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Old 03-06-2017, 08:37 PM
 
2,333 posts, read 1,477,599 times
Reputation: 922

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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lalalally View Post
You're 100% right. A million and a half years ago (ok I'm exaggerating-- 1980s really, but pretty much same difference!) languages offered at my NYC HS in Brooklyn were Spanish, French, Japanese, and Hebrew. Lol! Spanish and French are the only two that are relevant though.

Edit: Italian too. And Latin. Doesn't change the fact that Spanish is the one that really counts. And French of course also, only because it's fun
When I got to HS, Spanish, French, and Italian were seen as the "standard" mix but these days it seems like Chinese has overtaken Italian in that area. I noticed this is now what Mamaroneck offers too, whereas when my SO attended it was Spanish, French and Latin. Guess what's seen as relevant changes over time.
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Old 03-07-2017, 11:11 AM
 
723 posts, read 998,349 times
Reputation: 616
Default Don't do it

Quote:
Originally Posted by BkDan View Post
Hi everyone. We've been thinking of moving from Mamaroneck to Westport. Main reasons are the schools and community activities. Has anyone made a similar move or have any thoughts? Thanks in advance for sharing.
Basically at this point, Westport is just a combination of Darien & Greenwich & Fairfield. It is NOT what it used to be. The sprawl up on Route 1 between exits 18 and 19 is something out of a nightmare seriously. You might have a few more artsy types in Westport or Ridgefield. The reality is in the FFC towns and really all of CT good schools or great schools unfortunately equal zero racial / economic diversity. This is true so why not juts keep it simple and move to Darien. Best schools, best youth sports, best HS sports. Great beaches. I had the same concerns when I moved from Mamaroneck in 1994 and would not change a thing. Class sizes are pretty small, the schools really are the best. Wherever you go do yourself a favor and rent for a year first in case you change your mind, Also what I am seeing is a lot of people almost are getting into a frezy getting into Darien and they believe all the price hype that the Realtors provide and overpay and then get stuck. Good example are the houses that are down on West Avenue about half a mile from Noroton Heights RR they built these pretty big houses all crammed together; not sure how the town approved that at all. These houses are crammed between the RR tracks and West Avenue which is a busy road in town the only real East-West road besides Route 1 that trucks can go on. These poor people bought these places that literally are so close together that they have zero and I mean zero yards or privacy for like $1,800,000 and people who do not know the town or what else they could get bought them and are no stuck unless the want to lose like $3-400,000 ridiculous! You have to know about the area you are buying. Do you have any idea how loud the horns are on the newer trains. OMG!!! Good Luck. Also Staples HS has had a lot of problems the past few years mostlly not in the press. If you have to move there move to the older cooler part of town around the RR and exit 17. forget the rest except the beaches and the area around the Saugatuck river.
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Old 03-07-2017, 12:02 PM
 
Location: Riverside, CT
783 posts, read 814,941 times
Reputation: 348
Quote:
Originally Posted by SailCT View Post
If you have to move there move to the older cooler part of town around the RR and exit 17. forget the rest except the beaches and the area around the Saugatuck river.
This is so asinine.
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Old 03-07-2017, 12:10 PM
 
Location: Live in NY, work in CT
11,252 posts, read 18,752,289 times
Reputation: 5078
Quote:
Originally Posted by VagabondBoy View Post

I moved to Westport in late 2012 and can attest to the fact that there are definitely elements of the "see and be seen" crowds. Many Type-A personalities around and it's hard to argue against that given there's a show on ABC based around this fact. However, they are not in the majority and my family has no trouble finding "normal" people to hang out with. I think all the super-rich kids go to private schools, but there are definitely some $100k+ cars parked at the school's student lots from time-to-time.
I'm not sure how I missed this thread a month ago. Anyway, yeah that show is "American Housewife". They even have the locals making fun of Norwalk......(whether that really happens or not I don't know).
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Old 03-07-2017, 01:19 PM
 
519 posts, read 579,464 times
Reputation: 986
Quote:
Originally Posted by 7 Wishes View Post
I'm not sure how I missed this thread a month ago. Anyway, yeah that show is "American Housewife". They even have the locals making fun of Norwalk......(whether that really happens or not I don't know).
Please. Locals don't stoop so low as to mention Norwalk in polite company.
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Old 03-07-2017, 01:59 PM
 
2,971 posts, read 3,155,749 times
Reputation: 1060
OP, if you're still around. The only thing Darien has over Westport is it's a shorter train ride to NYC. That's it.
Just some bias going the other way.
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Old 03-07-2017, 03:45 PM
 
3,432 posts, read 3,911,636 times
Reputation: 1758
Quote:
Originally Posted by SailCT View Post
Basically at this point, Westport is just a combination of Darien & Greenwich & Fairfield. It is NOT what it used to be. The sprawl up on Route 1 between exits 18 and 19 is something out of a nightmare seriously. You might have a few more artsy types in Westport or Ridgefield. The reality is in the FFC towns and really all of CT good schools or great schools unfortunately equal zero racial / economic diversity. This is true so why not juts keep it simple and move to Darien. Best schools, best youth sports, best HS sports. Great beaches. I had the same concerns when I moved from Mamaroneck in 1994 and would not change a thing. Class sizes are pretty small, the schools really are the best. Wherever you go do yourself a favor and rent for a year first in case you change your mind, Also what I am seeing is a lot of people almost are getting into a frezy getting into Darien and they believe all the price hype that the Realtors provide and overpay and then get stuck. Good example are the houses that are down on West Avenue about half a mile from Noroton Heights RR they built these pretty big houses all crammed together; not sure how the town approved that at all. These houses are crammed between the RR tracks and West Avenue which is a busy road in town the only real East-West road besides Route 1 that trucks can go on. These poor people bought these places that literally are so close together that they have zero and I mean zero yards or privacy for like $1,800,000 and people who do not know the town or what else they could get bought them and are no stuck unless the want to lose like $3-400,000 ridiculous! You have to know about the area you are buying. Do you have any idea how loud the horns are on the newer trains. OMG!!! Good Luck. Also Staples HS has had a lot of problems the past few years mostlly not in the press. If you have to move there move to the older cooler part of town around the RR and exit 17. forget the rest except the beaches and the area around the Saugatuck river.
Other than proximity to the city, I've never really found Darien all that appealing. It lacks the charm of New Canaan or Westport. Its more expensive (real estate bubble forming from your post). The schools are essentially the same as the rest of the usual suspects. Restaurants are meh. Different strokes for different folks I guess, but not my cup o tea.
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Old 03-09-2017, 06:12 AM
 
723 posts, read 998,349 times
Reputation: 616
Default Sorry NO skin in the Darien RE market

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike 75 View Post
Other than proximity to the city, I've never really found Darien all that appealing. It lacks the charm of New Canaan or Westport. Its more expensive (real estate bubble forming from your post). The schools are essentially the same as the rest of the usual suspects. Restaurants are meh. Different strokes for different folks I guess, but not my cup o tea.
Sorry Mike75 but I have no skin in that lower FFC RE game cashed out. The Darien schools are superior to any other school system in CT. I know I lived there for almost 25 years. Plus it is super, super safe. If you call the cops, three cars are at your house it like 4 minutes. Also, the youth sports programs are the best and Darien is the most dominant sports crazy town around and between that and the money most people who live elsewhere in FFC andf CT are somewhat envious. Oh think we forgot the gorgeous beaches and beautiful ladies. There are way too many stuffy people there agreed but with all the positives the town offers dealing with the *******s is waay worth it. Plus there are *******s everywhere; tons in Westport too!
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Old 03-09-2017, 07:14 AM
 
830 posts, read 1,082,303 times
Reputation: 534
We preferred Darien's downtown with local stores more than Westport's main street which has more mall-type stores. In that way we found it more charming and because it's a smaller more close-knit town than Westport. I don't think you can argue Darien or Westport schools are better than one another as its splitting hairs. Westport gets the edge on beaches and Darien on commute. Can't really go wrong with either in my opinion but real estate bubbles do exist in each.
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Old 03-09-2017, 07:23 AM
 
Location: Riverside, CT
783 posts, read 814,941 times
Reputation: 348
Darien's downtown is nothing like Westport's, you're right.

Id rank the villages -
New Canaan
Westport
Darien

Beaches -
Greenwich
Westport
Darien
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