Punch Ponder

Last night I had the great fortune of experiencing the not often familiar “blast from the past” when venturing out west to my old working, living, dining, drinking, dating, debauchery-ing grounds.  This area, also known as “OTB” or “Outside The Beltway”, reaches from the mess that Tysons Corner has now become to Reston and Herndon.  All of these places have lived through such transformation that they are barely recognizable, well, at least to an old geezer like me who remembers when there was a vast parking lot in the Reston Town Center, cow pastures reigned the Reston Parkway, tolls were 25 cents and the only place to eat in Herndon during a lunch break was the Dulles Hyatt. Or Chucky Cheese.

Alas, as I entered the sphere of “what my life was”, it brought back a warm and comforting feeling, albeit I felt trepidation.  From my attire to my hair to my shoes and handbag, I considered what I looked like before walking out the front door.  Northern Virginia technology and consulting firm hipsters dress a certain way and have their own style.  Polished, cleancut, conservative from head to toe.  NoVA technology, consulting firm and government contractor executives are typically found in dark bespoke suits, Hermes ties, and polished Italian shoes as they step out of the Jags, Mercedes, Range Rovers and Porches that clog up the Toll Road, Route 28, Reston Parkway, and Fairfax County Parkway. The free parking garages are crammed with nice new fresh wheels and everyone at Jackson’s in the RTC has a “I just closed/am working on/will get a big deal, so let’s drink a beer to celebrate” aura about them.  The young guys are freshly pressed, the young ladies, look like they stepped out of Ann Taylor (and not Loft) and not a hair is out of place.  All are drinking beers, laughing, comfortable in knowing they work and live and play and shop and dine and drink within a few mile radius.  The well heeled ladies never have to worry about getting their appropriate level slingback stuck in historic cobblestone when transfering from one venue to another because well, everything in that area, is pretty spanking new, including the brick or concrete sidewalks.

“I think everyone hangs out in Reston now,” my friend confided in me last night.  “Tysons doesn’t have the same appeal, I don’t think. At least not with the young crowd.”  I considered this.  In the olden days, when I LIVED in Reston and worked in Tysons and then Herndon for a telecom company, then back in Tysons, we always just hung out in Tysons.  It was the “place to be”.  Whether Sam & Harry’s (which later was replaced by Woo Lae Oak), The Palm (where my cartoon mug was placed above the fire alarm when it first opened), Capital Grille, McCormick & Schmicks, Morton’s, eCities or the various entities that came and left where the old Fedora Cafe was or even where Primi Piatti was in Fairfax Square, oh yes, I’m dating myself), the 20, 30, 40 somethings all meshed together at 430pm, drank, ate, bonded, networked, and got deals done.

We left Jackson’s so we would be on time for the Governor’s Town Hall meeting at the CIT Building hosted in part by the Northern Virginia Technology Council (more on that).  After departing the function, it was off, to my delight, to a place I hadn’t visited in possbily years.  Well surely since Virginia began its smoking ban.  Ahh. The Palm in Tysons.  It had literally been forever. The GM Tim and I hugged like long lost friends and we said our hellos to Jeffery behind the bar and the rest of the wait staff. It was like old home week.  I got to hear the story of when Tiger Woods (pre-scandal) came into the restaurant and one of the waiters cordially and professionally welcomed Woods by saying, “Mr. Woods, we are happy to have you here.  Please let me know if you’d like anything special, the chef can take care if it. We are here to please you.”  To which Woods said nothing.  But, the man sitting next to him, addressed my waiter friend and said, “Listen.  Do not speak to him.  If he wants anything, I will let you know. But do not address him directly. He does NOT talk to waiters.”

I can’t tell you what went through my mind when I heard that.

When I got home last night, I thought about the different world that my friends, both professionally and personally live in now, versus before.  The ITB versus the OTB universe.  Granted, I live in Arlington, a microcosm within itself that people from the District proper are terrified of entering for fear of being attacked by former frat boys who actually tuck in their collared button downs.  Or maybe it’s because then they’d have to pay attention to the names of streets and directions versus counting or knowing their alphabet.  Whatever the case, the deer in the headlights that appear when I suggest them crossing the bridge is priceless. And then there are my friends who live in parts of NoVA who have visions of carjackings and chaos taking place all over DC like it’s “Escape from LA”.

But while we are all residents of Metro DC, we are all living very very contrasting lives.  The ironic thing is, while I live in north Arlington and rarely go OTB, I spend most of my time in DC, happy to “return” home across the bridge.  I’ve strongly considered moving into the District, especially when I traverse the city on foot taking in the emerging neighborhoods with contemporary architecture and conversely the charming quaint blocks with tiny gardens, front porches, and a walk away from a Whole Foods.  Then after last night, I thought, what if I went back, back to this new vibrant Reston area?  I left because it was all families, but now it’s all young single professionals living and working here. I’d never have to leave…all though, I’d have to get a car again…but then should I stay in Arlington because I have the best of both worlds, I can walk everywhere, it’s close to DC and has pretty much all I want … I think …

One thing is for certain.  After hearing Governor McDonnell speak last night and seeing who is running our Commonwealth, particularly the former tech execs with whom I did business and served on committees, it was a quick reminder of my being happy that I am a Virginia resident.  So, while there’s no move into DC in my near, or probably far future … the consideration of going back out west … is kind of tempting.