What happened to Clarendon?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I live in Arlington and never hang out in Arlington. Live here doe the commute and my neighbors.

Yesterday we spent the morning hiking and finished up at Bear Chase and Dirt Farm. If I didn't have to libe here I certainly would'nt! Not exactly the kind of lifestyle I dream of.

No idea if Clarendon or Ballston are cool or not, don't care either.

Cool story, bro.

But seriously, thanks for the recs for the breweries in Bluemont - didn't know they existed.

I live in Arlington yet work in Maryland. I love Arlington because I don't have to leave her if I don't want to. So many parks and trails to explore. Close to DC.

The thing about the R-B corridor is it is alive with people of all ages. I like, too, that I don't have to go on a major highway to get anywhere fun. I can pretty much walk anywhere I need to be.

What parks in Arlington are actually worth exploring? Genuinely curious.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Clarendon is packed every night of the week. Ambar and TTT/Buena Vida (amazing rooftop deck), Heritage anchor the dining scene. It is like a city now and when they finish redoing the long block across from Whole Foods up to Whitlows it will keep getting better.

An Escape Room just opened in Market Common, Soul Cycle has joined the 75 other boutique exercise studios and Equinox will be opening. A Jumping Joeys is opening on Clarendon Blvd for the kids.

The biggest difference is the sheer number of people hanging out Day and night and sidewalk tables filled.

There is a changing tide. Crowd is going more upscale/older as younger crowd moves farther up the corridor. And more family type businesses due to kid population explosion are sprouting up.

Whoever declared it dead hasn’t tried to buy a house in the area. No inventory, crazy-competitive.

Thanks Keri

+1 an escape room? That's something you're citing as a positive?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Clarendon is packed every night of the week. Ambar and TTT/Buena Vida (amazing rooftop deck), Heritage anchor the dining scene. It is like a city now and when they finish redoing the long block across from Whole Foods up to Whitlows it will keep getting better.

An Escape Room just opened in Market Common, Soul Cycle has joined the 75 other boutique exercise studios and Equinox will be opening. A Jumping Joeys is opening on Clarendon Blvd for the kids.

The biggest difference is the sheer number of people hanging out Day and night and sidewalk tables filled.

There is a changing tide. Crowd is going more upscale/older as younger crowd moves farther up the corridor. And more family type businesses due to kid population explosion are sprouting up.

Whoever declared it dead hasn’t tried to buy a house in the area. No inventory, crazy-competitive.

.
Thanks Keri

+1 an escape room? That's something you're citing as a positive?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I live in Arlington and never hang out in Arlington. Live here doe the commute and my neighbors.

Yesterday we spent the morning hiking and finished up at Bear Chase and Dirt Farm. If I didn't have to libe here I certainly would'nt! Not exactly the kind of lifestyle I dream of.

No idea if Clarendon or Ballston are cool or not, don't care either.

Cool story, bro.

But seriously, thanks for the recs for the breweries in Bluemont - didn't know they existed.

I live in Arlington yet work in Maryland. I love Arlington because I don't have to leave her if I don't want to. So many parks and trails to explore. Close to DC.

The thing about the R-B corridor is it is alive with people of all ages. I like, too, that I don't have to go on a major highway to get anywhere fun. I can pretty much walk anywhere I need to be.

What parks in Arlington are actually worth exploring? Genuinely curious.

Mt Vernon Trail is great if you jog or cycle, Roosevelt Island is technically in DC but you access it from Arlington, Long Bridge Park is good for little kids on bikes who like trains and planes, the park in front of the Netherlands Carillon is a good picnic and hangout spot, Potomac Overlook has trails and a nature center... clearly I live in the eastern part of the county, but I’m sure there are more I haven’t found yet!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Clarendon is packed every night of the week. Ambar and TTT/Buena Vida (amazing rooftop deck), Heritage anchor the dining scene. It is like a city now and when they finish redoing the long block across from Whole Foods up to Whitlows it will keep getting better.

An Escape Room just opened in Market Common, Soul Cycle has joined the 75 other boutique exercise studios and Equinox will be opening. A Jumping Joeys is opening on Clarendon Blvd for the kids.

The biggest difference is the sheer number of people hanging out Day and night and sidewalk tables filled.

There is a changing tide. Crowd is going more upscale/older as younger crowd moves farther up the corridor. And more family type businesses due to kid population explosion are sprouting up.

Whoever declared it dead hasn’t tried to buy a house in the area. No inventory, crazy-competitive.

Yet none of those places are unique or special. That and it's full of middle aged parents these days. No thanks. Even Northside Social looks more like a daycare with mom's working on their laptop. Clarendon isn't the "cool" place it was 10 years ago.

There was a time when Clarendon was cool?

Arlington is full of overeducated paper pushing government workers, defense contractors, etc. The whole area isn’t exactly flooded with creatives or the type of people who make a place “cool.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Clarendon was going downhill 10 years ago.

More like 19 years ago. Mister Days was cliche when I got out of college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Lyon village moms killed it

And the greedy landlords.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Last time I was in Clarendon it seemed to be hopping.

When was that?

[Anonymous]

It is all gyms, banks, a few mediocre overpriced restaurants, and bro bars. Plus, it is starting to look rundown and dirty.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is all gyms, banks, a few mediocre overpriced restaurants, and bro bars. Plus, it is starting to look rundown and dirty.

Plus various other amenities like grocery stores and veterinarians and other things people use in day to day life. It’s a nice place to live and a boring nightlife destination.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is all gyms, banks, a few mediocre overpriced restaurants, and bro bars. Plus, it is starting to look rundown and dirty.

Plus various other amenities like grocery stores and veterinarians and other things people use in day to day life. It’s a nice place to live and a boring nightlife destination.

Yeah I never considered Clarendon to be a thing. It was only cool if you live in Fairfax or Woodbridge for a night out. Besides that, it's bro bars, overpriced Irish pubs, with a Whole Foods slammed in the middle. It's like every other boring residential area.

[Anonymous]

I just wish a library was closer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just wish a library was closer.

Because 1 mile to the library on Quincy is too far?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I live in Arlington and never hang out in Arlington. Live here doe the commute and my neighbors.

Yesterday we spent the morning hiking and finished up at Bear Chase and Dirt Farm. If I didn't have to libe here I certainly would'nt! Not exactly the kind of lifestyle I dream of.

No idea if Clarendon or Ballston are cool or not, don't care either.

Cool story, bro.

But seriously, thanks for the recs for the breweries in Bluemont - didn't know they existed.

I live in Arlington yet work in Maryland. I love Arlington because I don't have to leave her if I don't want to. So many parks and trails to explore. Close to DC.

The thing about the R-B corridor is it is alive with people of all ages. I like, too, that I don't have to go on a major highway to get anywhere fun. I can pretty much walk anywhere I need to be.

What parks in Arlington are actually worth exploring? Genuinely curious.

Lots of great outdoors in Arlington to be found.

Ride your bike along 4 mile run trail - among other things you pass are the Bon Air Rose Garden, Glencaryln park, Arlington Forest (has a huge treed area to walk around in) with lots of playgrounds sprinkled in. Potomac Overlook is a lovely park with lots of trails for hiking in. There's also an informative but small nature center there (as well as at Long Branch NC).
There's a lot of biking options - the best is to do the Arlington Loop http://www.bikearlington.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Self-Guided-Route-Map_Arlington-Loop-min.pdf

You can also take the Custis Trail, 4 mile run trail (again), W&OD, etc. I live near Dominion Hills neighborhood and I love that I can get to a trail within minutes for a walk with the dog or a run.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is all gyms, banks, a few mediocre overpriced restaurants, and bro bars. Plus, it is starting to look rundown and dirty.

Plus various other amenities like grocery stores and veterinarians and other things people use in day to day life. It’s a nice place to live and a boring nightlife destination.

Sure, as long as you don’t want to eat anything.