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Location: YOU are NOT a Washingtonian. YOU are a GENTRIFIER from the CVS, Whole Foods, Starbucks & Condos era.
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[quote=hawkwnd;24598303]
Quote:
Originally Posted by JEB77
There are lots of white-collar workers (banking, insurance, health care) in Boston and Philly; the difference is that there was (and is) a substantial white blue-collar working class in those cities, but not in DC.
Years ago, many, many years ago, I went to college in DC from Philadelphia. One of the things I missed about Philly was its blue collar edge , which DC definitely lacked. Maybe it is an acquired taste, but I think the edginess and grit that comes from the working class neighborhoods helps to give the cty an interesting side that was sorely missing to me in DC. In Philly it results in the Mummers Parade, Italian Market, great neighborhood school rivalries, (which I think are fading today), and an earthiness and a realness that I found missing in DC then and I dare say today. After all, politicians, federal workers and lobbyists are not likely to be very edgy. As I said, maybe an acquired taste but one that makes me appreciate Boston and NYC more than DC. To me DC is great to visit as a tourist attraction but lacking in the diversity that makes a city real.
This is part of many reasons why I chose Philadelphia & Boston over DC.
Also, Philadelphia has the Phillies and Boston has the Red Sox while we had NOTHING for decades other than memories of Senators fans running onto the field in 1971 during the Senators last game over at RFK Stadium.
I really like living in the DC area. I find the people here to be smart and interesting. There's lots of opportunities and now that summer is upon us there's always always something to do. There's a unique energy in the air here. However, I don't think DC is for everyone.
For someone who hasn't gotten their degree yet I'd recommend Philadelphia. Both and Boston and DC are both younger cities but they're both terribly expensive. I recommend going to school in a cheaper city like Philly then after school you can move wherever you want.
Philadelphia is definitley rough around the edges. Yet like DC there's just something in the air. I can't put my finger on it but I get a good vibe whenever I'm in Philly. Its so laid back and chill for such a big city. I can't see myself ever leaving the DC area but if I did I'd probably be Philadelphia bound.
@Wsamon- It depends on what field of event planning you go into, people don't realize just how big this field is. You have so many choices in this field that you can choose from. That your opportunities are endless. I admit when I first started thinking about going into this field I knew pretty much nothing about it until I visited this site. Then when I read everything about event planning through this site, I realized this is my career. I finally found what I love.
Wow, from what you say it sounds kinda plain. It also sounds like its only for someone who has a lot of money. I have a question, and I've asked this on another site but I want to see what you have to say. Is monuments and museums all DC has to offer? Because everything we've talked about it seems that way, to me. Maybe I'm wrong?
@Terrence81- I absolutely agree with you, on everything you said. I am going to go to college in Denver, CO. I'm from Colorado so I know where everything is. Then afterwards I was going to head to the East.
For some reason, I like Philly even though I'm a Penguins fan? I have no idea why I'm always going back to Philly, maybe because its affordable? Or for another reason.
I am really starting to realize that I'm torn between these cities so I really need to visit them in person, so I can actually make a decision. But it also depends on if I get a job in any of these cities after college?
@Wsamon- ... I have a question, and I've asked this on another site but I want to see what you have to say. Is monuments and museums all DC has to offer? Because everything we've talked about it seems that way, to me. Maybe I'm wrong?
The DC metro has a lot to offer. It all depends on what you want. From my experience, there seems to be practically everything you could want in DC (that's not impossible due to weather / terrain), you just have to find it. What exactly do you want?
Personally, I love team sports (watching and playing), concerts (rock & metal), good food with lots of variety, good beer, bars, green things, water, and sun, kind & intelligent people, learning, and more nerdy interests (epic fantasy, technology, stocks) among other things. I have no problem finding any of those things here.
The DC metro has a lot to offer. It all depends on what you want. From my experience, there seems to be practically everything you could want in DC (that's not impossible due to weather / terrain), you just have to find it. What exactly do you want?
Personally, I love team sports (watching and playing), concerts (rock & metal), good food with lots of variety, good beer, bars, green things, water, and sun, kind & intelligent people, learning, and more nerdy interests (epic fantasy, technology, stocks) among other things. I have no problem finding any of those things here.
I like some of the things you do, like sports, concerts (anything), good food (I'm a foodie person) lol, green space, water, mountains, kind & intelligent people, learning, sun, snow, festivals like (food & wine, Christmas & Thanksgiving festivities), outdoor activities, theme parks (we already talked about this), zoos & gardens, walking, traveling, just enough things to do in the area so I don't get bored. Because I get bored real fast.
Also, I'm not a fan of bars or drinking.
Last edited by Hikari616; 06-05-2012 at 09:15 AM..
I like some of the things you do, like sports, concerts (anything), good food (I'm a foodie person) lol, green space, water, mountains, kind & intelligent people, learning, sun, snow, festivals like (food & wine, Christmas & Thanksgiving festivities), outdoor activities, theme parks (we already talked about this), zoos & gardens, walking, traveling, just enough things to do in the area so I don't get bored. Because I get bored real fast.
The D.C. area has all of those things and more. It has lots of restaurants of all kinds, it's very diverse and international, has extensive public transportation, a good zoo (which is free), gardens, green space, river rapids, fishing, kayaking, marinas, hiking, shooting ranges, theme parks, cruises, concert halls, plane and balloon rides, farms, wineries, small and historic towns, mountains and caverns in the west, beaches, bay, islands and ocean to the east, skiing to the north,... etc. IN ADDITION to the largest museum complex and top-notch tourist attractions.
This is why I find D.C. to be one of the most interesting places in the U.S.
Last edited by BigCityDreamer; 06-05-2012 at 11:11 AM..
The D.C. area has all of those things and more. It has lots of restaurants of all kinds, it's very diverse and international, has extensive public transportation, a good zoo (which is free), gardens, green space, river rapids, fishing, kayaking, marinas, hiking, shooting ranges, theme parks, cruises, concert halls, plane and balloon rides, farms, wineries, small and historic towns, mountains and caverns in the west, beaches, bay, islands and ocean to the east, skiing to the north,... etc. IN ADDITION to the largest museum complex and top-notch tourist attractions.
This is why I find D.C. to be one of the most interesting places in the U.S.
I agree with everything you said, I think the only thing that bothers me about DC is the cost. And I don't know if I could live there until after I graduate from college, so I can if how much I make would be enough to live there. Same with the other cities.
Yeah, you'd be fine here as long as you can afford it. If there's one thing that DC has, it's variety. That's one of the reasons I love it here. As BigCityDreamer said, everything that you mentioned is either in the metro or within a couple hours drive. The only thing that might be hurting is that our mountains are pretty tame. They're more like hills that are a couple thousand feet tall. If you're used to the Rockies, it's just not going to be the same, neither is the skiing. They still work well for camping, hiking, etc. Everything else should be great.
The COL is obviously the problem. And yes, if you don't have a decent income and you're not living on campus, I wouldn't suggest moving to DC. This is not the area to try to live on $25k / year. Apparently, neither is Boston. According to the BestPlaces COL calculator, Philly is only slightly more expensive than the US average (100 = US average). DC is substantially more expensive, and Boston is even more so. Housing costs for DC and Boston are about the same, but Boston's rough weather makes their utilities really high, as well as some miscellaneous costs.
Yeah, you'd be fine here as long as you can afford it. If there's one thing that DC has, it's variety. That's one of the reasons I love it here. As BigCityDreamer said, everything that you mentioned is either in the metro or within a couple hours drive. The only thing that might be hurting is that our mountains are pretty tame. They're more like hills that are a couple thousand feet tall. If you're used to the Rockies, it's just not going to be the same, neither is the skiing. They still work well for camping, hiking, etc. Everything else should be great.
The COL is obviously the problem. And yes, if you don't have a decent income and you're not living on campus, I wouldn't suggest moving to DC. This is not the area to try to live on $25k / year. Apparently, neither is Boston. According to the BestPlaces COL calculator, Philly is only slightly more expensive than the US average (100 = US average). DC is substantially more expensive, and Boston is even more so. Housing costs for DC and Boston are about the same, but Boston's rough weather makes their utilities really high, as well as some miscellaneous costs.
Philadelphia 106
DC 135
Boston 154
Thank you all, so very much for your help. I can understand that, no mountains are the same. Because some parts of the country are bigger and some are smaller. And I could always go somewhere else if I want to hit the slopes. I agree
Thats true, I'll keep all of your advice in mind.
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