Not Verified
Washington D.C., District of Columbia, United States
@DCGYPSIES
Member since 2007
HAVE TO TAKE A BREAK FOR THE MOMENT! WE'RE HAVING RENOVATIONS DONE AT THE HOUSE AND SO WE ARE UNAVAILABLE TO HOST. *We are excited to have hosted our 400th couchsurfers!* ############################################## # STOP! READ THE FOLLOWING BEFORE REQUESTING! ############################################## Please read our profile carefully, especially the My Home section, before requesting. It contains Additional Information that must be included in your request. If this information is absent, we will not accept your request. PHILOSOPHY You must experience other cultures to understand your own. You need to know people who are not like you to know yourself. As such, our goal with couchsurfing is to promote global understanding and respect, one surfer at a time. ABOUT US Gil: I am the oldest of one child, born in New York, NY, USA some time ago. I grew up in New York and the surrounding area until I was 18 when I left for college in the midwestern U.S. I studied electrical engineering in college and have been employed in related fields since graduating. After about a total of 10 years in the Midwest, I returned to the East Coast of the U.S., specifically Washington, DC, where I live with my wife Nancy and our two cats, Dexter and Ike. I like to think of myself as creative, intelligent, articulate, and funny. I don't know whether anyone else thinks of me that way. I like very strong coffee and insanely spicy (hot) food. I like science and technology so I guess I'm a bit geeky. The Simpsons is the best TV show ever in my opinion. I believe that there are two types of people in the world: those that finish their sentences Nancy: I am the middle of 3 sisters. I lived in Brooklyn, NY and then New Jersey before I left home to attend college in the Washington, DC area - and stayed...and stayed. Photography is my current passion. I love music (we both play a little guitar (Gil sez: actually, we play separate guitars and they're both full sized)), cycling (we met on a trail), skiing (a thing of my past), and good conversation.
Interested in Baseball
Fluent in English
Learning French
Pioneer Badge
Why I'm on Couchsurfing
We've met a lot of amazing people through CS. This is what motivates us to continue. We are committed to the philosophy of CS as a way to make connections and understanding. We mostly host, but also surf whenever we can. Unfortunately, we don't get to travel nearly as much as we'd like to but we enjoy meeting other travelers and exchanging stories. Someday we'll travel the world and visit all of the people who have surfed with us. You are now on notice! Speaking of hosting, click on this link to learn about our hosting of 14 surfers for the inauguration of President Obama: http://www.cnn.com/2009/TRAVEL/01/19/inauguration.couch.sleeping/index.html. COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE Since July, 2007: Hosted (running total): 1. Mareike (Germany) & Magdalena (Austria) - July, 2007 (2) 2. Matilda, Amélie, & Quentin (France) - August, 2007 (5) 3. Owen & Niall (UK) - August, 2007 (7) 4. Bregje (Netherlands) - August, 2007 (8) 5. Valerie & Sofia (US) - August, 2007 (10) 6. Alex & Kristina (Austria) - August, 2007 (12) 7. Andy & Aaron (UK) - August, 2007 (14) 8. Tarek (Egypt) - September, 2007 (15) 9. Zach (US) - September, 2007 (16) 10. Willie (US) - September, 2007 (17) 11. Migle, Ruta, Paulius, & Modestus (Lithuania) - September, 2007 (21) 12. Jesse & Sven (Belgium) - October, 2007 (23) 13. Emma & Béren (France) - October, 2007 (25) 14. Mike, Kathy, & Peter (US) - October, 2007 (28) 15. Ivana (Slovenia) & Mischa (Germany) - December, 2007 (30) 16. Zach (US) - December, 2007 (31) 17. Marina, Vladimir, Tatiana, & Tanya (Russia) - December, 2007 (35) 18. Melanie (Australia) - December, 2007 (36) 19. Zeeshan & Anoushey (Pakistan) - January, 2008 (38) 20. Jeppe & Michael (Denmark) - February, 2008 (40) 21. Lisa & Patricia (US) - February, 2008 (42) 22. Maria-Lucia & Mariana (Venezuela) - March 2008 (44) 23. Carlos (Brazil) - March 2008 (45) 24. Hakan (Turkey), Yie, Zheng, & Yan (China) - March, 2008 (49) 25. Susana (Spain) - March, 2008 (50) 26. Julie (France) & Elena (Spain) - March, 2008 (52) 27. Hester & Hubert (Netherlands) - May, 2008 (54) 28. Corey (US) - May, 2008 (55) 29. Alex (Germany) - May, 2008 (56) 30. Adam & Nick (US) - May, 2008 (58) 31. Ida (Austria) and Patrick (Netherlands) - May, 2008 (60) 32. Carolin & Annika (Germany) - May, 2008 (62) 33. Kelly (US) - June, 2008 (63) 34. Florian and Ingmar (Germany) - June, 2008 (65) 35. Jane & Jenny (Germany) - July, 2008 (67) 36. Irina (Russia) & Jose (Mexico) - July, 2008 (69) 37. Edward (Jordan) - July, 2008 (70) 38. Ian (Canada) - July, 2008 (71) 39. Gen (Canada) - July, 2008 (72) 40. Matthias & Annika (Germany) - July, 2008 (74) 41. Lisa & Toby (US) - July, 2008 (76) 42. Yanet (Peru) - August, 2008 (77) 43. Pat (US) - August, 2008 (78) 44. Jenny, Claudia, & Christoph (Germany) - August, 2008 (81) 45. Hana (US) - December, 2008 (82) 46. Tal (Israel) - December, 2008 (83) 47. Melody (US) - December, 2008 (84) 48. Aaron (China) - January, 2009 (85) 49. Hee ok (S. Korea) - January, 2009 (86) 50. Susanne (Germany) - January, 2009 (87) 51. Nik & Jose (US) - January, 2009 (89) 52. Michael & Drew (US) - January, 2009 (91) 53. Nisha (UK) & Heath (US) - January, 2009 (93) 54. Mary (Australia) - January, 2009 (94) 55. J.G., Jenny, J.T., & Amie (US) - January, 2009 56. Matt (US) - January, 2009 (98) 57. Val & Maurcio (US) - January, 2009 (100) 58. Peter & Sharon (UK) - February, 2009 (102) 59. Michelle (US) - February, 2009 (103) 60. Alex & Jimena (US) - February, 2009 (105) 61. Veronica (Czech Republic) & Lowell (US) - March, 2009 (107) 62. Nicole (Bolivia) and Olivier (France) - March, 2009 (109) 63. Thomas & Norbert (Germany) - March, 2009 (111) 64. Pete (US) - March, 2009 (112) 65. Sarah & Travis (US) - April, 2009 (114) 66. Herwig & Erich (Austria) - April, 2009 (116) 67. Andrew & Richard (Republic of Ireland) - April, 2009 (118) 68. Regina (Australia) - April, 2009 (119) 69. Elissa (Finland) - June, 2009 (120) 70. Carly & Shirley (Australia) - June, 2009 (122) 71. John, Christina, & Lizzie (US) - June, 2009 (125) 72. Rebecca (US) - June, 2009 (126) 73. Davor (Hong Kong) - July, 2009 (127) 74. David (US) - July, 2009 (128) 75. Anne-Laure (France) - July, 2009 (129) 76. Michael & Laura (US) - July, 2009 (131) 77. Julien & Sonia (France) - July, 2009 (133) 78. Kata & Robert (Hungary) - August, 2009 (135) 79. Marine (France) - August, 2009 (136) 80. Nancy & Jens (US) - August, 2009 (138) 81. Gabriela (Ecuador) - August, 2009 (139) 82. Frank (Germany) - September, 2009 (140) 83. Mara & Mary (Germany) - September, 2009 (142) 84. Marc (Netherlands) & Pavla (Czech Republic) - September, 2009 (144) 85. Peter (Australia) - October, 2009 (154) 86. David & Chan (US) - October, 2009 (156) 87. Michael & Drew (AGAIN!) & Jen (US) - October, 2009 (157) 88. Michelle (US), Zhangqi, & Hongxiang (China) - October, 2009 (160) 89. Carla & Massimo (Italy) - November, 2009 (162) 90. Kristiana (Australia) - November, 2009 (163) 91. Eamon (Republic of Ireland) - November, 2009 (164) 92. Cecile, Madeline, & Jeanne (France) - December, 2009 (167) 93. Erika (US) - December, 2009 (168) 94. Osnat & Sam (Israel) - December, 2009 (170) 95. Peiying & Mingwei (Taiwan) - January, 2010 (172) 96. Marie (France) - January, 2010 (173) 97. Kimbi (US) - January, 2010 (174) 98. Thomas (US) - February, 2010 (175) 99. Lisa (US) (Again!) - February, 2010 100. Sam (UK) - February, 2010 (176) 101. Yolanda, Ana (Spain), and Annie (US) - February, 2010 (179) 102. Spela and Sandro (Slovenia) - March, 2010 (181) 103. Alex, Ella, and Pallas (US) - March, 2010 (184) 104. Jeanne-Mari (South Africa) - March, 2010 (185) 105. Sidney & Made (Germany) - April, 2010 (187) 106. Luke (Australia) - May, 2010 (188) 107. Andreas & Peter (Denmark) - May, 2010 (190) 108. Claudette (US) - June, 2010 (191) 109. Rob (US) - June, 2010 (192) 110. Eunhye (South Korea) - July, 2010 (193) 111. Rebecca (Australia) & Andy (Ireland) - July, 2010 (195) 112. Clara (Spain), Aymeric (France), Nico (France), & Davide (Italy) - July, 2010 (199) 113. Rebecca & Adam (Israel) - July, 2010 (201) 114. Jim & Chris (US) - July, 2010 (203) 115. Evan & Alex (US) - July, 2010 (205) 116. Imre & Ibolya (Hungary) - July, 2010 (207) 117. Jerry & Susan (US) - September, 2010 (209) 118. Nancy (US) (Again!) - October, 2010 (209) 119. Kike & Reme (Spain) - October, 2010 (211) 120. Paul & Charlotte (UK (Scotland)) - October, 2010 (213) 121. Rachel & Anthony (US) - October, 2010 (215) 122. J & Amie (US) (Again!) - October, 2010 (215) 123. Ralu & Michal (Czech Republic) - November, 2010 (217) 124. Chris (US) - November, 2010 (218) 125. Knut (Norway) - November, 2010 (219) 126. Richard (US) - December, 2010 (220) 127. Stephen (US) - December, 2010 (221) 128. Juliana, Gilson, & Tiago (Brazil) - December, 2010 (224) 129. Tanja (Sweden) & Max (Germany) - January, 2011 (226) 130. Theresa & Daniel (Austria) - January, 2011 (228) 131. Fabien (France) - January, 2011 (229) 132. Darryl (US) - January, 2011 (230) 133. Jeff (US) - February, 2011 (231) 134. Mia (US) - March, 2011 (232) 135. Kate (UK) - March, 2011 (233) 136. Chi Hong (China) - March, 2011 (234) 137. Daniel (Germany) - March, 2011 (235) 138. Zeeshan & Anoushey (Pakistan) (Again!) - March, 2011 (235) 139. Darwin & Ingrid (Colombia) - April, 2011 (237) 140. Bradley, Angela, Caleb, & Tessa (US) - April, 2011 (241) 141. Somsiah & Rezuan (Malaysia) - May, 2011 (243) 142. Marty & Laura (US) - May, 2011 (245) 143. Franciscus, Frederik, Carika, & Charlotte (South Africa) - May, 2011 (249) 144. Marten (Belgium) & Aline (Germany) - June, 2011 (251) 145. Daniel (Ecuador) - July, 2011 (252) 146. Carrie & Phil (US) - July, 2011 (254) 147. Leandro (Brazil) - July, 2011 (255) 148. Tom (US) - July, 2011 (256) 149. Gordon & Linda (US) - July, 2011 (258) 150. Ricardo (Nicaragua) & Jennifer (US) - July, 2011 (260) 151. Olesya & Nadezhda (Russia) - July, 2011 (262) 152. Jerome (Canada) - July, 2011 (263) 153. Tara (UK) - July, 2011 (264) 154. Luisa (Italy) & Raphael (France) - July, 2011 (266) 155. Lisa (US) (THIRD TIME!) - September, 2011 (266) 156. Toby (US) (Again!) - September, 2011 (266) 157. Danny (Ecuador) (Again!) - September, 2011 (266) 158. Gabrielle (Italy) - September, 2011 (267) 159. Gianna & Aleksandar (Bulgaria) - October, 2011 (269) 160. Toke (Belgium) & Jenni (Finland) - December, 2011 (271) 161. Hooman (Iran) - January, 2012 (272) 162. Nicolas & Jeremy (US) - February, 2012 (274) 163. Courtney (US) & Nico (France) - March, 2012 (276) 164. Martina, Gabriela, Blanka, & Zdenek (Czech Republic) - March, 2012 (280) 165. Jade (US) - April, 2012 (281) 166. Gustav (Germany) - July, 2012 (282) 167. Bastien & Lucie (France) - July, 2012 (284) 168. Mark & Scott (US) - July, 2012 (286) 169. Lorenz & Thekla (Austria) - July, 2012 (288) 170. Kelsi & Sean (US) - August, 2012 (290) 171. Yuliya (US) - September, 2012 (291) 172. Galena (Russia) - September, 2012 (292) 173. Heidi (South Africa) - September, 2012 (293) 174. Jess & Fred (France) - September, 2012 (295) 175. Lynne & Gina (US) - November, 2012 (297) 176. Florence, Cyriaque, & Tristan (France) - December, 2012 (300) 177. Abood (Jordan) - January, 2013 (301) 178. Macarena & Nicolas (Chile) - January, 2013 (303) 179. Michael & Drew (US) (THIRD TIME!) & Meg (US) - January, 2013 (304) 180. J.G. & Jenny (US) (Again!) - January, 2013 (304) 181. J.T. & Amie (US) (THIRD TIME!) - January, 2013 (304) 182. Tom (US) (Again!) & Camille - July, 2011 (305) 182. Juliette & Kris (US) - February, 2013 (307) 183. Tracy (US) - February, 2013 (308) 184. Jade (US) (Again!) & Jhancarlos (US) - March, 2013 (309) 185. Yochay & Michal (Israel) - April, 2013 (311) 186. Shell & Sam (UK) - April, 2013 (313) 187. Robert (Australia) - May, 2013 (314) 188. Chelsea (US) & Jaime (Colombia) - June, 2013 (316) 189. Eugene & Vassilisa (Russia) - June, 2013 (318) 190. Alice & Yoann (France) - August, 2013 (320) 191. Rick (US) - August, 2013 (321) 192. Heloise & Florian (France) - August, 2013 (323) 193. Anne-Claire & Maxime (France) - September, 2013 (325) 194. J. & Amie (FOURTH TIME!) & Lauren & Lynn (US) - September, 2013 (327) 195. Kristen (China) - October, 2013 (328) 196. Greg & Jodi (US) - October, 2013 (330) 197. Chris, Violet, Wu, & Jing (China) - October, 2013 (334) 198. Karyn (Israel) - October, 2013 (335) 199. Mary (AGAIN!) & Adrian (Australia) - June, 2014 (337) 199. Pablo (Spain) - August, 2014 (338) 200. Chad (U.S.) - August, 2014 (339) 201. Paul (U.S.) - August, 2014 (340) 202. Alayne & Alex (U.S.) - August, 2014 (342) 203. Al Abbas (Saudi Arabia) - August, 2014 (343) 204. Jessica (Mexico) - August, 2016 (344) 205. Elina (Russia) - August, 2016 (345) 206. Seda & Mila (Turkey) - September, 2016 (347) 207. Dominic (UK) - September, 2016 (348) 208. Thơm & Vy (Vietnam) - September, 2016 (350) 209. LaTrice, Leo, Sehai & Ahmaan (USA) - September, 2016 (354) 210. Martin (Germany) - October, 2016 (355) 211. Şepnem, Salem (Germany), & Suyeon (South Korea) - October 2016 (358) 212. Jose & Luisa (Colombia) - December, 2016 (360) 213. Sandra & Ariana (Spain) - December, 2016 (362) 214. Tom & Jon (US) - December, 2016 (364) 215. Steffie (France) - December, 2016 (365) 216. Audrey (France) - December, 2016 (366) 217. Bryttany (US) - January, 2017 (367) 218. Alexandria & Melissa (US) - January, 2017 (369) 219. Julia, Molly, & Linda (US) - January, 2017 (372) 220. Emily (UK) - February, 2017 (373) 221. Faraz & Roxy (US) - February, 2017 (375) 222. Richard (Italy) - March, 2017 (376) 223. Claire-Marie (US) - March, 2017 (377) 224. Lucas (Spain) - March, 2017 (378) 224. Marguerite (France) - March, 2017 (379) 225. Nilson & Tammy (Brazil) - March, 2017 (381) 226. Aubrey & Will (US) - March, 2017 (383) 227. Johannes & Miriam (Germany) - April, 2017 (385) 228. Pat (US) - April, 2017 (386) 229. Joy & Lolita (Philippines) - April, 2017 (388) 230. Steffie (Again!), Matilde, Claire, & Charlotte (France) - May, 2017 (391) 231. Dani & Emmanuel (France) - July, 2017 (393) 232. Bryan (US) - February, 2019 (394) 233. Alexandra (Russia) - February, 2019 (395) 234. Harriet (US) - March, 2019 (396) 235. Doron (Israel) - March, 2019 (397) 236. Pavlína (Czech Republic) - March, 2019 (398) 237. Patrick and Nathalie (Netherlands) - April, 2019 (400) Countries represented: 44 Surfed: 1. Anat & Uzi (US) - September, 2007 (Gil only) 2. Jason (US) - February 2008 3. Mike (US) - May, 2008 4. Tarek (Egypt) - November, 2008 5. Raphael (Israel) - November, 2008 6. Uzi & Ilana (Israel) - November, 2008 7. Rebecca (Israel) - December, 2008 8. Anthony (US) - February, 2009 9. Anat & Uzi (US) - September, 2009 10. Jim and Chris (US) - September, 2009 (Nancy only) 11. Yolanda & Alejandro (US) - October, 2010 12. Paul (US) - June, 2011 (Gil only) 13. Elana & Gil (US) - July, 2011 14. Michelle & Thanh (US) - August, 2011 15. Alex & Jimena (US) - September, 2011 16. Nancy, Miles, & Maya (US) - September, 2011 17. Tom & Candy (US) - September, 2011 18. Michelle (US) - October, 2012 19. Rick & Linda (US) - September, 2013 20. Richard (Italy) - September, 2017
Music, Movies, and Books
Nancy's pick for best movie: "Casablanca". "The Triplets of Belleville" is a hoot. We both love blues, rock, classical, and jazz. Gil: Best movie? Hard to say. "Casablanca", "Harold and Maude", "American Beauty", "Sixth Sense", "Dr. Strangelove", "Pi", almost anything by the Coen brothers, and many more that I haven't thought of. And, of course, the all-time classic, "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" which I have memorized. For music: same taste as Nancy (fortunately). Favorite band of all time has got to be Pink Floyd.
One Amazing Thing I've Done
Gil: The Na Pali Coast on the island of Kauai in Hawaii. Breathtaking!! Nancy: 1) Seeing the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina up close. 2) Getting lost in the desert Both: Hosting 14 surfers at our house during Inauguration Week, 2009.
Teach, Learn, Share
We each dabble in a few things and are certainly willing to share what knowledge and expertise we have. Nancy and Gil both play guitar. Gil is now a bass player. Nancy is a photographer. We both sail. Gil knows a good deal about science and electronics. Finally, we both love to talk about politics. We are also happy to talk about things that we know nothing about.
My Interests
Among our interests and hobbies are traveling, urban living, cycling, playing and listening to music, digital photography, and the cameraderie of friends. We have lately been experimenting with urban gardening.
