I hate NOVA/DC and I am blowing this joint!!! (Arlington: rentals, townhouse)

[old bird]

Originally Posted by FlightAttendant

Clearly, many folks don't like it here and I do hope that they can "escape" DC. However, for those of us who love it here, it is home. If you MUST bash it, please realize that some of us actually WANT to live here!!

I was glad to see this post, not that I take rants with more than a grain of salt. We're moving to the DC area from outside of Santa Fe New Mexico for exactly this reason. It's pretty rural around here, with traffic meaning you slow down to 70 on the interstate (only during tourist season). It's quiet and relaxing.

And boring.

Santa Fe is an art center and has some options for restaurants, but that's it. Entertainment involves walking through the half empty mall.

We're moving to the DC area for more culture, entertainment, education for our kids, diversity and options for entertainment and dining. I can't wait to get asian food again (yes, we have a Panda Express in Santa Fe, woohoo!).

I may not love it when I get there, but I'm certainly going to give it more than two years to decide. I've been in Santa Fe for seven and haven't made more than one decent friend here, DC can't be any worse than that.

[Alicia Bradley]

Too bad we can't do a 'cultural exchange' - I'd gladly take your place in Santa Fe.

[SFean]

Originally Posted by old bird

I was glad to see this post, not that I take rants with more than a grain of salt. We're moving to the DC area from outside of Santa Fe New Mexico for exactly this reason. It's pretty rural around here, with traffic meaning you slow down to 70 on the interstate (only during tourist season). It's quiet and relaxing.

And boring.

Santa Fe is an art center and has some options for restaurants, but that's it. Entertainment involves walking through the half empty mall.

We're moving to the DC area for more culture, entertainment, education for our kids, diversity and options for entertainment and dining. I can't wait to get asian food again (yes, we have a Panda Express in Santa Fe, woohoo!).

I may not love it when I get there, but I'm certainly going to give it more than two years to decide. I've been in Santa Fe for seven and haven't made more than one decent friend here, DC can't be any worse than that.

I have to respond just because I have a perspective that relates to this. We live in Santa Fe but we are here in Arlington because my husband took a change of station (National Laboratory) for 2 years. We did it before and really enjoyed here 10 years ago. The DC metro area is wonderful for just what you want: culture and entertainment and educating your kids would definitely be better here. However, I can hardly believe you find Santa Fe boring. We always had a tough time making up our minds what to do on weekends how to fit in dinners with all our friends there. We have golf, skiing, unique shopping, camping, hiking, opera...I can't even begin to list everything we enjoy in Santa Fe. It's incredible to sit out on our portal (porch) and have our dinner and watch the sunset on a beautiful evening with no bugs, and usually with some friends. The restaurants there are fabulous and the food (cuisine unique to NM) is renowned. Santa Fe does have 4 seasons and they are beautiful - with the exception of Spring which is usually very windy.
Now - having said that...we are having a wonderful time here in the DC area. We've met really fun friends. We've taken up boating and are overwhelmed with activities. We don't golf as much because of the heat, but will do so in the cooler months. We are thinking of leaving our boat here and coming back in the Spring and Fall to stay on it as a second home. The Spring here in DC metro area is spectacular.
I don't have a real point here - except that I think Santa Fe is wonderful and the DC area is too - in a very different way. Also, you have to get out and get involved in activities that interest you to make good friends. I think you can be bored anywhere you are if you don't have friends. I really loved meeting my girlfriends downtown Santa Fe, having lunch and glass of wine at the Inn at Loretto, and then shopping downtown and people watching (especially during tourist season). Now I'm doing the same thing in Old Town and having just as much fun.

[old bird]

You are right, at least in part. Much of the boredom comes from our situation. I own a small business that my wife works in as well, and with two sets of young twins we can't exactly hop on down to 315 for a glass of wine any more. So we haven't had the opportunity to make friends, and the few friendships we had were fleeting.

Our situation will be a little different in the DC area because I will have a regular job, and hopefully my wife will be able to find a moms' group or at least some neighbors with kids to get involved with.

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by Fern435

This thread is how I first discovered city data and the NOVA cheerleading forum. Remember folks: There are absolutely no problems in Northern Virginia, except how many people continue to flock here and enjoy the abundant services and jobs. Google "I hate DC" and this thread comes up right away.

(Bowing down before Fern435!)

[SFean]

Originally Posted by old bird

You are right, at least in part. Much of the boredom comes from our situation. I own a small business that my wife works in as well, and with two sets of young twins we can't exactly hop on down to 315 for a glass of wine any more. So we haven't had the opportunity to make friends, and the few friendships we had were fleeting.

Our situation will be a little different in the DC area because I will have a regular job, and hopefully my wife will be able to find a moms' group or at least some neighbors with kids to get involved with.

I can definitely see how it would be hard to accummulate a group of friends when you work at home and stay home with kids. Our kids are grown and gone. I think you will love the DC area for a while, but I get the impression that it's hard to stay here long-term. Mostly people complain about the cost to live here - housing, etc. However, you are from Santa Fe where the cost to live is even more expensive in my view. I think the thing I love about this area is how different it is from the "City Different". It's fun to go to a place that is opposite of where you live. I get tired of the brown adobe and pine trees. But then after I've been here for a while I get tired of so much green and trees that you cannot see the stars at night and no mountains. Human nature is a funny thing..we always seem to want what is not immediately around.
Good luck in DC.

[Fern435]

Originally Posted by SFean

I can definitely see how it would be hard to accummulate a group of friends when you work at home and stay home with kids. Our kids are grown and gone. I think you will love the DC area for a while, but I get the impression that it's hard to stay here long-term. Mostly people complain about the cost to live here - housing, etc. However, you are from Santa Fe where the cost to live is even more expensive in my view. I think the thing I love about this area is how different it is from the "City Different". It's fun to go to a place that is opposite of where you live. I get tired of the brown adobe and pine trees. But then after I've been here for a while I get tired of so much green and trees that you cannot see the stars at night and no mountains. Human nature is a funny thing..we always seem to want what is not immediately around.
Good luck in DC.

This is an incredibly wise, real post. Thank you, SFean!

[South Jersey Styx]

Originally Posted by old bird

We're moving to the DC area from outside of Santa Fe New Mexico . . .
And boring. . . Santa Fe is an art center and has some options for restaurants, but that's it. Entertainment involves walking through the half empty mall.

I've never lived in Santa Fe but did visit on two occasions. I have to agree with you for the most part (as a visitor). But part of this (as SFean mentioned) is that people prefer different environments -- personally I like trees, forests, mountains, and lakes and the occasional ocean coast to visit. I don't like the desert (too dry) and the architecture was interesting but not my cup of tea.

The one thing I noticed too was that the people seemed more interested in flaunting their status than folks in the DC area. People were more dressed up when strolling about and going to dinner and the women were wearing giant necklaces dripping with turquoise, silver, and coral. I know about the renown artists in Santa Fe but in the DC area there are plenty of wealthy people who walk around in khaki shorts and sneakers and do not feel the need to impress people in public with giant pieces of jewelry.

I can't wait to get Asian food again (yes, we have a Panda Express in Santa Fe, woohoo!).

And there's plenty more! Thai, Vietnamese, Korean, Indian, and plenty from South America, the Caribbean, and the Mediterranean.

Originally Posted by SFean

. . . But then after I've been here for a while I get tired of so much green and trees that you cannot see the stars at night and no mountains.

I can see the stars at night in my backyard and surrounded by mountains -- but I have now moved out to Winchester. It really is different. I do like what you said about environments though; and there are plenty of different environments to choose from near the DC area (except for a desert like in Santa Fe .

[SFean]

South Jersey Styx: This may come up twice because I hit a button that clicked and was gone...who knows if something got posted or not.
I was posting that I am sorry that you didn't like the dripping turquoise and stuff. You are right, we do love that stuff. There is a lot of people there with money that really get into that. Yes, they do flaunt it and I don't know why...it is what it is. We have lots of celebrities that live there but they are the ones in cut-offs and tee shirts (sometimes with alot of bling to go with it). It's a funny kind of city. That's why people watching is so much fun!

[chocolatelover]

Originally Posted by Fern435

This thread is how I first discovered city data and the NOVA cheerleading forum. Remember folks: There are absolutely no problems in Northern Virginia, except how many people continue to flock here and enjoy the abundant services and jobs. Google "I hate DC" and this thread comes up right away.

That's hilarious that you were googling "I hate DC". I think I googled 'is there anything good about DC' before I moved, trying to make myself feel better about moving here.