I think Silver Spring's nightlife is a little overrated, but I would put it above Bethesda's, and obviously it's closer to Takoma Park. It's also pretty easy to get to parts of the city with a lot of restaurants and bars from there.

In the city you could look at Columbia Heights and Park View but getting 650 square feet with parking for under $2100 is going to be tough. You'll also get varying opinions about safety there.

Overall, I'd probably go with Silver Spring.