IGX

Agree about baseball, although there is a team in NoVa as well - in Woodbridge iirc where we lived when we were here before.

The commute from anywhere south of Franconia was pretty much ridiculous, and home prices in Alexandria start (even now) around 500k. Our place was $390k and is in a good neighborhood with a decent commute. Made it a no brainer since we were able to be well under our budget as a result - a concept pretty much foreign to today's society IMO.

Turdacious wrote:you'd be dealing with 60-90 minute commute both ways if you lived in close in NoVa.

My commute was a mere 45 minutes when I lived in Alexandria, assuming all of the connections went right. (I'm glad to be done with that.) But that is an advantage that parts of MD have. I had colleagues that lived on the Red Line who had relatively short commutes.

But MD just isn't as nice on average. More of MD is shitty strip-malls. MD's alcohol and gun laws are worse the VA's.

The Crawdaddy wrote:Agree about baseball, although there is a team in NoVa as well - in Woodbridge iirc where we lived when we were here before.

The experience in MD, IMO, is much better. Almost all of the stadiums are better set up (better seating and kids activities) and do better between inning promotions.

The important thing is that you're not living in DC.

Pinky wrote:The important thing is that you're not living in DC.

Absolutely. I can count on my nipples he few decent spots in the district. And since I may have to rent the place for a three-year out of area tour, DC renter's laws made that a non-starter as well.

moving sucks too. This is my 16th, and so far (as they are unloading now) my worst in terms of damage. I keep waiting for my wife to just break down and cry. This is the shit that will force me out of the military sooner vice later.

Ben's Chili Bowl is very good.

Grandpa's Spells wrote:Ben's Chili Bowl is very good.

Thanks Spells. That looks good. Will try it out.

There's a Trinidadian restaurant within a block of Ben's Chili Bowl that is also worth trying. The curry goat and fried eggplant make the lousy service tolerable.

If you are down in upper Virginia:

Weenie Beanie in Shirlington-- like the Chili Bowl but not trendy
Italian Store-- great Italian grinders
Kabob House off of Jeff Davis Hwy-- really good, slightly greasy, Afghan food

If you want good seafood, stay in Maryland. The DC area is not a foodie's paradise-- in DC they add extra taxes making it even less worthwhile. Check out the Silver Diner (small chain) in the MD/VA area for solid upscale diner food with a 50's vibe-- good place to take the family.

Turdacious wrote:The DC area is not a foodie's paradise.

It's pretty good. See the link I posted on the previous page. He doesn't hit everything, but it's the best single guide to food in DC. He also has advice on finding restaurants and ordering that's pretty good.

That Afghan place might be authentic, but they basically give you meat and rice (mostly rice). Middle Eastern restaurants in the area are better for kabobs.

Pinky wrote:

Turdacious wrote:The DC area is not a foodie's paradise.

It's pretty good. See the link I posted on the previous page. He doesn't hit everything, but it's the best single guide to food in DC. He also has advice on finding restaurants and ordering that's pretty good.

That Afghan place might be authentic, but they basically give you meat and rice (mostly rice). Middle Eastern restaurants in the area are better for kabobs.

Unfortunately, DC is kind of average for food-- taxes jack up the prices, and you can't park too far off the beaten path without worrying about getting robbed (if you can find parking at all, and thanks to DC gun laws you're an easy mark if you're not in Georgetown). Chicago, Portland, San Fran, Boston, the Triangle-- all are better for food. Cowan's guide is good, and I've used it-- but between the commute, parking, and high Metro prices, you don't get a lot when all of that is considered. Of course, you're gonna be surrounded with bureaucrats, lawyers, lobbyists, and other sophisticates-- so I may be letting my prejudices color my opinion.

Kabob Palace is pretty average if you get the rice. You can ask for the other sides instead of or in addition to the rice and they'll give them to you. Most of the Pakis and Indians I know recommend the place; it's a good place to try if in the area on business-- but fine dining it ain't.

IMHO, for a night out, Alexandria and Georgetown are the areas to stick to in VA and DC (you can do things there both before and after dinner). Forget driving to Fairfax unless you absolutely have to go-- traffic sucks at all times.

For the discerning IGXer in MD/VA for chili.

http://www.hardtimes.com/

Turdacious wrote:

Pinky wrote:

Turdacious wrote:The DC area is not a foodie's paradise.

It's pretty good. See the link I posted on the previous page. He doesn't hit everything, but it's the best single guide to food in DC. He also has advice on finding restaurants and ordering that's pretty good.

That Afghan place might be authentic, but they basically give you meat and rice (mostly rice). Middle Eastern restaurants in the area are better for kabobs.

Unfortunately, DC is kind of average for food....Forget driving to Fairfax unless you absolutely have to go-- traffic sucks at all times.

You're thinking as someone who visits there, not someone who lives there. The suburbs in VA and MD have the best ethnic food. The disadvantage of the DC area is that finding good food of a certain type isn't as easy as going to the right neighborhood. (Annandale's concentration of Korean food might be the one exception.)

If he's living in some part of MD that's not in the wasteland along the BW Parkway, he'll have no problem finding very good food.

And Georgetown might be the worst of the "nice" neighborhoods to go out in. It's crowded, touristy and has no Metro stops. Once you've seen the stair from "The Exorcist", there's no reason to go back.

You and I obviously look at it differently. I have to have a really good reason to deal with Fairfax Co. traffic-- good food usually doesn't do it, especially if I have to go more than a couple miles off of the freeway. I'd almost rather take the time to go up to the Inner Harbor and get crabs.

Turdacious wrote: I'd almost rather take the time to go up to the Inner Harbor and get crabs.

They supposedly make a shampoo for that Turd! :-"

Srsly though, thx everyone for all the food recs etc. Back to the normal interwebs tomorrow unless the Verizon guy is a complete doofus.

Turdacious wrote:You and I obviously look at it differently. I have to have a really good reason to deal with Fairfax Co. traffic-- good food usually doesn't do it, especially if I have to go more than a couple miles off of the freeway. I'd almost rather take the time to go up to the Inner Harbor and get crabs.

Driving between DC and Baltimore is a sure way to avoid traffic.

I lived in the west end of Alexandria (I.e., the cheap part) and I had more good food than I could eat within 15-20 minutes of my house.

Pinky wrote:

Turdacious wrote:You and I obviously look at it differently. I have to have a really good reason to deal with Fairfax Co. traffic-- good food usually doesn't do it, especially if I have to go more than a couple miles off of the freeway. I'd almost rather take the time to go up to the Inner Harbor and get crabs.

Driving between DC and Baltimore is a sure way to avoid traffic.

I lived in the west end of Alexandria (I.e., the cheap part) and I had more good food than I could eat within 15-20 minutes of my house.

I think I know exactly where you're talking about. I'm a short walk from Del Ray.

The Crawdaddy wrote:

Pinky wrote:The important thing is that you're not living in DC.

Absolutely.

Pretty sure this about settles the Boston > DC argument.

Fuzzy Dunlop wrote:

The Crawdaddy wrote:

Pinky wrote:The important thing is that you're not living in DC.

Absolutely.

Pretty sure this about settles the Boston > DC argument.

Point taken. I was unclear I suppose, since I am working in DC and living in MD. I'd rather live in the DC area (but not in DC proper), that Boston. I think that makes it clear enough for just about anyone.

Turdacious wrote:

Pinky wrote:

Turdacious wrote:You and I obviously look at it differently. I have to have a really good reason to deal with Fairfax Co. traffic-- good food usually doesn't do it, especially if I have to go more than a couple miles off of the freeway. I'd almost rather take the time to go up to the Inner Harbor and get crabs.

Driving between DC and Baltimore is a sure way to avoid traffic.

I lived in the west end of Alexandria (I.e., the cheap part) and I had more good food than I could eat within 15-20 minutes of my house.

I think I know exactly where you're talking about. I'm a short walk from Del Ray.

Annandale is your friend.

Freki wrote:For the discerning IGXer in MD/VA for chili.

http://www.hardtimes.com/

The Worst Toilet in Scottland. as we call it. Decent food, stupid service, good beer.

Turdacious wrote:

Pinky wrote:

Turdacious wrote:You and I obviously look at it differently. I have to have a really good reason to deal with Fairfax Co. traffic-- good food usually doesn't do it, especially if I have to go more than a couple miles off of the freeway. I'd almost rather take the time to go up to the Inner Harbor and get crabs.

Driving between DC and Baltimore is a sure way to avoid traffic.

I lived in the west end of Alexandria (I.e., the cheap part) and I had more good food than I could eat within 15-20 minutes of my house.

I think I know exactly where you're talking about. I'm a short walk from Del Ray.

Are you living in NoVa.?

Yep.

Ok, it's home now. Sitting on the back patio warming up the BGE for some flank steak and grilled pineapple and drinking a Latitude 48 IPA (the best thing I got from Boston).