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Thread: Washington D.C. Beta? WWMD?

  1. #1
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    Washington D.C. Beta? WWMD?

    I have a job offer that would require moving to the Washington D.C area.

    The company is based in Arlington. Positives are that the job offer is great and it's exatcly what I'm looking for.

    However, I know next to nothing about the area. (I live in NYC now, have a decent sized apartment near Central Park, and like the fact that I can get to Vermont or the Adirondacks for the weekend without too much hassel. Tough to give up those positives.)

    So, what's the Beta on D.C.?

    thanks!
    Last edited by St. Jerry; 05-03-2008 at 03:35 PM.
    Gimme five, I'm still alive!
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  2. #2
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    The Adams Morgan section of town can get out of hand from what I vaguely remember...
    "You can't drink all day if you don't start in the morning".

    -Scottish Proverb

  3. #3
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    ping Tippster

  4. #4
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    Gman is offline Mack Master William Large
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    I can answer most of the questions you may have as I currently live in dc. It def doesn't even come close to the nightlife of nyc, also the traffic is god awful at times.

  5. #5
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    I grew up there. I watched the area explode from '81 to 99 when I got out. I sometimes miss the lush parks, wide rivers, etc...

    But overall, most people there seem to "live to work." I work to live. Leaving was the best decision I ever made.
    washu feeze drive me to firenze?

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by Binky View Post
    The Adams Morgan section of town can get out of hand from what I vaguely remember...
    Yes, there was (maybe still is) a fun bluegrass bar called Madam's Organ that was a hoot.
    washu feeze drive me to firenze?

  7. #7
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    I lived in the DC area for 7 years - 1.5 in Rosslyn (in Arlington), and then the rest lived in Adams Morgan. I loved living in AM... pretty much everything you need withing walking distance, great vibe, and lots of great restaurants and bars. Depending on where in Arlington you would be working, a neighborhood like Adams Morgan could be a bit of a commute - however, it is a really cool place to live, and I miss it.

    I am in Utah now... time for a change and needed to be in the mountains. However, I am happy to answer any questions you have on the area.

  8. #8
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    Wife's from DC. Fantastic city, but hot as all hell in summer. Mason Dixon. Not a bad place to be at all aside from lack of access to skiing. Note. Lack of access to skiing.
    Uno mas

  9. #9
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    If you get your ass out to the eastern shore in the summer, it could be fun...

    (nice to meet you at Beandip's place, BTW!
    I bet you don't have a deck like that!)
    Forum Cross Pollinator, gratuitously strident

  10. #10
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    Where in Arlington? If it's anywhere between Falls Church and the River you're in for a hoot if you're single. This includes Ballston, Clarendon, Courthouse, and Rosslyn. You're also on the Orange line of Metro there so could easily commute from Georgetown, Foggy Bottom, Dupont, or Cap. Hill if you're married w/kids. If you want morte of a Suburban thing you can live out in Vienna and still be able to use public transportation very easily.

    What people say about lack of skiing is true. Then again, we have 3 major airports with non-stops to nearly the whole continental US (Thank you, Congress!) It is as easier for me to travel, door to door, to Utah than it is to the NE ski areas. Where would you rather go? There's a reason why Iceman and I know far more Utards than VT maggots - 10 hours one way and 6 hours the other.

    This, of course, depends on disposable income. Since you are coming from NYC you realize you're coming someplace where the cost of living is cheaper, but the pay is commensurate. This means you'll likely have more access to funds for skiing out west or south of the equator, but you won't be able to do it as often.

    Therefore it's a quality of life issue. If you want to live in a beautiful, vibrant, cultured city with all the amenities - theater, museums, music, food...- yet still want to possibly live in a single family home within walking distance of the subway and a bar then DC is your place on the EC.

    BTW - supposedly there is some extremely good Mt. Biking within 40 minutes of Downtown - PM Snowslider on that.

  11. #11
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    Two things I know.

    really really hot in the summertime. godawful.

    And, amazing revolving collection of girls of the world wherever you go, thanks to the many diplomatic corps. Majority of which are good old American girls, many there to establish themselves in the world of politics.

  12. #12
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    Yes, there was (maybe still is) a fun bluegrass bar called Madam's Organ that was a hoot.
    It's still alive.

    And yes there is some decent mountain biking around.

    For a quick fix there's Ft. Dupont park (15 minutes from downtown by bike) - But it kind of blows.
    In the 40min-1hr there are quite a few quality singletracks. There is some quasi-epic stuff (for the east coast) within a 2 hour drive.
    "Verily, my folly has grown tall in the mountains." - Fredrich Nietzsche, Thus Spoke Zarathustra

  13. #13
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    For mountain biking you have Wakefield Park, Fountainhead, Lake Fairfax/Difficult run all within a short drive. In Maryland you have xc singletrack galore(Montgomery County), with a place to shuttle DH/FR bikes within an hour right outside of Frederick, MD.

    If you live in Arlington you can skip public transportation complete and bike to work, there is a direct bike path into DC, and Arlington is one of the most bike friendly counties in the US with bike only paths, marked lanes, plenty of signage, and lots of route suggestions available from the county office. Road biking is decent through all the neighborhoods and with the W&OD you have the possibility to scoot out to other areas to ride. Also, the C&O canal is right on the other side of the river, and is a dirt path that runs all the way to Cumberland, MD.

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tippster View Post
    You're also on the Orange line of Metro there so could easily commute from Georgetown, Foggy Bottom, Dupont, or Cap. Hill if you're ...
    A minor point, have they added a station somewhere, because the Metro did not used to have a station stop anywhere in Georgetown?

  15. #15
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    The Foggy Bottom Metro stop is 4 blocks from Georgetown. It's as close to Metro as Adams Morgan is. Despite the trains literally going under Georgetown on their way to Rosslyn the NIMBYs will never allow a station at Wisconsin and M. They prefer the parking nightmare they have...

  16. #16
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    i lived in dc for 6 years .... 1 as a single guy before law school and 5 as a married dad with kids afterwards. ttipster and others will have more up to date info on where the cool places to live are. i enjoyed mt pleasant and glover park (just north of georgetown) a lot. adams morgan is too touristy/scuzzy ... i think dupont or mt pleasant are better as you can easily walk or bike there when you want to get your drunk on.

    dc and skiing, well i didn't ski while i lived there because there was no way in hell i was driving 5 hours to ski at snowshoe or whatever that hill in WV is called. flying sounds like the way to go.

    great biking and kayaking there. another thing is to get out and meet as many people as you can. there are lots of people doing amazing things there.

  17. #17
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    Grew up in DC area and just left last year. Plenty of great neighborhoods in DC to live if you are single and Arlington is almost as good. AS far as crime, DC is much better than when I was a kid. Some local areas are sort of sketchy in NW, but it is block by block. Plenty of good neighbor hoods in NE and SW too. For a family if you don't mind shitty public schools there is nothing wrong with having kids in DC. I am sure there a few good public schools in DC, but the burbs will give you better options. I think cost of living is even higher in Bethesda and NoVA than in DC proper.

    Skiing in DC area sucks. Best options are: 2.5 hours to blueknob and 3.5 hours to T-Line or 7-Springs.

    Biking in DC area is much better but no good mtb tracks inside DC. NoVA, montgomery county and PG county all have good single track riding check out http://www.more-mtb.org/ for latest beta on trails. Good rides in Fredrick watershed and in GW national forest. Lift served DH at snowshoe, 7springs, wisp, and I think even whitetail.
    Last edited by tromano; 05-04-2008 at 11:50 AM.

  18. #18
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    Thanks to everyone for the info. DC actually sounds quite interesting. Every place has its positives and negatives, but one could do a lot worse than DC.

    I'm still waiting for the final offer from the company, so I'll take everything into consideration once I have all of the scenarios finalized.
    Gimme five, I'm still alive!
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  19. #19
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    lived in dc for 15 years and no one has mentioned my fave thing about dc:
    free access to a plethora of great museums and the national zoo

  20. #20
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    DC is a lot of fun. If you are male, young(ish), and single, the girl to guy ratio is great. Definitely a target rich environment. If you are at all into kayaking, Mather Gorge is world class. There are some great mountain biking spots within an hour drive, and there are some really cool maggots living in the area.

    If you are old(ish) and married with kids, look carefully at the school districts. There are hit or miss. Our area has some of the best schools in the nation, but there are also some really shitty ones.

    If you accept the job, let the DC/Northern VA/Maryland collective know when you're in town. I'll buy the first round.
    Of all the muthafuckas on earth, you the muthafuckest.

  21. #21
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    Left Boston for DC 2 years ago now - just bought a place in Arlington, and I'm really pumped on the area. I miss Boston a lot and like it a lot more than DC but I personally feel that Arlington is the best DC area to live in. Close to the city, on the Metro line, has it's own nightlife (think little cities) without ALL of the city traffic, and it's close to the "good" areas of DC; AM, Dupont, Georgetown.

    The real negatives about living in DC:
    - TRAFFIC
    - Hot as hell in the summer, spring and fall
    - Close skiing is terrible (PA/WV) - get on a plane or be prepared to stay in the car for 7 hours to VT/NH (Southwest runs specials to Manchester for ~ $50 each way)

    The good:
    - The baseball teams suck, but the tickets are cheap and you have both leagues so no matter who your team is you can see them for cheap and the new Nat's stadium is great.
    - The only thing good about the weather is that you can play golf in shorts and a T in the middle of December.
    - VA golf courses are relatively cheap
    - No cover charges at bars in the city

    Other than than those listed above I am growing to like DC the longer I live here and I'm stoked on Arlington. Good luck with the decision.

  22. #22
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    Skiing from DC.

    Hey Dude,

    A bunch of us rent a condo at 7 Springs (Somerset, PA) for the season. A really good group of people. Usually Dec 1st to April 1st. It's not Vermont or Hunter or anything but its skiing and a lot of good partying. House members live all over DC so you could easily find somone to carpool with. Usually its a 3hr drive to 7S. Last year it was $800 per member to join. Season's passes are $369 before June 2nd this year. If your interested PM me. We need some good members.

    One other very important thing. Quiet hours are from 3 to 10.

    Matt

  23. #23
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    Comments on the comments about the heat (grew up on the other side of Baltimore from D.C. and family is from the Eastern Shore, so I'm familiar with the area) ...

    Yes, it's hot in the summer, but the really unbearable thing is the humidity. (For perspective, my wife grew up in Vietnam and even she thought it was pretty bad when we traveled back in summer 2002. Of course, she'd lived in the San Francisco Bay area for a half dozen years at that point, so, according to her, she'd become acclimated to a more moderate clime. Nevertheless ...) However, my understanding is that it's really hot and humid up and down most of the East Coast in the summer. I haven't spent more than a few days in New York, but from what I understand (e.g., Do The Right Thing), the heat and humidity you've experienced in New York is probably just about as bad as what you'll get in D.C. So, if you've been able to take New York in the summer, I wouldn't sweat it.

    (I kill myself.)

  24. #24
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    My buddy from Boston who has lived in Manilla for the past 22 years is always cold here in DC, regardless of when he comes. He hates AC and he lives in the weather (albeit in a very nice house) there.

    It's a matter of perspective.

    edit: Me, I say it's hot as shit here in the summer and i think my friend is nuts. Thank god for AC.

  25. #25
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    Quote Originally Posted by woodstocksez View Post
    the heat and humidity you've experienced in New York is probably just about as bad as what you'll get in D.C. So, if you've been able to take New York in the summer, I wouldn't sweat it.
    No way. Don't know why (I think it's the lack of any kind of breeze off the ocean), but that town is way hotter than NYC. British officers were paid an extra tropical climate bonus when stationed there way back when.

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