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I will put this notice on my post from now on, every time that I copy a post from Facebook, so all of my readers will know that this is not my work, but that of someone else. This, like so many of my posts have, came from Facebook. This article is about Norfolk, Virginia. That’s where I’m from. Well, there and Portsmouth, Virginia. This was printed in AltDaily, and was: Written by Rebecca Evans on .
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2. Mermaids are cooler than monuments. These multicolored pieces of art represent Norfolk, and celebrate all members of our community in a way that DC’s famous monuments and other tourist attractions can’t.
3. Cheap good food. You can get two meals worth of fried chicken sweet potato sausage gravy heart attack inducing goodness at Handsome Biscuit for less than SEVEN DOLLARS. That’s half of a DC brunch. Enough said.
Image | Handsome Biscuit
4. Cheaper living. 1/3 of a standard DC rent covers almost half the mortgage on a house in Norfolk.
5. Local pride and loyalty. We’re proud to live in Norfolk and support local businesses. We don’t go to Starbucks – we go to Borjo, Fair Grounds, Cafe Stella, Alatte, Bean There, and MORE. DC’s shop local movement is lacking.
Image | Fair Grounds
6. The hipsters are nicer here. Ghent is no U Street or Adams Morgan. There’s an air of goodwill and authenticity here even in the trendiest places .Perfect example: when the Grilled Cheese Bistro flooded and couldn’t have their opening day, The Parlor on Granby let them take over their kitchen for a night.
7. Less street harassment. Since moving to Norfolk, I’ve been harassed a total of one time. I’m convinced it’s because people are more respectful, and less entitled here. While living in Northern Virginia, I had at least 3 unpleasant “interactions” a day.
8. We care about the arts. Arts facilities like the Black Fox Lounge and Artisphere are closing in the DC metro area, while new spaces like The Push Comedy Theater and The Parlor on Granby, both recently opened in the Emerging Arts District in Norfolk, are thriving.
Image | Push Comedy Theater
9. People know how to walk. Less Bluetooth users = more people who are aware of their surroundings. DC claims to be a “fast-paced” city, but many people don’t know how to navigate the grocery store, Metro, sidewalk, escalator, etc. with grace, and a basic awareness of people trying to get around them.
10. People stay. Norfolk attracts vibrant, genuine people committed to making our community a better place. DC is populated with politicians, transplants, tourists, recent college graduates, and people passing through on their way to somewhere better…. like Norfolk.
Put your hands up in the air for one of America’s most genuine cities!
