Back on the block
Well, I'm back from my whirlwind trip to D.C. The consensus is that I still love D.C. It was so much calmer and clean than New York. I stayed with my friend who just bought a condo near American University in Tenleytown. I tend to forget how long it has been since I lived in the tri-state area and how much it has changed since I lived there. I didn't recognize anything. It felt like I had never been there before. Everything I once knew was changed. My friend offered me a train ticket, but because of the parking situation around here I declined and drove down. The drive down wasn't too bad, but I think next time I will take public transportation.
So, I had an alright time. He didn't have his furniture yet so it wasn't really comfortable to hang out at his place. Plus, his place was much smaller than what he has bought in the past. I guess you sacrifice space for the convenience of living in the city. I loved his 2 bedroom townhouse in Falls Church. He now has a 1 and den. I've been considering moving back to the D.C. area, but looking at the prices to rent a place I don't know. Of course you get more for your money out there...I would have a washer/dryer, dish washer, parking space, etc. living in the 'burbs. I have to try to get all my ducks in a row and figure out what the next step will be. I know that my plans don't include living in New York after 2012.
We went out to eat every night. He insisted that we go to the Dupont Circle area since he is newly single. I wasn't really impressed with any of the places in the area. Before we headed over there though we went to Gallery Place/Chinatown. Boy has that area changed! It used to be really sketchy when I live there. This was before they built the arena. When I left they were just building the arena. The area has exploded with high end shops and restaurants. A real tourist catch. We ate at La Tasca and had a small plate of tapas. Then we headed over to the have drinks at Zola. Can you say passion mojito? Now, I realize that I had given up on the booze before the trip, but my friend has become a real raging drunk over time. It is sad really. I finally had to stop drinking because I couldn't keep up with him. We actually stayed in Saturday because it was raining (most of the weekend) and because I will still trying to recover from Friday. It was like my liver was mad at me. In any event, I definitely want to revisit Zola and try their food.
Saturday we ate at a place across from his condo called Neisha. I just had Pad Thai and Tom Yum soup. It was just OK.
On Sunday we went to the zoo in the rain and then ventured out to U Street. It is a complete 180 from when I lived there. I had to go over to the H.U. campus then I was curious about Busboys & Poets. I have never seen so many laptops in one place at one time. There was even a woman with special needs using her toes to type on her lap top. The whole scene (not just the woman typing with her toes) kind of freaked me out. The place was huge! We ultimately at across the street at Eatonville. Best decision ever! Food was incredible! I will definitely be back to have lunch at Busboys and dinner at Eatonville again. I also want to try Ben's Next Door which is the sister restaurant to Ben's Chili Bowl and Marvin which is located right next door to Busboys. Believe it or not in all the time I lived in D.C. I never ate at Ben's. Matter of fact, when I lived over there Ben's was the ONLY viable business in the area. Everything else was abandoned. Now the street is lined with shops and restaurants. There is even a Starbucks! With outdoor seating!
Monday I headed back up 95 to come back home and stopped in my old neighborhood. Couldn't believe the area has grown the way it has. They have cut down many of the trees that made the area so attractive and they continue to build out there. They even have a Trader Joe's along Highway 29.
I saw that they had changed one of the local banks to a B of A so I decided to see if I would have better luck closing the account that the New Jersey branch refused to close without me paying them $20. The woman who helped me in Maryland was so helpful and she actually assisted with changing my account to the account I intended to open in the first place AND she reversed the charged that had incurred on the account that the New Jersey branch refused to reverse. Why did it take crossing several state lines to get this done?
I went to my old nail shop and was mortified. I got a pedicure and it was the worst pedi ever! I saw something I had never seen before. They used a cheese grater as a foot scraper! I couldn't believe it. I left feeling disillusioned. It rained most of my drive back and I don't like to drive in the rain, but despite a near miss (there was something in the middle of the road and no one would let me over so I had to come to a stop in the middle lane of 95) I made it back safely.
Got home to discover that there was no hot water or gas because there had been a water main break in the area on Friday. Not sure if no one else in my area had complained but when I called Con Ed (since there were no signs or any other notification) they were surprised that we were affected down in my area. Shortly thereafter Con Ed arrived with the super to check on the issue and by that afternoon we had hot water. Still no gas though because they have to enter each and every apartment to do something before they can restore service.
I have just been chilling since I've been back home. Not anxious to go anywhere. Getting my mind ready to go back to work the week after next.
I woke up early on Sunday (since we didn't party all night Saturday) and watched Charles Stanley. His message was on discipline. It was a powerful message that really touched me because I realized how undisciplined my life has been and why I haven't been able to move forward. I have decided that I need to live a disciplined life which means consistently keeping a schedule for everything from the time I get up in the morning to when I clean the house. This includes eating at a specific time each night, exercising, and even going to church. I need to reinstate discipline in my life in every area.
Speaking of discipline, what about these kids out here flash mobbing? Man, if my mom saw me on one of those tapes she would personally take my ass to the police station and turn me in. I will never forget the story she told about when my brother stole something from a five and dime when he was little. She made him take it back and apologize for stealing it. If you lie you'll steal. If you steal, you'll kill.
So, I had an alright time. He didn't have his furniture yet so it wasn't really comfortable to hang out at his place. Plus, his place was much smaller than what he has bought in the past. I guess you sacrifice space for the convenience of living in the city. I loved his 2 bedroom townhouse in Falls Church. He now has a 1 and den. I've been considering moving back to the D.C. area, but looking at the prices to rent a place I don't know. Of course you get more for your money out there...I would have a washer/dryer, dish washer, parking space, etc. living in the 'burbs. I have to try to get all my ducks in a row and figure out what the next step will be. I know that my plans don't include living in New York after 2012.
We went out to eat every night. He insisted that we go to the Dupont Circle area since he is newly single. I wasn't really impressed with any of the places in the area. Before we headed over there though we went to Gallery Place/Chinatown. Boy has that area changed! It used to be really sketchy when I live there. This was before they built the arena. When I left they were just building the arena. The area has exploded with high end shops and restaurants. A real tourist catch. We ate at La Tasca and had a small plate of tapas. Then we headed over to the have drinks at Zola. Can you say passion mojito? Now, I realize that I had given up on the booze before the trip, but my friend has become a real raging drunk over time. It is sad really. I finally had to stop drinking because I couldn't keep up with him. We actually stayed in Saturday because it was raining (most of the weekend) and because I will still trying to recover from Friday. It was like my liver was mad at me. In any event, I definitely want to revisit Zola and try their food.
Saturday we ate at a place across from his condo called Neisha. I just had Pad Thai and Tom Yum soup. It was just OK.
On Sunday we went to the zoo in the rain and then ventured out to U Street. It is a complete 180 from when I lived there. I had to go over to the H.U. campus then I was curious about Busboys & Poets. I have never seen so many laptops in one place at one time. There was even a woman with special needs using her toes to type on her lap top. The whole scene (not just the woman typing with her toes) kind of freaked me out. The place was huge! We ultimately at across the street at Eatonville. Best decision ever! Food was incredible! I will definitely be back to have lunch at Busboys and dinner at Eatonville again. I also want to try Ben's Next Door which is the sister restaurant to Ben's Chili Bowl and Marvin which is located right next door to Busboys. Believe it or not in all the time I lived in D.C. I never ate at Ben's. Matter of fact, when I lived over there Ben's was the ONLY viable business in the area. Everything else was abandoned. Now the street is lined with shops and restaurants. There is even a Starbucks! With outdoor seating!
Monday I headed back up 95 to come back home and stopped in my old neighborhood. Couldn't believe the area has grown the way it has. They have cut down many of the trees that made the area so attractive and they continue to build out there. They even have a Trader Joe's along Highway 29.
I saw that they had changed one of the local banks to a B of A so I decided to see if I would have better luck closing the account that the New Jersey branch refused to close without me paying them $20. The woman who helped me in Maryland was so helpful and she actually assisted with changing my account to the account I intended to open in the first place AND she reversed the charged that had incurred on the account that the New Jersey branch refused to reverse. Why did it take crossing several state lines to get this done?
I went to my old nail shop and was mortified. I got a pedicure and it was the worst pedi ever! I saw something I had never seen before. They used a cheese grater as a foot scraper! I couldn't believe it. I left feeling disillusioned. It rained most of my drive back and I don't like to drive in the rain, but despite a near miss (there was something in the middle of the road and no one would let me over so I had to come to a stop in the middle lane of 95) I made it back safely.
Got home to discover that there was no hot water or gas because there had been a water main break in the area on Friday. Not sure if no one else in my area had complained but when I called Con Ed (since there were no signs or any other notification) they were surprised that we were affected down in my area. Shortly thereafter Con Ed arrived with the super to check on the issue and by that afternoon we had hot water. Still no gas though because they have to enter each and every apartment to do something before they can restore service.
I have just been chilling since I've been back home. Not anxious to go anywhere. Getting my mind ready to go back to work the week after next.
I woke up early on Sunday (since we didn't party all night Saturday) and watched Charles Stanley. His message was on discipline. It was a powerful message that really touched me because I realized how undisciplined my life has been and why I haven't been able to move forward. I have decided that I need to live a disciplined life which means consistently keeping a schedule for everything from the time I get up in the morning to when I clean the house. This includes eating at a specific time each night, exercising, and even going to church. I need to reinstate discipline in my life in every area.
Speaking of discipline, what about these kids out here flash mobbing? Man, if my mom saw me on one of those tapes she would personally take my ass to the police station and turn me in. I will never forget the story she told about when my brother stole something from a five and dime when he was little. She made him take it back and apologize for stealing it. If you lie you'll steal. If you steal, you'll kill.
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