Downtown Bethesda or Tenleytown (NW DC)??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What kind of people do you like to be around?

Also, what kind of people might you not want to be around?

OP: uhm... we like regular people? I dont know. We are 30-somethings professionals. Probably wouldnt want to live in an apartment building with loud, inconsiderate college kids or young families. We mostly keep to ourselves honestly.

As for the crowdedness... we went to Traders Joes in dupont on a Sunday -- Cant deal with that level of crowded. Not sure how Bethesda compares to Dupont area on a regular basis. Same for going to a coffee shop and theres not a seat in sight. Dont like that. Concerned that people from further out areas crowd Bethesda on evenings and weekends. Thats the only time Ive been there so resident opinions are helpful.

What about traffic in the am... like getting to 495 or roads leading to DC?

So, i wrote about what kind of people you like to be around. In addition to amenities and how the areas have been developed, Bethesda and Tenleytown attract fairly different people in my experience. I didn't know how familiar you are with them.

Bethesda gets more folks with a cutesy/cool/posh suburban vibe and that can be very love it or leave it. There are those who find this a tad shallow and the aggressive pursuit of these things leads to rudeness in many cases. Of course that's not the whole story.

Tenleytown is a bit less of a posh enclave, but is closer to downtown and so gets more folks focused on time and folks who really like access to things inside of DC, but still want a relatively quiet+ low key place to live. It's much easier to be dorky in Tenley, I've seen big time CEOs walking down the street there looking a parody of a dorky dad. That tends not to fit into the Bethesda scene.

I don't know where you're coming from, but I'd work to spend some time, evenings and weekends, around them if you can and see where you think you would fit. I'd also investigate deeper into the lists of amenities in both spots, e.g. the pool at Tenley is nearly olympic quality and indoor and the farmers markets in Bethesda are much better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What kind of people do you like to be around?

Also, what kind of people might you not want to be around?

OP: uhm... we like regular people? I dont know. We are 30-somethings professionals. Probably wouldnt want to live in an apartment building with loud, inconsiderate college kids or young families. We mostly keep to ourselves honestly.

As for the crowdedness... we went to Traders Joes in dupont on a Sunday -- Cant deal with that level of crowded. Not sure how Bethesda compares to Dupont area on a regular basis. Same for going to a coffee shop and theres not a seat in sight. Dont like that. Concerned that people from further out areas crowd Bethesda on evenings and weekends. Thats the only time Ive been there so resident opinions are helpful.

What about traffic in the am... like getting to 495 or roads leading to DC?

So, i wrote about what kind of people you like to be around. In addition to amenities and how the areas have been developed, Bethesda and Tenleytown attract fairly different people in my experience. I didn't know how familiar you are with them.

Bethesda gets more folks with a cutesy/cool/posh suburban vibe and that can be very love it or leave it. There are those who find this a tad shallow and the aggressive pursuit of these things leads to rudeness in many cases. Of course that's not the whole story.

Tenleytown is a bit less of a posh enclave, but is closer to downtown and so gets more folks focused on time and folks who really like access to things inside of DC, but still want a relatively quiet+ low key place to live. It's much easier to be dorky in Tenley, I've seen big time CEOs walking down the street there looking a parody of a dorky dad. That tends not to fit into the Bethesda scene.

I don't know where you're coming from, but I'd work to spend some time, evenings and weekends, around them if you can and see where you think you would fit. I'd also investigate deeper into the lists of amenities in both spots, e.g. the pool at Tenley is nearly olympic quality and indoor and the farmers markets in Bethesda are much better.

I don't know. I think they attract a very similar demographic. We looked at both and slightly preferred Bethesda for the schools. But if we had found a place in Tenley we really liked we would have been open to it. So maybe you could say Bethesda has people who put the thumb on the scale for schools and Tenley who put the thumb for slightly shorter commute, but at heart I think you are going to have very similar people with similar jobs, backgrounds, interest, etc.

Maybe Tenley gets a slightly younger crowd since elementary schools are less a concern there and maybe some millennial place more value on still being "in the city," even if Tenley is arguably more suburban than downtown Bethesda. But I really think you are splitting hairs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What kind of people do you like to be around?

Also, what kind of people might you not want to be around?

OP: uhm... we like regular people? I dont know. We are 30-somethings professionals. Probably wouldnt want to live in an apartment building with loud, inconsiderate college kids or young families. We mostly keep to ourselves honestly.

As for the crowdedness... we went to Traders Joes in dupont on a Sunday -- Cant deal with that level of crowded. Not sure how Bethesda compares to Dupont area on a regular basis. Same for going to a coffee shop and theres not a seat in sight. Dont like that. Concerned that people from further out areas crowd Bethesda on evenings and weekends. Thats the only time Ive been there so resident opinions are helpful.

What about traffic in the am... like getting to 495 or roads leading to DC?

So, i wrote about what kind of people you like to be around. In addition to amenities and how the areas have been developed, Bethesda and Tenleytown attract fairly different people in my experience. I didn't know how familiar you are with them.

Bethesda gets more folks with a cutesy/cool/posh suburban vibe and that can be very love it or leave it. There are those who find this a tad shallow and the aggressive pursuit of these things leads to rudeness in many cases. Of course that's not the whole story.

Tenleytown is a bit less of a posh enclave, but is closer to downtown and so gets more folks focused on time and folks who really like access to things inside of DC, but still want a relatively quiet+ low key place to live. It's much easier to be dorky in Tenley, I've seen big time CEOs walking down the street there looking a parody of a dorky dad. That tends not to fit into the Bethesda scene.

I don't know where you're coming from, but I'd work to spend some time, evenings and weekends, around them if you can and see where you think you would fit. I'd also investigate deeper into the lists of amenities in both spots, e.g. the pool at Tenley is nearly olympic quality and indoor and the farmers markets in Bethesda are much better.

I don't know. I think they attract a very similar demographic. We looked at both and slightly preferred Bethesda for the schools. But if we had found a place in Tenley we really liked we would have been open to it. So maybe you could say Bethesda has people who put the thumb on the scale for schools and Tenley who put the thumb for slightly shorter commute, but at heart I think you are going to have very similar people with similar jobs, backgrounds, interest, etc.

Maybe Tenley gets a slightly younger crowd since elementary schools are less a concern there and maybe some millennial place more value on still being "in the city," even if Tenley is arguably more suburban than downtown Bethesda. But I really think you are splitting hairs.

NP here. I think in the grand scheme of things, you are of course right that the demographics are very similar, but I still think that the PP's observations are pretty accurate. Tenleytown is more low-key, less status-oriented, and attracts the people who prefer that. The school issue you mention goes along with that - more low-key people are more likely going to be ok with more diverse schools.

[Anonymous]

Actually, the schools in that part of DC are not very diverse at all. Janney is the elementary for AU Park, and is considered the best/one of the best in DC. Coincidentally (or not), it is also one of the least diverse--it is something like 70% white overall, with an even higher percentage in the early grades; there is some international diversity. (I have a kid at another DC elementary that feeds into the same middle and high schools, but have a neighbor who sends kids to Janney).

From what I've heard of the BCC schools, there actually may be more diversity there, or at least comparable levels.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Actually, the schools in that part of DC are not very diverse at all. Janney is the elementary for AU Park, and is considered the best/one of the best in DC. Coincidentally (or not), it is also one of the least diverse--it is something like 70% white overall, with an even higher percentage in the early grades; there is some international diversity. (I have a kid at another DC elementary that feeds into the same middle and high schools, but have a neighbor who sends kids to Janney).

From what I've heard of the BCC schools, there actually may be more diversity there, or at least comparable levels.

I was obviously referring to Deal and especially Wilson, not the elementaries, which the PP specifically exempted from the concern.

[Anonymous]

If you are going to city center and foggy bottom, I would not live in Bethesda - You are definitely not going to have an under 30 minute commute. Even Tenley will sometimes be a longer than 30 minute commute to city center -- the cross-town traffic is really bad.

I know you said you don't like crowds but why not live in Logan Circle? You can walk everywhere-- if you are on the east side of Logan, your husband can walk to work and you can walk to yoga, pilates, 4 grocery stores, 2 movie theaters (the gallery place ones are a longish walk though), metro, multiple coffee shops, tons of restaurants. It's busy but it's not like its Times Square. And there are also quieter streets within the neighborhood. And yes the Trader Joes on 14th appears to be the city's hottest destination for millenials, but I've never been to a Trader Joes that wasn't insanely busy -- the one in Bethesda is even worse. And you are only a $7 to $8 uber ride from just about everywhere when you live here. Not to mention there are car sharing cars, bike sharing, etc. It's a great place to live OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you are going to city center and foggy bottom, I would not live in Bethesda - You are definitely not going to have an under 30 minute commute. Even Tenley will sometimes be a longer than 30 minute commute to city center -- the cross-town traffic is really bad.

I know you said you don't like crowds but why not live in Logan Circle? You can walk everywhere-- if you are on the east side of Logan, your husband can walk to work and you can walk to yoga, pilates, 4 grocery stores, 2 movie theaters (the gallery place ones are a longish walk though), metro, multiple coffee shops, tons of restaurants. It's busy but it's not like its Times Square. And there are also quieter streets within the neighborhood. And yes the Trader Joes on 14th appears to be the city's hottest destination for millenials, but I've never been to a Trader Joes that wasn't insanely busy -- the one in Bethesda is even worse. And you are only a $7 to $8 uber ride from just about everywhere when you live here. Not to mention there are car sharing cars, bike sharing, etc. It's a great place to live OP.

Foggy Bottom-easy commute from Arlington. Courthouse - orange/silverline stops-courthouse, rosslyn, foggybottom. Tenleytown is redline-6 stops then a train change and 4 stops.
https://www.wmata.com/schedules/maps/upload/color_map_silverline.pdf

Income tax effect of Arlington, DC, MD-montco residency?

[Anonymous]

If you don't have kids, I would live in Logan or Shaw. Kalorama if you can afford it. If you are only choosing between Tenley and Bethesda, personally I would pick Tenley. Your commute will be at least 10 min shorter. There is a great bus route from Tenley to Foggy Bottom. Like a couple of pps said, Tenley residents tend to be a little less posh in a good way from Bethesda. They are a little less risk averse as by their acceptance of schools there and tend to be pretty well traveled and highly educated. Bethesda residents are also highly educated but seem a little more uniform to me. You either fit in with the Bethesda folks and love living there or you don't. It feels pretty black and white to me. Tenley Town does not have the best restaurants but there is stuff all around and close by in all directions. I don't live in either place but work with people from both neighborhoods. The Bethesda folks are nice but can sometimes get annoying as they clearly feel that where they live is the cats meow. They also seem to hate VA while the DC folk mostly seem indifferent to both MD and VA.

[Anonymous]

Some people on this board seem obsessed with the idea of a "Bethesda" demographic which they see as embodying the things they don't like (shallow, materialistic, etc). I lived in the District for 10+ years and Bethesda for 10+ years and without going into a blow by blow comparing everyone I know in both places I think that whole concept is way overstated and frankly I can't imagine giving it enough weight to make a difference.

We love being in Bethesda-- we basically drive once a week to do errands/groceries and that's it. I don't love driving down Wisconsin ave between East-West highway and Bradley but I don't think of the area overall as congested (I think of it as having enough density to support a couple french bakeries, live theater (for both adults and children), movie theater, several grocery stores, metro, a bookstore, etc.)

I would however caution you to at least think twice if you planning to use the red line to commute to Georgetown/Foggy Bottom. Basically the closest the red line gets is Dupont or Farragut North, and then you have to walk/bus from there, or ride past it to metro center, change trains and go back three stops on the orange/blue.

The red line has been relatively spared a lot of the reliability issues with metro, and I have no major complaints about commuting on it but if you need to change lines then you are vulnerable to problems on either one...

[Anonymous]

Just curious (as a Bethesda condo landlord) what you're finding in downtown Bethesda on your budget?

[Anonymous]

OP, the area along Connecticut from Fessenden to Van Ness has more of what you are looking for than Tenleytown (basically the sweet spot is between Wisconsin and Connecticut from Fessenden to Van Ness). For your morning coffee alone you have Soapstone Market (brand new), Breadfurst, Little Red Fox, Politics and Prose. And there are a lot more apartments and condos along Connecticut to choose from.

We live in the middle of the area and have commuted to the same two locations you mention downtown and it is quick with lots of options, since you have immediate access to Rock Creek Parkway, Connecticut, Reno, or Wisconsin. Just check your phone to see which is moving best at the moment and hop on. The longest it took was 35 minutes, but normally 20 to my office. My colleague lived in a downtown Bethesda condo and it regularly took 50 minutes to an hour leaving at the same time. Plus you can walk to Van Ness and Tenleytown metros.

Bethesda is very nice and has better shopping options overall, obviously, but it is more congested, and it is further so you obviously will have a longer commute. I'd put daily commute over weekend shopping.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, the area along Connecticut from Fessenden to Van Ness has more of what you are looking for than Tenleytown (basically the sweet spot is between Wisconsin and Connecticut from Fessenden to Van Ness). For your morning coffee alone you have Soapstone Market (brand new), Breadfurst, Little Red Fox, Politics and Prose. And there are a lot more apartments and condos along Connecticut to choose from.

We live in the middle of the area and have commuted to the same two locations you mention downtown and it is quick with lots of options, since you have immediate access to Rock Creek Parkway, Connecticut, Reno, or Wisconsin. Just check your phone to see which is moving best at the moment and hop on. The longest it took was 35 minutes, but normally 20 to my office. My colleague lived in a downtown Bethesda condo and it regularly took 50 minutes to an hour leaving at the same time. Plus you can walk to Van Ness and Tenleytown metros.

Bethesda is very nice and has better shopping options overall, obviously, but it is more congested, and it is further so you obviously will have a longer commute. I'd put daily commute over weekend shopping.

How long is your walk to metro?

To the PPs suggesting Logan area, we did check that out initially but found it too congested. Certainly seemed like driving out of that area would be a huge pain.

[Anonymous]

I would find the best deal. There is not going to be that much of a difference, although we probably have better recreational facilities in DC. They are also free.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you don't have kids, I would live in Logan or Shaw. Kalorama if you can afford it. If you are only choosing between Tenley and Bethesda, personally I would pick Tenley. Your commute will be at least 10 min shorter. There is a great bus route from Tenley to Foggy Bottom. Like a couple of pps said, Tenley residents tend to be a little less posh in a good way from Bethesda. They are a little less risk averse as by their acceptance of schools there and tend to be pretty well traveled and highly educated. Bethesda residents are also highly educated but seem a little more uniform to me. You either fit in with the Bethesda folks and love living there or you don't. It feels pretty black and white to me. Tenley Town does not have the best restaurants but there is stuff all around and close by in all directions. I don't live in either place but work with people from both neighborhoods. The Bethesda folks are nice but can sometimes get annoying as they clearly feel that where they live is the cats meow. They also seem to hate VA while the DC folk mostly seem indifferent to both MD and VA.

How long have you lived here? If you fit into upper NW you will fit in in downtown Bethesda,

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you are going to city center and foggy bottom, I would not live in Bethesda - You are definitely not going to have an under 30 minute commute. Even Tenley will sometimes be a longer than 30 minute commute to city center -- the cross-town traffic is really bad.

I know you said you don't like crowds but why not live in Logan Circle? You can walk everywhere-- if you are on the east side of Logan, your husband can walk to work and you can walk to yoga, pilates, 4 grocery stores, 2 movie theaters (the gallery place ones are a longish walk though), metro, multiple coffee shops, tons of restaurants. It's busy but it's not like its Times Square. And there are also quieter streets within the neighborhood. And yes the Trader Joes on 14th appears to be the city's hottest destination for millenials, but I've never been to a Trader Joes that wasn't insanely busy -- the one in Bethesda is even worse. And you are only a $7 to $8 uber ride from just about everywhere when you live here. Not to mention there are car sharing cars, bike sharing, etc. It's a great place to live OP.

Arlington/Van Ness/Georgetown/DuPont/Foggy bottom are very easy and super quick from Bethesda. Foggy bottom is simplely Mass ave to rock creek park. City Center and anything west of DuPont would be a pain to drive to.