"the combination" not "to combination"

COL is not the problem for us either in that we bought 15 years ago and have paid the house off - not that our house would be up to dcum standards, but it is OK for us.

It is to combination of blandness, pretension, corruption that get to me although sometimes I will be driving through DC and be struck by the loveliness of a bridge or a building.

Looking forward to retirement away fro DC!

I don't think it comes down to the COL for everyone. It doesn't for me. We bought our house 15 years ago and our expenses are manageable.

For me it comes down to the horrible climate, lack of proximity to nature-based recreation, and blandness of the city and surrounding suburbs.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A lot of the above, plus: very few decent restaurants, vapid and self-important people, shockingly bad public schools, shockingly bad childcare options, a push to make all of the city's playgrounds exactly the same, a total lack of architectural or landscape interest, a total lack of artistic or creative community, and the fact that it takes > 2 hours of driving to get anywhere worth going (beach/other city/mountains).

We have an amazing theater scene. Got to disagree with you on this one -- unless you're not including theater.

Not PP, but I completely agree with them. Yes, DC now has a lot of good theater. But for me, DC lacks much more than that. Other cities have an entire artistic vibe that permeates everywhere. And so much of the art around here seems forced and polished. In other cities, it's more organic. Murals all over buildings, community art projects, small cash-strapped, theaters set up in strip malls by actors with big dreams, art fairs every other weekend, music in every park during the summers. Instead of tearing down old buildings, they turn them into artist lofts and galleries. It's hard to describe everything that other cities have that DC lacks. But I know that a big part of it is that artists have no reason or interest to live here. And even if they did, cannot afford it.

That said, the art scene here has improved a lot in the past 10-15 years. I have hope. It will never be as great as NYC, Austin, Minneapolis, Portland, etc because DC will always have a sterility to it, but it can improve.

Anonymous wrote:loved it when single and carefree (and carfree)

hate living here with kids.

This is a concern I have. I love DC. Lived there for 12 years. Moved out of state in 2009 for husband's job but we have always planned to return when our first child starts school in 2017. Problem is, while I loved it when I was single, I imagine having kids in the DC area is going to be a completely different scenario. Living out of the area, we have saved immensely on childcare costs and housing. But the traffic and possibly overcrowded schools make me wonder...is moving back with two kids the best idea? It is for my career (am the mom) but my DH commute will be horrible whereas now he commutes 10 min. and I may have a bad commute as well. If anyone wants to chime in on moving back with elementary-aged kids, please chime in.

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?

It is the airport code for charlotte.

The city actually had a lot of soul and character decades ago. Before anyone starts with a "murder capital" rant, yes there were very dangerous areas, but also enough parts that were safe. Gentrification has changed DC for the better and worse.

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.

and the Langley, Mclean, Great Falls is generic, rich, over achievers. unless you are part of the club you will be an outsider. and you know when you are not part of the club.

Anonymous wrote:I'd love living in DC if I could afford Georgetown.

Different strokes for different folks. I didn't love DC until I got the heck out of Georgetown. But that's just me. Obviously YMMV.

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.

But you can choose to not blame the white apologist attitude on the low-income residents of the city. Seriously.

Anonymous wrote:A lot of the above, plus: very few decent restaurants, vapid and self-important people, shockingly bad public schools, shockingly bad childcare options, a push to make all of the city's playgrounds exactly the same, a total lack of architectural or landscape interest, a total lack of artistic or creative community, and the fact that it takes > 2 hours of driving to get anywhere worth going (beach/other city/mountains).

We have an amazing theater scene. Got to disagree with you on this one -- unless you're not including theater.

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Exactly, it comes down to cost of living. Period. That is folks biggest beef.

I will say three things that are the biggest issues for me:

1. COL
2. Weather
3. Lack of access to really nice outdoors/nature.

COL would be more palatable if the weather was more temperate year round, right on the pacific ocean OR DC was in a heavily wooded/green near mountains/trails like the pacific northwest/colorado front range/jackson hole.

Imagine all of dc proper was in the jackson hole valley surrounded by picturesque world class mountains/outdoors activities - would be brilliant

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.

Yes, this is well documented:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-state-of-nova/post/lorton-one-of-the-most-diverse-communities-in-america-new-study-says/2012/09/11/28320120-fb69-11e1-8adc-499661afe377_blog.html

The race relations in DC proper are bad. Willful segregation on both sides. All of the knowledge in DC is imported from the people who move here and the rest are left without opportunities for a good education or a solid middle class life. Like him, hate him, pity him or whatever but people remember the patronage days of Marion Barry who created the black middle class. He didn't position anyone for a future when it would begin to erode.

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.

Yes, this is well documented:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-state-of-nova/post/lorton-one-of-the-most-diverse-communities-in-america-new-study-says/2012/09/11/28320120-fb69-11e1-8adc-499661afe377_blog.html

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.

Exactly, it comes down to cost of living. Period. That is folks biggest beef.