No, not that kind. I find myself in the odd position of having grown up in the DC area yet currently knowing very, very little about it. In my defense, it’s been five years since I last lived or spent more than a week here. In my non-defense, even if you’d asked 18-year old me what happens outside of Georgetown and Dupont I would have been all qu’est-ce que c’est que ca? Naming the bars I’ve actually set foot in here would be a one hand counting affair, too. I mean, sure, we had fake IDs in high school, but they were more for house party purchases of things like Marlboro reds and Smirnoff Ice, rather than for getting into bars.
Anyway. Now that I’m older, less enthused by kool-aid flavored vodka-malt beverages, and most importantly in DC again, it’s exciting and embarrassing that I really know nothing about this place. What is this Columbia heights you speak of? This U-street? Are they the east village to the LES? Islington to Dalston? The upper west side masquerading as somewhere cooler? Oh, and wtf is shorts and whose are they?
I’m all bright eyes and bushy tail here, kids. I’ll be learning, exploring, and hopefully writing about my re-education in/of (? I hate prepositions) Washington, which will actually probably be very similar to someone who simply just moved here, except that I understand traffic patterns better.
So! Don’t belittle my ignorance - be informative instead! What are the places/bars/neighborhoods that a wee DC whelp should look into? Very basic, DC 101-level (oh! Does that station still exist?) information, if you will.
Also, I am happily entirely unemployed and have nothing but time to go a-‘sploring, so please give me something to do…
Amanda - WTF? It’s pretty clear what the articles are going to be about.
September 18, 2008 at 12:09 pmi know. I just feel like this single column will be a cliffs notes version of the entire site. no?
September 18, 2008 at 12:21 pmI think it’s going to be amazing! Going to shorts for the first time and not knowing about shorts?
Aside from being honest, it will remind us of the first time we discovered all the things we take for granted now.
September 18, 2008 at 12:27 pmI mean, some girl thought Shorts was a gay frat party. Seriously. That’s amazing.
September 18, 2008 at 12:28 pmLibby - shorts isn’t a gay frat party? The pictures always make it look so.
September 18, 2008 at 12:33 pmIt’s not?
September 18, 2008 at 12:36 pmprobably the same way you are writing for BYT when you don’t even live in DC.
September 18, 2008 at 12:37 pmAmanda. It’s high time somebody told you to shut the fuck up. This is not a joke or one person’s lone thoughts. Shut the fuck up.
Love,
Everybody who reads BYT.
September 18, 2008 at 12:49 pmShorts isn’t a gay frat party?
September 18, 2008 at 1:03 pmShorts is gay being the light-hearted, happy affair that it is. And fraternal. So …
September 18, 2008 at 1:09 pmwho cares what someone thought shorts was? i think leaving shorts out of this re-exploring dc column would be best. as if shorts has anything to do with dc or defining what dc is about even remotely. how fucking silly.
(nothing against shirts, i mean shorts - just seems as if a big deal is being made out of absolutely nothing here)
September 18, 2008 at 1:15 pmShorts is def a gay frat party. I’m sure it’ll be official next time.
September 18, 2008 at 1:22 pmeddie- I used shorts as an example because I had that handy anecdote.
September 18, 2008 at 1:25 pm“Aside from being honest, it will remind us of the first time we discovered all the things we take for granted now”
Libby, it’s all a matter of perspective - depending on where you are from. It took me over a year to overcome the “small town” trauma and I still have to remind myself every now and then that there are also good things about DC. But to be fair, I feel that DC has become more interesting (and more fun) over the past two or three years, and not just because I changed my perspective.
September 18, 2008 at 1:49 pmi must have missed something. and i wasn’t trying to give you shit directly, libby. love.
September 18, 2008 at 1:50 pmanonymous - if you wanna tell someone to fuck off or to shut the fuck up then just do it as you. like i do. now fuck off and shut the fuck up until you grow some balls no matter if your posts are founded or not. i’m nice.
September 18, 2008 at 1:53 pmeddie, you cannot be mean to other commentators.
“fuck off and shut the fuck up” - not nice
and your thoughts on what anonymous said? that was my point, svet
September 18, 2008 at 1:57 pmand at least when i say stuff like that i post as me, not behind some mask like a coward.
September 18, 2008 at 1:59 pmanonymous comments are anonymous comments.
my point is that I am not a fan of posts being hijacked with commentary that has nothing to do with the article content and become tangents of themselves.
does anyone even remember what this post is about at this point?
this is why we are getting a forum!
ok, will stop hijacking the post myself now.
You should wear a mask, eddie because you are U.G.L.Y You ain’t got no alibi, you ugly. you ugly.
September 18, 2008 at 2:01 pmuhoh, eddie. you are missing the sarcasm today!
September 18, 2008 at 2:02 pmit was hijacked before i posted. i totally understand what you are saying, but i saw that and it rubbed me wrong. sorry.
p.s. i was not coming to amanda’s defense by any means; i was just stating what i thought about anonymous, attacking posters.
September 18, 2008 at 2:03 pmMerit: I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to belittle you. I really enjoyed your previous contributions. Check out the Freer Gallery, the Peacock Room always gives me a lift.
Becca: You forgot to mention that I’m not writing about DC, currently, and actually never have. I typically do music related stuff, and now that I’m in Richmond I’m writing about what’s here, similarly to Gret writing about baltimore. Richmond is just less eventful, though I’m working on that.
I love Couch ;)
September 18, 2008 at 2:05 pmcorrection: Greg
September 18, 2008 at 2:30 pm@ michael - shup. my neighbors hate you.
merit, i’m looking forward to reading about your fresh, renewed perspective of dc. -unhijacked-
September 18, 2008 at 2:35 pmeddie: are you saying that michael finally ventured over to your humble abode?
September 18, 2008 at 2:47 pmTop 5 Things I’ve come to “accept” about living in DC
1. Horrible Pizza
2. Dreadful shopping
3. Humid Summers
4. “So what do you do?”
5. Poorly designed subway system
It took a while, but I finally got over these things. But I’ll be damned if I ever have to give up my NY driver’s license.
u know how we do!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
September 18, 2008 at 3:02 pmNew York anxiously awaits your return.
September 18, 2008 at 3:31 pmPatrick,
I really can’t imagine that with all of the amazing choices of pizza in DC that you really find it that horrible. I can name five places that have amazing pizza. All different types, too. You need to try harder in the pizza department.
September 18, 2008 at 3:40 pmDC does have a few good pizza places but I STILL haven’t come across a good pizza place that delivers - any suggestions?
September 18, 2008 at 3:59 pm@patrick: wrong on pizza
there’s pizzeria paradiso in georgetown, italian store in Arlington. I’ve heard good things about matchbox on F around 9th. In cleveland park there’s 2 Amys on wisconsin and macomb (maybe that’s Wesley Heights?) and Vace’s on the connecticut ave side (bangin since I was in high school a billion lightyears ago).
one thing that NYC beats DC on is delivery. food, weed … name it. I can get crushin sushi at my sister’s place in harlem (harlem) w/ no minumum and for nothing extra.
September 18, 2008 at 4:18 pmStephanie,
Manny and Olga’s is my favorite place that delivers. It’s not as good as Pizza Paradiso, but still better than Armand’s.
September 18, 2008 at 4:18 pmAs someone who is too A) poor B) overly employed and C) new in town– basically, lonely, tired, and um lonely– I’ll be living vicariously through your born-again experiences Merit. And …what really IS shorts? I feel sad inside everytime it’s referenced because I have no friggin idea.
This is why I write about books.
September 18, 2008 at 4:53 pmVace’s is the best pizza deal in DC. It also happens to be the best pizza.
I sympathize with Merit, the only bars I went to growing up around here were because of their leniency with fake IDs (Odds, Tequila Grille, Spaghetti Garden). I rarely explored.
September 18, 2008 at 5:01 pmfitsum, what you’ve heard about matchbox is true - outstanding brick-oven-fired pizza. 7th and F nw. too bad they don’t deliver..
does vace’s deliver?
Vace does not deliver but it’s the best pizza around.
September 18, 2008 at 5:24 pmpeter - um, you went to odds “growing up”? jesus, i’m old.
and no, they didn’t have ANY leniency with fake ids (who has even heard of a bar being “lenient” with fake ids?). ‘odds’. psshhh. it should have been called ‘come in here to fight’.
Amanda, you’re call Merit out for, “writing for BYT when you know nothing of DC.”
You then say that it’s okay that you don’t live in DC because you’re “not writing about DC, currently.” and also, “now that I’m in Richmond I’m writing about what’s here.”
But isn’t the point of your new column is that it’s written by someone who is new to Richmond, and trying to figure out what’s good to do there? That sounds exactly like the premise for this column.
Personally, I look forward to what a “relative” outsider has to say about the way things go around here. I’m sure i’ll roll my eyes a lot, but then, i already roll my eyes at a lot of things on this here bsite (that’s short for website!)
p.s. i sure love to roll my eyes!
September 18, 2008 at 5:28 pmchad needs his own weekly column. plz.
September 18, 2008 at 5:47 pmThe delivery pizza in DC is a universal beating and should be avoided if at all possible. That being said, the tastiest delivery pie I’ve had is from Alberto’s, though I don’t think it’s worth the hassle or the expense, followed by Famous Luigi’s on 19th. That whole mess of Manny & Olga’s / Duccini’s / Shithaus Pizza + Wings joints are all a step down. But, seriously, pick up a pizza from Vace.
September 18, 2008 at 5:52 pmi think we’re beating around the bush here on the pizza discussion. Jumbo Slice is an utter abortion.
also, i find the premise to this column dubious. the website specializes in recommending culture and nightlife options to DCists of a certain inclination. what’s really the point in “rediscovering” this stuff? what’s merit going to do? make fun of mcfaddens? not that it WILL be bad, but considering readers are having a debate about something as basic as good pizza in dc, i just don’t see any “re-discovery” in the cards
September 18, 2008 at 6:27 pmbest pizza delivered in this city is moroni brothers. if you don’t know it you should. (former paradiso defectors who started their own place and make a much better crust.)
September 18, 2008 at 7:47 pmI would throw in a shout out for really decent NY style pizza at Radius in Mount Pleasant. I do think we are city short on good NY style and Chicago options. (I’ve never been a fan of Armands either.)
Matchbox’s pizza has just the right kick as the tomato sauce has red pepper flakes in it! And I hear they are opening a second location on or near Barracks Row.
September 18, 2008 at 8:15 pmI love vace! and they have baklava. mmm…
Thank you Dan! That is what i was trying to say. But maybe she will write about the less written about things, like what to do during your day off because we mostly cover night time activities.
September 18, 2008 at 8:53 pmMoroni & Brothers — http://www.moroniandbrothers.com/index.html
they deliver in petworth, columbia heights, adams morgan/mt pleasant but no dupont or west end/ georgetown (sucks for me)
September 18, 2008 at 9:10 pmI think this is a great idea for a column for these reasons:
1. she may have some insights into dc stuff we take for granted
2. I didnt live in dc for like 10 years and then moved back and loved it and wrote about it all the harder
3. taco taco taco taco taco
5. taco taco taco taco taco taco taco taco taco taco
taco taco taco taco taco taco taco taco taco taco
taco taco taco taco taco
Best Pizza (eat in, carry out) in in the city: 2 Amy’s!
September 19, 2008 at 8:52 amvace: best pizza in the city, period.
the fireplace/cobalt/chopsticks/that weird, nameless ethiopian bar that was open til 5: best place to go in 1997 when you’re 16 and don’t even HAVE a fake ID
H st NE: best place to go in 1997 to buy 40s when you’re 16 and don’t even HAVE a fake iD
H st NE: one of the best places to go now for sushi. my, how things have changed.
September 19, 2008 at 10:10 amI think the point of Patrick’s comment was that, unlike nyc, you can’t walk a couple blocks and get a great slice of pizza on the cheap. Many of us have to trek halfway across the city and drop a decent buck for a mediocre slice. It just doesn’t compare. Same thing with Italian food in DC.
And why aren’t there any food carts in this city? I like to get my afternoon fixins from the urine-tainted fingers of a street vendor.
At least we’ve got good Ethiopian.
B, if that’s what Patrick was trying to say, then the complaint would apply to pretty much any place that’s not New York. tho not sure if that applies to Philly. But if you think DC’s bad, try Toronto: their idea of ‘a slice’ comes with pepperoni. if you want cheese only, you’d have to buy a whole pie and ask for it specifically.
You’re right about the ethiopian. we got good ethiopian like ny has good pizza. the ones in new york actually are bland, like they’re trying to appeal to the crowd instead of being authentic.
Yeah, Philly and Jersey also have great pizza and hoagies (yes, I said hoagies you sub-munching wombats). I’m happy with almost any sort of pizza myself, but my palette isn’t especially refined. I never had pizza in Toronto; I was too busy oogling at all the beautiful architecture and people.
Back to the OP, my favorite haunts include marx cafe, dc9, RnR hotel, HR57, and galaxy hut. Columbia Station is pretty relaxing if you go on a weeknight. There are also a bunch of diy venues sprinkled throughout the area (it’s a shame party pit just closed). Does anyone know of a good beer garden?
September 19, 2008 at 6:36 pmMy attempt to parse Patrick: if you like NY-style pizza, DC is a wasteland. I think this is pretty accurate. We destroy a lot of cities for “authentic”, Italian-style pizza. For NY- or Chicago- style though, your options are pretty piss poor.
September 20, 2008 at 1:34 am
how are you writing for BYT when you know nothing of DC? Somehow, I don’t believe you.
September 18, 2008 at 12:00 pm