App spices up text messages with D.C.-specific emojis

I wonder if President Barack Obama will use this much? (Emoji DC app)
The outline of the District -- in blue -- for those who don't know. (Emoji DC app)
Chinatown. I like it. (Emoji DC app)
Is this supposed to be a Bikeshare bike? Because... (Emoji DC app)
This could prove hilarious. (Emoji DC app)
I think I could probably just type this and it would have the same impact. (Emoji DC app)
Hahaha. (Emoji DC app)
Nice. (Emoji DC app)
At first I was like, "why is there a bouquet of flowers behind the Washington Monument?" Then it hit me. (Emoji DC app)
This is the Reflecting Pool. (Emoji DC app)
"On my way, stuck on *insert emoji*" (Emoji DC app)
George Washington, our first president. (Emoji DC app)
Abraham Lincoln, our 16th president. (Emoji DC app)
Ulysses S. Grant. (Emoji DC app)
"The Georgetown emblem" is what we're calling this in the newsroom. (Emoji DC app)
The Dupont Circle fountain. (Emoji DC app)
The Smithsonian Castle. (DC Emoji App)
A cheeseburger with a flag should come in handy. (Emoji DC app)
Georgetown Cupcakes, anyone? (Emoji DC app)
The Lincoln Memorial seems fitting. (Emoji DC app)
The Jefferson Memorial also seems fitting. (Emoji DC app)
The Washington Memorial makes sense. (Emoji DC app)
(1/22)

WASHINGTON — While writing is my first and true love, there’s room in my heart for emojis. And I admit this without apology.

The kissy-face cat and wine glass are favorites of mine. Sometimes I’ll construct entire thoughts using only emojis. It’s a bit like a modern day haiku.

But all too often, as any emojer knows, I resort to words because not everything in our world has been captured in its emoji form. For example, there’s no taco emoji. There’s no burrito emoji. I mean, for the love of everything that’s right in the world, there’s not even a cheese emoji.

And while I may not be able to accurately express my hunger just yet, those discussing the District of Columbia on their mobile devices now have an option.

A new app called Emoji DC is lending a hand to encapsulate the District in a way words just cannot.

The new app can be downloaded to a user’s smartphone and then given permissions via “settings” to show up as a separate keyboard — much like the current emoji keyboard does. Choose the D.C. emoji you want and then copy, paste and send to your partner in modern-day communication on the other end of your smartphone.

There aren’t any emojis for broken escalators or cherry blossom tourists as DCist suggests, but there are a few interesting options.

If you want to send your friends a cheeseburger with a D.C. flag sticking out of it, you can now. Or, if you want to shut down someone in a debate, shoot a Constitution emoji.

A little more on the mark, there are pictures of monuments, a Metro car and D.C. landmarks.

If you download this app, you’ll find the process isn’t as smooth as the emoji keyboard that comes with smartphones. You have to paste the District emoji before you send, and the picture is rather large. But, hey. At least it’s there.

Deletes app.

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