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At National Harbor, MD (DC) and Everything is Wicked Expensive!
The Crowing One
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
So, I'm on a business trip to "DC" at the Gaylord Resort in MD outside of DC.
Everything here is wicked expensive. The buffet at dinner is $38 bucks.
I can take a taxi places for $20-30 (which blows, but is acceptable), so if any of you MD/DC forumers are familiar with the area, can you point me towards a liquor store (can't sleep in a strange room without "sedatives"), or food options which won't break my bank?
In short, the whole place is a capitalist complex where everything is wicked expensive (from Boston much?) and I can't seem to find a reasonable place to get food. I hear this is just this area, but I don't believe it.
Any suggestions?
Everything here is wicked expensive. The buffet at dinner is $38 bucks.
I can take a taxi places for $20-30 (which blows, but is acceptable), so if any of you MD/DC forumers are familiar with the area, can you point me towards a liquor store (can't sleep in a strange room without "sedatives"), or food options which won't break my bank?
In short, the whole place is a capitalist complex where everything is wicked expensive (from Boston much?) and I can't seem to find a reasonable place to get food. I hear this is just this area, but I don't believe it.
Any suggestions?
The Crowing One on
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http://maps.google.com/maps?client=safari&q=king+st+and+washington+alexandria&oe=UTF-8&ie=UTF8&hl=en&hq=&hnear=King+St+%26+S+Washington+St,+Alexandria,+Virginia+22314&z=16
Your problem is you're stuck in a compound built to rip-off convention-goers, and there is literally nothing else of interest anywhere near you on that side of the river. I live about 10 minutes away from Old Town, so if you have specific requests of things to check out there let me know.
Edit: here's the info in the water taxi, which is one option for getting from Gaylord to Old Town: http://www.potomacriverboatco.com/national-harbor-schedule.php
Fantastic!
Runningman, well done.
That last paragraph is spot on. I'll do my best to get to Alexandria.
RunningMan is right, National Harbor kinda is a scam. I work right up the road for the Air Force. There's probably a metro bus that comes through, so you might be able to catch that.
Just don't go walking out of National Harbor...it's not exactly peaches and cream outside that area.
I went to a "beer store" last night where I got street cred for buying two Steel Reserve 40s. And ensuring that I'd drink both of them that night. I was the only "white" guy in there. Which sort of makes me want to go back.
This entire place is a scam, but I'm doing $3 drinks at one of the bars, which, for the situation, isn't bad.
I'm down with the ethnic, working-class (it's my fucking job, which makes the irony fucking sweet) but this is ridiculous.
EDIT: If any PAers want to meet up, I'd be down.
Go to Alexandria and enjoy a real downtown! The ferry isn't open that late, 10:30 maybe? Of course, neither is the Metro system on a weekday. Getting a cab to bring you back the five or so miles won't be a problem from there.
If have a large amount of free time one day, the best connection to the Metro system is probably the Eisenhower Ave. Metro stop in Alexandria, Virginia. That's about five miles by car, across the river again.
I'm "in class" until 4:00 everyday. Let's all meet up!
Also, Metro IS open pretty late every night. I want to say midnight at least. The site is easy to find.
And it's not so much about ethnic working class, it's about fucktards that'd sooner mug you than acknowledge you exist. Trust me when I say I speak not out of fear, but of a healthy respect. Just be careful, that's all I'm saying. Anyone who says South East DC/PG Country is safe is lying. It's not like you're guaranteed to get mugged going outside, but its certainly not outside the realm of possibility.
Crowing: If you can get on the Metro you can get to most anywhere else in DC that's going to sell booze at more reasonable prices. If you want nightlife hit up Alexandria, as mentioned, or try to get into Georgetown. In my experience DC is a sort of "ring" system, where there's generally nothing right at the beltway and stuff on both sides of the beltway, with services diminishing the closer you get to the National Mall.
No choice in accommodation.
A kitchen would be fantastic, but that's wishful thinking.
This has all been helpful. I don't know my way around this city very well. Usually my business trips are to Chicago, which (for my New Englander upbringing) is pretty sweet.
That's the idea I got from spending all of five minutes jumping out of a Taxi and then getting right back in. I have little to no interest in getting mugged.
Also: insert DC denizen's ritual contempt for the soul-lessness of Northern Virginia's landscape. It is our New Jersey.
But: it beats the shit out of Nat'l Harbor.
What does that make PG County? I'm almost scared to ask...
That's kind of an unfair comparison -- sure, Somalia doesn't have a functional government, but look on the bright side; at least they don't host the Washington Redskins.
That is your real and sincere problem. That place seems to have been built quite deliberately to keep folks like you trapped and unable to spend money outside of their compound. Old Town is a decent area, without a doubt. I don't like it as much as DC proper, but it still has enough activity to fill some time and will have all the food/liquoring you need from a normal place.
Edit:
Is there a plan for a meet-up tonight? I'm in Arlington and could use a few beers with the PA crowd.
And I turned out fianehagrthhhhpt.
Perhaps you can suggest it to whoever is responsible for accommodations? Tell them how stupidly expensive everything at the Gaylord is and that the Residence Inn is both cheaper (~$145/night vs. $250 - 350/night + $15/day "resort fee") and offers better amenities. I've also heard good things about the Hampton Inn down the street from the Gaylord.
Fuck. Missed all this because I was next door having $3 "happy hour" whiskeys.
Good news is that after 2-3 drinks they started charging me singles for doubles. Which explains my absence.
I'm honestly bummed at the thought of missing another PA gathering.
Heck Yeah! I have no social life out here. Everyone in my office is married, I need friends without kids dammit! I nominate the second week of January we all pick a pub and meet up
-Terry Pratchett
I second the nomination of 2nd week in January.
The floor is open for discuss of which pub? Once decided, I'll make a thread in D&D.
To anyone staying in the National Harbor area: GTFO. Grab a cab or water taxi over to Old Town Alexandria. You'll be way happier, and not nearly as poor. If you have time and are feeling adventurous, take the Metro from King Street come up into Arlington or D.C. There are a number of good places at reasonable prices (at least by Metro DC standards) at Pentagon Row, which is right outside Pentagon City (3 stops up from King Street station) and some of my favorite bars & eateries town can be found in the Rosslyn/Courthouse area as well (3 more stops past Pentagon City).
If you're in D.C. proper then head to the Gallery Place/China Town metro station. It's where the Red line crosses the Green/Yellow. From there it's a short walk to RFD and a number of other decent hangouts. If you like your bars rowdy then Adams Morgan is your neighborhood. Bring ear plugs.
I see a couple of people posting in this thread are the same names who suggesting places to look for apartments when I moved out to D.C. earlier this. Thanks guys! I'm currently living in Arlington, near Crystal City.
Sounds good to me, It's early enough we can find somewhere else to go if we don't like it.
-Terry Pratchett
I'd guess SE