Debating moving to Vienna from DC

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I guess the question is what you would do with the extra space. If you have five kids, that's one thing. Many of my colleagues have ridiculous commutes that they hate, and they admit that they have rooms in their houses that no one goes into from one day to the next.

I think part of it stems from the fact that many are from rural or Midwestern areas where housing is inexpensive, and they just think they are supposed to have a house of that size. It's nice that this area has a lot of different neighborhoods with different characteristics, but that's all the more reason to live in a place that matches your true preferences. Whatever you do, don't live your life according to a script someone else wrote.

Some people want larger houses because they grew up in cramped flats or apartments in cities in the U.S. or abroad. Or they may have 2-3 kids, not five. You profess to be objective, but it seems you hope people will follow your own "script" and, lemme guess, live in a small, expensive house in DC or Arlington.

[Anonymous]

I grew up in Vienna. Was nice for me when I was younger, but since I turned 13 or so I've hated it. Would never go back to the DC burbs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in Vienna. Was nice for me when I was younger, but since I turned 13 or so I've hated it. Would never go back to the DC burbs.

Same story here. This is one of the reasons why we stayed in DC in the end (tempting as it was to move to suburbs).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in Vienna. Was nice for me when I was younger, but since I turned 13 or so I've hated it. Would never go back to the DC burbs.

Now would you actually have been happy in DC, or would there have been a different source of angst?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in Vienna. Was nice for me when I was younger, but since I turned 13 or so I've hated it. Would never go back to the DC burbs.

This isn't really helpful unless you say what it was that you disliked.

[Anonymous]

I'm in northeastern Vienna and rarely pop in to DC for lunch, but Tysons is only a few minutes away and yes I go to Chef Geoff's or Tysons Corner Center often. I'm east of the traffic back-up in Vienna, belong to a neighborhood pool, watch the Vienna Halloween parade, take my kids to ballet class at Cuppett or Vienna Baseball. Buy organic food at the Vienna farmers market. Drink margaritas at Alegria. Its nice and I don't have traffic concerns. Oh, and I'll be able catch a bus to the metro, or do the 30-minute walk, in a few months.

[Anonymous]

The neighborhood pools ALL have waitlists. Vienna Aquatic seems to have a shorter one, but it's dominated by the swim team. Vienna Woods it's 2-3 years just to get a chance to rent a membership.

[Anonymous]

I think you've heard plenty of great things about Vienna already, so I'll be brief.

We absolutely love it here! There is good reason you hear so many positive things about this town, it truly is a wonderful place to live.

[Anonymous]

I lived in Fairfax City and then Oakton (which borders Fairfax and Vienna) for years. All were awesome communities. We had good schools, nice parks, great farmers markets, a bike trail, the Lifetime fitness is being upgraded to the highest level, we have a Whole Foods and an organic independent market, music on the green, tons of good restaurants, of course, Metro, Home Depot, plenty of other shopping, a daycare in Vienna which I loved, lots of churches.... Jammin Java music venue too.... Frankly I don't know what there is not to like. I used HOV and the commute to DC was manageable.

[Anonymous]

OP, I believe you could never enjoy living among the happy rustics in their humble thatch-roof cottages and ramblers. You must stick to the cities, where there is civilization and true culture.

As for Fairfax City, I understand they only converted to Christianity in 2003, and before that terrorized the civilized areas routinely. I will not even mention the areas further out, as they are believed to be inhabited by diverse Stone Age tribes, which you may find amusing for a day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in Vienna. Was nice for me when I was younger, but since I turned 13 or so I've hated it. Would never go back to the DC burbs.

Now would you actually have been happy in DC, or would there have been a different source of angst?

That's a good question. I know for sure that I wouldn't have spent my energy driving around at 100 mph and doing other stupid things. Maybe I would've made other trouble, but maybe I would've gone to art museums on the weekend (was big into art) and hung out at coffee shops. I felt trapped in my house because, well... you ARE trapped in the house when you're in the burbs. Your only escape is to drive somewhere and I didn't have a ton of friends to hang out with so I would drive from mall to mall, bored and depressed out of my mind! In the city, you can walk out the door and explore other neighborhoods or just be somewhere else. It was like a revelation when I went to school in a small city. I became so much happier living that lifestyle. Obviously, this isn't the case for everyone. Maybe not even most people. But I think that suburban living is much more unnatural than city living. It's isolating and handicapping unless you live in an incredibly well-planned community.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in Vienna. Was nice for me when I was younger, but since I turned 13 or so I've hated it. Would never go back to the DC burbs.

Now would you actually have been happy in DC, or would there have been a different source of angst?

That's a good question. I know for sure that I wouldn't have spent my energy driving around at 100 mph and doing other stupid things. Maybe I would've made other trouble, but maybe I would've gone to art museums on the weekend (was big into art) and hung out at coffee shops. I felt trapped in my house because, well... you ARE trapped in the house when you're in the burbs. Your only escape is to drive somewhere and I didn't have a ton of friends to hang out with so I would drive from mall to mall, bored and depressed out of my mind! In the city, you can walk out the door and explore other neighborhoods or just be somewhere else. It was like a revelation when I went to school in a small city. I became so much happier living that lifestyle. Obviously, this isn't the case for everyone. Maybe not even most people. But I think that suburban living is much more unnatural than city living. It's isolating and handicapping unless you live in an incredibly well-planned community.

I don't think most DCUM posters fit so obviously into the "square peg" category.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in Vienna. Was nice for me when I was younger, but since I turned 13 or so I've hated it. Would never go back to the DC burbs.

Now would you actually have been happy in DC, or would there have been a different source of angst?

That's a good question. I know for sure that I wouldn't have spent my energy driving around at 100 mph and doing other stupid things. Maybe I would've made other trouble, but maybe I would've gone to art museums on the weekend (was big into art) and hung out at coffee shops. I felt trapped in my house because, well... you ARE trapped in the house when you're in the burbs. Your only escape is to drive somewhere and I didn't have a ton of friends to hang out with so I would drive from mall to mall, bored and depressed out of my mind! In the city, you can walk out the door and explore other neighborhoods or just be somewhere else. It was like a revelation when I went to school in a small city. I became so much happier living that lifestyle. Obviously, this isn't the case for everyone. Maybe not even most people. But I think that suburban living is much more unnatural than city living. It's isolating and handicapping unless you live in an incredibly well-planned community.

are you 16?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in Vienna. Was nice for me when I was younger, but since I turned 13 or so I've hated it. Would never go back to the DC burbs.

Now would you actually have been happy in DC, or would there have been a different source of angst?

That's a good question. I know for sure that I wouldn't have spent my energy driving around at 100 mph and doing other stupid things. Maybe I would've made other trouble, but maybe I would've gone to art museums on the weekend (was big into art) and hung out at coffee shops. I felt trapped in my house because, well... you ARE trapped in the house when you're in the burbs. Your only escape is to drive somewhere and I didn't have a ton of friends to hang out with so I would drive from mall to mall, bored and depressed out of my mind! In the city, you can walk out the door and explore other neighborhoods or just be somewhere else. It was like a revelation when I went to school in a small city. I became so much happier living that lifestyle. Obviously, this isn't the case for everyone. Maybe not even most people. But I think that suburban living is much more unnatural than city living. It's isolating and handicapping unless you live in an incredibly well-planned community.

Grew up in dc and defn hung out in coffee shops, museums, movie, restaurants, music concerts, etc. hardly ever went to malls. Good most of everywhere via bus, metro, walking, and the occasional cab. Felt super sorry for my friends from elementary school whose parents moved out to the burbs after sixth grade. They seemed to spend their time shopping malls for coordinated outfits.

[Anonymous]

Went to Wilson in the 80s and envied those who didn't worry about getting harassed or beaten up....definitely resented that my parents let their political views take priority over my well-being and education.

You know what they say, the grass is always greener.