Is Northern VA really all THAT cosmopolitan? (Richmond, Roanoke: houses, taxes)

[Richmonder27]

I know that people in Northern Virginia like to wish to declare separation from the rest of the state. But I find that most of Northern Virginia and its "culture" , is actually pretty main street USA. I mean, yeah, there is Washington DC- but thats not Northern Virginia- thats DC. Most of Northern Virginia is sub divisions with vinyl sided houses, strip malls, and office parks.


I fail to see how that makes them superior to the rest of us. Also, Im not trying to be offensive here, but most Northern Virginians I know spend most of their time hosing off their SUVs, or watching Washington Redskins on TV or going to TGIFridays .


I mean, really . They turn their nose at Richmond or Farmville , but shoot, we have plenty of art galleries and hipsters here and lots of culture and personality! They act like we're a bunch of bohunks or something, while they are the only sophisticated cultured area of the Commonwealth. That is just simply not the case, from my personal experience.


I dont understand what gives them to right to feel like they are better than the rest of us.

(Im a Northern Virginia native, BTW, but my family is mostly from Richmond- so I know BOTH sides of the coin).

[ChristineVA]

I guess I'm not seeing where your angst is coming from.

Sure, there are snobs out there. I guess I don't run in those circles because no one that I am friendly with or that I work with feels that way about people in Farmville or Richmond. I don't know anyone who turns their nose up. In fact, one of my co-workers retired to Farmville and likes it just fine.

There are always snobs. For instance, there's a ton of people here who think they are better than people who happen to live in Manassas or Woodbridge. Have you seen that? There are always those who equate property values to classiness. Let them.

Now, I do think there is a difference in Northern Virginia and the "Rest of Virginia" as I've heard it called. When I have been outside of Northern Virginia, it is just a different culture. Not better, not worse--just different. Sort of like living in coastal North Carolina and then heading over to Asheville.

Overall, Northern Virginia has more affluency than other parts of Virginia but that's not to say that there aren't affluent people in other parts. It's just that there is so much more industry here and greater options to make money. There's also just a different mind-set. If you watch the election returns last November it was kind of fascinating to see most of Virginia colored in red and then watch northern Virginia with its dense population go blue and swing the state.

[JEB77]

Originally Posted by Richmonder27

I know that people in Northern Virginia like to wish to declare separation from the rest of the state. But I find that most of Northern Virginia and its "culture" , is actually pretty main street USA. I mean, yeah, there is Washington DC- but thats not Northern Virginia- thats DC. Most of Northern Virginia is sub divisions with vinyl sided houses, strip malls, and office parks.


I fail to see how that makes them superior to the rest of us. Also, Im not trying to be offensive here, but most Northern Virginians I know spend most of their time hosing off their SUVs, or watching Washington Redskins on TV or going to TGIFridays .


I mean, really . They turn their nose at Richmond or Farmville , but shoot, we have plenty of art galleries and hipsters here and lots of culture and personality! They act like we're a bunch of bohunks or something, while they are the only sophisticated cultured area of the Commonwealth. That is just simply not the case, from my personal experience.


I dont understand what gives them to right to feel like they are better than the rest of us.

(Im a Northern Virginia native, BTW, but my family is mostly from Richmond- so I know BOTH sides of the coin).

To the extent that some folks in NoVa want a separate state, it probably has more to do with a sense that we pay more in taxes than we receive in state services than any sense of cultural superiority.

Once you get outside of the Fan and Church Hill and Ginter Park, most of Richmond and its surrounding suburbs have their fair share of vinyl siding and strip malls. There aren't as many office parks, however, since far more jobs are here.

Since you posted more or less the same post on the Richmond forum a few weeks ago, I'll post more or less the same response on this forum. I lived in Richmond for a while and found it a very pleasant place - a nice mid-sized city with beautiful architecture, plenty of things to do if one made the effort, and a lot of bright (but not show-offy) residents.

The one thing I seriously disliked about Richmond was that many of its residents had a huge chip on a shoulder. And, while Richmonders were actually far more inviting to non-natives than one might have expected, the price of admission was taking a loyalty oath and proclaiming how civil, well-mannered and cultured Richmond was, and how horrible other places, such as NoVa and Atlanta, were. The sad thing was that very few in NoVa harbor similar hostility toward Richmonders, so it's not like there's some big rivalry or something.

Since you grew up in NoVa and now live in Richmond, perhaps you can serve as a cultural ambassador and bridge the great divide that you have identified between the two locations. Why don't you get Bill's Barbecue to set up an outpost in Fairfax, and we'll send an exploratory team from Balducci's to check out Carytown?

[tankdude]

Originally Posted by Richmonder27

I know that people in Northern Virginia like to wish to declare separation from the rest of the state. But I find that most of Northern Virginia and its "culture" , is actually pretty main street USA. I mean, yeah, there is Washington DC- but thats not Northern Virginia- thats DC. Most of Northern Virginia is sub divisions with vinyl sided houses, strip malls, and office parks.


I fail to see how that makes them superior to the rest of us. Also, Im not trying to be offensive here, but most Northern Virginians I know spend most of their time hosing off their SUVs, or watching Washington Redskins on TV or going to TGIFridays .


I mean, really . They turn their nose at Richmond or Farmville , but shoot, we have plenty of art galleries and hipsters here and lots of culture and personality! They act like we're a bunch of bohunks or something, while they are the only sophisticated cultured area of the Commonwealth. That is just simply not the case, from my personal experience.


I dont understand what gives them to right to feel like they are better than the rest of us.

(Im a Northern Virginia native, BTW, but my family is mostly from Richmond- so I know BOTH sides of the coin).

This post is clearly not going to resolve anything.

Just be happy with yourself and don't worry about what others think of you.

[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.

[popalnet]

Dear Richmonder27, I don't think you've been to Nova recently? When was the last time you were in Nova? Based on your description it must have been over 20 years ago. But uh oh, you probabaly weren't born 20 years ago. I'll be back to post some photos when I get the chance.

What is it with you??????????????????????????????????????????????? ?????????????????????????????????????????????????? ?????????

[oneasterisk]

Thank goodness NOVA has enough self esteem to not constantly berate Richmond to make itself feel better...

[540_804]

Originally Posted by oneasterisk

Thank goodness NOVA has enough self esteem to not constantly berate Richmond to make itself feel better...

LMFAO..funny but not necessarily true.

It doesn't have to do with the collective self-esteem of the area. (LOL..btw..thats a really cool concept that I've never thought of before..the "self-esteem" of a location)

But you see that same relationship all over the country (and probably world).

For example:
Chicago --> New York (to a very limited extent)
Milwaukee --> Chicago
Ft. Lauderdale, Tampa --> Miami

Im sure there are others (several I can think of, but I don't know much about them to speak on them).

[popalnet]

Originally Posted by 540_804

LMFAO..funny but not necessarily true.

It doesn't have to do with the collective self-esteem of the area. (LOL..btw..thats a really cool concept that I've never thought of before..the "self-esteem" of a location)

But you see that same relationship all over the country (and probably world).

For example:
Chicago --> New York (to a very limited extent)
Milwaukee --> Chicago
Ft. Lauderdale, Tampa --> Miami

Im sure there are others (several I can think of, but I don't know much about them to speak on them).

I don't get your point? It doesn't make any sense?

[popalnet]

Originally Posted by Richmonder27

I know that people in Northern Virginia like to wish to declare separation from the rest of the state. But I find that most of Northern Virginia and its "culture" , is actually pretty main street USA. I mean, yeah, there is Washington DC- but thats not Northern Virginia- thats DC. Most of Northern Virginia is sub divisions with vinyl sided houses, strip malls, and office parks.


I fail to see how that makes them superior to the rest of us. Also, Im not trying to be offensive here, but most Northern Virginians I know spend most of their time hosing off their SUVs, or watching Washington Redskins on TV or going to TGIFridays .


I mean, really . They turn their nose at Richmond or Farmville , but shoot, we have plenty of art galleries and hipsters here and lots of culture and personality! They act like we're a bunch of bohunks or something, while they are the only sophisticated cultured area of the Commonwealth. That is just simply not the case, from my personal experience.


I dont understand what gives them to right to feel like they are better than the rest of us.

(Im a Northern Virginia native, BTW, but my family is mostly from Richmond- so I know BOTH sides of the coin).

I told you that I was going to post some photos, but I figured out after wasting a few minutes trying to upload photos that it's not worth my time. I've uploaded photos before, but you just don't get it.

Compared to Richmond, Nova is so cosmo that your head will spin. I could keep going on and on, but I think I will just end it by claiming that you are a confused Dumbazz! Give me some of that stuff that you are smoking. Haaaaaaaaaaaaahaaaaaaaahhaaaaaaahahah!