As a northern Virginian, do you identify more with the Md. suburbs, or with ROVA? (Hampton: real estate, homes)

[Deeman804]

Originally Posted by Caladium

It's a nickname for "Rest of Virginia." I never use it because 1) it sounds affected, plus 2) it's a bit demeaning, IMO. As if northern Virginia is so much more important than anywhere else in the state that it get's it's own label but all the other cities get lumped together and given a single label. Kind of snobby, you know.

I am from Richmond and it is very demeaning. Does anyone say RoVA in real life??? The majority of the state (not RoVA) looks at us elitist snobs and terms like this fit the stereotype. Virginia has a similar vibe to an extent but Roanoke and Appalachian Virginia, is far different from Tidewater, which is very different from Richmond, that has less of a NC vibe like Southern VA.

To reply to the OP, I think it is closer to Maryland suburbs. Bethesda is like the TOD style of geography, and the fact that much of it is separated only by a river aligns it more to Maryland burbs even the progressive thinking (though less than maryland) is similar.

[chariega]

Originally Posted by saganista

Hmmm. When the Pottery Factory is one of the bigger deals in town, I'd say the place has a ways to go yet as a cultural mecca.

Williamsburg doesn't have culture? I'm so confused by people who say such nonsense. You do realize that every place in the world has its own distinct culture. Just because there aren't a million people speaking 2 billion different languages does not mean it's some cultural wasteland with an uneducated populace (which in the case of Williamsburg, is far from the truth, considering the second oldest college in the country is located there, a lot of wealthy people live there, good schools, etf...)

Nevertheless, if your post is a representation of the attitudes found in a "cultural mecca," then one can presume culture equals narrow-minded snobbery. No thanks. I'll take a "culture-less" place with a thousand Pottery Factories any day.

OP--I voted ROVA.

[OldCrow15]

Deeman804, I'm not denying it could be taken as demeaning but I've never heard anyone use it that way. I thought it started during the last presidential election when someone affiliated with the McCain campaign was speaking in a rather unflattering way about northern Virginia being so out of touch politically and socially with RoVa, his contrived term for the rest of Virginia.

[CAVA1990]

Originally Posted by Deeman804

To reply to the OP, I think it is closer to Maryland suburbs.

You missed the point of the question: which area do you identify with, not which is more alike.

[Deeman804]

Originally Posted by CAVA1990

You missed the point of the question: which area do you identify with, not which is more alike.

I identify with Virginia as far as my upbringing but as a resident of Arlington, I feel more connected to the Maryland suburbs. When I go back home, I feel like I need to readjust (drive less aggressively and drink sweet tea lol) to fit back into the Virginia culture.

[ViennaSausages]

I'm pretty amazed at comments re: Williamsburg. Just because the place doesn't have 500,000 people and a Hirshhorn style gallery doesn't mean that there is no culture there. S**t, the place was Virginia's state capital and is a historical gold mine.

[CAVA1990]

Originally Posted by ViennaSausages

I'm pretty amazed at comments re: Williamsburg. Just because the place doesn't have 500,000 people and a Hirshhorn style gallery doesn't mean that there is no culture there. S**t, the place was Virginia's state capital and is a historical gold mine.

But it's been turned into a colonial Disneyworld. It's about as cultured as where I live in Mount Vernon. Nobody considers us to be that.

[Caladium]

Originally Posted by CAVA1990

But it's been turned into a colonial Disneyworld. It's about as cultured as where I live in Mount Vernon. Nobody considers us to be that.

FWIW, there's more to Williamsburg than the tourist areas. It's a college town as well as being a town that attracts wealthy retirees. As a result the residents there enjoy art festivals, concerts, lectures, restaurants, and all the other types of events and amenities that are usually considered evidence of culture. We just spent a vacation there, didn't go into the colonial district once, and had a wonderful time. Also, the comment on bookstores surprises me--I'm fairly certain the ratio of bookstore to resident is a lot higher down there than up here. Seriously, bookstores are one thing you find in abundance down there.

[saganista]

Originally Posted by chariega

Williamsburg doesn't have culture? I'm so confused by people who say such nonsense. You do realize that every place in the world has its own distinct culture.

Yes, I do...but do remember that using a word in a sense different from the one originally intended creates only a fallacy of equivocation.

Originally Posted by chariega

Just because there aren't a million people speaking 2 billion different languages does not mean it's some cultural wasteland...

No, but that plus the relative lack of theaters, galleries, libraries, bookstores, music venues, and so forth suggest that the area might not be quite on the cutting edge, culturally speaking. A person choosing to live in the Williamsburg area over NoVa would be making a significant cultural sacrifice.

Originally Posted by chariega

...with an uneducated populace (which in the case of Williamsburg, is far from the truth, considering the second oldest college in the country is located there, a lot of wealthy people live there, good schools, etf...)

You're loading an awful lot of baggage onto what was an empty cart.

Originally Posted by chariega

Nevertheless, if your post is a representation of the attitudes found in a "cultural mecca," then one can presume culture equals narrow-minded snobbery. No thanks. I'll take a "culture-less" place with a thousand Pottery Factories any day.

I don't think a thousand pottery factories would be economically viable, but you are certainly welcome to live wherever you want. Whether you choose to recognize its shortcomings or not.

[saganista]

Originally Posted by Caladium

FWIW, there's more to Williamsburg than the tourist areas. It's a college town as well as being a town that attracts wealthy retirees. As a result the residents there enjoy art festivals, concerts, lectures, restaurants, and all the other types of events and amenities that are usually considered evidence of culture. We just spent a vacation there, didn't go into the colonial district once, and had a wonderful time.

Glad the vacation turned out well, but the same could be said for Fairfax City, Vienna, Falls Church, Alexandria, and Arlington, among other NoVa places. And all of those clearly play second fiddle to what's at hand just across the river. Being able to rub two nickels together isn't enough to make one wealthy. There simply is no argument to be made that Williamsburg is on some cultural par with NoVa. It's just not there.