Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:McLean has the three top public schools in NVa - Churchill, Spring Hill, and Chesterbrooke. It's close in, great parks, awesome restruants in Tysons, and more shopping than you can imagine. It's essentially the American dream.

where did you get that information? I thought I read that the top 2 schools in VA are TJ and George Mason HS. In fact, I don't even remember seeing the 3 you listed in the list.

Tee hee hee.

Top Ranked VA Schools
To be eligible for a state ranking, a school must be awarded a national gold or silver medal.
#1 Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology
6560 BRADDOCK RD, ALEXANDRIA, VA 22312

#2 George Mason High School
7124 LEESBURG PK, FALLS CHURCH, VA 22043

#3 George C. Marshall High School
7731 LEESBURG PK, FALLS CHURCH, VA 22043

#4 Mclean High School
1633 DAVIDSON RD, MCLEAN, VA 22101

#5 James W. Robinson Jr. Secondary School
5035 SIDEBURN RD, FAIRFAX, VA 22032

#6 Langley High School
6520 GEORGETOWN PK, MCLEAN, VA 22101

#7 W.T. Woodson High School
9525 MAIN ST, FAIRFAX, VA 22031

#8 James Madison High School
2500 JAMES MADISON DR, VIENNA, VA 22181

#9 Oakton High School
2900 SUTTON RD, VIENNA, VA 22181

#10 Stone Bridge High
43100 HAY RD, ASHBURN, VA 20147

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:McLean has the three top public schools in NVa - Churchill, Spring Hill, and Chesterbrooke. It's close in, great parks, awesome restruants in Tysons, and more shopping than you can imagine. It's essentially the American dream.

where did you get that information? I thought I read that the top 2 schools in VA are TJ and George Mason HS. In fact, I don't even remember seeing the 3 you listed in the list.

Tee hee hee.

Anonymous wrote:McLean has the three top public schools in NVa - Churchill, Spring Hill, and Chesterbrooke. It's close in, great parks, awesome restruants in Tysons, and more shopping than you can imagine. It's essentially the American dream.

where did you get that information? I thought I read that the top 2 schools in VA are TJ and George Mason HS. In fact, I don't even remember seeing the 3 you listed in the list.

Moved to McLean recently. Decision was based on schools and commute. Town is too car-dependent. Not enough sidewalks, and too many crossing signals don't work or don't exist. Services are extremely over-priced. I end up in Falls Church for just about everything. You find that the people here also moved here for schools and commute. Parents care about their kids' education, so they will fight the battles, although they tend to be obsessed with it all. And talk about sports, omg, there are some high-strung parents on the sidelines!!

For those who work downtown with kids in private school upper NW is much more attractive than McLean. Great suburban style neighborhoods like the palisades or CP that are so close to the city. And if you're really wealthy nothing beats Woodley/Mass Ave heights.

18:03 - YUP. It is at LEAST as bad as you suspect. Add subservient, repressed, obsessive wives and VIOLA! No thanks.

While I admire those of you who are quite happy living in McLean, I'm surprised by those who think that is the be all and end all and that anything else is a compromise. Just like everywhere, every location has it's good and bad points. While the schools may be excellent and the proximity to Tysons and DC may be excellent, McLean also has its issues. The cost per sq ft in McLean is expensive and frankly you can get comparable homes for less in other parts of the DC region. Walkability is a joke in McLean and access to DC is not so good if you go there regularly for anything besides just commuting to work. Plus, traffic in general is a nightmare in the McLean-Vienna-Tysons areas. Additionally, for some people, Virginia itself is a non-starter. The conservative laws and state government are unacceptable for some people.

I'm glad that you all are very happy in McLean. I would not be happy living there and believe to each his own. For me, it's the other way around, McLean would be a compromise that I don't want to make.

Comparing McLean to Manhattan? I need whatever you are smoking, PP. That is THE funniest thing I have ever heard.....

McLean may be the be all and end all for those who do not get out much. But that is about it.

If you know anything about the moms in McLean, you would have no desire to live there. You would think they would not be bitter, but it is quite the opposite. BTDT. No thanks.

PP, you do have a point about blocking the intersections. Notice most of them are from D.C. and MD.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't live in McLean, but in my opinion it is definitely the most desirable community/address in the DC metro area. I don't think anything else is close. Location, schools, amenities.

+1

+1

Convenient to metro, DC, MD, best shopping outside of Manhattan (factually), low crime, best schools, right on top of GW Parkway, Rt. 66, 495, & Dulles Toll Road.

Mclean is one if not the top places to live in regards to proximity to both major jobs hubs (dc, tysons), good schools and price. Everything else seems to be major compromises

Is this from one of those paid trolls we've heard about recently?

Here are some things McLean could use:

1. Decent pizza. Roccos, Listranis, Naked Pizza, Red Tomato, McLean pizza. Seriously - not one of you is worth the trip. Sorry Two Amys - this is why we have to come to your 'hood and block your driveways.

2. Tavern. If Dogfish Head Tavern opened a location in the old Chicken Out building for example, DH and I would probably eat there weekly. I just want a good burger and a pint in a relaxing atmosphere.

3. Less black Mercedes. Do they come in any other color?

4. To all the commuters blocking the intersection of 123 and Old Dominion each and every day, as if, you didn't know that 123 was backed up and you wouldn't clear the intersection before the green light, please STOP IT!

5. And yes, moms who aren't reliving High School would be a bonus.

When buying a house, for me the two biggest factors were (i) commuting time and (ii) quality of public education. Most of the jobs for me would be located in downtown DC, Tysons, Bethesda or Reston. Living in McLean would give me an acceptable commute to all of those spots. Not sure how many other places you can say that about.

The moms are high schoolish in McLean. Stay where you are, OP.

Anonymous wrote:I've lived in McLean 7+ years. It's as good a place as any, but I don't buy into McLean being the center of the universe mentality. We like our neighbors and neighborhood & have been happy with the elementary school (CRS), yet we are people who would likely be happy if we lived elsewhere. Readers should be skeptical of posts that try too hard to convince that McLean is awesome and has no flaws -- it has a lot going for it but so do other places.

Wow, some actual rationality and lack of hyperbole here on DCUM! I like you, PP. I wish there were more of your type here.

I've lived in McLean 7+ years. It's as good a place as any, but I don't buy into McLean being the center of the universe mentality. We like our neighbors and neighborhood & have been happy with the elementary school (CRS), yet we are people who would likely be happy if we lived elsewhere. Readers should be skeptical of posts that try too hard to convince that McLean is awesome and has no flaws -- it has a lot going for it but so do other places.