Pockets of "Southern" Left in NOVA? (Arlington, Alexandria: home, neighborhood)

[normie]

Actually, the best southern restaurant I ever went to was in Cleveland, Ohio. I knew people there who said "y'all." When we moved in, the neighbors brought over a casserole. I knew quite a few people who had pick up trucks. And I can recall seeing people with a confederate flag in their window. Do those things make a town "southern"? If so, you can add Cleveland, OH and Warrenton, VA to the list--but that's about as "southern" as Warrenton gets.

Whether or not you think Warrenton and Cleveland are "southern" is up to your own interpretation. No offense intended to those who like to label places as being "southern" or "northern", but personally, I think of both places as being "American."

[stockdale.35]

Originally Posted by normie

Actually, the best southern restaurant I ever went to was in Cleveland, Ohio. I knew people there who said "y'all." When we moved in, the neighbors brought over a casserole. I knew quite a few people who had pick up trucks. And I can recall seeing people with a confederate flag in their window. Do those things make a town "southern"? If so, you can add Cleveland, OH and Warrenton, VA to the list--but that's about as "southern" as Warrenton gets.

Whether or not you think Warrenton and Cleveland are "southern" is up to your own interpretation. No offense intended to those who like to label places as being "southern" or "northern", but personally, I think of both places as being "American."

Yeah I am sure that they say that in Ohio. I am sure that the majority of people in Cleveland are like that AND I am sure they say soda and not "pop".

Best southern restaurant you have been to is in Ohio?? Wow, I find it hard to believe but thats your experience, cheers.

[normie]

Originally Posted by stockdale.35

Yeah I am sure that they say that in Ohio. I am sure that the majority of people in Cleveland are like that AND I am sure they say soda and not "pop".

Best southern restaurant you have been to is in Ohio?? Wow, I find it hard to believe but thats your experience, cheers.

If you're ever up in Cleveland, check out Fat Fish Blue. Peach cobbler to die for! Also, there was a place with a name like Everything and Then Some that had good southern food.

I never said the majority of people in Cleveland act "southern" (or "northern"). Just like the majority of people in Warrenton don't act "southern" or "northern", either. But you'll find plenty of individuals in both towns that do. That was my point, interpret as you wish.

As far as soft drinks go.... you reminded me of something funny I used to notice up there. The people I knew in Cleveland didn't say soda or pop. The people I knew tended to call everything a "coke."

As in: "What sort of coke do you want?"
"Oh, I don't know--a 7-UP I guess."

But I'm sure there were plenty of people up there who called it soda. And plenty who called it pop.

[stockdale.35]

But you'll find plenty of individuals in both towns that do. That was my point, interpret as you wish.

The people I knew in Cleveland didn't say soda or pop. The people I knew tended to call everything a "coke."

As in: "What sort of coke do you want?"
"Oh, I don't know--a 7-UP I guess."



Now I know something is not adding up. Ohioans PRIDE themselves on calling soda "POP", when I went there for coll. they could'nt stand me saying soda and these guys were from Cuyahoga, Dayton, Cincinnati. EVEN the restaurants had soda labled "Pop".

C'mon what are trying to pull?

[normie]

Originally Posted by stockdale.35

Now I know something is not adding up. Ohioans PRIDE themselves on calling soda "POP", when I went there for coll. they could'nt stand me saying soda and these guys were from Cuyahoga, Dayton, Cincinnati. EVEN the restaurants had soda labled "Pop".

C'mon what are trying to pull?

Clearly, I must have a vested interest in this. Haven't you heard the Anti-Pop League pays $2 every time you say something about Ohioans not using the word "pop."

Or, it could just be that you can't label Ohioans any more than you can label people who live in Northern Virginia.

[stockdale.35]

Originally Posted by normie

Clearly, I must have a vested interest in this. Haven't you heard the Anti-Pop League pays $2 every time you say something about Ohioans not using the word "pop."

Or, it could just be that you can't label Ohioans any more than you can label people who live in Northern Virginia.

Im confused, I thought I said Ohioans DO say "pop".
Usually there is a reason why things/people/places get labled. Dont kid yourself if you think that nothing can be labled. I would bet you $2 for every person I came across in Ohio that says "pop" and I will give you $5 everytime they call it soda. Wanna bet???

[normie]

Originally Posted by stockdale.35

Im confused, I thought I said Ohioans DO say "pop".
Usually there is a reason why things/people/places get labled. Dont kid yourself if you think that nothing can be labled. I would bet you $2 for every person I came across in Ohio that says "pop" and I will give you $5 everytime they call it soda. Wanna bet???

LOL, let me get this straight: You're confused, and that's why you like to go around labelling people. OK, that explains a few things....

What a silly bet. You will give me $5 every time someone in Ohio uses the word soda? I just told you everybody I met there called it "coke." You are confused.

[stockdale.35]

Originally Posted by normie

You're confused, and that's why you like to go around labelling people.

Wow brilliant logic sally!!

The bet was that you would'nt put your money where your mouth is. But thats the beauty of blogging, everybody can say whatever they want about anything. I just dont believe a word you say.

around and around we go....

[tgbwc]

??? I am from NE Ohio. All of my family is from that area, Cleveland, Akron... Everyone says pop. Nobody ever used Coke in a generic way.

[normie]

Originally Posted by tgbwc

??? I am from NE Ohio. All of my family is from that area, Cleveland, Akron... Everyone says pop. Nobody ever used Coke in a generic way.

Must just be the people I met. Which only goes to show that different people have different experiences. Thus, you can't say all the people in Ohio (or Virginia) act a certain way because the small group of people you know acted that way.

Which brings us back to the topic--are certain towns in NOVA "southern." IMO, it's wrong to label towns this way because you're making assumptions based on a small group of people that don't represent all the people who live there. NOVA is incredibly diverse, and so is the population of all the towns these days.

By the way, the people I met lived in Cleveland Hts. and Shaker Hts. and were mostly staff members or professors at Case. Most of them had lived in the area their whole lives, FWIW. Why were the people I met calling all soft drinks coke? Beats me. Maybe it was an in joke, maybe it was trendy that particular year, maybe it's the cool thing to say in Cleveland--who knows?