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Tiger Beer
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
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 Posted: Tue Feb 01, 2011 11:03 pm Post subject: Who here has lived in WASHINGTON DC...and if so... |
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Who here has lived in WASHINGTON DC...and if so...what did you think of living there? Is it somewhere you'd go back to..? Plenty of interesting jobs? Cost of living too high?
Anything else you want to say about the area?
(It's on my shortlist of places, that IF I were to back to the States, it's a city I'd be considering)...
If you lived in Maryland or Northern Virginia...I'd equally be interested in hearing about impressions of the entire region...  |
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hondaicivic
Joined: 01 Jul 2010
Location: Daegu, South Korea
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| Posted: Tue Feb 01, 2011 11:47 pm Post subject: Re: Who here has lived in WASHINGTON DC...and if so... |
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| Tiger Beer wrote: |
Who here has lived in WASHINGTON DC...and if so...what did you think of living there? Is it somewhere you'd go back to..? Plenty of interesting jobs? Cost of living too high?
Anything else you want to say about the area?
(It's on my shortlist of places, that IF I were to back to the States, it's a city I'd be considering)...
If you lived in Maryland or Northern Virginia...I'd equally be interested in hearing about impressions of the entire region... |
http://www.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/2010/09/27/daily51.html
^Apparently our nation's "capital" is one of the best place to find a job right now in the US. Not surprised at all since the average salary for government workers have surpassed the private sector workers. Now tell me again if we're still living in a capitalist society?.... |
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eperdue4ad
Joined: 22 May 2006
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| Posted: Wed Feb 02, 2011 4:32 am Post subject: |
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| Most neighborhoods of DC are gentrifying nicely in the past 10 years or so-- boarded-up houses being redone and new businesses coming in-- so DC feels safer to walk around in these days. |
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sirius black
Joined: 04 Jun 2010
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| Posted: Wed Feb 02, 2011 10:59 pm Post subject: |
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| Spent my last semester there on an internship, my brother went to school in DC and a HS classmate at the Univ of Maryland. Great city! Has all the things any good US city should. Has some rough spots as well (SE DC is the 'hood) as well as a few other areas) but that is consistent with any major city. DC proper or just outside is good. Adams Morgan, Georgetown are great to hangout, plenty of great restaurants, food, shopping and many great places to visit (varous nationally famous monuments, Smithsonian, etc.). |
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joeteacher
Joined: 11 Jul 2007
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| Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2011 2:25 am Post subject: |
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^^^^^^ agree
I grew up in Northern Virginia and would consider moving back there if I could land a good job. Plus my Korean wife would settle in nicely bc of the huge Korean population in Annandale (Northern VA). The cost of living is quiet high out there but it would be a great place to live if money was not a problem.
DC is cool but it's not a very lively city. It kinda shuts down at night. Not many people live there, mostly the very rich and the very poor. Most people commute in from VA or MD. Which makes for terrible traffic all the time. Some great restaurants for sure and like mentioned before Georgetown (a bit snobby IMO) and Adam's Morgan (cooler IMO) are the night spots. I'm willing to bet that living in the DC area is one of the best places in the US for live music. The 9:30 club gets some great acts along with some of the other smaller clubs. Also, Wolf Trap and Merriweather are great outdoor venues. |
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jrwhite82
Joined: 22 May 2010
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| Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2011 3:03 am Post subject: |
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I lived in Columbia for 2 years. It is right between DC and Baltimore (closer to Baltimore), so you can take advantage of both...but it's not connected to the Metro. I think it was ranked as the #2 place to live in America by Forbes magazine or something. Big concert venue, decent mall, lots of good restaurants, beautiful park, easy access to 95.
My brother lives in Fairfax. Very nice as well...but EXPENSIVE. Closer to DC, lots of great restaurants too. And I think it has Metro access.
Edit: Just read the above guys post about the N.Va traffic. My brother go stuck in the latest snow storm on his commute home. It took him 10 hours to drive 18 miles. So be prepared for that. |
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comm
Joined: 22 Jun 2010
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| Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2011 7:11 am Post subject: |
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| If I had to live somewhere in the U.S., it would be my choice. |
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loveless
Joined: 27 Jul 2010
Location: love is a danger of a different kind...
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| Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2011 7:33 am Post subject: Re: Who here has lived in WASHINGTON DC...and if so... |
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| Tiger Beer wrote: |
Who here has lived in WASHINGTON DC...and if so...what did you think of living there? Is it somewhere you'd go back to..? Plenty of interesting jobs? Cost of living too high?
Anything else you want to say about the area?
(It's on my shortlist of places, that IF I were to back to the States, it's a city I'd be considering)...
If you lived in Maryland or Northern Virginia...I'd equally be interested in hearing about impressions of the entire region... |
it was nice but my Dad was Prime Minister of Canada at the time. got drunk and high a lot and the chicks were cool . |
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Tiger Beer
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
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| Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2011 8:08 pm Post subject: |
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If I were to go to the Washington DC area....Falls Church/Annandale/Springfield are high on my list. But, wow, the cost of home ownership is completely unreasonable. I suppose rent is the only way to go in that area?
I've also looked into much more housing ownership attainable Woodbridge. Heard references to 'Hoodbridge'...lol. But for proximity to DC, and most affordable, it seems like the best match.
Speaking of which, anyone have an impression of COLLEGE PARK, Maryland? Home ownership seems much more attainable there. It is PG County, which seems to be very undesireable on most accounts. But CP does seem to have the University of Maryland there, so I can't imagine it going down that much as a neighborhood. I mean, not with that large of a campus right there. I could be wrong though...I heard it's one of the worst college vibe college towns out there.
Within DC, Capitol Hill neighborhood seems real interesting. |
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calicoe
Joined: 23 Dec 2008
Location: South Korea
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| Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2011 11:56 pm Post subject: |
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Yeah, I lived in DC right before moving to Seoul. It is a beautiful city, with many beautiful public parks and architecture. I lived in Logan Circle, and could walk straight to work in 15 minutes just across the street from the White House. I still miss it, but if you are not willing to work for the government or non-profits, the pay is low and positions are scarce. However, it is THE place to live if you want to work in a policy non-profit or for a national office of the federal government.
Nearby Sliver Springs and Takoma Park, Maryland are pretty nice too. |
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naturegirl321
Joined: 18 Jul 2006
Location: Home sweet home
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| Posted: Sat Feb 05, 2011 1:40 am Post subject: |
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| I lived there, it's stressful and expensive, but beautiful in the spring and fall when the leaves change and the cherry blossoms come out. |
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bucheon bum
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2011 6:38 am Post subject: |
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| joeteacher wrote: |
| DC is cool but it's not a very lively city. It kinda shuts down at night. Not many people live there, mostly the very rich and the very poor. Most people commute in from VA or MD. Which makes for terrible traffic all the time. |
Downtown shuts down at night, but not other areas. As you mention below, there is Adams Morgan, U St (where the 9:30 club is located), Dupont, and H St..
Also, DC's population is growing. 2000-2010 was the first decade of population growth in DC since the 50s I believe. And there are more than very rich and very poor. I know I don't qualify as either nor do most of my neighbors. 
| Quote: |
| Some great restaurants for sure and like mentioned before Georgetown (a bit snobby IMO) and Adam's Morgan (cooler IMO) are the night spots. I'm willing to bet that living in the DC area is one of the best places in the US for live music. The 9:30 club gets some great acts along with some of the other smaller clubs. Also, Wolf Trap and Merriweather are great outdoor venues. |
Yes, there are lots of live music venues. I avoid G-town at all costs because yes, it is snobby, and it is also a pain in the ass to get to from most other areas.
| Quote: |
| Speaking of which, anyone have an impression of COLLEGE PARK, Maryland? Home ownership seems much more attainable there. It is PG County, which seems to be very undesireable on most accounts. But CP does seem to have the University of Maryland there, so I can't imagine it going down that much as a neighborhood. I mean, not with that large of a campus right there. I could be wrong though...I heard it's one of the worst college vibe college towns out there. |
It is one of the better areas of PG county but it is dull. The only time I go there is to go to Ikea. You might want to look into Hyattsville. It's a little closer to DC. It has a big hispanic community and there are definitely sketchy parts, but I hear the area around the Metro isn't so bad and its "downtown" is supposed to be decent.
And if you're going to rent, don't live anywhere beyond Arlington or Alexandria on the VA side. You'll be bored in Falls Church/Annandle/Springfield. Sure, if you've got a thing for Korean and/or vietnamese culture, you might be somewhat happy but it is 100% car culture in those areas. You might as well live in LA imo (much better weather, probably cheaper cost of living, etc). And in MD, there are bethesda (expensive), silver spring (probably your best bet), Rockville (probably the highest concentration of Chinese americans in the DMV), and the aforementioned Hyatsville.
My 2 cents on various DC neighborhoods (a standard, young gov't employee's POV):
Georgetown: As mentioned above, I'm not a fan.
Dupont: Good for happy hour. Central location. pricey to live in but you can sometimes find a decent studio for an ok price.
Adams Morgan: Easy to reach if coming from downtown DC or surrounding areas, otherwise a pain to get to. Good restaurants, bars are hit or miss. Some are good, some want to make you go crazy. A shit show on Fridays and Saturdays. There are still some good deals rent wise (by DC standards) but for the most part, pretty pricey.
Woodley Park/Cleveland Park/Van Ness/Friendship Heights: nice, quiet neighborhoods, not sure why people choose to live in these areas though. Kinda bland.
U St: Lots of music venues, restaurants, clubs. It's actually pretty quiet during the week, but very crowded and busy on Fridays and Saturdays. pricey but affordable if you are willing to live in a group house.
Logan Circle: Home of good ol' Whole Foods. Kinda like U St. but cleaner and whiter. Also doesn't have live music for the most part, but does have a big theater (for plays and stage performances). Downtown, Dupont, U St. are within walking distance. Pricey.
Columbia Heights: In 1990, it was over 90% black. Most recent census: 57% black. Hello gentrification! Yeah, its filled with people like me (young, government-type workers). It has a number of restaurants and bars. I can't afford to buy a place here but can afford rent. Pretty diverse area since it is basically where white and black dc collide plus Mt. pleasant is next to it, so there are a fair number of hispanic people too.
Mt. Pleasant: The one area of the District that has a big hispanic population. Basically it has one main street with some restaurants and bars. It's not bad, and I'd actually buy a house here if I could afford it.
Petworth: If I were in a position to buy, this is the neighborhood where I'd do so. It's definitely up and coming. Basically the gentrification that hit Columbia heights has moved north to this area.
H St NE: For some reason, this is the hot area to buy a house or condo for young people. I know 3 people who have bough here. Personally I don't get it. The area is a pain to reach (no Metro) and there aren't really any decent grocery stores in the area. That being said, it has a number of restaurants and bars (nearly all of which are on the pricier side).
Eastern Market: really nice, but I don't know it that well since it is a bit time-consuming to reach from where I live.
Capitol Hill: Also nice, but full of hill staffers. Yuck. Also pretty dead on the weekends.
Navy Yard: Weird area. Lots of luxury condos, kinda quiet. Near the ballpark.
Anacostia: Honestly, it isn't as bad as people make it out to be. Yes, it used to be really bad but parts of it are ok now. If I had a car and wasnt spoiled by my current neighborhood, I might actually look into living here. Cheap by dc standards. 
Bloomingdale/Shaw: Another area I'd look to buy. There isn't much going on here, but it is close to U St. and semi-close to Logan circle. It is currently gentrifying and has hipsters.
Brookland: Hit or miss, depends on the block. Upside is it is more affordable than other areas. |
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nzbradly78
Joined: 23 Mar 2009
Location: Czech Republic
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| Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2011 7:09 pm Post subject: |
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I grew up in DC area and I would move to DC in a heartbeat if I already wasn't moving to Europe. Hugely diverse, small and walkable, and the metro is pretty good. But watch out for the escalators, they'll eat you alive! The Smithsonian is immense and free as are the other museums and sites. Spring and autumn are amazing, summer is too humid and winter can either be pleasant or aweful.
Bucheon Bum's post is a great guide to the different parts of the city. |
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Tiger Beer
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
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| Posted: Wed Feb 09, 2011 8:32 pm Post subject: |
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Very thorough response BB. Nice!
Capitol Hill. What are 'hill staffers' like? I kind of have an idea - pretensious, dressed in suits, etc. But really I have no idea. Are there certainly impressions they give off in DC? I haven't lived there to know. I have been looking at demographics, and Capitol Hill seems to have a massive caucasian population almost comparable to the NW Quadrant. From what I gather, that is fairly a recent change as well. Makes sense it would be 'hill staffers' for the proximity.
How is Eckington? I was viewing google maps, and some beautiful rowhomes in that area. Seems like it's in quite a corner of nothingness surrounded by sketchiness. But certainly some nice housing upkeep that I viewed on google maps anyways.
I'm still interested in Falls Church for the Vietnamese population. But, more than anything, the prices are just extraordinary for housing. Home ownership would be a nice goal someday.
How is Silver Spring perceived? I got the impression that as local DC people get pushed out, they end up in Maryland. Is that more on the Prince George County side, or does that affect Silver Spring quite a bit as well? SS looks quite built up, nice downtown, and good proximity to DC. Seems like could be a good place. |
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bucheon bum
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Thu Feb 10, 2011 6:03 am Post subject: |
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| Tiger Beer wrote: |
Very thorough response BB. Nice!
Capitol Hill. What are 'hill staffers' like? I kind of have an idea - pretensious, dressed in suits, etc. But really I have no idea. Are there certainly impressions they give off in DC? I haven't lived there to know. I have been looking at demographics, and Capitol Hill seems to have a massive caucasian population almost comparable to the NW Quadrant. From what I gather, that is fairly a recent change as well. Makes sense it would be 'hill staffers' for the proximity.
How is Eckington? I was viewing google maps, and some beautiful rowhomes in that area. Seems like it's in quite a corner of nothingness surrounded by sketchiness. But certainly some nice housing upkeep that I viewed on google maps anyways.
I'm still interested in Falls Church for the Vietnamese population. But, more than anything, the prices are just extraordinary for housing. Home ownership would be a nice goal someday.
How is Silver Spring perceived? I got the impression that as local DC people get pushed out, they end up in Maryland. Is that more on the Prince George County side, or does that affect Silver Spring quite a bit as well? SS looks quite built up, nice downtown, and good proximity to DC. Seems like could be a good place. |
1. Yes, your image of staffers is pretty accurate. They also have the fatal flaw of thinking they're interesting when most of them are complete bores.
2. Eckington isn't the best of areas. I have two friends that used to live there but moved after getting sick of their cars being broken into (their cars were pieces of crap too, not like they were high rollers) and watching a shootout go down in front of their building. That being said, it does have some nice row houses.
3. SS apparently used to be the sketchy part of Montgomery County but now it it is pretty safe. It has a slew of asian ethnic restaurants, an AFI theater (that serves beer), and yes, is fairly close to DC. I'd say it is perceived as an affordable alternative to living in DC proper. |
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