What do you like or dislike about Northern Virginia ? (McLean: school, living)

[Mr Idealism]

Likes - Jobs, Money, Money, Jobs, Jobs, museums, scenery further out west

Dislikes - I don't have all day, but here's a start

Big box stores, chains, strip malls, cookie cutter houses/developments,townhouses/condos/apartments that cram a ton of people into a small space, no sense of community, self absorbed cold people, construction, beautiful land constantly being destroyed for the above listed, no infrastructure, poor planning, airplane noise, mcmansions plopped out of the sky, 1 million dollar homes with NO yards, parents that treat the school system like a babysitting service so they can work two jobs to keep up with their spending, keeping up with the joneses, apathy, COMPLACENCY, extreme affluence and everything bad that comes with it, SUV's, Minivans, soccer moms, dad's reliving their high school football experience through their sons, no ART culture, no Music scene, the worst drivers outside of south FL, NO public transportation, ridiculous traffic, Govt contractors, dating/marriage/popping out babies, mega churches, no leisure, people would rather make the almighty buck then take a family vacation, people more concerned with their careers than their family/friends, macho my D*ck is bigger than your's culture, yuppies that think arlington is some mecca of arts/culture, people that move here strictly for money then realize the col negates it, constantly sizing people up, cougars out on the prowl, rampant underground prostitution, mediocre food scene outside of cheap ethnic eats, lack of locally owned restaurants, lack of support for those restaurants, lack of blue collar folks, NO CHARACTER..........my time is up, but there's a hell of a lot more where that came from

[JD984]

Originally Posted by Mr Idealism

Likes - Jobs, Money, Money, Jobs, Jobs, museums, scenery further out west

Dislikes - I don't have all day, but here's a start

Big box stores, chains, strip malls, cookie cutter houses/developments,townhouses/condos/apartments that cram a ton of people into a small space, no sense of community, self absorbed cold people, construction, beautiful land constantly being destroyed for the above listed, no infrastructure, poor planning, airplane noise, mcmansions plopped out of the sky, 1 million dollar homes with NO yards, parents that treat the school system like a babysitting service so they can work two jobs to keep up with their spending, keeping up with the joneses, apathy, COMPLACENCY, extreme affluence and everything bad that comes with it, SUV's, Minivans, soccer moms, dad's reliving their high school football experience through their sons, no ART culture, no Music scene, the worst drivers outside of south FL, NO public transportation, ridiculous traffic, Govt contractors, dating/marriage/popping out babies, mega churches, no leisure, people would rather make the almighty buck then take a family vacation, people more concerned with their careers than their family/friends, macho my D*ck is bigger than your's culture, yuppies that think arlington is some mecca of arts/culture, people that move here strictly for money then realize the col negates it, constantly sizing people up, cougars out on the prowl, rampant underground prostitution, mediocre food scene outside of cheap ethnic eats, lack of locally owned restaurants, lack of support for those restaurants, lack of blue collar folks, NO CHARACTER..........my time is up, but there's a hell of a lot more where that came from

Wow. Are you sure it's not "Mr. Nihilism"?

Judging from that post, I'm sure you'll be very happy with a change in scenery, though it does scare me to think you might end up working around kids for the Mouse if "dating/marriage/popping out babies" is one of this area's signature evils.

I hear the 19th century was really cool.

[Mr Idealism]

Originally Posted by JEB77

Wow. Judging from that post, I'm sure you'll be very happy with a change in scenery, though it does scare me to think you might end up working for the Mouse.

I hear the 19th century was really cool.

Strike a nerve? You know nothing about me, yet attack me. I have nothing to prove to you or anyone else. I was just stating my opinion on what I like and dislike, if you don't like that, that's fine, but there's no need to get snarky.

The 19th century was cool, but I much prefer the 1950's.

[terrence81]

Originally Posted by Mr Idealism

Likes - Jobs, Money, Money, Jobs, Jobs, museums, scenery further out west

Dislikes - I don't have all day, but here's a start

Big box stores, chains, strip malls, cookie cutter houses/developments,townhouses/condos/apartments that cram a ton of people into a small space, no sense of community, self absorbed cold people, construction, beautiful land constantly being destroyed for the above listed, no infrastructure, poor planning, airplane noise, mcmansions plopped out of the sky, 1 million dollar homes with NO yards, parents that treat the school system like a babysitting service so they can work two jobs to keep up with their spending, keeping up with the joneses, apathy, COMPLACENCY, extreme affluence and everything bad that comes with it, SUV's, Minivans, soccer moms, dad's reliving their high school football experience through their sons, no ART culture, no Music scene, the worst drivers outside of south FL, NO public transportation, ridiculous traffic, Govt contractors, dating/marriage/popping out babies, mega churches, no leisure, people would rather make the almighty buck then take a family vacation, people more concerned with their careers than their family/friends, macho my D*ck is bigger than your's culture, yuppies that think arlington is some mecca of arts/culture, people that move here strictly for money then realize the col negates it, constantly sizing people up, cougars out on the prowl, rampant underground prostitution, mediocre food scene outside of cheap ethnic eats, lack of locally owned restaurants, lack of support for those restaurants, lack of blue collar folks, NO CHARACTER..........my time is up, but there's a hell of a lot more where that came from

So basically you have a problem with America, particularly the suburbs of America. Because only a handful of your complaints are unique to VA.

I like Arlington. It has that city feel without being TOO city like DC. Its also easier to own a car in Arlington than the District.

How are you going to get mad about housing construction? People keep moving here they gotta live somewhere right?

Originally Posted by Mr Idealism

Strike a nerve? You know nothing about me, yet attack me. I have nothing to prove to you or anyone else. I was just stating my opinion on what I like and dislike, if you don't like that, that's fine, but there's no need to get snarky.

The 19th century was cool, but I much prefer the 1950's.

Oh come on your first response was pretty snarky. Some of it has nothing to do with you so why get mad? Don't like mega churches? Well don't go to them. Don't like cougars? Don't date them. Don't like people obsessed with their jobs? I can't stand those folks, so do like me and avoid them. You made some good points about the infrastructural or rather lack thereof but I still believe in live and let live.

You have fun time traveling. I have no interest in going back to the 19th century I like my iphone and I certainly don't want to go back the seperate drinking fountains of the 50s. But if you do that's you.

[stpickrell]

Originally Posted by Mr Idealism

The 19th century was cool, but I much prefer the 1950's.

The era of Levittown? I learned through the Wiki that Levitt bought up much of what is now Bowie, MD. Pimmit Hills and Vienna Woods/Hills were also built up in that area along much the same lines (1000 +/- square feet houses, pick one of the three models, lots of between 0.2 and 0.3 acres. At least Vienna Woods/Hills got basements, Pimmit Hills didn't.)

[maria71380]

Likes: I'm a sahm of 3 kids so most of the things I like pertain to parenting/children. Great libraries, schools, and playgroups. Lots of playgrounds and things to do such as theme parks, the zoo, museums, ect.. Nature centers and bike trails are fantastic, two military posts close which means I get my groceries cheaper at the commissary!

Dislikes: COL is horrific, everything is about money and politics, self absorbed society, TRAFFIC is insane and the the road construction is never ends, people seem generally unhappy most of the time unless they are at a bar getting drunk, stress levels are high, if you don't put your kids in preschool you are a bad parent, children here are over-scheduled, over-tested, and if you want to do anything you get put on a wait list,

[marie5v]

Originally Posted by Mr Idealism

Likes - Jobs, Money, Money, Jobs, Jobs, museums, scenery further out west

Dislikes - I don't have all day, but here's a start

Big box stores, chains, strip malls, cookie cutter houses/developments,townhouses/condos/apartments that cram a ton of people into a small space, no sense of community, self absorbed cold people, construction, beautiful land constantly being destroyed for the above listed, no infrastructure, poor planning, airplane noise, mcmansions plopped out of the sky, 1 million dollar homes with NO yards, parents that treat the school system like a babysitting service so they can work two jobs to keep up with their spending, keeping up with the joneses, apathy, COMPLACENCY, extreme affluence and everything bad that comes with it, SUV's, Minivans, soccer moms, dad's reliving their high school football experience through their sons, no ART culture, no Music scene, the worst drivers outside of south FL, NO public transportation, ridiculous traffic, Govt contractors, dating/marriage/popping out babies, mega churches, no leisure, people would rather make the almighty buck then take a family vacation, people more concerned with their careers than their family/friends, macho my D*ck is bigger than your's culture, yuppies that think arlington is some mecca of arts/culture, people that move here strictly for money then realize the col negates it, constantly sizing people up, cougars out on the prowl, rampant underground prostitution, mediocre food scene outside of cheap ethnic eats, lack of locally owned restaurants, lack of support for those restaurants, lack of blue collar folks, NO CHARACTER..........my time is up, but there's a hell of a lot more where that came from

Well, I was with you right up to soccer moms...what's wrong with soccer moms and where in the US do you NOT find soccer moms?

And dating/marriage/babies - you don't like any of those things? I am pretty sure that's not exclusively a Nova thing.

And finally....we have rampant underground prostitution???!

[Nancy in Nokomis]

I agree with Mr. Idealism (up to a point) - I wonder where he would like to live? A lot of the country is like you described - but to a lesser extent.
Cougars? LOL - I just see a lot of plain Janes

[CAVA1990]

I've got to agree with MI about the lack of decent independent restaurants that aren't ethnic cheap eats. For such an affluent area we really do lack in comparison to most other metro suburbs on this.

[JD984]

Originally Posted by CAVA1990

I've got to agree with MI about the lack of decent independent restaurants that aren't ethnic cheap eats. For such an affluent area we really do lack in comparison to most other metro suburbs on this.

While there are some bargain ethnic cheap eats in the area (here's another plug for Amma Vegetarian and Rose Kabob on Maple Avenue in Vienna), I find no shortage of places in Vienna/McLean/Tysons willing to help me rid my wallet of its contents. Perhaps you are describing other parts of NoVa? It may be that people here are so enamored of the wide range of ethnic food options here that they crowd out the type of place you have in mind.