A Walk Around the Neighborhood

I'm a walker. Sometimes I stroll, sometimes I agitatedly march. Sometimes I glance around and smile at strangers, sometimes I moodily cast my eyes down wishing I was the only person in the whole city. But whatever my mood, walking is the best way to sort through whatever madness is occupying my mind.

In addition to the physical and mental health benefits, an evening constitutional a few nights a week is the best way to get to know your neighborhood. Being a creature of habit, I walk the same path around my block every single time. Which means in every place I've lived, I've gotten to know my immediate area really well.

My love of walks began in California. I used to take the sidewalk all of the way around our small neighborhood multiple times. The weather was always the perfect amount of chilly so that I could wear a light sweatshirt with pockets to keep my iPod in. I especially loved night walks.

Sometimes, I'd even walk to the beach.

There's something so rejuvenating about being the only one with a thinking mind in a world of resting people.

In fact, the later I took my walks, the less likely I was to be bothered with paying attention to cars pulling out of driveways or friendly strangers breaking my concentration with unwelcome, albeit friendly, hellos. This led to my teenage self silently sneaking out at night for perfectly innocent moonlight strolls. However, after I came home one night to a furious mother, I always came back by 11:30pm.

I've never lived anywhere safe enough for late night walks since.

Columbus was different. So much of my travel was on foot, I walked for leisure much less often. When I did, though, the walks were of a completely different nature than those in California.

For one, there were people everywhere. Students spread out in the grass, studying. Frats playing drinking games on front lawns. People-watchers sitting and drinking on roofs. It was your stereotypical college neighborhood.

Beautiful midwestern foliage

After moving to Silver Spring, Maryland from college, I got back into my walking routine. I took a straight shot down a residential street and if it was a weekend, I'd venture into Rock Creek Park a bit. My company along this course was typically joggers in their 40s.

I was even inspired to try running, too. That didn't last long.

Rock Creek National Park

That brings me to today. My route around Capitol Hill certainly rivals my beautiful California path, aesthetically. Pastel row-houses. Meticulously maintained front gardens. Big trees that change colors with the seasons. Plus, the city aspect offers certain elements along the way such as three schools, a community center, and two bodegas.

My walks also feature things that are just so fundamentally DC. I pass FOUR little birdhouse libraries which I stop to browse through every single time. Many houses feature political signs that say things like "We love our neighbors no matter their nationality, gender, race, or sexuality" or "Black Lives Matter" or any number of MLK quotes. Of course candidates are also featured prominently during any election cycle- be it local or national. And most DC of all, this is the time of year when the cherry blossoms start to bloom.

My block. Deceptively upscale-looking, no?

Signs. Signs everywhere. 

I'm maintaining a list of "only in DC" moments I see. One entry:

"Just saw an old man in a 'RESIST' t-shirt, with a martini in one hand and throwing a ball with his granddaughter using the other, in their tiny 16 sq ft front yard."

Classic.

I guess you could see this anywhere but it feels so here.

The final aspect that characterizes the Capitol Hill neighborhood is the demographic. My immediate area is pretty much all young families. I joke that they are the young parents who are stubbornly putting off their inevitable move to the suburbs. But the houses around here have a lot of stairs, no real yards, and the streets are too busy to let kids play unattended. That's my theory why my street has far more strollers than kids running around.

Overall, I've formed an intimate bond with a variety of microcosms.

It makes me wonder what my walks will look like the future. Will I live somewhere rainy and have to invest in some good wellies? Will I live somewhere ungodly hot and be forced to lather on 80spf sunscreen before I leave the house? Will I live somewhere dangerous and be limited to walking around a government compound?

If my life pans out the way I hope it does, I'll get the chance to experience all of the above and more. There's one thing I'm certain about: where ever I end up, I'll always know the few blocks around my house like the back of my hand.