in the Virgin-Mary Land (I mean Virginia-Maryland!) area..

[JD984]

Originally Posted by robbobobbo

I'll echo that south Arlington doesn't have much for the Asianophile. Food markets cater to Latinos, while the Asian markets are mostly located outside the Beltway plus inner-Beltway Annandale. I think Falls Church makes the most sense for all the parameters you've mentioned, especially if you get in the city of Falls Church's school system's boundaries, which has an excellent reputation.

The City of Falls Church is tiny, expensive and not particularly diverse by local standards. So I wouldn't make a big point of suggesting to an Asianphile who probably doesn't have an unlimited budget to spend too much time looking there, although he might luck out. I recall a poster a while back, however, who rented a SFH in the City of Falls Church, in part to take advantage of its relative walkability, and ended up seriously regretting the decision because the house, while not a particularly cheap rental, turned out to be infested and to have other problems.

There is more variation in parts of Fairfax County with Falls Church addresses than in the City of Falls Church, but there are plenty of good schools, and our OP might actually end up in a neighborhood he could afford, sending his son to schools with kids of many different ethnicities and backgrounds. I realized we didn't even mention to the OP that there are lots of Indian-Americans in the Merrifield/Pine Springs areas of Falls Church as well right now.

[Tiger Beer]

Originally Posted by JEB77

There is more variation in parts of Fairfax County with Falls Church addresses than in the City of Falls Church, but there are plenty of good schools, and our OP might actually end up in a neighborhood he could afford, sending his son to schools with kids of many different ethnicities and backgrounds. I realized we didn't even mention to the OP that there are lots of Indian-Americans in the Merrifield/Pine Springs areas of Falls Church as well right now.

Actually all of Falls Church addresses within Fairfax County seem real good to me - every zip code I've researched with a FC address. I mean, the city itself is great because of closest subway access. But all the other FC areas too for all the other aspects.

Is there an easier way to say that - 'Metro Falls Church' or something? I wonder.....

[Alyzza]

The whole area is culturally diverse, imo, which makes it fun to live there. There are clusters of ethnic groups throughout. Like near the beltway and Edsall Rd. I have a lot of Persian and Indian friends all through there. Lots of Asians started settling near Braddock Rd. just west of Fairfax. There used to be an area in Clarendon called Little Saigon, which was a fun place to work and walk around. I'm pretty sure that's all torn out and built up by now though. Springfield still has no real identity and there is talk of completely redoing it. Some parts of northern Va., although culturally diverse, are not so in a good way. Like the area around Culmore in Falls Church is known for a lot of gang activity, and unfortunately Annandale is getting that way too.

That's kind of true about cutesy nicknames for the area, although some have lovingly been around for a long time. We always had a fondness for Falls Gulch, unFairtax, and Frednecksburg. And there was talk going around about the whole northern Virginia area just becoming a state, with its southern border just north of Fredericksburg.

You have to b careful before deciding on a place, and do a lot of hanging around there first. Some places that used to be 'good' aren't so good anymore, and some places that used to be 'empty' may be alright to live now (think Centreville) and not considered so far out anymore.

[The Dissenter]

Originally Posted by Tiger Beer

Actually all of Falls Church addresses within Fairfax County seem real good to me - every zip code I've researched with a FC address. I mean, the city itself is great because of closest subway access. But all the other FC areas too for all the other aspects.

Is there an easier way to say that - 'Metro Falls Church' or something? I wonder.....

I would say faux Falls Church for the Fairfax County side and Falls Church proper for the city.

[marie5v]

Originally Posted by Tiger Beer

For those of you familiar with me...after much research...I think I've come up with a list of places that I like in the Virgin-Mary Land...I mean, Virginia-Maryland area... (I'm Catholic raised, so like the pun - nontheless).

I've basically decided that I quite like the Virginia area quite a bit. Despite my slight preference for urbanity/walkability, I do have a family and VA does win out on schools, wife's needs, kid's needs, my interest in asian areas and high immigration areas, and you also have a really good forum of people here as well

Within VIRGINIA...I believe that Falls Church, Annandale and Springfield appeal to me the most. Mostly because of their proximity to DC and their higher asian numbers as well - Annandale with Koreans, Falls Church with Eden Center/Vietnamese, and Springfield for just about everything else. I preferably like them more than other NOVA areas for their 'within the beltway' attributes.

Outside of that sphere, Woodbridge/Dale City for affordability. They also seem kind of interesting in their own way - not a Fairfax, but probably more in-line with just about every other county across the United States - and nothing wrong with being typical. Certainly wouldn't classify them as 'bad' by any stretch of the imigination - is basically what I'm trying to say.

MARYLAND - I would have thought I'd have a stronger Maryland preference, but just don't see anywhere that I really like. Seems to have many of the negatives of DC with few of the positives. Basically, I can't rationalize a Silver Spring, as might as well be in DC itself - if its just the downtown, and rest of SS is 'out there'. Virginia's 'out there' at least brings you closer to other things - I guess mountains, airport, Tysons, or something at least. Bethesda is every bit as expensive as NW DC - would prefer NW-DC, but couldn't afford either one anyways. I thought of College Park/Beltsville/Greenbelt, but the closest Barnes-and-Noble/Borders is actually in the DC district itself 8-10 miles away or whatever it is. In short, seems it is stuck in an isolated corner.

The one place I do like in Maryland is FREDERICK. 50 mile commute outside of DC, same distance as Fredericksburg. However, only 3 trains go back and forth from Frederick to DC approximately 60-90 minutes apart, as opposed to 7 trains from Fredericksburg VA approximately 20-30 minutes apart! Since Fredericksburg is way out of my commuting range, I can't really rationalize a Frederick.

DC - I DO like DC - for myself anyways. I don't think my wife/son would get much out of it though. The immigration numbers aren't that good - living abroad for many years, I'm into international everything, but all your foreign-borns move to the suburbs it seems. DC is either way too expensive or not safe as well. A younger me might have been interested in Adams-Morgan, but a family guy me doesn't find it appealing at all.

However, CAPITOL HILL is the very nice exception. If I were to do the DC thing...I think this would be the ideal neighborhood. Sounds good for families...and although expensive, seems compareable to the rest of the region anyways. If money were a non-issue, this area would win for me as most desireable, I believe. Although Falls Church also wins on many levels for me on a 'if money were a non-issue' level. Basically I like the rowhomes and family attributes of Capitol Hill, plus sounds kind of cool to raise a kid who can always say he use to live near the White House, Senate Building, and such! The fact that what might be affordable in Capitol Hill might be using the Capitol Hill name but actually in the sketch part of the city, is a bit of a concern - moreso because of the wife/kid though, than out of some general personal fear.

I've also thought of the NW...but seems way too expensive in general, and can't quite find a benefit that I like except that its is IN DC.

Anyways, feel free to comment or suggest or whatever else. I do like your region though. Basically Falls Church, Annandale, Springfield, Woodbridge, Dale City, Capitol Hill DC, NW DC, and Frederick MD seem to be interesting me the most. Comment or suggestions or whatever else...

A lot is going to depend on the commute and price range of housing. Most people start there and then narrow it down. It's just easier. Also school district. We started by searching places like Redfin based on commute and price, then narrowed down by school district. And just so you know, many Koreans with children prefer Mclean and the Woodson school district today - even those who own businesses in Annandale.

[marie5v]

Originally Posted by Alltheusernamesaretaken

I have no politically-correct needs. Quite the opposite.

I don't think "diversity" is code for "black" at all. "Diversity" means that there are many different varieties of whatever categories are in question. So on the issue of race/ethnicity, I would expect a "diverse" area to contain a mix of white, Asian, black, middle Eastern, Mediterranean, etc.

I agree with you, but I have found that others use the word "diverse" to mean "black." Once at a job interview for a school that was 90% black I was asked how I would deal with such a "diverse" population.

[FindingZen]

Note that this is an older thread that was revived through a rather...unusual post that has since been deleted.

[spencgr]

Originally Posted by Tone509

Note that this is an older thread that was revived through a rather...unusual post that has since been deleted.

aw, geeze! And I was hoping to get into a nice discussion regarding the merits of the "unusual" post.