Washington, D.C.

[arienette]

Before it's even asked, this is story research.

For anyone who lives in Washington, D.C. tell me about it (in intricate detail). Also, tell me about the newspapers there, the names of them, etc.

I'd very much appreciate it, thank you!

 

[Decayed Angel]

I don't live there but visit a lot

Too late now to give a lot of detail, but: the Washington Post is the main newspaper there, there may be another but the post is world renown.

There is an excellent transportation system, at least compared to anything I have seen before called The Metro. Underground and occasionally above ground light rail system connects much of the city and reaches out into the suburbs. You go down some very long escalators into relatively clean tiled train stations where you can ride across the city for about $2.00 one way.

I try to avoid driving there whenever possible, the driving is tough but the parking is impossible.

dozing off now, if you have some specific things in mind that you want described I can't probably do it if some who lives there doesn't step in.

jim : )

 

[arienette]

Does anyone know of any not so wel known newspapers in D.C.?

 

[Trinique_Fire]

The Washington Blade is a gay newspaper. Did you forget I live only an hour away from DC??

 

[arienette]

The Washington Blade is a gay newspaper. Did you forget I live only an hour away from DC??

Yes, I did forget and that is exactly what I am looking for! Thank you tons.

 

[Trinique_Fire]

Yes, I did forget and that is exactly what I am looking for! Thank you tons.

Of course. The Washington Blade

 

[arienette]

Of course. The Washington Blade

HOORAY FOR SECONDARY CHARACTERS GETTING AN OCCUPATION!

Yahoo?

 

[Trinique_Fire]

HOORAY FOR SECONDARY CHARACTERS GETTING AN OCCUPATION!

Yahoo?

Yes dear.

 

[Guest]

i lived outside of the beltway for seven years.
the post is the most 'read' newspaper. the metro is fine however...traffic is a bitch. im talking two hours to go 30 miles.
there is a cafeteria under the pentagon and under the capitol. the library of congress has a special system of delivering information to the capitol via a special 'private' rail. the white house is pretty damn cool. oh and the department of the treasury ...you can watch them make money (and drool heavily)
the city was built on a grid system. ive forgotten why.
there are museums at every turn and the arlington cemetary is just across the potomic river.
there is a ton of homeless people who live in DC. they will ask for your shoes. its very sad.
what else can i tell you?

 

[arienette]

i lived outside of the beltway for seven years.
the post is the most 'read' newspaper. the metro is fine however...traffic is a bitch. im talking two hours to go 30 miles.
there is a cafeteria under the pentagon and under the capitol. the library of congress has a special system of delivering information to the capitol via a special 'private' rail. the white house is pretty damn cool. oh and the department of the treasury ...you can watch them make money (and drool heavily)
the city was built on a grid system. ive forgotten why.
there are museums at every turn and the arlington cemetary is just across the potomic river.
there is a ton of homeless people who live in DC. they will ask for your shoes. its very sad.
what else can i tell you?

The homeless people thing is great.
You can tell me anything else that you think is worthy of noted. Thank you so much, I could hug you!

 

[Guest]

The homeless people thing is great.
You can tell me anything else that you think is worthy of noted. Thank you so much, I could hug you!

i never could understand why its against the law to dip your feet in the reflecting pool on the 'mall'. they call it a mall, that strip of land between the capitol and the washington monument. this is where the vietnam veterans memorial is. you will find a lot of veterans here. it is very sad and endearing to see them finding names of friends on the wall.
there are also people who sell t-shirts on every corner...and in the spring, there is the cherry blossom festival...
this is where most protests or stagings are held...as they did for the million man march back in '95.
i always thought of the 'mall' as the center of all happenings of DC. if you can find the mall, you can find nearly anything from there.

one thing they have which i thought was pretty cool is the amphibious tours. these are buses that go from land to water. erm... link here...DC Ducks

all in all, DC is a pretty cool place to learn. you can learn about history, just talking to the people who are visiting memorials...alot of them want to talk...

 

[arienette]

i never could understand why its against the law to dip your feet in the reflecting pool on the 'mall'. they call it a mall, that strip of land between the capitol and the washington monument. this is where the vietnam veterans memorial is. you will find a lot of veterans here. it is very sad and endearing to see them finding names of friends on the wall.
there are also people who sell t-shirts on every corner...and in the spring, there is the cherry blossom festival...
this is where most protests or stagings are held...as they did for the million man march back in '95.
i always thought of the 'mall' as the center of all happenings of DC. if you can find the mall, you can find nearly anything from there.

one thing they have which i thought was pretty cool is the amphibious tours. these are buses that go from land to water. erm... link here...DC Ducks

all in all, DC is a pretty cool place to learn. you can learn about history, just talking to the people who are visiting memorials...alot of them want to talk...

Well perfect, now I want to go there!
Can you tell me anything about how it was during the 1970s for the pro-choice rallies and the Roe v. Wade law being passed? I have some stuff already, but you know - caried accounts and whatnot.

 

[Guest]

Well perfect, now I want to go there!
Can you tell me anything about how it was during the 1970s for the pro-choice rallies and the Roe v. Wade law being passed? I have some stuff already, but you know - caried accounts and whatnot.

wow... wish i could help you out there but i was less than 10 yo, so i don't know much about what happened during the 70's and ...i didn't live there until 1992.
sorry kiddo.

 

[arienette]

wow... wish i could help you out there but i was less than 10 yo, so i don't know much about what happened during the 70's and ...i didn't live there until 1992.
sorry kiddo.

It's quite alright. I found a great deal of stuff on Wikipedia, so hopefully that will help. You have helped so much, though; thanks a ton!

 

[privyjo]

Does anyone know of any not so wel known newspapers in D.C.?

There is the Washington Times - very conservative alternative to the more popular Post

The City Paper for folks who got tired of the post and the times - it has offbeat stories and interviews

The washington blade which has been mentioned

Each of the universities - Georgetown, Geoge Washington (puts out By George and The Hatchet (student paper)), American, Catholic, etc. puts out their individual college papers



every ethnic food you can imagine is available - Korean, Japanese, African, Vietnamese, Thai, Chinese, and the freedom fry, etc... and don't forget the street vendors who sell hot dogs, half-smokes, pretzels, etc...

The Kennedy Center offers free plays and musical programs while presenting some very good productions - on and off broadway plays - nice to go there for a play on New Year's Eve...

lots of marches and demonstrations - pro-abortion, anti-abortion, million man march, etc. - wasn't there during the 70's.. lived outside DC for 15 years before leaving the area last fall

metro is great unless you have issues with claustrophobia - during rush hour can be a real bitch to get on and off a train... conductors are supposed to stop trains and unload if they can't get the doors to close because too many people are trying to crowd onto the train... keeps people mindful of not blocking the doors...

good luck on further research - don't know if any of this helped

 

[arienette]

There is the Washington Times - very conservative alternative to the more popular Post

The City Paper for folks who got tired of the post and the times - it has offbeat stories and interviews

The washington blade which has been mentioned

Each of the universities - Georgetown, Geoge Washington (puts out By George and The Hatchet (student paper)), American, Catholic, etc. puts out their individual college papers



every ethnic food you can imagine is available - Korean, Japanese, African, Vietnamese, Thai, Chinese, and the freedom fry, etc... and don't forget the street vendors who sell hot dogs, half-smokes, pretzels, etc...

The Kennedy Center offers free plays and musical programs while presenting some very good productions - on and off broadway plays - nice to go there for a play on New Year's Eve...

lots of marches and demonstrations - pro-abortion, anti-abortion, million man march, etc. - wasn't there during the 70's.. lived outside DC for 15 years before leaving the area last fall

metro is great unless you have issues with claustrophobia - during rush hour can be a real bitch to get on and off a train... conductors are supposed to stop trains and unload if they can't get the doors to close because too many people are trying to crowd onto the train... keeps people mindful of not blocking the doors...

good luck on further research - don't know if any of this helped

Oh it definitely has, thanks. I'm definitely going to do something with the metro; the anecdote you shared alone could make for some interesting play...

I do have a question, though - Half-smokes?

 

[kbate]

Does anyone know of any not so wel known newspapers in D.C.?

The Washington Post - standard mainstream Media - leftish leaning 90%
The Washington Times - second paper - right wing 95%
Times Community Papers - Arthur Arundel's line of local papers each county has its own version. Fairfax, Loudoun, Clarke, Fauquier, etc..
The Blade - Washington area gay paper.
The Winchester Star - 90 minutes west - covers Winchester/shenandoah valley

Those are the regular papers in my area (an hour west of Washington).

***
As far as activities in D.C. The Smithsonian can keep you busy for a lifetime, the holocaust museum, the abomination of an FDR memorial, the Kennedy Center - fine arts, Arlington and the Vietnam Memorial for when you want a ghost. The Cherry Blossom Festival, Rolling Thunder parade, and National Fireworks displays are all worth seeing once or twice. Inaugurations, and national funerals are a show worth seeing.

Shopping in the area is unlimited - with everything in the world being available within a 30 minute drive of the city center.

Food - I prefer Boston for eating, but each area of Washington and environs - has some ethnic food well worth eating - every thing from actual Ethiopian Cous Cous to Tofu express can be found.

Further out - the Blueridge and Virginia Piedmont - some of America's best country. The Potomac and the Bay - if you enjoy water. Only 3 hours from the Ocean if you like beach.

Downtown at night isn't the most exciting, but the duPont circle area hops as does Georgetown. Avoid anything with Anacostia or SouthEast.

Metro is fine if you live within its limits, but useless if you live outside the line's reach. Clean trains - good system. The taxi system always leaves you wondering why you paid what you paid, but they are good as well.

 

[privyjo]

Oh it definitely has, thanks. I'm definitely going to do something with the metro; the anecdote you shared alone could make for some interesting play...

I do have a question, though - Half-smokes?

half-beef, half-pork smoked breakfast sausage is served in a hot dog bun - usually steamed when you buy them from the street venders - and very, very spicey - well, to my tastebuds they were...condiments are same as for hot dogs - chili, onions, mustard, ketchup, maynaise, relish

yes, on the metro you can get mighty, mighty close and familiar with people