Blurbs from the ‘Burbs is written by new Arlington resident Jeff Zeeman.
Following seven years in Columbia Heights, and 15 years in total of urban living, a variety of altogether unexceptional factors (desire for more space, stellar public schools and amenities, immediate proximity to nature, better commute for my wife, an interest in no longer being awaken by drunk revelers at 2:00 A.M.) triumphed over my initial reluctance to move to the western half of Arlington. The urban snob in me at first rebelled: after years of carless living in edgy, gentrifying neighborhoods in three different cities, would I be able to survive without the constant reinvention of the urban fabric, the diverse and quirky neighborhood fixtures, and the street-level energy to sustain me? Admittedly, some part of me feared transforming from the “cool, in-the-know city guy” so central to my self-concept into “minivan-driving Dockers-wearing suburban golfer guy.” Happily, I’ve learned that, if you look carefully, Arlington is not without its own idiosyncratic quirks, and I plan to periodically chronicle them here. In this introductory post, I’ll summarize what has surprised me about Arlington so far, and what I miss most about D.C. Future posts will more narrowly focus on smaller discoveries from my adventures in Arlington and Falls Church.
Happy Surprises:
(1) Between the options available to me in Arlington and adjacent Falls Church (I live near the border), I can eat just as well as in D.C., only a lot cheaper. True, Arlington has few if any offerings that can match the higher end of the D.C food scene. But the area makes up for what it lacks in expensive and stylish restaurants with its abundance of really stellar cheap eats, in particular, ethnic food. I’ve already found a regular Chinese spot (Hong Kong Palace), Vietnamese spot (Four Sisters), pizza place (Pupatella — basically, a way more awesome Redrocks) and Mexican / El Salvadoran (La Union) that in my mind trump any in their category in D.C. Arlington and Falls Church are also reputed to be chock full of burger, kebob, Peruvian chicken, Chinese, Thai/Laotian and Vietnamese places that I am eager to try. I am, however, still on the hunt for solid Indian, Sushi, and Italian options. I’ll chronicle some of my favorites in more detail in future posts.
(2) The film buff in me is rejoicing. Going to the movies in D.C. was always a bit of a nightmare. For such a cultured city, D.C. is strangely lacking in convenient movie theaters. You can brave an hour-long line at the Uptown, circle for hours before finding parking in Georgetown, or arrive 30 minutes early after fighting downtown crowds to secure a decent seat for a new release at E Street or Chinatown. Compare that to Arlington, where I can watch a classic film while drinking a few beers at the Cinema Draft House, reserve a sweet leather recliner and skip the previews at Courthouse Plaza, or catch a great independent film in Shirlington. Plus, Ballston provides yet another option for new releases.
(3) Trails, trails, trails. Because my prior familiarity with Arlington centered on Crystal City and Clarendon, I never really associated this area with natural splendor, or anything remotely resembling that. But it seems like I can’t go anywhere in Arlington without falling ass-backwards into an awesome trail or park. You can use those trails to bike virtually anywhere, and all without a hungover hipster nearly mowing you down in his car, or a delinquent kid throwing stones at you. Or you can walk endlessly, and find all manner of interesting wildlife and natural treasures. I look forward to more exploration of the Arlington trail network in better weather.
Continues after the jump. (more…)
