Existential crisis in downtown Bethesda

[Anonymous]

Which area suburb is nicer with equally good schools and inside the beltway?

I live in Bethesda, 2 miles from the DC line and very close to the towpath. I love my neighborhood full of trees, love the quick access to the city, love our neighborhood pool, and the fact that the area is so international.

I don't go to Bethesda Row that often, but I like that some national brands like Madewell are coming there as I'm tired of online shopping. I do miss the Barnes and Noble and wish there was a good bookstore. The farmer's market is great.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am sitting in downtown Bethesda on a Sunday afternoon, sipping my $5.50 iced coffee. I am looking around me at these three blocks of fancy chain stores, that are just like the fancy chain stores in the analagous parts of other upscale suburbs, and watching people pop in and out like automatons. It seems so pointless and empty. Is this what it's all for? Strive to live in a HCOL area and make a big enough salary to live there so you can go disburse your dollars among certain branded storefronts as if you are robot operating on preprogrammed instructions thinking that you "belong"?

As I got my coffee I witnessed a middle aged UMC (white) woman haranguing the (black) barista for ten minutes about how dishonest they and the business are for putting too much ice in her iced juice drink & how they are defrauding customers by putting in too much ice and not enough juice. Seriously? Work all your life for the privilege of raising your kids around people like this?

Seems like you're supporting the lifestyle and values that you deplore. What are you doing to make a difference ?

[Anonymous]

OP, please go to SS downtown and sit somewhere and enjoy your $5.5 coffee. You can find people who are down to earth shopping at the Whole Food, dancing on the Civic plaza, or just going in and out chain stores.

[Anonymous]

This was one of the things I didn't like about living in the DC area. Remade town centers everywhere with pristine, manufactured experiences. Luxury cars everywhere. Houses always with the red mulch. People living in 600K townhouses without a yard or a so much as a single outdoor good hanging in the garage. Just running around from AC to AC in the luxury car.

There was very little organic, down-to-earth feel in most of the area. Just work, Netflix, beach vacation. Cookie cutter everywhere. Belfort furniture.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This was one of the things I didn't like about living in the DC area. Remade town centers everywhere with pristine, manufactured experiences. Luxury cars everywhere. Houses always with the red mulch. People living in 600K townhouses without a yard or a so much as a single outdoor good hanging in the garage. Just running around from AC to AC in the luxury car.

There was very little organic, down-to-earth feel in most of the area. Just work, Netflix, beach vacation. Cookie cutter everywhere. Belfort furniture.

Where do you live now?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This was one of the things I didn't like about living in the DC area. Remade town centers everywhere with pristine, manufactured experiences. Luxury cars everywhere. Houses always with the red mulch. People living in 600K townhouses without a yard or a so much as a single outdoor good hanging in the garage. Just running around from AC to AC in the luxury car.

There was very little organic, down-to-earth feel in most of the area. Just work, Netflix, beach vacation. Cookie cutter everywhere. Belfort furniture.

Living in DC (as opposed to “the DC area”), I’ve never experienced any of this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This was one of the things I didn't like about living in the DC area. Remade town centers everywhere with pristine, manufactured experiences. Luxury cars everywhere. Houses always with the red mulch. People living in 600K townhouses without a yard or a so much as a single outdoor good hanging in the garage. Just running around from AC to AC in the luxury car.

There was very little organic, down-to-earth feel in most of the area. Just work, Netflix, beach vacation. Cookie cutter everywhere. Belfort furniture.

Living in DC (as opposed to “the DC area”), I’ve never experienced any of this.

Odd description- not my experience! Bethesda is very outdoorsy! Bike riders everywhere, kayakers, my husband and neighbors go fishing all the time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
I live close to downtown Bethesda, 2 minutes away from my favorite restaurant, because:

1. My husband has a 10 minute bike commute to work.
2. The public schools are a good.
3. I love the idea of a quiet suburban life with leafy sidewalks but also excellent walkability to restaurants, shops and metro.

You know what I never do?

Shop at the stores you mention

You sound like my friend's husband, who also works in Bethesda like us, but is jealous he could never afford to live there, and who thus denigrates that little town whenever he can.

Are you serious? You are the person that me and OP are trying to avoid.

And yes, I can afford to live in Bethesda. I prefer New York personally.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am sitting in downtown Bethesda on a Sunday afternoon, sipping my $5.50 iced coffee. I am looking around me at these three blocks of fancy chain stores, that are just like the fancy chain stores in the analagous parts of other upscale suburbs, and watching people pop in and out like automatons. It seems so pointless and empty. Is this what it's all for? Strive to live in a HCOL area and make a big enough salary to live there so you can go disburse your dollars among certain branded storefronts as if you are robot operating on preprogrammed instructions thinking that you "belong"?

As I got my coffee I witnessed a middle aged UMC (white) woman haranguing the (black) barista for ten minutes about how dishonest they and the business are for putting too much ice in her iced juice drink & how they are defrauding customers by putting in too much ice and not enough juice. Seriously? Work all your life for the privilege of raising your kids around people like this?

How old are you, OP? Ballpark.

Why do you ask?

Not the PP, but maybe mid-life crisis?

I was going to say teenager.

OP here. I am 50. Why would you think teenager?

Coming late to this thread, but come on OP. You clearly know you’re part of the problem, right? Willingly spending $5.50 on a coffee and sitting around a shopping district drinking it? You, my friend, are the dbags you detest.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This was one of the things I didn't like about living in the DC area. Remade town centers everywhere with pristine, manufactured experiences. Luxury cars everywhere. Houses always with the red mulch. People living in 600K townhouses without a yard or a so much as a single outdoor good hanging in the garage. Just running around from AC to AC in the luxury car.

There was very little organic, down-to-earth feel in most of the area. Just work, Netflix, beach vacation. Cookie cutter everywhere. Belfort furniture.

The whole DC area??

and yet, look at you... still continuing to post here.
Couldn't be THAT bad if you can't keep away.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I live close to downtown Bethesda, 2 minutes away from my favorite restaurant, because:

1. My husband has a 10 minute bike commute to work.
2. The public schools are a good.
3. I love the idea of a quiet suburban life with leafy sidewalks but also excellent walkability to restaurants, shops and metro.

You know what I never do?

Shop at the stores you mention

You sound like my friend's husband, who also works in Bethesda like us, but is jealous he could never afford to live there, and who thus denigrates that little town whenever he can.

Are you serious? You are the person that me and OP are trying to avoid.

And yes, I can afford to live in Bethesda. I prefer New York personally.

So go post on the NY boards...
Why are you still here when you're trying to avoid people from this area??
Seems irrational.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There's two Bethesdas. Bethesda Row is a lot of upscale boutiques. Then there's "old" Bethesda by Woodmont Triangle. Mostly local places, local landlords, and a much different charm. I pretty much spend my time in old Bethesda. Better bar and restaurant scene. I'll actualy be going there later today to my local bank, then to my local hair stylist. We always have a good chat about the local businesses since she knows the other business owners in the area.

I living in walking distance to the older, Woodmont Triangle part. Completely agree with you. Wishing Rio Grande had stayed on Fairmont instead of moving to Bethesda Row and waiting to be torn down for another "high rise with street level [chain] retail or a bank."

[Anonymous]

im going to recommend moving to a walkable neighborhood in dc proper (preferably not nw)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This was one of the things I didn't like about living in the DC area. Remade town centers everywhere with pristine, manufactured experiences. Luxury cars everywhere. Houses always with the red mulch. People living in 600K townhouses without a yard or a so much as a single outdoor good hanging in the garage. Just running around from AC to AC in the luxury car.

There was very little organic, down-to-earth feel in most of the area. Just work, Netflix, beach vacation. Cookie cutter everywhere. Belfort furniture.

Lol what? Yes to the wealth side of things but what are you even talking about? Where do you live that’s so perfect. Can’t wait to hear that!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This was one of the things I didn't like about living in the DC area. Remade town centers everywhere with pristine, manufactured experiences. Luxury cars everywhere. Houses always with the red mulch. People living in 600K townhouses without a yard or a so much as a single outdoor good hanging in the garage. Just running around from AC to AC in the luxury car.

There was very little organic, down-to-earth feel in most of the area. Just work, Netflix, beach vacation. Cookie cutter everywhere. Belfort furniture.

Lol what? Yes to the wealth side of things but what are you even talking about? Where do you live that’s so perfect. Can’t wait to hear that!

I am the poster of this message. My experience may largely have been skewed from the place and job that I was in. I worked in Tysons out the Dulles Corridor. High-paid workforce who had their happy hours at the town center restaurants, fancy restaurants at Tysons Mall, etc. Co-workers slowly moved west to Ashburn and all of the town centers along Dulles Corridor. Brand new apartments and 4-level townhouses, perfectly manicured landscaping. Because it was so new, the entire corridor felt fake and like in a manufactured Disney main street.

I lived in Old Town Alexandria as a refuge away from that.