Well I am now officially committed to a one-year lease at Archstone Charter Oaks, which is located along North Shore Drive in Reston (about a half-mile from the Reston Town Center), and I couldn't possibly be any more pleased. My family and I just literally walked in the door after our grueling 4-hour drive, so please bear with me for any unforeseen typographical errors you may encounter, but here is a detailed itinerary of how we spent the past weekend.
FRIDAY, APRIL 17, 2009
8:00 AM: We promptly leave our home near Scranton, PA, embarking upon a journey to the Old Dominion State in pursuit of housing for my wonderful new job opportunity.
11:30 AM: We cross through Point of Rocks, MD and are welcomed into Loudoun County, Virginia. Our family is immediately impressed by all of the signs for vineyards/wineries, the antiques stores, etc. as we pass through Lucketts, not to mention quite a few newer palatial estates blended in with some more rustic farmhouses. Horses were visible amongst the verdant hills. We soon hop onto the Leesburg Bypass, and we are disappointed to see so much ugly sprawl in the form of big-box stores, strip malls, outlet stores, vinyl-sided townhouse communities, etc., but a part of me makes a mental note of the sign directing us straight to "Historic Downtown Leesburg" (which we'll revisit later). We continue onto Route 7 through Lansdowne and Ashburn, where I believe we hopped another road to bypass some of the impending Route 7 congestion to reach Herndon.
12:15 PM: Thanks to our wonderful GPS, which was working on overload this weekend to get us acquainted with our new environs, we arrive in the parking lot of my office complex at 171 Elden Street along the Herndon/Reston town lines. We see two low-rise office buildings and pull into a parking space. A nearby woman is eating lunch, and we ask her politely if she knows where my office is. She points us in the direction of the proper building, and off we go to drop on in to introduce ourselves to my future supervisor.
12:30 PM: We are sitting in the reception area awaiting my future boss to come out to meet us. He comes on out after about fifteen minutes, and immediately we are all initially taken aback by his very tall stature. However, as we would soon learn, he was very, very friendly, down-to-earth, and eager to help address the 10,000 questions my parents and I had about my impending position and relocation. We spent a little more than one hour in his office, where I learned some very important information about my career (including the fact that I'd be advancing through the ranks MUCH more quickly than I had originally anticipated!)
I also learned that I'd only be spending perhaps 25%-30% of my schedule at this particular branch office with most of my time being devoted traveling to various government contractors within the Department of Defense (DoD), which meant that I didn't necessarily have to limit my search to within close range of this office in particular (a big relief for me).
1:45 PM: We depart my office and immediately head to
Dulles Greene, the first complex I had decided I had wanted to see on the north side of Herndon. We pulled into the attractive newer "campus"-like setting of these modern multi-story clusters and were surprised to see that it was a gated community, considering usually that level of "prestige" would NOT have fit into my budget range. We toured the area via a golf cart, and when put under pressure that we HAD to fork over a deposit at that point in time to secure the supposed "last remaining one-bedroom unit" that they had available, as well as having to do so because prices were "likely to rise upwards the next day," we caved in and signed over a $300 money order to secure our spot just in case nothing better came along. While I was very impressed by the modern feel of the units, I didn't very much like their overall layout, the community was very far removed from any sort of nightlife/shopping/attractions, and the assertiveness of the leasing staff there REALLY got us off to a rather miserable start.
3:00 PM: At this point in time we decide we have just enough time to head to see one last complex, considering most leasing offices closed at around 5 PM. Even though everyone and their half-sister pleaded with me to NOT even consider
Stuart Woods, I was impressed by how well-composed and professional one of their leasing agents was when he responded to an ad I had posted on CraigsList and decided to at least give them the opportunity to "wow" me. A very kind woman there took us all over the property, and I was quite impressed by the grounds, which had a small stream bisecting them along with being directly-accessible to the Washington & Old Dominion (W & OD) Trail, which, as an avid runner, I'd find to be a strong asset. However I was not very impressed by the units themselves, and the fact that our agent became rather uneasy when we inquired about personal safety, even going so far as to make a point of it to show us how "solid" the doors were to prevent someone from breaking them down left me feeling a bit worrisome. We were told by not only this woman (but as we'd soon find out EVERYONE, including the town police, could NOT give us any sort of crime statistics for neighborhoods within the Town of Herndon), that it was "illegal" to divulge certain characteristics and/or that we'd "have to contact the Herndon police about that." The rent price of just barely over $1,000/month for one unit I was interested in still kept this as a possibility in the back of my mind though, as I figured that saving a few hundred dollars per month in my rent would free up an additional $250-$300/month to put towards a new car (which I will probably HAVE to get considering I'd apparently be the ONLY one in NoVA without a flashy newer vehicle from what we saw on our travels).
4:45 PM: We check in at our Marriott Courtyard Hotel, drop off our bags, regroup a bit, and then decide to head in to scope out the Reston Town Center for dinner/shopping.
5:30 PM: We arrive at the Reston Town Center and are surprised to find a free parking garage with plentiful spots available. We walk around the streets a bit, and while in general I LIKED the "concept" of a regional mixed-use downtown to draw everyone in for a more of a community-oriented feeling, I didn't exactly like the "element" we were exposed to. Roughly 1/3 of the folks there were 20-somethings or 30-somethings wearing designer sun glasses after the sun had set, driving around the block a few times in expensive foreign imported luxury sedans or sports cars, talking loudly about how "progressive" the area was, yada, yada, yada. I got a serious "POSER" vibe from the Reston Town Center (i.e. people who really weren't being true to themselves in order to blend in), but hopefully I just hit it on an oddly pretentious night and everyone isn't always that concerned about keeping up appearances in public.
I became irritated on one occasion when I noticed some overgrown frat boys who had probably had one too many during their happy hour nudging each other, pointing, and laughing at me from across the street as we passed (probably thinking "Look at the loser with the shirt tucked in with his mommy and daddy!" as they obviously assumed I hadn't really noticed what they were doing through the corner of my own sunglasses). I had really hoped that moving to a more forward-thinking, liberal, educated, and intellectually-enriched area that I could AVOID those sorts of beer-crazed numbskulls, but apparently each and every area has their fair share. I also took note that a few people at a nearby cafe stopped to take notice as my family and I casually checked out an Aston-Martin that was parked along the street nearby. Coming from a place like Scranton where everyone drives a Ford Taurus because they have no education to market themselves for better employment options than minimum wage jobs it was just something "new" and "exciting" for us, and I didn't need to feel as if we were on display to people who were undoubtedly thinking "Look at how uncivilized they are. Psha!
" I'm really, really happy to see that outside of the Reston Town Center we met nothing but very kind, down-to-earth, and non-materialistic individuals, but at RTC I'll have to remember next time to pop my collar, wear my designer shades on cloudy days, walk with my pinky out as I sip an overpriced latte, and sit with friends judging lesser-affluent passers-by.
On the POSITIVE note from RTC I must say that
Clyde's, which came recommended to us by our Stuart Woods leasing agent, was
excellent for dinner. We enjoyed excellent appetizers and entrees and were offered a free dessert "on the house" when our waiter learned we were from out-of-state and were in the process of relocating to the area. My guess is that his manager tells his staff to offer this so that we'll keep coming back loyally when we DO arrive, but regardless I WILL be back because that was a nice touch (not to mention our waiter, while probably straight, was very cute and reminded me of the one dorky guy from the CBS series "Numbers!")
We also loved watching some of the more MATURE folks walking around pushing strollers with smiling children in-tow, watching toddlers and other young children running around and mingling, etc., and the fountain was very, very nice. If I wasn't exposed to so many of my peers needlessly POSING and FLAUNTING their BMWs that their mommies and daddies bought them so that they could laugh at we less-privileged types, then Reston Town Center would be a PREMIERE place for me to be!
Considering in one month's time I'll be living literally a short walk from here I'll be back more frequently I'm sure with my more down-to-earth friends who are coming with me from PA, where 22-year-olds seem to care less about what you drive and what you wear as opposed to what you have to offer someone in a friendship.
Hopefully I WILL find other younger twenty-somethings in Reston/Herndon who are likewise not so concerned with chasing the Almighty Dollar because their well-heeled parents spoon-fed them everything in life. While I will have my Master's Degree, CPA, and will be earning in excess of $60,000 by the time I'm 24, buying Gucci, sipping Starbuck's lattes, tooling around in a Lexus, etc. are NOT on my priority list, and I can't figure out how so many others around that age DO feel the need to measure their own success (or lack thereof) in life by material objects.
I thought I was "lucky" to have a 1999 Ford Contour to get me from point A to point B when many in Africa have no potable water, but I suppose I was looking at things the wrong way. We heard a song lyric today from Sheryl Crow that summed things up perfectly for me: "It's not having what you want; it's wanting what you've got."
SATURDAY, APRIL 18, 2009
8:45 AM: My parents and I, disturbed by the fact that our hotel charges $6/person for a "continental breakfast" (i.e. a small box of cereal and a half-stale bagel) decide to head on out to grab a quick bite at a nearby mom-and-pop place.
9:00 AM: We decide to stop into the
Town of Herndon Police Department en route from our hotel to breakfast to inquire about crime in various neighborhoods. Contrary to what leasing agents were telling us, the police officers were NOT able to provide us with recommendations on what areas were "hot spots," and we were referred to call a different number from Monday-Friday 9-5 (which did us no good since we had to have a place selected by the time we left on Sunday).
It was at this point that I was beginning to think that Herndon had a relatively high crime rate since we had to pull teeth for ANY sort of statistics, but I decided that with a personal security system, renter's insurance, and a keen sense of vigilance that I'd be okay if I ended up in a not-so-nice area of Herndon.
9:30 AM: We decide to eat at
The Bagel Cafe along Elden Street in Herndon. While there we find the politeness and friendliness of everyone around us to be quite REFRESHING compared to the normally miserable people to which we've become accustomed here in Scranton. Everyone was in a damn hurry to be the first one to hold a door for someone else with a smile, and it was at that point that I transitioned to knowing that I truly WOULD be a good fit here in NoVA. A couple, presumably in their early-to-mid-30s, walked over with their two cute dogs to an adjacent table, and we made some casual small-talk as we fawned over their canine accompaniments. While preparing to leave my mother introduced ourselves and my situation as an impending transplant, and the couple, to my sheer surprise (and delight) proceeded to spend about ten minutes with us for a Q&A session where we got to pick their brains. When they realized I was 22, they immediately told me that I "needed" to move closer to Arlington because that's where all of the nightlife was and that the 'burbs were boring for someone of my age. As I surveyed the scene around me in which I WAS the youngest person by about ten years (save for some toddlers with their 30-something parents nearby) I realized they were probably correct. My future boss had encouraged me to check out Ashburn or Sterling, where I'd probably get the best "bang for my buck" in terms of housing, but we were advised against that by this couple, who really urged me to reconsider my plans to live in the 'burbs. I took this to heart, but given my budget I would NOT be able to afford the disgustingly overinflated rental prices in Arlington in my preferred <$1250/month budget (and I still do not want a roommate so I can try to start up a long-term relationship when I get to NoVA to be happier in life).
10:00 AM: We arrive at the place I decided that I wanted to see first that day,
Archstone at Dulles. From the moment we pulled in I KNEW I would be miserable living amidst a sea of tract-housing across the street from BAE Systems, but I decided to reserve judgment until I toured the grounds. I was very, very pleased by the floor plan we saw, which, while on the small side for the rental price, was modern, airy, and was suitable for entertaining a small group of friends. The game room (with a Foosball table!) was an added bonus, as was learning that there were regular mixers and socials to help encourage residents to mingle and make new friends. Archstone, as a company, has a 30-day guarantee where you can opt to move out after your first month no questions asked if you decide that you're unhappy there, and they also have complexes across the nation for the high-climbing young professional with his eyes set upon frequent relocation for promotions. Our leasing agent handed us information about other Archstone communities, and I made a mental note that there were indeed some in neighboring Reston.
10:45 AM: We headed from Archstone at Dulles roughly a half-mile to
Lionsgate, where we walked in, introduced ourselves to our leasing agent, explained that we were interested in a 1-bedroom unit, and were then quickly shown the door when we were told there were no 1-bedroom units available, which made us feel very discouraged and disappointed.
11:15 AM: We head next to the
Village at McNair Farms, which is located very near to the Clock Tower Shopping Center. A cute and presumably Middle-Eastern leasing agent (noticing a theme yet about the good-looking people in NoVA?!) provided us with a community tour. While I was generally impressed with the community overall, I wasn't crazy about the floor plan (despite the fireplace, which I really had no use for anyways), and the only units that would be available during our target move-in date of Memorial Day weekend were directly across from the pool and were literally just feet away (think screaming kids incessantly all summer long when I'm trying to study for my CPA exam)!
12:00 PM: From here we head to the
Westerley at Worldgate, where we are treated to a wonderful leasing agent who spares no expense in sharing her very vast knowledge and background with us about anything and everything NoVA. I'm piqued by the proximity of the complex to the Worldgate Shopping Center, where I'm told by our agent are a variety of restaurants and shops. I was
yearning to be within a reasonable walk of amenities after seeing just how horridly isolated from other zoning areas the Archstone at Dulles, Dulles Greene, and Lionsgate communities all were, so this place quickly rose to prominence in my eyes. The woman, a former employee of a major furniture retailer in the area who was also pursuing a Master's Degree in Interior Design, was providential in giving us an unbelievable amount of insight into the region. I liked our proximity to the W & OD Trail, but I decided to keep my options open so we could explore North Reston (North of Baron Cameron Avenue/Route 606) a bit as well.
1:45 PM: From here we head first to
Parc Reston, which we figured was very near to the Reston Town Center, only to be disappointed to find that the leasing office was closed on weekends. Considering MOST people considering relocating to a new area are going to do the majority of their "in the trenches" research on weekends so that they don't conflict with their work schedules, Parc Reston just lost me as a potential new responsible long-term tenant, as their location, which was tucked amid mature trees yet was within spitting distance of RTC, was idyllic to me. Oh well. It's their loss, not mine.
2:00 PM: We head to the nearby
Archstone Charter Oak community along North Shore Drive, and I'm encouraged by the park-like setting with a country club backdrop. Verna, our leasing agent, is very casual, charming, and "cool," which was a pleasant change of pace from some of our "used car salesman-like" leasing agents who were obviously much more desperate to snag new tenants in this highly-competitive marketplace. We tour a few units, and the price range of $1100/month, which was well within my budget, made this all the more appealing. Sure, there weren't any "perks" (no pool, no gym, no athletic courts, etc.), but I'm a no-frills sort of young professional type anyways. When I learned we were only approximately a mile's walk to the Reston Town Center, Lake Anne, and shopping I was "hooked," even though the lack of sidewalks in this part of Reston was a HUGE turn-off (why aren't there sidewalks on such a busy road as North Shore Drive?).
3:30 PM: After deciding it is too late to consider scoping out Old Town Alexandria we instead decide to go to nearby
Lake Anne, as I mentioned that a "sweet old lady on one of my message boards" recommended it to me (cough...Normie...cough!) To our surprise it was their Founder's Day Celebration, and the esplanade at the foot of the lake was home to a large tent where a band was playing music, people were mingling, etc. THAT is the sort of environment I seek---the type of place where you bump into people you know and seem to generally CARE about. We only spent about an hour here and figured we wanted to kill more time before heading back to the hotel, so I suggested checking out what Leesburg had to offer (referencing that aforementioned sign for the historic area).
4:30 PM: We start to head out to
Leesburg via Route 7. We start. We stop. We start. We stop. We start. We stop. I'm shocked that on a Saturday afternoon traffic is bumper-to-bumper on this very, very wide artery as far as the eye can see through Sterling, Ashburn, Lansdowne, and all the way into Leesburg (may I recommend stop wasting money in Iraq and start funding DOMESTIC MASS TRANSIT to help ease this congestion, which I'm assuming is WORSE at rush-hour?!)
We see a nice wooden sign along the roadside that says "Leesburg" in cursive writing, but then we see nothing but chain stores, gas stations, parking lots, etc., and we become discouraged. Then we find our way into the TRUE Leesburg and are very impressed. The main drag through town was home to some sort of Lawn & Garden Expo, and there were all sorts of bands, dancers, vendors, demonstrations, etc. all over the downtown area, which reminded me very much of Lewisburg, PA or Williamsburg, VA.
5:30 PM: Given how hot it ended up being (80s in APRIL?!) we decided it would have been too hot to have eaten dinner in a cramped downtown restaurant and decided to instead head back towards Herndon to try out The
Ice House & Oyster Bar, which I mentioned earlier as we had scoped out Herndon proper en route to another apartment complex. We enjoyed our meal, but it was unusual that we were pretty much the ONLY patrons there on a Saturday night, even when we were leaving around 7 PM. How does that place stay in business (or is everyone out that way too busy "posing" on the weekends back at RTC as we experienced the prior evening?)
We had some great meals, and even though the price tag ended up being over $100, it was well worth it. I enjoyed some deep fried brie cheese served over spinach and pears soaked in a tasty raspberry vinaigrette dressing for an appetizer along with their delicious seafood fettucine alfredo. Since apparently judging by the tumbleweed rolling on by as we ate on what should have been a BUSY Saturday night nobody else in the area knows about this restaurant, I would highly recommend it!
7:00 PM: We drive around Downtown Herndon a bit to explore (if you can call the disappointingly small two-block area of the historic district worthy of being a "destination," and then we head back to our hotel to retire after a hectic day, where I "checked in" with you all last night in our lobby.
SUNDAY, APRIL 19, 2009
9:00: We check out from our hotel after I once again checked in with everyone here on City-Data!
9:30 AM: We decide to try out the
Silver Diner in Reston for a bite for breakfast, and boy were we ever in for a real true treat!
The waiter was once again cute in a Zac Effron sort of way with his wavy hair (Hey, when you're single EVERYONE starts looking like a potential mate! LOL!). We liked the table-top jukeboxes, and my Belgian waffle was cooked to perfection and accompanied with sausage links and scrambled eggs. I made a mental note to try out one of their milk shakes next month when I'm living in Reston.
10:20 AM: Realizing we were running ahead of schedule for our 11 AM meeting with Verna, our agent, to lease my apartment at Archstone Charter Oak, we decided to scope out the adjacent Trader Joe's, which we had never seen before up North in our Wal-Mart-worshiping (shudders at the thought) area. I was very happy to see one family dressed in their Sunday best with the father taking a very active role in teaching his two young children about life.
I also took note of the cheap wine for when I need to drown my sorrows some night while watching Lifetime and listening to Paula Cole's "Where Have All the Cowboys Gone?!"
11:05 AM: We meet Verna and get down to business. I fill out a lengthy application form, and in a few minutes I'm welcomed as a future neighbor and member of her community!
I feel like hugging Verna for how helpful she was, but I decide on a handshake instead so she didn't try to pepper-spray me!
LOL!
1 PM: We're en route back to the armpit we call Scranton where after seeing what an area looks like WITHOUT potholes, litter, Confederate flags, etc. I'm truly regretting having to come back to. While I admire people up here in NEPA for being very down-to-earth they are also VISIBLY "stuck in the past" on social issues and will probably never catch up to the rest of the nation. I now don't think I'll ever return to Scranton now that I have a taste of bigger and better things!
(DOZENS OF TRIP PICTURES TO COME BELOW)
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