As I wind down my time here in DC (7 days left) I am reminded of the good, the bad, the ugly and the in between. I’ve spent 5 of the last 6 years here; four in school and one as a real person. No doubt I sort-of became an adult in this fair city – our nation’s Capitol. It’s 24/7 politics, which I love. I’d have to say that really defines the city though in so many ways I’m thankful for that. After all, politics is at the root of how we all live: the rights we have, the qualities we value, the people we help and the people we hurt. I only wish the ripple effect out of DC was 50% greater. I could go on and on about politics, but let me shift to what I do best: Top 10 Lists. So, here it is, my Top Ten Good DC:
10. Cheap public transportation. It’s true that if you’re commuting in from the suburbs cost goes up, by my intra-city commute runs $1.35 each way. Ain’t no problem with that.
9. China Town. It’s like the “big city” of DC, and reminds me so much of the hustle and bustle of Shanghai (only not so much hustle and not so much hustle – in a good way).
8. Raku. Best. Thai Food. Ever. It even beats out Thailand, though I’m not sure if that makes any sense.
7. Tuesday Night Dinner Club. I always know it’s there and the company never ceases to excite me. Tortugitas, you will be missed!
6. American University. Not gonna lie, it’s great to be near your alma mater. Supportive grown-ups, fantastic speakers and $100 to take any class you want.
5. Town. This is probably a relative thing, as the nightlife in DC isn’t exactly eye-popping, but Town has certainly provided some of my most enjoyable evenings in DC.
4. Corcoran Street. This is one of my biggest secrets in DC. I LOVE Corcoran Street in Dupont between 16th and 19th street. Never fails to put a smile on my face. The row houses, the cobblestones, the smiling people...Sometimes I just wander that way when I’m feeling down. Cheers me right up!
3. The National Mall. 20+ Free museums, Americans discovering their own history in person, huge swaths of open space and some incredibly powerful monuments, especially at night.
2. April 15th to May 15th. I challenge you to find a more beautiful city at any time of year (trust me, I’ve already tried). The cherry blossoms are out, the sun is shining, people are happy and the humidity hasn’t started yet.
1. The people. I have the greatest friends and family (read: Robin) on Earth. From happy hours to movie nights to emails with hilarious subject lines, you define my life and make it memorable. You will be missed.
BONUS: Politics Politics Everywhere! Four free daily papers, Senators on the street (aka ugly Hollywood), drab suits paired with boring ties, blackberrys and self-important Hill staffers. YOU WILL BE MISSED!
Let's see...Raku is Chinese, there are no cobblestones on Corcoran, I use the green line at during rush hour wait not longer than 5 minutes for a train, I used to use the red line alot (when I lived on Corcoran St) and non-rush hour times could take up to 15 minutes, I could go on... C'mon man...take some pride in your blog and try to post things that are correct.
ReplyDeleteWow, that's positive. I'm fairly certain the Pad Thai I ordered from Raku is a Thai dish and since I'm Chinese, I'm pretty familiar with Chinese food. I've never waited that long for a red line train and I commute on green every day, almost always waiting longer than 5 minutes for a train. I guess people just have different experiences. Shocking how that happens. God forbid we disagree on things. I'm pretty sure he takes pride in the blog, by the way. Maybe check out the other 100 posts he has written...
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