Thanks to our blog-friends at YESORNO, I read about this silly article that appears in the current issue of W Magazine.
One of the worst pieces of writing about D.C. ever to be drafted on napkins in the Condé Nast cafeteria, it claims that nightlife in Washington is cleaved in twain, with young republican prepsters at Smith Point on one side and “hipster” (by which, oddly, they seem to mean “ethnically diverse,” but that interesting use of poetic license may be among the least of the factual errors in the piece) progressives at Local 16 on the other.
The two groups intermix at a couple of spots (see map), but there is no room for anybody to enjoy the culture of the city outside the confines of after-work happy hours at hill staffer bars.
Related, we were recently sent a press release recently about what I can only assume was a very scientific and non-biased survey conducted by the PR firm of the world’s fourth largest spirits company. They claimed to interview 100 Washington area bartenders for information about partisanship and drinking. Results included the findings that Democrats tip better (60% to 38%) and are girl-drink drunks (58% to 34%).
I was ready to brush all of as ridiculous, were it not for this one thing that keeps bothering me. After I read this article yesterday afternoon, I went out to a friend’s birthday party. The friend is a progressive political professional. The party was at Local 16. (I tipped well.)
The unsaid truth about DC nite life, is that it’s very racially and economically segregated.
That’s true in a lot of major metros, AC.
I agree with AC in general and I think that would have been a more honest story. Obviously, we know that socioeconomic status and racial identity are tied up with political partisanship, but they are not synonymous and using one as a surrogate for the other is artificial.
It would surprise nobody that a bunch of popped-collar Smith Point fratty types are going to all hang out together, but want nothing to do with my friends and I. That is not, I assume, because we are liberals – which is good because “liberal” is not a universal statement of people I hang out with anyway.
Oh, reporters. Always easier to plan out the story about a social trend that you want to write and pick out the facts to halfway hold it together.
Also, Local 16 is the hotspot for craaaazzzzyyy liberal “ethnic” progressives? umm, really. seems pretty white-bread dupont 30-something to me. I know cause I go and I am one. I love it but it’s hardly “in the hood.” shrugs.
as for smith point, never heard of it. will never go. yawnville. usa.