Relocating to Maryland/D.C. area

[Mabus]

Howdy everyone. My husband recently accepted a job in D.C. and we'll be moving within the next six weeks. The firm that hired him is having their holiday party on December 7th and invited us to come out (I'm not sure what hotel they are putting us up in yet). We'll be out there on/around that date looking for a place to live and would love to meet some of you, if you are available. After all, we will be neighbors. We'd also like to talk to you about the area. Where are the best places to eat, hang out and live?

[LiberalEsto]

1. A few questions

Do you have kids in school? Is the job in DC or Maryland or Virginia? (our commutes are horrible so it's best to live near the Metro). Do you prefer urban, suburban or semi-rural living? Condo, townhouse, single-family detached, apartment?

Housing prices here are horrendous, and they've stayed fairly steady despite the nationwide housing slump. We couldn't afford to buy our own modest house in Gaithersburg today.

Takoma Park is a very progressive, green-oriented community. It's been declared a nuclear-free zone.

The DC Craigslist web site might be helpful. Here's a link: http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/

[Mabus]

2. Thanks

Both the kids we're bringing are college age. My nephew is completing his first semester of college and my step-daughter turned 21. Both "kids" would like to consider some local schools. My nephew is more interested in starting with a juco before deciding where he'd like to go and my step-daughter is interested in massage and alternative medicine/healing.

My husband's job is in D.C. proper and a stone's throw from Lafayette Park. He'll start working at an IP law firm and his office is half a block from a Metro stop. He's interested in commuting and that's a consideration in where we end up. fwiw, I will be taking the bar in whatever state we end up in. I've been involved in environmental and American Indian law but I have experience in criminal law (trial and appellate levels) and juvenile issues. Over the past 7 years I've been doing IP research. So there's a good chance I'll be commuting into D.C. myself by the end of the year.

We were hoping for suburban/semi-rural. We also have three dogs (a Lhasa Apso, a Shi Tzu and a German Shepherd). They're the reason we were looking for something with some room and a fenced yard. Currently we live near some wooded areas (a friend's property) and we take the dogs for runs in through them every morning. Otherwise we take them to the dog park.

One friend of ours suggested Takoma Park. He's promised to take us around the various areas that he thinks we would enjoy when we're there in a couple of weeks. Thanks for the link to Craig's list. We'll look through it. I'm becoming more and more interested in the Takoma Park area. Another friend of ours that we've stayed with in the past (Paul McKenzie, who passed away this past year) lived near there so at least we know where it is.

[LiberalEsto]

3. Local schools, etc.

There is a branch of Montgomery College in Takoma Park. There are also branches in Rockville and Germantown. Some people say it's a great school. My kids didn't like it. They said the classes were too large and not sufficiently challenging.

If either or both of your kids are interested in the University of Maryland in College Park, here are a few things to consider. Dorms are very hard to get, and commuting there is horrible if you're coming from central or western Montgomery County. Both of my daughters quit U. of Maryland because of the grinding daily 50-mile round trip on the Beltway from our house in Gaithersburg. Driving from Takoma Park would be far easier. Also, parking on the College Park campus is extremely difficult. There are never enough spaces, the campus police ticket like mad, and the fines are hefty.

You might also want to consider the Colesville area of Silver Spring.

Another suggestion: go to the Gazette newspapers website, www.gazette.net and check out police crime reports for any area you are interested in. This will give you an idea of what areas to avoid.

I'm not that familiar with Takoma Park, but one of my daughters worked as a nanny for a couple there for a year. They were both lawyers, vegetarian, progressive politically, etc. and seemed to like it there.

If you have any more detailed questions, feel free to PM me. I was a newspaper reporter for a local paper here for several years.

[DavidMS]

8. Montgomery College has some very good programs

I used it during the summers to get some more difficult classes out of the way and now am taking some professional development (MCSE) classes there. For getting some classes taken care of during the summer or as a way to figure out what you are looking to do it has some very nice programs.

[Mabus]

14. The kids have decided to stay in Kansas

My stepdaughter wants to stay near home and her sisters. She's applied for a local junior college. My nephew has also decided that he wants to stay here too. He's a student manager for the basketball team and doesn't want to give up this plum job. He wants to become a basketball coach and this is a good entry into that field. He's also 18 and thinks he found his dream girl.

We finally made our house hunting trip and it looks like we may get a house in Rockville. I'd love to meet some of the other DU'ers in the area.

[kwassa]

4. Look for homes close to the Red Line of the metro

Your husband will need to commute on the metro to get to that location. The Red Line comes down on one side from Gaithersburg down to Metro Center, and on the other side down from the Silver Spring area.

LiberalEstos suggestions are good, too.

[Mabus]

15. Thanks so much for your help

We used a real estate agent that we met on a listserv some years back. She filled us in on the transit system and showed us homes close to the bus and metro lines. We've done an application on a home in Rockville that we really liked and we'll know if we were approved this Friday.

We're excited about the move.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

5. We're in Riverdale Park,

which is close to the College Park Green Line Metro. Here's a map of the system: http://www.wmata.com/metrorail/systemmap.cfm

There are several houses in our neighborhood which are for sale...large older homes from the 1910s and 1920s on spacious lots. Since you have older kids, I'd highly recommend the area. We have a terrific farmer's market during the warm months, and local development is attracting small Mom & Pop businesses. University of MD is close by, as is an extension of Prince Georges Community College. We're also right on a MARC train line which runs from downtown DC up to Camden Yards in Baltimore, if you're an Orioles or Ravens fan. FedEx Field, where the Redskins play is less than 30 minutes away by car, and also accessible via Metro.

The area is culturally diverse and predominantly Blue. We've got a lovely park with a bike path that is part of a large network of paths in the DC area.

I'd love to meet up with you if our schedules permit...

[RavensChick]

10. You're not too far from me!

I'm technically in New Carrollton but the post office has me listed in Hyattsville, which is okay 'cause it cuts down on confusion. I pass by Riverdale Park going to PG Plaza sometimes but I usually take the Orange Line to work.

[Olney Blue]

6. Glad to hear we will be neighbors, Mabus!

I live in Olney, Maryland and I love the community. However, it would be a tough commute to D.C. with the traffic congestion and no close metro that comes up our way (I work in Bethesda).

Where are you moving from?

:hi:

[Mabus]

13. From the Blue Bubble in Kansas

Lawrence, Kansas to be exact. We're in Douglas County, one of the two consistently blue counties. So, we've been living in a blue bubble and we're venturing out into the belly of the beast ;). I'm thinking about doing a post entitled "It's official: anti-christ moving to D.C."

We think we found a place in Rockville. We've been working our asses off shutting down my husband's local offices and preparing to move. This is why I haven't been on the KO forum much lately.

[Captain Hilts]

7. I live in Bethesda-Chevy Chase near the Bethesda metro. Housing is VERY ...

expensive here. Consider yourself warned.

[RavensChick]

11. So true

I used to work in Bethesda before I went back to the govt. so I know how expensive everything is in Montgomery County. PG County is less expensive but it depends on what part of the county you're in.

[DavidMS]

9. Welcome!

There is lots to do here.

I recently (last February) bought a place in Rockville. During the search, I looked in Takoma Park, Silver Spring and Rockville. As its been said elsewhere, housing is not cheap. Takoma park is very left but since I work in Bethesda its at the wrong end of the Red Line and the Purple line not going in for a while yet. Bethesda is very nice and very expensive. Rockville has allot to offer, plenty of parks, very nice standard of living and metro accessible. Our new City Council is pretty progressive and as far as I know there are no Republicans in elected office in the county. There are a number of neighborhoods but everything near the metro is very dense and the city will only get denser. You may want to look near College Gardens as there is plenty of parkland out here.

For places to eat and things to do, pick up a copy of the Washingtonian Magazine. Check out the 100 cheap eats and 100 best resturants. I love the (formally local) chain 5 guys, Ben Jarong (Thai), Moby Dick's House of Kabob and Raku (DC and Bethesda). We are also fortunate to have parks like the C&O Canal, Rock Creek Park and others.

Good luck with the move and welcome to the Area!

[Mabus]

12. Looks like we'll be moving to Rockville

We went house hunting this past weekend and we've put a deposit down on a house in Rockville. We'll hear back this Friday (the sticking point right now is that we have three dogs - a German Shepherd, a Lhasa Apso and a Shih Tzu). The selling factors for the house we settled on were the number, size and accessibility of parks as we have dogs like being taken for long walks. The house itself is pretty nice. It was owned by a Chinese family who feng shu'ed it. It's got a deck, a gardening shack and a fenced yard. Everything just flows. It feels (and is) roomy and comfortable. We liked it so much that we've talked to the owners about buying it from them (which weighs in our factor over the number of dogs issue).

My husband will actually work closer to the the orange/blue lines (lines stop half a block from his office) but the Shady Park metro (see I already know what to call the various lines ;) ) stops a block and half from his office. There's a bus stop around the corner but the metro is less than a five minute drive in case of emergencies. We're looking forward to becoming frequent users of mass transit.

We're also eagerly looking forward to sampling some of the local restaurants. We spent Sunday in Arlington at the home of a friend and he took us out for some of the best Dim Sum we've had in a long time. He said there's great food all around the DC area. We're fortunate that our Arlington buddy works close to my husband's office. He's already telling my husband about where the good restaurants are in the neighborhood. If we get the house, we'll be sure to invite you and other DU'ers over. We've got some friends in the area (like our Arlington friend) that we've met at progressive conferences in D.C. that we're looking to hook up with too. We're already inviting other DU'ers to stay with us when they're in the area. evlbstrd and babylonsister have already said that they'd bunk with us when the come protesting (which is another reason we got a three bedroom house for the two of us).

The Admiral (my husband is fellow DU'er Admiral Loinpresser) and I are excited about moving and getting involved in local politics. We're also looking forward to meeting other DU'ers and introducing them to our friends in the D.C. area and/or finding out that you all already know each other.

[RavensChick]

16. Congrats!!

Welcome to the wonderful world of political bullshit! :evilgrin:

There's a lot of great activities in the DC area, so at least you and your hubby won't be bored. Rockville is a lovely area. I have a friend who's a contractor and she commutes to Rockville on the subway every day from her home near Addison Road (blue line). You picked a great place, I'm sure.

Once you get settled, please let me know or come over to the KOEB when you get a chance.

Again, congrats and Happy Holidays to you!

:toast:

[Mabus]

17. Keeping my fingers crossed

that we get the approval for the house. Rockville seemed really nice and the house is close to groceries and parks. The nearest Metro is Twinbrook on the red line. To give you an idea where we might be living, the nearest major intersection is Veirs Mills and Aspen Hills Roads.

I would be happy to host a KOEB evening. My husband and our Arlington friend discovered that they have a mutual interest in chess. I reminded them that there is a chess club near their work and their little eyes lit up. I think I'll have a few evenings a month when they'll be out playing chess. I look forward to meeting you.

[Happyhippychick]

18. I live in Rockville

Welcome to the area! We have been living in the DC area for about 17 years. Rockville is a great place to live and there is so much to do in this area. One of my favorite things about this area is there is the amazing diversity among the residents. As everyone has warned you, it is an expensive area but we moved here from NY so to me it's a bargain!

I live in Woodley Gardens which is right off of 270, exit 6a. It's very cute and has a nice park and great aquatic center.

Welcome and please let me know if you have any questions.

[Mabus]

21. I'm going to need maps

Thank goodness for the internet. I might take you up on advice. We'll be shopping for all the usual things in the near future like a good vet for the dogs, a reliable mechanic for the car and local restaurant advice (especially good Dim Sum).

We were impressed by the area. We have the dogs so the numerous parks were very enticing. We were able to have a friend drive us around a little bit to show us the area and we're pretty satisfied that our transition won't be that dramatic as we are coming from one of the blue bubbles in Kansas. In fact, at the urging of our Arlington friend, I've already signed up for a progressive workshop on Jan. 15 in downtown D.C. (internet advocacy). So, I'm going to try to start getting involved right away.

We did get the house we were hoping for and we're looking forward to the move and to meeting others in the area. We're leaving here on Jan. 2 and will arrive in Rockville sometime Jan.4th. The moving van will arrive Jan. 5 and hubby starts to work on Jan. 7th. We're hoping to have an open house sometime in February where we can invite local DU'ers to our new digs. I can't wait to meet some of you.

[LiberalEsto]

19. Welcome to Rockville

I live in Derwood, a suburb of Rockville. We're about 2 miles northwest of the Shady Grove Metro station. We moved here 17 years ago from New Jersey.

Rockville has always been a fairly progressive community. From what I've heard, back in the 60s the city was pretty much run by Unitarian elected officials who had quite an influence on the city's future direction.

We should really plan a DU meetup once you're settled.

By the way, what is a KOEB?

[Mabus]

22. We looked at some places in Derwood

but we eventually found out that they wouldn't take three pets. They drew the line at two pets but I love my puppies and refuse to leave any of them behind. It was a great looking area and had a lot to offer.

We would love to have a DU meetup at our house. I'm not sure how things are done out there but back here we have meetups at our houses (evlbstrd's in KC was our favorite meetup places) but, if people are more comfortable, we can always meet somewhere else. We were thinking that we should be settled enough by February (weather permitting) to host something at our place.

KOEB is the Keith Olberman Estrogen Brigade. We hang out on the Countdown/KO forum (http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=315) and watch Countdown together (although I haven't been there much lately).

[CC]

25. Welcome to Maryland.

I'm in a different corner of the state so no help but you will have to let me know when you get settled in. I'll have to send you a house warming welcome to the state gift.:)

[Mabus]

26. I will

I'm still packing. We're expecting about half a dozen people this evening at our farewell/pre-New Year's Eve get together. Around 9, we'll all walk up the street to the official New Year's Eve party at a friend's house. This, for me, is the hardest part. The packing is a pain but saying good-bye is what I've really been dreading. I know that my friends will remain my friends (and we'll come back to see them) but I'll miss being able to bop up the block or jump in the car to go see them. With that said, it is very reassuring that the people, here on the DU Maryland forum, have been so nice and friendly. As my heart grows heavy over missing my old friends the thought that I'll be meeting new ones, like you, helps tremendously.

[many a good man]

20. Good luck on your closing

Let us know how it works out.

I work in Rockville and live a few miles away. The restaurants and fun spots around here are pretty mediocre, compared to Bethesda, downtown, or Arlington. It's a very progressive city, county and state. Despite being deep blue for many many years the Democratic party has not become (too) corrupt.

Coming from the Midwest it will be a huge adjustment for you. People are not nearly as friendly, warm, or down to earth on the east coast, IMO. Once you get used to that you will see that people are actually pretty good underneath.

And the Maryland state forum could sure use a jolt! Welcome and PM me if you need anything at all!

[Mabus]

23. Thank you TorchesAndPitchforks

We got the house we wanted. We'll be renting it for a year and then decide whether or not we'll buy it.

About the food, LOL. Our realtor/friend took us for Dim Sum on Veirs Mills when we were looking at houses in the area. The next day our Arlington friend took us to get Dim Sum near his house. There was no comparison, the Arlington food was so much better and was served in a more traditional style.

Don't be fooled by stereotypes. There are a lot of "cold" people here in Kansas too. I know that whenever we've been back in the D.C. area these past few years that people, at first, thought that we'd be backward or un(der)informed. Boy, did we surprise them. Yeah, we met some people that I don't think we'll ever talk to again but, overall, we were made to feel very welcome.

On the other hand, I do know that one big difference I've noticed already is the sense of space. A few of the places we looked at were advertised as having "large yards" that turned out to be about the size (or smaller) of what we consider our small yard. But I do like the commuting possibilities. Out here, there are no real commuting networks. Our city has a transit system but it is nothing compared to the D.C. area. We're looking forward to using our car a lot less than we do now. Our house is about a mile from the Metro and the bus that will take my husband there has a stop less than a block away.

I look forward to asking a lot of questions on the Maryland forum. I've got to get a better understanding of Maryland/D.C. area politics - who's who and whatnot. This should be interesting. We look forward to the move and to meeting the good folks out there.

[DavidMS]

24. Congradulations!

In this area (as you found out) yards tend to be small. Commuting by train will get much better soon, I hope. I would love to be able to take the Bus to Rockville Metro, go to work and if I come back home after 7pm be able to take the Bus back to my place. Its a very long walk otherwise. Or even better to have light rail... But I don't see that happening.

If you want to follow thing politically, there is a Blog Called Rockville Central (http://www.rockvillecentral.com) and Free State Politics (http://www.freestatepolitics.us/)

If you will be here on the 10th, there is a the last meeting for RORZOR (http://www.rockvillecentral.com/2007/12/rorzor-forum-rescheduled.html) which deals with zoning.

I didn't realize how many of us live in Rockville.

David

[Mabus]

27. Now we're talking

fwiw, I met my husband at a local meeting over zoning issues. I'll have to get up to speed on what the zoning codes are in my new state.

Thanks for the local blogs they look to be the type of things that I'll be participating in (once I get my bearings). What's up with the yellow doors?

I'm looking forward to meeting some of my new Rockville neighbors. I've got a lot to learn about the community and I'm just so grateful that there are so many Rockville people on DU.

Well, I gotta get back to packing. I just had another friend call and say they heard we were moving. They want to drop by to say good-bye. Our house might end up getting a little crowded tonight. What's so weird is that we've been so busy that I didn't start calling relatives until this past weekend but it appears the few friends were have been able to our friends have been busy working the phones and letting people know for us. We work out of the house right now and we're here most of the time. I'm trying to figure out how the word got out so quickly. The mover is coming by in a few minutes to check up on things and I've got to clear the boxes I've stacked up in the living room so I'll have room for guests tonight.

[kwassa]

29. Dim Sum

a few miles north.

also, closer to you, try Joe's Noodle House on Rockville Pike for authentic Chinese, according to Chinese friends.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?node=cityguide/profile&id=799096

New Fortune
16515 S. Frederick Ave., Gaithersburg, MD 20877
301-548-8886

Editorial Review
Remember those all-nighter munchies only a trip to Chinatown could satisfy? Roast duck in the window, lobsters and crabs jousting in tanks, whole crispy fish, huge bowls of soup . . . Well, yearn no longer. Chinatown has come to Gaithersburg in the form of the large (it used to be a Rite-Aid), accomplished and late-operating (till 2 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays, till 1 a.m. every other night) New Fortune, sibling to the acclaimed Good Fortune in Wheaton. The menu is so huge it has chapter tabs, and even at that, standard dishes, such as fried and steamed dumplings, only squeeze in as pictures. The various Chinese "barbecues," really roasted pork and duck, etc, are available as appetizers that could serve as whole meals. This is serious Hong Kong-style stuff -- including hot pots and casseroles, frog (in several versions), sea cucumber, abalone, conch, fish maw (throat), tripe, oysters -- all listed in English as well as Chinese. Don't be shy about asking for advice or for something that isn't on the menu; this is one ambitious kitchen.

Already the crowd mix is encouraging -- heavily Chinese but definitely multi-culti. Dim sum is available every day at lunch. And you may well have a little free costume entertainment if a Chinese wedding party appears.

-- Eve Zibart

[RavensChick]

28. Okay!

Sounds good. Once you guys get settled, PM me and we can talk then.

Happy New Year!