Any funky little neighborhoods in DC area? With Northern California-type vibe?

[Anonymous]

I don't understand all the people who start threads by saying" I am living in NY and want to find NY in DC or California in DC" This is not possible and I wish people would stop asking. This is getting sort of offensive at this point.

What if you moved to Thailand or London and said "I'm looking for a neighborhood just like in America?" People would think you very narrow minded. If you want NY city vibe stay in NY or laid back casual stay in LA. But, if you move here open your minds to different things and new experiences! Stop looking and comparing us to where you are from.

You are going to be disappointed and then you are going to say 'we suck'. There are good/bad things about every area but, if I was looking to move to California I would not be looking for my neighborhood where I just left but, looking for a place near my job and different! ( ie we don't have the Pacific ocean for one!)

Good luck but, for the love of all that is good stop trying to find California here!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
What if you moved to Thailand or London and said "I'm looking for a neighborhood just like in America?"

I had a friend who said London was a lot like NYC. Now I don't think he meant there was great pizza in London, or anything like that, but there are I think parallels in urban form, in architecture in some areas, and even in the mood and culture of the city.

There are definitely places in greater DC that are like some other neighborhoods in the USA - so its not a waste of effort to ask.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
What if you moved to Thailand or London and said "I'm looking for a neighborhood just like in America?"

I had a friend who said London was a lot like NYC. Now I don't think he meant there was great pizza in London, or anything like that, but there are I think parallels in urban form, in architecture in some areas, and even in the mood and culture of the city.

There are definitely places in greater DC that are like some other neighborhoods in the USA - so its not a waste of effort to ask.

I think it's fair to ask, "I was happy in xx and xx cities. Where in DC do you think I'd be happiest?" But as a native Californian who is very happy in DC, it is pretty pointless to ask for a place with a Saratoga or Los Gatos vibe in a major East Coast city. The topography and everything else here is just so different.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Places that come to mind are Glover park and also Arlington between courthouse and Clarendon

No and no.

+1. I live near Clarendon and it is the antithesis of what OP is looking for. It is just gyms, banks, closed restaurants, bro bars, and millennial trust fund babies tucked into generic overpriced apartment buildings. It is actually pretty boring. We go somewhere else every time we want to shop or eat out.

[Anonymous]

No, OP, you will not find CA here. If you are looking for an affluent neighborhood try Woodley Park.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
What if you moved to Thailand or London and said "I'm looking for a neighborhood just like in America?"

I had a friend who said London was a lot like NYC. Now I don't think he meant there was great pizza in London, or anything like that, but there are I think parallels in urban form, in architecture in some areas, and even in the mood and culture of the city.

There are definitely places in greater DC that are like some other neighborhoods in the USA - so its not a waste of effort to ask.

I think it's fair to ask, "I was happy in xx and xx cities. Where in DC do you think I'd be happiest?" But as a native Californian who is very happy in DC, it is pretty pointless to ask for a place with a Saratoga or Los Gatos vibe in a major East Coast city. The topography and everything else here is just so different.

Maybe instead of asking about how to recreate Santa Ana or Atherton or Humbolt or wherever, folks should ask about the particular aspects that were appealing? Like, where are there lots of SAHMs spending workaholic hubby's money? Or, where can we all talk about having graduate degrees while having nothing like a serious career? Or where can I drive a black SUV, flash a brand-name handbag and wear yoga pants all the time?

Alternatively, you could look for ways to use moving to a new place to experience new things. What would you say to a Houstonian asking to recreate their lives when they move to NYC? How about someone from Dubai looking to recreate that world in Kansas City? You'd tell them that wasn't really in the cards, but an enjoyable life could be had by being open to new things.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
What if you moved to Thailand or London and said "I'm looking for a neighborhood just like in America?"

I had a friend who said London was a lot like NYC. Now I don't think he meant there was great pizza in London, or anything like that, but there are I think parallels in urban form, in architecture in some areas, and even in the mood and culture of the city.

There are definitely places in greater DC that are like some other neighborhoods in the USA - so its not a waste of effort to ask.

I think it's fair to ask, "I was happy in xx and xx cities. Where in DC do you think I'd be happiest?" But as a native Californian who is very happy in DC, it is pretty pointless to ask for a place with a Saratoga or Los Gatos vibe in a major East Coast city. The topography and everything else here is just so different.

Maybe instead of asking about how to recreate Santa Ana or Atherton or Humbolt or wherever, folks should ask about the particular aspects that were appealing? Like, where are there lots of SAHMs spending workaholic hubby's money? Or, where can we all talk about having graduate degrees while having nothing like a serious career? Or where can I drive a black SUV, flash a brand-name handbag and wear yoga pants all the time?

Alternatively, you could look for ways to use moving to a new place to experience new things. What would you say to a Houstonian asking to recreate their lives when they move to NYC? How about someone from Dubai looking to recreate that world in Kansas City? You'd tell them that wasn't really in the cards, but an enjoyable life could be had by being open to new things.

I don't disagree with you but, in the bolded parts you sound super judgy. What have SAHM done to you? I think what you wrote was unnecessary and mean. Someone also could have written about working moms and dads: "where can I live where the moms and dads work all the time and have nannies raise their kids?" See how that works? Btw, I was just making a point and I do not believe it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What would you say to a Houstonian asking to recreate their lives when they move to NYC?

That's easy. Live in some sprawly part of Long Island. Enjoy July and August. That way you get the suburban sprawl, and the heat and humidity. If not the big hats and the accents.

Seriously, not everyone WANTS to go native. Some people move because they have to and want and need stuff that is more who they were.

I moved to medium sized sunbelt metro in my 20s. A yankee city kid. After 6 miserable months in a 2 story garden apt complex walkable to nothing, with lots of shallow Florida singles, I moved to a 3 story garden apt complex with enclosed entries that felt just a tad more urban and less Florida, that was at least walkable to a drug store where I could buy the Sunday NY Times (one of the few places in the metro area it could be found) that was closer to downtown, and that had a more yankee, more educated clientele.

It wasn't Beacon Hill, but I felt a bit less like a fish out of water. I probably missed some cultural immersion experiences, but I preserved my sanity till I could move out of the metro area.

There is nothing wrong with that, IMO. You may like experiencing the culture where ever you are, but not everyone can do that. Its not like we are talking a 3 week vacation or even a year long internship - for some people, depending on their career, we are talking a long term change. Its scary to think you have completely lost the way of life you like.

[Anonymous]

Clarendon from mid-90s until about 2004.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP by vibe do you mean stuff to do or the type of people or the flora/fauna?

Kind of both. I feel like people's personalities are tied to the flora and fauna.

[Anonymous]

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP by vibe do you mean stuff to do or the type of people or the flora/fauna?

Kind of both. I feel like people's personalities are tied to the flora and fauna.

Well I am the person who said Downtown Frederick and we moved from the Bay Area to here. I did a lot of DCUMing and googling discussion forums and what I personally was looking for was an indie biz scene (some might say hipster), walkability, and down-to-earth people. I grew up in the high pressure DC burbs and did not want to return to it nor raise my kids there. I am happy where we settled and don't regret it. It's not the Bay Area for both better and for worse.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The People's Republic of Takoma Park, MD

+ 1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What would you say to a Houstonian asking to recreate their lives when they move to NYC?

That's easy. Live in some sprawly part of Long Island. Enjoy July and August. That way you get the suburban sprawl, and the heat and humidity. If not the big hats and the accents.

Seriously, not everyone WANTS to go native. Some people move because they have to and want and need stuff that is more who they were.

I moved to medium sized sunbelt metro in my 20s. A yankee city kid. After 6 miserable months in a 2 story garden apt complex walkable to nothing, with lots of shallow Florida singles, I moved to a 3 story garden apt complex with enclosed entries that felt just a tad more urban and less Florida, that was at least walkable to a drug store where I could buy the Sunday NY Times (one of the few places in the metro area it could be found) that was closer to downtown, and that had a more yankee, more educated clientele.

It wasn't Beacon Hill, but I felt a bit less like a fish out of water. I probably missed some cultural immersion experiences, but I preserved my sanity till I could move out of the metro area.

There is nothing wrong with that, IMO. You may like experiencing the culture where ever you are, but not everyone can do that. Its not like we are talking a 3 week vacation or even a year long internship - for some people, depending on their career, we are talking a long term change. Its scary to think you have completely lost the way of life you like.

Houston is hot and humid and sprawling, but it's also the most diverse city in the United States. Tom Sietsema named it one of the top 10 US cities for restaurants. The population skews highly educated and politically quite liberal (Hillary won Harris County). Don't know about the big hats.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Or a Pacific Northwest vibe or Vermonty type vibe? Del Ray maybe? Is that as good as it gets? Takoma park?

At a superficial level, you have a number of options.

At a deeper level, people here in DC are obsessed with politics and skin color, so...