City living
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2/24/2012
Some people refer to living 'inside the Beltway' as if it's a bad thing- but they don't know what they are missing. The worst of the traffic, for a start: if you live all the way inside the Beltway- in the city- you miss most of the DC area traffic (worst in the nation). But you also gain a lot. In 2 minutes I can be on a bus that will take me to nearly the front door of most of DCs best attractions. In 10 minutes I can be on the metro, which is clean and safe. I live on a street with plenty of trees and sidewalks, where neighbors sit out on their front porches and stop to chat in the streets- if the houses were bigger you would think you were in the suburbs. But at the end of the block there is a grocery store, CVS, library, post office, dry cleaner, video store, several restaurants that range from tiny cafe to tablecloths, and a range of small, independent shops. People actually sit and visit on the benches that line the streets. It's a real neighborhood- with all the opportunities of a big city: concerts, plays, museums, and events ranging from the political to the nonsensical. It is a beautiful city, and people really take advantage of it- walking, running and biking on the tow paths along the Canal, through Rock Creek Park, around the Memorials. There are formal and informal leagues for just about every sport you can imagine. And the food: every kind of food, from every corner of the world, at every price point. Big city benefits with a home town feel: DC definitely has it all!
Katy | Washington, DC