Meats and Foods off Florida NW. Everything there is pretty delicious, but the breakfast burrito in particular is fire

Are there still two Tony's across the street from each other?

After Obama was elected in '08, the city was electric. As one poster mentioned, it was as if a NY-ification of DC began happening almost immediately. The period between the election and inauguration was one big party (bars open all night, celebs in town, a sense of hope and joy among people that I've never seen before). Around this time, DC also became a more attractive destination as a place to live and work. The city itself began to change with an enhanced culinary scene, new neighborhoods on the upswing, more local businesses opening up, etc.

Whether or not Obama's policies lived up to the hype is one's personal preference, and the changes/gentrification in the city had its pros and cons, but this was a very transformative time for DC. Neighborhoods changed drastically (H Street, Shaw, Petworth, Navy Yard, etc.).

These days, the changes are still noticeable, but the atmosphere is different. Parts of DC that were recently pretty great are now interchangeable with Clarendon and other cookie-cutter suburbs. I've also noticed the sense of community in some neighborhoods has vanished a bit. In the H Street area about 10-15 years ago, everyone knew each other, looked out for on another, and it seemed much smaller and community-orientated. Nowadays, that vibe is gone. It's thousands of folks packed into apartment buildings who will never meet their neighbors and who walk briskly down the street with earbuds from one destination to the next. Not saying there is anything wrong with this, it's just different. Couple that with soaring housing costs, and a whole chunk of the population that used to live here is gone.

That went a little off track, but as a transient city--some people stay, some people go. I'm at an age where folks are now in the suburbs, moved elsewhere in the country, or are scattered in different parts of the city.

They explained it to me because I left a tip when I went there for take out. They told me I didn't need to tip since the fee covered that (as well as other things that I can't recall off the top of my head) and offered to take it off. So maybe I'm biased since they pointed this out to me instead of being shady about it. Plus, the folks who work there seem like a good group of people.

I do, however, agree that 20% tipping for take-out is unsustainable in the long run. It was fine during the "take-out only" days, but things have gone back to the illusion of normalcy and folks are dining in again.

The service fee at Little Grand covers the tip.

I hope LCOR doesn't raise the common area electricity fees because of this

Seriously, I feel for younger folks these days. $500 for a festival? $100 for a concert? I remember when Hfstival was $20 and gigs at 9:30 Club rarely exceeded $20-$35. That was only about 15-20 years ago.

You won't actually be crossing the highway if you stay at the Hilton. You'll be walking across a bridge. It might feel cutoff from the Wharf, but it's a 10-15 min walk. Additionally, the area the Hilton is in is closer to the Mall, in case you want to walk around the monuments or visit any of the musuems (most are free - I recommend the Hirshhorn as a must-see. Artechouse isn't part of the Smithsonian and you have to pay, but they sometimes have cool stuff).

Parking, unfortunately, is probably going to be pricey. The only downside of staying at the Hilton is that there are a lack of restraunts in that area. But if you are hanging out around the Wharf, there are a ton of options. If your hotel allows you to leave with your car and come back without paying again, you could drive to Union Market, H Street, or 14th/U Street and probably be able to find street parking. These areas all have a plethora of good food/nightlife options (well, Union Market doesn't have much nightlife).

1. I don't feel like commuting or spending $ on a commute so a bunch of property developers can become wealthier. Their buddies are already charging me outlandish amounts for housing.

2. As much as we like to pretend, Covid is not over. Most buildings and employers do not provide a safe work environment. They refuse to invest in improved air quality measures, and force sick employees into the office. That three-week long super cold you had? It's not a super cold--your immune system has been damaged by Covid infections. Do you think these same employers will give a fuck if you end up disabled? They'll get rid of you and replace you with someone else.

3. We're squandering the unique opportunities Covid provided us as the world began to change. We had our foot on the gas for telework, improved health care, better wages, lower rent, etc., and we're throwing that all away.

I looked into the criminal code revisions. If anything, it enhances penalties, but some folks can't read beyond the headlines, and right-wing talking heads need to keep the "DC is the 9th circle of hell" narrative going to keep folks who will never visit here angry at the "libs."

Depending on your transportation access, I recommend NOVA Cat Clinic in Arlington. It's a vet office, buy they do grooming. The practice's sole focus is cats. It's about 5 minutes up Rt 50/less than 10 from 395 once you cross rhe bridge.