in walking distance to metro, schools and amenities AND have a car for the freedom it affords. I don't covet the dubious glory of dragging bags of groceries home, either.

I don't do my shopping at Costco or Whole Foods.

The Farmers Market and the grocery store are both on my walk home. I can stop at either.

Please, child. What farmer's market is still open when you walk home from work?

A few in Arlington - not the biggest ones, but they do have some decent vendors:

Arlington's Farmers' Market (Courthouse)
Saturdays, 8 a.m. - noon
Ballston Farmers' Market
Thursdays, 3 - 7 p.m.
Clarendon Farmers' Market
Wednesdays, 2 - 7p.m.
Columbia Pike Farmers' Market
Sundays, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Crystal City Farmers' Market
Tuesdays, 3 - 7 p.m.
Rosslyn Farmers' Market
Thursdays, 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Westover Farmers' Market
Sundays, 9 a.m. - noon

[Anonymous]

We moved from Northern VA to NW DC o ce we knew where our kids would be going to school, a private 8 blocks from our house in DC. For us, it is important to have work, school and home very close together, and our highest priority was choosing the best school for our kids. We've loved DC, though we also liked our old neighborhood. We have close friends day from both neighborhoods, and would count ourselves lucky to live in either place.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We, I grocery shop without a car in VA. I bring one of those old ladies carts. The grocery store is a few blocks from our house.

I can also fit a weeks worth of groceries in the basket of my Uppababy vista. It really isn't that hard.

As I said, you do what works for you, but it all sounds terribly laborious to me. I don't want to drag a cart behind me. I don't want to be limited. You can make do, but it's not an attractive option at all.

And you know, your kid will graduate from a stroller one day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wanted to be able to walk or metro to work (I walk).

I wanted to be able to walk or metro to my childs school (my husband metros).

I wanted to be able to walk or metro to playground (we walk).

I wanted to be able to walk or metro to entertainment (we walk to dining, museums, etc.) We walk to grocery store.

We do all of that in our VA neighborhood.

For those of you who "have this in your VA neighborhoods" we no longer have a car, because we don't need one. So, obviously you have managed to get by without a car because you can metro and walk everywhere?

Not having a car is nothing to be proud of. Some families, like ours, live in walking distance to metro, schools and amenities AND have a car for the freedom it affords. I don't covet the dubious glory of dragging bags of groceries home, either.

I don't do my shopping at Costco or Whole Foods.

The Farmers Market and the grocery store are both on my walk home. I can stop at either.

Please, child. What farmer's market is still open when you walk home from work?

A few in Arlington - not the biggest ones, but they do have some decent vendors:

Arlington's Farmers' Market (Courthouse)
Saturdays, 8 a.m. - noon
Ballston Farmers' Market
Thursdays, 3 - 7 p.m.
Clarendon Farmers' Market
Wednesdays, 2 - 7p.m.
Columbia Pike Farmers' Market
Sundays, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Crystal City Farmers' Market
Tuesdays, 3 - 7 p.m.
Rosslyn Farmers' Market
Thursdays, 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Westover Farmers' Market
Sundays, 9 a.m. - noon

Did you just copy paste it from somewhere, or have you actually seen and shopped at any of these places at say, 6.45 pm? Even if you did (which I doubt), are you seriously telling me that it's fun to drag a week's worth of groceries in your hands?

[Anonymous]

Why are people so fixated on the car thing? You can have the best of both worlds - dc with a car! We live in DC with a 15 year old beater we use for groceries and weekend trips. Easy. Or you can do zip car.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wanted to be able to walk or metro to work (I walk).

I wanted to be able to walk or metro to my childs school (my husband metros).

I wanted to be able to walk or metro to playground (we walk).

I wanted to be able to walk or metro to entertainment (we walk to dining, museums, etc.) We walk to grocery store.

We do all of that in our VA neighborhood.

For those of you who "have this in your VA neighborhoods" we no longer have a car, because we don't need one. So, obviously you have managed to get by without a car because you can metro and walk everywhere?

Not having a car is nothing to be proud of. Some families, like ours, live in walking distance to metro, schools and amenities AND have a car for the freedom it affords. I don't covet the dubious glory of dragging bags of groceries home, either.

I don't do my shopping at Costco or Whole Foods.

The Farmers Market and the grocery store are both on my walk home. I can stop at either.

Please, child. What farmer's market is still open when you walk home from work?

A few in Arlington - not the biggest ones, but they do have some decent vendors:

Arlington's Farmers' Market (Courthouse)
Saturdays, 8 a.m. - noon
Ballston Farmers' Market
Thursdays, 3 - 7 p.m.
Clarendon Farmers' Market
Wednesdays, 2 - 7p.m.
Columbia Pike Farmers' Market
Sundays, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Crystal City Farmers' Market
Tuesdays, 3 - 7 p.m.
Rosslyn Farmers' Market
Thursdays, 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Westover Farmers' Market
Sundays, 9 a.m. - noon

Did you just copy paste it from somewhere, or have you actually seen and shopped at any of these places at say, 6.45 pm? Even if you did (which I doubt), are you seriously telling me that it's fun to drag a week's worth of groceries in your hands?

I did copy & paste it since I couldn't remember the exact times off the top of my head. I've been to most of these and usually only pick up a few items at a time. We never buy a whole week's worth at one time because we prefer fresher meat & produce. So we go grocery shopping at least twice a week - usually three times. I can usually fit most in the bottom of my stroller. We do take the car if we are buying a case of mineral water though. And I have to drive a few miles away to pick up my CSA box.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wanted to be able to walk or metro to work (I walk).

I wanted to be able to walk or metro to my childs school (my husband metros).

I wanted to be able to walk or metro to playground (we walk).

I wanted to be able to walk or metro to entertainment (we walk to dining, museums, etc.) We walk to grocery store.

We do all of that in our VA neighborhood.

For those of you who "have this in your VA neighborhoods" we no longer have a car, because we don't need one. So, obviously you have managed to get by without a car because you can metro and walk everywhere?

Not having a car is nothing to be proud of. Some families, like ours, live in walking distance to metro, schools and amenities AND have a car for the freedom it affords. I don't covet the dubious glory of dragging bags of groceries home, either.

I don't do my shopping at Costco or Whole Foods.

The Farmers Market and the grocery store are both on my walk home. I can stop at either.

Please, child. What farmer's market is still open when you walk home from work?

A few in Arlington - not the biggest ones, but they do have some decent vendors:

Arlington's Farmers' Market (Courthouse)
Saturdays, 8 a.m. - noon
Ballston Farmers' Market
Thursdays, 3 - 7 p.m.
Clarendon Farmers' Market
Wednesdays, 2 - 7p.m.
Columbia Pike Farmers' Market
Sundays, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Crystal City Farmers' Market
Tuesdays, 3 - 7 p.m.
Rosslyn Farmers' Market
Thursdays, 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Westover Farmers' Market
Sundays, 9 a.m. - noon

Did you just copy paste it from somewhere, or have you actually seen and shopped at any of these places at say, 6.45 pm? Even if you did (which I doubt), are you seriously telling me that it's fun to drag a week's worth of groceries in your hands?

I did copy & paste it since I couldn't remember the exact times off the top of my head. I've been to most of these and usually only pick up a few items at a time. We never buy a whole week's worth at one time because we prefer fresher meat & produce. So we go grocery shopping at least twice a week - usually three times. I can usually fit most in the bottom of my stroller. We do take the car if we are buying a case of mineral water though. And I have to drive a few miles away to pick up my CSA box.

^ I should add that we are walking distance to two of these now. And previously lived near two others. And have occasionally swung by others. I usually only go to the Courthouse and Clarendon FMs now because they are close.

[Anonymous]

I don't understand why anyone who sends their kids to privates would live in NoVA unless they worked there. You move to NoVA because you can't, or don't want to, pay for private school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We moved from Northern VA to NW DC o ce we knew where our kids would be going to school, a private 8 blocks from our house in DC. For us, it is important to have work, school and home very close together, and our highest priority was choosing the best school for our kids. We've loved DC, though we also liked our old neighborhood. We have close friends day from both neighborhoods, and would count ourselves lucky to live in either place.

Perfect plan as long as you've got $$$$$.

Now how about a plan for the rest of us?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wanted to be able to walk or metro to work (I walk).

I wanted to be able to walk or metro to my childs school (my husband metros).

I wanted to be able to walk or metro to playground (we walk).

I wanted to be able to walk or metro to entertainment (we walk to dining, museums, etc.) We walk to grocery store.

We do all of that in our VA neighborhood.

For those of you who "have this in your VA neighborhoods" we no longer have a car, because we don't need one. So, obviously you have managed to get by without a car because you can metro and walk everywhere?

Not having a car is nothing to be proud of. Some families, like ours, live in walking distance to metro, schools and amenities AND have a car for the freedom it affords. I don't covet the dubious glory of dragging bags of groceries home, either.

I don't do my shopping at Costco or Whole Foods.

The Farmers Market and the grocery store are both on my walk home. I can stop at either.

Please, child. What farmer's market is still open when you walk home from work?

I know this is so shocking, so just wait for it...

Some people don't work 9-5!!!!! Gasp!

Are you ok? Do you need a nurse (not 9-5) or a cop (not 9-5)? I can get a teacher ( not 9-5) to explain more.

[Anonymous]

You PPs who keep prattling on about the grocery store/farmers market debate need to start a spinoff thread already!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We moved from Northern VA to NW DC o ce we knew where our kids would be going to school, a private 8 blocks from our house in DC. For us, it is important to have work, school and home very close together, and our highest priority was choosing the best school for our kids. We've loved DC, though we also liked our old neighborhood. We have close friends day from both neighborhoods, and would count ourselves lucky to live in either place.

OP here. Thanks, PP. This is helpful. DH and I have actually decided to do the exact same -- see where the oldest gets into school THEN move (hopefully close) to there.

(As for the farmer's market crew - 'tis definitely time for a spin-off thread, ladies. Come on!)