How can you NOT like living in DC?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't particularly like DC, and I love many cities around the world and in the US.

People don't like to admit it, but black-white relationships in DC are horrible. There is no middle class. The public schools are not good. The elitism of the NW residents has virtually no equal anywhere else in the US. The younger residents seem old before their time and just waiting to stop playing kickball and take up shuffleboard.

Some of the architecture is nice, but there is nothing that truly soars or inspires. The federal buildings are mostly bland. Once you've seen the monuments and museums once, that is enough. And, of course, the centers of government in DC are largely failures. Obama is feckless, Congress is worthless, and the Supreme Court is not remotely in tune with the lives of average Americans.

I would agree with all of this, esp the bolded part. Also, there is very little soul, or character, like you would find in a working class city like Baltimore, or dynamism and creative energy like you'd find in NY or SF, or history like you'd find in an old New England town. It's a very pleasant, walkable city with great playgrounds and tons of entertainment for kids (museums, lots of free events), a very educated population, but a very bland core.

+1
No soul

[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.

La Jolla.

I don't blame you. La Jolla is heaven on earth!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd rather be in the Pacific NW, but otherwise generally love the DC area.

Just moved here from there. It was like escaping a prison of clouds and rains.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't particularly like DC, and I love many cities around the world and in the US.

People don't like to admit it, but black-white relationships in DC are horrible. There is no middle class. The public schools are not good. The elitism of the NW residents has virtually no equal anywhere else in the US. The younger residents seem old before their time and just waiting to stop playing kickball and take up shuffleboard.

Some of the architecture is nice, but there is nothing that truly soars or inspires. The federal buildings are mostly bland. Once you've seen the monuments and museums once, that is enough. And, of course, the centers of government in DC are largely failures. Obama is feckless, Congress is worthless, and the Supreme Court is not remotely in tune with the lives of average Americans.

+1

The DC Suburbs are the least racist areas in the country.

This is factually incorrect. Maryland is among the most segregated states in the country w/respect to its schools. Virginia is not much better.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/govbeat/wp/2014/05/15/the-most-segregated-schools-may-not-be-in-the-states-youd-expect-2/

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2014/05/15/school-segregation-civil-rights-project/9115823/

Maryland ranks third when it comes to the share of black students in high-minority schools and fourth-lowest when it comes to black exposure to white students.

1) Virginia and Maryland as states are very different than DC suburbs (meaning locations near or inside the beltway)

2) Black and White are not the only races.

I beg to differ. MoCo is very segregated and the MCPS achievement gap - largely race-based - is now at a crisis point.[b]

I agree that Black and White are not the only races.

+1

I was going to mentioned the segregation in MCPS and the fact that most of the public schools in PG County are 90% plus black. Also, DCPS are very much segregated as well.

[Anonymous]

I love the fact that DC is still a small town especially if you have children. Although my kids are post high school, there were many connections that I made through Gymboree, Nursery School, DCPS, Stoddert Soccer our synagogue and private school. My colleagues at work are amazed at how many people I know just through the kid connection. You can go to many restaurants and parks or the gym and see someone you know.

Also, theater here is so accessible and we can see many shows pre New York.

[Anonymous]

Love DC.Moved here from Europe and it's my home now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Too many lawyers, lobbyists and angry low income residents. And yes, I know that there are people who are not these things.

I live in a low-income neighborhood. The vast majority of them are not angry. Maybe try getting out more?

But there is this white-apologist attitude of most of the white neighbors that I find appalling. I can't choose my skin color either.

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.

[Anonymous]

What I call the knee jerk liberals.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I love the fact that DC is still a small town especially if you have children. Although my kids are post high school, there were many connections that I made through Gymboree, Nursery School, DCPS, Stoddert Soccer our synagogue and private school. My colleagues at work are amazed at how many people I know just through the kid connection. You can go to many restaurants and parks or the gym and see someone you know.

Also, theater here is so accessible and we can see many shows pre New York.

I am always amazed at how much NW Washington seems like a small town (in a good way).

[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 like DC but yeah I'd probably move to CLT if I could.

What the heck is clt?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was just out of town on holiday and my heart sank as I arrived at the gate for my plane to DC and saw all the self important DCites waiting for the plane. There are good things about the area, but it does attract a certain type of person whom I don't find very attractive.

Speaking of which, what is UP with the lack of fashion sense in this area?

WHY?

[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 like DC but yeah I'd probably move to CLT if I could.

What the heck is clt?

not PP, but I guess you don't travel much? or can't use google?

[Anonymous]

People who hate it can't afford a nice house and/or have a shitty commute. People who can afford a nice (enough) house and have a decent commute like it. At least this seems to be my personal observation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People who hate it can't afford a nice house and/or have a shitty commute. People who can afford a nice (enough) house and have a decent commute like it. At least this seems to be my personal observation.

I am this PP. I also feel like my own little circle/area of northern Virginia is like a small town. We are constantly running into friends/acquaintances at school, restaurants, home depot, wegmans, etc. In fact I always spruce myself up a bit to run errands because I KNOW I am going to see someone I know.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People who hate it can't afford a nice house and/or have a shitty commute. People who can afford a nice (enough) house and have a decent commute like it. At least this seems to be my personal observation.

My commute is 20 min door to door. But I still would rather live in La Jolla.