Old Money Neighborhoods

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wesley Heights, Georgetown, Cleveland Park, Kent, Spring Valley, Chevy Chase. Yes, there's plenty of new money in these neighborhoods, but they're the closest you get to old money in the D.C. metro area.

Most of the young families in these Washington neighborhoods are from upper middle and upper class backgrounds. Their families may not have been in Fortune but, by most folks' definition, they grew up "with money." Most of them also went to privates schools and then top colleges, law schools, grads schools and have successful careers. They were raised to lead the life they are leading. They have used the advantages of birth to continue along their families' established paths. That is pretty much "old money" Washington style, with a few families sprinkled in who have actuall fortunes and hefty trust funds.

This is very different from the children of lower middle and working class kids who make it big on their own and, as adults, are able to afford a lifestyle much better than their parents. These folks weren't raised with the benefits of weatlh so the natural mannerisms and tastes of the upper class are not natural to them. They are usually incredibly accomplished, ambitious, and fun people but they are what people call new money - because it is to he first time in their lives that they have been able to afford the trappings of the rich:private schools, expensive homes, antiques, beautiful things, luxury cars and international vacations. Some of these people live in the Washington neighborhoods named above but more of whom choose to live in places like Potomac and McLean where large lots allow a more grandiose expression of their success.

Spot on! You put in words exactly what I was thinking. All of my friends who are professionals of working class background seem to boast about "getting out of the city where you can stretch." And over time it has become a chore to drive out from are far more modest (but twice as valuable) Wesley Heights home.

They'll probably meet nicer people in the suburbs, so it's unlikely they'll miss either your visits or your attitude.

Anyway, the notion that professionals around here are either upper-crusties or from "working class" backgrounds is silly. Most professionals in this area are now themselves the children of professionals, and whethey they end up in the city or the suburbs depends on a mix of factors such as how they feel about public vs. private schools, old vs. new homes, their tolerance for longer commutes, and whether they want to live somewhere that has political representation in Congress.