Washington, DC: Turn-of-the-century rowhouse in historic district 10 blocks from U.S. Capitol building, Supreme Court, etc.
Home Description:
Our 1908 Edwardian brick rowhouse has three bedrooms, a relatively
new kitchen, and lots of "period" architectural details
and furniture. In back is a nice bricked-in patio, great for grilling
and dining al fresco, and detached garage. The basement is a separate
rental unit (known as an "English basement," though
I've never known why. They're fairly common here). I've spent
the past four years fixing up the place, and I like to think it
shows.
The Area:
Despite DC's reputation, we live in a safe residential area with
friendly and diverse neighbors, including lots of families. We've
been here for five very happy years, and plan to raise our kid(s)
here as well.
That said, it is definitely an urban environment, which means it has a lot of personality but can be loud and take a while for placid suburbanites to get used to. Adding to the ruckus is a great deal of redevelopment and restoration of the old buildings in the Capitol Hill area. The city has rebounded dramatically in the past few years, economically and otherwise, and there has been a considerable influx of new residents who are tired of horrendous commutes to the burbs. So there's a lot going on here.
From a tourist's perspective, it would be hard to find a more convenient place to stay. We're within easy walking distance of many of DC's premier tourist attractions, including the Capitol building, the Supreme Court, the Library of Congress and Union Station, where there's a subway (metro) stop. There's also a historic food-and-flea-market nearby that dates back to the mid-1800s, several nice parks, and some really good ethnic restaurants.
A bit further of a walk, or a short metro ride, and you're in the middle of the "mall," the vast expanse of grass, reflecting pools and monuments between the Capitol building and the Lincoln memorial that one inevitably sees in movies about politics. It is rimmed by most of the major Smithsonian Institute museums and a number of other formidable institutions -- including the White House, the U.S. Mint, and more guys selling cheap t-shirts than you will find anywhere else on the planet. All of this constitutes the southern edge of downtown DC, which also has its own attractions beyond just office buildings full of lobbyists.
If you're not a subway kind of person, taxicabs are remarkably affordable here; a ride home from my office near the White House is about $6. Of course, if you're willing to venture out of DC proper, there's the Arlington memorial cemetery, Geore Washington's home at Mount Vernon... well, there are whole books full of the things one can see and do here. If you want to come here we'll give you a good preparatory briefing; we've had enough practice with relatives.
Our church, Washington Community Fellowship, is an interdenominal, Bible-based congregation of about 250, and is just around the corner from our house. They're very welcoming and used to new people - DC is a very transitional town.
Other Particulars:
We're willing to exchange our Jeep Cherokee for a car that can
hold two adults and two young children. Only two caveats: it's
a stick-shift, and you must be prepared to drive in an environment
full of people from all around the world, all of whom drive according
to the laws and customs of their own countries.
We also have two mountain bikes gathering dust in the garage that could definitely use some exercise, TV/VCR, computer, etc. No golf clubs, sorry. Prefer non-smokers and no pets since we have a cat that typically does not accompany us on vacation.
Our Preferred Destination:
We're open to just about anywhere, particularly on the water.
We have always wanted to see the world and haven't yet made much
progress, so make us an offer.
Dates of Exchange:
We're also pretty flexible time-wise, though of course we wouldn't
want to visit Norway in February or Egypt in August. Speaking
of which, FYI: DC is crowded with tourists pretty much all summer,
but August is the worst. Also "spring break" time is
busy. The best times to come are in the late spring and fall,
when the crowds are smaller, the lines are shorter, and DC is
at it's prettiest. And it really is a very beautiful city.
Who We Are:
A fairly orthodox, relatively young Christian family:
Scot - Director of media relations for a major trade association
Noel - Stay-at-home mom who does some internet consulting on the
side
Kirby - almost 2 and ... a handful
Kelly, a new born ... not yet a handful.
Oh yeah, and the cat. Don't worry, you'll never see her as long as you put food in the dish once a day.
Contact:
If you are interested in a home exchange with these people, please
contact them directly by sending email to smontrey@nam.org
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