In a city of few renowned native sons, Colbert I. King stands out. The Washington Post columnist grew up in the West End-Foggy Bottom area and frequently mentions his childhood in his blunt, pull-no-punches accounts of city controversies, bureaucratic failures, and D.C. daily life. (King also writes about national affairs.) In the past, King has recounted a break-in at an important church from his youth, and summer idleness around the neighborhood, among many other references, providing a rare, deeply personal sense of history and transformation in local coverage. Recently, he mentioned Stevens Elementary School, which is slated for closure and which he and several other family members attended, in a column about what should happen to vacated school buildings. His voice earned King the praise of Slate.com media critic Jack Shafer, who proclaimed him “The Best Washington Post Columnist You’ve Never Heard Of.” It also won him the 2003 Pulitzer Prize for commentary for his “against-the-grain columns that speak to people in power with ferocity and wisdom.”
Front-yard square footage is low, but baby-stroller numbers are astronomical, especially in the Dupont Circle area. As long as your kids aren’t walking yet, they’ll have plenty of friends for play dates.
Housing: 4“Urban living at its best” has undoubtedly appeared in thousands of Laptopia real estate listings. But the best is expensive: Even your typical Kalorama condo will cost around a half-million dollars.
Eats: 9This is one of the tastiest slices from the District’s gastronomical pie. Haute options include the Blue Duck Tavern, Vidalia, and Sam & Harry’s. Middle-priced fare, from good Middle Eastern (Bacchus, 1827 Jefferson Place) to good Indian (Heritage India, 1337 Connecticut Ave.) to a fabulous Greek lunch (Greek Deli, 1120 19th St.), is everywhere. And there’s a Baja Fresh on 19th Street just off Dupont Circle.
Consumer Goods: 9So, there’s no Home Depot in Laptopia. The True Value on 17th is just fine for everyday needs. Plus there’s world-class book and record shopping, the city’s only Trader Joe’s, and a Whole Foods within walking distance.
Nightlife and Culture: 7Just west of Dupont Circle is a cute little gallery district with great art and tons of chardonnay. Frat bros, however, may go for the pints available at the happy-hour joints that you’d have to be blotto to miss.
Intangibles: 9Park chess players. Policy wonks. Beer-gulping 20-somethings. Chatty high-school kids. Bums sleeping with their bags. Tourists. Sketch balls. International dignitaries. There’s no better place than the Dupont Circle fountain to see a cross-section of the city.
Comments
3:03 pm
Bacchus has been closed for quite some time; at least a year.
9:11 pm
Despite the massive gentrification a large percentage of the housing stock is still affordable apartments. 75% of Dupont residents are apartment dwellers.