Help! Vienna Vibes and Feel? TOV?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maybe move to house outside of TOV, which is where I live. Zoned for vienna schools, can bike into town, but not part of whatever social cliques are going on. Your kids are young enough that you can move in closer later if you want.

I live just outside TOV and don't know anything about the cliques etc but can still enjoy town events. It's a nice vibe. That said, I'm bummed we don't have leaf pickup like TOV. And if we lived near town center I'd let my tween walk to more things.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As PPs have said, just choose to opt out. Vienna gives you the best of small town and community focused, just don't get lost in the weeds of rat race/Foodie FOMO/keeping up with the Joneses. That's good advice in in general for the DMV.

If you don’t want to be in an area with a very strong “keeping up with the Joneses” vibe, opting out of Vienna entirely would be the best strategy.

+100

My SIL runs herself ragged trying to keep up with the Joneses in Vienna. Lots of money in TOV now with the newer homes. I know a few others who live there and it seems exhausting. Constant social media posts about kid sports.

Not sure what your SIL is doing but I've lived in the TOV since 2000, raised two kids there and have absolutely no idea what you (or your SIL) are referring to. Our family participated in some activities and events and skipped others. We had a nice circle of friends, but all had friends beyond that circle as well. Never -- never -- felt like we had to keep up with anyone in Vienna. It is just a normal, nice place to live with a wonderful small-town feel. Nothing more, nothing less.

[Anonymous]

We love the TOV. It is fun seeing people you know just walking around. People that know your kids and will likely protect them with you. That’s the vibe we have in our section of town. People know us at the grocery store, all of the businesses we frequent. It really has a old small town feel. There are people that I don’t want to mix with and I assume it would be the same living anywhere. We are middle class and have no issues with people having more or less than us. Pick your favorite house/school and we will see you in Church st. I am so happy we moved here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We lived there for a decade. It has its good points - people are generally friendly and it's very kid-oriented when it comes to cheap eats, youth sports, etc.

On the other hand, it has a conformist vibe and it is extremely sports-oriented. We've lived in other places in the DC area, including McLean, that felt more private with fewer neighbors keeping tabs on everyone in the neighborhood.

Agree with the PP, by the way, that Vienna generally tends to be rather apolitical. People will usually make small talk about just about anything other than politics to avoid offending anyone's contrary sensibilities, but maybe things are different when it comes to Trump (whether for or against).

The Republicans did get booed at the Halloween Parada which usually didn’t happen. But I guess this year, it’s different. OP-Vienna can be cliquey or not depending on whether you buy into the rat race. Some Vienna moms will be into AAP, which pool you belong to (get your name on a waitlist asap), sports, posting selfies in Vienna Foodies, etc. But most parents are academically focused without being extra. It’s a great place to raise a family.

That has got to be the weirdest FB page ever. And I can't even explain why. I joined it for restaurant info when I moved to Vienna, and it is just ... selfies from some clique and also marketing disguised as regular posts? Hard to describe.

Such a strange group. No one is allowed to post anything that isn’t over the top positive so there’s tons of glowing tributes to mostly mediocre restaurants. Like a community sanctioned advertising page.

It’s a gross site. It’s like anyone who posts is only tolerated if they can ultimately make the administrators of the FB page look like local influencers.

I can’t stand L, her worshippers, and the types of posts about food that are DISallowed.

[Anonymous]

I live right outside the town of Vienna (like, literally steps from it). People in my neighborhood are normal people who mind their own business. imo you are overlooking one of the worst aspects of living in TOV which would be the necessary reliance on MAPLE AVENUE, a soul-sucking nightmare of a road designed for a town about half the size. I see all the poor schmucks sitting in their parking lot traffic return commute from Tysons (or even DC) when I periodically happen to make a trip to Giant.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I live right outside the town of Vienna (like, literally steps from it). People in my neighborhood are normal people who mind their own business. imo you are overlooking one of the worst aspects of living in TOV which would be the necessary reliance on MAPLE AVENUE, a soul-sucking nightmare of a road designed for a town about half the size. I see all the poor schmucks sitting in their parking lot traffic return commute from Tysons (or even DC) when I periodically happen to make a trip to Giant.

But the same back streets that you use living steps away are the same streets we get to use living within.

[Anonymous]

I can’t stand L, her worshippers, and the types of posts about food that are DISallowed.

Sounds a little strange when I hear/ read these types of comments. Leave her alone. I believe she has good intentions. Just ignore it if you don’t like it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As PPs have said, just choose to opt out. Vienna gives you the best of small town and community focused, just don't get lost in the weeds of rat race/Foodie FOMO/keeping up with the Joneses. That's good advice in in general for the DMV.

If you don’t want to be in an area with a very strong “keeping up with the Joneses” vibe, opting out of Vienna entirely would be the best strategy.

+100

My SIL runs herself ragged trying to keep up with the Joneses in Vienna. Lots of money in TOV now with the newer homes. I know a few others who live there and it seems exhausting. Constant social media posts about kid sports.

Not sure what your SIL is doing but I've lived in the TOV since 2000, raised two kids there and have absolutely no idea what you (or your SIL) are referring to. Our family participated in some activities and events and skipped others. We had a nice circle of friends, but all had friends beyond that circle as well. Never -- never -- felt like we had to keep up with anyone in Vienna. It is just a normal, nice place to live with a wonderful small-town feel. Nothing more, nothing less.

Your kids are grown, so I’m going to guess your social group does not overlap much. There is definitely a certain group in and near TOV with school age kids, that has more recently built large expensive homes and has a lot of parties to show off for each other. Kind of an overgrown sorority/fraternity vibe. Some people can remain happily oblivious to social dynamics, but OP sounds like the type who notices them. If that is the case OP might not love it in Vienna.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We lived there for a decade. It has its good points - people are generally friendly and it's very kid-oriented when it comes to cheap eats, youth sports, etc.

On the other hand, it has a conformist vibe and it is extremely sports-oriented. We've lived in other places in the DC area, including McLean, that felt more private with fewer neighbors keeping tabs on everyone in the neighborhood.

Agree with the PP, by the way, that Vienna generally tends to be rather apolitical. People will usually make small talk about just about anything other than politics to avoid offending anyone's contrary sensibilities, but maybe things are different when it comes to Trump (whether for or against).

The Republicans did get booed at the Halloween Parada which usually didn’t happen. But I guess this year, it’s different. OP-Vienna can be cliquey or not depending on whether you buy into the rat race. Some Vienna moms will be into AAP, which pool you belong to (get your name on a waitlist asap), sports, posting selfies in Vienna Foodies, etc. But most parents are academically focused without being extra. It’s a great place to raise a family.

That has got to be the weirdest FB page ever. And I can't even explain why. I joined it for restaurant info when I moved to Vienna, and it is just ... selfies from some clique and also marketing disguised as regular posts? Hard to describe.

Such a strange group. No one is allowed to post anything that isn’t over the top positive so there’s tons of glowing tributes to mostly mediocre restaurants. Like a community sanctioned advertising page.

+1

It’s advertising.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As PPs have said, just choose to opt out. Vienna gives you the best of small town and community focused, just don't get lost in the weeds of rat race/Foodie FOMO/keeping up with the Joneses. That's good advice in in general for the DMV.

If you don’t want to be in an area with a very strong “keeping up with the Joneses” vibe, opting out of Vienna entirely would be the best strategy.

Be careful with this. OP you could jump out of the frying pan and into the fire. Many areas are far worse with the keeping up with the Joneses stuff than Vienna. I am the PP who moved from FCC to Vienna this year, and I find Vienna less of an issue in this way than FCC and McLean, where I was before.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As PPs have said, just choose to opt out. Vienna gives you the best of small town and community focused, just don't get lost in the weeds of rat race/Foodie FOMO/keeping up with the Joneses. That's good advice in in general for the DMV.

If you don’t want to be in an area with a very strong “keeping up with the Joneses” vibe, opting out of Vienna entirely would be the best strategy.

+100

My SIL runs herself ragged trying to keep up with the Joneses in Vienna. Lots of money in TOV now with the newer homes. I know a few others who live there and it seems exhausting. Constant social media posts about kid sports.

Not sure what your SIL is doing but I've lived in the TOV since 2000, raised two kids there and have absolutely no idea what you (or your SIL) are referring to. Our family participated in some activities and events and skipped others. We had a nice circle of friends, but all had friends beyond that circle as well. Never -- never -- felt like we had to keep up with anyone in Vienna. It is just a normal, nice place to live with a wonderful small-town feel. Nothing more, nothing less.

What was the average price of a home when you moved here? Things have changed significantly from when your kids were in elementary school. So, respectfully, you might not know what you’re talking about here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I live right outside the town of Vienna (like, literally steps from it). People in my neighborhood are normal people who mind their own business. imo you are overlooking one of the worst aspects of living in TOV which would be the necessary reliance on MAPLE AVENUE, a soul-sucking nightmare of a road designed for a town about half the size. I see all the poor schmucks sitting in their parking lot traffic return commute from Tysons (or even DC) when I periodically happen to make a trip to Giant.

Good point. No one had yet mentioned the hellish traffic on Maple.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Vienna Elementary is very community focused being in the center of town and a little more social sorority like. Louise Archer is more international and academic but not too different and they both feed to Thoreau and Jackson and then Madison.

This is where we are a little lost. How does the community and social sorority vibes coexist? We love the idea of community- social sorority not so much so we are not sure what to expect.

To follow up. Maybe our lack of exposure to
sorority and fraternities is source of confusion.

I think you may be right. A lot of fraternities and sororities have a vibe that is very social, friendly, engaged in the college campus, philanthropic, and even studious and athletic. It makes sense that people in these groups would just transfer their efforts to their community instead of their college. There are more stay-at-home and wealthy moms at VES than Archer and I've heard the social pressure is just a bit more if you are mom. If you don't have time for that stuff, it can feel a little too much I've heard but that's only if you care about being included in everything. For the most part the town is very family friendly, and you can just pick and choose what you want to be involved in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I can’t stand L, her worshippers, and the types of posts about food that are DISallowed.

Sounds a little strange when I hear/ read these types of comments. Leave her alone. I believe she has good intentions. Just ignore it if you don’t like it.

We can each have our opinions. You think it is strange that several people complain when a group called Vienna Foodies only allows positive comments about restaurants, zero feedback on anything negative like sound, wait, staff, food- all things people who are foodies want to know, yet will get you banned if you post about them AND strange when people complain about the many posts of non food related stuff but the group leaders also chastise others who posts non food related stuff.

I think the opposite is what is strange. Don’t foodies want to know about real restaurant experiences? Not a whitewashed version?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As PPs have said, just choose to opt out. Vienna gives you the best of small town and community focused, just don't get lost in the weeds of rat race/Foodie FOMO/keeping up with the Joneses. That's good advice in in general for the DMV.

If you don’t want to be in an area with a very strong “keeping up with the Joneses” vibe, opting out of Vienna entirely would be the best strategy.

Be careful with this. OP you could jump out of the frying pan and into the fire. Many areas are far worse with the keeping up with the Joneses stuff than Vienna. I am the PP who moved from FCC to Vienna this year, and I find Vienna less of an issue in this way than FCC and McLean, where I was before.

Exactly, and the McLean foodies site makes the Vienna one seem a lot more friendly. I think the Vienna one is a little weird but the main purpose seems to be supporting Vienna businesses and fostering a sense of community. The McLean one looks like a bunch of really rich people having parties in big houses.