Now I don’t want you DCists to feel intimidated. Sure, Seattle has the ocean. And the Space Needle. And a reputation for good food and good living. And amazing coffee to be found in even the most unassuming of coffeeshops. Never fear, DC! I am sure all the good-natured hopped-up-on-cappuccino culture in Seattle will not even be able to hold a candle to our historic and sometimes staid nation’s capital. Am I?

What I’m hoping to get a handle on in Seattle is what I want from any city–eye contact, free or cheap cultural offerings, easy public transportation, and good weather.

On this scale, DC has mediocre eye contact, due to the mix of North and South (you know which one you are). Free Smithsonian museum entrance pushes DC to the top of this list. Public transportation could be better, but it could also be worse. I give Metro a 7. Or a 6.5. Metro is like Seth Rogan after he lost weight. The weather? Well, I’m going to just count this year out. Between the blizzards and the monsoons and the sweltering heat, this year is an outlier. Let’s hope I’m right to say that this year’s insane weather proves the rule that in general, DC is a pretty lovely town.

Seattle has some stiff competition. So, we shall see, DC. We shall see.