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D.C.-What's it like?

kabert

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I lived in Georgetown while I was in high school and college. Georgetown is great for what it is -- lots of students from the university, living side by side with lots of lawyers and lobbyists and politicos in fancy 1800s townhouses. A few homeless people who are there for the panhandling opportunities and Gtown's proximity to downtown (Gtown adjoins the Pennsylvania Avenue corridor that leads to the White House). Cobblestone streets. Quaint street lamps. The Potomac River and C&O Canal are within walking distance (and boating clubs on the river, not to mention decent fishing). Easy access to fantastic biking trails. Along Wisconsin Avenue and M Street, amazing stores and shopping; antique shops; small art galleries; incredible variety of restaurants, including some of the city's best; movie theaters; very easy access to Virginia and a short drive to Maryland; walking distance to downtown. Personally, I prefer the Georgetown University-side of Georgetown -- it doesn't have as many fancy houses as the other side, and the other side is closer to downtown, but the GUniv. side has the "spice" of the university and I've always thought it to be the safer, quainter, homier side.
 

Mentos

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All good info so far. But a couple of points:

A 1br in Adams Morgan now costs upward of $1400. Dupont will be more expensive. Capitol Hill has fewer apartments, but they'll be slightly cheaper. If I could afford anything I wanted, I'd buy a townhouse in Dupont. Adams Morgan is, for me, the best neighborhood in the city. It's only really intolerable on the weekends, and really only a single block is annoying.

Because apartments are expensive, it's typical for new grads to move into group houses. This is also a great way to meet people, of course. The more staid folk find houses in Tenleytown and the like. The very liberal and activist live in Columbia Heights, an edgy neighborhood that has cheap housing and easy bus transit to downtown. You get sick of it after two years, but by then you've saved some money and have a circle of friends to fall back on.

If you don't know a lot of people, I think that moving to Virginia right away would not be the best move. Though it functions under the radar, there is a definite network of young, liberal, non-native professionals in the neighborhoods of Dupont, AM, Columbia Heights. I have many, many friends that live within a mile of me, and you really are two degrees from anyone within that world. If that's what you want.

If you live in the city core, get a bike, take the bus, use zipcar, and save yourself the cost and aggravation of driving. I've not had a car since coming back four years ago, and I rarely miss it.
 

modsquad

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Conne, you might want to reconsider: there are no piano bars in DC, and the cougars are ugly.
 

Connemara

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I thought Georgetown and NW D.C. were full of monied cougars.
confused.gif
 

Joffrey

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They're out there just not as easy to find as preppy young girls eager to put out for a soco lime shot. But that's not what you're after. YOu want to go to the Round RObbin bar at the Willard, Cafe Milano in Georgetown, or Tesoro in upper NW.
 

zalb916

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Originally Posted by Mentos
A 1br in Adams Morgan now costs upward of $1400.

A $1,400 one-bedroom is probably a real **** hole.
 

modsquad

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Originally Posted by Connemara
I thought Georgetown and NW D.C. were full of monied cougars.
confused.gif

I didn't say they were poor, I said they were ugly. And they are. Dumpy and frumpy. But if you want successful divorcees who have let themselves go, DC is the place for you.
 

Mentos

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Originally Posted by zbromer
A $1,400 one-bedroom is probably a real **** hole.

Not true. Craigslist has a lot of too-expensive condos that despondent owners are trying to rent, but if you walk into any of the large buildings (they don't typically advertise), they have cheaper set-ups.
 

Connemara

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Originally Posted by Jodum5
They're out there just not as easy to find as preppy young girls eager to put out for a soco lime shot. But that's not what you're after. YOu want to go to the Round RObbin bar at the Willard, Cafe Milano in Georgetown, or Tesoro in upper NW.
I have no problem with getting ass in exchange for a shot.
fing02[1].gif
 

pantheist

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I had no idea there were so many DC members on here.
I'm in Logan Circle/Shaw area and I pay $1200 a month with one roommate 2bed/2bath. Newly renovated condo. It takes some time to find a decent place around here. A lot of the places similarly priced in Dupont were absolute ****. We even got desperate enough to start looking in somewhat questionable areas. I was commuting from southern MD to NW DC and it used to take me over an hour depending on traffic. I've cut it down to 15-20 minutes. So it's a ton easier living in the city, in my case at least. Meeting new people is pretty difficult as mentioned by others. I would definitely try DC before NoVA. Definitely stay out of MD though.
 

bkk

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Originally Posted by Jodum5

Georgetown really isn't that bad. But I'm not there that often.


Outside of the food, I can't stand being in Georgetown on a weekend night. Traffic sucks on M Street, not Metro friendly, and the highest density of popped-collar-polos in our great country.
 

emptym

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Originally Posted by kabert
I lived in Georgetown while I was in high school and college. Georgetown is great for what it is -- lots of students from the university, living side by side with lots of lawyers and lobbyists and politicos in fancy 1800s townhouses. A few homeless people who are there for the panhandling opportunities and Gtown's proximity to downtown (Gtown adjoins the Pennsylvania Avenue corridor that leads to the White House). Cobblestone streets. Quaint street lamps. The Potomac River and C&O Canal are within walking distance (and boating clubs on the river, not to mention decent fishing). Easy access to fantastic biking trails. Along Wisconsin Avenue and M Street, amazing stores and shopping; antique shops; small art galleries; incredible variety of restaurants, including some of the city's best; movie theaters; very easy access to Virginia and a short drive to Maryland; walking distance to downtown. Personally, I prefer the Georgetown University-side of Georgetown -- it doesn't have as many fancy houses as the other side, and the other side is closer to downtown, but the GUniv. side has the "spice" of the university and I've always thought it to be the safer, quainter, homier side.
Well said. The bike trails are definitely fantastic. In college we used to bike them for a day or two and camp. Some of the best memories. Once we forgot food, but we had cigars and a jug of wine.
Originally Posted by pantheist
I had no idea there were so many DC members on here. I'm in Logan Circle/Shaw area and I pay $1200 a month with one roommate 2bed/2bath. ...
This is a good area. And has anyone mentioned Mount Pleasant? Also, the area by the Columbia Heights Metro, just north of it on 14th has been undergoing major renovations. Lots of construction over the past several years. May be high vacancies and low rents.
 

Mentos

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Originally Posted by pantheist
... Meeting new people is pretty difficult as mentioned by others...

Do some sort of sport -- there are leagues and clubs in all areas for all skills. It's a great way to meet people. You simply have to be proactive -- the numbers of transient people mean that friendship circles aren't always that wide, so you need two or three sets of friends -- work, sports, college, etc.
 

pantheist

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I checked out Columbia Heights before getting my current place. They are definitely trying to clean that area up. I steered clear cause its not quite cleaned up yet, there are definitely some good deals to be had in the area if you're willing to live there now though.
 

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