Anonymous
09/26/2012 21:55
Subject: help this Marylander understand the "other side"
I am born/raised Montgomery County and have lived in NoVA for about 10 years.
Here are some key differences IMO:
1) NoVA is mostly new money. In fact, in 10 years here, I have never met anyone with old money here.
2) Very few AA or Jewish people. So, take that population in MoCo, replace it with Arabs/Koreans/Persians, and you've basically got Fairfax County.
3) Arlington is mostly like Bethesda, except south Arlington I think is heavily El Savadorean.
4) Alexandria is like a small southern city, with a mini-Georgetown, but imagine all the clothing stores were replaced with antique stores. It does have a decent sized lesbian/gay community too I think.
Here are some key differences IMO:
1) NoVA is mostly new money. In fact, in 10 years here, I have never met anyone with old money here.
2) Very few AA or Jewish people. So, take that population in MoCo, replace it with Arabs/Koreans/Persians, and you've basically got Fairfax County.
3) Arlington is mostly like Bethesda, except south Arlington I think is heavily El Savadorean.
4) Alexandria is like a small southern city, with a mini-Georgetown, but imagine all the clothing stores were replaced with antique stores. It does have a decent sized lesbian/gay community too I think.
Anonymous
09/26/2012 21:49
Subject: help this Marylander understand the "other side"
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I've lived in the District since 1994 and never even considered living in MD or VA. Other than Ikea and occasional other shopping they hold no appeal. And now with this Ken Cuccinelli fool in VA that place is even less appealing. DC has its problems, I know, but at least it has a sense of place. And life is better in DC proper now than it has been.
Um, no. Not really.
It certainly has more of a sense of place than a stripmall hellscape dotted with ticky tacky McMansions.
Is that gonna make you say "Um" again?
ummm, DC sucks. schools are a national disgrace, public service is a national disgrace. people in DC gov are downright hostile when you go to a govt building for service (pay a fine, get a drivers license, file a deed, etc.). would never ever ever live in DC.
Anonymous
09/26/2012 21:35
Subject: help this Marylander understand the "other side"
the burbs 495S (alexandria, springfield, s. arlington) are considerably difft than the burbs west of DC (n. arlington, vienna, mclean, reston, great falls).
i've spent a lot of time in MD (Bethesda), DC (Glover Park and Gtown) and VA (Alexandria, Arlington, McLean, Reston and Great Falls) -- they're all fine places with their pluses and minuses.
i've spent a lot of time in MD (Bethesda), DC (Glover Park and Gtown) and VA (Alexandria, Arlington, McLean, Reston and Great Falls) -- they're all fine places with their pluses and minuses.
Anonymous
09/26/2012 21:29
Subject: help this Marylander understand the "other side"
Anonymous wrote:But the only stereotype OP missed is that VA is full of mexicans (and by mexicans of course I've learned that it's understood that a person means any spanish speaking people). That seems to be the reason marylanders give for not going to VA.
Replace "Mexicans" with "Republicans" and that's why I'd never move to VA.
That may be true for "the rest" of Virginia, but right here inside the Beltway in NOVA there's nothing but Democrats as far as the eye can see...
Anonymous
09/26/2012 21:23
Subject: Re:help this Marylander understand the "other side"
Anonymous wrote:7 of the wealthiest counties out of the top 10 are right across the river in Old Dominion. More choices in good (I mean great!) public state universities, better taxes, no frickin pepco!!, and better drivers. The popcorn issue alone should be enough to consider relocation. I haven't lost power once with Dominion power in the past 7 years (including snowmaggedon and derecho, etc).
7 of the top 10 are in the Washington region (which includes Virginia AND Maryland). Suburbs in both states are ugly as hell.
Anonymous
09/26/2012 21:07
Subject: Re:help this Marylander understand the "other side"
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:The lack of zoning alone is enough to make me never, ever consider living in VA. The roads, the mishmash of strip malls. Ugh. No thanks.
ITA.
Anonymous
09/26/2012 20:57
Subject: help this Marylander understand the "other side"
Re 20:49:
-There are many gorgeous government buildings in the city. The National Archives, NGA, LOC are just a few examples that come to mind.
-The low skyline a plus in my book.
-The "industry" is government. Hello?
-To say there are no ethnic neighborhoods in DC ignores the rich history of African Americans in DC. Ever heard of Chocolate City?
Get a clue. Open your eyes.
-There are many gorgeous government buildings in the city. The National Archives, NGA, LOC are just a few examples that come to mind.
-The low skyline a plus in my book.
-The "industry" is government. Hello?
-To say there are no ethnic neighborhoods in DC ignores the rich history of African Americans in DC. Ever heard of Chocolate City?
Get a clue. Open your eyes.
Anonymous
09/26/2012 20:49
Subject: help this Marylander understand the "other side"
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I've lived in the District since 1994 and never even considered living in MD or VA. Other than Ikea and occasional other shopping they hold no appeal. And now with this Ken Cuccinelli fool in VA that place is even less appealing. DC has its problems, I know, but at least it has a sense of place. And life is better in DC proper now than it has been.
Um, no. Not really.
It certainly has more of a sense of place than a stripmall hellscape dotted with ticky tacky McMansions.
Is that gonna make you say "Um" again?
If by "sense of place" you mean corrupt government, ubiquitous "gotcha" traffic cameras, a mess of a public school system, dirty streets, and a higher crime rate, then yes, DC has all that. Enjoy.
+1
See also:
Bland government buildings
No skyscrapers
No industry
No ethnic neighborhoods
Anonymous
09/26/2012 19:43
Subject: help this Marylander understand the "other side"
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I've lived in the District since 1994 and never even considered living in MD or VA. Other than Ikea and occasional other shopping they hold no appeal. And now with this Ken Cuccinelli fool in VA that place is even less appealing. DC has its problems, I know, but at least it has a sense of place. And life is better in DC proper now than it has been.
Um, no. Not really.
It certainly has more of a sense of place than a stripmall hellscape dotted with ticky tacky McMansions.
Is that gonna make you say "Um" again?
If by "sense of place" you mean corrupt government, ubiquitous "gotcha" traffic cameras, a mess of a public school system, dirty streets, and a higher crime rate, then yes, DC has all that. Enjoy.
Out come the haters. Typical. If you don't know what it means, you'll never know.
Enjoy Applebee's.
Anonymous
09/26/2012 19:39
Subject: help this Marylander understand the "other side"
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I've lived in the District since 1994 and never even considered living in MD or VA. Other than Ikea and occasional other shopping they hold no appeal. And now with this Ken Cuccinelli fool in VA that place is even less appealing. DC has its problems, I know, but at least it has a sense of place. And life is better in DC proper now than it has been.
Um, no. Not really.
It certainly has more of a sense of place than a stripmall hellscape dotted with ticky tacky McMansions.
Is that gonna make you say "Um" again?
If by "sense of place" you mean corrupt government, ubiquitous "gotcha" traffic cameras, a mess of a public school system, dirty streets, and a higher crime rate, then yes, DC has all that. Enjoy.
Anonymous
09/26/2012 19:14
Subject: Re:help this Marylander understand the "other side"
From the title, I thought this post was from some ignorant Marylander how had never been across the Chesapeake... 
Anonymous
09/26/2012 18:50
Subject: help this Marylander understand the "other side"
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:I've lived in the District since 1994 and never even considered living in MD or VA. Other than Ikea and occasional other shopping they hold no appeal. And now with this Ken Cuccinelli fool in VA that place is even less appealing. DC has its problems, I know, but at least it has a sense of place. And life is better in DC proper now than it has been.
Um, no. Not really.
It certainly has more of a sense of place than a stripmall hellscape dotted with ticky tacky McMansions.
Is that gonna make you say "Um" again?
Anonymous
09/26/2012 18:47
Subject: help this Marylander understand the "other side"
Anonymous wrote:I've lived in the District since 1994 and never even considered living in MD or VA. Other than Ikea and occasional other shopping they hold no appeal. And now with this Ken Cuccinelli fool in VA that place is even less appealing. DC has its problems, I know, but at least it has a sense of place. And life is better in DC proper now than it has been.
Um, no. Not really.
Anonymous
09/26/2012 18:33
Subject: Re:help this Marylander understand the "other side"
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:The lack of zoning alone is enough to make me never, ever consider living in VA. The roads, the mishmash of strip malls. Ugh. No thanks.
What part of Maryland are you in?
Takoma Park.
Where exactly is Takoma Park? Not familiar with that area. Is it near Chevy Chase? What makes it different than other areas in Maryland?
Anonymous
09/26/2012 18:25
Subject: help this Marylander understand the "other side"
I've lived in the District since 1994 and never even considered living in MD or VA. Other than Ikea and occasional other shopping they hold no appeal. And now with this Ken Cuccinelli fool in VA that place is even less appealing. DC has its problems, I know, but at least it has a sense of place. And life is better in DC proper now than it has been.