What is Washington DC

[Anonymous]

This may be a silly question but I feel that I have to ask. How do locals (or people who have been here for a while) define Washington DC/The District. Is it limited to the areas where the streets have NW, NW, SW, or SE after them or does it include parts of MD and VA. I am new here and several times I have asked to recs for places in the District (both on this board and in person) and often get respones for places everywhere except Washington DC (see ballet clothes post).


I really annoys me, but it just occured to me that I may be the only one who thinks of DC as just DC.

Thanks,

[Anonymous]

I think part of the reason you get responses that include places outside the district is because (a) most people are MD or VA commuters and so don't know DC stores and (b) the district is small and suburbs aren't that far away, so people probably think recs to stores outside the district are close enough. Also, I think of "Washington, DC" as including the metro area (DC and VA) but "The District" as being DC only. Not sure if others would agree.

[Anonymous]

Yes, the District is . . . . well, the District of Columbia. Only. The DC metro area includes the MD and VA suburbs.

[Anonymous]

woops -- I meant MD and VA, not DC and VA. Thanks.

[Anonymous]

Ok, I get it. If I say "DC" people will assume I am thinking of the MD and VA 'burbs as well.

[Anonymous]

I won't, because I live in the District , but those who live in suburbs probably will.

[Anonymous]

I think if you live in the suburbs, you might include those as DC, but those of us who live in the district never would. It's silly, I know, but there is a huge sense of pride that comes with a No Taxation... license plate.

[Anonymous]

To me, DC is the District, not MD, not VA. But try not to get annoyed with people who respond to posts with places in MD and VA. They are just trying to be helpful. For me (I live in SW) it is faster to do my shopping around Pentagon City than in NW. Depending on where you are in the city, there is a good chance that getting to a place in VA or MD is faster than getting somewhere completely across town in DC.

Just out of curiosity, OP, are you a former New Yorker? I am, and I know when I first moved down here people calling NoVA DC really annoyed me. I think it is a carryover of the feeling of annoyance I feel when someone from Hoboken or Long Island calls themselves a New Yorker. Funnily enough, it has been harder for me to get over the NY thing than the DC thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think if you live in the suburbs, you might include those as DC, but those of us who live in the district never would. It's silly, I know, but there is a huge sense of pride that comes with a No Taxation... license plate.

Oh please.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To me, DC is the District, not MD, not VA. But try not to get annoyed with people who respond to posts with places in MD and VA. They are just trying to be helpful. For me (I live in SW) it is faster to do my shopping around Pentagon City than in NW. Depending on where you are in the city, there is a good chance that getting to a place in VA or MD is faster than getting somewhere completely across town in DC.

Just out of curiosity, OP, are you a former New Yorker? I am, and I know when I first moved down here people calling NoVA DC really annoyed me. I think it is a carryover of the feeling of annoyance I feel when someone from Hoboken or Long Island calls themselves a New Yorker. Funnily enough, it has been harder for me to get over the NY thing than the DC thing.

Op here, yes am in indeed a transplated New Yorker or to me more specific - a Brooklynite. I will just be more careful when I phrase my requests for recs OR learn to drive on the highway (Yikes!)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think if you live in the suburbs, you might include those as DC, but those of us who live in the district never would. It's silly, I know, but there is a huge sense of pride that comes with a No Taxation... license plate.

Oh please.

Yikes! Apparently, not all of us feel this way. I know my husband, close friends and I do. OP, you'll likely get as many answers to this question as there are people in the District. Welcome to the area!

[Anonymous]

I think it helps just to say you're looking for something in NW DC, or in and around your neighborhood (i.e. near capitol hill, etc)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To me, DC is the District, not MD, not VA. But try not to get annoyed with people who respond to posts with places in MD and VA. They are just trying to be helpful. For me (I live in SW) it is faster to do my shopping around Pentagon City than in NW. Depending on where you are in the city, there is a good chance that getting to a place in VA or MD is faster than getting somewhere completely across town in DC.

Just out of curiosity, OP, are you a former New Yorker? I am, and I know when I first moved down here people calling NoVA DC really annoyed me. I think it is a carryover of the feeling of annoyance I feel when someone from Hoboken or Long Island calls themselves a New Yorker. Funnily enough, it has been harder for me to get over the NY thing than the DC thing.

Wait a minute... is Long Island no longer a part of the state of New York? Either way, I'll always be a die hard Giants fan!

[Anonymous]

By the way... you drive on the beltway not the "highway" OP (1745 posting)

Welcome!

[Anonymous]

I'm sorry I bothered trying to help you find a ballet store in the other thread since I didn't recommend an in-town store. Obviously you didn't appreciate it. I just thought that, if there wasn't a store in DC, you might want to drive outside the District lines to get what you need. Silly me for trying to be helpful!