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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...
Last edited by Tiger Beer; 11-22-2010 at 01:53 AM..
my interest in asian areas and high immigration areas..... 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,
I always wonder, in posts like this, how it would be welcomed had a poster said they love the white concentration in a certain area.
I still think Nova is a little too "suburbia" for your tastes, but OTOH you've certainly done an extensive research, so you know what you're getting. And who are we to say where you'd be happy, anyway? You know better than anyone else what is the right fit for you. So.... welcome to Virginia. When are you making the move?
BTW, one little friendly quirk about Nova you might want to know: cutesy nicknames don't seem to go over well here. It's sort of like calling San Francisco "Frisco" -- it tends to rub people the wrong way. Not a big deal, but just thought you might want to know.
All of the Virginia areas you listed, nominally excepting Fallls Church, are extremely car-centric, so I hope your preference for urbanity/walkability is indeed slight else you might be disappointed.
Keep in mind that Eden Center is just a small shopping center on the outskirts of Falls Church. Falls Church city itself doesn't have an Asian feel or characteristics to it. You could drive to Eden Center often and hang out, I suppose, but you could do that from other places as well. There is no "spill-over" of the Asian-ness of EC into Falls Church. And if you're at Eden, you'll have to get in the car to go other places, even the main part of Falls Church (which lies on W Broad St between Washington St and Shreve/Haycock).
Annandale has, I believe, the strongest concentrated Asian influence in terms of business. A person could do all shopping, dining, and services in Korean without speaking a word of English. As others have noted, though, many Koreans live in Chantilly, Centreville, Burke, and Lorton as opposed to Annandale, so your Annandale residential neighborhood may not necessarily have many Asians.
I noticed you were impressed with the Woodbridge photo tour, but my impression was that the Occoquan photos were what really drew your attention. Know that Occoquan is a tiny anomaly of quaintness in the Woodbridge area and does not represent Woodbridge or Prince William county. A photo of ten buildings may really grab a person's attention, only for them to move to that area and find --- there are only ten such buildings to it!
I always wonder, in posts like this, how it would be welcomed had a poster said they love the white concentration in a certain area.
With the exception of perhaps some towns over in Prince Georges County MD , I don't believe there are any "majority-minority" towns in the DC-area suburbs. So ideally everyone would be able to find what they want. Interestingly enough, I believe that the OP is white himself IIRC.
TigerBeer, I think that out of all of your choices, Falls Church may be the best self-compromise between yourself and your family in terms of location and walkability. It has a small, laid-back downtown while being close enough to Arlington and DC for more urban interests. Of course, your future employer may confirm or complicate the feasibility of living in Falls Church.
All of the Virginia areas you listed, nominally excepting Fallls Church, are extremely car-centric, so I hope your preference for urbanity/walkability is indeed slight else you might be disappointed.
Keep in mind that Eden Center is just a small shopping center on the outskirts of Falls Church. Falls Church city itself doesn't have an Asian feel or characteristics to it. You could drive to Eden Center often and hang out, I suppose, but you could do that from other places as well. There is no "spill-over" of the Asian-ness of EC into Falls Church. And if you're at Eden, you'll have to get in the car to go other places, even the main part of Falls Church (which lies on W Broad St between Washington St and Shreve/Haycock).
It's true that Falls Church City does not have an Asian feel, but the highest concentration of Vietnamese in the DC area now live in parts of Fairfax County with Falls Church addresses that are fairly close to Eden Center.
As a result, if one wanted an affordable area with a strong Asian presence, the Annandale/Falls Church part of Fairfax County is probably a good choice. You have Eden Center, all the Korean businesses in Annandale (the Korean population is highly dispersed throughout NoVa, but now centered further west of Annandale) and many Asians of different backgrounds in the area. I do think the OP would enjoy the Korean businesses in Annandale, particularly at night when all the neon signs in Korean are visible.
But, yeah, it's quite car-centric, and some of the neighborhoods are in a bit of a flux. If the OP has an affinity for Asian culture, but no particular interest in Hispanic culture, he may not find some of these areas as appealing as his research from a distance suggests.
All of the Virginia areas you listed, nominally excepting Fallls Church, are extremely car-centric, so I hope your preference for urbanity/walkability is indeed slight else you might be disappointed.
Keep in mind that Eden Center is just a small shopping center on the outskirts of Falls Church. Falls Church city itself doesn't have an Asian feel or characteristics to it. You could drive to Eden Center often and hang out, I suppose, but you could do that from other places as well. There is no "spill-over" of the Asian-ness of EC into Falls Church. And if you're at Eden, you'll have to get in the car to go other places, even the main part of Falls Church (which lies on W Broad St between Washington St and Shreve/Haycock).
Annandale has, I believe, the strongest concentrated Asian influence in terms of business. A person could do all shopping, dining, and services in Korean without speaking a word of English. As others have noted, though, many Koreans live in Chantilly, Centreville, Burke, and Lorton as opposed to Annandale, so your Annandale residential neighborhood may not necessarily have many Asians.
I noticed you were impressed with the Woodbridge photo tour, but my impression was that the Occoquan photos were what really drew your attention. Know that Occoquan is a tiny anomaly of quaintness in the Woodbridge area and does not represent Woodbridge or Prince William county. A photo of ten buildings may really grab a person's attention, only for them to move to that area and find --- there are only ten such buildings to it!
Yeah, I do have the strong notion that car culture in Virginia or even Maryland for that matter, go hand-in-hand. There simply is no way around that whatsoever. The only way to avoid it is planning on DC itself, but the positives of car-culture Virginia seem to win over the advantages of walkable DC. So, yeah, resigned myself from that issue. (I haven't needed a car in nearly 15 years, so, yeah, its just an adjustment - been abroad for nearly 15 years).
Good point about Falls Church and Eden Center. Actually researching FC, it does seem white. Also, I am white, just lived in Asia for nearly half of my adult life. I guess the selling point of Falls Church is that it is close to 'malls', where I have a feeling that if I become a Virginia resident, I would spend a lot of time in, which generally seem to be Asian-centric anyways. As a person who lives in Asia, Asians love malls. Between Tysons and Baileys and Eden Center, seems like a good enough mix. Best yet, is 20 minutes into DC itself, where I could have urban fixes whenever needed. So, would be all set in that regard as well.
Annandale - yeah the Korean retail would be a big attraction. I lived in Korea for 8 years, so quite addicted to Korean foods. Within the beltway, seems like good enough access to both DC and all the ethnic eateries and such of NOVA.
Woodbridge/Occoquan. Yeah, I had researched Occoquan and population of under 900 people. I got the impression it was more of a one small main street type of place. Actually what I liked about Woodbridge is, #1 affordability for the DC region, #2 it is probably the closest to DC of the affordable areas of VA, and then through the pictures...I actually liked the housing styles, the topography, and while seems rural - it seems to have character to it. But really #1 and #2 are what drew me to it, and the pictures were just a 'I could live there' feel. I mean, beyond the Occoquan pics.
With the exception of perhaps some towns over in Prince Georges County MD , I don't believe there are any "majority-minority" towns in the DC-area suburbs. So ideally everyone would be able to find what they want. Interestingly enough, I believe that the OP is white himself IIRC.
TigerBeer, I think that out of all of your choices, Falls Church may be the best self-compromise between yourself and your family in terms of location and walkability. It has a small, laid-back downtown while being close enough to Arlington and DC for more urban interests. Of course, your future employer may confirm or complicate the feasibility of living in Falls Church.
Yep, I am white - just lived in asia for way too many years.
I think Falls Church is the best as well. From google mapping it and such, it does seem like it offers just enough to be very acceptable for living. I mean, even if a person lives IN a city, generally they live in a spot that has some amenities but not ALL amenities. I'm looking it as if FC were a 'neighborhood' that you can get on the train and get more into the heart of things if so needed. Of course the FC neighborhood would be car-centric, but seems very manageable though!
Yeah, I would certainly rent for quite awhile until sorted things out enough to 'buy'. So pretty flexible with whatever job changes occurred.
Quote:
Originally Posted by JEB77
It's true that Falls Church City does not have an Asian feel, but the highest concentration of Vietnamese in the DC area now live in parts of Fairfax County with Falls Church addresses that are fairly close to Eden Center.
As a result, if one wanted an affordable area with a strong Asian presence, the Annandale/Falls Church part of Fairfax County is probably a good choice. You have Eden Center, all the Korean businesses in Annandale (the Korean population is highly dispersed throughout NoVa, but now centered further west of Annandale) and many Asians of different backgrounds in the area. I do think the OP would enjoy the Korean businesses in Annandale, particularly at night when all the neon signs in Korean are visible.
But, yeah, it's quite car-centric, and some of the neighborhoods are in a bit of a flux. If the OP has an affinity for Asian culture, but no particular interest in Hispanic culture, he may not find some of these areas as appealing as his research from a distance suggests.
I did notice that - Falls Church addresses having high Vietnamese populations - particularly along route 50.
NEON SIGNS in KOREAN - I love that! That is one of the things I loved about living in Seoul. It's a dirty unclean city in the daytime, but there is a true beauty of all the beautiful neon signs lighting up the nightsky.
Hispanic culture - yeah, I'm getting the impression that near Baileys it is heavily Central American. Actually I'm somewhat unknowledgeable about Central American foods and culture. I'd basically drive right past it on my way to what I do know - which would be the Asian stuff, and definitely American stuff that I've missed and haven't seen for a long time. But, yeah, if certain parts of FC/Annandale/Springfield were heavily Central American, I'd probably just drive right past it, and it would just be more 'stuff' to try to drive past.
Nontheless, liked all the good affirming stuff for the FC/Annandale/Inner Beltway with Asian, and proximity to DC itself, etc.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Caladium
cutesy nicknames don't seem to go over well here. It's sort of like calling San Francisco "Frisco" -- it tends to rub people the wrong way. Not a big deal, but just thought you might want to know.
I tried to delete/change it immediately after I posted it, but couldn't. Ah, well.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Alltheusernamesaretaken
I always wonder, in posts like this, how it would be welcomed had a poster said they love the white concentration in a certain area.
There are plenty of code words for white - 'upscale', 'not too much diversity', etc. on and on. There are NO code words for 'asian', I mean I could use the catch-all 'diversity' word, but its code word for 'black'. If you can tune me on to the code words for 'Asian', I will try to meet your politically correct needs
I agree that Falls Church might the nice compromise for suburban affordability and somewhat urban feel.
Yeah as mentioned Annandale is kinda the Korean downtown but not that many Koreans seem to live there anymore. The Koreans I've met live in various OTB suburbs. Burke has a couple Korean restaurants from my understanding. I love Burke for raising families so many trees and very shhhh be quiet the baby's sleeping.
Capitol Hill is very family friendly. When leaving my dude's house in the morning always lots of kids holding mama or daddy's hand on their way to school so cute :-). Cleveland Park in NW DC seems pretty nice for raising a family and very walkable with metro access.
But yeah where you work will definitely play a major role. Yours truly is itching to officially move across the water but with my commute to Fairfax just can't bring myself to do it. Although I have met plenty of reverse commuters some commuting further than Fair Oaks. So keep reverse commuting in mind if you get a job out in Herndon or Chantilly. I'd say that when job hunting the majority of any successful interviews were near Dulles. I bombed at any DC interviews.
Oh yeah I think south Arlington would be a good spot for diversity.
Honestly "diversity" to me doesn't mean mostly black. If I wanted a nice area that was mostly black I'd just say it. Usually people who say this just don't want any problems. When I lived in Oakton it was a little weird not seeing any other black folks coming from a minority-majority town it wasn't what I was used to. However, did I have any problems? Nope. Ironically I've had more "problems" race-wise in the District, Arlington and other places closer-in versus further out. Also I've always thought that the DC area is way more segregated than my little hometown in Georgia.
So yeah would recommend Arlington. I'd also recommend Kingstowne Alexandria. Again extremely diverse. There are some places in Kingstowne that have nice walking trails to the big shopping center there so that's an idea.
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When are you making the move?
