"Nothing is unique in DC"

[Anonymous]

OP if you're friend lived in manhattan Lisbon and the other metro you mentioned duh. Of course DC mush be awful for her. If I were her I'd want to vomit daily. I lined in Manhattan Chicago and Innsbruck and that's how I feel. Unfortunately, I fell in love with a man who won't leave his family here. I can't wait till the kids go to college so I can get the hell out.

To the people who talk about DC v other bland towns. The thing is this is an area of major money and influence. If I go to Springfield or Carbondale IL, I'm expecting a certain environment. When my house costs $1.6M I have certain expectations whether a garage or interior to not be cookie cutter. So it's all about value. There's little value here aesthetically and culturally.

[Anonymous]

Sounds like the problem is that your friend actually doesn’t live in DC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:White lady from New England is clearly scared of the city. That’s where our charm is located - historical neighborhoods like Georgetown.

Otherwise go out to horse country; I bet she will love Middleberg.

+1. My husband's family all live in the Boston suburbs. Racist AF.

Generalize much? I'm OP. Friend works in the city and has lived in Lisbon, London, Manhattan. Not scared of the city. Just finds DC bland compared with New England.

What areas of actual DC has she explored? You didn't mention any in your original post, just suburban places.

She hasn't explored any neighborhoods in DC proper.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Grew up in CT and I get it. In New England, each town has a nicely designed "downtown" which DC suburbs just do not seem to have... Live in Fairfax county now where it just feels sprawling and poorly planned. So many roads that are essentially highways with stoplights with random stripmalls rather than (what I would prefer) neighborhood roads and a planned downtown area with local shops and restaurants that are not mostly national chain franchises.

Bethesda and Silver Spring do seem to have this downtown area. Hyattsville has a small couple of blocks that are a little like this by Vigilante coffee.

That being said, Capitol Hill (Eastern market, Stanton or Lincoln Park areas) is my favorite area of DC. Pop into Hill Easy book store and Labyrinth game shop, grab coffee and a snack by Eastern Market and browse the kiosks. Wander through the neighborhood and picnic at Lincoln or Stanton Park. Dinner at Paccis by Lincoln Park. That area is quant and cute and fun with nice DC rowhouse architecture.

Isn't FFX Co to Capitol Hill a bit of a hike?

No, 30 mins depending on where. FFX City is a bit of a hike.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP if you're friend lived in manhattan Lisbon and the other metro you mentioned duh. Of course DC mush be awful for her. If I were her I'd want to vomit daily. I lined in Manhattan Chicago and Innsbruck and that's how I feel. Unfortunately, I fell in love with a man who won't leave his family here. I can't wait till the kids go to college so I can get the hell out.

To the people who talk about DC v other bland towns. The thing is this is an area of major money and influence. If I go to Springfield or Carbondale IL, I'm expecting a certain environment. When my house costs $1.6M I have certain expectations whether a garage or interior to not be cookie cutter. So it's all about value. There's little value here aesthetically and culturally.

Now that's provincial. Pretty mountains, but come on. Tyrol didn't even get color TV until the 70s

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, most people don't think Concord or Lexington as reference for anything. Get over yourself!

the good thing about the internet is those who have relevant experience can choose to respond and others can (should) ignore. Plenty of people have lived in Boston area or New England and DMV, and can offer their actually helpful perspective.

Again, get over yourself!

[Anonymous]

I am from Boston. There is a lot of charm in DC neighborhoods! Tell her to get to know DC. Other than that, Old Town Alexandria. Not Vienna, not Falls Church, definitely not McLean. There's a lot to like about living here but charming suburbs isn 't one of them!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Grew up in CT and I get it. In New England, each town has a nicely designed "downtown" which DC suburbs just do not seem to have... Live in Fairfax county now where it just feels sprawling and poorly planned. So many roads that are essentially highways with stoplights with random stripmalls rather than (what I would prefer) neighborhood roads and a planned downtown area with local shops and restaurants that are not mostly national chain franchises.

Bethesda and Silver Spring do seem to have this downtown area. Hyattsville has a small couple of blocks that are a little like this by Vigilante coffee.

That being said, Capitol Hill (Eastern market, Stanton or Lincoln Park areas) is my favorite area of DC. Pop into Hill Easy book store and Labyrinth game shop, grab coffee and a snack by Eastern Market and browse the kiosks. Wander through the neighborhood and picnic at Lincoln or Stanton Park. Dinner at Paccis by Lincoln Park. That area is quant and cute and fun with nice DC rowhouse architecture.

Isn't FFX Co to Capitol Hill a bit of a hike?

No, 30 mins depending on where. FFX City is a bit of a hike.

I am the person who posted. Capitol Hill is 35 min for me on weekends. During rush hour, to Capitol is probably 40-50 min though my work is actually in Brookland so can take anywhere from an hour at best to 1.5hrs at worst.

Though I used to live in DC and it still took me 30-40 min just to get to certain areas of the city from where I lived anyway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I lived in New Orleans before I moved here, and I lived in Chicago before that. The whole DMV is super bland. She’s just going to have to get used to living in a cultural dessert.

+1