Washington, DC - Project Discussion

GC0110's attractions file has been a popular file for many months, but I think there's probably room for some additional categories for the DC area.

Any suggestions?

I get free room and board when I go up to D.C., courtesy of my brother who still lives in our hometown. But, I think people who have visited D.C., and have found great deals, in value, quality, etc. for hotels and restaurants could post something.

GC

I did a quick search through the existing files and found 14 that are specifically for the DC area. I've linked them from the DC project page.

This metro area is already off to a great start.

JM

Okay - the very fist thing to come to my mind when I saw this project was the best Italian deli in the city. I know because I have eaten there for more than 35 years along with thousands of my fellow city residents/visitors.

Mangialardo and Sons
1317 Pennsylvania Ave. S.E.
Washington, DC
202-543-6212
Carry out only
-76.987949 38.881063

How will this project go? Are you looking for individual restaurants, entertainment venues, tourist attractions as in this post or are you looking for someone to volunteer for a catagory, etc?

I would be interested in helping out.

Stan

Hi Stan -- The first few metro areas will certainly be a learning experience

A main emphasis for metro area projects is to collect useful or interesting places based on first-hand experiences. Your restaurant suggestion is a great example.

I can setup a "favorite restaurants" category for the DC area if you or others are interested in collecting a few more locations.

Any takers?

that would be a good idea

The new category is setup in the POI Database. I added cash70 and sasines as maintainers. Other volunteers are welcome to join. You can access the edit screen from the POI file's download page.

I added Mangialardo and Sons based on Sasines' recommendation.

JM

No matter what POI file you design for DC, Ben's Chili Bowl has to go in there.

That's -77.028787, 38.917074

I am rather partial to Mike's American Grill in Springfield, as well.

-77.186098, 38.782992

If anyone has any other favorite restaurants in the area just let us know.

Good idea! I'll see if I can come up with a few deals in the area.

I added Ben's Chili Bowl and Mike's American Grill.

For those who haven't worked with the POI Database, adding one-off locations is pretty easy. You just type the name and coordinates into a web form. Press "Submit", and PRESTO! it's in the file.

That's pretty easy

FYI - If you've been given access as a maintainer, you can enter locations for "Washington DC Favorite Restaraunts" at this page:

http://www.poi-factory.com/poidb/poitype/2840
(right now, that's sasines and cash70)

There's also a link to this page from the POI file download page.

JM

this is good info to know

I'm reviewing and updating the Metro station file - I noticed a few stations are missing.

I also created several .bmp files of WMATA's "M" logo. Each "M" is bordered by the color of the train line (red, blue, orange, green, & yellow). I even created separate .bmp files for stations that serve more than one line.

Once it gets posted, you'll have to upload several files for the various color combinations (red, blue, orange, green, yellow, red-blue-orange, red-green-yellow, blue-orange, green-yellow, blue-yellow, and blue-orange-green-yellow).

-Dave

I know there are Redbox Locations in most Giant and Shoppers grocery stores, but it'd be nice to have a database with all their locations. Especially when its 6:30PM and the movie is due at 7:00PM, anything to save a buck

I just put together a list of DC upscale steakhouses in the area, including some VA and MD suburbs, such as Arlington, Bethesda, etc.

Includes all the Morton's and Ruth Chris, Palm and others in the metro area.

Not sure how to get it listed in the Washington Project area.

I can link them;)

Miss Poi

Would be terrific to have locations for home repair / improvement stores (small ones as well as HD / Lowes).

I am a newbie, but if pointed in the right direction, I can do some homework.

David

Nuvi 670 Samsung Sync and iPhone

How do you get the lat/long for each location. I can enter in a ton of Home supply stores if given direction.. D

is this just for inside dc or dc metro? such as montgomery county,md >

I created one for all Chipotle locations in DC Metro.
that includes locations in VA, MD, and DC.

We are defining a metro area as that area around a major city that is within a one to two our drive from the center of all the action.

Miss POI

Hey all,
I just got a nuvi 200 for christmas and was excited to find this site and the DC Metro area project!

So new categories: WiFi Hot-Spots (preferably free ones, i know the mall has a few) and Public Libraries?

Secondly, how would I add POIs. I've read and have an idea (maybe not quite the right one, but...) on how to use Google Earth and them kml > csv the files, and I can upload those. Then would I just post them here and have a maintainer link them from the metro page? And for adding a POI to, say, the Fav Restaurants file easiest just to post it here, or is there some form way to do it?

Thanks for the answers - mostly just curious but also figure I should try to do it right the first time.

-Justin

Justin,

It sounds like you are rip rarin to go so I have added you to the favorite restaurants file. You can go into the file and add your favorite spots.

Let me know if you need any other assistance.

You can go to the faq area to find the answers to your questions about how to make a POI File, and the submission button is the link on the right of your screen that reads, "upload and share a CSV or GPX file"

Miss POI

My suggestion would be to create POIs for the Washingtonian's "100 Very Best Restaurants" and "100 Best Bargains". The biggest issue with that would be that it changes every year. The good news is, the bulk of them stay the same, with maybe 20% of them changing each year. I'm in Ashburn and just received a Garmin 200w for christmas, so I can start helping out here in Loudoun, once I learn how to do it

I think I am going to start working on a list of places in Montgomery County that have great food. My only question at this point is there already a list somewhere for Metro DC that I don't double the work?

Delevine,
I have added you as a maintainer for this file http://www.poi-factory.com/node/3780 go ahead and add the locations that you are interested in adding. Right now there are only 4 in the file.

Thanks for volunteering.
Miss POI

I can help with downtown Bethesda restaurants. I'm there all the time. Although--and I'm new at this, so try and kick me someplace noncritical for asking--aren't most restaurants and services covered by preprogrammed POIs in most units?

best, Richard

Richard,
The built in database in your unit is usually 2 years old by the time you get it, so this site helps you update the info to the current date.

I have added you to the project also, go ahead and use the link above to get to the database.

Miss POI

Yes, of course. I had a headslapping moment the second I pressed "post."

That, and I guess not all POI files are created equal.

best, Richard

http://www.poi-factory.com/node/8950

I created this for personal use about year ago. I guess I am not the only one who thought this to be useful data so I have posted it to share. ENJOY!

A 2008 update is in the works. I have all of the data, I just don't have all of the time....

dconsolla,

is there any updates to your project above? I am interested in the color coded M metro symbols as well.

Thanks

You MUST include the German Gourmet in Falls Church, VA! A fantastic place to get all kinds of great German wine and food (I used to live right down the street).

38.879032, -77.179765

Their deli area is also fantastic, you can get more kinds of sausage/meat than I thought existed! They also have imported German merchandise, and neat traditional products (those wooden incense-smoker guys, etc).

For those that frequent the great state of Montgomery, I have been working on marking the locations of the speed cameras and providing that info to the site. I'm sure the county is making a nice pile of change off these cameras, I just don't want it to come out of my pocket.

I've been looking around and would be interested in a group for metro area liquor stores. Virgina has the ABC's. I believe Maryland has something of the same system. Does that sound like a project people would like to support?

Any files for DC Metro Dog Parks (DC/MD/VA)?

How about a list of all the Dog Parks in the area? I've collected the coordinates for the five in my area, but I know that Virginia has a ton of them. Or is this project restricted to just DC city?

-tj

I have a file of the major shopping malls I made for the wife. Covers the metro area. Let me know if you are interested.

please use the upload and share CSV or GPX link to the right of your screen and I will add it to our database of files;)

Thanks,

Miss POI

http://www.poi-factory.com/node/16857

I just created and uploaded the MD (DC suburban) dog parks poi file. It contains parks in Montgomery, Prince Georges, and Anne Arundel counties. I left out the "membership only" park in College Park, but might add that in with a caveat in the description.

If anyone in DC or VA wants to send me some info, I can create a "DC area dog parks" by adding DC and VA parks to what I already have in my MD file.

Q

Ummmm, thanks a ton! Please be assured that we ALL appreciate your efforts!!! Keep it up!

I have created a gpx file with the 89 swim team locations as geocoded by Yahoo using the addresses from the MCSL site. Anyone want to try it out???

Q

http://www.poi-factory.com/node/23720

You'll have to wait for Miss Poi to add the bmp file. It took a while to get all the locations correct. Let me know if anything needs tweaking.

Q

Coming from Manhattan in 1978, I have lived in Northern Virginia, DC, and Sururban Maryland all of which are considered the metro environs; or the DC Metro area.

Are these points JUST in DC or they include the surrounding suburbs.

Many people commute daily back and forth from all three jurisdictions.

Thanks

I can't speak for all files, but I think most include, at a minimum, the surrounding MD (Montgomery, Prince George's) and VA (Arlington, Fairfax, Alexandria) counties/cities.

-Dave