Faves and raves by
Paul Sotoudeh
Sotoudeh is president of the Screaming Eagles, a fan group dedicated to the D.C. United soccer club. The fan group was started in 1995 and includes roughly 1,000 fervent United fans.
PERSONAL STATS
AGE: 36
NUMBER OF YEARS IN D.C.: 36
NEIGHBORHOOD: Bailey’s Crossroads
– Markham Heid
1. FAVORITE NEIGHBORHOOD HANGOUT
Eden Center (6763 Wilson Boulevard, Falls Church) and the beer section at the Alexandria Total Wine store (6240 Little River Turnpike).
2. BEST MODE OF TRANSPORTATION
I don’t know that there is one. Metrorail is great when it works well, which it doesn’t always do. I’ll go with walking.
3. FAVORITE LOCAL SPORTS EVENT
Obviously D.C. United games. Between the four hours of pregame tailgating and the 90 minutes of standing, singing and cheering in the stands, there is no sports experience like it in this area. And I say that as a Caps season ticket holder who has been going to those games for 30 years.
4. BEST MOMENT AS A D.C. UNITED FAN
The 1997 Major League Soccer Cup final, when United repeated as champions before a sold-out RFK [Stadium] crowd. Unforgettable.
5. BEST PLACE FOR LIVE MUSIC
The Black Cat (1811 14th Street NW) in the winter and Fort Reno Park (3800 Donaldson Place NW) in the summer.
6. BEST PLACE FOR OUT-OF-TOWN VISITORS
Gotta walk the monuments and memorials near the river on a nice day.
7. FAVORITE MUSEUM
It’s tough to pick just one around here: the National Gallery of Art, the Phillips Collection and the Newseum.
8. MOST ROMANTIC SPOT
There are tons: FDR, Mount Vernon, the Mall at night or any of the monuments. If you can’t set a romantic mood in D.C., the problem ain’t the city — it’s you.
9. FAVORITE WAY TO SPEND A LAZY SUNDAY
Sleeping in, then tooling around a local neighborhood and grabbing a late lunch.
10. BEN’S CHILI BOWL, OLD EBBITT GRILL OR CAFE MILANO?
Oh come on. It’s Ben’s. No contest.
11. BEST OUT-OF-TOWN RETREAT
Ocean City, Md. People goof on it because it’s not fancy, but that’s what makes it so awesome.
12. BEST INSIDE-THE-BELTWAY RETREAT
Roosevelt Island and the Maryland side of Great Falls Park, even though it’s actually around a half-mile outside the Beltway. Close enough.
13. BEST PLACE FOR LATE-NIGHT EATS
Open City (2331 Calvert Street NW) in Woodley Park.
14. PROUDEST PART OF LIVING IN THE NATION’S CAPITAL
It’s a cheesy thing to say, but this city is symbolic of our nation’s freedom and ideals. I dare anyone to walk the bikepaths along the George Washington Parkway, see the view and not feel a little proud.
15. EMBARRASSING PART OF LIVING IN D.C.
The people who come here for a couple of years and live entirely in “Politics World” rather than experiencing the real D.C. people and culture.
16. PIECE OF MUSIC THAT YOU MOST ASSOCIATE WITH D.C.
“And the Washington Monument (Blinks) Goodnight” by Q and Not U, “Rock Creek Park” by the Blackbyrds, “Spider in the Snow” by the Dismemberment Plan and anything by Chuck Brown.
