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DC Hotel Filter

Andrhia — Thu, 23 May 2013 11:19:34 -0800

Looking for a hotel in the Washington DC area. There are, of course, a lot of special snowflake requirements. So! We're taking our first family road trip down to DC at the end of June! We've already shown the kids National Treasure in preparation for all of the obligatory jokes about stealing the Declaration of Independence. But! We cannot find a hotel that meets all of our requirements. Help, help! Can you suggest one? We would like:

* Very close to a Metro stop, any Metro stop. (Well, maybe not a super seedy one? Or one that is a very long ride into the touristy museums and monuments district? Or on the red line, because construction.)
* The snowflaky bit: we would prefer a room with a king bed and a fold-out sofa, or two queen beds, rather than two double beds. We are territorial sprawlers.
* Maybe a pool that the kids can splash around in? Because swimming is fun! And it will help tired feet to feel better.
* We're kinda hoping to pay around $100 a night, maybe up to $140 if parking and internet are included.

So if you were us, MeFites, where would you stay?

Mission Impossible?

Gringos Without Borders — Tue, 21 May 2013 22:08:48 -0800

Can I make my connecting flight, DC edition. I arrive in Dulles at 12:30 PM on Saturday, May 1 on an international flight. My connecting flight takes off from DCA (Reagan National) at 2:47 PM. Will I be able to make it given distance and traffic?

I am considering not checking in any luggage so that I can get out of Dulles quicker. I will be taking a taxi if that matters.

Best way to get from Northern Virginia to NYC?

alligatorman — Mon, 13 May 2013 14:05:16 -0800

I need to get to NYC on a Friday evening. I work in Tyson's Corner, I live in Arlington, and I will have my car with me. I would rather not drive, and I don't live near the metro. What are my options if the earliest I can leave work is 4PM? Back when I worked in DC, I would take the buses from Union Station, but getting into DC now sounds like it would be a nightmare. I would probably lose a few hours and get into NYC very late. Do I have any other options, other than just driving? Are there any trains that I could take where I could leave my car overnight for a weekend?

Best Jeweler in DC

decathecting — Sat, 04 May 2013 23:11:52 -0800

I've just inherited a really gorgeous, old, very high-quality set of pearls from a family member. In addition to making sure they don't need to be restrung so that I don't accidentally break them, I'd actually like to see about breaking the set apart. Because they have strong sentimental value to many of the women in my family, if I could find a large enough quantity of identical pearls, I'd like to have my one set split into two or three sets to give to other family members, each containing some of the original pearls from my necklace. So my question is, who is the best jeweler in the DC metro area to find out whether such a project is feasible? Cost is not really a factor, at least not at this stage of the process. Thanks!

A week between Cape Cod and NYC (via DC)

brettski — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 03:14:09 -0800

What to see during a spare week in August between leaving Hyannis on a Friday (having had a few days there and before that Boston) and need to be in NYC the following Friday for a long weekend of sightseeing? Wife and I, with two boys 9 and 6 looking to spend a couple of days in Washington during that week too, but what else to do? We don't want to spend whole days driving, will have plenty of city time in Boston, NYC and Washington. Couple of days on the coast would be nice would be nice, but is everything back to normal after Sandy? A national park type place would also be good, but without having to drive a day to get there......

Bonus question - Cape Cod, based in Hyannis for 3 nights - recommendations?

Recommend me some fun comic books with superheroes

selfnoise — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 18:30:42 -0800

What's worth reading from DC or Marvel, or the other guys in the last decade or so? I'm looking for superhero comics written recently enough that I can buy the trades new easily. I'll leave my likes and dislikes below. I like witty writing, interesting art, and comics that don't take themselves too seriously or contain excessive amounts of grim darkness. I'm interested primarily in superhero stuff this time around because I usually don't read much of it, and I'd like a change of pace.

Examples of comics I've liked:
Anything by Warren Ellis/Grant Morrison/Alan Moore/Brian K Vaughn. (If you were thinking of recommending something, I've probably read it, sadly)
Astonishing X-Men (Whedon)
Invincible Iron Fist (The Matt Fraction/Aja one)
Hawkeye (again, Fraction/Aja. My comics guy just sold me this one and it's great)
Scott Pilgrim
Justice League (the old Giffen/DeMatteis version which was sort of jokey)

What I don't like:
Too much melodrama
Grim Darkness
Misogyny/women in refrigerators
Excessively muscley art (you know, like He Man. It's weird)
Excessive retconning shenanigans to the point where I have to spend a lot of time on Wikipedia (hi, DC!)

Basically, I want fun action that doesn't take itself too seriously. I appreciate any recommendations you can offer!

(Oh and please no manga, that's not what I'm feeling like at the moment)

Cooking Classes in DC for my friends

sweetkid — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 12:26:14 -0800

My friends are moving from Brooklyn to DC and I would like to gift them cooking classes in their new area. Any recommendations? A place similar to Brooklyn Kitchen, with diverse classes with a foodie, hip bent is what I'm looking for. Oh and I'd need to give them gift certificates, for something like a one-off class rather than a series (total of $100?).

They don't drink much so a place with a strong alcohol component might work well. They are going to be living in Eastern Market if that helps.

We are limiting ourselves to one penis-shaped item

enlarged to show texture — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 11:08:06 -0800

Non-traditional, non-girly, physically active bachelorette party ideas in the DC area? A couple of friends and I are trying to organize a bachelorette party for our dear friend who lives in the Maryland suburbs of DC. We've already got dinner and post-dinner activities planned, but we're looking for some sort of pre-dinner activity that would be good for a group of about 10 women.

Our friend likes outdoor activities and physical challenges; it's difficult to find something that a) fits those criteria, b) is social, and c) is accommodating of different levels of physical fitness and courage (all of the attendees enjoy physical activity, but not all of them enjoy walking on tightropes 20 feet off the ground and one of the attendees will be rather pregnant).

I thought I had the perfect idea with the low ropes course at Terrapin Adventures, but alas, they are already booked up for the day of the party. Laser tag is a possibility, though unless we're willing to fork over tons of money it seems that we would be thrown in with a bunch of adolescent boys, which is sub-optimal. So, in short, I'm looking for suggestions for activities that:

-Are in the DC area, preferably the Maryland side
-Aren't too expensive (maybe $30/person max)
-Involve some amount of physical exertion and maybe a little bit of adrenaline
-Aren't particularly girly (NO POLE DANCING LESSONS!)
-Facilitate social interaction amongst the participants (and I guess ideally not with strangers)

We're not averse to setting something up ourselves, but it would be much easier if it's something pre-fab.

Have at it, hive mind!

Tell me about some awesome DC public spaces and places.

quadrilaterals — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 07:38:27 -0800

I recently discovered DC's indoor public pools. I also saw the Titanic Memorial for the first time. What other indoor or outdoor public spaces and places am I missing? I feel like I miss things in this city, despite living here for seven years. I just recently learned that Wilson and Takoma have awesome indoor public pools! And recently I've been enjoying running to the lesser known parks, arts, and memorials. What am I missing that's free and DC-specific?

Bonus for out-of-the-way places in NW, like these sculptures in a small park in 16th Street Heights.

Where should we live in the district?

troika — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 12:28:35 -0800

Looking for a good DC apartment building that is relatively quiet and allows cats, 1BR for under $2250/month. My boyfriend and I are looking for a building to live in in Washington, DC. It must not be really loud (not full of partiers), and it must allow cats. We are not looking outside of the district, and we are really only looking at apartment buildings.

Preferably close to a metro stop on the green, yellow, and/or blue lines. Not really picky about neighborhoods, though we do really like Petworth/Park View and Shaw.

There are a LOT of building options out there, and obviously some are way better than others, and . We're hoping to narrow it down. Do you really love where you live? Are there buildings/management companies we should really avoid?

Where can I buy a quality buckwheat pillow?

NikitaNikita — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 19:17:48 -0800

Where can I buy a quality buckwheat pillow in the DC area, or Maryland, or online? Or what do I need to look for to get a good one, and how much should I expect to pay? My aching neck is ready to try something new. My main issue is that my neck feels like it sort of "collapses" at night with most pillows -- the latex one i'm using now is pretty good and was affordable, but sometimes my head slips off of it (or it feels like that at least) and then I'm half off the pillow and my neck is wonky again.

Thanks for your tips and recommendations!

Which neighborhoods should I be considering in the DC area?

Anonymous — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 10:35:22 -0800

I am moving to DC this fall to work in biglaw. The pay is high, but so are my student loans, which I would like to pay off ahead of schedule. Where should I live? Snowflakes within. This fall, I will be moving to DC with my wonderful fiance and our two cats. I will be working in a large law firm. Fiance and I currently live in a medium-sized southern city, but we lived in an expensive city on the east coast while I was attending law school, so I understand how to go about finding an apartment.

Where I do need help is narrowing down our search. Specifically, I need to know what neighborhoods we should be looking in. My employer will pay for a short trip to DC for Fiance and I to apartment hunt, and I would like to know where to start so that the trip will manageable and useful.

Because IAAL I have put our needs and preferences into outline form:

Budget:

- I'll be working in biglaw. So the pay is generous (around $150K), but I will be working crazy hours.

- Fiance does not yet have a job lined up, but for the past couple of years, he has been doing administrative work in local hospitals, making around $20-$30K. He will be looking for a similar job when we move. He will likely be going back to school in the next couple of years for something healthcare-related, but he has no concrete plans yet.

- I have TONS of student loan debt from law school. I would like to put as much of my income as possible toward paying it off, or at least paying it down. Getting rid of my debt as soon as possible is a very serious goal for me. Fiance is extremely supportive of this too.

Transportation:

- My office is right next to the Gallery Place/Chinatown Metro stop, so proximity to the red, yellow, or green line is preferred. Orange and blue are also possible, though. Given that I'll be working a lot, I'm having trouble figuring out how long of a Metro commute is reasonable for me. (Being close enough to work to be able to walk would be lovely, but I don't think it would be worth the expense. Please correct me if I'm wrong, though!)

- We will be bringing one car with us. Fiance may want to use it to commute to work or (eventually) school, but we obviously don't know where either of those will be. We would love it if we didn't have to move again when he starts school, but his plans are still pretty tentative, and he could end up anywhere from Georgetown to somewhere in Baltimore.

Other preferences:

- Fiance and I are both homebodies who go out occasionally, so being close to great restaurants, shops, bars, etc. is not a priority for us. Especially since I know those things come with a price tag in an expensive city. Being close to some conveniences like grocery stores (especially Trader Joe's!) would be helpful.

- Since I'm going to be working all the damn time, I would prioritize having amenities like a dishwasher and washer/dryer over living in a super fun neighborhood. I do love older buildings and places with character, but I think a modern building is more practical for us right now. (Also, we recently spent multiple years in a fourth-floor walkup, and I would prefer not to do that again.)

- Safety is important, but Fiance and I are not hysterical about it. We currently live in a city with a terrible reputation for crime, and we feel very comfortable here.

- We have two indoor cats and would like to adopt a dog in the near future. We do not have kids.

- We've been sharing 1 bedroom apartments for the past few years, and I think we'd like to upgrade to a 2 bedroom or a 1 bedroom with a study. But it doesn't need to be huge. We don't have that much stuff.

TL;DR: flexible budget but trying to keep it low, need easy Metro commute to Chinatown, prefer 1.5-2BR in modern building with good amenities.

I have previously subletted in a large apartment building in Van Ness. That area is definitely on the shortlist this time around, but I want to make sure I'm not missing out on better options. I have seen this question, but I have a bit more budget flexibility than the OP there.

Where else should we be looking? Any specific buildings you're familiar with that would suit our needs?

What should our budget actually be?

Thank you in advance for your guidance and wisdom! Throwaway email: movingtodc13@gmail.com

What's the easy way to get 12V power and ground to test some car parts?

iknowizbirfmark — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 08:10:42 -0800

I've got some car parts I'm selling on eBay, and I need to hook them up to power in order to check a few things and make sure that they work. The items I need to test are mostly gauges and electronics and won't take much power at all. I don't want to mess around with my vehicle's wiring to hook these up. What is the easiest and cheapest way to get 12V power and ground like I would from a car? Is there an easy way to connect the right wires to a cigarette lighter adapter in a car, or can I get something that I can plug in to AC to convert to DC power with the right wiring?

What are some good things to do for a vacation in Washington, DC?

mccarty.tim — Sat, 30 Mar 2013 19:50:47 -0800

How can I best go about having an affordable vacation in Washington, DC over two days? My girlfriend and I are planning on taking a vacation to Washington, DC this summer (so we can get advance tickets and so on), and we were thinking we'd try a bed and breakfast (we've been looking at bedandbreakfast.com, haven't decided on a place yet) and drive ourselves from NJ. We'll probably stay two nights.

We're hoping to find affordable ways to enjoy the vacation. I'm not comfortable naming a specific spending limit, but we're trying to be cost-conscious about this.

So this question has two parts: What's the most practical location to aim for in the inn (located in DC itself, or in a suburb we drive from)? I'm worried parking would be a costly issue in the city. And, what sights/tours/shops are a good idea to check out within college students' budgets?

We're definitely planning on checking out the Smithsonian museums, and maybe the Holocaust museum.

simple electronic ciruit

ortological — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 19:17:17 -0800

I have a circuit whose output drives a beeper(piezoelectric transducer). It beeps at 1200 Hz 3 volts and a duty cycle of 1.5 seconds. I would like to get a DC whenever the beeping starts and 0.0 volts whenever there is no beeping signal. Can anyone help me design a simple circuit to do this? The end goal is to drive a small DC motor that is used to produce vibration in a cell phone. Thanks in advance, Ortological

DC area coin dealer recommendations

raztaj — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 11:27:28 -0800

Might anyone be able to suggest a good coin dealer in the Washington DC area? Looking to price out a variety of coins - a couple of gold coins, silver coins, random hodgepodge of probably worthless foreign coins, and inaugural coins & medals. Although a bit morbidly opportunist, would it be that much wiser to wait and sell a couple of Reagan/Bush and Carter commemorative coins (with all the Franklin Mint certifications) after Carter & Bush eventually pass away?

Restaurant recommendations near Dupont Circle (Washington DC)?

theatro — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 07:25:58 -0800

I moved to DC recently-ish, but haven't explored the restaurant scene very well. Now I have a friend coming to town next week, staying right near the Dupont Circle Metro station, and I could use some recommendations for places to eat. Can any locals help me out? We're both omnivores, and while I'd prefer economical options, I don't think we're averse to considering something pricier if it comes highly recommended.

There was a previous question about Dupont Circle-area eats from 2011, but since the top contender in those answers has apparently closed by now, I'd love to get some more recent input. Please help me be a good host!

Best way to travel from BWI to Dupont circle? Is there parking?

proficiency101 — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 13:34:08 -0800

What is the best way to travel form Baltimore to Dupont circle, DC during the afternoon? Is there parking available around the DC dupont area? Thanks.

What Are Your Rights When a Landlord Wants to Break a Lease?

forkisbetter — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 09:56:25 -0800

Asking for a couple of friends living in Washington, D.C. They signed a lease and put down security deposits to rent a two-bedroom condo with move in on Saturday. The guy just called them and said that he's changed his mind, and he doesn't want to rent the place anymore and he is currently living there. What can they do about it since they haven't actually moved in yet? **All responses assume that You Are Not My Attorney and your advice is not representative legal advice**

I've already tried looking around on the DC tenant's website, but I haven't yet found anything about what you do when it's the landlord rather than the tenant who wants to pre-maturely break the lease.

-Can the landlord even do this? He threatened to lawyer up, but not sure what claim he could possibly have.

-Is it even worth it to go through legal trouble if he is willing to pay back full deposits as well as whatever costs they've incurred? I feel like the landlord has already shown himself to be pretty nutty, and I would be very hesitant to move in at this point myself.

-The dude has their deposits, so unless he gives them back expediently they won't be able to fork out for a new place. Would getting their deposits back from the guy do anything to void their lease/claim to incurred expenses from the landlord?

-The guy is still currently living there, so what to do about that if he doesn't want to move out? Could he be evicted?

Rural resort near to Washington DC for anniversary weekend

fso — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 12:39:24 -0800

My wife and I are moving to DC this summer and it's our first wedding anniversary in late September. I'd like to take her away for a weekend around that time to some sort of beautiful country getaway. I'm open to B&Bs, high-end resorts, anything like that. To give you a sense of what I have in mind, something equivalent to Montebello in Quebec. Just some place quiet and beautiful.

I didn't envision walking down an aisle to the sound of jackhammers

kitkatcathy — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 08:00:25 -0800

Help DC Mefites! Is construction on the Spanish Steps complete? Mr Kitkat and I are scouting places to get married in DC in late April. The Spanish Steps - nearish to Dupont Circle, at 22nd and Decatur (between R and S) - are a big contender but we hear that they were under construction this summer.

Problem is, we currently live in Canada and won't be relocating until, well, April. We found the request for proposal which called for construction to finish by September 10, 2012... but come on, this is DC cgovernment we're talking about here!

Could anyone confirm if there is still construction or roadwork on the Steps? Super extra karma points and our infinite gratitude if anyone would be able to send us a cameraphone snap or two as well.

THANK YOU!

Delicious DC dining with desserts; difficulty: Sunday night.

QuantumMeruit — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 07:56:00 -0800

DC/Northern Virginia experts: The other half and I have our first kid-free date night since, uh...too long. We're flexibile on dining options but I would like to find an awesome dessert place. We wouldn't mind driving someplace separate after dinner. The wrinkle is that this is for Sunday night (with a late start due to babysitting scheduling), and we'd like to avoid cupcakes. Hope us?

Doing DC/Alexandria alone

almostmanda — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 11:38:43 -0800

In April I'll be attending a weeklong conference in Alexandria, VA and will likely be traveling alone. I've never been to DC. What can I do (safely and cheaply) by myself? I'll be staying at the Hilton in Old Town, where the conference is being held. My understanding is that this is pretty close to a major Metro station. I'm also probably going to do a night or two through AirBnB to extend my trip a little longer, but that will probably be in the same area.

Things I like: unique shopping, all manner of amazing food, thrift stores, walking along docks/beaches, bookstores (esp. feminist bookstores), animals (the natural history museum is on my list), people-watching, craft beer, comic book shops, places where I can just sit and read a book.

Things I'm okay skipping: bars, war history, architecture, art, restaurants where single people are out of place.

So, I'd like to hear your recommendations about places I could eat where I won't feel out of place if I'm alone, or things I can explore safely in the evenings/during the weekend. I'm a mid-twenties female with moderate big city experience. I'm good at navigating subways, less so with buses. I'd also appreciate a little guidance on the weather and how to dress appropriately for April.

Martial Arts for Weight Loss

Bulgaroktonos — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 07:20:31 -0800

My wife and I are thinking about starting a martial art to get in shape. Help us figure out what type of martial art we should do and where specifically we should do it in the Washington, DC area. Mrs. Bulgaroktonos and I would like to start exercising. Both of us find exercising really, REALLY boring in many contexts and so we would like to do a martial art because we think it would be fun and occupy us mentally while we exercise (we also both do better when we have some sort of goal other than just "run faster" and we are competitive and, in the case of Mrs. Bulgaroktonos, occasionally bellicose). We don't particularly want to get hurt but we would like the opportunity actually to spar against other people (and each other, in a healthy way). What we don't want is a macho gym atmosphere; we'd like somewhere supportive and helpful where we (as two overweight and out of shape people) will feel comfortable and that will enable us to lose weight in a healthy and enjoyable way.

Questions:

What type of martial art should we be looking for? Karate? Aikido? Something else? Our main goal is losing weight but we would also like to be stronger and more flexible. We'd like something not too challenging for beginners but that is legitimately a workout and that does not only attract people who are already in good shape.

Where specifically (studio? dojo?) should we go in the Washington, DC area? Again, we'd like to feel not-judged and have supportive, knowledgeable instructors who are used to working with potentially self-conscious adult beginners.

Anything else we should be considering?

What's Next?

Mrs. Pterodactyl — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 06:43:29 -0800

I quit my job teaching. Please help give me suggestions for what I should do next. For a variety of very good reasons (MeFi mail me if you're curious) I've quit my job teaching in DCPS after a year and a half and I'm not looking to return to a classroom. I need to figure out what to do next and I need to do it fairly quickly; I'm twenty-eight and, while that's not super old, I'm also past the point where I'm willing to try five jobs in three months. I want a good job that works for me and I'd like to stick with it. I'd appreciate any suggestions based on the following criteria (from most to least important):

In DC or surrounding area

Makes at least $45,000 a year

No more school (I have an undergraduate degree in English and a Master's in Teaching Elementary), at least immediately; I'd be willing to go back in a few years if necessary

Fairly regularly schedule (I'm fine with the occasional late night or weekend but I'd really prefer a standard work week and daytime hours)

Something that lets me use my brain and ideally allows me to work with smart people

Not too much talking on the phone (might sound silly but I HATE talking on the phone; in person or via e-mail are fine but phones are bad for me)

Vague as this is, I think I'd like something with numbers or words or anything that at least lets me think critically/solve problems. If it helps, here are jobs I daydream about (although these might be terrible for me in reality):

Plumber (this seems like it would involve a lot of problem solving although I respect I'm probably wrong also obviously I'd need to go back to school)

Comedian (I enjoy the craft and writing parts of comedy but I don't know how I'd begin and I'm not really into working my way up from being a production assistant or anything)

Speechwriter

Database person of some sort

Something to do with logistics

I'd be willing to keep working in education but not as a classroom teacher (something like a math or reading coach would be okay). I feel like this could either be the beginning of a beautiful adventure or a harrowing ordeal. In the interim I'm applying for temp jobs because I do much better with some structure to my day and I really do prefer to work; I am dedicated and smart and I work really hard and I'd like to find somewhere that those things are valued and where I can really contribute to the work. Any suggestions you have for what jobs or fields I should be applying for and/or how to find jobs and break into them would be very VERY much appreciated!