I Demand To Be Heard

I don't think the Washington Post is going to publish my letter so I shall will do it myself.

The April 8th Weekender article detailing "suggestions for fun before and after home games" made a mistake in glossing over the multitude of restaurants, bars and shops on Capitol Hill. While Ms. Zibart did mention Union Station and the Irish pubs nearby, she left out the much of the SE quadrant of the Hill where the stadium is actually located.

To get to Union Station or the Penn Quarter from RFK Stadium on the Metro, one would have to take the Blue or Orange line to Metro Center and transfer to the Red line and double back. Many of the other suggestions are even further. But Eastern Market and Capitol South are just a few stops away. Ms. Zibart did mention the food stalls at Eastern Market at the end of her article but added nothing about the restaurants and shops on the very same block. She also suggested a visit to the Navy Museum but forgot about 8th Street/Barracks Row, Capitol Hill's new dining district. There was absolutely no mention of the two blocks near Capitol South full of popular restaurants and bars.

One of the main arguments for bringing baseball to DC was to bring revenue to DC. Who needs that revenue more than the very neighborhoods surrounding the temporary ball field? Suggestions to travel out to Rockville for movies or to Clarendon for ethnic food defeat that purpose. It also raises the question: if ticket holders are directed away from the Capitol Hill area to spend their money elsewhere, what will happen to SW and SE businesses when the permanent stadium is built on South Capitol Street?

Let's see an article with real suggestions for activities in the area surrounding the stadium and save lists of places that are metro accessible for the tourists.