DC Chewers: What Can't I Miss in Your City?

As a former resident of DC, I'll toss in The Spy Museum. Just hours of fun.

Good restaurants: I would try to get to Zaytinya if you get a chance. It's a Mediterranean tapas joint, and it's great. Also worth hitting are Sushi Taro or Left Bank if you like sushi, Oceanaire if you dig seafood, Bangkok Joe's if you're into Thai food or dumplings, as well The Caucus Room or Charlie Palmer Steak for...steak.

As far as tours go, I have no idea. I've lived here a year and been to the Spy Museum (a lot of fun, but one of the very few museums with a paid admission) and the Corcoran, which has a fairly bland modernism exhibit going on right now.

I will say that I think the World War II memorial is very striking, and it's in close proximity to the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument, and the White House.

I'd spend a few hours one day just tooling around the Mall on foot -- I always enjoy that at least as much as the museums. You can easily kill an afternoon looking at all the monuments and memorials.

If you're hitting the big museums, be sure to check out the new mammals exhibit at Natural History. It's pretty darn cool. And I believe that American History is still closed, although I could be wrong. If you're into art, the National Gallery has some great stuff. And the portrait gallery is open again, although I haven't been since they gussied it up. The Archives is worth checking out as well, if it's not too crowded.

As for touring government buildings, I'd go for the Capitol, but probably not anything else. The WH is ok if you know someone who can get you in, and the FBI does a decent tour, but the others I've seen have been pretty dull.

Finally, they've fixed the zoo up quite a bit if you enjoy that kind of thing. It's still far from spectacular, but it's no longer an abomination. The metro goes there, and it's free.

When we went there in eighth grade, I remember finding the Korean War Memorial to be the most striking actually.

Yeah, Korea is pretty cool, especially at night.

Washington DC

As it happens the Washington DC International Film Festival is going on this week, until April 29. Listings are at www.filmfestdc.org. Usually they try to keep it a secret but this year a little bit of publicity managed to leak out.

Some very good restaurants:

Japanese, Dupont Circle: Sushi Taro, http://www.sushitaro.com/

California / nouvelle, Georgetown: Mendocino, http://mendocinodc.com/

Southern Italian, Dupont Circle: Sette Osteria, http://www.setteosteria.com/

Southern, U Street corridor: Creme Cafe, can't find the website. Also, across the street is the landmark restaurant Ben's Chili Bowl, which specializes in chili, chili dogs, fries with chili and so on, and is very cheap.

Ethiopian: U Street between 14th and 9th streets has several very good Ethiopian restaurants.

Nouvelle, Adams Morgan: Perry's, www.perrysadamsmorgan.com. Great food, has a lovely roof deck.

My favorite memorial in DC is the Jefferson, which I think is exceptionally beautiful and has four gorgeous excerpts from his writing engraved into the walls. It is beautiful at night, but watch out for predators (bipedal variety).

In my opinion the Washington monument is a colossal waste of time, and I don't care much for the White House and Congress. The Lincoln Memorial I like very much, the Vietnam memorial is very moving, so is the Korean, and the FDR memorial is very creative and interesting but remember to start at the correct end as you are supposed to move through it chronologically. Doing the narrative backwards is strictly for hacks.

DC has one of those "trolley" tours that they have in all the major cities - http://www.oldtowntrolley.com/washingtondc.htm - that hits the major destinations and you can get on and off at your convenience. I think its a good deal.

Be advised:

--drivers here consider nailing pedestrians a sport.
--if someone who really lives in DC tells you a certain spot is dangerous, believe them (if they actually live in Virginia or Maryland, ignore them).
-- it is officially tourist season. This makes moving around in certain areas very trying because they are often quite bulky, enjoy walking four-abreast and frequently stop for no reason in the middle of the sidewalk. All I can say is try to be part of the solution, not part of the problem, and nobody will get shot (mostly).

If you like books or history (or libraries, duh), the Library of Congress actually offers a really fascinating tour of the Jefferson Building that most people miss.

La Lomita Dos (Mexican) on Capitol Hill is good if you want cheaper and off-the-tourist-path eats. Right downtown (14th and G I think, or maybe 14th and F), Ceiba has REALLY good Latin American fare, with a seafood focus.

I'm a big fan of the FDR memorial. It's the most creative and insightful one I'm aware of. For tours, call your congressman and ask for a constituent tour of the Hill &/or White House. The Supreme Court is a short walk from the Hill, as is the Folger Shakespeare Library, where (I believe) you can view one of the original folios.

What can't you miss in D.C.?

The potholes (rimshot).

There is a lovely and very elegant Modern American restaurant in Dupont Circle called Camelot that might be worth checking out. Near 19th and M.

(Puts foot in mouth)

Okay, well, while Desslar may have put the kibosh on my little ruse, I can say that there actually is a nice restaurant right near Camelot - right next door, in fact. An old steak house called the 1819 Club.

Happy to help. I love this town!

I'm glad you enjoyed yourself! It is, indeed, a great town. But man, you think it's humid now -- come back in July!

The Virginia Blue Ridge is incredibly beautiful, but it's an entirely different type of beauty than you're probably used to seeing up there. Not as spectacular, but just as gorgeous in its way.

Umm, they're foothills with no proper mountains to back them. People here go crazy for 'em because they don't know any better.

Haha, very true.

Don't diss the Blue Ridge, man. Best sunset ever, and I got to see it every day growing up. They ain't the Rockies, but our hills have their charms, usually only visible from up close and personal. There are some great trails with lots to see on them. And that "Antique Tables Made Daily" sign on the way to the park.

I'm bitter. I went on a solo backpacking 3-day trip there some time ago, and it rained the entire time. I don't care how careful you are - there's no way all your stuff isn't getting soaked in conditions like that.

check out Ben's Chilli Bowl. on 12th and U st NW I believe. great greasy food.

Jefferson memorial is great. great place to just chill out and look over the potomac.

American History Museum is closed till 2008 but a lot of their big exhibits are on display at the air and space museum.

I'd reccommend doing a day on the mall doing the museums and then another day roaming around the city. Georgetown is cool if you want to do any shopping. Plus you can check out the huge staircase from the Exorcist(right across the Francis Scott Key Bridge next to the exxon).


if you're into DC punk and Hardcore, you may want to check this out. i threw it on my ipod one day and had a great time walking around the city.

http://yellowarrow.net/capitolofpunk/