Tell me about Takoma Park

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You will either love it or hate it. I hate it, and will tell you the things I hate about it, which you may not hate.

It is stridently liberal. I am liberal. But because I do not have a yard sign that says "love loves here and we love all kinds of people" I suspect my neighbors, who've also heard my opinions re: the Co-Op Parking Lot Wars, do not think so. I'm not sure. We no longer speak.

If you love yoga classes, and expensive yuppie Mexican food, it may be for you. If you are a nice white family who wants some diversity around them and support for your quirky teen without ever having to inconvenience yourselves by worrying about poverty, or cultural tolerance, it may also be for you: there are hundreds of families just like yours. Parents with advanced degrees, good intentions, NPR tote bags, and family money. In the age of Trump, it could almost sound comforting, maybe.

Takoma Park is a small city with all sorts of people (not just those you describe). For most, these issues don’t even come up.

We like the proximity to downtown, the schools, the trail and the “small town feeling” downtown. Restaurants are good too though we don’t eat out a lot. Our neighbors are nice. My primary complaint is that if your kids do certain semi serious sports, the drive to those facilities after school can be tough!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do people deal with the “towers” issue?

I live in Takoma Park and have no idea what you are talking about.

Is it a Lord of the Rings thing?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A lot better public college options in Virginia, so keep that in mind. You’re going from a state with UVA, Tech, W&M, and GMU to a state with UMD and not much else.

Takoma Park is nice, but way more isolated than Alexandria. Isolated from the museums in DC, isolated from major malls and shopping areas and a lot of other stuff. It’s even 30 minutes to get to Bethesda from there.

Actually, most parts of Takoma Park are walkable to the Metro which makes it easy to get downtown. Though, it's true, if your goal in moving to Takoma Park is to go to Bethesda a lot, it's not a good choice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You will either love it or hate it. I hate it, and will tell you the things I hate about it, which you may not hate.

It is stridently liberal. I am liberal. But because I do not have a yard sign that says "love loves here and we love all kinds of people" I suspect my neighbors, who've also heard my opinions re: the Co-Op Parking Lot Wars, do not think so. I'm not sure. We no longer speak.

If you love yoga classes, and expensive yuppie Mexican food, it may be for you. If you are a nice white family who wants some diversity around them and support for your quirky teen without ever having to inconvenience yourselves by worrying about poverty, or cultural tolerance, it may also be for you: there are hundreds of families just like yours. Parents with advanced degrees, good intentions, NPR tote bags, and family money. In the age of Trump, it could almost sound comforting, maybe.

Takoma Park is a small city with all sorts of people (not just those you describe). For most, these issues don’t even come up.

We like the proximity to downtown, the schools, the trail and the “small town feeling” downtown. Restaurants are good too though we don’t eat out a lot. Our neighbors are nice. My primary complaint is that if your kids do certain semi serious sports, the drive to those facilities after school can be tough!

Yes, which points out one of the TKPK negatives: they try to make it difficult to drive around, so it takes time to drive out of the city of Takoma Park. If your tendency is to drive most places, you'll benefit from living near a major road because it's hard to get out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do people deal with the “towers” issue?

I live in Takoma Park and have no idea what you are talking about.

This does indeed seem like a riddle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It sure isn't diverse in the 'historic district'

That may be true, but I live on the DC side and go to downtown TP on my walks. I only feel welcomed and safe as a black woman in TP. Also, Takoma DC is 2 blocks away and that downtown is diverse. Busboys and Poets, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Make sure you understand the extra tax burden of TP.

And the schools are good but not as good as Bethesda/Potomac.

What do you mean by this? They are all part of montgomery county schools.

Be specfic

They’re not W schools. If you care about elite schools, move west of the Pike. Potomac with the similar to Takoma Park priced houses near Rockville/North Bethesda. That is the place to be.

Elite, lol, ok. There is no such thing as an elite MCPS school. You will get just as good of an education at Blair or Einstein or BCC as you will get at the W schools. Which is to say, it will be part of a big public school with all the good and bad that comes with that, and if your kid is smart and a self starter, it will be a fine education.

Like the other poster said: keep telling yourself that. This sounds like a level of copium from some dope with a meager $600-800K house budget.

The W schools stand alone for a reason.

This is so embarrassing to read. Do you really think that the "W schools" are elite? Copium? There is no such thing as an elite public in Montgomery Cty. They are all fine, but none is elite. But if this is what you need to tell yourself to feel confident in living in "North Bethesda", then don't let me stop you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do people deal with the “towers” issue?

I live in Takoma Park and have no idea what you are talking about.

I'm assuming the poster is referring to the residents who live in apartment buildings. TPK mostly deals with them by pointing at them and saying they are an example of its wonderful diversity. And to be fair, that's true.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You will either love it or hate it. I hate it, and will tell you the things I hate about it, which you may not hate.

It is stridently liberal. I am liberal. But because I do not have a yard sign that says "love loves here and we love all kinds of people" I suspect my neighbors, who've also heard my opinions re: the Co-Op Parking Lot Wars, do not think so. I'm not sure. We no longer speak.

If you love yoga classes, and expensive yuppie Mexican food, it may be for you. If you are a nice white family who wants some diversity around them and support for your quirky teen without ever having to inconvenience yourselves by worrying about poverty, or cultural tolerance, it may also be for you: there are hundreds of families just like yours. Parents with advanced degrees, good intentions, NPR tote bags, and family money. In the age of Trump, it could almost sound comforting, maybe.

Hmm, this doesn’t represent the TP I know. My friends and neighbors have diverse opinions about the hot button TP issues (the junction, the Coop, the library, whether we should fight to keep the pool at PBES, development at the metro, etc..) and we are all still friends and enjoy spending time together. There certainly are zealots on both sides of all of these issues but they are a small minority. Also, I couldn’t tell you who has a sign in their yard and who doesn’t without walking past their house. Nobody I know cares if you have a sign or not.

FWIW - I do love the expensive Mexican food in TP, don’t do yoga, have relatively unquirky teens and spend a lot of time worrying about poverty and cultural tolerance.

It’s charming that you describe the community as having zealots on “both sides” of these local issues and yourself as someone “worried about cultural tolerance”. As someone interested in cultural tolerance living in a community with “both sides” Roughly what percentage of your community friends voted for Trump?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You will either love it or hate it. I hate it, and will tell you the things I hate about it, which you may not hate.

It is stridently liberal. I am liberal. But because I do not have a yard sign that says "love loves here and we love all kinds of people" I suspect my neighbors, who've also heard my opinions re: the Co-Op Parking Lot Wars, do not think so. I'm not sure. We no longer speak.

If you love yoga classes, and expensive yuppie Mexican food, it may be for you. If you are a nice white family who wants some diversity around them and support for your quirky teen without ever having to inconvenience yourselves by worrying about poverty, or cultural tolerance, it may also be for you: there are hundreds of families just like yours. Parents with advanced degrees, good intentions, NPR tote bags, and family money. In the age of Trump, it could almost sound comforting, maybe.

Takoma Park is a small city with all sorts of people (not just those you describe). For most, these issues don’t even come up.

We like the proximity to downtown, the schools, the trail and the “small town feeling” downtown. Restaurants are good too though we don’t eat out a lot. Our neighbors are nice. My primary complaint is that if your kids do certain semi serious sports, the drive to those facilities after school can be tough!

Yes, which points out one of the TKPK negatives: they try to make it difficult to drive around, so it takes time to drive out of the city of Takoma Park. If your tendency is to drive most places, you'll benefit from living near a major road because it's hard to get out.

I’m the poster you’re responding to. I don’t find it at all difficult to get out, but once out, you have to deal with long drives to, e.g. Rockville and Bethesda where many sports clubs are based.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP the feel will remind you of Del ray. We’re in Alexandria (moved from nw) and have friends in TP. It’s a lovely community but does feel a lot further from things than Alexandria does

I actually feel the opposite. Alexandria felt too remote, and far from things. Takoma Park is contiguous with DC and coming from NW, Takoma Park made more sense and we stayed closer to our DC friends.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You will either love it or hate it. I hate it, and will tell you the things I hate about it, which you may not hate.

It is stridently liberal. I am liberal. But because I do not have a yard sign that says "love loves here and we love all kinds of people" I suspect my neighbors, who've also heard my opinions re: the Co-Op Parking Lot Wars, do not think so. I'm not sure. We no longer speak.

If you love yoga classes, and expensive yuppie Mexican food, it may be for you. If you are a nice white family who wants some diversity around them and support for your quirky teen without ever having to inconvenience yourselves by worrying about poverty, or cultural tolerance, it may also be for you: there are hundreds of families just like yours. Parents with advanced degrees, good intentions, NPR tote bags, and family money. In the age of Trump, it could almost sound comforting, maybe.

Takoma Park is a small city with all sorts of people (not just those you describe). For most, these issues don’t even come up.

We like the proximity to downtown, the schools, the trail and the “small town feeling” downtown. Restaurants are good too though we don’t eat out a lot. Our neighbors are nice. My primary complaint is that if your kids do certain semi serious sports, the drive to those facilities after school can be tough!

Yes, which points out one of the TKPK negatives: they try to make it difficult to drive around, so it takes time to drive out of the city of Takoma Park. If your tendency is to drive most places, you'll benefit from living near a major road because it's hard to get out.

I’m the poster you’re responding to. I don’t find it at all difficult to get out, but once out, you have to deal with long drives to, e.g. Rockville and Bethesda where many sports clubs are based.

And this is just one of many reasons why living west of the pike is the best option if you’re a young family going to live in this. county. Elite schools, parks, classier neighbors, just generally richer young people who are mostly white and have great connections.

"Mostly white"? I'm shocked that this racist bullshit is allowed on this site.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You will either love it or hate it. I hate it, and will tell you the things I hate about it, which you may not hate.

It is stridently liberal. I am liberal. But because I do not have a yard sign that says "love loves here and we love all kinds of people" I suspect my neighbors, who've also heard my opinions re: the Co-Op Parking Lot Wars, do not think so. I'm not sure. We no longer speak.

If you love yoga classes, and expensive yuppie Mexican food, it may be for you. If you are a nice white family who wants some diversity around them and support for your quirky teen without ever having to inconvenience yourselves by worrying about poverty, or cultural tolerance, it may also be for you: there are hundreds of families just like yours. Parents with advanced degrees, good intentions, NPR tote bags, and family money. In the age of Trump, it could almost sound comforting, maybe.

Takoma Park is a small city with all sorts of people (not just those you describe). For most, these issues don’t even come up.

We like the proximity to downtown, the schools, the trail and the “small town feeling” downtown. Restaurants are good too though we don’t eat out a lot. Our neighbors are nice. My primary complaint is that if your kids do certain semi serious sports, the drive to those facilities after school can be tough!

Yes, which points out one of the TKPK negatives: they try to make it difficult to drive around, so it takes time to drive out of the city of Takoma Park. If your tendency is to drive most places, you'll benefit from living near a major road because it's hard to get out.

I’m the poster you’re responding to. I don’t find it at all difficult to get out, but once out, you have to deal with long drives to, e.g. Rockville and Bethesda where many sports clubs are based.

And this is just one of many reasons why living west of the pike is the best option if you’re a young family going to live in this. county. Elite schools, parks, classier neighbors, just generally richer young people who are mostly white and have great connections.

"Mostly white"? I'm shocked that this racist bullshit is allowed on this site.

It is just a troll. Best to ignore.

[Anonymous]

I would rather stay in Virginia for the in state colleges. It’s only going to get more expensive for college tuition and there are lots of options in Virginia.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:liberal and inviting crime

No one 'invites,' crime

lots of crime like rapes, violent property damage for a much smaller population
https://www.neighborhoodscout.com/md/takoma-park/crime

compare that to bethesda and mclean
https://www.neighborhoodscout.com/md/bethesda/crime
https://www.neighborhoodscout.com/va/mclean/crime

Oh FFS, there is so little crime in Takoma Park that the police department puts out press releases for lost cats. No joke! And if you go out of town they will check on your house for you.