Got Snow?

[jmh]

Re: Got Snow?

Yep, I'm pretty sure they're going to be cancelling classes for me tomorrow.

Consensus around my office seems to be that a lot of people aren't coming in; I'm bringing some work home with me in case I don't feel like dealing with the weather, though days when there aren't many people here tend to be quiet and productive (whereas days when I try to work from home and wind up watching TV or playing video games tend to be unproductive).

Added bonus: I have a dinner date with a teacher tonight, and I'm sure she'll be in a great mood since she doesn't have to go to work tomorrow!

 

[BoomGoestheDynamite]

Re: Got Snow?

I was wondering about that... I started to wonder if work could have been feasible today with the Metro running for the most part. I got a bit more into the neighborhood today... wanted to go shoot pool but Continental in Rosslyn was closed and I didn't really feel like going over to Ballston after getting myself lost and wet in Rosslyn.

You know, the police should really start fining these places which haven't shoveled out their sidewalks.

Some of my friends live in Rosslyn and it still amazes me how underutilized the place is for night life. A few decent restaurants, the continental, and thats it. Must be the slope or something.

Yeah I was surprised metro decided to run above ground service at all today. I can't imagine they keep it going tomorrow or even Thursday.

 

[goldy_331]

Re: Got Snow?

Added bonus: I have a dinner date with a teacher tonight, and I'm sure she'll be in a great mood since she doesn't have to go to work tomorrow!

Always the chance that travel will be too difficult and you'll both have to stay at whichever home is closer to the restaurant. Good luck!

 

[Patman]

Re: Got Snow?

Some of my friends live in Rosslyn and it still amazes me how underutilized the place is for night life. A few decent restaurants, the continental, and thats it. Must be the slope or something.

As much as i like the corridor in general it does lack in a few ways... i think it just costs to much to operate in the area, IMO.

I'm not sure how much of it is the slope... i think that just affects the type of building... i mean most of those are large professional buildings. There aren't a lot of things on the side streets... I really don't know.

All that being said, there's plenty of places to go get a drink but it does seem to be missing some other options.

 

[French Rage]

Re: Got Snow?

Always the chance that travel will be too difficult and you'll both have to stay at whichever home is closer to the restaurant. Good luck!

But be careful that he doesn't become a Lonely Innkeeper.

 

[jmh]

Re: Got Snow?

Always the chance that travel will be too difficult and you'll both have to stay at whichever home is closer to the restaurant. Good luck!

Between the fact that we both live within a 10 minute walk of the restaurant and the fact that it's not supposed to start snowing until after midnight, I wouldn't expect it to be too much of an issue; however, if we were to HAPPEN to get snowed in at one place or the other, well, that wouldn't be SO bad.

But be careful that he doesn't become a Lonely Innkeeper.

I think it's the Sexless Innkeeper, but your point stands nonetheless.

 

[Twitch Boy]

Re: Got Snow?

Houghton's all-time lowest recorded snow season: 81.3 inches (1930-31.)

You're entering rarefied air, Mid-Atlantic.

 

[blockski]

Re: Got Snow?

As much as i like the corridor in general it does lack in a few ways... i think it just costs to much to operate in the area, IMO.

I'm not sure how much of it is the slope... i think that just affects the type of building... i mean most of those are large professional buildings. There aren't a lot of things on the side streets... I really don't know.

All that being said, there's plenty of places to go get a drink but it does seem to be missing some other options.

I don't think cost has anything to do with it - it's all about planning and design.

Rosslyn was concieved as the city of the future, built around the car and not the pedestrian. That's why it has all those awkward skywalks and buildings that poorly relate to the streets and sidewalks. The county has since realized the errors of this kind of design (both in Rosslyn and Crystal City) and is working on changing it to a more traditionally urban style (mixed use buildings, retail on the first floor, fronting onto the street).

The other factor is that Rosslyn was too monolithic - it was all office, very little residential. That's not a good mix of land uses to get vibrant retail and nightlife. Along the Orange line, Ballston has a good mix of both, and also has a better mix of retail. Clarendon has much better nightlife, and also has a more residential character. Rosslyn has all lunch-type places, which shouldn't be a surprise given the plethora of office space in the area. Look at DC - the most vibrant retail areas border on both office/employment and residential areas (think Dupont Circle/Golden Triangle, Georgetown, as well as growing areas like Chinatown/Mount Vernon Sq, and more neighborhood-oriented places like Capitol Hill with all the Hill offices).

 

[Patman]

Re: Got Snow?

I don't think cost has anything to do with it - it's all about planning and design.

Rosslyn was concieved as the city of the future, built around the car and not the pedestrian. That's why it has all those awkward skywalks and buildings that poorly relate to the streets and sidewalks. The county has since realized the errors of this kind of design (both in Rosslyn and Crystal City) and is working on changing it to a more traditionally urban style (mixed use buildings, retail on the first floor, fronting onto the street).

It must have been one of those futures we see in the cartoons and the posters... as you say, the skywalks. Just because it looks impressive doesn't mean its practical and the novelty of a 3d maze wears off quickly. Even so, with the cars, I'm not sure that's really a great excuse for things. I will say, that building at the Rosslyn station is really awkward... had to go in there to fix a button.

The other factor is that Rosslyn was too monolithic - it was all office, very little residential. That's not a good mix of land uses to get vibrant retail and nightlife. Along the Orange line, Ballston has a good mix of both, and also has a better mix of retail. Clarendon has much better nightlife, and also has a more residential character. Rosslyn has all lunch-type places, which shouldn't be a surprise given the plethora of office space in the area. Look at DC - the most vibrant retail areas border on both office/employment and residential areas (think Dupont Circle/Golden Triangle, Georgetown, as well as growing areas like Chinatown/Mount Vernon Sq, and more neighborhood-oriented places like Capitol Hill with all the Hill offices).

Ballston is good though there's too many tall buildings for my taste... kinda weird how it is very high density at both ends in terms of large buildings... not that Courthouse/Clarendon/Virigina Sq doesn't have its share. I haven't been to Clarendon at night this time around... I still don't have the clothes to mix well with the locals between the young people who are in incredible shape or the well-heeled young professionals.

My comment on cost tends to slide more to the lack of certain things I find normal... my line of thinking is very self-centered but i'm shocked i can't find a reasonable pizza place (Jerry's does not count) and chinese place within the neighborhood. But admittedly it has everything else in some manner or another. It would just seem to me that such businesses might be pushed out by the cost of retail space... but i could be wrong.

In general though, Rosslyn really is an arrested development... its not really good at anything. From the fire station (on Wilson) on downhill it just gets worse... and for an area built on the car it really is screwed up.

 

[Patman]

Re: Got Snow?

Government is closed again.

 

[SteveP]

Re: Got Snow?

Government is closed again.

Pansies!

 

[Patman]

Re: Got Snow?

Pansies!

Most of the subway was open... the only part was the eastern split of the Blue Line... the reason they hadn't opened that part was they were still working on cleaning drifts of 3'-6' on the tracks. I have to imagine similar things were seen on the rest of the subway lines but that's just a bit crazy.

 

[ColbyWMHB]

Re: Got Snow?

Got snow? Nope. I live in Maine. I'm too far north to get snow!

 

[huskyfan]

Re: Got Snow?

Government is closed again.

do we still have to pay?

 

[Ralph Baer]

Re: Got Snow?

my line of thinking is very self-centered but i'm shocked i can't find a reasonable pizza place (Jerry's does not count) and chinese place within the neighborhood.

I don't think that there is a good pizza place in the entire DC area. Of course, I gave up looking about 20 years ago.

 

[DrDemento]

Re: Got Snow?

Just started here in south Jersey-latest reports are we are going to get blasted through late wednesday night.

 

[Biddco]

Re: Got Snow?

Yesterday Duluth and the North Shore had the rare Minnesota Lake Effect snow! It takes a breeze from the east or northeast off the lake to occur. I've been living here four years and it has happened twice (to my recollection). We probably got four inches, but up the Shore in Finland they got something like 14 inches.

 

[Patman]

Re: Got Snow?

I don't think that there is a good pizza place in the entire DC area. Of course, I gave up looking about 20 years ago.

I said reasonable

Last summer I tried what is mentioned as the town's best pizza place, Vace's up Cleveland Park on the red line (I think... whatever is north of Woodley Park)... it was pretty good but it was a hell of a trip just to get pizza.

You know up in Mass we've got the greeks making pizza... its not like people can't figure it out... you're just making freaking pizza.

I'll just wait for Sal's to take over the world... they're taking over massachusetts wholesale and they've got tentacles out in CA, FL, and AZ.

 

[BadgerAlum@WMU]

Re: Got Snow?

We're getting Lake Effect here in Milwaukee, too. They're saying 10-15" before its all over in the lakeshore counties down here and within 10 miles of the lake.

Channel 6's Live Snow Measurement Cam

Commuting (I live in the city, work in Menomonee Falls) was more of a problem coming home than it was going out, but I commute at odd hours so I didn't have to worry too much about traffic and could concentrate on keeping my vehicle on the road.

And for you East Coasties who are getting socked yet again (and I feel sorry for you):
WUSA's (DC) Super Ruler

 

[goldy_331]

Re: Got Snow?

Yesterday Duluth and the North Shore had the rare Minnesota Lake Effect snow! It takes a breeze from the east or northeast off the lake to occur. I've been living here four years and it has happened twice (to my recollection). We probably got four inches, but up the Shore in Finland they got something like 14 inches.

Glad I got out of my meeting in Silver Bay tomorrow. Although, if they got it all cleared, I'm sure it'd be a glorious drive.