Ode to Arlington

Tonight Holidailies asked me to describe why I love my neighborhood.

I live in the perfect spot as far as I’m concerned. Everything I need is nearby: parks, trails, grocery stores, drugstores, retail businesses, restaurants and night life, a public library, and several of my doctors, all within walking distance. It’s urban, but also has a lot of green space, including on the property where I live. The police and fire departments are top-notch, as are the schools, and there are two Metro stations nearby. I don’t even own a car.

The residents are pretty cool, too. They’ll leave an old TV out for someone to take, and the person who takes it will thank them.

A sign that says "Thank you for TV!" Signed "Neighbor."
I resisted the urge to read the writing inside.

But they won’t steal from local businesses.

Red chairs on the sidewalk in front of a restaurant.
These would be gone in 30 seconds flat in New York.

We have lots of Crows, too.

A Crow on top of street signs in front of an apartment building.
I love a good Crow silhouette.

Even the view from the ICU beds at the local hospital is lovely at sunrise.

Treetops and sunrise clouds through a window.
The most grateful moment of my life was seeing this from my bed–because I woke up and was alive to see it.

The only problem is that it’s impossible to buy around here unless you’re a bazillionaire.

A sign that says "New townhomes from $1.5 million."
That ain’t hay.

The rents are expensive, too, but between the green spaces, the public services, the things to do, the health care, and the general vibe of the place, I wouldn’t trade it for anything. After all, we’re consistently rated in the top five cities in the United States to live. This year, we’re number 2. I guess we’ll just have to try a smidge harder, heh.

Why do you love where you live? Or do you?

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zenzalei

Into birds, music, nature, science, hockey, movies, fitness, books, chocolate, wine, and spooky things.

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