Is Northern VA really all THAT cosmopolitan? (Richmond, Arlington: luxury, college)

[jbird82]

Originally Posted by cityhopper

Hey.... Virginia is for lovers not fighters

I think the Commonwealth is highly unique. You can get a little bit of everything in every section of the state.

Richmond is an excellent town full of history, culture, and a good place to raise a family. Richmond has its own style and flare and you can still get sweet tea there

I have not lived in NOVA but I have always seen NOVA of the D/M/V business and government climate. It is the business environment of NOVA that demands the culture, ethnicity, and experience. A large portion of the population has likely relocated for school and/or work. I guess what I am trying to get too is that NOVA appears to be more of a manufactured cosmopolitan city rather than a true reflection of its core/roots. I may be wrong but this is my impression.

Everyone knows Northern Virginia is what it is because of its location to the Capital. I don't think manufactured is the right word to describe the area. I mean, no cosmopolitan area anywhere just pops up over night. There's usually reasons for it, whether it be climate, job market, resources, etc. I think a more accurate description of Northern Virginia is that it's a younger cosmopolitan area that has only in recent years bloomed into what it is today.

[normie]

Originally Posted by jbird82

Everyone knows Northern Virginia is what it is because of its location to the Capital. I don't think manufactured is the right word to describe the area. I mean, no cosmopolitan area anywhere just pops up over night. There's usually reasons for it, whether it be climate, job market, resources, etc. I think a more accurate description of Northern Virginia is that it's a younger cosmopolitan area that has only in recent years bloomed into what it is today.

Very nicely stated, and an excellent way to describe NOVA!

[normie]

Question about the photos:

What is the tall building that appears to be on waterfront. It has a courtyard area inside that contains a house and other buildings.

[janie01]

I think that is one of the hotels at the new National Harbor, which is across the Wilson Bridge in Maryland.

[Alanboy395]

Originally Posted by popalnet

I treat people they way they teach me to treat them. So it's okay for posters to bash Northern Virginia like Richmonder27 does as well as Alanboy, but it's not okay for me to bash the rest of Virginia?

In that case I don't agree with your suggestion and I will continue to bash the rest of Virginia as long as the rest of Virginia keeps on bashing Northern Virginia. Especially when posters like Richmonder27 lie about how Northern Virginia is a bunch of SUV driving people who loves Redskins and people who go out to TGI Fridays all the time. And the other lies about how Northern Virginia is s a bunch of strip malls. When one throws a bunch of lies I like to set the truth.

I would not insult Richmonder27 if he says he states true deep reasons why he hates a place. He just bashes it with lies, and I bash back with the truth. I'll admit that I do need to user more politically correct terms and NOT use terms like "hickville" or "Redneck" or "Straw/hay" I'm human so I can be forgetful and make mistakes.

I dont think i've ever said that Northern Virginia is a bunch of strip malls. My bashing of Northern VA has been on the people and their attitudes mainly. While it is true that Northern Virginia lacks imagination as for buildings for the most part, i dont recall pointing out a bunch of strip malls.

And from your comments about Hampton and Richmond being hickvilles and country it throws this statement into doubt

"When one throws a bunch of lies I like to set the truth."

At least in that post you deiviate from setting the truth from one throwing a bunch of lies.

[nwlv]

There were big things happening in NoVa long before the Capitol, and the Capital.

[JakilaTheHun]

Originally Posted by 540_804

I think it has to a bit to do with what I shall call "Big Brother Syndrome."

One area (in this case Richmond) may feel that another area (NOVA) may unjustly receive a lot of "attention" that many feel is, perhaps undue, often leaving first area (Ric) in its shadow. Often this 'rivalry' of sorts is a one-way thing. Little Brother may have a bit of contempt for Big Brother, but Big Brother doesn't reciprocate these sentiments.

I have lived and traveled all over VA and see and experience it all the time

There are many of these "one-way" relationships in VA.

Richmond --> NOVA
Roanoke --> Richmond
Lynchburg, Salem, Blacksburg, Martinsville, --> Roanoke (each to an extent)

Are any of the areas necessarily better than others? Not at all. They're all just screaming for their time to shine, their place in the sun (not to borrow a fascist catchphrase..lol).

Of my list of areas/cities above...i honestly like them all. I like Lynchburg, Salem, Blacksburg, Martinsville, Roanoke, Richmond and the NOVA area. I just generally like VA I suppose. All of the areas are rich in culture and history. BUT they all tend to exaggerate how urbane, hip, cultured, and cosmopolitan they are. Is that a bad thing? Not necessarily. They all have so much to offer.

This is a great post. I think this is pretty much true everywhere, actually.

I'm from Johnson City, TN originally. It's a small city of about 60,000 people. And I actually grew up in a rural/suburban area outside of Johnson City, called Gray. Over the past few years, I've lived in Atlanta, NoVa, DC suburbs of MD, Baltimore, and Chapel Hill, NC. It seems to be a pretty common occurance that people in the smaller areas always have an inferiority complex. I'm not saying that to put down small-town people --- I used to have that complex, too! It's almost like its culturally ingrained into your head when you live in the smaller areas.

People from rural Southwest Virginia think Johnson City is big and intimidating.
People from Johnson City TN think Knoxville TN is big and intimidating
People from Knoxville TN think Atlanta is big and intimidating
People from Atlanta think DC and NYC are intimidating

Maybe it's just natural to think that way. The "Big Brother Syndrome" is probably a good way to put it. Not that there aren't some who look down upon people from smaller towns --- but their stereotypes are just as ignorant as some of the ones I hear about the big cities. Every time I go home to visit, I have to hear about "how do I handle all the crime in DC!" And when I'm in NoVa and DC, I have to hear people talk about how no one in Appalachian has teeth. Both are ill-informed statements. And wherever you go --- people will have ignorant believes about people in other places.

[Richmonder27]

Originally Posted by JakilaTheHun

This is a great post. I think this is pretty much true everywhere, actually.

I'm from Johnson City, TN originally. It's a small city of about 60,000 people. And I actually grew up in a rural/suburban area outside of Johnson City, called Gray. Over the past few years, I've lived in Atlanta, NoVa, DC suburbs of MD, Baltimore, and Chapel Hill, NC. It seems to be a pretty common occurance that people in the smaller areas always have an inferiority complex. I'm not saying that to put down small-town people --- I used to have that complex, too! It's almost like its culturally ingrained into your head when you live in the smaller areas.

People from rural Southwest Virginia think Johnson City is big and intimidating.
People from Johnson City TN think Knoxville TN is big and intimidating
People from Knoxville TN think Atlanta is big and intimidating
People from Atlanta think DC and NYC are intimidating

Maybe it's just natural to think that way. The "Big Brother Syndrome" is probably a good way to put it. Not that there aren't some who look down upon people from smaller towns --- but their stereotypes are just as ignorant as some of the ones I hear about the big cities. Every time I go home to visit, I have to hear about "how do I handle all the crime in DC!" And when I'm in NoVa and DC, I have to hear people talk about how no one in Appalachian has teeth. Both are ill-informed statements. And wherever you go --- people will have ignorant believes about people in other places.

I find it ironic that people from Atlanta would find DC intimidating. I have been to Atlanta and talk about ! That place scares the heck out of me.

DC is a cake walk compared to At-lanta.

[Richmonder27]

Originally Posted by popalnet

Richmond is so dingy and ugly looking. But to some people dingy and ugly means pretty. Like the old saying, your trash is someone elses treasure.

Richmond -ugghh! So nasty and depressing to look at.

Richmonder, quit being so jealous about Northern Virginia. Do you see people from Northern Virginia post stuff about Richmond? No because Northern Virginians know Richmond sux! haaaaaaaahaaaaahaaaahaa.

Richmond is GORGEOUS! It has charm and character. You have obviously never been to Richmond. Im not jealous of Northern Virginia. I lived there til I was 18, and I feel blessed that I moved to Richmond. Richmond is a beautiful city. Northern Virginia is bland and vapid looking.

[Richmonder27]

Originally Posted by popalnet

I'm glad that the rest of Virginians think that about Northern Virginia. I'm so glad to hear that because that means that Northern Virginia is not like the rest of Virginia. Haaaaaaaaaaahaaaahaaahahahah!!!

Let me guess Alanboy. You live in Northern Virginia but you can't wait to move out. Let me guess where. Could it be LA? SF? NYC? Chicago? No. It's some country hickville town in Tenesee or Alabama or some other country state! Haaaaahaaahahahahahah!!

If that is your liking, no wonder you, Richmonder27, and the other country folks hate Northern Virginia. Haaaaaaaaahaaahahahahaha!!

I'm going to get a heart attack from laughter! I can see you guys using straw from your hay collection to floss your teeth between missing teeth. Trying to get that southern smoked pork out of your mouths.

Please move out of Northern Virginia and move to your country hickville place and listen to Alan Jackson all day long. Haaaaaaaahaaaaaaaaahaaaaaahaaaaaahahahah!!

Stop saying "you guys". Real Virginians say You All. And Im not a big fan of Alan Jackson, but hes not half bad. I prefer Alt-Country/Americana myself.

Real Virginians have manners. Thats what bugs me. You are from Virginia,


Yet you are representing my state and act so Un-Virginian like its unfunny. I bet some older Northern Virginians would cringe by the likes of how you behave. You don't seem at all proper or cosmopolitan to me.

BTW- I grew up Loudoun. Dont miss it for the world. Except maybe Oatlands Plantation, that was nice...