Geek-friendly with decent commute? (Arlington, Alexandria: appointed, neighborhoods, college)

[OrangeFish]

Originally Posted by spencgr

great point! It's good to have diversity, even among your own interests and hobbies.

I agree. There's a strong HEMA community in Fairfax County and you'll see a mix of NRA stickers and Coexist stickers on the cars in the parking lot.

[Bigfoot424]

Originally Posted by TheWatchmen

People ask for that quite often, actually. You are not being persecuted.

I've been here a long time and have never seen anyone ask where to move where they will be surrounded by rednecks, gun owners, non gays, non homosexuals and so on. I believe a question like this would draw the wrath of many people here.

[LetsRock]

Originally Posted by G33kgirl

Hi!
We're looking for a geek-friendly community - liberal, with a diverse community inclusive of LGBT+, with events that focus on fandoms instead of football. Ideally with resources for our specific fandoms - larping, cosplay, speculative fiction, and comics/movies based on them. What we're not interested in: conservative, religious gun-culture. Places with no gay bars, belly dance classes, outdoor festivals, or vegan restaurants.

Does such a place exist in NoVa? Work will be in downtown DC so I'm hoping for a community on the VRE line.


Thoughts?

Why do you want to live in a community that does not believe in the "rule of law"? What is "gun culture"? I have gay friends and some of them are heavily armed in their homes. They believe in protecting themselves.

[lovnova]

Originally Posted by Bigfoot424

I wonder how it would be received had I posted that I was looking for a non-geek neighborhood that had no liberals, no gays and so on. How would it have been accepted?

If you weren't a well regarded regular here, you would be smashed, bashed and accused.

[Mnseca]

Originally Posted by G33kgirl

Hi!
We're looking for a geek-friendly community - liberal, with a diverse community inclusive of LGBT+, with events that focus on fandoms instead of football. Ideally with resources for our specific fandoms - larping, cosplay, speculative fiction, and comics/movies based on them. What we're not interested in: conservative, religious gun-culture. Places with no gay bars, belly dance classes, outdoor festivals, or vegan restaurants.

Does such a place exist in NoVa? Work will be in downtown DC so I'm hoping for a community on the VRE line.


Thoughts?

No, such a place does not exist in NoVa. Possibly in some parts of DC. Assuming you are hipster types, Arlington is the youngest, hippest place in NoVa. Old Town, Alexandria is next, but it's more of a genteel, historical, upper middle class 30-something hip, if that can be hip in the first place. No gay bars that I know of.

I think you can get belly dance lessons in most of NoVa. There is a restaurant in Gainesville called Noora or something like that that has an actual belly dancer during dinner. If there are any gay bars anywhere, I think it's probably Arlington, but otherwise I've only seen them in DC. Or maybe I'm just out of touch. Lots of outdoor festivals everywhere, but they are mostly populated by kids and families of the kind that go to church on Sunday and don't believe in gay marriage. I think there is a vegetarian restaurant in Vienna and maybe one in Alexandria...good luck with Vegan. Most restaurants in NoVa don't have anything on the menu without meat, and what doesn't have meat is made with meat stock. If you tell them you are a vegetarian, they'll offer you seafood.

[Ffxdata]

Originally Posted by Mnseca

I think you can get belly dance lessons in most of NoVa. There is a restaurant in Gainesville called Noora or something like that that has an actual belly dancer during dinner. If there are any gay bars anywhere, I think it's probably Arlington, but otherwise I've only seen them in DC. Or maybe I'm just out of touch. Lots of outdoor festivals everywhere, but they are mostly populated by kids and families of the kind that go to church on Sunday and don't believe in gay marriage. I think there is a vegetarian restaurant in Vienna and maybe one in Alexandria...good luck with Vegan. Most restaurants in NoVa don't have anything on the menu without meat, and what doesn't have meat is made with meat stock. If you tell them you are a vegetarian, they'll offer you seafood.

I would say that an most everyone is LGBT-friendly in this area. Even if they aren't, their not going to tell you to your face. There are many outdoor festivals that cater to different groups including families with kids (and that doesn't mean they are anti gay marriage. This isn't Kentucky.)

There are 2 Vegetarian restaurants in Vienna including Sunflower which also has a location in Seven Corners near city of Falls Church. Many restaurants have vegetarian options. Many salad and sandwich places cater to vegans too. MOM's Naked Lunch serves vegan lunch in Merrifield. There are also many Indian buffets which are either exclusively vegetarian or have many vegetarian options.

[Fallout Zone]

What you are looking for just doesn't exist in the extent that it may in other areas. For example, Falls Church is quite liberal, but it is in a family, school-focused sort of way. You are going to have to form your own circles rather than just move to a geographic area that fits you.

[gomason]

Originally Posted by Bigfoot424

I've been here a long time and have never seen anyone ask where to move where they will be surrounded by rednecks, gun owners, non gays, non homosexuals and so on. I believe a question like this would draw the wrath of many people here.

https://www.city-data.com/forum/newre...ply&p=37783815

Originally Posted by Jtvm2791

Hey there. I am a senior in college and I just got an awesome offer for a job at a conservative organization based in DC. I start this summer after graduation so I have time but I am a planner lol.

A bit about me: I am a 22 year old single Christian heterosexual white guy. I was born and raised in a very liberal city in a very liberal state that we couldn't leave because of my Dad's work, I got a full scholarship to a good university that I couldn't pass up even though it was also very liberal. Basically, my whole life I have had the misfortune of living in places where my views and voice weren't heard or agreed with by many, and if I spoke up (which I always do!) I was maligned.

I know DC itself is the most Democrat place in the USA, but are there any suburbs that aren't?
I know people are going to say "it doesn't matter just live somewhere nice" but to me it is a very big deal. I would like to make friends and it is impossible for me to speak outside of a formal setting without my views coming up because it is integral to who I am. Someone who supports the things I am vehemently against is not going to make a good person to hang out with!

I also do not want my voice to not be heard. I am very big into guns! It would be my dream to be able to live in a place where I can open carry legally when I'm at the supermarket or walking my dog or whatever. A place with strong 2A rights is important.


I realize I could just move to a lovely place like Phoenix or Huntsville, but my career future (Political Fundraising) is always gonna be in DC.

I hope a place that is more conservative and has good gun rights is in commute distance to DC, so I don't have to turn down my dream job...


Thanks!

Originally Posted by Jtvm2791

In Frederick MD, or "Old Town" Alexandria would I be able to put a gun on my hip and walk through Walmart/Target without gasps and people calling 911?

And as for being staunchly against things, the only things I am strongly against is immigration so I mean living in a barrio wouldn't be ideal, nor would living in a gay village.

VA is still the south yes? Where in VA does the urbanity end and the farmland and Southern Accents begin? The capital of the CSA was Richmond so I mean not all of VA is turned liberal yes?

Where are the rebel flags and "red necks"? That is the kind of place I would like to call home.

[FindingZen]

Originally Posted by G33kgirl

Hi!
We're looking for a geek-friendly community - liberal, with a diverse community inclusive of LGBT+, with events that focus on fandoms instead of football. Ideally with resources for our specific fandoms - larping, cosplay, speculative fiction, and comics/movies based on them. What we're not interested in: conservative, religious gun-culture. Places with no gay bars, belly dance classes, outdoor festivals, or vegan restaurants.

Does such a place exist in NoVa? Work will be in downtown DC so I'm hoping for a community on the VRE line.


Thoughts?

You will be spending a lot of time in DC. As already shared, there's no one community in NOVA that will be in or particularly close to everything you're looking for. You may want to also see what the Maryland suburbs have to say. Theoretically, Takoma Park may be closer to what you're looking for but I can't say for sure. Knowing your housing budget and preferences will help as well.

[stateofnature]

Liberal, quirky, and accepting of non-mainstream lifestyles screams Takoma Park, Maryland. It would also possibly be a faster and cheaper commute from Takoma Park to downtown DC via Metro than from somewhere in NoVa on the VRE.