What is it with McLean?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
It's so nice to hear this.

We just bought a house in McLean and are moving there this weekend from out of state. We tried to buy in Potomac and then Vienna, but ended up in McLean. I'd heard many comments about McLean being snooty, while hearing how great Vienna was, and I was concerned. When you say "western side of town" are you referring to west of the beltway?

Welcome. Are you the C-D poster moving here from Charlotte?

Anyway, I hope you like the area. We live in a neighborhood with quite a mix of homes and families of all different ages. For us, it's a good balance of comfort and convenience. Apart from wanting a spiffier downtown (although that might create more congestion), couldn't be happier.

Yes! That's crazy. I'm riley1319 over at C-D.

We ended up buying in 22102 and my oldest will go to Spring Hill. I can't believe after all these months of looking and planning we are finally moving.

[Anonymous]

McLean is old Republican money. Yes it is stodgy. In a good way. And I'm a Dem.

[Anonymous]

Oh brother. I just realized I've been arguing with a 16 yr old. First of all only 1 Kennedy lived in Mclean. Ted lived in Kalorama, and JFK lived in Spring Valley back in the day. I'm not going to get in this who lives where battle because DC wins every time but you really sound childish.

Nope. Ethel lived in Hickory Hill for decades until recently, La Fromage only moved out of McLean after marrying Vickie and lots of Shrivers live there so, no. Just lots of old money in McLean--- you don't know what you're talking about.

[Anonymous]

Middleburg's richer than any of you wannabes.

[Anonymous]

OP, you'll love 22102 and Spring Hill. Welcome!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:McLean used to be that way only on the Langley side. Now the whole place is like that. I grew up there, and have no interest in living there as an adult.

Great - can I buy your house?

No. My parents sold it and the new buyers tore it down. Replaced it with a garish Morris Day. Yuck.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've lived in McLean for over ten years and have not really run into these beige-haired stuck-up people that these posts refer to.

Our neighbors are neighborly and friendly (though some do pay a little too much attention to how much the most recent home sale was).

The parents at our ES are normal, down-to-earth people. I have yet to have someone flaunt their wealth or status (though our children have come home from some playdates wondering why our house is SO much smaller than their friends'). Those who may be well-connected or vastly more wealthy than others have appeared to actually downplay the differences and focus on the things we all have in common -- concern about our kids, weekend activities, etc.

I have no idea where all of this hate for McLean comes from. I love that it feels like a small town and we run into people we know when we go to the grocery store. I love that there are small-town-type events throughout the year. I love that you can feel like you live in the ex-urbs (in the western side of town) when you're really still so close to the city.

Yes, houses cost more there than similar houses would elsewhere. But there really is a lot of value in living here and I wouldn't live anywhere else -- not for the supposed cache of living here, but for the REALITY of it.

Few sidewalks. Few kids just out to play in their neighborhoods.

[Anonymous]

Few sidewalks. Few kids just out to play in their neighborhoods.

What? Please don't come to our neighborhood of 500+ homes built circa 1960 with neighborhood sidewalks that lead to neighborhood (top ranking) public elementary school and pool/tennis club with a swim team of 100+, where tons of kids freely roam, ride bikes, dress up for Halloween like it's a national holiday, sled down suicide hill in wintertime, light 1000's of luminari candles at Christmas, run lemonade stands and summer camps, enjoy fee ice cream from the ice cream truck at the annual picnic, etc, etc.

[Anonymous]

Sock Puppet thread of the year.

[Anonymous]

The Kennedys are old money?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
No. My parents sold it and the new buyers tore it down. Replaced it with a garish Morris Day. Yuck.

Morris-Day builds nice houses. I don't find them garish, but if you do there's still quite a supply of older ramblers and split levels in McLean.

Anyway, you should probably take it up with your parents, not DCUM, and complain to them about cashing out and thereby probably financing your education, their retirement or your inheritance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Few sidewalks. Few kids just out to play in their neighborhoods.

Depends on the neighborhood. Some do, some don't. Ours doesn't, but there's not a lot of car traffic, and people are always out walking their dogs, walking to downtown McLean or the nearby parks and library, or just socializing. Sidewalks would be fine, but their absence makes the neighborhood feel a bit more rural.

We see about as many kids in our neighborhood as we did in others where we've lived. Kids in this region generally spend more time indoors and in organized activities now than was the case for prior generations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
No. My parents sold it and the new buyers tore it down. Replaced it with a garish Morris Day. Yuck.

There's nothing unique about this sentiment. You hear it from old-time residents of DC who don't like it when a neighborhood like Logan Circle or Bloomingdale gets "gentrified." You hear from former residents of the Town of Vienna who don't like it when Steve Bukont builds an Ayrhill House, from people in Arlington and Falls Church who don't like Tradition Homes, or people in Bethesda who complain about a Studio Z design.

It's hard to know whether the objections are really on aesthetic grounds, or are just based on resentment, but maybe those voicing them should find a planned community with an HOA that allows four home designs and three colors, and nails your ass to the ground if you leave a wreath up after December 31st.

[Anonymous]

It is assuming that so many of these threads use whether McLean has more "old" or "new" money as criteria for living there. Is that a legitimate quality of life question for you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is assuming that so many of these threads use whether McLean has more "old" or "new" money as criteria for living there. Is that a legitimate quality of life question for you?

You can always pay for background checks and find out where they summer.