Everybody loves to shit on the U District. Yeah, OK, you're more liable to encounter panhandlers there than in any neighborhood outside of downtown, drugs are readily available (and with respect to weed, often being smoked openly by passersby), and the "Ave rat" phenomenon has never really waned. But ask yourself this: If you don't know what sort of activity you're in the mood for, but do know that you have to get out of the house, what's your likeliest destination? The U District, that's where. As for the variety of culinary options, no neighborhood even comes close; there are also record stores, bookstores, movie theaters, theater theaters, bars of all stripes, and the U-Dub, which doubles as a really gorgeous place to take a walk. Granted, retail turnover on the Ave is enough to make your head spin, but that's part of the fun?even if you've been going there for years, surprises still abound.?Mike Seely