Do you feel that you "fit in" your NoVA neighborhood?

[Alicia Bradley]

I'd love to work with all much older co-workers. I tend to get along much, much better with older people. Unfortunately, in addition to the handful of very nice late '50s+ people in my office, there are quite a few bored, catty youngsters. Ironically, I'm often assumed to be the youngest - I'm 5'4" and about 90 lbs. soaking wet (not really, but you know what I mean) and have gotten carded each of the few times I've tried to enter bar-like establishments - even though I'm around the same age (33) as quite a few 'settled,' sort-of matronly colleagues with multiple children.

But anyway. Back to our Novahoods. I live in Fairfax City, and I've already been mistaken for a George Mason a couple times, but I'm used to this.. I used to get mistaken for a Maryland student when I lived in College Park. I suppose I should be flattered, but it's always a bit annoying not to be taken totally seriously by random people out in the world.

[Yankeesfan]

Originally Posted by Alicia Bradley

I'd love to work with all much older co-workers. I tend to get along much, much better with older people. Unfortunately, in addition to the handful of very nice late '50s+ people in my office, there are quite a few bored, catty youngsters. Ironically, I'm often assumed to be the youngest - I'm 5'4" and about 90 lbs. soaking wet (not really, but you know what I mean) and have gotten carded each of the few times I've tried to enter bar-like establishments - even though I'm around the same age (33) as quite a few 'settled,' sort-of matronly colleagues with multiple children.

But anyway. Back to our Novahoods. I live in Fairfax City, and I've already been mistaken for a George Mason a couple times, but I'm used to this.. I used to get mistaken for a Maryland student when I lived in College Park. I suppose I should be flattered, but it's always a bit annoying not to be taken totally seriously by random people out in the world.

Meanwhile I love dealing with all the twenty-something people I work with, and with my children's twenty-something friends! They're dedicated to their work but also very funny and make me laugh. I enjoy their enthusiasm. I'm also impressed with their technological skills. Things that I had to learn (and still need to learn, or have no practical hope of learning) come almost as easily to them as breathing.

When my brother worked in an office with mostly young, single people, he said if they slacked off a bit during the day to chat, go to lunch together, etc., they didn't mind staying late to catch up. All except for one woman who was married and had children. She showed up on time, focused intently and efficiently all day, and left right at the official end of the day -- so that she could get her work done well but maximize her time at home with her family. Now that he's a dad, he can relate to that. It's important to recognize what people's life stage is and respect what they can or can't give to relationships.

[normie]

Originally Posted by Alicia Bradley

But anyway. Back to our Novahoods. I live in Fairfax City, and I've already been mistaken for a George Mason a couple times, but I'm used to this..

Hey Alicia, while we're on the subject of Fairfax City, I've been thinking of doing a little photo tour of GMU, Fairfax City, and then swinging down to Burke Lake Park. The thing is, I don't know much about your neck of the woods. What streets and buildings would you recommend I get photos of?

[Alicia Bradley]

Originally Posted by normie

Hey Alicia, while we're on the subject of Fairfax City, I've been thinking of doing a little photo tour of GMU, Fairfax City, and then swinging down to Burke Lake Park. The thing is, I don't know much about your neck of the woods. What streets and buildings would you recommend I get photos of?

normie, I've explored a lot less of Fairfax City thus far than I'd like to admit. For a place that covers a pretty small geographic area, it has a lot of hidden nooks - partly because of all the trees, I'm sure.

Anyway, the downtown area in general ("Old Town Fairfax") is the highlight - University and Main is a good place to start. The little stretch of Main St. with the Paint-Your-Own-Pottery place is especially cute. And all the historic properties in the downtown area (including the Museum and Visitors Center, the Ratcliffe-Alison House, Old Town Hall, and the Moore House [the current home of the very, very yummy and creative Choices by Shawn, formerly the Sweet Life Cafe]). Cafe Mozart is supposed to be awesome.. like, worth driving to FFX City from DC proper for.. but I haven't been there yet since my fiancé hates Italian.

Destination Fairfax: Historic Fairfax (http://www.visitfairfax.com/historic.php?st=ST9b1e7&sub=SB26a29 - broken link) has a lot more info on historic properties in the Old Town area.

The little plaza (on North St. between Chain Bridge and University) with the Panera, the wine bistro, the fair trade gift shop, and the counter-service Asian cafe was fantastically done, I think (including the cute little free indoor parking garage - brilliant). And the cute little 'historic-urban' (I just coined that)-looking mini mall with the Walgreens, TJ Maxx, etc. just east of downtown on Main Street is a really good example of how new construction and mini malls can look fantastic, if you really try. (This is where the small Harris Teeter used to be. )

The new public library building at the corner of North and Old Lee Highway is just gorgeous, and Old Lee Highway (where I'm hoping to move in a year or two) has been called "Fairfax City's Gold Cast" - check out the Blenheim Civil War site and the historic Army & Navy golf course if you go north on Chain Bridge.

The historic private homes in Fairfax City are north of downtown on and to the west of Chain Bridge - some of the homes are kind of hard to see because of all the trees, but there's an especially cute bed and breakfast right on Chain Bridge itself. Turn west on Cedar and then south (IIRC) for a neighborhood of other nineteenth century homes mixed with early twentieth and a few much newer (1980s colonials, etc.).

Finally, there are some restaurants and such between GMU and Old Town Fairfax City on Chain Bridge - it's a very pretty area that I was entirely unaware of until about a week ago when I got on the wrong CUE bus!

Eventually, I want to become an amateur expert on Fairfax City and volunteer at the Museum and Visitors Center. Maybe once I'm finished unpacking.

Anyone else who knows of any must-see places in Fairfax City (and there are quite a few - I've just skimmed the surface) feel free to chime in. *crickets* Heh.

[michgc]

Originally Posted by Alicia Bradley

.. but I haven't been there yet since my fiancé hates Italian.

Congratulations, Alicia! I didn't realize you were engaged!! Hmmm...but he hates Italian food? I don't think I've ever met anyone who hates Italian food. Anyway, when's the big day?

[marie5v]

Um...how is that no one has pointed out that the OP's feeling of fitting in seems to be based solely on other people's hair and, presumably, skin color? I mean...is there anything at all other than their appearance and the fact that they have kids that makes you feel that way? Have you talked to any of them?

Having said that, no, I don't feel like I fit in. I have never felt like I fit in anywhere in VA, even though I went to college here and have lived here for twenty years. And I am a soccer mom with a PhD (I had no idea there were so many of us), so that isn't it. At one point, I was even blond, but that didn't help either.

I do like my current neighborhood a little better - people get together often and there are a lot of parties where the whole neighborhood is invited, so there is more of a sense of community. Perhaps in the future try to find a neighborhood with a more active community association.

I'm kind of bothered now by the thought that some people might be looking at me and thinking I'm too typical and they wouldn't "fit in" with me....sad, considering I could definitely use more friends.

[Alicia Bradley]

Originally Posted by michgc

Congratulations, Alicia! I didn't realize you were engaged!! Hmmm...but he hates Italian food? I don't think I've ever met anyone who hates Italian food. Anyway, when's the big day?

Well, I'm kinda-sorta engaged.. we haven't set a date or anything yet. We're just going with the flow, man, dig?

Yeah, he hates Italian and almost any other interesting food. Apparently, he's some kind of supertaster and can't tolerate most seasonings or sauces, and even the substitutions that restaurants are willing to make usually aren't acceptable to him.

[perries]

I can't recall a time when I felt like I fit in, except briefly in college until I concluded that the feeling was illusory. I don't really fit into my neighborhood now, but I don't think my neighborhood really fits in with each other, either - got a lot of variety of personality, demographics, life stages and situations. It would creep me out if I really fit in somewhere, at this point.

If everybody had to go to their natural hair color, there would probably be a fewer blondes in the OP's neighborhood.