A Black Hole of Happiness

[Replaced_Texan]

Originally posted by Tyrone Slothrop
A blogger says:

• We've just this week seemed to have commenced in earnest the awful DC tradition of 90+ degree days with high, high humidity. The trouble with the terrible DC summer, however, is that it's hard to sum up in one simple statistic.
  
  The heat is bad, yes, but it's also the humidity. But there are more hot-and-humid cities out there -- Atlanta, say. What makes DC different is its aspiration to be a northeastern-style walkable urban center where you can walk four blocks, get on a Metro, ride a way, then find yourself just a four block walk from, say, some destination somewhere. Which is fine, except you wind up arriving for your work-related event looked sweaty and ridiculous. All of which could be mitigated by attire except that DC is also one of the most formal of American cities at this point. I'll always remember this July 12 breakfast with Chuck Schumer from last summer for exactly how uncomfortable everyone (the Senator included) looked in our jackets and ties and wondering who, exactly, we were all trying to impress by dressing like that?

Do people in other hot and humid cities drive more? Wear less formal clothes? Is DC really one of the most formal of American cities at this point?

Dunno about other hot and humid cities, but the downtown office buildings in this one are all connected by an underground tunnel system so you never have to leave air conditioning to get from one building to the next. Most of the buildings in the med center are also connected by tunnel or skywalk.

Otherwise, we're a city of 600 square miles, bigger than the stae of Rhode Island. It's ridiculous to think that we wouldn't be driving pretty much everywhere.

I generally carry a sweater with me most places in the summer, because I'm usually just going from one overly air conditioned box to another.

[Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)]

Originally posted by Tyrone Slothrop


Do people in other hot and humid cities drive more? Wear less formal clothes? Is DC really one of the most formal of American cities at this point?

What city, either to the south or the west of DC, has a better public transit system? The only two I can think of as possibilities are Atlanta and Miami, and I'm guessing that in neither of these are people using public transit more than in DC. And in Miami, doesn't everyone wear bathing suits everywhere, including to court?

[greatwhitenorthchick]

Originally posted by Tyrone Slothrop

Do people in other hot and humid cities drive more? Wear less formal clothes? Is DC really one of the most formal of American cities at this point?

People are not particularly formal in New York (at least in my observation), and today it is a balmy 92, with humidity of 53%, so I think that qualifies as hot and humid. So today I am wearing a sundress. I am not sure I would be able to get away with this skimpy look in DC.

[Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)]

Originally posted by greatwhitenorthchick
I am not sure I would be able to get away with this skimpy look in DC.

You? I doubt anyone would complain . . .

[notcasesensitive]

Originally posted by Replaced_Texan
Dunno about other hot and humid cities, but the downtown office buildings in this one are all connected by an underground tunnel system so you never have to leave air conditioning to get from one building to the next. Most of the buildings in the med center are also connected by tunnel or skywalk.

Otherwise, we're a city of 600 square miles, bigger than the stae of Rhode Island. It's ridiculous to think that we wouldn't be driving pretty much everywhere.

I generally carry a sweater with me most places in the summer, because I'm usually just going from one overly air conditioned box to another.

When I used to live in Texas, I used to have business trips to Houston every summer for some reason (and to Chicago during the winter!). One time I stayed in some small boutique downtown hotel (with very hard beds) called something like The Lancaster and the partner I was travelling with was an older guy (late 60's) who was in pretty good shape for his age. For whatever reason, we ended up walking in suits from our office building to our hotel during the middle of the day, carrying our luggage (well, I was rolling mine). It must have been about a 6 or 8 block walk. By the time we made it to the hotel, I thought I was going to have to take the partner dude to the hospital. He did not handle the July, 97 degrees and humid walk across town very well at all.

This story has no point. Other than that we should have hailed a cab, apparently. And I will feel a bit stupid if you tell me that the hotel was connected to my office building by tunnels.

[SlaveNoMore]

greatwhitenorthchick
People are not particularly formal in New York (at least in my observation)

Dissent.

Having spent nearly the last 4 years on the Left Coast (is it that long? Good friggin' lord), I was utterly amazed last month at how formal NYC looked during the business week.

[Replaced_Texan]

Originally posted by notcasesensitive
When I used to live in Texas, I used to have business trips to Houston every summer for some reason (and to Chicago during the winter!). One time I stayed in some small boutique downtown hotel (with very hard beds) called something like The Lancaster and the partner I was travelling with was an older guy (late 60's) who was in pretty good shape for his age. For whatever reason, we ended up walking in suits from our office building to our hotel during the middle of the day, carrying our luggage (well, I was rolling mine). It must have been about a 6 or 8 block walk. By the time we made it to the hotel, I thought I was going to have to take the partner dude to the hospital. He did not handle the July, 97 degrees and humid walk across town very well at all.

This story has no point. Other than that we should have hailed a cab, apparently. And I will feel a bit stupid if you tell me that the hotel was connected to my office building by tunnels.

Well, the building next door is connected by tunnel. You could have probably made it all but 50 feet or so in air conditioning.

[ltl/fb]

Originally posted by SlaveNoMore
Dissent.

Having spent nearly the last 4 years on the Left Coast (is it that long? Good friggin' lord), I was utterly amazed last month at how formal NYC looked during the business week.

DC has always seemed really formal to me, but I have never compared it to NYC. In DC it seems like it's rare to see anyone NOT in a suit, unless that person is obviously a tourist.

[John Phoenix]

Originally posted by Tyrone Slothrop
Do people in other hot and humid cities drive more? Wear less formal clothes? Is DC really one of the most formal of American cities at this point?

In Houston, they drive a lot more. At a deposition, the first thing all of the local lawyers asked each other was where they parked. And there is a ton of stuff underground - seemingly endless tunnels with restaurants and food courts. When I was there, they were just putting in a light rail system, and, from the reactions I saw when bringing up the issue, it was not going to see much use. Seeing that I was there in December one time, and it was still humid, I can understand why.

[pony_trekker]

Originally posted by Tyrone Slothrop
A blogger says:

• We've just this week seemed to have commenced in earnest the awful DC tradition of 90+ degree days with high, high humidity. The trouble with the terrible DC summer, however, is that it's hard to sum up in one simple statistic.
  
  The heat is bad, yes, but it's also the humidity. But there are more hot-and-humid cities out there -- Atlanta, say. What makes DC different is its aspiration to be a northeastern-style walkable urban center where you can walk four blocks, get on a Metro, ride a way, then find yourself just a four block walk from, say, some destination somewhere. Which is fine, except you wind up arriving for your work-related event looked sweaty and ridiculous. All of which could be mitigated by attire except that DC is also one of the most formal of American cities at this point. I'll always remember this July 12 breakfast with Chuck Schumer from last summer for exactly how uncomfortable everyone (the Senator included) looked in our jackets and ties and wondering who, exactly, we were all trying to impress by dressing like that?

Do people in other hot and humid cities drive more? Wear less formal clothes? Is DC really one of the most formal of American cities at this point?

I make it a point to drive into NYC during July and August, to avoid the 130 degree train stations and because traffic is so light it takes me 1/4 of the time.

However, for those of us committed to suits, I invite you to try summer poplin, 50s broadcloth shirts and oxford boxers.

[greatwhitenorthchick]

Originally posted by SlaveNoMore
Dissent.

Having spent nearly the last 4 years on the Left Coast (is it that long? Good friggin' lord), I was utterly amazed last month at how formal NYC looked during the business week.

Yes, I meant relatively speaking. Of course CA is less formal.

[John Phoenix]

Originally posted by pony_trekker
However, for those of us committed to suits, I invite you to try summer poplin, 50s broadcloth shirts and oxford boxers.

Do you wear that in court?

[pony_trekker]

Originally posted by John Phoenix
Do you wear that in court?

Indeed. If it's hot. If it's a 78 degree crisp nonhumid day, I'll switch back to wool.

[John Phoenix]

Originally posted by pony_trekker
Indeed. If it's hot. If it's a 78 degree crisp nonhumid day, I'll switch back to wool.

If only I knew. Black wool suits, even if they're Brooks Brothers' summer weight, don't exactly keep you cool and comfortable.

[NotFromHere]

Originally posted by SlaveNoMore
Dissent.

Having spent nearly the last 4 years on the Left Coast (is it that long? Good friggin' lord), I was utterly amazed last month at how formal NYC looked during the business week.

So, are you saying you've assimilated?