You might want to try the Merriweather area for 6 months and make sure this does not have what you are looking for first? It's totally different from a big city, true, but that area is more and more walkable, happening and young these days - a reverse commute to Baltimore if done 5 days will cost you a minimum of 10 hours a week, probably more like 13. DC I don't even want to speculate on but it will take forever. I'd just see if its totally necessary first.