Where would you live: Old Town or Neighborhood south of Old Town?

[Anonymous]

Old Town!

[Anonymous]

Another vote for Old Town!

[Anonymous]

I'd move to the place where I think I would want to settle so I can make sure we like it and make friends there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd also vote Old Town, and just wanted to comment on your concern about there being more crime in Old Town. I've lived here for 6 years, and I'm at what people would consider the sketchier end of Old Town (near a lot of the public housing) and we've never had any problems nor have I ever felt unsafe (and I walk the dog alone, at night, with headphones). The most "threatening" thing that ever happened to me was an 8 year old boy shaking his butt at me and then running off giggling.

There are some people who act like parts of Old Town have crime problems like the worst parts of DC, but I personally think they're crazy.

Also, assuming the OT Townhouse is walking distance to metro, it will be a shorter, easier commute by far than being south of the beltway. There are great express buses that run down to Bellehaven/Waynewood--but they're much more limited schedules than metro, and depending on where in DC he'll be working, he might still have to metro or take a connecting bus.

Agree that violent crime against strangers is not a problem in Old Town. As in any urban area, there is some "nuisance crime" -- car break ins, etc. I have lived in the North end of Old Town for over ten years, and the only "assault" I know of is a guy who was coming back from a bar at 1:00 am who got a brick thrown at him by a teenager (and it didn't hurt him). There are murders and assaults, but if you read the police report, almost all of the crime is by "persons known to the victim" and almost all occurs within the public housing (yet another piece of evidence for why concentrated public housing is a bad idea, but that's another discussion). After living in Brooklyn, you'll be street savvy enough to easily stay out of trouble here. I used to live in Dupont Circle, and there was much more violent crime there.

[Anonymous]

OP here --- Thanks everyone! I just emailed our realtor and told her we'll take the Old Town home. All the talk about the number of free/low cost activities within walking distance really sold me. The Old Town place is quite a bit more expensive than the detached home (at the very top limit of our budget for a rental), and we'll need to budget a little more, so I'm happy to be spending less on gas and activities for my son. I just signed-up for the Old Town Mom's group and look forward to meeting new friends and playmates for my son! Can't wait to move down to VA in a month!

[Anonymous]

Welcome to VA! I too lived in Park Slope before moving here, and I think you will be very happy in Old Town. And in a couple of years, you will be happy to move to a house with a yard too!

[Anonymous]

Old Town! I LOVE Old Town. It has the charm of little neighborhoods like Georgetown but without the obnoxious drunk college students. My husband and I always joke that Old Town is like Georgetown for people in their 30s.

[Anonymous]

I would also vote for OT. What are your interests? Just curious so I can possibly give you some tips!

[Anonymous]

OP here - Thanks! PP. as far as interests, my husband works all of the time, and this will be my first time as a SAHM (not counting the 4 months I was home when my son was first born...when I pretty much lost my mind), so I'm looking for things to keep my son and I occupied during the day. My husband and I are also going to try to be better about meeting people and being part of a community. In NYC, we/everyone else worked too much during the week and spent weekends running errands (though sounds like it's the same in NoVa/DC area). For reference, I'm 35 and my husband is 32; son is going on 21 months. We're both lawyers---please don't hold that against us. If I could go back in time....

-- Music, art, swimming, gym, etc classes for my son (or a gym class we can do together). He takes Music Together and Music for Aardvarks here. I did some research and MT in Alexandria costs HALF what it does here! Love it.

--2s program that starts in the fall or has rolling admission (he'll be 2 in September). Just 2 or 3 mornings a week. A co-op preschool would also be fine or even just a part-time daycare--something where he gets to be more independent and play with other kids. Once we get settled, I'd be okay with even hosting a co-op or another regular playgroup for kids around 24 months (I know there's a separate board for that).

-- Presbyterian church or other non-Catholic church with an active community. I'm religious but my husband is not, so I'd like to find a church where he can be comfortable and meet people. We don't go to any church right now.

-- For me... Book clubs, running clubs (casual...), cooking groups, wine clubs (or a mommy happy hour...or just an afternoon glass of wine with other moms on our patio while the kids play with the water table). I also used to knit and crochet and wouldn't mind doing that again. I'm really up for lots of things. I mainly want to meet people.

-- I'm out of shape and would love to join a reasonably-priced gym that has childcare. Do the rec centers or Y offer that? They do here, though the babysitting hours are really short.

-- I'd also like to get involved in volunteering, especially if it's something my son and I can do together or we can do as a family. My son may be a little young for that, though.

Can you tell I'm trying to figure out how to fill up the days?! Anyway, this changes the course of the thread, but since a PP asked about interests...

[Anonymous]

Yay, Welcome to OT! You'll love it.

I WOHM but just moved here not too long ago from DC. I am SOOO much happier here!

[Anonymous]

Congrats! I don't live there, but every time we visit Old Town, I see a ton of families with young children. I notice that stuff more since I had my kid. I think that if you're comfortable in an urban environment now, you'll enjoy living in a walkable area like that. You don't really need a yard yet anyway, until the kids are old enough to play unsupervised. (when that happens, you might consider the Clarendon area - walkable homes, but better schools than Alexandria.) There's a good Episcopalian church in Old Town; a couple of my friends belong to it.