How can you NOT like living in DC?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand the folks that don't like living here. Cost of living aside it's an amazing city.

Great downtown. Not too big, enough greenery. Nice neighborhoods close to downtown. Good food, diverse with large international population, I had Ghanaian food the other night. 2 international airports, great schools. Where do you people want to live ? Atlanta? Charlotte? Chicago? Bleh. DC is amazing.

I agree. I'm a native and do not desire to live anyplace else.

You don't know anything better.

[Anonymous]

You are not alone OP. I love this place! I don't get it when people say they hate it. There is so much to do and so many different types of people to meet. I've moved away twice for school and/or a job but always come back. I am here for good. I feel sad when people say they hate it here because I feel like they are missing out.

[Anonymous]

The thing about loving or hating DC is that we each have our own situations that affect our view of the city. The job we happen to have, where in the region we live, how many friends and family we have, what kind of city we came from, on and on.

I absolutely hated it here until I moved to a place that allowed for a reverse commute with little traffic. I don't love it, but I've grown to like living here a lot after that simple move.

I have no doubt that if each of us could find that perfect house in the perfect neighborhood and the perfect job and moved all of our friends and family here, we'd all love living here.

[Anonymous]

Cities are the first places to be attacked.

public trans
water systems
government buildings

nice city
shitty place to raise kids

[Anonymous]

And of cities, DC is a likely one to get attacked.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is by far the most annoying group of people in DC to me. I'm a minority and they get on my last nerves. They will coddle and pacify some of the most destructive things that even I as a black person find disturbing. Their level of naivete is unnerving to encounter.

What the hell does this mean?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

.[/quote wrote:

Sorry you are poor.

There's your answer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand the folks that don't like living here. Cost of living aside it's an amazing city.

Great downtown. Not too big, enough greenery. Nice neighborhoods close to downtown. Good food, diverse with large international population, I had Ghanaian food the other night. 2 international airports, great schools. Where do you people want to live ? Atlanta? Charlotte? Chicago? Bleh. DC is amazing.

I agree. I'm a native and do not desire to live anyplace else.

You don't know anything better.

+1000

NP here.

Well said!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is by far the most annoying group of people in DC to me. I'm a minority and they get on my last nerves. They will coddle and pacify some of the most destructive things that even I as a black person find disturbing. Their level of naivete is unnerving to encounter.

What the hell does this mean?

+1

Very naive and NO common sense or forethought.

[Anonymous]

You don't realize how pretty this area is until you've lived away from it, then return. Love it, but hate how the traffic has grown in the last 10+ years. Please don't tell anyone else to move here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My main issues are:

1. The weather - too hot and humid too much of the year. I like crisp weather, and I like cold weather.
2. The distance from the ocean or for that matter, any natural bodies of water.
3. The lack of character in the suburbs.

I'm not a hater. I just think DC is very expensive for what it is.

So the Potomac and Anacostia Rivers are artificial. Got it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You don't realize how pretty this area is until you've lived away from it, then return. Love it, but hate how the traffic has grown in the last 10+ years. Please don't tell anyone else to move here.

Seriously? We've just returned from a trip to New Hampshire and Vermont. As we neared MD, DH (a MD native) said, "why do we live in this ugly place given all the beautiful places out there?"

He's right.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My main issues are:

1. The weather - too hot and humid too much of the year. I like crisp weather, and I like cold weather.
2. The distance from the ocean or for that matter, any natural bodies of water.
3. The lack of character in the suburbs.

I'm not a hater. I just think DC is very expensive for what it is.

So the Potomac and Anacostia Rivers are artificial. Got it.

They are not swimmable, nor do they have beaches. Nor do they give vistas of water for as far as the eye can see.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My main issues are:

1. The weather - too hot and humid too much of the year. I like crisp weather, and I like cold weather.
2. The distance from the ocean or for that matter, any natural bodies of water.
3. The lack of character in the suburbs.

I'm not a hater. I just think DC is very expensive for what it is.

So the Potomac and Anacostia Rivers are artificial. Got it.

They are not swimmable, nor do they have beaches. Nor do they give vistas of water for as far as the eye can see.

+1. I posted a few pages ago but didn't reference the outdoors elements of living here. The DC area is fabulous with regard to have an extensive system of paved trails for cyclists and runners. In that sense, it's one thing I love about this area. We live in Arlington and I'm also grateful for the many neighborhood parks where I can take my kids to play.

However, this year we've ended up doing a lot of traveling to multiple regions of the country and I've realized that I love places where I can be a bit closer to true nature opportunities. True meaning, within 20min I can be somewhere that is a large expanse of either water or forest or parkland or mountain where there isn't traffic within earshot. I have friends, on the coasts especially, who can within 20min be at a ocean or forest with trails or hiking in the hills in ways that we can't here. There's only so many times I can run the same stretch of Rock Creek Parkway or the W&OD or Mt Vernon Trail. It's just a different experience when you truly have access to a peaceful more natural setting.

[Anonymous]

Just jumping in to say, the things people love and hate about DC are not "situational to the person." The truth is DC is a VERY unique city and the unique aspects are what make people love or hate it. And they need to be generally true regardless of personal situation.

For example:
DC negatives:
- Uniquely expensive, especially for what it has to offer. Yes NYC is more expensive, but then you are living in NYC! In DC it is expensive even if you live in a suburb with a long commute. And this is no NYC in terms of excitement, culture, wow factor.
- Uniquely high traffic. Again see above.
- Unique in having a very small middle class. I've never seen anything like it. Where are the everyday joes? Which, then creates the crazy rich versus poor, black versus white divide.
- Unique government structure (no representation. Small city core with Federal Government overlay==terribly run city.)
- Unusually transit.

DC positives:
- Unique policy and government jobs. Booming economy. Interesting jobs. Highly educated workforce. All unique because of the government economy.
- Lots of free museums. Again, a quirk of being the capital city.
- Unique highly educated, highly international population.