For Fun: How You Know You've Become a Washingtonian

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You had me until the bridge to VA part. I've never had an issue with going to VA or MD. I feel like that's just such a weird hill to die on.

We joke that Virginians are like vampires who never cross running water at night. I know people in NOVA who have a block about driving into DC, but I don't know any Washingtonians who have an issue with driving to VA (except that everyone hates the mixing bowl).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You can get into the parallel parking spots in front of Millie’s/Compass/C&B without hitting anybody else.

And you remember when Millie's was a Chicken Out and C&B was Garfinckel's.

I remember when Chicken Out was a gas station!

[Anonymous]

Here's another one, although it applies also to NoVa and MD residents: you can tell when you driving in the outer circle vs the inner circle of the beltway, but you can't explain why.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You can get into the parallel parking spots in front of Millie’s/Compass/C&B without hitting anybody else.

And you remember when Millie's was a Chicken Out and C&B was Garfinckel's.

And the grocery store was an A&P. Which delivered to WaRshingtonians decades before Instacart was even an idea.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You had me until the bridge to VA part. I've never had an issue with going to VA or MD. I feel like that's just such a weird hill to die on.

Then you’re not a true Washingtonian

Does anyone actually from DC call themselves a "Washingtonian?" That sounds like something someone from Bethesda or Arlington would say.

Born in DC proper and I occasionally describe myself as a “native Washingtonian” but I’m much more likely to say “DC native.” Or just “I’m from here”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You remember getting off of school for the redskins winning the Super Bowl. You shopped at commander Salamanders. You went to the bar on Georgetown University campus and then went to White Castle burgers.

That describes my high school experience at Whitman.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Eagle Liquors at the end of the Key Bridge in Georgetown. My dad always went there for cheaper liquor before 1970s block parties. I remember the giant barrel of gummy bears.

.

Wasn't it called Dixie Liquors?

That is where I bought my first keg of beer.

[Anonymous]

Zoned cab fares! they were the worst.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Au Pied de Cochon and a security free Mall on Fourth of July where you could just hang out and drink all day!!

omg we used to eat there with my parents all the time. they had the best quiche.

We had a couch and a keg on the Mall for 4th of July!

I miss those days so much!!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Eagle Liquors at the end of the Key Bridge in Georgetown. My dad always went there for cheaper liquor before 1970s block parties. I remember the giant barrel of gummy bears.

.

Wasn't it called Dixie Liquors?

Yep

It’s still there!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Riggs Bank, the excitement of the second phase of Georgetown Park Mall , getting Jamaican patties late night on 18th street as a snack and getting yelled at by compliment man, the 15 minute club which was an officer worker cafeteria by day and a club/bar at night right in the CBD, bullet proof glass barriers in all of the liquor stores, no road closures around the White House, and Woodies downtown all come to mind for me

OMG! I still call it “Oh… you mean the old Riggs?” Especially the Georgetown branch”.

And yes, I still have a rug that I bought at Woodies, and a few things stored in Garfinkel’s boxes.

The Compliment Man ❤️. My sister and I loved him. Thanks for the memory.

Tell us more about Compliment Man, what did he do?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's like I'm a weirdo if I tell people "I'm a New Yorker" if I am not even from New York. Weird!!! Does not matter how many parkways or museums or restaurants I know. I'd be an imposter

New Yorkers aren't as possessive of NY as Washingtonians. If you live in the City for three decades you definitely call yourself a New Yorker. It's a state of mind as much as place of residence. -New Yorker

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You had me until the bridge to VA part. I've never had an issue with going to VA or MD. I feel like that's just such a weird hill to die on.

Then you’re not a true Washingtonian

Does anyone actually from DC call themselves a "Washingtonian?" That sounds like something someone from Bethesda or Arlington would say.

My SIL calls herself a "native Washingtonian" in her work bio. She lived in NW until she was 2.5 and then moved to Bethesda. My husband also says he was born raised in DC even though his trajectory was also NW to Bethesda. As someone from New England with no claim to a big city I can't understand the need to identify as someone born and raised in DC when 99% of your life was lived in MD.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:14th street was where the prostitutes hung out.

And K and I Streets.

I used to work at 13th and K in the early 2000s. There were prostitutes hanging out on our block and several of my male colleagues had been approached multiple times.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You had me until the bridge to VA part. I've never had an issue with going to VA or MD. I feel like that's just such a weird hill to die on.

Also, if you've lived here longer (depending on which part of the city you've lived in), you left the city for a decent grocery store.

Exactly! I lived on the Hill in the 90s and went to VA to go to Target, Costco, and the supermarket.

This. Some people haven’t lived here long enough to remember!