Downtown Bethesda: Where did it all go wrong?

[Anonymous]

same thing that is wrong with the rest of MD, too many regulations, too blue and lame.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do you guys like Pike and Rose?

Do you?

Better than Bethesda

Disagree. It’s similar. Chain stores and actually probably worse restaurants.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:same thing that is wrong with the rest of MD, too many regulations, too blue and lame.

I heard some parts of Africa have very few regulations, if that's what you're into. You might need to hire private security, and the infrastructure might be terrible, but at least you'll be in your regulation-free utopia.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not to sound too much like a jerk, but also look at the people in Frederick, compared to the people in Bethesda.

I'm not judging one group as better or worse than other, but there's def a difference in personality type of people who live or socialize there.

The people in Bethesda just feel more comfortable in a chain (like other people have said, it only appeals to tweens and senior citizens).

The folks in Frederick wouldn't patronize those places.

For example, for all the great restaurants in Frederick, can you imagine 3 tattoo shops all thriving in downtown Bethesda?

This thread is started on the absurd notion that downtown Frederick is more desirable than Bethesda. I don’t care if they’re local or national chains, I would take Medium Rare, Anthony’s, Fish Taco, Phillz, Spanish Diner, Fresh Baguette, and even Guapos over almost every comparable restaurant in Frederick. Frederick is interesting for about two hours until you wake up and realize how depressing and provincial it is. OP is acting like it’s Flatbush or Ridgewood and is full of incomparable, unique boutiques and restaurants that everyone’s clamoring to visit. They’re not. It’s just Frederick.

Actually frederick has, in addition to some top restaurants, an assortment of high end as well as funky home and design stores. Many house genuinely interesting finds and those stores in particular attract people with a pretty sophisticated eye, including people from dc. I live in frederick and worked in dc for several years as a professional with my own business and your assessment of frederick sounds about twenty years old. There is money here and there are a significant number of highly educated people here. You are the one who sounds provincial.

I agree. Creme de la Creme, Molly’s, Curious Iguana, Treaty, not to mention Carroll Creek linear park, Baker Park, and better architecture than Bethesda. You can keep Bethesda- I’ll take Frederick any day.

I like downtown Frederick.. but the reality is that outside of it, there's literally NOTHING.ELSE. And have you seen the people walking through the streets of downtown Frederick? I mean, really really look? Some look like they just stepped out of the halfway house not too far from there.

Your kidding, right? There is civilization beyond Frederick city limits - it’s not like if you leave Frederick proper there are no stores or houses. It’s just like every other suburb - spread out. And then you get to the really good stuff like the mountains and countryside. Which, believe or not, still has stuff in it - like wineries, farm stands, parks, libraries, schools, restaurants etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:same thing that is wrong with the rest of MD, too many regulations, too blue and lame.

Enjoy Loudon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:same thing that is wrong with the rest of MD, too many regulations, too blue and lame.

I heard some parts of Africa have very few regulations, if that's what you're into. You might need to hire private security, and the infrastructure might be terrible, but at least you'll be in your regulation-free utopia.

+1. Was just in East Africa. Our hotel had guards with AK47s. But then, the gun culture is probably a plus for pp.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:same thing that is wrong with the rest of MD, too many regulations, too blue and lame.

I heard some parts of Africa have very few regulations, if that's what you're into. You might need to hire private security, and the infrastructure might be terrible, but at least you'll be in your regulation-free utopia.

+1. Was just in East Africa. Our hotel had guards with AK47s. But then, the gun culture is probably a plus for pp.

Better the guards than the guests.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:same thing that is wrong with the rest of MD, too many regulations, too blue and lame.

..so the South and Midwest are doing amazing economically? since they're red and all

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:same thing that is wrong with the rest of MD, too many regulations, too blue and lame.

I heard some parts of Africa have very few regulations, if that's what you're into. You might need to hire private security, and the infrastructure might be terrible, but at least you'll be in your regulation-free utopia.

+1. Was just in East Africa. Our hotel had guards with AK47s. But then, the gun culture is probably a plus for pp.

I liked that when I was in EA. Better guards than random people

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:same thing that is wrong with the rest of MD, too many regulations, too blue and lame.

I heard some parts of Africa have very few regulations, if that's what you're into. You might need to hire private security, and the infrastructure might be terrible, but at least you'll be in your regulation-free utopia.

You never know in MD, you can be in the best parts of town and still wonder. when you watch the local news, you hear about crimes of passion in VA and MD you hear about senseless crime. take it for what its worth, its the reality. Living in VA is much better.

[Anonymous]

Bethesda is 100 % over priced. Nothing special at all. I would never pay 800k - 1 mil to live in that dump.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Bethesda and MoCo need to take after the Mainline in PA, and towns like West Chester that have actual main streets with shops/restaurants etc, and towns where you can travel to by train. We have the metro that allows people to travel to each town.

MoCo and local govts just love taxing businesses to death, and local/county govt has inordinate amounts of red tape that discourage new businesses from forming. Then factor in insane rental costs, and all you get are crappy chains and subpar food from establishments that have big investor groups backing them. You never get the organically grown, family run places that have their own recipes they're using for home cooking tasting food or that provide very unique flavors. The only places that can survive are the places that serve $35 plates of food.

But yea...travel to West Chester, Media, Rosemont, Wayne, Villanova,......the Mainline in PA is a role model for how the area should strive to be.

This this this

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Bethesda is 100 % over priced. Nothing special at all. I would never pay 800k - 1 mil to live in that dump.

It's not a good look to be bitter about being priced out. Bethesda is very desirable so unfortunately many people do get priced out. Enjoy Darnestown.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Bethesda is absolutely amazing. Sure it's expensive but it has some very successful employment opportunities, fantastic access to DC and all that downtown Bethesda offers, the Capital Crescent trail, fine dining, casual dining, every shop you could need? What's to hate, other than the cost?

There is a reason it's one of the best places to live in the US...

Fine dining? The restaurants there are pretty bad. The idea of actually eating in downtown Bethesda rather than driving to DC or even to Tysons is ridiculous. Blacks used to be good many years ago, PassionFish was pretty good right when it opened for like, six months before it went to crap. And that's it. That's the end of the list of restaurants in Bethesda that were ever decent. Even Tysons Corner has at least three restaurants that dominate every single Bethesda restaurant

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:same thing that is wrong with the rest of MD, too many regulations, too blue and lame.

..so the South and Midwest are doing amazing economically? since they're red and all

The paradise of Detroit, St. Louis, Chicago, Memphis, Jackson etc vote blue no matter what