As some of you know, I work for HHMI. Big thingws are on the horizon and I have the opportunity to "get in on the ground floor" -- so to speak.

HHMI is currently constructing a large research facility in Northern Virginia (close to Dulles Airport) that is being described as the "Bell Labs of biomedical research", a place where people with many different skill sets come together. I toured the construction site last week and it's an amazing structure.

Anyway, after a few discussions with my boss, it looks like the opportunity is available to me. I love California, and all, but this seems like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. And it came along just as I was getting bored with my current responsibilities.

I know at least a couple board members live in the DC area. How do you like it?

My brother lived in DC for a while, and I did a fair amount of travel to the Virginia/DC area.

I think it is a great place to live....but being a "California beach kid" there are two things I would not like. The heat and humidity in the summer, and not being close to the beach.

I guess the Chesapeake Bay doesn't count as the ocean, eh? That is one thing to consider. My wife is a sea kayaker, and actually teaches classes here in the Bay Area. She has been wanting to take up river kayaking, though...

Instead of beach...I should have said surf.

Even living in the Bay area was a little tough for me. I was in Hayward.....getting to a beach was not fun.

I move to NorthernVA (Sterling) almost a year ago, and I love it. As long as you don’t need commute to downtown DC, you’re good. Home prices are going up like crazy, I suggest to do some online research.

Well this is news to me!

Just think, Peter. You'd be only an 8 hour drive from your in-laws and you can come visit me here on the North coast more often.

My grandparents live outside of Baltimore. I have visited them almost every year for my whole life. I love the area. The Chesepeake water is beautiful in any area other than Baltimore. The water is kind of gross there, but not any grosser than many parts of the SF bay. Also, there are many great beaches in Delaware, Maryland and Virginia, so there will be plenty of that lifestyle for you.

I however, would not be able to handle it because I hate snow and humidity. I am in London right now and they do not believe in air conditioning or ice here. SO everyone sweats their balls off here. Especially on the underground, and it is not even that humid here.

Ah well, I will be back in San Luis Obispo with my Axioms and my HDTV and my good weather soon enough. Watching Return of the King on my G4 labtop with headphones just doesn't have the same effect as with my HT.

I guess I should jump in here and tout the benefits of lving out here too...

I have lived in VA my whole life (grew up in Alexandria, when to Charlottesville for college, moved to Arlington, and have recently moved into the city).

The location of the new building will be in an area called the Dulles Corridor. It's where AOL and a whole bunch of other tech companies are based out of. The Dulles Corridor is a great place to work, because there is easy access in and out, it is removed from the city enough to avoid a tremendous amoutn of rush hour traffic (keep in mind, though, that D.C. traffic is a 24 hour a day thing, and there's always traffic).

It is admittedly humid and hot during the summer - but we get a full four season year, with temps ranging from 0 to 100 degrees F.

VA is horse and wine country too. A short trip down Rt. 29 will lead you through a really scenic country drive with horse farms aplenty and lots of vineyards to stop into and do some tasting. While not nearly in teh same league as Napa or Sonoma, it is a nice touch of class. Also, VA has more horses in it than any other state in the union (aside from TX and KY).

I truth, I love VA, and will probably spend my whole life here. My brother and parents still live in Alexandria (all lawyers too). My wife's parents live just over the bridge in MD. They aren't leaving anytime either.

I think that NOVA is a nice balance of city living quiet suburbs and accessible countryside. If you lived out near work, you'd be a half hour from the Capitol, a half hour from the Potomac River, about 90 minutes from skiing, about 90 minutes from Ocean City MD, and about a half hour from the "middle of nowhere."

Don't forget culture - D.C. is always a hot spot to see music catch broadway touring acts.

I would take the advice regarding house prices. I just sold our condo in Arlington for over $500 a sq. ft.. That was about three months ago, and the price of an identical unit below mine went on the market last week for $15K more than what the guy who bought mine paid.

Real estate aside, I could go on and on. While a CA boy might miss home wuite a bit, I bet you could find plenty of things to do to take your mind off of what you miss.

Likewise! I'm really surprised he didn't tell you... Need some new roomies?

Heh. I hadn't thought of that possibility.

Does Ken get free DSL, too?

If I get the job at HHMI, I do... (cart before the horse and all...)