Anonymous wrote:Oh, man. This. Thread.
I assume that the OP is British, or of the Commonwealth, or educated in a British system from the spelling of neighboUrhood.
If correct, where and how the OP grew up is probably instrumental in their expectations and desires for home life. If you have to be *sold* on Silver Spring, then it probably isn't for you. I can understand the concerns over the current shape of downtown SS. It's a bit of a mess. The ever evolving purple line has been digging up roads for years now. Throw that on top of the non stop construction and things can look messy. Not that downtown Bethesda is all that different in terms of constant construction, but to each their own.
I live in Silver Spring and like it very much. Not in downtown though. Just outside. If you want old sub and semi-urban neighborhoods, there are plenty of options that surround downtown. If you want to live in a diverse area with a bunch of terrific restaurants that offer cuisines from around the globe, then come to the Spring. If you want to shop at lululemon then eat at an overpriced, mini chain restaurant, then Bethesda awaits. One choice is not superior to the other. It's a matter of taste.
I will say that vitriolic comments about Bethesda and "stay away" snipes are repugnant. So much for those pillars of tolerance and inclusion. As a SS resident, I welcome any and all people to our neighborhood. That even includes Trump folk. I won't agree with your views for one second, but you have the right to live wherever you choose. As an old person who has spent the bulk of their existence, and has generations of family members buried in Montgomery County, I am astounded at the amount of self righteous, intolerant, frankly hateful, individuals who label themselves as progressives, that have been implanting themselves all over MoCo, but especially in Silver Spring. MoCo has always been a conservatively liberal county, but now things have taken a full on Portland turn and I can not gauge when the rhetoric will morph into to full on stupidity. If you want things to get better in this country, it starts with engagement - not derision. I've talked a couple people to come down from the Trump tree. It *can* happen.
Also, way back in the day, Bethesda and Silver Spring weren't that different. Anyone remember McDonald's Raw Bar? Yup. Didn't think so. Then the 80's came. Bethesda grew while downtown Silver Spring sunk. If you think SS is rough now, you should have seen it 20 years ago before Doug Duncan lifted taxes and Whole Foods and Discovery can a running. Now change keeps coming for both areas, which has been great. Sure, I miss shopping for records at Vinyl Ink, but I can't wait to see what new things will pop up in the coming years. In the meantime, I'm going to get some coffee at Zed's and chill.
Best post in thread by far. Bravo!
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