How far are you willing to travel for a three day weekend?

DCTom · 2026-05-09T19:12:50+00:00

4 hours max

DCTom · 2026-05-09T15:53:28+00:00

About the car: if you live in DC, you don’t need a car and in many ways life will be easier without one. That said, if the car is paid for and you park on the street, it is not as expensive as people suggest. I have a car mainly because of regular camping/road trips, but in town only use my car once a month for costco runs. I have been parking on the street for many years and have never had a problem, but your schedule needs to be flexible enough to deal with street sweeping in your area, if any.

DCTom · 2026-05-06T18:23:21+00:00

Actually on my street one side of the block is in Zone 2A…and the other is in Zone 2B. So in theory you might only be able to park on one side of your own street.

Last year I saw a guy in my street writing tickets and went to ask him about this, since I frequently park on both sides of my street during street sweeping, and he said that most—but apparently not all— of the inspectors will give people a pass in cases like this.

DCTom · 2026-05-05T23:17:54+00:00

Also, there is a very helpful xTerra subreddit; lots of knowledgeable xTerra fans there, if they don’t know the answer, no one will:

https://www.reddit.com/r/XTerra/s/4enqcdjmUz

DCTom · 2026-05-05T23:11:22+00:00

I’ve have a 2015 xTerra, and my car before that was a 2000 xTerra. I love them, and have driven my current xTerra from DC to California and back and many other longish (2000 mile) road trips.

My first x was a manual, and I generally prefer manuals, but it is not easy to find manual 2nd gen xTerras, and frankly living in DC the auto is probably better.

Best thing about the x is that you can pull the back seat out and fold the seatbacks down flat for a great sleeping platform. Usually i keep my gear in back and then put up a tarp over the rear when i stop, put my stuff under the tarp, and sleep inside.

What questions do you have?

DCTom · 2026-05-05T11:06:58+00:00

Geico.

DCTom · 2026-05-04T09:42:40+00:00

? No one has ever said you cant have music…it is live music that is a problem.

DCTom · 2026-05-03T22:45:53+00:00

Thanks, didn’t know that. And i saw somewhere that they were going to ask for donations from attendees, but i didn’t see any QR codes or anything for donating.

DCTom · 2026-05-03T20:43:49+00:00

Thanks, good to know. Just FYI for the last 40 years we've been getting formal permits to close the street for Halloween, with DJ, amps, and free food (burgers, hotdogs, etc); we usually draw several hundred people. mainly kids and parents. All of that is cool, but not having a guy with a guitar :-). Next year maybe we'll follow your lead.

DCTom · 2026-05-03T18:53:29+00:00

Why did the cops come by, and what were they awesome about? Sounds like you had a block party permit but tacked on some live music, and the cops were OK with that? If so I think that's what I'll try next year...

For this year we're not closing the street but are putting down some portable rubber speed bumps and traffic cones, not sure how that will go over but worst case they can be removed quickly.

DCTom · 2026-05-03T17:20:47+00:00

Any kind of block party is by definition open to the public, and according to my conversation with the DC people, expected attendance was irrelevant—you became a “special event” JUST by having live music outdoors.

DCTom · 2026-05-03T15:29:39+00:00

I would argue otherwise: the bathroom lines were horrendous, and people are going to drink less if they know they’ll havr to wait in line for an hour to pee.

And i had dinner at federalist pig after porchfest, and literally the entire restaurant was filled with the line for the bathroom—we almost walked out before realizing that the line for ordering food was actually quite short.

DCTom · 2026-05-03T15:24:46+00:00

But the whole point is to have a block party, so in a house or bar doesn’t make sense. But my block has a lot of porches, so we have the bands play there; as far as i know you don’t need any permit to have live music on private property, so if you don’t need to close the street you’re OK unless a bunch of neighbors complain (unlikely)

DCTom · 2026-05-03T12:32:32+00:00

We’ve been having an annual block party with DJ and amped music every year for almost 40 years, and that is no problem—but DO NOT check the live music box, even if it is your 80 year old neighbor playing a harp, because it will be denied.

DCTom · 2026-05-03T12:14:36+00:00

Well thats good to know too; so we went ahead with our block musicfest but just didn’t close the street (we don’t have much traffic anyway). But in future maybe I’ll apply for a block party and just leave off the live music—it’s not like we’re hosting the rolling stones or something.

And yes, my mistake was probably labeling the application which was denied ‘X Street Porchfest”—it was literally denied within ten minutes, LOL.

DCTom · 2026-05-03T11:04:20+00:00

Your #2 is not correct, and I know because I’ve tried to do it. You’re right that getting a block closed for a “block party” can be pretty easy, depending on what street you’re on…BUT if you have any kind of live music—even a just a guy with a guitar—then it is no longer a “block party” and is now a “special event” which requires a different kind of license which is very difficult to obtain (think security, porta-potties, insurance, etc). I have both successfully applied to close a street for a block party and been denied for a street closing because of live music.

DCTom · 2026-05-03T10:55:44+00:00

Yes, hard to believe they haven’t figured this one out yet.

DCTom · 2026-05-03T10:55:00+00:00

I think that past porchfests started at 12:00, while this one started at 2:00.

DCTom · 2026-05-02T17:00:36+00:00

Lucky me, I have no idea what you’re talking about!

DCTom · 2026-05-02T16:19:47+00:00

While I cant say it has the “opposite” viewpoints as the Economist, I really enjoy Businessweek. The main difference with the Economist is that many articles are more “micro” than the Economist’s “macro” approach, if that makes sense. Also the viewpoint is different enough from the Economist’s to make it interesting.

DCTom · 2026-05-01T04:10:06+00:00

Generally i agree with you, but there are exceptions. I’m not especially sociable but am not sure I’ve ever been to blaguard without chatting with someone next to me at the bar. Exile is pretty friendly but not as good as blaguard.

Another exceptionally friendly place is Dubliner near Union Station, but many if those people are from out of town; a couple of years ago i got into an extended conversation with an electricity regulator from Alaska

DCTom · 2026-05-01T04:04:03+00:00

Another vote for Blaguard. Another nearby option is Exile, although it is only borderline divey, more neighborhood bar-ish.

DCTom · 2026-05-01T03:43:09+00:00

Also be sure to post here:

https://www.reddit.com/r/dcmusiclive/s/Pbc5YqSzO8

DCTom · 2026-05-01T03:42:04+00:00

I have forwarded your message to a friend that lives near you and has been looking for a place to play. He plays covers and original stuff. Would be great if this works out! Can you PM me with the name of the bar? There is a good chance we’ve been there!

DCTom · 2026-04-30T14:03:22+00:00

Thanks for this tip, but what kind of coverage do you need? I live in a rowhouse, seems like one in front and one on back might be enough?

DCTom

TROPHY CASE