I think the comments here have already covered most of the small venues... DC doesn't really have much in the way of a metal scene, although the shows we do get tend to be pretty fun (nothing like eating a big slice of pie before a show at the Pie Shop!)

Baltimore is where it's at, although some of the big acts will play the Fillmore in Silver Spring. DC Heavy Metal on Twitter is a good way to find out about upcoming shows.

Increase elevator cleanings. They get really gross really fast, and it's not fair to make people with wheelchairs and strollers get into a filthy box just to use public transit.

Rasika is worth the hype imo, but it can be quite pricy.

For solo dining, I personally love Daikaya's first-floor Ramen shop. You can sit inside if you want to potentially talk to people while sharing a table or sitting at the bar, or you can sit at a picnic table outside for a more personal experience. The ramen is freakin' delicious.

How far out of state?

TBH unless you're really into politics and want to attend a specific rally, inauguration, announcement, etc, we don't have a lot of unique events worth travelling for. The cherry blossoms are nice, of course, and there are some events (Art All Night, the Christmas markets, assorted Halloween stuff) that are really fun, but most cities have their own equivalents of those.

The contrast is what gets me. One moment you'll be immersed in the motion and the noise of the cliff along the shoreline--and then the path turns and heads into the trees. In just a minute, the waves and seabirds have faded to a dull, distant roar, and the wind dies, and you can hear distant songbirds calling in the eternal calm of the woods.

You can avoid tourist traps by not eating at the food trucks on the National Mall, or at any restaurant near the zoo that has a panda on its signage. And maybe avoid Founding Farmers? The food is fine, just kind of overpriced, and it's where everybody brings their out-of-town families when they come to visit

Other than that, there isn't much of a difference between something for tourists vs. something DC residents do. Search this sub's archives for your favorite kinds of food, or food that's going to be in the general part of the city you'll be visiting.

I guess if this is an opportunity for me to shill my favorite spots, Roaming Rooster is my ride-or-die chicken sandwich. If you're going to the White House, Immigrant Food is nice (though thr service can be slow.) Also, stop by the Pie Shop if you're on H Street; sometimes they host bands on the second floor. Nothing better than a big slice of savory pie followed by live music and drinks.

Royal Farms always smells a little like fish to me but man, that is some good chicken. Not sure about the sandwiches, but the chicken itself is quality.

Maybe not the best in the whole city, but it's definitely the best in NW. Excellent broth and large portions.

Paul's closed earlier this year, I'm afraid. They were quite good; I miss them.

If you find yourself in Cleveland Park, try Dolan Uygher! There aren't many Uygher restaurants here in the US, so it's certainly unique. There are plenty of minimally-spicy dishes on the menu, and you may find that it hits the sweet spot between familiar (they have meat pies and fried rice) and novel (the black fungus salad, hand-pulled noodles and pumpkin buns are all delicious.)

Or a new government office. I used to have a contract like this, but none of the feds ever took advantage of the late start (unless the weather was truly unreasonable) so for me, both work and pay carried on as normal. No big deal.

They want to be hamsters... but have no cheek pouches. They want to be squirrels, but have no sense of balance. They want to be moles, but they're not very good at building tunnels that don't collapse.

It's the price of bring a generalist, I guess.

If someone has come to your place, it's expected that they'll get back the same way they came. If you want to be really nice, and you live far out in the suburbs, you could offer to drive them to the closest metro stop--we have some friends who do that and it's very much appreciated. But you should not feel obligated to offer a ride that you don't really want to give.

If you and a bunch of friends are all meeting up at a location that isn't your place, and everyone's arriving or going home at the same time, it's kind (but again, not expected) to offer to pick someone up or drop off at their house, or a metro station, if it's a short detour for you. This is especially true for a potluck or other event where people will be bringing a lot of stuff; it's a pain to haul around on public transit.

You will likely get people reaching out when they need to move apartments... because let's face it, trying to do that without a car is a huge drag. It's always okay to refuse--just say you're busy that day-- but helping a friend move can do a lot to solidify the friendship.

It's all well and good until something goes wrong--a house fire from DIY electrical work, a flood from shoddy plumbing, etc--and the "tenants" try to get compensated, but find themselves plunged into a legal mess because they can't even prove that their "landlord" owns the property.

I hate overly-nosy neighbors too, but honestly, having lived in a wannabe slumlord's property for a while, I would much rather have been prevented from moving in at all... which would have happened if our neighbors had known what was going on and taken action. Living there was no fun.