Has OP ever been back? I'd love to know what she took away from the last 13+ pages, and what her family decided!

I couldn't read all 15 pages - but I would say you won't find west coast in DC. I'm from the west coast and moved about a year ago - it's been fun but not always easy, I would recommend the following:
-adjust your expectations to not expect anything like you know because it is going to be a big change
-know that the up and coming DC neighborhoods do not look like west coast up and coming neighborhoods - at a first drive through they are rough and then after a few months they look great (particularly when we realized that we will will not be living any other place that isn't a little bit 'up and coming' for right now
-get your kids in the lottery for charter schools now, the deadline is coming up! you don't have to live here and then they will have a place. I'd recommend putting together your list of wants for a school and then asking for what people recommend on the schools forum - that would help you target your house search

Just leave DC and go to Mount Rainier, MD. You'll find what you're looking for.

I am LOVING this thread!!

PP 18:51-- meant I love the phrase.

Love "upscale generica" too. Cannot tell if you are in Columbus, Ohio or Friendship Heights!

the "upscale generica" that you see in Bethesda and Clarendon, etc.



As a resident of Clarendon, I would like to thank you for this phrase, which I am stealing. (I would shower you in Pottery Barn gift cards and a frozen yogurt if I could.)

As a resident of CC/Friendship Hts, I also thank you and fully intend to swipe this. Right after I get back from my jaunt over to Sephora-Rosa Mexicano. Or was it PF Changs, then J Crew? Either way, OP will want to avoid my area. We have a lot of jerks up here, not so much jerky.

Anonymous wrote:
Be careful what you wish for. By the time Takoma Park becomes a "sought-after place" for restaurants, its quirky charater and neighborhood-orientation will be a thing of the past. Once neighborhoods evolve into restaurant and retail destinations, rents rise, developers with their "smart growth" projects come in and the retail and restaurant options become pretty similar to the "upscale generica" that you see in Bethesda and Clarendon, etc.

As a resident of Clarendon, I would like to thank you for this phrase, which I am stealing. (I would shower you in Pottery Barn gift cards and a frozen yogurt if I could.)

Anonymous wrote:Takoma Park sounds like a great suggestion. It has a hippy reputation, but the hippies are aging and the young families are liberal but not really hippies, in my opinion. As a PP said, it has great community spirit, its own metro station, good schools on the Maryland side, farmers market, a quirky "main" street with at least two bike shops. It does lack a bit in terms of a restaurant scene right now, but my sense is that it is actually becoming a sought-after place for restaurants and will only continue to improve down the road. In addition to the many fantastic ethnic restaurants right by TP, the downtown recently saw the addition of a great pizza place (Roscoes), Soupergirl--homemade, vegan, organic soups, and Takoma Bistro (by the same owners as Bread and Chocolate). The coffee shop in Politics and Prose is expanding and opening a cafe in TP, and the owner of BlackSalt is said to be opening a restaurant with a seafood bar there within the year. Add to that the ever-cool store Trohv, which opened recently, and maybe TP is even becoming sort of hip!

Be careful what you wish for. By the time Takoma Park becomes a "sought-after place" for restaurants, its quirky charater and neighborhood-orientation will be a thing of the past. Once neighborhoods evolve into restaurant and retail destinations, rents rise, developers with their "smart growth" projects come in and the retail and restaurant options become pretty similar to the "upscale generica" that you see in Bethesda and Clarendon, etc.

What is the definition of a "hipster"? Is it the children of the 1980s "yuppies"??

+1

Echo Park? Brooklyn? You should move to Baltimore if you want anything even remotely close to those 'hoods south of the Mason Dixon. DC is bizarro wannabe hipster-esque, but, you know, in a good way. Check the NY Times...there's been a lot of articles on DC of late - one quotes Justice Sotomayor who said about U street neighborhood: “It has a touch of the East Village in it”. I was like what??!! Are you kidding me? Even the East Village doesn't have any more East Village in it and you're saying U street is like the East Village? U street is "interesting", for DC area, but it ain't all that from a U.S. urban perspective, and really it's only one street, maybe a bit of 9th (the flea market gives it a little cred), and forget 14th St as it is off on a decidedly polished and in your face luxury upscale track from Logan Circle to the South to Fla Ave (and soon beyond) to the North. Taylor taking over that old used furniture store sealed the end of 14th street's character in my mind (anyone know where they went??). Now it's all construction cranes and tear downs. I used to live near Florida Market which before it's transformation could have gone in the direction you are looking for, but now with Union Market, well, it ain't gonna happen. Takoma Park may have the people you are looking to be around, but probably older than you're thinking and it's not urban, not dense, and small and isolated (ok, it's on the metro). Petworth may be your best bet (and you will save a lot of money!)....Upshur St near GA ave has some interesting little places and a nice vibe, but it ain't no Echo Park. H Street if you want instant hipster (just add street cars!) and want to use your whole budget. Anyway, good luck making the shift from La-La-Land to Lobby-Land!

Not sure where they live but they were all eating at Little Serow on 17th St. in Dupont Circle last night.

All the jerky types I know have managed to find spots for their kids in charters.

Be prepared to put your child in private school because the schools in these areas suck a$$