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I don't care what attractions a city may hold, even a 3000 foot tall obelisk,
if the climate ain't right, I can't have my 300 days of sunshine every year,
ain't movin', ain't movin, ain't movin'!
D.C. isn't a real city and never was meant to be. Just a bunch of government and tourist attractions. Now a city like NYC is miles ahead of any other city in this world when it comes to jealousy even though its not even cracked up as its hyped up.
I agree with you about NYC. But even THAT city isn't talked about half way around the world in a way that people find relevant to their lives. Most people never heard of Barack Obama before he ran for this nation's highest office - which is of course in Washington, D.C. Now, there isn't an educated soul in the world who doesn't know who he is.
Last edited by BigCityDreamer; 09-16-2010 at 11:59 AM..
I think traffic on I270 is way better than I66 during rush hours or even any other time.
Your opinion. I do note though, that 66 is a mess. It's a poorly designed road that badly needs resurfacing. 270 is a really nicely designed road. I'd rather be stuck in traffic on 270.
I think the presumption of jealousy or envy is an odd way to position your affection for a city to begin with.
Also, the list is a tad redundant. Most of it is superficial and really has no meaning to an individual other than for their ego.
You never mention anything about what the people are like in DC.
There is nothing about the outdoors, parks, open space.
Not on the list is anything about recreating, skiing, hiking, fishing, biking, etc.
What about entertainment, dining, schools, safety, traffic, affordable housing, etc?
Give me a list that addresses those things and I might be impressed.
One that suggests I should be jealous that Rutherford B. Hayes slept there or maybe I can see the back of Nancy Pelosi's head while she was at Morton's has no value to me and I suspect most people.
The people: I think there are more pricks here than in other big cities, but it's not really epidemic. Obviously the bad experiences stick in your head more.
Outdoors: The metro area has a ton of green space. Dog parks, normal parks, jogging/biking paths, it's really great. Of all the close-in counties, PG County has the least of those if I'm not mistaken, but it still has some.
Recreation: Biker's paradise. And the city's becoming more and more bike-friendly as time goes by. Contraflow bike lanes, signals etc. Heck one of the most famous streets in the USA (Pennsylvania Ave) has bike lanes! In terms of the rest of the things you listed, you can do them. Some might require a bit of a drive, but they're around. Certainly easier to get to the beach if you live in DC than if you live in Wichita.
Entertainment: Kennedy Center, Wolf Trap, 9:30 Club, Verizon Center, countless small bars and music venues. Lots of major bands tour here as well as small acts. Comedians, operas, musicals as well. Lots of movie theaters and art galleries as well.
Dining: Excellent.
Schools: I'll be blunt: DCPS is pretty bad. It's been improving greatly in the past few years and will hopefully sustain that, but it's got a ways to go. The school systems in the rest of the area are all pretty good, although PG County's schools aren't the best.
Safety: It's a big city. That doesn't mean crime is alright, but it's something that comes with the territory. That said, there's a very low chance you'll be the victim of a violent crime. And even if you are, it'll more than likely be robbery. The vast vast vast majority of murders throughout the country happen between people who know each other, and DC is no exception. The surrounding counties are also extremely safe (although Prince George's County has a fair few rough spots).
Traffic: Pretty awful honestly. We usually rank #2 or #3 for the worst traffic in the country, behind LA and NYC (or ahead of NYC sometimes). If you live near work then yeah your commute will be better, but you'll also be paying what feels like the cost of the Iraq War for real estate.
Affordable housing: Going off of that statement, 'affordable housing' is a bit of an oxymoron here in DC. There are some more affordable parts of DC, quite a few in PG County, and quite a few in the outer parts of the other counties. But you'll also have a longer commute and miss out on a lot of the amenities found in big city living. Living near a Metro station, even one on the fringes of the system, can cost a lot.
So yeah, there ya have it, my own thoughts on what you asked about
Although I believe you meant well, you missed my point entirely. I was not asking for a rundown on those items. I am aware of what the area has to offer. I was making a point that the OP's premise that people should be jealous of DC based on the list he produced was a stretch.
I was suggesting that if he wanted to reach his goal of making people "jealous" that maybe he talk about some things that really mattered to people in their everyday lives.
Cheers.
Quote:
Originally Posted by HurricaneDC
The people: I think there are more pricks here than in other big cities, but it's not really epidemic. Obviously the bad experiences stick in your head more.
Outdoors: The metro area has a ton of green space. Dog parks, normal parks, jogging/biking paths, it's really great. Of all the close-in counties, PG County has the least of those if I'm not mistaken, but it still has some.
Recreation: Biker's paradise. And the city's becoming more and more bike-friendly as time goes by. Contraflow bike lanes, signals etc. Heck one of the most famous streets in the USA (Pennsylvania Ave) has bike lanes! In terms of the rest of the things you listed, you can do them. Some might require a bit of a drive, but they're around. Certainly easier to get to the beach if you live in DC than if you live in Wichita.
Entertainment: Kennedy Center, Wolf Trap, 9:30 Club, Verizon Center, countless small bars and music venues. Lots of major bands tour here as well as small acts. Comedians, operas, musicals as well. Lots of movie theaters and art galleries as well.
Dining: Excellent.
Schools: I'll be blunt: DCPS is pretty bad. It's been improving greatly in the past few years and will hopefully sustain that, but it's got a ways to go. The school systems in the rest of the area are all pretty good, although PG County's schools aren't the best.
Safety: It's a big city. That doesn't mean crime is alright, but it's something that comes with the territory. That said, there's a very low chance you'll be the victim of a violent crime. And even if you are, it'll more than likely be robbery. The vast vast vast majority of murders throughout the country happen between people who know each other, and DC is no exception. The surrounding counties are also extremely safe (although Prince George's County has a fair few rough spots).
Traffic: Pretty awful honestly. We usually rank #2 or #3 for the worst traffic in the country, behind LA and NYC (or ahead of NYC sometimes). If you live near work then yeah your commute will be better, but you'll also be paying what feels like the cost of the Iraq War for real estate.
Affordable housing: Going off of that statement, 'affordable housing' is a bit of an oxymoron here in DC. There are some more affordable parts of DC, quite a few in PG County, and quite a few in the outer parts of the other counties. But you'll also have a longer commute and miss out on a lot of the amenities found in big city living. Living near a Metro station, even one on the fringes of the system, can cost a lot.
So yeah, there ya have it, my own thoughts on what you asked about
Of course the cost of housing is high in the D.C. area. Prices go up with demand obviously and so many people are moving here because it's such a desirable place to live, right?
Of course the cost of housing is high in the D.C. area. Prices go up with demand obviously and so many people are moving here because it's such a desirable place to live, right?
Uh yes but I don't get how it's a good thing that the cost is high.
if we could get some high rises then it probably wouldn't be so bad :/
If I had the money I'd just buy a property in Anacostia, like near the Anacostia station. By the time I graduate college it'll probably be what H street was two years ago, meaning I could probably live there safely.
Actually it is a desirable place to work. Most people come here to work. Jobs are good and incomes are high.
Also, scarcity has a lot to do with the high cost of housing here. When you have restrictions on how high you can go up, you create a supply issue with finite land, hence scarcity.
In your original post you were not talking about DC being a desirable place to live, you were suggesting some kind inherent arrogance that should exist because people are jealous of those who live in DC. Not to mention, it seems most agree that your DC "highlights" were things that had little or no value to the average person.
The premise was a bit odd but to each their own I suppose.
If the job market and pay scale in DC were inverted with Denver, Seattle, Miami, San Diego, Phoenix, Austin, Portland, Las Vegas, etc. this would be a ghost town.
Quote:
Originally Posted by BigCityDreamer
Of course the cost of housing is high in the D.C. area. Prices go up with demand obviously and so many people are moving here because it's such a desirable place to live, right?
Last edited by movedoften; 09-21-2010 at 12:54 PM..
Reason: Spelling
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