How is Annandale? (Alexandria, Jefferson, Fairfax: how much, houses, neighborhood)

[FindingZen]

Originally Posted by Weekend Traveler

I knew things were really going down hill in Annandale when Ribsters closed and was replaced by a Korean Restaurant. I tried the place and everyone inside was Korean, I felt out of place and they ignored me. I miss the nice crowd of old fashioned regular people at Ribsters. It reminded me of the places I use to go in the 1970s in Iowa. Ribsters RIP.

With all due respect, if Northern Virginia ever resembled Iowa in its landscape or its demographics, it certainly doesn't now.

When a Hawaiian friend lived in Annandale, my lady and I (both of us not Asian) used to meet her at the Il Mee Restaurant on Little River Turnpike. The staff was always friendly and professional.

Ribsters closed just before we considered checking it out. As I tend to have bland taste buds, I would have liked to have tried it. Fortunately, as already mentioned, there are still plenty of non-Asian restaurants to patronize in Annandale let alone the rest of Northern Virginia.

[Weekend Traveler]

Ribsters and Squire Rockwells (which had a fire and does not appear like it is going to reopen) were old style Annandale. 95% white people mostly an older and working class crowd. The people at those Annandale restaurants reminded me of the folks I grew up with in Iowa. I brought my brother there who lives in Minnesota and he made a comment of about those places. He said they reminded him of the traditional old fashioned regular folks you would see in a town like Buffalo, Erie or some small town in Ohio. Mainstream regular folks. There just are not enough of those regular folks left in Annandale.

[minirocky1]

[FONT=Verdana]Hi there-[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana] [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana]I actually viewed some apartments in the area. If you are familiar with Prince George's County in MD, Annandale is like the Oxon Hill of VA. Yes, there is a diverse crowd, but the area is full of...let me see...'diverse' individuals standing on the corner waiting for someone to pick them up for work. It seems extremely overpopulated and old. You may gain weight there because there are a ton of Korean, Mexican, and ethnic restaurants on ever block. [/FONT]

[FindingZen]

Originally Posted by Weekend Traveler

Ribsters and Squire Rockwells (which had a fire and does not appear like it is going to reopen) were old style Annandale. 95% white people mostly an older and working class crowd. The people at those Annandale restaurants reminded me of the folks I grew up with in Iowa. I brought my brother there who lives in Minnesota and he made a comment of about those places. He said they reminded him of the traditional old fashioned regular folks you would see in a town like Buffalo, Erie or some small town in Ohio. Mainstream regular folks. There just are not enough of those regular folks left in Annandale.

If a working-class crowd is what you're most comfortable around, then I can understand the long for the "good old days". The steadily increasing cost of living in this region is pushing more and more people into a longer commute and/or smaller home. On the other hand, if it's the international demographics that concern you, that's the inevitable consequence of living near the Nation's Capital. If adapting to that reality is difficult, I would advise starting by respecting the diversity (and Terms of Service) on this forum.

[FindingZen]

Originally Posted by minirocky1

Hi there-

I actually viewed some apartments in the area. If you are familiar with Prince George's County in MD, Annandale is like the Oxon Hill of VA. Yes, there is a diverse crowd, but the area is full of...let me see...'diverse' individuals standing on the corner waiting for someone to pick them up for work. It seems extremely overpopulated and old. You may gain weight there because there are a ton of Korean, Mexican, and ethnic restaurants on ever block.

Hmmm... I don't recall seeing many Mexican restaurants on "every block" of Little River Turnpike. And if my Korean restaurant experience is typical, there were certainly enough vegetable and fish options available that one could actually eat pretty healthy. My other dining experiences in Annandale include an American diner with Greek influences on Columbia Pike as well as old reliable Fuddruckers.

Thanks for the confirmation of the Hispanic day laborers.

And as suggested in my previous post, please respect the diversity of the members of this forum.

[springfieldva]

Originally Posted by minirocky1

Hi there-

I actually viewed some apartments in the area. If you are familiar with Prince George's County in MD, Annandale is like the Oxon Hill of VA. Yes, there is a diverse crowd, but the area is full of...let me see...'diverse' individuals standing on the corner waiting for someone to pick them up for work. It seems extremely overpopulated and old. You may gain weight there because there are a ton of Korean, Mexican, and ethnic restaurants on ever block.

Honestly, I avoid the 7-11 with all of the day laborers. I think most non-construction people do. There are plenty of other places in Annandale to get my coffee and lottery tickets. Why all this focus on one store? To say that there are individuals standing on street corners looking "for someone to pick them up for work" sounds kind of shady. I've never gotten the impression that those guys are doing anything illicit (drug dealing, etc) and even if they were, the county would put a swift end to it.

There is a fair amount of older, high density housing in that area. So I guess you could call it overpopulated and old. Nothing glitzy about it really. But the rents are fairly affordable and it's good for commuting. I lived in that area for several years while I saved money to buy a home.

[murrdog]

Hello, got a fella that has a home by Poe Middle and Monterey road. It is old but doable, especially with the heated pool. I have a 5 year old starting kindergarden and a 2 year old. Am I too far inside? The commute for me would be a dream.

Murr

[jejalove123]

I think Anndale is a great place. the schools are not as dramaic as to where i used to live. the place is a nice area to live.

[robbobobbo]

Originally Posted by Weekend Traveler

The Korean Stores and restaurants in Annandale are exclusionary and make it hard for us white people. They are in America now, when in Rome....

That is absolute BS. I do most of my produce shopping at Korean groceries, and have done so for over 10 years, at places in Fairfax, Lincolnia, Annandale, and elsewhere - and I'm white, and I don't speak Korean. There are many, many non-Koreans at these stores. True, many are non-white, probably because of the low comfort factor of people like you. Indians, Pakistanis, Latinos, Chinese, etc aren't as intimidated, I suppose.

The Korean restaurants, as well, are not exclusionary, and Koreans are delighted when a non-Korean expresses an interest in their food.

[ConfusedInDC]

Originally Posted by Tone509

With all due respect, if Northern Virginia ever resembled Iowa in its landscape or its demographics, it certainly doesn't now.

When a Hawaiian friend lived in Annandale, my lady and I (both of us not Asian) used to meet her at the Il Mee Restaurant on Little River Turnpike. The staff was always friendly and professional.

Ribsters closed just before we considered checking it out. As I tend to have bland taste buds, I would have liked to have tried it. Fortunately, as already mentioned, there are still plenty of non-Asian restaurants to patronize in Annandale let alone the rest of Northern Virginia.

Just FYI - Ribsters was owned by an South Asian guy.