Hello everyone!
I am a small town girl with a major fascination of D.C. I have visited three
times in the last 3-4 years...two of them for interviews. If you like large
and more grand art museums, I would say visit the National Gallery of Art.
They have the only Leonardo Da Vinci in the nation. I am a very big fan of
art from Antiquity to 18th century.
If you don't want to do a lot of walking and desire something smaller, I
would go with the suggestion for the Phillips collection or Hillwood. I have
heard and read much about these two places, but I haven't visited them yet.
D.C., and the surrounding areas, is an excellent place to experience various
cultural programs and the people. A friend saw the remake of Aida (I think I
spelled it right) at the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts two weeks ago.
Elton John had participated in the development of the musical score. Also,
during that time, D.C. had a major cultural festival featuring folk dances,
music, demonstrations and food from different cultures. The theme, I believe,
was more centered on Asia and the Middle East. I really enjoyed the Beijing
Opera Company. If they come to D.C. soon, and you are in the neighborhood,
please see them!
Since the cultural festival comes along during the middle or end of June,
make sure you have plenty of water because it is mighty hot in D.C. during
that time (hint: buy water bottles from grocery stores to save money).
As far as hotels/motels are concerned, most of them, in and around D.C., may
be more expensive. A week ago, I stayed in the Virginian Suites Hotel on
Arlington Boulevard for $109.00, which is more economical considering the
nearby Holiday Inn and Comfort Inn. They are a privately owned hotel and it
is decent. My suite came with a queen size bed, but all suites have a
kitchenette, optional email and Nintendo (yes, you can even play video games)
usage. There is a little room, the size of a closet, between the bathroom and
the bedroom/den; you can iron your clothes, store them in the chesterdrawers,
or hang them on the rack in that space. There is a walk in closet to hang
your clothes. Arlington is quite congested, so be prepared to be kind of
surrounded by highrises. There is free coffee service, and you also get a
complimentary Washington Post at your door in the morning. Virginia Suites
may be better for a person who may be in town on business, but vacationers
should do well there too. Oh, there is free parking too. The exterior of this
place looks like old brick, a little drab, but the inside is quite nice.
There is a restaurant across the street from Virginia Suites called
MacArthur's Cafe. Now, this restaurant is on the same property as Quality
Inn. It may not look like much from the outside, but it is nice on the
inside. It is a place where you may find business professionals go after work
or for breakfast. The atmosphere can be less noisy, specifically in the
evening, professional, and the lighting is dimmed a bit during dinner hours.
They make really good and thick hamburgers. Oh, I forgot, the staff at
Virginia Suites were very nice and helpful.
Places to avoid: I have talked to quite a few people who live in and around
D.C. I was in Fairfax, VA for a summer camp two weeks ago, then came back to
do an interview in D.C. During that time, I have had wonderful conversations
about the city and the suburban areas. I was told that parts of central D.C.(mostly tourist attraction areas) NW D.C. and some of the suburban areas ( i.e., Mclean, VA ) are fine, but the rest of D.C. can get pretty hairy, if you are not familiar with the surroundings.
If anyone has anything to add about any dangerous areas in and around D.C., please share. I am hoping to gain employment there, and I would like to
become more familiar with the surroundings.
Sincerely,
Merri