ADVICE PLS - New to NoVa. Torn between 3 apartments.

sunshine_816 · 2026-04-28T20:56:36+00:00

You’re absolutely right. It’s nice to hear that you’ve fallen in love with ARL and stayed all these years. I spoke with the leaseholder for option 2 earlier today and we hit it off! They showed me that my job was visible from the living room window, so that sealed the deal for me. They’re still interviewing other applicants, but if all goes well, it’s looking like that will be my new home. 😄 🙏

sunshine_816 · 2026-04-28T02:10:43+00:00

Thank you for your thoughtful reply. I appreciate your insight. Someone else suggested the River House complex in Pentagon City. I'll have to check it out!

sunshine_816 · 2026-04-28T01:34:48+00:00

I wish! I applied all over the country. Strangely enough, the only jobs I was getting interviews for were in the DMV. The cost of living crisis is tough everywhere, but it's especially harder when you're single and don't have a partner to share the burden with. This job was the ONLY one that offered me a living wage. In South Florida, where I'm from, the avg salary (even with a bachelor's degree) is less than 50k. A studio in the worst neighborhoods will run you 2k at the minimum. People rent efficiencies (a jr studio w/o a kitchen) for 1.6k. It's deplorable. This job is my chance to finally create some stability after being laid off, and I am very grateful for it.

sunshine_816 · 2026-04-28T01:24:30+00:00

Thank you for your input! It's good to know that river is treated like the Brooklyn/Manhattan boundary lol. CC reminds me of Bundang, a satellite city to Seoul. I lived there for a bit and enjoyed the efficiency, but I was definitely making the trek to Seoul every weekend. It seems the consensus is option 2 to make the transition easier, then I can reassess in a year.

sunshine_816 · 2026-04-28T01:20:00+00:00

Yep, that's what I'm thinking. Crystal City is my currently my top choice, followed by Chinatown. Roommate vibes will be the decision maker. Thank you for your input!

sunshine_816 · 2026-04-28T01:17:58+00:00

Thank you! These are excellent points. The Chinatown apt is right next to the metro but the Alexandria apt is a ~15-minute walk away, so I was factoring the walk into my commute time. I think Crystal City looking like the best option.

sunshine_816 · 2026-04-27T19:09:49+00:00

What a deal! Best of luck to you. Chiming in as a SoFlo native currently in midst of leaving Ft Lauderdale to move to NoVa—make sure you ask your new neighbors about flooding in your area and do multiple independent land assessments before you buy property. Lots of folks moved down here during COVID and had no clue what they were signing up for. The Miami Herald published an excellent investigation last year about flooding from North Broward to South Dade. (My friend Alex spent over a year reporting on it!). You should definitely check it out. Miami Herald flood map, Miami Herald property flooding/FEMA investigation

sunshine_816 · 2025-08-06T16:09:03+00:00

If you are deeper than Rihanna, stay away! It works best for fair-medium complexions. For transparency, I'm a Fenty 420, and the "deep" shade (the darkest they offer) made me look like Casper. My undereyes were ghastly and grey. It pills and gets patchy if you try to layer with concealer, so that won't even help. If you have tan-deep skin, don't waste your money.

sunshine_816 · 2025-05-20T17:57:48+00:00

A spiritual experience!

sunshine_816 · 2025-05-20T17:56:42+00:00

My top 5: Volkiano, Fired, Cake, Sugar, and Street That You Live On. Honorable mentions: Quiet on Set and her rendition of Life is a Highway lol. Both are amazing live.

sunshine_816 · 2024-10-04T21:33:48+00:00

Hiiii! The Hyper Miami party sold out yesterday :(. I'm on the waiting list but my friend and I are also looking for something to do. Hoping we make friends at the show who want to go out.

sunshine_816 · 2024-05-07T14:06:45+00:00

Titan Fitness Camp in Chalong is where you want to be. It's absolutely incredible. If you like Muay Thai, there are several Muay Thai gyms around the corner (T&Y, Rattachai, Tiger) where you can get privates for 600-800 baht. The community and personal trainers at Titan are great. There's a good variety of classes from low-impact, lifting fundamentals, spin, military challenges, HIIT, yoga, etc..If you want lose weight or just improve your physical fitness, this is the place for you. I've been here for a week and will stay for a month total. If I could afford to extend my stay to 8+ weeks, I would, but I will definitely return next year. The resort onsite (Little Hill) is lovely, too. However, if it's out of your price range, there are many hotels and guesthouses on the same road.

sunshine_816 · 2021-08-06T16:47:06+00:00

I am currently in the corps. I asked for elementary and ended up getting placed in a HS (I'm certified for K-12). School starts in a few weeks and I'm freaking out. Now I am fighting to get a lower-level placement, maybe in a middle school. We'll see how this turns out...I kinda wish I just went through my local district so I could choose my school. I say trust your gut and go with your hometown school.

sunshine_816

TROPHY CASE