great places for very eligible single 30s guy to live, must work in Fairfax unfortunately (Arlington: 2014, condo)

[savoiadilucania]

Originally Posted by Mnseca

You didn't say exactly where in Fairfax, but I think Carlyle Apartments/Meridian or one of the nearby newer places in Old Town (the new part of OT) Alexandria might work for you. The drive is a bit of a stretch, but I've done and it wasn't too bad. Worth it to live in OT.

Drive is definitely closer to the 30 minute side, though not brutal. My issue is that the Carlyle area still seems like a ghost town?

[savoiadilucania]

Originally Posted by finalmove

Iv'e re-read all the posts and can't figure why noone has mentioned Fairfax Corner. Go there this Friday night and have a cocktail at Coastal Flats. The area is remarkable and is the very demographic you seek. There's even a Wegman's, and that in itself is a major benefit.
If I was your age and wanted everything you describe, I'd be there in a heartbeat.

What? Wegmans, shopping malls, and Great American Restaurants smells like families, not single chicks.

[savoiadilucania]

Originally Posted by gomason

Old Town is nice especially around Carlyle but the nightlife really isn't that great and there really aren't as many young people there as other parts. Also stretch of a commute.

Agreed there. There's definitely a young crowd in Old Town and the surrounding areas but they tend to be in the minority. I personally found them a bit cliquish, maybe a bit too well-heeled for my tastes...

[savoiadilucania]

Originally Posted by Flamingo13

I'm wondering why "very eligible" was added to the standard "single guy" (which is really all that's needed)

Personal nuance, amplifying language. I don't see any issue with it.

[bmwguydc]

For a 20-30 minute drive to that part of Fairfax, Arlington is probably the best bet. I would still prefer DC, however, but even Georgetown is pushing the limit of thirty minutes, door-to-door, unless you are leaving at 6:15-6:30 am, since it takes about 10 extra minutes to get across Key Bridge from areas west of Wisconsin Avenue, and about the same to get to the TR bridge from areas east of Wisconsin Avenue. The afternoon traffic on 66 East is terrible, most days, so Route 50 is a more reliable commute, even with the traffic lights, but if you are not as concerned with a slightly longer afternoon commute, and do leave early, Georgetown might work.

On 66 Westbound in the morning, you will find traffic slows at Glebe Road, owing to the volume of cars entering, but it's a rolling slow-down, and during rush hours, not a stopped bumper-to-bumper traffic jam, as occurs on 66 East during non-HOV hours in the morning, and many afternoons.

You would need dedicated parking in Georgetown, however, because looking for a spot on the street can be difficult, especially if you are looking to rent an apartment. It's a bit easier on the residential streets, as I know people who do not have an issue with parking a car that won't fit in their rather small garage on their street, with a residential permit, but that's owing to the lighter density of development in that particular area.

The drive from Georgetown is about the same time from Alexandria, and there's more to do in DC than Alexandria. You have proximity to Rock Creek Park in much of the neighborhood, and the C&O Canal towpath provides a connection to the Capital Crescent trail. You can also connect with the W&OD trail and Mount Vernon trail across the Key Bridge in Arlington.

Merrified is actually quite boring, and very suburban in nature, with an art house theater, but chain restaurants, strip malls, big box retail, and some newer housing stock. I do not dislike the area, but it is not a singles' scene, at all, and is about as trendy as Banana Republic, but you have to remember that Washington, DC is rather beige/vanilla/light grey in terms of style. Then again, I am probably viewing that in context of other cities that I frequent, but I mean no offense by that characterization, and a couple of people I know who are NOVA natives find it hilarious, but true, to think of this region as beige. The commute is easy from Merrified, since that's about your work location, but you would be traveling to DC and Arlington, most likely, for social outings. Since you do not mind a 20-30 minute drive to work, I would look elsewhere.

Fairfax Corner has many of the same attractions as Merrified, albeit more newer apartments surrounding the shopping area because it is a created place, not an adapted place like Merrified that has a mix of light industrial, strip malls, etc. It is a lifestyle center, and has many of the same chain restaurants and stores that are found in other areas of the region. Fairfax City is small, and has suburban neighborhoods within it, and surrounding it, as do the areas near the Metro in that region. Vienna is too family-oriented, and while there are some single people in Reston, I'd pick DC for the same drive time because the morning commute is what equates to a reverse commute in this region.

If you need to stay in Virginia, or want a 20-minute window, I'd look at Arlington, but if 30-minutes is okay, Georgetown.

[finalmove]

Originally Posted by savoiadilucania

What? Wegmans, shopping malls, and Great American Restaurants smells like families, not single chicks.

You're right, single chicks never go to those places!

[lovnova]

Originally Posted by finalmove

You're right, single chicks never go to those places!

Yea, but do you realise this guy is Very Eligible! Single chicks will find him.

[Carlingtonian]

Originally Posted by lovnova

Yea, but do you realise this guy is Very Eligible! Single chicks will find him.

To be fair, his original post only said "eligible." That said, I'm put off by the fact that after 2 days, he hasn't returned to acknowledge all the helpful posts. Maybe he's been busy spending quality time with an eligible woman!

"Eligible" is a funny word, if you think about it. Eligible for what? Incarceration? Psychiatric commitment? Free plastic surgery due to profound disfigurement?

[halfamazing]

^^Somebody is in a bad mood... sheesh!

[Carlingtonian]

Originally Posted by halfamazing

^^Somebody is in a bad mood... sheesh!

The latter half of my post wasn't directed at him; it just hit me that "eligible" is such a vague word. "I'm an eligible bachelor! Eligible for a free tall brewed coffee on my next visit to Starbucks! Line up, ladies."

That said, I--and surely others here--do get tired of answering earnest questions with valuable advice and then not getting the decency of a thank you.