Tell me what I need to know about living in D.C.?

Question

I am moving from Chicago to Washington DC and need to know what you have to say about our nation's capital. Tell me anything and everything you think would be helpful...good restaurants, theaters, the best neighborhoods, how is mass transit, what are the people like, and any other secret you are dying to reveal about this place. The more you tell me about DC, the better. Thanks!

Answer 1

Parking expensive
Housing expensive
Museums are free

As a local you call it the "District" and you have no vote in congress. "Taxation w/o representation" is the motto.

After living in the District 6mo. you will get called for jury duty and every year from then on out.

#'s streets go north and south
Alpha streets E&W
the rest are after states

Being from Chi Town, you will want pizza - Vace's in Cleveland Park. But good deep dish is left to Chi town. Got to http://www. Washingtonpost.com for restaurant reviews.

Theaters - uptown on Connecticut. Also in Cleveland Park.

Neighborhoods - hip: Adam's Morgan, Q Street, Columbia Heights. Classic: Woodley Park, Cleveland park, Capital Hill, and Georgetown.

Mass Transit: Excellent. Buy a smart card at http://www.wmata.com. Stand to the right if you want to know look like you know what you are doing.

Answer 2

Very Hot and Humid in the summertime. 99 degrees and humid today.

Lots of violent crime after dark. The Mayor had to declare a Crime Emergency last month and put a 10 pm curfew on for the entire month of August for teens.

Extremely high cost of housing. Apartments rent beginning at $1600 for a studio. Houses begin at around $700,000.

Good restaurants like Washington Palm or Olive will cost $120 per person and up for dinner and a couple of drinks.

The subway system (Metro) is very good. It runs from 6 am until midnight and costs from $1.50 to $4 depending on the distance.

People are a real mix. All races are represented. Depending where you hang out is what races you see. Some areas are mostly white, some mostly Hispanic, and some mostly African-American.

The winters are a lot better than Chicago. Not much snow at all with the exception of usually 1 or 2 snowstorms that paralyze the city.

I would suggest living (apartment or condo) in the Crystal City area of Virginia. Good transportation via the Metro.

Best feature of the city are the museums of the Smithsonian Institution. The National Portrait Gallery has just re-opened.

If you have a good paying job, Washington DC is a good place to live. You do need that good job and an annual salary of at least $75,000 and preferably more.

Answer 3

I've always wanted to go to Chicago. It seems like an awesome city.

Anyway I grew up in a close-in suburb to DC and now live in Boston. DC has a relatively new subway system, built in the mid-1970s and expanded throughout the 1980s. However traffic is the worst in the country after LA and San Francisco. Restaurants in DC: There are very good high-end expensive restaurants in DC but relatively few good neighborhood restaurants like they have in NY, here in Boston or probably in Chicago. Probably because there aren't too many old ethnic neighborhoods. People in DC are sort of boring and self-important. For example, people on the subway don't look happy and they are all dressed in grey suits and don't smile or talk to anyone, which is kinda different from Boston. The summer in DC is awful, although the winters aren't as long as Boston or probably Chicago. Still pretty damp and cold though. Also it's pretty expensive. And high crime in a lot of areas.

That said... the one thing I miss about DC, besides my family and friends of course, is the Smithsonian. It is a FABULOUS asset to the city - all the museums are free and world-class. Plus all the monuments and other attractions in DC are great. There are a couple of areas that have bars and stuff that are open late but for the most part the city shuts down after dark. Anyway... it's not a terrible place and it's got a lot going for it, but doesn't have very much charm at all.

Oh yes... Dumbarton Oaks is great. I haven't been in years! It's great. And Ben's Chili Bowl also.

Answer 4

Ben's Chili Bowl is one of my favorite places to eat. It's on U St.

DC is rather expensive. Actually, the entire surrounding area is.

Nice places to live right outside of DC: Arlington, VA Silver Spring,MD and Takoma Park, MD. I like Takoma Park because it's one of the quirkier areas around- antique shops, vegetarian cafes, health food stores, lovely old homes, beautiful gardens.

the subway is pretty good- better than a lot of cities.

the people are just a big mix of everyone from everywhere around the world. Segregation is still somewhat of an issue. Basically, we live in poor areas of the city, and the white people live in the good areas. Not to say that all black people are poor, but it's pretty obvious when you take a look around. DC is undergoing a gentrification period, moving black/poor people out of up-and-coming neighborhoods so they can move white folks in and raise the rent. Then Starbucks and the Whole Foods market can move in. If you're not afraid of the 'hood you can buy a house here and it would be cheaper than a good area. Your home will be worth a lot more in the years to come, once they move all the poor people out. This is happening all over the city.

Anyway, moving on to more positive things...
You must go to Hain's Point, a huge park on the Potomac River in DC. You definitely need to go when the cherry trees blossom in the spring. It is breathtaking.
Rock Creek Park is good for little hikes.
Daumbarton Oaks, the botanical gardens downtown, and the arboretum are great places in the fall and spring.

Try to find a home near a Metro station. It will make your life so much easier, even if you do have a car.

I could go on and on... most things you will just learn when you've lived here for awhile. I think you will enjoy it. Doesn't get as cold as Chicago, thank goodness.

Have fun and best of luck to you.

Answer 5

I focking hate DC and I am moving. But anyway, here's what you need to know:

Hangout in Adams Morgan, Georgetown, and U Street Corridor and Dupont Circle. There are so many restaurants but here's a huge tip for you on Italian - Filomena's. If you want more info on restaurants, go to my website on three sixty, click on my blog link and I have named a bunch of places to go eat.

The metro is great, it's helpful, however, I don't ride it because I love my car AND I always meet fruit loops on mass transit.......

Don't even ask me about the people. Anyway, good luck.

Ok, I will elaborate on the people. My experience has been they are not the warmest or friendliest - drab government types and not very stylish, either. Nobody really looks you in the eye or says hello unless they're a street bum.

Answer 6

i live there mostly were i live bad place in dc gangs schools HORRIBLE seriously

Answer 7

You don't get to vote.

Answer 8

its the city.....can be very noisy!