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Aren't you the same Beth who indicates she is a lesbian looking to move on a thread titled Thinking of Moving? Why are you asking for the single scene in DC when it's really another scene you're looking for?

I'm keeping my options open in terms of where to move. I'm leaning towards DC at this point because of the convenience of the metro system, IT job growth, and yes, the gay community. Sorry I did not clarify that in this thread. Thank you soo much for all the informative responses.

Sorry Beth-the first thing they do in Mt Pleasant is take a test and see if you are pleasant. You would fail. Better stay where you are.

Jeff: what's the rent price like in Mt. Pleasant? In comparison to Adam's Morgan, Dupont, Foggy Bottom, Woodley Park, Logan Circle; how would you rank those areas in terms of fun, safety, convenience, and rental pricing? Thanks.

To everyone who responded with polite helpful responses, thank you very much. For those who consistently respond with personal attacks, I'm just trying to get advice on certain areas that I am thinking about relocating to. If this is a problem, or I am causing you some kind of grief please don't respond.

beth You GO girl! Give them heck!

Hi Beth, I've lived here my whole life and have never felt the need to leave - because I love it so much! I've lived in the city a total of 7 years (2 in college at GW and 5 in SW). I lived in Fairfax when I was in my 20s and HATED IT! But I would say that Arlington/Ballston are a good pick. If you get a job in MD, Bethesda can be quite good also. The good things about DC are that there is country, suburb and city life - lots of things to do like music, arts, restaurants & shopping plus horseback riding and other country /outdoor type activities. The bad things are people can be a bit cool and it can be kind of expensive, but as I said I love it here. My husband moved here from NJ and says we are never moving - he LOVES it here. I would suggest coming here for a few visits and exploring. Hope this helps.

Well, I'm not Jeff, but I can try to help you out with rent and neighborhood info. Mount Pleasant is a great area with a wonderful community feel and a nice, diverse group of residents. The rent there is definitely cheaper than Adams Morgan or Dupont, but it has been climbing steadily in recent years. If you're going to be relying on Metro, Mt. Pleasant might not be the most convenient for you, but if you'll have a car, it will probably be easier to find parking up there. Another similar (and adjacent) neighborhood you should consider is Columbia Heights. It's up and coming with lots of beautiful old homes that are being renovated. A Metro stop just opened in the neighborhood, and some new development is going on as well. It is still less safe than other nearby areas (A-M, Dupont, Mt. P.) but safety seems to be improving. Also check out the U Street corridor - it's north of Logan and east of Dupont/Adams-Morgan and a very fun area with new restaurants and shops opening constantly. Rents are also rising quickly, but you can still find some bargains, and prices are generally lower than Dupont or A-M. As far as ranking the neighborhoods, this is all a matter of personal preference, but here's my opinion: Woodley Park is nice and very safe but not all that fun - or not funky, I should say. Rents are probably a little lower than Dupont, but I'm not totally sure. Foggy Bottom seems like it would be overrun with GW students, but it is a pretty area and has Metro access, etc. Logan Circle is fantastic, but can be somewhat far from Metro, depending on what part you're in. Rent bargains can still be found, but not too often anymore. Dupont and Adams-Morgan are very fun and lively but at this point prohibitively expensive for most people. Also, there's no Metro in A-M. Both are quite safe, although wherever there are hordes of people leaving bars at 2am with money in their pockets, there's bound to be some pickpocketing and mugging, and these areas are no exception. As far as the gay scene goes, Dupont is the center of it, but Logan and U Street are also attracting lots of people from that community who can't afford Dupont anymore. That area does still have some crime issues, but I live there and feel perfectly safe. Hope this helps - you can feel free to e-mail me directly anytime if you have more questions.

Mmmmmm....love is in the air - Beth & Kristin - whatcha think, fordorites?

I live in NVA, about an hour from DC. I'm sure that my 250 year old historic beautiful town would be considered suburbia, but certainly not plastic, thanks much. When you grow up, and/or have kids you'll see suddenly other things (like schools and friends and nature and beauty) become more important than clubs that stay open until 4am and good coffee). As for Alexandria being "suburban", it's got more to offer than probably 80% of the cities that posters live in. It's a great place. Step outside your little concrete box sometime!

Marti: I've lived the suburban life, so, yes, "I've stepped out of the concrete box." I never said that all the suburban areas are plastic. I said that "I do not want to live in plastic surburbia."

Yo, beth "we all know that most of suburbia is clumped up alike."

I certainly didn't say all. Not here for debate.

Hi, Beth. I moved to DC recently. The metro is a good transport system, clean and safe. If you live and work in DC or nearby MD, you most likely don't need a car. Your best resource is washingtonpost.com for rental info and job postings. Plus there are books specifically about moving to DC, look in the travel section. There was also a site where you could actually see pictures of DC neighborhoods but I forgot what it was. Check former fodors posts using "washington dc" as your search as I included it a past posting. The single scene for someone your age and a professional is excellent. Downtown Bethesda (young profs), Adams Morgan (funky), and Georgetown (urban trendy) are good for singles scene. Look also at Chevy Chase, Cleveland Park, Glover Park, Dupont Circle, Capitol Hill to live. NW DC has good communities but can be expensive. There is even a young professionals network here, don't know their email address though. Good luck. I think DC is a good choice. Would be good to know where you are coming from as it makes a difference. I moved here from NY and don't regret it.

Beverly: Do you like DC much better than NYC? What's the main difference aside from the rent pricing. I'm keeping my options open, and currently looking at urban cities for relocation. I did not mention this earlier, but I would also like to live in an area that I would be attracted to settle down in further down the road. I've heard that most people don't settle down in DC. It's a city that most people live in for a couple of yrs. or so. I like NYC, but the drawback includes the cost of living. My maximum that I would like to pay for rent is around 1400/mth. Since you're from NYC, or have lived there, could you please give me some feedback on this subject? Thanks

DC Residents,How's the crowds in DC right now? I'm coming to DC this Thursday thru Sunday and was wondering if School Tours and Tourism has thinned out a little so I don't have to wait too long in lines for all the different sites and museums?! Don't be worried your answers will discourage me cause I'm still coming either way!

Common wisdom, which is almost always common but not always wisdom, is that No.Va. has become a miserable mess of suburban sprawl and that, if you want character, you have to stay in Md. or DC. Common wisdom says that staying in DC is buying into expensive life in an unsafe urban banana republic just to be part of the Capitol Hill circus or the diplomatic circus. Common wisdom says that living in suburban Md. is buying into yuppiedom bigtime, costing lots of money to be in Just the Right neighborhood. About Alexandria: it's surrounded by garden/townhouse/cookie-cutter development sprawl, but it is a historic city in its own right, with its own life aside from the DC circles that can get pretty silly. It's a great little place to live, but not for everyone. There's a lot to like about DC, and you are just the right sort of person to enjoy what it has to offer, at least for a while. Good luck!

Yeah, you want Ballston/Clarendon/Courthouse on the Orange line, for sure. Just go visit for a weekend and you'll see.

Debbie, it isn't as crowded as a few weeks ago, so you should be fine. Beth, assuming you'll be working in DC, live in the city or close in like Arlington. I live just north of Mt Pleasant, in Crestwood, and use the buses on 16th Street or take a long walk to the subway. No need for a car here--just rent when needed. There's so much going on all the time, much of it free.