Day 2. (Sean Connery Voice) And the Hunt Ish On

Awww yeaa second day in DC (really the first full day if you wanna be picky) and the hunt for an apartment has started.

First off, the metro seems legit as fuck. Getting around has been way chill. I just need to figure out how to get a pass or something.

So on to the hunt!

1st place: In Columbia Heights which I read was an "area in transition" ie in the process of being gentrified. It's more less really nice with random sketchy looking houses and stuff. So the place I go to is more of the latter variety. I talked to the guy on the phone and he already sounded sorta crazy. I show up and I am correct. Picture a cross between Snoop and Willie Nelson. He was this little pale guy with cornrows and an American flag bandanna who said he had lived in the house for 62 years and that his family had owned it since 1927. The guy mumbled a lot and the room was unusual looking to say the least. The bed was white and gold and pink. On the plus side the room had a fridge, sink, microwave, and he said the last guy stole the foreman grill but that he'd get me another one if i moved in. I can't imagine sharing a place with just that guy. I feel like i'd hear the deliverance theme in the background or something. Bizzaro.

2nd place: Petworth, also a community "in transition". I walked there which took the better part of half and hour. On the way I saw a lot of taquerias and other stuff like that. There was a statue that looked like the king of the universe in the katamari damacy games too. Lotta West Indian food in the area also. There's at least 6 places that serve jerk chicken within a mile of the place. Anyways I get there and the lady who runs it is pretty young. It's a group house with this sorta bizarre mix of victorian trappings and just normal stuff. The lady was an interior designer so I would assume thats why. The decorations and stuff struck me as very southern/east coast in that anyone who did interior design in california wouldn't have those sort of couches with the wooden backs and swoopy (http://www.uship.com/listing/show_listingImage.aspx?maxwidth=270&maxheight=210&filename=/static/955a887c-0c9f-4669-8.jpg) and the such. Anyways she was really nice and the place was only 600 bucks and not too far from stuff to do. The room was mad small but of the two places I've seen it is clearly infinitely preferable to the Snoop Nelson house.

Talking to one of my friends who did the UCDC thing I realized the sad reality that if I wanted to live somewhere not terribly sketch the $600-800 range doesn't appear to have much to offer. It seems like if I wanna live downtown ish/Dupont/Adams Morgan or w/e it's gonna be at least a G a month. So essentially my entire stipend! woooooooo....

In any event some quick hits and pics

1. This will be the first time I've lived in a city with more black folks than asian folks. nothing wrong or right with that but I went to Chinatown today to see what was up and saw a whopping 4 asian people. In four blocks or walking only 1 chinese restaurant didn't look like it was intended for the gwailo so I might either eat there a lot or really miss Chinese food. Chinatown here didn't even smell like Chinatown and there was a Texas Chinese BBQ place whatever that means...

2. Beer for lunch! in my depression over lack of Chinese food/people I stopped at a bar which boasted a wide beer selection. 2 Beers in I was pretty buzzed and ended up skipping lunch. Now that is healthy.

3. DC xmas street fair had a fallafel hut staffed by 3 Chinese ladies and an Egyptian man. Sadly their fallafel sandwhich was not very good.

4. Thai restaurants in DC have silly ass names. I've passed one called the Thaitanic and one called Thaiphoon. Awesome.

5. A lot of local DC restaurants (or at least i think they're local) look like Chain stores. Think Panera/Chipotle/Corner Bakery. Not necc bad but just looking at them from the outside I don't expect much really.

Anyways about about to grab some dinner with Mablerrs so stay tuned for more heart pounding action. And pictures!