What the heck is up with these exburb boosters?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Let's repeat again and again - not everyone in this area works in downtown DC.

And I happen to like the suburbs. I can get to the city when I want to, which is every couple months. And the suburbs of this city are full of great things to do, too.

If I had to commute to downtown, our lives would be much different. We probably wouldn't live where we live, honestly. We'd likely have to give up on a yard entirely and live in a TH.

I don't tell people who need to commute to downtown to live in my suburban 'hood in Fairfax County. It is more for those who commute to Reston or Ashburn or Fairfax City or even Tysons. There are people who DO commute to downtown, and they say it takes about an hour. There are commuter busses that can take you to Metro right down the street from my house.

I've done the hour commute in the past (from other locations) and it does wear on you after a while. Some people, like my husband who currently does this by car to a "there be dragons" location way South of the city, don't seem to mind it at all. Driving an hour each way on a daily basis would drive ME insane, which is why I'm glad I don't have to do it.

I think people make all kinds of calculations about what they want and need out of a place to live. If living in the city is what you want, good for you. If others want to live in the suburbs, good for them. Neither is the wrong choice - it is all very personal.

I don't mind that we don't go to the hottest restaurants and that most of the stuff around us is big box/chain. We weren't doing that stuff even when we lived closer-in, anyway! We shop at the same stores and eat at the same restaurants, just different locations.

City living isn't for everyone, just like suburban living isn't for everyone. We stay pretty close to our 'hood on a daily basis. We rarely go more than a couple miles from our house for anything.

So, that was my long response - I DON'T think the suburbs suck, but I also don't think the city sucks. Do what works for you.

Hey, I'm not the one who needs convincing. I live in the city and love it. I don't think I could live in the suburbs because the car culture and living in a car makes me (and everyone else apparently) completely insane. But different strokes. You need to take it up with your neighbors. They're the ones who keep slagging off on the 'burbs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I fucking hate the posters that are blathering on about Pimmit Hills, the Mosaic District and Dunn Loring in almost every thread, but I disagree with your characterization of those as exurbs. Those are classic suburbs; exurbs are further out (think Loudoun County, or Clarksburg in MD.)

And PP is totally right - I love the posts from the people who can't hack the stress of living in say, Annandale.

Exurb is anywhere more than 1km from the District line.

exurb is outside of the beltway

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I fucking hate the posters that are blathering on about Pimmit Hills, the Mosaic District and Dunn Loring in almost every thread, but I disagree with your characterization of those as exurbs. Those are classic suburbs; exurbs are further out (think Loudoun County, or Clarksburg in MD.)

And PP is totally right - I love the posts from the people who can't hack the stress of living in say, Annandale.

Exurb is anywhere more than 1km from the District line.

exurb is outside of the beltway

If I can ride my bike there from AdMo in less than 40 min, it's the suburbs. If I can't, it's the exurbs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Geez. We get it. You enjoy driving 2 hrs to get to work, it allows you to listen to your favorite podcasts. Your favorite restaurant here is also located in every city in America which is great when you take that road trip back to Ohio and you sneer at those of us who live in "effectively suburban" parts of the District. All that being said, some of those places on the edges of the orange line, Dunn Loring and others are real holes.

There are some great mom&pop shops outside the city limits. We also have green space and yards, sufficient public services (lead-free water, good public schools, reliable trash pickup, DMVs with satellite centers). And we don't pay a ton of taxes either. Nor have to pay 800K for a house.

And what places on the Orange line are you referring - ballston, clarendon, FC, ?

[Anonymous]

Op here. Let' be clear. I live in Kent/SV. Those are the true suburbs. Also include Bethesda, Arlington as real suburbs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I fucking hate the posters that are blathering on about Pimmit Hills, the Mosaic District and Dunn Loring in almost every thread, but I disagree with your characterization of those as exurbs. Those are classic suburbs; exurbs are further out (think Loudoun County, or Clarksburg in MD.)

And PP is totally right - I love the posts from the people who can't hack the stress of living in say, Annandale.

Exurb is anywhere more than 1km from the District line.

That's hilarious- DC is NOT New York, Paris, Tokyo, Rome, London and the like, which is funny because in truly urban areas (so very much of DC feels suburban, lets be honest) there is a lot less vitriol about in vs. out of city limits proper. Its a strange complex people have here (lived in 3 of the above, business in 1 of them frequently and then 2 other Asian megacities).

[Anonymous]

Could someone tell me: what is a "Lincolnia", and how is that different from a "Franconia?"

Thank you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I fucking hate the posters that are blathering on about Pimmit Hills, the Mosaic District and Dunn Loring in almost every thread, but I disagree with your characterization of those as exurbs. Those are classic suburbs; exurbs are further out (think Loudoun County, or Clarksburg in MD.)

And PP is totally right - I love the posts from the people who can't hack the stress of living in say, Annandale.

Exurb is anywhere more than 1km from the District line.

That's hilarious- DC is NOT New York, Paris, Tokyo, Rome, London and the like, which is funny because in truly urban areas (so very much of DC feels suburban, lets be honest) there is a lot less vitriol about in vs. out of city limits proper. Its a strange complex people have here (lived in 3 of the above, business in 1 of them frequently and then 2 other Asian megacities).

#humblebrag

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Could someone tell me: what is a "Lincolnia", and how is that different from a "Franconia?"

Thank you.

I've lived quite near both, and I STILL have no clue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I fucking hate the posters that are blathering on about Pimmit Hills, the Mosaic District and Dunn Loring in almost every thread, but I disagree with your characterization of those as exurbs. Those are classic suburbs; exurbs are further out (think Loudoun County, or Clarksburg in MD.)

And PP is totally right - I love the posts from the people who can't hack the stress of living in say, Annandale.

Exurb is anywhere more than 1km from the District line.

That's hilarious- DC is NOT New York, Paris, Tokyo, Rome, London and the like, which is funny because in truly urban areas (so very much of DC feels suburban, lets be honest) there is a lot less vitriol about in vs. out of city limits proper. Its a strange complex people have here (lived in 3 of the above, business in 1 of them frequently and then 2 other Asian megacities).

#humblebrag

Love reading DCUM because you learn so much from various world travelers who can share their vast experiences with us. For instance: I never knew the people of NYC, Paris, or London were modest about their cities vis a vis the suburbs.

[Anonymous]

Yay for you, OP. I am super thrilled that you are happy with where you live. But not everyone can afford to live in Kent/SV. Some of us can only afford to live outside the Beltway and drive 40 minutes or take the Orange Line to downtown DC. We make that trade off so that our kids can have safe neighborhoods and good schools. Stop being so elitist.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I fucking hate the posters that are blathering on about Pimmit Hills, the Mosaic District and Dunn Loring in almost every thread, but I disagree with your characterization of those as exurbs. Those are classic suburbs; exurbs are further out (think Loudoun County, or Clarksburg in MD.)

And PP is totally right - I love the posts from the people who can't hack the stress of living in say, Annandale.

Exurb is anywhere more than 1km from the District line.

That's hilarious- DC is NOT New York, Paris, Tokyo, Rome, London and the like, which is funny because in truly urban areas (so very much of DC feels suburban, lets be honest) there is a lot less vitriol about in vs. out of city limits proper. Its a strange complex people have here (lived in 3 of the above, business in 1 of them frequently and then 2 other Asian megacities).

I am from NYC, and it's pretty much the same there, big city or not. If you don't believe me, read some urbanbaby posts

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I fucking hate the posters that are blathering on about Pimmit Hills, the Mosaic District and Dunn Loring in almost every thread, but I disagree with your characterization of those as exurbs. Those are classic suburbs; exurbs are further out (think Loudoun County, or Clarksburg in MD.)

And PP is totally right - I love the posts from the people who can't hack the stress of living in say, Annandale.

Exurb is anywhere more than 1km from the District line.

That's hilarious- DC is NOT New York, Paris, Tokyo, Rome, London and the like, which is funny because in truly urban areas (so very much of DC feels suburban, lets be honest) there is a lot less vitriol about in vs. out of city limits proper. Its a strange complex people have here (lived in 3 of the above, business in 1 of them frequently and then 2 other Asian megacities).

#humblebrag

Love reading DCUM because you learn so much from various world travelers who can share their vast experiences with us. For instance: I never knew the people of NYC, Paris, or London were modest about their cities vis a vis the suburbs.

LOL, totally true.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Hey, I'm not the one who needs convincing. I live in the city and love it. I don't think I could live in the suburbs because the car culture and living in a car makes me (and everyone else apparently) completely insane. But different strokes. You need to take it up with your neighbors. They're the ones who keep slagging off on the 'burbs.

to be fair - my dream is to live with only one car. It didn't happen on this move just because I every once in a while need to hop in the car to go a couple miles (doctor's office, mall, that kind of thing). But we walk as many places as we can. I was very adamant that we be walking distance to a decent amount of amenities. I refused to live somewhere that we had to get in the car to go absolutely everywhere.

My house has a walkscore in the 50s, but it is walkable to just about everything a family needs for the everyday. I saw one yesterday in the real estate listings with a walkscore of 3. Um, NO. Just....NO. I love sidewalks that lead to schools and playgrounds and grocery stores. I don't live in the woods or out in the middle of a field.

I know people hate Reston, but we loved it there. We walked all over the place. It was great. Is it suburbia? Yes. But it was a good combo of suburban and walkable and it made us happy for the time we spent there. Only left because SFH's in Reston were just a tad over our upper limit. But we didn't go far...and we didn't go to Loudoun. We also didn't buy a gigantic, brand new house.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yay for you, OP. I am super thrilled that you are happy with where you live. But not everyone can afford to live in Kent/SV. Some of us can only afford to live outside the Beltway and drive 40 minutes or take the Orange Line to downtown DC. We make that trade off so that our kids can have safe neighborhoods and good schools. Stop being so elitist.

THANK YOU! +1