First impressions of redefining retirement and life on the east coast… well, let’s narrow it down a bit to first impressions of life in an vertical community apartment and the surrounding neighborhood business district.
Redefining Retirement
We are liking our apartment home and hoping we will grow to love it because the very idea of moving in a year from now makes me shutter. After 3 major downsizes in the last 5 years, and knowing how much we sold, recycled, dumped or gave away in preparation for this move, I have no idea how we still have so much stuff. Our organization skills are in overdrive, creating space where there is no space.
Our first Saturday trip to our local farmer’s market. Yep, we can walk to it.
We are finding our complex to be a very busy place with people coming and going. We appreciate the diversity of the residents and living here is an experience in human behavior as well. For the convenience of residents, there is a room with a trash shoot and recycle bins on every floor. It staggers my mind how lazy someone must be to not open the trash shoot door and drop in one’s bag of trash. But at the same time it doesn’t surprise me at all. Live and let live.
We had hoped for a top floor apartment but no such luck, and although we have someone who is a bit heavy-footed above us, we cannot hear our neighbors; for that we are grateful. And speaking of grateful, I’m pretty sure we have the world’s smallest washer/dryer, but I am so grateful to have them in the apartment, I will learn to deal with the smallness. And since most everyone is off to work and/or school during the week, it is – knock on wood – very quiet around here during the week.
When weighing options, a non-smoking property took precedence over pet free. We have discovered the balcony to our left has a happy tail wagger who likes to pop his/her nose around the corner and give us a smile. We have not met his/her people yet, but he/she has welcomed us.
The traffic here is hellacious. What we know as freeways, are called beltways, or at least that’s my take on it. I commented to Abi that I need to remember how to drive in traffic and he reminded me I need to remember how to drive aggressively. We’ve developed a system; I drive and he monitors the GPS, and we try not to get lost. We’ve actually done pretty well thus far. This is not the calm and soothing path to retirement though!
Happy pickle people at the farmer’s market
From our complex we can walk across a large parking lot and be at a Metro station in 5 minutes. We pass through the Metro station, walk another block and we find ourselves on Rockville Pike, a 6-lane thoroughfare. Depending on which direction we head, we can find pretty much anything we need and/or want. Trader Joe’s, Target, World Market, Noodles & Co., REI, Barnes & Noble, to name just a few, and happy day we are once again living in the wonderful land of Whole Foods. It’s a longer walk to Whole Foods, but oh so worth it and we can also hop on the Metro – just 1 stop away. If you know Whole Foods, you know of what I speak.
While planning our move east, we gave a great deal of thought to either living in a house in a residential neighborhood, or living in an apartment in the heart of a business district such as Rockville Pike. In the end, we went for the urban lifestyle because being able to walk everywhere and being connected to the surrounding Washington, D.C. area by Metro, was just too appealing. And isn’t that what change is all about?!
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This was a lot of fun to read as I’ve wondered a gazillion times what it would be like to start over someplace brand new. You yourself know that the freeways in Reno are NOTHING. It’s 5 minutes to either side of the Truckee Meadows. Then I recently went to Seattle…first time being back there or to any big city in 20 years. THAT is traffic (I think Seattle is ranked #4 on the worst list). I could not stand to drive in that every day. I really like the picture of the pickle couple 🙂 I too always wanted a top floor when I first moved out on my own at 18. I feel ya there, Patti 🙂
Thanks, Mike. We’ve reinvented ourselves a few times in our lives together, but this was definitely the biggest and the boldest move thus far. The traffic here is definitely obnoxious, which is why – for at least this year – we sought out a walkable lifestyle. You see so much when you walk and it’s healthier too, especially since we’re planning to walk 500 miles in the spring!
Yep, the urban lifestyle has spoiled us as well. We love being able to walk to cafes and have quick access to public transportation. I used to live not far from you. Recommend you consider day trips to Harper’s Ferry and also to Great Falls.
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Thanks, Linda. We have been to Harper’s Ferry, and enjoyed it, will look for Great Falls.
I’m glad you’re settling in and starting to find your way around. To my mind, 270 and Rockville Pike are two of the most awful roads in Washington. But it gets better when you get to know the back roads. For a slow but scenic route to Northern Virginia try route 15 south which takes you to Leesburg, an historic town with very good outlet stores.
Looking forward to seeing you soon.
Thanks Jane! We are looking forward to seeing you soon as well. And thanks for the tip on Route 15; we do hope to explore the surrounding areas.
Sounds like you made the right decision. That farmer’s market looks great. Lucky you’ve got it on your doorstep.
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We think so too and so far so good and thanks for stopping by, greatly appreciated!
Hi Patti and Abi, So glad you made your destination. You are inspiring me to get more done, so I can soon have choices and adventures like yours. So far, the Inn still looks the same. Take care.
Mona
Hey Mona! So good to hear from you and your adventures are just around the corner! 😉
I love the way you’ve chosen such a different lifestyle and gone for the urban living experience. It sounds like you’ve got everything around you that you need, including a cute pup to brighten the day! Enjoy settling into your new life 🙂
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Thanks, Amy. I think we’re going to settle in comfortably and enjoy the urban living for a couple of years at least, and after that, who knows?!
I wouldn’t try to drive at all in that mess!!! Since I spent so much time on the road this year the traffic in your area gave me an unfavorable impression of the whole east coast from DC to NYC. But DC is amazing and I agree it is important to be able to walk everywhere… that makes all the difference. Couldn’t be much different than Ashland, huh?!
It’s a 180 from Ashland – exactly what we wanted! It’s good to shake it all up every so often!
Such a major change. I like being (semi) close to shopping but don’t think I could tolerate living in an apartment in a busy neighborhood. I so relish the quiet and darkness. But it sounds like this is working for you, and that’s what matters.
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Totally understand Gaelyn as we also embrace quietness, but being able to walk everywhere and being so close to the Metro was too good to resist, so we sacrificed the quiet of living in a house in a residential neighborhood. Ask me again in a year from now! 😉
Did you get a car to drive the Beltway? I know you left one behind in Oregon.
I don’t think I’ll ever move, as I have way too much stuff.
We did sell both of our cars, Elane. This week we’ve been using our son’s car to get our errands taken care of. Moving is definitely a major chore, especially if you’ve stayed put in one place for a number of years. We’ve made 6 moves in our lives together, but each move has paid off in its own way.
I could relate to so much in your post. My husband and I spent this past summer getting rid of things in preparation for downsizing. He claims we got rid of more stuff than we now have. I think he is right, but, even downsized, we still have a fair bit of stuff. And my washer is so much smaller than the one I used to have! I hope you enjoy your new digs.
I try to console myself by remembering that we have been together for 38 years, so if we can squeeze into 890 sq ft of apartment living, we’ve downsized considerably, but still, there seems to be so much! 😉 So far, we are enjoying the new digs and I suspect we will continue to do so once we’re settled.