What Should I Wear In Washington Dc

What should I not do in Washington, D.C.?

Talk about politics. Ha, impossible.Here is a list of things you should NOT do in DC-Have ANY alcohol in your system while operating a vehicle, bike, boat, etc. Seems like common sense but DC has ZERO tolerance for alcohol while operating any type of vehicle so even if you have .01 in your system, you can technically get a DUI whereas in other states you have some buffer before getting one i.e. .08 BAC-Just like NYC, try to avoid chain-restaurants. There aren’t much of them here anyways but the culinary boom is amazing and there are hundreds of great places to eat ranging from casual to fine-dining. There is a reason the Michelin guide decided to include DC…-Break the law or speed - compared to other cities in the country, DC has the strongest presence of law enforcement/government agencies and you could fall under Federal jurisdiction which may mean tougher penalties. Example: commit a crime on the National Mall will likely involve US Park Police which is Federal and not local. Secret Service (non-Presidential protection) also patrols the streets alongside DC Local Police and they do pull people over for traffic violations. There are MANY speed cameras here that bring over $12 million in revenue to the city each year. Some speed cameras are hidden and give out $100-$200 tickets for simple speeding.-If you want to fit in with the typical DC crowd, don’t avoid talking about your job. People are extremely career-driven in this city and are so used to talking about their work all the time. It will come off as weird if you don’t talk about your job or ask about other people’s jobs in most conversations. It’s just the culture of this city.-Do not forget to pay the parking meter - parking tickets are expensive here-Do not wander into neighborhoods you’re not familiar with…especially in NE and SE quadrants. There are unsafe areas with really high crime rates-Do not take your time walking/going up and down escalators during rush hour when riding the Metro…everyone is in a HURRY. And stay to the right on escalators.

What do you hate about Washington, D.C.?

Growing up in the D.C. area, I found it stifling - and not from the humidity (the warm air at night from humidity actually seemed pleasantly comforting). Here is what turned me off the most about D.C. growing up there, and also later in life when I tried to set roots there as an adult professional:Conformity - D.C. is a place that exudes appreciation of conformity. Notably, the houses are all mostly the same boxy, brick colonials. To me, the architecture personifies the culture of conformity; metaphorically it captured how I felt living there: boxed in!Politics - Most people have some professional connection to politics: i.e., working for a government agency; working on the Hill; working to influence a government agency or someone else working on the Hill; or working in law with an emphasis on policy or a regulatory area. If that is your cup of tea, great - but if not, it is hard to get away from that focus.Obssessed with Power and Influence- People in D.C. are obsessed with power and influence; it is the metric of importance and the subtext of what people most chatter about, whether in politics or in any profession.Status Conscious - People care a lot of about status symbols (e.g., where you went to school, what car you drive, what brands you wear). Form matters more than substance to many.Formal -People tend to dress formally (compared to California) and casual attire can raise eyebrows or keep you out of certain places. For example, a man may need a jacket to be even be allowed into a restaurant; as a result, restaurants often keep extra jackets on hand to ensure compliance. A girl can be kicked out of private school for the day for not wearing a belt per the dress code (true story).Basements that Flood- Most homes in the D.C. area have basements, which are nice for extra space, except that, inevitably, at some point they flood in the face of flash storms. You can invest a lot in sump pumps and drainage systems, but those only work to a limited extent.To provide some balance to this dismal picture, there are some positive things about D.C., too, such as: cherry blossoms, the smoky smell of autumn, extensive subway system, free museums, ease of finding a good book club, and more fields of green grass and open sky than you can you find in many cities. However, culturally, you pay a high price for these perks.