"Nothing is unique in DC"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP - there is no reason to live around here unless you are a lawyer, lobbyist or defense contractor, I’m serious. This is the most expensive city of crap I’ve ever been to. I got more joy from living in Ann Arbor. Because my expectations in Ann Arbor and how much things cost were on the same plane. My expectations of a $30 pasta dish is that it better be something I can’t make at home! But I’m always underwhelmed by just about everything here with very very very few truly gracious, friendly, sophisticated people. Sure they are casually nice but not sincerely kind. I find New Yorkers to be more admirable than people in DC. The only thing people know about here is cost. They thing if it looks fancy and expensive it’s good.

You sound pretty new here and are looking at it from the lens of someone hoping to find what they had back home.

No I've been here for 17 years! DuPont then Old Town now Del Ray and I still hate it. Anyone who's been around and has any sense has to admit there's zero imagination here. Let's face it - this is an area run by lobbyists, lawyers and defense contractors. They don't know, they just do not know.

[Anonymous]

DP. I love DC architecture. I love the heaviness of it. I love that the skyline is low and that this region is still filled with trees and sky. Private life around here may be bland but most of us are just living our lives raising our families or growing a career. Nothing wrong with that.

[Anonymous]

It's not the attractions here that are boring, it's the people who gravitate to this area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's not the attractions here that are boring, it's the people who gravitate to this area.

As opposed to the academics who gravitate towards Boston? I agree with you — other cities like London and Manhattan attract interesting people — but we’re comparing Boston to DC. They’re both pretty lame on the interesting scale. Someone who found Boston delightful should be able to find their groove in DC.

[Anonymous]

I’m a Bay Area native, went to school here in DC, left to go back to the Bay Area for 20 years and recently moved back. Yes, aesthetically most of the DMV is post-world war 2 brick boxes with very little charm. We live in the Bethesda/CC area and - I’ve said this before on here - they have put on a master class of how to destroy what was and could have been a semi-charming suburban downtown. Huge opportunity lost. All that being said, DC absolutely has its charms. It’s fun to play tourist every now and then. There’s a vibrancy in a lot of the DC proper parts of town. It is, in fact, the nation’s capital and there’s a buzz that comes with that. While there’s parts that drive me nuts, I’ve stopped trying to play the comparison game and enjoying it for what it is

[Anonymous]

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.

[Anonymous]

New Englander here. I love DC for many reasons. Lived there throughout my 20s and it was an easy, exciting, accessible place to be young, to meet new people, to "try out" a city, with the thrill of politics too. But it always felt like a pretend city - transient, cookie-cutter, big-box.

There were things I positively adored -- monuments, free museums, Old Town Alexandria, some truly delicious restaurants (Jaleo, I miss you!), Eastern Market.

But I had aged out by 30, at which point my spouse and I wanted to buy a home and have kids. The suburbs were just so soulless. I missed the fierce personality of Boston - sports team loyalty, enclaves of long-time neighbors, tons of day trip options, the wonderful beaches and oceans, the sense of place, the schools, the healthcare, the camaraderie. It really just could not compare in the long run.

I relish every trip back to DC. It reminds me of a wonderful time in my life, but it was not a "forever" home for me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I honestly do not know how people deal with the lack of creativity and beauty in the DMV, seriously. If you've ever been to NYC, Chicago, New Orleans, SF, the entire of Europe and even Mexico City, and many more countries, you will realize how bad it is here. Concrete is not pretty. The architecture is not interesting.

This is true. But the rest of the US is even worse. Florida? Texas? Arizona? Non-coastal California? Iowa? Unless you are in a college town or a handful of other places you just live among wide roads and strip malls.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I honestly do not know how people deal with the lack of creativity and beauty in the DMV, seriously. If you've ever been to NYC, Chicago, New Orleans, SF, the entire of Europe and even Mexico City, and many more countries, you will realize how bad it is here. Concrete is not pretty. The architecture is not interesting.

This is true. But the rest of the US is even worse. Florida? Texas? Arizona? Non-coastal California? Iowa? Unless you are in a college town or a handful of other places you just live among wide roads and strip malls.

New England really is just special. But there are other lovely corners of the US too - Carmel, California and the North Shore of Chicago come to mind.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Best friend just moved to DC from New England and is having a really tough time adjusting. We are both born and bred New Englanders. I moved back from DC to New England a few years ago after a long time in NoVA. Work just took her there and she's really having a rough time. Been a while since I lived there, so - ideas?

Criticisms are - lots of bland condos and not a lot of "neighborhoods" with their own little town squares and small shops. Up here most towns have a main street with independent shops, not planned communities build around retail. She went to Reston Town Center the other day and felt deflated. She is living in Bethesda but feels like it is very homogenous. I suggested looking more in Del Ray area for things to do. It has truly been a while since I lived there and I'm wondering how to help - anyone here know? Looking for charming little towns, stately architecture, sidewalks, etc. Think Concord or Lexington Massachusetts. Not sure what may be comparable. McLean?

Definitely not. I love McLean and have lived here for 15 yrs, but it's nothing like the small towns in New England. When I first moved to the DC area from CT, I moved to DC proper. And swore I'd never live outside of DC. Your friend needs to stop trying to recreate New England here and take the good that this area does have.

Same can be said for anyone moving anywhere. (And I've moved a lot--multiple states, countries, continents)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m a Bay Area native, went to school here in DC, left to go back to the Bay Area for 20 years and recently moved back. Yes, aesthetically most of the DMV is post-world war 2 brick boxes with very little charm. We live in the Bethesda/CC area and - I’ve said this before on here - they have put on a master class of how to destroy what was and could have been a semi-charming suburban downtown. Huge opportunity lost. All that being said, DC absolutely has its charms. It’s fun to play tourist every now and then. There’s a vibrancy in a lot of the DC proper parts of town. It is, in fact, the nation’s capital and there’s a buzz that comes with that. While there’s parts that drive me nuts, I’ve stopped trying to play the comparison game and enjoying it for what it is

This is the key right here. All of the posters who incessantly $h!t on DC should probably either leave or adopt this attitude. There are great things about it, and not-so-great things. In most places.

--London native, DC transplant

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Best friend just moved to DC from New England and is having a really tough time adjusting. We are both born and bred New Englanders. I moved back from DC to New England a few years ago after a long time in NoVA. Work just took her there and she's really having a rough time. Been a while since I lived there, so - ideas?

Criticisms are - lots of bland condos and not a lot of "neighborhoods" with their own little town squares and small shops. Up here most towns have a main street with independent shops, not planned communities build around retail. She went to Reston Town Center the other day and felt deflated. She is living in Bethesda but feels like it is very homogenous. I suggested looking more in Del Ray area for things to do. It has truly been a while since I lived there and I'm wondering how to help - anyone here know? Looking for charming little towns, stately architecture, sidewalks, etc. Think Concord or Lexington Massachusetts. Not sure what may be comparable. McLean?

Go back to New England.
You won't be missed.

The other worst part of Dc- people like this

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:New Englander here. I love DC for many reasons. Lived there throughout my 20s and it was an easy, exciting, accessible place to be young, to meet new people, to "try out" a city, with the thrill of politics too. But it always felt like a pretend city - transient, cookie-cutter, big-box.

There were things I positively adored -- monuments, free museums, Old Town Alexandria, some truly delicious restaurants (Jaleo, I miss you!), Eastern Market.

But I had aged out by 30, at which point my spouse and I wanted to buy a home and have kids. The suburbs were just so soulless. I missed the fierce personality of Boston - sports team loyalty, enclaves of long-time neighbors, tons of day trip options, the wonderful beaches and oceans, the sense of place, the schools, the healthcare, the camaraderie. It really just could not compare in the long run.

I relish every trip back to DC. It reminds me of a wonderful time in my life, but it was not a "forever" home for me.

Route 1 in Fairfax County used to be more interesting. In the last decade it has been "tamed," and is less small town. Still, we have a fair number of non-chain restaurants and stores making a go of it.

[Anonymous]

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.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I live in Del Ray and no - I would take Chicago or any place in Europe in a New York minute LOL

What a stupid thing to say. I live in Del Ray and have since '99. I could not afford half my house today because the area is that desirable. I bought when I was a Jr. officer and it was 'skwtchy', but I got a SFH, a yard, and a 10 minute commute to the Pentagon.

I married a woman from Genoa, Italy. There is literally not a snowball's chance in Hell anyone would pick Genoa over Del Ray.