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WASHINGTON D.C.
CONTENTS 8
FIRST LOOK Ten sites illustrating the city’s historic grandeur, contemporary buzz and stunning beauty.
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THE WRIGHT SITE On the sesquicentennial of Frank Lloyd Wright’s birth, exploring the genesis and design of his Pope-Leighey house BY JEAN LAWLOR COHEN
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HOW SWEET IT IS With cupcakes, pastries, doughnuts, ice cream and gelato at every turn, D.C. is a dessert lover’s dream. BY AMY ALIPIO
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ON POINTE The Washington Ballet’s artistic director, Julie Kent, on coming home, taking the dance company to new heights and her ideal travel destination. BY BROOKE SABIN
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CAPTURING THE CANAL Revealing the natural beauty of this historic waterway in all seasons of the year BY GARY ANTHES
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ALL ABOUT TOWN The delights of the places that shape life in the region, from Gilded Age mansions to river views and urban bustle
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SPOTLIGHT: OLD TOWN A brief guide to this historic zone just across the river in Alexandria, Virginia
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SHOPPING Clothing, gifts, toys and decor in diverse retail zones across the area.
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ATTRACTIONS World-renowned museums, national landmarks and more can’t-miss sites
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DINING From city cafes to waterfront decks and country inns, a guide to eating well
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ENTERTAINMENT Destinations for live music, theater, sports, cocktails and brews
ON THE COVER: THE MAIN READING ROOM AT THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. ©DANITA DELIMONT/GETTY IMAGES INSIDE COVERS: THE CEILING OF THE ENTRANCE HALL TO THE MAIN READING ROOM AT THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. ©RYAN MCGINNIS/GETTY IMAGES
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DC’s FIRST AUTHENTIC PERUVIAN RESTAURANT
1924 I Street, NW • Washington, DC Near Farragut West and Foggy Bottom Metro Stops
Reservations: 202-293-2765 www.elchalandc.com
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CONTRIBUTORS Brooke Sabin
Amy Alipio
The former editor of Where Washington, D.C., Sabin has also contributed to Where Baltimore and served as managing editor for Alexandria, Virginia’s annual visitors guide. She’s now associate editor of National Geographic Traveler. A longtime balletomane, Sabin is thrilled that one of her favorite dancers now leads her hometown troupe. Follow Sabin on Twitter @brooke.sabin.
Alipio has been an editor at National Geographic Traveler for 16 years, starting as an assistant editor and currently senior editor. She is an award-winning author and editor of feature stories, including Traveler’s signature “ Best of the World” franchise. Before Traveler, the native Washingtonian was an editor at Where Washington, D.C., and has also been an editor at Budapest Weekly, in Hungary, and a program assistant at the Smithsonian Associates. She can be found on Twitter @amytravels and Instagram/Snapchat @amyalipio.
On Pointe, page 24
Jean Lawlor Cohen The Wright Site, page 16
Cohen, co-author of Washington Art Matters, a history of capital art life, has written for Art News, Sculpture, National Geographic Traveler and The Washington Post. For Where and InNY magazines, she covers art, theater and dining. She has also curated exhibitions at the Kreeger Museum, National Portrait Gallery, Katzen Arts Center and most recently Gene Davis: Hot Beat, 1960s stripe paintings at the Smithsonian American Art Museum.
How Sweet It Is, page 20
Jean Lawlor Cohen
Gary Anthes
Capturing the Canal, page 26
Anthes is an award-winning photographer and writer who specializes in natural and architectural subjects. A father of two daughters, he lives in the Washington, D.C. area with his wife, Caroline, and his labradoodle, Rosie. About the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, Anthes says, “I can’t think of another place where the forces of nature and man are so beautifully and seamlessly joined.”
Brooke Sabin
“I can’t think of another place where the forces of nature and man are so beautifully and seamlessly joined.” —Gary Anthes, photographer Amy Alipio
Gary Anthes
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“Why did I choose Washington, D.C. among offers from other cities? Because it is the capital of the world.” VINCE LOMBARDI, legendary football coach
Francis Scott Key Bridge
Whether you’re flying into Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, driving down George Washington Memorial Parkway or strolling along the Potomac River, you can’t miss this majestic structure. Named for the man who penned the lyrics that eventually became the country’s national anthem, the District’s oldest bridge reaches across the Potomac River, connecting Virginia’s Arlington to D.C.’s Georgetown.
FIRST LOOK
©SEAN PAVONE/ISTOCK
10 key sites—from historic structures to iconic tributes and tranquil oases in between—that reveal the depth and breadth of this fascinating capital city.
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FIRST LOOK
The highest tribunal in the land is housed in one of the capital’s most striking architectural structures, a neoclassical wonder frequently referred to as “America’s Temple of Justice.” Located just east of the Capitol Building, the court is open for self-guided tours, with justices convening October through June in public sessions. First St. NE between Maryland Ave. and E. Capitol St., 202.479.3030, www.supremecourt.gov
Ford’s Theatre
With the Civil War all but over, President Abraham Lincoln ventured out on April 14th, 1865 to this theater to enjoy an evening performance. Just after the intermission, John Wilkes Booth—himself a famous actor—snuck into Lincoln’s box and assassinated the president, thereby securing the theater’s place in history forever. Today, the historic venue holds plays of political and social significance, plus “A Christmas Carol,” now a beloved annual tradition, while an onsite museum tells the story of that fateful night. 511 10th St. NW, 202.347.4833, www.fords.org 10
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(FROM TOP) ©DWIGHT NADIG/ISTOCK; ©SEAN PAVONE/SHUTTERSTOCK; (FACING PAGE) ©HAIZHANZHENG/ISTOCK
Supreme Court
PHOTO CREDIT GOTHAM BOOK 5.5/9PT
Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception
The largest Roman Catholic basilica in North America blends Byzantine and Romanesque architecture and contains one of the largest collections of contemporary ecclesiastical art in the world. It also hosted Pope Francis, who celebrated Mass here in 2015. 400 Michigan Ave. NE, 202.526.8300, www.nationalshrine.com WHERE GUEST B OOK
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Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial
“Out of the mountain of despair, a stone of hope.� In 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. spoke those words before a crowd gathered at the Lincoln memorial. Today, those stirring words are etched on a powerful tribute to the civil rights hero, a nearly 30-foot-high statue of the man, emerging from granite as a stone of hope himself. Northwest corner of Tidal Basin at the intersection of West Basin Drive SW & Independence Ave. SW, 888.484.3373, www.nps.gov/mlkm
FIRST LOOK
(FROM TOP) ©JON BILOUS/SHUTTERSTOCK; ©RITU MANOJ JETHANI/SHUTTERSTOCK; (FACING PAGE) ©ERIC KRUSZEWSKI
U.S. National Arboretum
Just two miles from the Capitol Building, this oasis shelters 446 acres of flora, nine miles of hiking trails and a bonsai museum with a centuries-old white pine that survived the atomic bomb in Hiroshima, Japan. The Asian Collection illustrates how the Bering Sea Land Bridge fostered close genealogical ties between East Asian and North American plant life. In the collection, set atop a hill, the red pagoda (pictured) makes a picturesque post for taking in panoramic views of the garden and the Anacostia River beyond. 3501 New York Ave. NE, 202.245.2726, www.usna.usda.gov
CityCenterDC
A sleek condominium known for its high-profile residents anchors this luxury mixed-use complex in the heart of D.C. On the retail front, shoppers score the latest runway looks from Hermes, Louis Vuitton and Burberry, while fitness fiends compete for leaderboard dominance at hip studios like Flywheel. Beauty more your thing? Look to Caudalie, which stocks clean-lined shelves with all-natural skincare products from a vineyard in France. Foodies get in on the action, too, with lauded spots including David Chang’s Momofuku and Daniel Boulud’s DBGB Kitchen + Bar. 10th St. NW between H and I sts., 202.289.9000, www.citycenterdc.com WHERE GUEST B OOK
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FIRST LOOK
The Smithsonian’s newest site celebrates the contributions of African-Americans in this country with a modern structure wrapped in 3,600 panels of intricately patterned aluminum. Inside, the journey starts underground with displays that take visitors through slavery, then rises to upper levels where exhibitions mark achievements in civil rights, music, art and everything in between. The Contemplative Court (pictured) encourages quiet reflection, while celebrity chef Carla Hall’s Sweet Home Kitchen offers nourishment for body and soul. 1400 Constitution Ave. NW, 844.750.3012, www.nmaahc.si.edu
Nationals Park
It would be hard to imagine the nation’s capital without a stadium dedicated to the great American pastime. But for decades, the city got a pass without a world-class ballpark—until 2008, when this one opened. Since then, Major League Baseball’s first LEED-certified arena has served as the home of the Washington Nationals, plus a state-ofthe-art backdrop for big-name musical acts and events like Opera in the Outfield and Star Wars nights. 1500 S. Capitol St. SE, 202.675.6287, www.washington.nationals.mlb. com/was/ballpark 14
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(FROM TOP) ©LEWIS TSE PUI LUNG/SHUTTERSTOCK; ©RUDI RIET/FLICKR, CREATIVE COMMONS; (FACING PAGE) ©GREG POWERS/DEL MAR
National Museum of African American History & Culture
PHOTO CREDIT GOTHAM BOOK 5.5/9PT
The Wharf
Newly opened in 2017 after a $2.5 billion overhaul, this Southwest Waterfront zone sparkles with glam celebrity chef-helmed restaurants (Fabio Trabocchi’s ode to Spanish seafood, Del Mar, pictured here), hip concert venues like The Anthem and eclectic shops. After dinner and a show, stroll picturesque walkways and browse the revamped Municipal Fish Market, the oldest continuously operating open-air seafood market in the country. Main Ave. SW, between 7th & 12th sts., 202.688.3590, www.wharfdc.com WHERE GUEST B OOK
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Pope-Leighey House at Woodlawn Plantation, King George County, Virginia
THE WRIGHT SITE On the sesquicentennial of Frank Lloyd Wright’s birth, exploring the genesis and design of his Pope-Leighey House
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©POPPERFOTO/GETTY IMAGE COURTESY NATIONAL TRUST FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION
PHOTO CREDIT GOTHAM BOOK 5.5/9PT
BY JEAN LAWLOR COHEN
A local landmark and a big birthday—Wright’s 150th on June 8, 2017—inspired magazine stories and national exhibitions, city tours and reassessments of the arrogant, even scandalous figure considered the father of modern architecture. His best-known structures, New York’s Guggenheim Museum and the Pennsylvania residence “Fallingwater,” ensure his legacy as visionary designer. For those with a must-visit list of Wright properties, the PopeLeighey House a few miles from the capital in northern Virginia represents a surprisingly modest direction—the architect’s recognition of simpler living. This prime example of a “Usonian” dwelling (his term, coined to imply a common-man, “United States” style) likely reflects two intentions—Wright’s long-held belief that everyone benefits from living with good architecture and his Depression-era desire to sell middle-class clients on affordable housing. The Virginia house exists, because in 1939 a young newspaperman, with a $50-a-week paycheck, implored the famed architect to design WHERE GUEST B OOK
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WHAT’S IN A NAME: THE POPE FAMILY, CRAMPED WITH TWO BEDROOMS AND ONE BATH, SOLD THE HOUSE IN 1947 TO THE CHILDLESS LEIGHEYS. IN 1965, HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION FORCED THE MOVE OF WIDOW LEIGHEY AND THE HOUSE, HER GIFT TO WOODLAWN AND HOME UNTIL HER DEATH.
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS; (FACING PAGE) COURTESY NATIONAL TRUST FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION
a home for a 1.3-acre lot in Falls Church. Loren Pope, knowing Wright’s legendary ego, wrote a letter insisting that only “a house created by you” could satisfy both “material things and things of the spirit.” Indeed, the resulting structure, a single-level residence of wood, glass and brick, manages to play with light and scale in ways that on-site director Amanda Phillips calls “magical.” Pope had described site details such as the trees, wind directions and a stream, asking only that the plan accommodate books, a radio phonograph, a study and a terrace. Two weeks later, Wright responded, with the beneficence of a deity, “I am ready to give you a house.” Initial drawings indicated costs would exceed the Popes’ budget of $5,500 (about $86,000 today). The architect adjusted this variant, as he did each of his Usonian projects, by using more local, less-expensive materials, bringing the final payment to $7,000. Visitors first glimpse the house as they walk down a curved, paved road into a forest-rimmed glade. Although small-scale, the exterior immediately signals the Wright aesthetic—horizontality (even the siding screws turned that way, the cantilever roof ), natural materials (the Florida cypress that resists termites) and an “organic” relationship to nature (note the integrated pedestal for an herb garden). Wright’s disdain for the excess of Victorian architecture led to a career-long practice of paring down, notable in his earlier Prairie-style houses. Here it means rejecting a garage (cars don’t need a stable, he said) for a carport (a term he claimed to invent) and deleting an attic and a basement (since they only encourage clutter). Ornamentation factors in geometric cut-out patterns that overlay the glass panels of a perimeter clerestory. At night, these adjustable runs of glass emit light and set the exterior glowing like a Japanese lantern. Guided tours make visible the details a quick walkthrough would miss: a radiant heat system that warms the dark red concrete floors and the absence of vertical supports so the eye moves horizontally. To create the
sense of larger spaces, Wright designed furnishings at slightly smaller-than-usual scale (some say because of his 5-foot-7-inch height), and he raised the ceiling in the main room where no walls interrupt the flow between areas for reading, group seating and dining. Often overlooked is Wright’s openness to the latest technology. For the house’s internal core, he chose plywood—cost-effective, strong and only recently available. He called for floor-to-ceiling plate-glass entry doors and stained-glass bedroom windows, honoring the natural vistas over privacy. The house also claims a first as the county’s only residence in 1940 to have all three utilities—electricity, water and a sewer line. Today Pope-Leighey occupies a glen a short walk from the Federal-era manse called Woodlawn, its estate a wedding gift from George and Martha Washington to her granddaughter Eleanor Parke Custis and his nephew Lawrence Lewis. The gracious Lewis mansion features furnishings of the period, original portraits of elegant gentry and glimpses of the Potomac River. High-ceilinged rooms hold grand-scale bedsteads, a harpsichord and mantels of Italian marble. Also on site: the Arcadia Center for Sustainable Food & Agriculture, a modern demonstration and working farm that honors Woodlawn’s agrarian legacy by teaching and providing produce for the community. Wright once lamented, on a visit to Washington, that the neoclassical Lincoln Memorial “related to the toga and the civilization that wore it.” Still he favored “preserving these old mistakes … evidences of the old life in order that the new life may shine the brighter.” No doubt he’d delight in the juxtaposition of an 1805 Washington family manse and his mid-20th-century Usonian, both designated among the 27 Historic Sites of the National Trust. The older residence reflects the wisdom of its designer, William Thornton, first architect of the U.S. Capitol. The more intimate landmark, now almost eight decades old, represents the vision of Wright, who, questioned under oath, identified himself as “the world’s greatest architect.”
SUPERBLOCK LOST As Wright designed the Pope house, a Washington developer commissioned what might have been the architect’s most grandiose project. Identified on 1940 elevation drawings as Crystal Heights, it would occupy 10 acres on the east side of Connecticut Avenue NW, including the current site of the Washington Hilton. Described as “a city within the city” and D.C.’s answer to Rockefeller Center, the plan called for 25 interconnected apartment and apartment-hotel towers, a shopping center, a public terrace atop five parking levels, a sunken garden, an oak arbor, fountains and, moored at the southwest corner like a multistory cruise ship, a cinema.
Passion fruit surprise at Mirabelle; (Opposite, from left) key lime crisp at Bellagio Patisserie; custom cake at Buttercream Bakery
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HOW SWEET IT IS With cupcakes, pastries, doughnuts, ice cream and gelato at every turn, D.C. is a dessert lover’s dream.
(FROM LEFT) COURTESY BELLAGIO PATISSERIE; ©ABBY JIU/BUTTERCREAM BAKERY; (OPPOSITE) ©REY LOPEZ/MIRABELLE
BY AMY ALIPIO
I may not be screaming for ice cream, but I’m definitely panting heavily for it. That’s because Ice Cream Jubilee, the homegrown ice cream parlor that has hit the D.C. frozen-treats scene like a ten-ton Good Humor truck, is a brisk 17-minute walk from my office. By the time I arrive at its sunny store in the buzzing 14th Street neighborhood, I’m a bit out of breath. But I’m quickly revived by a scoop of Fresh Minty Chip. Its leafy taste surprises me, a pleasant reminder that mint is actually an herb, not a flavoring out of a bottle. I didn’t really need to walk that far to get my sugar fix. As local food critic Nevin Martell says, “It’s hard to go a block in D.C. without coming across a bakery, a pastry shop, an ice cream stand or a candy store.”
The nation’s capital has a serious sweet tooth. How serious? One of the most famous, and long-running, reality TV shows set here follows two sisters who make cupcakes. Even the thriving local salad franchise—salad!—nods to D.C.’s favorite taste in its name: Sweetgreen. With Washington’s food scene exploding in the past few years, the dessert landscape has also grown, with both local start-ups and outposts of nationally known sweet spots. It doesn’t hurt that Washington is full of young, food-obsessed professionals who fill Instagram feeds with posts tagged #dessertporn. But could the city’s high-powered environment also be contributing to the sugar craze? “D.C. has more than its fair share of stress, and I think a lot of people—myself included— WHERE GUEST B OOK
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(From far left) An assortment of treats from Ladurée, Ice Cream Jubilee and Sugar Factory.
(FACING PAGE) ©JOY ASICO/SUGAR FACTORY
Martell prefers the cupcakes at Baked and Wired nearby. “They’re more substantial and inventive,” he says. “Plus the place has a super funky vibe. Not the kind of place you expect to find in Georgetown.” Ladurée, on the other hand, is exactly the type of place you’d expect to find in the tony neighborhood. An offshoot of the fancy French patisserie chain, this elegant tea room sells macarons in a rainbow of flavors, including pistachio, rose petal and coffee, illuminated by the soft light from crystal chandeliers. Downtown at CityCenterDC, Christina Tosi has opened a branch of Milk Bar, her popular New York bakery that introduced the addictive Crack Pie to the world. But Tosi grew up in the D.C. area, which has inspired her latest line of goodies. “My fondest memories of eating out were weekly family splurges at Baskin Robbins or Dairy Queen if my older sister and I were on our best behavior,” Tosi tells me. “Recently we rolled out our MilkQuakes, a soft-serve ice cream mashup with classic Milk Bar mix-ins—think cookies, pies and
(FROM LEFT) COURTESY LADURÉE; COURTESY ICE CREAM JUBILEE;
turn to sweets in times of stress,” says Martell, who is writing a cookbook with Red Truck Bakery of Warrenton, Virginia. Food historian Susan Benjamin, author of “Sweet as Sin: The Unwrapped Story of How Candy Became America’s Favorite Pleasure,” takes a longer view, starting with founding-father dessert fan George Washington. “His sweets included stained glass—aka hard tack candy—still popular in rural areas such as Appalachia, and candied citrus peels,” she says. “Perhaps the quintessential D.C. candy is the jelly bean, thanks to Ronald Reagan, whose taste for the candy caused it to skyrocket in popularity.” Whether you’re a doughnut devotee or a fudge fanatic, you’ll find a variety of places to satisfy your sugar craving. Georgetown is as good a neighborhood as any in which to start. Here, in 2008, sisters Katherine Kallinis Berman and Sophie Kallinis LaMontagne opened Georgetown Cupcake. The queue for their pretty treats started almost immediately—and hasn’t let up since, partly due to the success of their reality TV show on TLC, “DC Cupcakes.”
“Perhaps the quintessential D.C. candy is the jelly bean, thanks to Ronald Reagan.” —Susan Benjamin, food historian
cake—my homage to the frozen treats of my childhood.” With seven shops, including one in CityCenterDC, Dolcezza has made creamy gelato pretty much ubiquitous throughout Washington. Even visiting celebrities can’t miss it. “When Cate Blanchett and Hugo Weaving sat in our Dupont Circle shop eating gelato and drinking coffee, I was waiting for Frodo to come walking through the door!” says Dolcezza co-founder Violeta Edelman. And where does she go to feed her own sugar need? “My husband and I love the black & white shake at Good Stuff Eatery, and my kids love everything Tiffany makes at Buttercream Bakery.” Tiffany would be award-winning pastry chef Tiffany MacIsaac, whose Buttercream Bake Shop opened in the Shaw neighborhood in 2016, serving breakfast scones, (almost) too-beautiful-to-eat cakes, and her original takes on s’mores and Ho Hos. For fried treats, I head to Astro Doughnuts & Fried Chicken near Metro Center, which has the former in flavors like PB&J and crème brûlée. Nearby in Penn Quarter is another giant on the gelato scene, Pitango, which serves an awesome affogato (a scoop of your-choice gelato soaking in a cup of hot espresso). And near the White House,
contemporary French-American restaurant Mirabelle boasts pastry chef Aggie Chin and her exquisite creations, such as a black forest cake with Kirsch panna cotta and cherry lambic sorbet. Don’t worry if you need to head outside district lines: It’s hardly a dessert desert. Just across the Potomac River, in Alexandria, Virginia, Fleurir creates gem-like chocolates, and Sugar Shack sells delightful doughnuts, including the Girl Scout–worthy Tastes Like a Samoa. In Pentagon City, Sugar Factory is home to the Kardashianapproved Couture Pops. Bellagio Patisserie, at MGM National Harbor resort in Maryland, features a 12-foot-tall chocolate fountain that circulates two tons of melted chocolate in a day. And in Bethesda, Henry’s Sweet Retreat sells housemade fudge by the pound that you won’t want to share (try the dark chocolate sea salt caramel). Having a diverse population also means that D.C. enjoys international indulgences, from Chinese egg custard tarts to Filipino halo-halo (a shaved ice dessert layered with fruit and ice cream), and from Portuguese malasadas to Argentine dulce de leche churros. This makes it difficult to pin down a quintessential Washington sweet: there’s no dessert equivalent to D.C.’s famed half-smoke. But Victoria Lai, founder of Ice Cream Jubilee, does note that “one of our very popular flavors is Marionberry. We always get asked if this is named after Marion Barry, the former mayor of D.C. It’s actually made with marionberries from Oregon in a vanilla base with graham cracker crumbs. But I love that it makes people laugh when they see the name, and we can share a moment of D.C. history together through an ice cream moment.” I end my treat-filled tour near where I started. Next door to Ice Cream Jubilee off 14th Street lies a hip little Cuban café called Colada Shop. I pick up a tres leches cake, soaked in three kinds of milk and topped with a festive swirl of meringue, and an iced café con leche. The barista asks if I would like the drink “Miami sweet” or half sweet. I am confused by the question: Why would anyone want it half sweet? “Most people order it half sweet,” she confides. Oh well. I agree to follow the crowd. After all, even for Washingtonians there’s occasionally such a thing as too sweet. WHERE GUEST B OOK
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Q&A
ON POINTE The Washington Ballet artistic director, Julie Kent, on coming home, taking the dance company to new heights and her ideal travel destination INTERVIEW BY BROOKE SABIN
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How has the D.C. area changed since you last lived here in the
excellence that we should expect in our capital city.
mid-’80s?
My ballet home in Bethesda (Academy of the Maryland Youth Ballet) was demolished about 10 years ago and replaced with a high-rise condo—sleek but certainly a huge change from the small-town, two-story feel of Bethesda. But from Rockville Pike, the Bethesda Naval Hospital, where I was born, looks just the same! As you start your second season with TWB, can you tell us about the direction in which you’re taking the company?
My hopes include expanding the repertoire, incorporating live musical accompaniment to all of our performances (a given in any great ballet company), maintaining dedication to arts education through our renowned school (nearing its 75th anniversary) and building a national and international reputation of
When you and your husband, Victor Barbee, want a special night out, where do you go?
What do you like the most about your job?
There are many great and meaningful rewards—bringing the beauty of our art to our audience, shaping the lives of our young students, building relationships within our community, contributing to the artistic landscape of our nation’s capital. But for me, at the top is watching the dancers fulfill and surpass their potential and experience moments in the studio and on the stage that will impact the rest of their lives. Do you have any pre-performance rituals you do with the company?
Nope. Early in my career I thought it unwise to start any pre-performance ritual that I didn’t think I could sustain for many years. (I was right!)
Honestly, we love to stay at home. (Victor is a great cook!) So dinner almost always includes our children. But Fiola Mare and Fig & Olive are chic, elegant and delicious, and Barcelona, Raku, The Grilled Oyster Company, La Piquette, Cactus Cantina and Cafe Deluxe are great neighborhood restaurants that we really enjoy. When you travel, what’s the first thing you do at your destination?
The answer all depends on the reason for the travel. For work, the first thing is finding a water source. And then finding CNN or BBC (or any channel in English) on TV. If you could wake up anywhere in the world tomorrow, where would that be and why?
A peaceful place with food, shelter and my family.
PHOTO CREDIT ©DEAN ALEXANDER/THE GOTHAM BOOK WASHINGTON 5.5/9PT BALLET
Julie Kent leapt her way into the spotlight at the tender age of 16, when she began dancing with the American Ballet Theatre in New York City. There, the great Mikhail Baryshnikov spotted the lithe Bethesda, Maryland teen, changed her last name from Cox to Kent and wooed her in the romantic film “Dancers.” From that auspicious debut, Kent went on to enjoy a long and illustrious career with ABT, taking a flower-filled last bow during a 23-minute ovation in 2015. But her “retirement” proved to be just an intermission. Last year, Kent came home to head up The Washington Ballet as one of few women leaders in the field and quickly embarked on an ambitious new program. In between hiring dancers and conducting rehearsals, Kent took a few moments to chat with Where GuestBook about her new role.
WHERE GUEST B OOK 25
PHOTO CREDIT GOTHAM BOOK 5.5/9PT
26 W H E R E G U E ST B O O K PHOTO CREDIT GOTHAM BOOK 5.5/9PT
CAPTURING THE CANAL Finding the natural beauty of the historic C&O Canal PHOTOGRAPHY BY GARY ANTHES
PHOTO CREDIT GOTHAM BOOK 5.5/9PT
Credit George Washington for planting the seed that would become the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal, a transportation link connecting the capital’s tidal basin with the riches of the Ohio River. Ensuing decades saw the nascent waterway grow until it stretched 184 miles deep into Virginia and Maryland, bringing with it years of prosperity for communities living along its banks but also turmoil. Though the canal’s days as a bustling commercial artery are long gone, Gary Anthes, author and photographer of “The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal,” reveals through his camera lens the beauty of the natural world sprouting up through the seasons among the abandoned houses, locks and aqueducts of this historic area.
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W H E R E G U E ST B O O K
PHOTO CREDIT GOTHAM BOOK 5.5/9PT
Summer brings to the canal rushing waters and history buffs looking for tours through time.
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PHOTO CREDIT GOTHAM BOOK 5.5/9PT
30 W H E R E G U E ST B O O K PHOTO CREDIT GOTHAM BOOK 5.5/9PT
PHOTO CREDIT GOTHAM BOOK 5.5/9PT
Autumn paints the area in red, orange and gold. In winter, the Georgetown portion of the canal offers a glimpse into a bygone era.
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32 W H E R E G U E ST B O O K PHOTO CREDIT GOTHAM BOOK 5.5/9PT
PHOTO CREDIT GOTHAM BOOK 5.5/9PT
Springtime brings rain to the canal, fostering tender green shoots and a watercolor tapestry.
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ALL ABOUT TOWN Zones of urban bustle, Gilded Age architecture, luxe retail, riverside vistas and hip nightlife
Washington, D.C.
founded in 1749, year-round events like parades, house tours, art festivals
14TH & U CORRIDOR These intersecting spans lined with shops, the-
or blue lines to the King Street stop. A free trolley runs every 10-15
aters, Victorian residences and restaurants bustle by day and by night. The
minutes from the station to the waterfront. Eight miles farther down
zone once flourished with “name” entertainers performing in clubs along
the parkway, visitors experience a day in the life of George and Martha
U Street’s “Black Broadway.” Today dining hot spots, fashionable home
Washington at their picturesque Mount Vernon estate on the banks of
decor stores and well-regarded music clubs draw young professionals and
the Potomac River.
ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA AND OLD TOWN In this port city and river cruises contribute to citizen spirit. From D.C., drive south eight miles via the George Washington Parkway, or ride Metrorail’s yellow
empty nesters. Theaters like Source and Studio mount new and experimental plays starring D.C.-based professional actors.
ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA Across the Potomac River from D.C., find
34
ADAMS MORGAN Funky shops and popular bars mark this interna-
City. This large county of hip restaurants, ethnic enclaves and shopping
tional, some say “bohemian,” zone on Columbia Road and 18th Street NW.
malls is home to office workers, armed services folk and 20-somethings.
Dining options range from walk-up falafel counters to sit-down global
Interred at Arlington National Cemetery are thousands of military vet-
fare—Latin American, Ethiopian, Turkish, Vietnamese—and soul food
erans, government personnel and Kennedy family members. Sentinels
with live music at Madam’s Organ. The Adams Morgan Day street fes-
guard the Tomb of the Unknowns 24 hours a day. Nearby is the “Iwo Jima”
tival attracts crowds at the start of every fall. Woodley Park Metro is to
bronze Marine Corps Memorial and, to the south, two dramatic sites—the
the northwest, and a DC Circulator bus loops from there to Columbia
Pentagon installation for 9/11 victims and the flight-inspired Air Force
Road NW.
memorial by James Ingo Freed.
W H E R E G U E ST B O O K
©COAST-TO-COAST/ISTOCK
Rosslyn, Clarendon, Ballston, Shirlington, Crystal City and Pentagon
CAPITOL HILL One of the city’s oldest residential communities features 19th-century row houses, marble Congressional buildings and the U.S. Botanic Garden with its Art Deco-era glass conservatory. At Eastern
(Opening page) Shoppers strolling Georgetown. (This page from left) The U.S. Botanic Garden with the Capitol Building beyond and the grand Friendship Archway, a colorful site in Chinatown.
©LEANDRO NEUMANN CIUFFO/FLICKR, CREATIVE COMMONS
(FROM LEFT) COURTESY U.S. BOTANIC GARDEN;
Market, vendors sell crafts, jewelry, artwork and produce beside alfresco cafes. Visitors queue to hear arguments at the Supreme Court October
CHINATOWN/PENN QUARTER North of Pennsylvania Avenue
through June and catch plays at Folger Shakespeare Library. Union
NW, this zone buzzes with restaurants like José Andrés’ Michelin-starred
Station, one of the nation’s busiest Amtrak train depots, features shops
Minibar, two stages for Shakespeare and the Verizon Center, a venue
and eateries.
for concerts and sports. The Smithsonian’s American Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery surround a canopy-covered courtyard. The
CHEVY CHASE/BETHESDA At Friendship Heights, the Chevy
ornate Friendship Arch at 7th and H streets marks the old Chinatown, still
Chase retail district straddles Western Avenue, the D.C.-Maryland
an authentic presence here beside national chains.
line. Here, find restaurants and stores like Bloomingdale’s, Saks Fifth Avenue, Cartier and Tiffany & Co. Take the Metrorail north to Bethesda,
DUPONT CIRCLE During America’s Gilded Age, this area became a
Maryland, for more shops and dining, art galleries and theaters like Round
promenade for old money and the nouveau riche. The National Trust for
House and kid-friendly Imagination Stage. Farther north, with their own
Historic Preservation and other contemporary institutions reclaim and
Metrorail stops, are the National Institutes of Health and the Music Center
cherish the zone’s elegant mansions. Visitors explore boutiques, art gal-
at Strathmore, a base of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and
leries, The Phillips Collection, Woodrow Wilson House and embassies
National Philharmonic.
in nearby Kalorama. Chess players and workers on breaks gather around the circle’s Beaux Arts fountain. Nighttime brings after-work crowds to restaurants, bars and clubs along Connecticut Avenue and to cafes and sidewalk patios on 17th Street a few blocks east. WHERE GUEST B OOK
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FOGGY BOTTOM Audiences park underground or take a free shuttle from the Foggy Bottom Metrorail stop to visit the “living memorial” to the 35th president, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. In the Grand Foyer, find the bronze Kennedy sculpture by Robert Berks, who
(From left) Arlington National Cemetery, Boxwood Winery in Virginia, the Albert Einstein Memorial near the National Mall. (Facing page, from left) National Harbor in Maryland at sunset and a giant panda at the National Zoo, a perennial D.C. favorite.
also created the climb-aboard statue of Albert Einstein at the National Academy of Sciences. Nearby in this “West End” neighborhood: the U.S.
Union Station to businesses like James Beard-nominee Erik Bruner-Yang’s
State Department, George Washington University with its lauded textile
restaurant/retail hybrid Maketto, intimate cocktail bar Copycat Co. and cutting-
museum, and the infamous Watergate complex that includes a newly reno-
edge Mosaic Theater Company. The Rock and Roll Hotel spotlights up-and-
vated hotel with rooftop lounge.
coming bands, while H Street Country Club amuses with an indoor mini-golf course. Every fall brings more than 50,000 to what some call the Atlas District
GEORGETOWN In D.C.’s oldest neighborhood (c.1751), M Street and
(named for the performing arts center housed in an Art Deco-style movie the-
Wisconsin Avenue cross at the commercial hub, and federal row houses coex-
ater) to enjoy food, drink and art during the popular H Street Festival.
ist with shops, restaurants and bars. Attractions include historic sites like Tudor Place, plus Georgetown University, Potomac boathouses and the C&O
NATIONAL HARBOR, MARYLAND South of D.C. on the Potomac
Canal. At Washington Harbour, restaurants, fountains and an ice skating rink
River, this zone has a boardwalk and full-service hotels, including the new
in winter draw crowds. DC Circulator buses traverse the city, shuttling visitors
MGM National Harbor. Water taxis and river cruises shuttle passengers here
and residents alike between Georgetown and Union Station.
from the waterfronts of Alexandria, Virginia, and Georgetown. A bike trail on the Woodrow Wilson Bridge connects to Alexandria. Along the waterfront,
36
H STREET NE This revitalizing zone between 3rd and 14th streets is
find restaurants, shops, festivals and Seward Johnson’s “The Awakening,” a
emerging as one of D.C.’s hippest. Where British soldiers once marched toward
bronze, climb-on giant who emerges from the sands of a man-made beach. A
the Capitol during the War of 1812, now a streetcar transports passengers from
spin on The Capital Wheel offers panoramic views.
W H E R E G U E ST B O O K
(FROM LEFT) ©MISHELLA/ISTOCK; ©JIM HANNA; ©CRISTINA CIOCHINA/SHUTTERSTOCK
ALL ABOUT TOWN
(FROM LEFT) COURTESY NATIONAL HARBOR; ©LEONID SMIRNOV/SHUTTERSTOCK
SHAW The Washington Convention Center anchors this commercial cor-
fabled horse country. Leesburg draws shoppers with its off-price outlets and
ridor and rapidly developing multicultural neighborhood of galleries, hot
antiques shops in a historic district. At National Air and Space Museum’s
restaurants and bars, several among the most lauded and popular destina-
Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, aircraft hover in hangar-like galleries. Kids
tions in the city. The restored Howard Theatre on T Street NW once hosted
play pilot and marvel at the Space Shuttle Discovery as part of the world’s
Duke Ellington, The Supremes and Otis Redding, and now, like the 9:30 Club
largest collection related to aviation and space exploration.
on V Street, books current big names in all genres. To the north, find Howard University flanking Florida Avenue NW.
WATERFRONT/NAVY YARD On the Southeast Waterfront, find the Navy Museum, Nationals Park Major League Baseball stadium and
TYSONS AND RESTON, VIRGINIA Tysons, a major retail
revamped spaces like Yards Park with its light sculptures, boardwalk and
zone, includes Tysons Corner Center, one of the region’s largest shop-
fountains on the banks of the Anacostia River. The Southwest Waterfront,
ping malls at 2.2 million square feet. The adjacent Tysons Galleria offers
undergoing redevelopment, features acclaimed Arena Stage, plus Potomac
more than 120 restaurants and retailers like Saks Fifth Avenue, Cartier,
River cruises and a popular weekend fish market.
Chanel and Macy’s, plus celebrity chef Mike Isabella’s upscale food hall set to open in 2017. At Fairfax Square, find gleaming baubles at Tiffany
WOODLEY PARK/CLEVELAND PARK Along Connecticut
& Co. and Liljenquist & Beckstead. About 11 miles west toward Dulles
Avenue north of Calvert Street, the blocks filled with grand apartment
International Airport, Reston—one of America’s first planned communities—has a town center featuring shops, dining and, in winter, an ice skating rink.
buildings and residences once served as the summer retreat of prominent Washingtonians. The neighborhood now has pubs, restaurants and the art deco Uptown Theater, a film premiere venue. Washington National Cathedral, sited on Mount Saint Alban, hosts presidents, tourists and wor-
VIRGINIA COUNTRY Daytrippers head to vineyards, Civil War
shippers with services and concerts. Between the two Metrorail stops, find
battlefields and the charming town of Middleburg in the Old Dominion’s
the National Zoo with its superstar giant panda bears. WHERE GUEST B OOK
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Alexandria
IN OLD TOWN, VISITORS STROLL COBBLESTONE STREETS LINED WITH BOUTIQUES AND RESTAURANTS, EXPLORE A BUSTLING WATERFRONT ZONE AND TOUR HISTORIC HOMES. FROM HERE, ROADS RADIATE PAST CIVIL WAR LANDMARKS AND VICTORIAN ROW HOUSES—A LANDSCAPE FOR RECONNECTING WITH AMERICAN HISTORY.
©R. KENNEDY/VISIT ALEXANDRIA
Where founding fathers once gathered, discover 21st-century adventures.
ALEXANDRIA SITES ALEXANDRIA VISITORS CENTER AT RAMSAY HOUSECL00519 In the reconstructed home of city founder William Ramsay, sightseeing brochures, museum tickets, maps, gifts. 221 King St., 703.746.3301 www.visitalexandriava.com ALEXANDRIA AFRICANAMERICAN HERITAGE PARK Eight-acre park with Jerome Meadows’ sculpture of three bronze trees titled “Truths That Rise From the Roots-Remembered.” Pre-Civil War Black Baptist Cemetery; trail winding through wetlands. 401 Holland Lane, 703.838.4356 ALEXANDRIA BLACK HISTORY MUSEUMCL00510 Once the segregated Robinson Library, the museum houses more than 3,000 documentary items. $2. 902 Wythe St., 703.838.4356 www.alexblackhistory.org ATHENAEUMCL0075916 Built as a bank in 1851, now a National Historic Site and HQ of the Northern Virginia Fine Arts Association. Art exhibits, musical performances. Free. 201 Prince St., 703.548.0035 www.nvfaa.org CARLYLE HOUSECL00512 On the town square, restored mansion of Alexandria founder John Carlyle, a Scottish merchant. Tours, exhibits, lectures. $5, children $3. 121 N. Fairfax St., 703.549.2997 www.carlylehouse.org
CHRIST CHURCH One of the oldest in Northern Virginia (c. 1773), Georgian-style church where presidents from George Washington to George W. Bush attended service. A plaque marking the spot where Robert E. Lee, along with his two daughters, was confirmed. 118 N. Washington St., 703.549.1450 www.historicchristchurch.org CONTRABANDS AND FREEDMEN CEMETERY The final resting place of 1,700 African American men, women and children who escaped slavery during the Civil War. New memorial with sculpture by Mario Chiodo and reliefs by Joanna Blake. 1001 S. Washington St. FORT WARD MUSEUM & HISTORIC SITECL003568 Civil War museum on the grounds of a Union fort details soldiers’ daily lives. Surrounding park. Gift shop. AprilOct. Free. 4301 W. Braddock Road, 703.838.4848 www.fortward.org GADSBY’S TAVERN MUSEUMCL00514 Once host to founding fathers. Tours at quarter before and quarter after the hour. $5, children $3. 134 N. Royal St., 703.838.4242 www.gadsbystavern.org GEORGE WASHINGTON MASONIC NATIONAL MEMORIALCL0051 Towered temple at west end of King Street with a 17-foot bronze statue of Washington (a Mason), museum with George Washington memorabilia and history of Freemasonry, rooms for Masonic orders. Diagonal elevators to observation deck. Guided tours. $15, under 13 free.
Near King St. Metro at 101 Callahan Drive, 703.683.2007 www.gwmemorial.org KATE WALLER BARRETT BRANCH LIBRARY Founded in 1794, site of a 1939 sit-in demanding equal access for AfricanAmericans, now housing a local history and genealogy collection. 717 Queen St., 703.746.1703 www.alexandria.lib.va.us LEE-FENDALL HOUSECL00517 On a plot once owned by Revolutionary War hero Henry “Light Horse Harry” Lee, father of Robert E. Lee, a white clapboard structure where nearly 40 Lees lived between 1785 and 1903. Family heirlooms and period pieces. Tours. $5, students (5-17) $3, under 5 free. 614 Oronoco St., 703.548.1789 www.leefendallhouse.org THE LYCEUMCL00518 Once a revival hall and Civil War hospital, now site of performances, lectures and city history exhibits. $2. Gift shop. 201 S. Washington St., Alexandria, 703.746.4994 www.alexandriava.gov/lyceum MOUNT VERNONCL00519 George Washington’s plantation house atop a hill by the Potomac River, with 14 rooms furnished per a 1799 inventory. Plus: the first couple’s tomb, gardens, a blacksmith shop, a 16-sided treading barn and a reconstructed slave cabin. High-tech Ford Orientation Center and Donald W. Reynolds Museum and Education Center reveal the man. Fred W. Smith National Library for the Study of George Washington, accessible by special appt. or tour. Other tours in-
clude “National Treasure,” slave life. $20, seniors $16, children (6-11) $9, under 6 free. Discount packages available. Admission price includes distillery and gristmill three miles away. Sixteen miles south of D.C. via G.W. Memorial Parkway, 703.780.2000 www.mountvernon.org NATIONAL INVENTORS HALL OF FAME AND MUSEUMCL002675 In the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, museum capturing America’s imaginative spirit through exhibits on patent and trademark systems. Interactive gallery displaying 500plus inventors and their stories, plus a 1965 Ford Mustang merged with a 2015 model showing how inventions drive technology. Group tours upon request. Gift shop. Free. 600 Dulany St., 571.272.0095 www.uspto.gov/web/offices/ac/ ahrpa/opa/museum STABLER-LEADBEATER APOTHECARY MUSEUMCL0043894 Well-preserved family business in operation from 1792 to 1933 catering to locals like George Washington and Robert E. Lee. Original furnishings, products and ledgers. Tours. $5, children 5-12 $3, under 5 free. 105-107 S. Fairfax St., 703.746.3852 www.apothecarymuseum.org TORPEDO FACTORY ART CENTERCL00784 World War II munitions plant, now three floors of 82 artist studios, archaeology museum with area digs, galleries with art for sale. Free. 105 N. Union St., 703.838.4565 www.torpedofactory.org
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DISCOVER MORE
ON THE WATER From historical momuments, to the new District Wharf and more, experience the Capital Region from a unique perspective you won’t find on land. SIGHTSEEING TOURS | WATER TAXIS | PRIVATE CHARTERS
PotomacRiverBoatCo.com 703.684.0580
Sacred Circle Metaphysical Books ~ Music ~ Gifts Intuitive Counselors Holistic Healers
Shop in a friendly, peaceful atmosphere where all spiritual paths are honored.
919 King St., Alexandria 703.299.9309 SacredCircleBooks.com
sacredcircle4.indd 1
10/28/11 11:37:51 AM
WASHINGTON, D.C.
SHOPPING
©JEFFREY MARTIN/SALT & SUNDRY
IN D.C., POWER PERMEATES NOT JUST THE HALLS OF GOVERNMENT. DENIZENS ALSO LIKE TO FLEX THEIR RETAIL MUSCLES AT HISTORIC SHOPS, BUZZY MODERN CENTERS AND HIP BOUTIQUES.
SHOPPING CENTERS CITYCENTERDC Luxury complex for coveted labels including Arc’Teryx, CH Carolina Herrera, Hermès, Louis Vuitton, plus restaurants Centrolina, Daniel Boulud’s DBGB Kitchen and Bar, Fig & Olive and Momofuku. 10th St. NW (Between H and I), 202.289.9000 www.citycenterdc.com THE COLLECTION AT CHEVY CHASECL00801 Row of high-end boutiques in Maryland, just north of the D.C. line. Cartier, Jimmy Choo, Tiffany & Co. and Saks Fifth Avenue. 5471-5481 Wisconsin Ave. NW www.thecollectionatchevychase.com FASHION CENTRE AT PENTAGON CITYCL008091 Newly remodeled airy, light-filled mall anchored by Nordstrom and Macy’s with 170-plus shops (Apple, Aveda, Coach, Hugo Boss, Kate Spade, Stuart Weitzman). Large food court. 1100 S. Hayes St., Arlington, Va., 703.415.2400 www.fashioncentrepentagon.com MAZZA GALLERIECL008021 Upscale, vertical mall with Neiman Marcus, Saks for Men, home decor shops, food court and a cinema. 5300 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202.966.6114 www.mazzagallerie.com RESTON TOWN CENTERCL008023 A pedestrian-friendly zone featuring a fountain square and a pavilion that transforms into an ice-skating rink during winter months. Galleries, specialty shops (South Moon Under, Appalachian Spring) and restaurants.
Take Dulles Toll Road west to Reston Parkway, 11900 Market St., Reston, Va., 703.579.6720 www.restontowncenter.com SHOPS AT WISCONSIN PLACECL0040361 Bloomingdale’s and LED sculpture anchoring a row of fashionable stores like Anthropologie, Cole Haan, Nina McLemore’s flagship, Sephora. Restaurants like The Capital Grille and P.F. Chang’s. 5310 Western Ave., Chevy Chase, Md., 301.841.4000 www.shopwisconsinplace.com TYSONS CORNER CENTERCL008025 Largest mall in the metropolitan area has 300-plus shops, restaurants and a cineplex. Bloomingdale’s, Lego, L.L. Bean, Nordstrom, West Elm and Zara. 1961 Chain Bridge Road, Tysons Corner, Va., 703.893.9400 www.tysonscornercenter.com TYSONS GALLERIACL008026 Neiman Marcus, Macy’s, Saks Fifth Avenue plus 100 other upscale shops (Bottega Veneta, Chanel, Gucci, Elie Tahari, Louis Vuitton, Tory Burch). Restaurants and Isabella Eatery food hall (opening summer 2017). 2001 International Drive, McLean, Va., 703.827.7730 www.tysonsgalleria.com
APPAREL-MEN HUGH & CRYE Shirts (dress, casual) and blazers designed to fit 12 body types from slim to athletic. Accessories like pocket squares, ties and vintage pins. 3212 O St. NW, Suite 5, 202.250.3807 www.hughandcrye.com
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SHOPPING ONWARD RESERVE Georgia-based designer for the outdoorsy Southern gentlemen. Glam hunting lodge-like digs for polos, tees, khakis, sweaters by namesake line, Barbour, Peter Millar, Canada Goose, Shinola. Accessories, decor, gifts. Bar. 1063 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202.838.9365 www.onwardreserve.com WHISKEY GINGER Minimalist, edgy shop with concrete floors and metal bars filled with casual clothing by Bellfield, Rogue State, Astronomy. Accessories (iPhone cases), Brooklyn Grooming personal care products. 1603 U St. NW, 202.791.0851 www.whiskeygingershop.com
APPAREL-MEN & WOMEN BILLY REIDCL004294 Renowned designer’s collection with a Southern touch. Button-ups, derbyready suits and loose-fitting linens paired with accessories like distressed leather handbags. 3211 M St. NW, 202.499.6765 www.billyreid.com REDEEMCL0076125 Posh urbanites and rockers flock to this hip Logan Circle boutique for luxe brands like Anzevino & Florence, Brown Label and Religion. MUTINY men’s grooming products. 1810 14th St. NW, 202.332.7447 www.redeemus.com VINEYARD VINESCL00278 New England meets Georgetown in seersucker pants, polos, oxfords, cable-knit cardigans, swimwear, accessories for men, women and kids in a range of pastel shades.
1225 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202.625.8463 www.vineyardvines.com
APPAREL-WOMEN BETSY FISHERCL007612 Hip fashion den with knowledgeable staff stocks top contemporary designer clothing and shoes. 1224 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202.785.1975 www.betsyfisher.com HU’S WEARCL00527 Airy boutique (by owners of Hu’s Shoes) with clothing and accessories by designers like Bruno Grizzo, Guilty Brotherhood and Megan Park. 2906 M St. NW, 202.342.2020 www.husonline.com THE PHOENIXCL008041 Upscale boutique with contemporary designer clothing by Eileen Fisher, White + Warren, Yansi Fugel and Lilla P. Jewelry plus fine art, Mexican decor. 1514 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202.338.4404 www.thephoenixdc.com ELLA RUE Georgetown boutique for high-end consignment from Palm Beach to Paris. Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Saint Laurent, J. Brand. Accessories, shoes. 3231 P St. NW, 202.333.1598 www.ella-rue.com
ART, DECOR & GIFTS A GALERIE In an Old Town c. 1800 warehouse, nearly 6,000 square feet of inventory: original watercolors and engravings, including antique, mid-century and contemporary periods, 18th-20th century furnishings and accessories,
designer home decor. Worldwide shipping available. 315 Cameron St., Alexandria, Va., 703.548.1010 www.agaleriealexandria.com ARTIST’S PROOFCL004721 International (Brussels to Beijing) inventory of contemporary art in Georgetown. Photos by Fred Maroon and acrylic and Chinese ink works by Belgian artist Jean-Francois Debongnie, among others. Acquisition talks, meet-the-artists. 1533 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202.803.2782 www.aproof.net DTR MODERN GALLERIESCL0042390 In Georgetown, contemporary and 20th-century masters from a privately held collection of works by artists like Basquiat, Botero, Dali, Hirst, Mars, Picasso, Warhol. 2820 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, 202.338.0625 www.dtrmodern.com H THE INDIAN CRAFT SHOPCL0076134 At Department of the Interior since 1938, outlet for American Indian artists to market their crafts. Basketry, weavings, carvings, kachinas and beadwork plus an outdoor sculpture garden. Visitors provide photo ID to enter the building. 1849 C St. NW, 202.208.4056 www.indiancraftshop.com SALT & SUNDRY Curated collection of home decor, kitchen and cocktail accessories, gourmet foods and gifts. 1624 14th St. NW, 202.621.6647 1309 5th St. NE, 202.556.1866 www.shopsaltandsundry.com
URBAN DWELL Fun shop featuring “hand-picked” selection of accessories for men and women, whimsical decor items, kitchen and bath products, gifts for babies/ children. 1837 Columbia Road NW, 202.558.9087 www.urbandwelldc.com WHITE HOUSE HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONCL0076148 Books, Christmas ornaments, jewelry and items inspired by the history of the White House. 1450 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, 202.208.7031 1610 H St. NW, 202.218.4337 www.whitehousehistory.org
BOOKS KRAMERBOOKS & AFTERWORDS CAFECL008043 Independent bookstore opened in 1976 with full-service restaurant and bar, live music and events. 1517 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202.387.1400 www.kramers.com POLITICS AND PROSECL007930 Since 1984, niche selections and popular book signings. OPUS prints books on demand. Coffee shop downstairs. 5015 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202.364.1919 www.politics-prose.com H SACRED CIRCLECL0041950 Shop dedicated to spirituality, metaphysics, holistic healing and the environment. Books, music, crystals and gifts. Readings (tarot, palm) upstairs. Free parking. 919 King St., Alexandria, Va., 703.299.9309 www.sacredcirclebooks.com
H STARRED LISTINGS ARE FEATURED GUESTBOOK ADVERTISERS. 44
W H E R E G U E ST B O O K
JEWELRY & GIFTS BRILLIANT EARTH Serene, loft-like setting for San Francisco-based hand-crafter of ethically sourced diamond and gemstone jewelry, plus vintage and antique pieces. Hour-long consultations, customizations. Fri.-Tues., 10 a.m.-7 p.m. 3332 Cady’s Alley NW, 202.448.9055 www.brilliantearth.com CULTURED CONCEPTS Statement pieces drawing influences from “rich cultures and natural surroundings.” Beaded necklaces, bracelets, earrings with brass trimmings. Online, but also by appointment. 571.206.1403 www.livecultured.com H KING’S JEWELRY Family-owned shop with fine jewelry (diamonds, pearls, gemstones), Swiss and Rolex watches and gifts in a wide range of prices. Also here, antique jewelry and consultations. 609 King St., Alexandria, Va., 703.549.0011 www.kingsjewelry.net H LENKERSDORFER Sister store to Liljenquist & Beckstead since 1993. Fine watches by Cartier, Panerai, Patek Philippe, plus fine jewelry from Bulgari, Chopard, Roberto Coin. Skilled technicians. 1961 Chain Bridge Road, Tysons Corner, Va., 703.506.6712 www.lenkersdorfer.com H LILJENQUIST & BECKSTEADCL008054 Since 1979 watches by Bulgari, Cartier, Chopard, Rolex. Bell & Ross timepieces “designed for professionals,” David Yurman bracelets and Tacori diamond rings. Tysons Galleria (watch store), 2001
International Drive, McLean, Va., 703.448.6731 Westfield Montgomery, 2412 Montgomery Mall, Bethesda, Md., 301.469.7575 Fairfax Square, 8075 Leesburg Pike, Vienna, Va., 703.749.1200 Westfield Annapolis, 1660 Annapolis Mall, 410.224.4787 www.liljenquist.com STERLING & BURKECL004183 Two-level Anglophile haven offering hand-stitched leather goods. English bridle luggage, briefcases, handbags, wallets. Fine stationery, cufflinks, plus custom pieces. 2824 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, 202.333.2266 www.sterlingandburke.com TEN THOUSAND VILLAGESCL005307 One of the world’s largest fair trade organizations for artisans in 38 countries. Indonesian freshwater pearl earrings, Peruvian backgammon games, etc. all with a printout of the item’s story. 915 King St., Alexandria, Va., 703.684.1435 www.tenthousandvillages.com
SHOES ALDENCL002435 Family-owned shoe manufacturer since 1884. Men’s shoes from tassel moccasins to dress Oxfords and Indiana Jones-style work boots, belts, fine leather goods. 921 F St. NW, 202.347.2308 www.aldenshoe.com BISHOP BOUTIQUE Hip Old Town boutique for women’s accessories and shoes. Danielle Nicole, Gorjana, Ivanka Trump, Loeffler Randall, LK Bennett, Loren Hope.
815-B King St., Alexandria, Va., 571.312.0042 www.bishopboutique.com HU’S SHOESCL0071 Marlene Hu Aldaba's collection of coveted footwear from New York, Paris and Milan. Chloe, Givenchy, Proenza Schouler, Red Valentino, etc. 3005 M St. NW, 202.342.0202 www.husonline.com
SPAS & COSMETICS BLUEMERCURY Locally owned luxe cosmetics shop with knowledgeable staff demonstrating high-end products (La Mer, Nars). 3059 M St. NW, 202.965.1300 1145 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202.628.5567 Union Station, 50 Massachusetts Ave. NE, 202.289.5008 www.bluemercury.com DRYBARCL004054 Chic salon for blowouts ranging from Cosmo (loose curls) to Manhattan (sleek and shiny). 1825 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202.609.8644 www.thedrybar.com GROOMING LOUNGECL00521 Upscale spot for hot lather shaves, manicures and facials for gents. 1745 L St. NW, 202.466.8900 Tysons Galleria, 2001 International Drive, McLean, Va., 703.288.0355 www.groominglounge.com SANTA MARIA NOVELLACL004241 Skin and bath products made in Florence tracing back to an Italian pharmacy opened 400 years ago. “Ancient preparations,” perfume, home scents. 5454 Wisconsin Ave., 240.743.4949 www.santamarianovellausa.com
VARNISH LANE Upscale, eco-conscious salon in a beachy townhouse for waterless mani/pedis. Non-toxic brands like Lauren B., RGB, Smith & Cult, along with designer lines Chanel, YSL. 5236 44th St. NW, 202.506.5308 www.varnishlane.com
SPECIALTY SHOPS GEORGETOWN CUPCAKECL005670 Of reality TV show fame, locally owned bakery for popular cupcakes. Winner of Washington Post cupcake wars. Classic recipes (vanilla, chocolate), daily specials, seasonal flavors. 3301 M St. NW, 202.333.8448 www.georgetowncupcake.com HILL’S KITCHENCL004397 One-stop kitchen shop in a row house, steps from Eastern Market Metro. D.C.-themed etched glasses, tea towels, cookie cutters. Classes; see website for calendar and to register. 713 D St. SE, 202.543.1997 www.hillskitchen.com MILK BAR Local outpost of Christina Tosi’s NYC bakery for “crack pies,” “compost cookies,” “cereal milk” soft serve ice cream. D.C. special: parfaits. 1090 I St. NW, 855.333.6455 www.milkbarstore.com UNION MARKETCL0040356 Culinary marketplace with local “artisan” vendors: Peregrine Espresso, Follain natural beauty, Rappahannock Oyster Company. John Mooney’s Bidwell restaurant. 1309 5th St. NE, 301.347.3998 www.unionmarketdc.com
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WASHINGTON, D.C.
ATTRACTIONS
COURTESY FREER AND SACKLER GALLERIES, SMITHSONIAN
THANKS TO GENEROUS BENEFACTORS AND ENLIGHTENED PLANNERS, D.C. IS RICH WITH HISTORY, NATIONAL LANDMARKS, GREEN SPACES AND WORLD-RENOWNED ART MUSEUMS.
VISITOR CENTERS
SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION
D.C. TOURIST INFORMATION CENTERCL00785 A first stop for tour advice, brochures, city guides and maps at the DC Chamber of Commerce. 1133 21st St. NW, Suite M200, 202.347.7201 www.dcchamber.org
AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY AND CULTURE MUSEUM LEED edifice of glass wrapped in bronze-toned metal panels evoking a Yoruban crown and ironwork crafted in this country by “invisible” slaves. Inside, eight levels (some underground) for artifacts tracing the African-American experience, including a Tuskegee biplane, South Carolina slave cabin, Harriet Tubman’s hymnal, Emmett Till’s casket, Chuck Berry’s red Cadillac. Oprah Winfrey Theater, plus water- and light-filled Contemplative Court. Cafe (with Carla Hall as consultant and Jerome Grant, from American Indian Museum’s Mitsitam, as chef ). Free timed-entry passes required; see website for details and to reserve. 1400 Constitution Ave. NW, 844.750.3012 www.nmaahc.si.edu
SMITHSONIAN INFORMATION CENTERCL0063789 In the Castle, information about the 17 museums, National Zoo and two New York museums. Cafe, Wi-Fi and interactive video programs. 1000 Jefferson Drive SW, 202.633.1000 www.si.edu U.S. CAPITOL VISITOR CENTERCL00000 The entryway to the U.S. Capitol with exhibits, artifacts, replicas of Capitol Hill, an 11-foot-tall model of the Capitol dome and interactive kiosks. No passes required Free guided one-hour Capitol tours. Admission to the House or Senate galleries issued by a constituent’s representative or senator. Limited number of same-day passes at the CVC information desks. Below the East Plaza of the Capitol between Constitution & Independence aves., 202.226.8000 www.visitthecapitol.gov WHITE HOUSE VISITOR CENTER Interactive exhibits, photos and videos about the famed residence and its occupants. Free. Gift shop. 1450 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, 202.208.1631 www.nps.gov/whho
AFRICAN ART MUSEUMCL007958 Sub-Saharan African art: masks, textiles, regalia, furniture, ceramics. “African Mosaic: Celebrating a Decade of Collecting,” museum acquisitions since 2002, and “Walt Disney-Tishman African Art Collection Highlights.” Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives with more than 450,000 items depicting Africa. Gift shop. Free. 950 Independence Ave. SW, 202.633.1000 www.nmafa.si.edu AIR AND SPACE MUSEUMCL007951 World’s largest collection of aircraft and space vehicles (Lindbergh’s Spirit of St. Louis, Bell X-1, 1903 Wright Flyer). Renovated Boeing Milestones of Flight Hall with Apollo Lunar Module and Enterprise Federation studio model from “Star Trek” tele-
vision series, interactive kiosks. At Lockheed Martin IMAX Theater and Albert Einstein Planetarium, aviation and space-related shows. New Pulseworks VR Transporter with visitors playing astronaut in a virtual reality adventure on the International Space Station, complete with motion effects. Gift shop. Food court. Free. IMAX and planetarium shows: $9, seniors $8, children $7.50. Pulseworks VR Transporter: $12. 6th St. & Independence Ave. SW, 202.633.2214 www.nasm.si.edu AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM UDVAR-HAZY CENTERCL00796 National Air and Space Museum’s massive hangar-like facility near Dulles International Airport displaying 160-plus aircraft. The Enola Gay (first to drop an atomic bomb) and an F-4 Phantom. Ongoing exhibitions like “Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye!” IMAX theater, flight simulations. Free. IMAX: $9, seniors $8, children (2-12) $7.50. Theater info: 866.868.7774. Parking ($15) or frequent Fairfax Connector bus between Dulles Airport and museum. 14390 Air and Space Museum Parkway, Chantilly, Va., 202.633.1000 www.nasm.si.edu AMERICAN ART MUSEUMCL007952 National collections from folk art to LED installations and one gallery dedicated to video and time-based artwork. Gift shop. Kogod Courtyard with Norman Foster-designed canopy. Wi-Fi, cafe. Free. 8th & F sts. NW, 202.633.1000 www.americanart.si.edu
AMERICAN HISTORY MUSEUMCL00361 National repository of cultural, scientific and technological heritage. Artifacts including Thomas Jefferson’s desk, Julia Child’s kitchen, a piece of Plymouth Rock, jazz treasures. The restored Star-Spangled Banner and first ladies’ gowns, plus memorabilia from presidencies past. Gift shops, ice cream parlor, cafeteria. Free. 14th St. & Constitution Ave. NW, 202.633.1000 www.americanhistory.si.edu AMERICAN INDIAN MUSEUMCL00795 Curvilinear building of golden-hued limestone holding tribal exhibitions such as “Nation to Nation: Treaties Between the United States and American Indian Nations” and “Return to a Native Place: Algonquin Peoples of the Chesapeake.” Gift shops, two theaters and Mitsitam Cafe. Free. 4th St. & Independence Ave. SW, 202.633.1000 www.nmai.si.edu ANACOSTIA COMMUNITY MUSEUMCL007953 Devoted to activism, urban communities and African-American heritage with exhibitions like “Bridging the Americas: Community and Belonging from Panama to Washington, D.C.” Events like author talks, film screenings. Free. Free parking. 1901 Fort Place SE, 202.633.4820 www.anacostia.si.edu ARTHUR M. SACKLER GALLERYCL00795 Reopened after renovations, newly installed collections of Asian and Near Eastern artworks spanning 6,000 years featured in a dramatic underground building. Highlights tours daily (except Wed.) at noon. Gift shop. Free. 1050 Independence Ave. SW,
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ATTRACTIONS 202.633.1000 www.asia.si.edu THE CASTLECL007954 The first Smithsonian building with information center, cafe, James Smithson’s crypt and exhibitions including “The Earliest Known Photograph of the Castle,” “The Smithsonian: A Story of Discovery and Wonder” and “Views from the Tall Tower.” Haupt Garden (south side). Free. 1000 Jefferson Drive SW, 202.633.1000 www.si.edu FREER GALLERYCL007956 Recently reopened after a renovation with reimagined spaces for displaying East and South Asian and Islamic art in an Italian-style villa. James McNeill Whistler’s Peacock Room restored to its original 1908 appearance. Films, gift shop. Free. Jefferson Drive and 12th St. SW, 202.633.1000 www.asia.si.edu HIRSHHORN MUSEUM AND SCULPTURE GARDENCL00795 Doughnut-shaped building designed by Gordon Bunshaft holding Joseph H. Hirshhorn’s gift collection plus later acquisitions. Works by Dubuffet, Picasso, Rothko, Calder, Warhol and current stars. Sculpture Garden. Free. 7th St. & Independence Ave. SW, 202.633.1000 www.hirshhorn.si.edu NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERYCL007961 Famed faces of U.S. history and culture. Only complete collection of presidential portraits outside the White House. Gift shop, cafe. Free. 8th & F sts. NW, 202.633.1000 www.npg.si.edu
NATIONAL POSTAL MUSEUMCL007962 Former main post office, now museum of postal artifacts, stamps, multimedia stations and exhibits. William H. Gross Stamp Gallery with several exhibitions reflecting commerce, culture and community. Special workshops, welcome center, gift shop and post office. Free. 2 Massachusetts Ave. NE, 202.633.1000 www.postal.si.edu NATIONAL ZOOCL007963 Founded in 1889, a 163-acre zoo with more than 2,000 animals like giant pandas Tian Tian, Mei Xiang and their cub Bei Bei. Elephant Trails exhibit with a wooded exercise trek. Asia Trail with giant sloths and clouded leopards. American Trail with North American species (sea otters and seals). Solar-powered carousel ($3.50). Free. Parking $22. 3001 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202.633.4888 www.nationalzoo.si.edu NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUMCL007960 Exhibits tracking the natural world since prehistoric time. In the Rotunda, taxidermic African elephant Henry starring in a replica Angolan habitat. Hall of Geology, Gems and Minerals (Dom Pedro and the Hope Diamond), Hall of Mammals, Ocean Hall, Hall of Human Origins. Butterfly Pavilion ($6, $5.50 seniors, $5 children; Tues. free). “Q?rius,” 10,000-square-foot learning center for teens. Cafe, gift shop. Free. Constitution Ave. at 10th St. NW, 202.633.1000 www.mnh.si.edu
ART MUSEUMS KATZEN ARTS CENTERCL007968 Dramatic building with museum and performance spaces of American University. Three floors of changing exhibitions by Washington and international artists. Gift shop, cafe. Free. Ward Circle, 4400 Massachusetts Ave. NW, 202.885.1300 www.american.edu/museum KREEGER MUSEUMCL00796 Philip Johnson-designed residence of the late David and Carmen Kreeger, with 19th- and 20th-century paintings and sculpture by artists like Monet, Van Gogh, Rodin, Leger and Picasso. Tours. $10 suggested donation, students/seniors/military $8. Free parking. 2401 Foxhall Road NW, 202.337.3050 www.kreegermuseum.org NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART/ EAST BUILDINGCL00790 I.M. Pei-designed museum holds modern and contemporary American and European paintings, sculpture and prints by Matisse, Stella, Warhol, Kelly, Pollock, Picasso, Motherwell, et al. Features skylight tower galleries highlighting works by Alexander Calder and Mark Rothko; roof terrace with sculptures and views of the Capitol. Gift shop and cafes. Free. Constitution Ave. NW between 3rd & 4th sts., 202.737.4215 www.nga.gov NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART/ WEST BUILDINGCL00791 One of the world’s finest collections of American and European paintings and sculpture dating from the 13th century, including “Ginevra de’ Benci,” this hemisphere’s only da Vinci painting. Gift shop, cafes, sculpture garden
with ice skating in winter. Free. Constitution Ave. NW between 4th & 7th sts., 202.737.4215 www.nga.gov NATIONAL MUSEUM OF WOMEN IN THE ARTSCL00792 Pioneering museum dedicated to female artists with 4,500-plus works by, among others, Mary Cassatt, Frida Kahlo and Alma Thomas. $10, students/seniors $8, 18 and under free. Free admission on “Community Days,” the first Sunday of each month. Mezzanine Cafe. New York Ave. & 13th St. NW, 202.783.5000 www.nmwa.org H THE PHILLIPS COLLECTIONCL00793 The country’s first museum of modern art (1921), providing an intimate setting for a renowned collection including Renoir, Cézanne, Matisse, Manet, El Greco, Miró, Monet, O’Keeffe, Rodin and Picasso. Laib Wax Room, beeswax-lined niche accommodating two visitors at a time by Wolfgang Laib. Special exhibitions. $12, seniors/students $10. Gift shop. 21st & Q sts. NW, 202.387.2151 www.phillipscollection.org
NATIONAL LANDMARKS ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERYCL0078 Interred here, thousands of veterans and government personnel. Free; bus tour $13.50, seniors (65+) $10, military & veterans with ID/children (4-12) $6.75, children with military $3.25, military in uniform free. Kennedy Gravesites—John F. Kennedy’s grave with eternal flame, beside grave of his wife and brothers Tomb of the Unknowns—
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Gravesites of one unidentified soldier from each World War and the Korean War; Vietnam War soldier’s tomb empty since identification in 1998 Iwo Jima Memorial—Honoring the U.S. Marine Corps Women in Military Service for America Memorial—Honoring two million women of the armed forces Arlington House—Former home of Confederate General Robert E. Lee 214 McNair Road, Arlington, Va., 877.907.8585 www.arlingtoncemetery.org FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT MEMORIALCL00782 A 7.5-acre landscaped park of waterfalls and tableaux. Bronze sculptures and bas-reliefs depict Roosevelt, wife Eleanor and dog Fala plus scenes from the Depression through WWII. West Potomac Park along Basin Drive SW, 202.426.6841 www.nps.gov/fdrm JEFFERSON MEMORIALCL00785 By the Tidal Basin, John Russell Pope’s neoclassical monument for the third U.S. president and main author of the Declaration of Independence. Ranger talks, bookstore. South end of 15th St. SW, 202.426.6841 www.nps.gov/thje LIBRARY OF CONGRESSCL00790 World’s largest library, holding more than 162 million items, among them the Gutenberg Bible and a re-creation of Thomas Jefferson’s 6,487-volume founding collection. Tours. Free. Jefferson Building, 10 First St. SE, 202.707.8000
James Madison Memorial Building, 101 Independence Ave. SE, 202.707.9779, www.loc.gov
NATIONAL ARCHIVES MUSEUM
MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. NATIONAL MEMORIALCL0041624 Commemorating the civil rights leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner with a nearly 30-foot-high statue and inscription walls bearing his eloquent words. Northwest corner of Tidal Basin at the intersection of West Basin Drive SW & Independence Ave. SW, 888.484.3373 www.nps.gov/mlkm H NATIONAL ARCHIVESCL007890 The “Charters of Freedom,” the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Theater with free films. David M. Rubenstein Gallery and Visitor Orientation Plaza. “Records of Rights,” personal documents of African-Americans, women and immigrants plus the 1297 Magna Carta. Gift shop. Free. 700 Pennsylvania Ave. NW (enter rotunda on Constitution Ave. NW), 877.874.7616 www.archives.gov/nae
CONSTITUTION AVENUE BETWEEN �TH & 9TH STREETS NW Archives.gov/museum
NATIONAL MALLCL007892 Planner Pierre L’Enfant’s grand landscape from the U.S. Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial. Memorials free. U.S. Capitol—At the east end, home of the U.S. Congress since 1800. 202.224.3121 www.aoc.gov Washington Monument—World’s tallest freestanding masonry structure. Elevator (closed at press time) to museum and observation deck. Free sameday tickets, $1.50 for reservations. 15th St. NW, 202.426.6841, www.nps.gov/wamo
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The L. Ron Hubbard House Museum
1812 19th St. NW, Washington D.C. 20009 FREE DAILY TOURS • 10 am – 6 pm
Dupont Circle Metro (Red Line) FREE PARKING 202-234-7490 • www.lrhindc.org
Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception America’s Catholic Church
Daily Guided Tours Daily Masses & Confessions Bookstore & Gift Shop Free Parking 400 Michigan Ave., NE • Washington, DC 202.526.8300 • www.nationalshrine.com
ATTRACTIONS Lincoln Memorial—Greek-style temple with statue by Daniel Chester French. Visitors center. Gift shop. South of Constitution Ave. NW at 23rd St., 202.426.6841, www.nps.gov/linc Korean War Veterans Memorial— Pool of Remembrance, 19 steel soldiers and a granite relief. Independence Ave. & Daniel French Drive SW, 202.426.6841, www.nps. gov/kwvm World War II Memorial—Neoclassical plaza dedicated to 400,000 American lives lost overseas and on the home front. 17th St. NW between Constitution & Independence aves., 202.426.6841, www.nps.gov/nwwm Vietnam Veterans Memorial— Maya Lin’s dramatic wall inscribed with the names of more than 58,000 dead or missing soldiers. Constitution Ave. NW between 21st & 22nd sts., 202.426.6841, www.nps.gov/vive PENTAGONCL007893 Headquarters of U.S. Department of Defense and nerve center for command and control. On-site memorial (accessible 24 hours) dedicated to 184 lives lost there in the 9/11 attack. Tours (reserve online at least one week prior). Free. Army Navy Drive & Fern St., Arlington, Va., 703.697.1776 pentagontours.osd.mil SUPREME COURTCL007895 The nation’s highest tribunal. Justices convene Oct. through June in public sessions. Lines form to hear whole argument or three-minute portion. Out of session: lectures on the half-hour. Cafeteria, gift shop. Free. First St. NE between Maryland Ave. & E. Capitol St., 202.479.3030 www.supremecourt.gov
THE WHITE HOUSECL00790 Presidential residence from the time of John Adams. Photo opps from the north and south gates. For a self-guided public tour, submit request through a member of Congress at least 21 days ahead. Free. 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, 202.456.7041, www.whitehouse.gov
POINTS OF INTEREST AFRICAN-AMERICAN CIVIL WAR MEMORIAL AND MUSEUMCL0078 Bronzes depicting African-American Union soldiers and sailors; surrounding walls listing 200,000 etched names of soldiers and officers. Free. 10th St. & Vermont Ave. NW museum at 1925 Vermont Ave. NW., 202.667.2667 www.afroamcivilwar.org AMERICAN VETERANS DISABLED FOR LIFE MEMORIAL Landscape architect Michael Vergason’s star-shaped fountain with eternal flame bookended by a grove of trees, honoring the men and women injured in combat. Inspirational quotes and profiles etched in glass and granite with bronze sculptures depicting the pain and courage of more than 4 million disabled veterans. 150 Washington Ave. SW, at 2nd and C sts., 800.331.7590 www.avdlm.org H BASILICA OF THE NATIONAL SHRINE OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTIONCL0042360 Dedicated to the Virgin Mary, the largest Roman Catholic basilica in North America and one of 10 largest churches in the world. Largest collection of contemporary ecclesiastical
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art in the world. Tours. Cafeteria, gift store, book shop, undercroft of more than 70 chapels and oratories. 400 Michigan Ave. NE, 202.526.8300 www.nationalshrine.com C&O CANALCL0042358 The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, a 19th-century commercial waterway, now serving as a national historical park. Popular towpath for jogging and biking, especially the local section linking Georgetown with the Potomac River’s Great Falls. Visitors Center at Great Falls Tavern for tours, boat rides and events. Free. 1057 Thomas Jefferson St. NW, 202.653.5190 www.nps.gov/choh CONGRESSIONAL CEMETERYCL004234 Since 1807, a bucolic graveyard sheltering the remains of John Philip Sousa, J. Edgar Hoover and Civil War photographer Mathew Brady. Today, a popular spot for dogwalkers. Map available online or at cemetery gates. See website for available walking tours. Grounds open dawn-dusk. Free. 1801 E St. SE 202.543.0539 www.congressionalcemetery.org CONSTITUTION GARDENSCL0042831 On the National Mall, parallel to the Reflecting Pool, green space with large pond, winding walkways and a wooden bridge leading to the “memorial island” for the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence. Free. Intersection of Constitution Ave. & 17th St. NW www.nps.gov/coga
DUMBARTON OAKS Nineteenth-century manse with Philip Johnson-designed pavilion, collection of Byzantine and pre-Columnbian art. Library for garden studies. Ten-acre formal gardens (closed through March 15, 2018). Check website for admission prices to gardens. Museum free. Gift shop. 1703 32nd St. NW, 202.339.6401 www.doaks.org EASTERN MARKETCL004597 City’s oldest public market. Flea market each Sunday (from handmade jewelry to shabby chic furniture, and vintage linens, postcards and printing press letters). Produce, music, flowers, food. 7th & C sts. SE, 703.534.7612 www.easternmarket-dc.org FOLGER SHAKESPEARE LIBRARYCL0079 World’s largest collection of Shakespeariana (including 82 First Folios), a multimedia exhibit hall with film, an active theater (see Entertainment), concerts and an Elizabethan-style garden. Walk-in guided tours. Reading room tours by reservation. Library for scholars only. Gift shop. Free. 201 E. Capitol St. SE, 202.544.4600 www.folger.edu FRANCISCAN MONASTERYCL004237 Founded in 1899 by Franciscan friars, 42 acres of woods and landscaped gardens surrounding a turn-of-the century, Byzantine-style church modeled after Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia. Also shrines of the Holy Land and Roman-style catacombs. Guided tours, aeasonal garden tours, virtual tour online. Gift shop. Free. 1400 Quincy St. NE, 202.526.6800 www.myfranciscan.org
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ATTRACTIONS FREDERICK DOUGLASS NATIONAL HISTORIC SITECL0026754 Hilltop residence of the 19th-century orator and abolitionist, restored to its 1895 appearance with original objects. By guided tour only. Reserve in advance by calling or visiting website. Free. 1411 W St. SE, 202.426.5961 www.nps.gov/frdo
IN RESIDENCE Though President Woodrow Wilson's not enshrined on the Mall, the international peacemaker's legacy survives in a more personal monument. The President Woodrow Wilson House (page 53), now a museum, displays family heirlooms, furnishings and the state gifts he received during his presidency. The Wilsons moved into the home on S Street NW when they left the White House in 1921, and Edith bequeathed it to the National Trust in the early ’60s. Once a month, stewards of the historic manse host "Vintage Game Nights" taking place throughout the house and in the gardens in the back garden. Period attire is encouraged. See website for dates/details.
GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY MUSEUM AND THE TEXTILE MUSEUMCL00798 Two museums housed in connected structures. In the Albert H. Small Washingtoniana Collection: nearly 1,000 printed artifacts documenting D.C.’s history from the 18th to 20th centuries. In the Textile Museum: Handmade cloth since 1925 with some 19,000 objects dating from 3000 BCE to the present. Workshops, lectures and films. On the George Washington University campus. Free. 701 21st St. NW, 202.994.5200 www.museum.gwu.edu GREAT FALLS PARK Only 15 miles from D.C.’s urban bustle, an 800-acre national park where the Potomac River plunges some 76 feet through narrow Mather Gorge. Ranger-led talks and nature walks. Fifteen miles of trails, picnic areas and remnants of the 18th-century Patowmack Canal. $5 per individual, $10 per car. 9200 Old Dominion Drive, McLean, Va., 703.285.2965 www.nps.gov/grfa HILLWOOD ESTATE, MUSEUMS AND GARDENSCL007980 Cereal heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post’s mansion and gardens, her czarist treasures (Fabergé eggs), precious jewelry, liturgical objects, portraits. Guided, audio and printed tours of mansion and gardens plus “special
access” tours. Cafe and gift shop. $18, seniors $15, college students $10, children (6-18) $5, under 6 free. Park on site, or take a cab. 4155 Linnean Ave. NW (between Upton & Tilden sts.), 202.686.5807 www.hillwoodmuseum.org INTERNATIONAL SPY MUSEUMCL0981 Dedicated to the craft, practice and history of espionage showcasing items like a WWII German Enigma cipher and an East German camera for seeing through walls. Exhibits on spy rings and intel training. “Exquisitely Evil: 50 Years of Bond Villains,” plus “Operation Spy,” an adrenaline-fueled mission. $21.95, seniors/military/intelligence (with ID) $15.95, children 7-11 $14.95, under 6 free. Gift shop. 800 F St. NW, 202.393.7798 www.spymuseum.org KENILWORTH PARK AND AQUATIC GARDENSCL0041265 On the north edge of Anacostia Park, a 12-acre wetland with short hiking trails for seeing wildlife, Victoria water lilies, lotus, wildflowers and birds (great blue herons, egrets). Bookstore. Free. 1550 Anacostia Ave. NE, 202.426.6905 www.nps.gov/keaq H THE L. RON HUBBARD HOUSECL003791 The Founding Church of Scientology as it looked when the author, explorer, aviator and humanitarian lived and worked here. Free tours. 1812 19th St. NW, 202.234.7490 www.lrhindc.org MERIDIAN HILL PARK A formal 12-acre site designed in the Italianate style, containing one of the largest cascading fountains in North America and the only memorial to President James Buchanan.
2400 15th St. NW, 202.895.6070 www.nps.gov/meridianhillpark MOUNT VERNONCL00519 George Washington’s estate by the Potomac River, its 14 rooms furnished per a 1799 inventory. Visitor center and museum, plus gardens, slave quarters, blacksmith and tomb of George and Martha. Distillery and gristmill nearby (open April-Oct.). Shops, food court, restaurant, tours, special events. $20, seniors $19, children (611) $10, under 6 free. Free parking. 3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Highway., Alexandria, Va., 703.780.2000 www.mountvernon.org NATIONAL BUILDING MUSEUMCL0000 Former U.S. Pension Building (1887) showcasing architecture, engineering, construction trades and design. “PLAY WORK BUILD,” a hands-on block play area with digital interaction allowing visitors to move an entire wall of virtual blocks. $10, seniors/students/youth $7. Building tours. Cafe and gift shop. 401 F St. NW, 202.272.2448 www.nbm.org NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MUSEUMCL00798 At the Society’s headquarters, gallery spaces plus Explorers Hall with exhibits and lectures. $15, seniors/ military/students $12, kids (5-12) $10, under 5 free. 3-D movie $7. Gift shop. 1145 17th St. NW, 202.857.7700 www.ngmuseum.org NATIONAL HARBORCL0036758 The 1.25 mile-long zone just south of the Woodrow Wilson Bridge in Maryland’s Prince George’s County with hotels, restaurants, retail (Tanger Outlets), the National Capital Wheel and a marina on the Potomac Riv-
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er. Free concerts Friday nights and movies Sunday nights. At the main pier, water taxis and courtesy shuttles to Virginia’s Old Town and to D.C.’s Southwest neighborhood. 137 National Plaza, National Harbor, Md., 877.628.5427 www.nationalharbor.com NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE UNITED STATES NAVYCL00519 Inside a former naval gun factory at the historic Washington Navy Yard, displaying permanent exhibits on the World Wars, Navy submarines and “forgotten” wars in the 19th century, plus temporary exhibits. Complimentary tours year-round. Free. 736 Sicard St. SE, 202.433.2385 www.history.navy.mil/nmusn H NEWSEUMCL005192 A 250,000-square-foot venue lauding the free press with artifacts including sections of the Berlin Wall and historic front pages dating from the Civil War. Theaters, galleries and interactive stations. Pulitzer-Prize winners photo gallery, 9/11 memorial gallery and daily displays of front pages from every U.S. state. New media gallery traces the digital news revolution. $24.95, seniors/ students $19.95, children (7-18) $14.95, 6 and under free. Military discount. 555 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, 888.639.7386 www.newseum.org PRESIDENT LINCOLN’S COTTAGECL002693 Restored retreat where Lincoln drafted the Emancipation Proclamation, site deemed a national monument by Bill Clinton in 2000. Guided tours incorporating interactive tablets (reserve online). Education center with ongoing free exhibits. Visitor Center. $15, military $12, children (6-12) $5.
140 Rock Creek Church Road NW, 202.829.0436 www.lincolncottage.org THE PRESIDENT WOODROW WILSON HOUSECL007905 In the Kalorama neighborhood, a 1920s time capsule, the former home of the 28th president after the White House. Objects owned by or given to Wilson during his presidency. Occasional vintage game nights, encouraging period attire. $10, seniors $8, students $5, under 12 free. 2340 S St. NW, 202.387.4062 www.woodrowwilsonhouse.org ROCK CREEK PARK One of the country’s earliest, urban national parks, a 2,000-acre wooded oasis following its namesake waterway through the heart of the city. Shady paved trails drawing bikers, joggers and skaters. Also tennis courts, a golf course, stables and a planetarium/ nature center with ranger-led tours. Free (fees for some activities). Nature Center and Planetarium, 5200 Glover Road NW, 202.895.6070 www.nps.gov/rocr TUDOR PLACECL007904 Neoclassical (1816) Georgetown mansion, home of Martha Washington’s granddaughter, and 5.5-acre gardens. National Historic Landmark with largest collection of George Washington’s personal items other than at Mount Vernon. Garden tours ($3), teas, talks, events; see website for calendar. Guided tours. $10, seniors/ college students/military $8, students (5-17) $3, under 5 free. Self-guided garden-only tour $3. 1644 31st St. NW, 202.965.0400 www.tudorplace.org
UNION STATIONCL00789 Daniel Burnham-designed Beaux Arts landmark, newly restored to its gilded glory, bustling Amtrak hub and bus depot with cafes, shops. 50 Massachusetts Ave. NE, 202.289.1908 www.unionstationdc.com U.S. BOTANIC GARDENCL00798 Just west of the Capitol, North America’s oldest botanic garden. Art Deco-era conservatory, jungle area, palms, orchid house. Seasonal showcases of blooms. Free. 100 Maryland Ave. SW, 202.225.8333 www.usbg.gov U.S. HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL MUSEUMCL00790 Designed by architect James Ingo Freed, America’s only national memorial to genocide. More than 900 artifacts, 70 video monitors, four theaters, contemporary art and a room for reflection. Exhibits including “Some Were Neighbors: Collaboration & Complicity,” “Witness to History” and “From Memory to Action: Meeting the Challenge of Genocide.” Gift shop, cafe and library. Free. 100 Raoul Wallenberg Place SW (14th St. main entry), 202.488.0400 www.ushmm.org U.S. NATIONAL ARBORETUMCL0076108 A 446-acre site with specialty gardens, hiking trails, the former U.S. Capitol columns, the Arbor House Gift Shop and the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum with a centuries-old White Pine, survivor of the Hiroshima atomic bomb. Free. Visit by car recommended. 3501 New York Ave. NE, 202.245.2726 www.usna.usda.gov
U.S. NAVY MEMORIALCL0076109 Plaza with lone sailor statue honoring those who died in service leading to Naval Heritage Center with exhibits and a theater (daily screenings). “Navy EOD: The World’s Most Capable Bomb Squad-Air, Land and Sea,” an authentic bomb disposal suit, a robot and history of IED weapons. Free. 701 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, 202.737.2300 www.navymemorial.org H WASHINGTON HARBOUR At the south end of Georgetown, a bustling waterfront zone with boardwalk, popular restaurants, a splash fountain (April-Oct.) and D.C.’s largest outdoor ice skating rink (Nov.-March). Views of Key Bridge, the Kennedy Center and the Watergate. 3000 & 3050 K St. NW, 202.295.5007 www.thewashingtonharbour.com WASHINGTON NATIONAL CATHEDRALCL00789 World’s sixth largest cathedral, Gothic-style “Church for National Purposes.” Woodrow Wilson’s grave, concert schedule. Parking beneath, free on Sun. Themed guided tours daily (prices vary, visit website to reserve). Gardens till dusk. $12, seniors/teachers with ID/military with ID/children (5-17)/$8, under 5 free. No admission charge for Sun. tours. Gift shops, cafe. See website to contribute to the earthquake damage fund. 3101 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202.537.6200 www.cathedral.org
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PHOTO CREDIT
WITH MICHELIN STARS, JAMES BEARD WINNERS AND LOCAL TALENTS, THE NATION'S CAPITAL IS ALSO A FOODIE MECCA. WHETHER YOU CRAVE COMFORT OR GOURMET AT SPOTS LIKE MIRABELLE, FEAST WITH ABANDON.
14TH & U CORRIDOR BARCELONACL004596 Spanish. Evoking the intimate wine bars of Spain, Milan, Rio (even SoHo), highlighting the dishes of chef Pedro Garzon with chef Juan Rivera locally. Wines from lesser known regions of France and Spain. 1622 14th St. NW, 202.588.5500 www.barcelonawinebar.com COMPASS ROSE Global. Colorful converted rowhouse with a well-attended bar and step-down dining space. In-demand street food like Georgian khachapuri, El Salvadorean pupusas, Turkish balik ekmek and Lebanese lamb kefta, among other nationalities. Private dinners for up to eight in a glam Bedouin-style tent. 1346 T St. NW, 202.506.4765 www.compassrosedc.com DOI MOICL0043804 Asian. Venture opened by local star chef Haidar Karoum and inspired by Thai and Viet street foods: curries, noodles, rice dishes, surprises like crepe with mussels and sweet chili, lemon grass beef, satays and two-flavor ices. Sister bar 2 Birds, 1 Stone downstairs with Asian-style and classic cocktails. 1800 14th St. NW, 202.733.5131 www.doimoidc.com GHIBELLINACL004305 Italian. Sleek-meets-rustic “Italian gastro-pub” for Tuscan fare: seafood, veal, calamari, pizzas, salumi, pastas, porterhouse steak for two. Beers, cocktails, wines. 1610 14th St. NW, 202.803.2389 www.ghibellina.com
IZAKAYA SEKICL0053129 Japanese. Upscale spot for sashimi, grilled and broiled seafood, vegetables, noodles and small plates. Sakes, shochu (glass or bottle), Japanese beers and whiskeys. 1117 V St. NW, 202.588.5841 www.sekidc.com KAPNOSCL004375 Greek. Mike Isabella’s sleek spot for grilled octopus, phyllo pies, woodgrilled mezze plus whole-roasted meats for sharing. Inventive cocktails. Tasting menu $75; vegetarian $65. 2201 14th St. NW, 202.234.5000 www.kapnosdc.com LE DIPLOMATECL004236 French. From Philly’s Stephen Starr, an elegant bistro with red banquettes, zinc-topped bar and a “garden room” for Adam Schop’s steak frites, lavender roast duck, Dover sole meunière. 1601 14th St. NW, 202.332.3333 www.lediplomatedc.com
ADAMS MORGAN H GRILL FROM IPANEMACL0075 Brazilian. Alcy De Souza’s authentic seafood stews, Brazilian paella and pastas, spiced shrimp, filet with Madeira wine sauce, chicken Copacabana, feijoada and caipirinhas served beneath “palm trees.” Weekend champagne or Bloody Mary brunch. Live music second Sun. 1858 Columbia Road NW, 202.986.0757 www.thegrillfromipanema.com H MADAM’S ORGANCL00794 Soul Food. Live music nightly at this rowdy bar where redheads get a half-price drink special. On the menu, traditional favorites like fried chicken, meatloaf, pork chops, mac
and cheese. Pool tables, karaoke and a rooftop deck. 2461 18th St. NW, 202.667.5370 www.madamsorgan.com MINTWOOD PLACECL00419 American. Cedric Maupillier’s sustainable and local comfort food in an eco-friendly interior with reclaimed wood. Escargot hush puppies, woodfire-grilled steak with bearnaise sauce, baked Alaska. Kid’s menu. Cocktails, beers. Weekend brunch. 1813 Columbia Road NW, 202.234.6732 www.mintwoodplace.com TAIL UP GOAT American. Komi, Little Serow alumni in their own laid-back Michelin-starred spot. Inventive twists on classic dishes: smoked potato ravioli, seaweed sourdough, lamb ribs, pistachio roll with labneh gelato and fennel honey for dessert. 1827 Adams Mill Road NW, 202.986.9600 www.tailupgoat.com
ALEXANDRIA, VA. BASTILLECL00391 French. Upscale Parisian bistro and wine bar with chef/owners Christophe and Michelle Poteaux’s locally inspired cuisine: hanger steak, lamb shoulder couscous. Prix fixe lunch (three courses, $29) and dinner (three-six courses, $39-$49; wine extra). Artisanal cocktails, prized desserts. Famed sommelier Mark Slater. 606 N. Fayette St., 703.519.3776 www.bastillerestaurant.com BLACKWALL HITCH Seafood. Waterfront dining room with three bars named for a popular sailor’s know popular in the 1800s.
Classic seafood fare, plus flatbreads ($$), salads, burgers, steaks (“Tomahawk” for two). Chocolate truffles, Smith Island cake. Gluten free, late night. Live music most nights. 5 Cameron St., 703.739.6090 www.theblackwallhitch.com BRABOCL004765 Belgian. Robert Wiedmaier (Marcel’s, Brasserie Beck) with smart chef Sebastien Rondier helping Belgium meet America in chestnut foie gras soup, grilled quail, duck carpaccio plus seven-course tastings (call for price). Copper bar. 1600 King St., 703.894.3440 www.braborestaurant.com H CHART HOUSECL003751 Seafood. On Old Town waterfront, fresh seafood and capital views. Crab soup, spiced ahi, snapper Hemingway, prime rib, “hot chocolate” lava cake. Beer, wine, whiskey. Happy hour weekdays, Sunday brunch. 1 Cameron St., 703.684.5080 www.chart-house.com EVENING STAR CAFECL00470 Southern. Wine-savvy “quirky neighborhood gem” with 1950s vibe and chef Keith Cabot. Chilled corn veloute, pepper-crusted tuna, roasted chicken roulade, grilled ribeye. Craft beers and cocktails. 2000 Mt. Vernon Ave., 703.549.5051 www.eveningstarcafe.net H FISH MARKETCL004239 Seafood. Housed in a two-century-old ship warehouse serving seafood favorites including Atlantic salmon, snow crab legs, oysters and whole Maine lobster, plus pasta, jambalaya, burgers, tacos. Festive Anchor Bar with 16 HDTVs for sports, happy hour specials.
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DINING 105 King St., 703.836.5676 www.fishmarketoldtown.com
703.799.6800 www.mountvernon.org
JACKSON 20CL00265 American. Named for President Andrew Jackson who threw White House parties. A “Colonial” setting (old brick, beamed ceiling) for contemporary comfort food: buttermilk fried chicken, BBQ ribs, catfish. Walnut bar with Virginia wines, whiskeys, bourbons, snack menu. 480 King St., 703.842.2790 www.jackson20.com
RESTAURANT EVECL00754 American. Romantic bistro with Cathal Armstrong’s prize-winning fare: à la carte ($$$$) foie gras terrine, Basque stew, antelope with ramp cream. Tasting: five or seven courses ($105/$140, wine extra). 110 S. Pitt St., 703.706.0450 www.restauranteve.com
JOE THEISMANN’SCL006249 American. Redskins QB’s longtime (c.1975) neighborhood grill, sports bar with its own ($) menu, star athlete portraits and TVs. Cozy booths for beer-battered fish and chips, pastas, pan-seared scallops, filet mignon, crab cakes. Steps from King St. Metro. 1800 Diagonal Road, 703.739.0777 www.joetheismanns.com LIVE OAK Southern. Chef Justus Frank (Fiola) bringing Charleston by way of Alexandria. Upscale comfort classics (head on) shrimp and grits, smoked pork ribs, braised collard greens tortellini. Strawberry shortcake, housemade ice cream. 1603 Commonwealth Ave., 571.312.0402 www.liveoakdelray.com H MOUNT VERNON INNCL00721 Southern. Candlelit dining with George and Martha favorites (hoecakes, peanut-chestnut soup) plus bacon-cheddar burger, duck with apricot sauce, fried chicken, steaks. Children’s menu. Fireplace. Live music some nights. 3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Highway, Mount Vernon, Va.,
H RT’S RESTAURANTCL007584 Cajun/Creole. Neighborhood spot with character and sounds from zydeco to blues. Known for Jack Daniels shrimp, alligator stew, gumbos, Po Boys, seafood, she-crab soup and crawfish étouffée. Cocktails, beers. 3804 Mount Vernon Ave., 703.684.6010 www.rtsrestaurant.net SONOMA CELLAR American. Out of an 1810 home, husband-and-wife team Rick and Elizabeth Myllenbeck pouring bottles from wine country in the Golden State. Welcoming upstairs dining room for small plates and rustic fare (pork chop braised in wine with figs, chicken au jus). Boxed lunches. 207 King St., 703.566.9867 www.mysonomacellar.com H TRADEMARKCL00461 American. In the Westin, sophisticated gastropub named for nearby patent office (see famous inventor photos).Matthew Miller’s British spins on Bass Ale fish and chips, beer can chicken. 2080 Jamieson Ave., 703.253.8640 www.trademarkdrinkandeat.com
VERMILIONCL00756 American. Lantern-lit townhouse with fare by executive chef Thomas Cardarelli: hand-rolled pastas, heirloom tomato pie, changing tasting menu that pairs dishes with Virginia wines. Lounge with convex bar, plasma TV and often live music. 1120 King St., 703.684.9669 www.vermilionrestaurant.com VOLA’S DOCKSIDE GRILL AND HI-TIDE LOUNGE Seafood. Named for the city’s feisty first woman city manager with a hand in the waterfront’s development, a casual and friendly spot for seafood comfort foods. Fish and chips, crab cakes, fried chicken with water views. Hi-Tide Lounge for bar bites, frozen cocktails, beer, wine. 101 N. Union St., 703.935.8890 www.volasdockside.com WAREHOUSE BAR & GRILLCL00756 American. In a historic building with caricatures of local gentry and antique mahogany bar, prime aged steaks, fried oysters, seafood gumbo, sandwiches, all-lump crab cakes by chef Sert Ruamthong. 214 King St., 703.683.6868 www.warehousebarandgrill.com THE WHARFCL00708 Seafood. Since 1971, in a 200-yearold warehouse near the river: lobster, steaks, catfish, mahi mahi, baked crab, shellfish tower, “cowboy” ribeye, po’ boys, pastas, Key lime chess pie. Kids menu. Bar. 119 King St., 703.836.2836 www.wharfrestaurant.com
ARLINGTON, VA COPPERWOOD TAVERN American. New in Shirlington Village, Allan Javery’s small plates starring locally-sourced game, poultry, beef and fish with family-style sides. Bar with 24 draft beers, 30 whiskeys, 10 moonshines, 40 wines. Seasonal patio. 4021 Campbell Ave., 703.552.8010 www.copperwoodtavern.com LIBERTY TAVERNCL00367 American. Bustling bar for ‘Hemingway’ daiquiris and a mellow (upstairs) dining room for exceptional meals from smoky octopus to lobster fettucine, Granny Smith apple pizza and key lime creme brulee. 3195 Wilson Blvd., 703.465.9360 www.thelibertytavern.com LYON HALLCL006503 French. Inside a 1940s Moderne building, 20 European beers on tap, many wines by the glass. Mussels, pommes frites, schnitzel, trout, rabbit confit, grills, sausages and cheeses. Patio. 3100 N. Washington Blvd., Arlington, Va. 703.741.7636 www.lyonhallarlington.com PALETTE 22 Global. Colorful spot for art on walls (for sale) and on the plate in the form of dishes like vegan ceviche, Vietnamese-style sugarcane shrimp wraps and “Juicy Lucy” sliders, plus in-house artists at the easel. 4053 Campbell Ave., 703.469.9907 www.palette22.com YONA Japanese, Korean. Mike Isabella's noodle bar and small plates izakaya, fusing Korean flavors with Japanese techniques. Non-traditional ramens, Korean-style beef tartare, uni and
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caviar-topped waffles. Eclectic drinks mixing European wines, Japanese beers and Asian-themed cocktails. 4000 Wilson Blvd., Suite C, 703.465.1100 www.yonava.com
BETHESDA, MD BLACK’S BAR & KITCHENCL007489 American. Prize-winning chef Jeff Black's glam spot with patio, oyster bar and tablecloth zone. Raw bar, charcuterie, wood-fire grilled meats and fish, seafood stew. Wine Spectator-rated “Excellent” wine list. 7750 Woodmont Ave., 301.652.5525 www.blacksbarandkitchen.com PASSIONFISHCL003189 Seafood. Restaurateur Jeff Tunks' dramatic space with “floating” stairs, fish from many oceans. Kids menu, sushi chef and cocktails. 7187 Woodmont Ave., 301.358.6116 11960 Democracy Drive, Reston, Va., 703.230.3474 www.passionfishreston.com WILDWOOD KITCHENCL00417683 American. Robert Weidmaier’s rustic venture (wood beams, green leather seats) for fare with Mediterranean accents: red snapper, steak, duck breast, cheeses, charcuterie. Full bar. 10223 Old Georgetown Road, 301.571.1700 www.wildwoodkitchenrw.com
CAPITOL HILL ACQUA AL 2CL0068391 Italian. Sister restaurant of chef-owner Martin Gonzalez’s Florentine original with recipes like beef fillet with blueberry sauce, grilled eggplant, parmesan cheese appetizers plus soups and salads.
212 7th St. SE, 202.525.4375 www.acquaal2dc.com AMBARCL004185 Balkan. Ivan Iricanin bringing his Belgrade original to D.C. with communal tables, copper-top bar, Mediterranean decor. Serbia meets New World in slow-cooked meats and mezze, white veal soup, cheese pie. Balkan wines and beers, plus 30 varieties of Serbian rakia. 523 8th St. SE, 202.813.3039 2901 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, Va., 703.975.9663 www.ambarrestaurant.com ART AND SOULCL00326 Southern. Beard-winner Art Smith with seafood gumbo, fried chicken, shrimp and grits, cornbread baked in a tin. Organic wines, cocktails. 415 New Jersey Ave. NW, 202.393.7777 www.artandsouldc.com BELGA CAFECL00327 Belgian. “Bit of Brussels on the Hill” with mussels, frites, rabbit, Flemish stew by Belgian native Bart Vandaele, Knight in the Order of Leopold II. List of 110 beers. Sat.-Sun. brunch with waffles and chocolate. 514 8th St. SE, 202.544.0100 www.belgacafe.com GARRISON American. Culinary Institute of America-trained Robert Weland working with local farms to produce seasonal dishes in a warm space with wood accents. Whole-roasted vegetables, house-made pastas, locally sourced fish and meat. Gina Chersevani’s cocktail menu, European-heavy wine list. 524 8th St. SE, 202.506.2445 www.garrisondc.com WHERE GUEST B OOK
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DINING MONTMARTRECL0036741 French. Beside hip Eastern Market, hearty bistro plates: braised rabbit, duck confit, pot au feu, pates, terrines. 327 7th St. SE, 202.544.1244 No website PINEAPPLE AND PEARLS American. Beard-winner Aaron Silverman’s elegant Michelin-starred dining room. Changing tasting menu ($280, includes tax, tip and drinks). Same menu in bar ($180, includes tax and tip, drinks extra). Reservations required via website, five weeks out. 715 8th St. SE, 202.595.7375 www.pineappleandpearls.com ROSE’S LUXURYCL004236 American. Buzzy, no-reservations Michelin-starred spot for small plates (pork and lychee salad, popcorn soup with lobster $$) or family-style meals (smoked brisket, fried chicken $$$). Upstairs bar (same food). 717 8th St. SE, 202.580.8889 www.rosesluxury.com SONOMACL0037621 American. Restaurant-wine bar for pastas, pizzas, cheeses, charcuterie, wood-grilled meats and fish. Wines (44 by the glass). Upstairs lounge. 223 Pennsylvania Ave. SE, 202.544.8088 www.sonomadc.com TED’S BULLETINCL006521 American. Lively spot with vintage decor and leather booths. All-day breakfast, BBQ, chili, “supper” dishes. Pastries like pies and “pop tarts.” Front window kitchen. Bar with milkshakes, malts and cocktails. 505 8th St. SE, 202.544.8337 1818 14th St. NW, 202.265.8337 11948 Market St., Reston, Va. www.tedsbulletin.com
CHEVY CHASE KOBO Japanese. Brothers Piter and Handry Tjian's high-end restaurant inside Sushiko for kappo-style tastings ($130 Mon.-Tues. vegan; $160 Wed.Sat. regular). In shopping center east of avenue. 5455 Wisconsin Ave., 301.961.1644 www.sushikorestaurants.com
CHINA CHILCANO Asian-Latin. José Andrés mixing Peru’s Criollo, Chinese and Japanese culinary roots. Pork shumai dumplings, yellow potatoes in spicy, creamy sauces. Shaved ice, plus one of the largest Pisco collections in the U.S. 418 7th St. NW, 202.783.0941 www.chinachilcano.com
301.913.0003 2250 Crystal Drive, Arlington, Va., 703.413.8181 www.jaleo.com H MCCORMICK & SCHMICK’SCL00702 Seafood. Famed West Coast spot with clubby quarters for fresh catches. Bass, oysters, beers, single malts. 1625 K St. NW, 202.861.2233 2010 Crystal Drive, Arlington, Va., 703.413.6400 145 National Plaza, Oxon Hill, Md., 301.567.6224 Reston Town Center, Reston, Va., 703.481.6600 8484 Westpark Drive, McLean, Va., 703.848.8000 www.mccormickandschmicks.com
RANGECL0040934 American. “Top Chef” finalist Bryan Voltaggio’s farm-to-table entrées and small plates from roasts to charcuterie. Open kitchen, coffee, wine and raw bars, bakery and savvy bartenders. In Chevy Chase Pavilion. 5335 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202.803.8020 www.voltrange.com
DBGB KITCHEN AND BAR French. Daniel Boulud's bustling bistro in CityCenterDC. Exec chef Nicholas Tang sending out housecured meats, seafood, burgers, even suckling pig. Glass walls, casual seats in Bar Room, china plates signed by celeb chef pals. Good spirits, Frenchfocused wine list, unique beers. 931 H St. NW, 202.695.7660 www.dbgb.com/dc
SUSHIKOCL0026893 Japanese. Smart chef team’s artful sushi, sashimi and 35-50 specials. Tasting menus at the bar (reservations recommended) $55 (four courses). French Burgundies, sakes, Japanese beers. Lounge-bar. In shopping center east of avenue. 5455 Wisconsin Ave., 301.961.1644 www.sushikorestaurants.com
DEL CAMPOCL007538 Latin. Victor Albisu’s ode to meat-centric South America with skillfully charred dishes in airy space evoking a vineyard estate. Nine-seat Asado bar for up-close grills, plus ceviche, crudos, sandwiches, wines and pisco sours. 777 I St. NW, 202.289.7377 www.delcampodc.com
MINIBAR BY JOSÉ ANDRÉSCL00534 Spanish. Beard-winner José Andrés’ imaginative Michelin-starred “laboratory” for 30-40 tastes the Washington Post calls “culinary high-wire acts.” Twelve seats, $275 (pre-tax, pre-tip), drinks extra. Reservations required (book online), two months available at a time, starting at 10 a.m. the first Monday of each month. 855 E St. NW, 202.393.0812 www.minibarbyjoseandres.com
CHINATOWN/ PENN QUARTER
FIOLACL004137 Italian. Beard-winner Fabio Trabocchi in his Michelin-starred luxe “villa” serving lobster ravioli, ribeye, seafood. À la carte and tastings (four courses $115, five $135, six $150) plus wines. 678 Indiana Ave. NW, 202.628.2888 www.fioladc.com
MOMOFUKU Asian. Outpost of prize-winning chef David Chang’s popular NYC spot for pork buns, ramen noodles, “bo ssam” whole roasted pork shoulder lettuce wraps ($$$) with a Korean twist. 1090 I St. NW, 202.602.1832 www.momofuku.com
JALEOCL002759 Spanish. Tapas (60 hot and cold) and paella by José Andrés and team. Spanish wines, sherries. 480 7th St. NW, 202.628.7949 7271 Woodmont Ave., Bethesda, Md.
H OCEANAIRE SEAFOOD ROOMCL00704 Seafood. Swank “oceanliner” where celebs, power lunchers go for fresh catches. Alaskan King crab, Coho salmon, Dover sole. Also crab cakes, steaks, oyster bar. Valet $12.
CARMINE’SCL006971 Italian. Manhattan legend, now D.C.’s largest restaurant (20,300 square feet). Family-style platters of calamari, pastas, chicken, steak and tiramisu. Well-priced wines, classic cocktails. Two-level lounge, nine private rooms. Groups welcome. Valet. 425 7th St. NW, 202.737.7770 www.carminesnyc.com
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MADAM’S ORGAN 1201 F St. NW, 202.347.2277 www.theoceanaire.com OYAMELCL00769 Mexican. A José Andrés cocina for inventive ceviche, tacos (mahi mahi, baby pig, even cricket), stuffed poblano, hot and cold antijitos. Margarita with salt “air,” 50 tequilas. Night owl bar menu. 401 7th St. NW, 202.628.1005 www.oyamel.com RASIKACL007632 Indian. Called “a national treasure” by the Washington Post, Beard-winner Vikram Sunderam’s lauded barbecue, tandoori, curries. Pre-theater ($35), 100 wines, exotic cocktails. 633 D St. NW, 202.637.1222 www.rasikarestaurant.com WOK AND ROLLCL0064397 Asian. Once the Surratt House where Lincoln assassins conspired, now restaurant with authentic tastes of China plus a Japanese sushi bar, big screen, happy hour specials, upstairs private karaoke lounge. Carryout and delivery. 604 H St. NW, 202.347.4656 www.dcwoknroll.com
DOWNTOWN BOMBAY CLUBCL007625 Indian. North of White House, plush atmosphere for Goan, Parsis, Moghlai fare by Nilesh Singhvi. Tandooris, thalis, lobster Malabar. Pianist nightly. Valet parking. 815 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202.659.3727 www.bombayclubdc.com CENTRAL MICHEL RICHARDCL007609 French. James Beard-winning chef's bistro for Gallic classics: raw oys-
ters, hanger steak, trout almondine, orange soufflé, charcuterie. Pre- and post-theater $37.50. Valet ($10). 1001 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, 202.626.0015 www.centralmichelrichard.com EQUINOX RESTAURANTCL00750 American. Prize-winning Todd Gray pairing wines to crab cakes with grits, grass-fed veal, Muscovy duck, vegan options. À la carte or multicourse tastings (regular and vegan) four courses $68, six $80, wine extra. 818 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202.331.8118 www.equinoxrestaurant.com
Soul Food, Live Music & Dancing Every Night! Enjoy homestyle ribs, chicken, mac & cheese, collards and all your Southern favorites, plus bar staples like the Bill Clinton Burger and Tijuana Wings. Live blues, salsa, funk, soul, R&B and country music. 4 levels, 5 bars and rooftop deck. 2nd floor Drunkaoke Tues., Thurs. and Sunday. DJ dancing Fri. and Sat. Playboy’s ‘25 Best Bars in the USA’. Don’t just dine, celebrate! Daily from 5pm til 2 or 3am. 2461 18th St. NW www.madamsorgan.com 202.667.5370
JOE’S SEAFOOD, PRIME STEAK & STONE CRABCL004740 Steaks & Seafood. Near the White House, a Miami/Chicago/Vegas import famous since 1913 for its stone crab claws (sustainably regenerated). Sweet potato fries, creamed spinach, Key lime pie served by tuxedoed waiters in former bank with high ceilings. 750 15th St. NW, 202.489.0140 www.joes.net H MASTRO’S Steakhouse. Local outpost of popular West Coast altar to beef in a sophisticated setting (marble and granite bar, chandelier) with servers in white jackets. Wet-aged steaks and chops, plus seafood, sushi. Decadent sides (lobster mashed potatoes, $$$$) and desserts (warm butter cake for two). Extensive wine list. Live music nightly. 600 13th St. NW, 202.347.1500. www.mastrosrestaurants.com H MORTON’SCL0043210 Steaks. Locals and power lunchers digging into porterhouse, New York strip, filet mignon, lobster. Soufflé for two. Classic cocktails, premium beers
Sunday Happy Hour
Experience authentic Brazilian cuisine, from tapas to street food, that is irresistible and great to share. Try our feijoada (black bean stew with 4 different meats), moquecas (fresh seafood stew in coconut milk & palm oil sauce), or grilled steaks such as the picanha and churrasco misto. Sip our national cocktail, caipirinha,, and enjoy friendly service and casual energy. Open Mon-Fri 4:30 PM for HAPPY HOUR & Dinner. Sat & Sun Brunch, 12 Noon-4 PM; Sunday Happy Hour 4-8 PM Dinner starts at 4 PM.
1858 Columbia Rd, NW Washington, DC
202.986.0757 www.thegrillfromipanema.com WHERE GUEST B OOK
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DINING and wines. 1050 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202.955.5997 3251 Prospect St. NW, 202.342.6258 1750 Crystal Drive, Arlington, Va., 703.418.1444 11956 Market St., Reston, Va., 703.796.0128 www.mortons.com OCCIDENTAL GRILL & SEAFOODCL007534 American. Legendary spot (c.1906) with Rodney Scruggs and team sending out duck breast, filet mignon and venison carpaccio, local artisan cheeses. Wines, craft beers, cocktails. Weekday happy hour. Valet $8 (with validation) at Willard Hotel. Patio seating (weather permitting). 1475 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, 202.783.1475 www.occidentaldc.com PLUMECL005382 American. Ralf Schlegel’s elegant Michelin-starred restaurant with luxe dishes. Prix fixe ($102), chef’s tasting ($117, wine extra). Foie gras terrine, lobster gratin, Angus prime filet, bison with corn soufflé. Cozy nooks, 1,300-label wine cellar, landscape murals on silk and fireplace in the Jefferson hotel. Free parking. 1200 16th St. NW, 202.448.2300 www.jeffersondc.com THE SOURCECL0075 American. By the Newseum, Wolfgang Puck colleague Russell Smith adapting local ingredients to luxe Spago and Chinoise (pan-Asian) favorites. 575 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, 202.637.6100 www.wolfgangpuck.com
DUPONT CIRCLE ANKARA Turkish. Aslanturk family’s contemporary and classic Turkish cuisine in a chic, modern setting. A variety of pide (flat breads), grilled kabobs and hot and cold mezze. Spacious patio. Classic Turkish brunch. 1320 19th St. NW, 202.293.6301 www.ankaradc.net BOQUERIACL0041567 Spanish. Inspired by tapas bars of Barcelona, a lively spot for zesty bites like chicken with almond romesco, beef and potato croquettes, quail eggs and chorizo, bacon-wrapped dates, Ibérico ham, artisanal cheeses, churros. Sangria, cava cocktails, sherries, good wines. 1837 M St. NW, 202.558.9545 www.boqueriadc.com DARLINGTON HOUSECL0037098 American. In a well-appointed townhouse, crostini, pastas, sustainable seafood, chicken Milanese, Angus steak, organic sides. Downstairs Cantina with pub menu. 1610 20th St. NW, 202.332.3722 www.darlingtonhousedc.com HANK’S OYSTER BARCL005214 Seafood. Chef Jamie Leeds with her popular seafood mecca and famous “Meat and Two” (one protein like molasses short ribs or fried oysters with two sides). Wines and cocktails like “Deadliest Catch” (salt water taffy foam) by lauded local mixologist Gina Chersevani. 1624 Q St. NW, 202.462.4265 633 Pennsylvania Ave. SE, 202.733.1971 1026 King St., Alexandria, Va., 703.759.4265 The Wharf, 701 Wharf St. SW,
202.817.3055 www.hanksoysterbar.com IRON GATECL004432 Mediterranean. Historic site (19232010) reopened by prized chef Anthony Chittum. Dining in arched entry, former stables with fireplace and trellised courtyard. Farro salad, gnocchi with truffles, lobster ravioli. Chef's tastings (six courses $95) with pairings (extra $) by Brent Kroll. Global wines, grappas and ouzos. 1734 N St. NW, 202.524.5202 www.irongaterestaurantdc.com OBELISKCL00476 Italian. In an intimate brownstone, foodie destination for 20-plus years by James Beard nominee Peter Pastan. In the kitchen, Esther Lee sending out five courses (Tues.-Thurs. $78, Fri.-Sat. $88). Reservations highly recommended. 2029 P St. NW, 202.872.1180 www.obeliskdc.com SUSHI TAROCL00763 Japanese. Michelin-starred updstairs spot with cherrywood walls and tatami rooms, kimonoed hostess and exotic sushi (flute fish, live scallops) by master chef Nobu Yamazaki and a talented team. 1503 17th St. NW, 202.462.8999 www.sushitaro.com
FOGGY BOTTOM/ WEST END BLUE DUCK TAVERNCL007490 American. Michelin-starred fine dining in Tony Chi-designed digs. Chef Daniel Hoefler committed to regional produce. Seafood, charcuterie, California wines. Patio in good weather. Chef's table. Park Hyatt Hotel, 1201 24th St. NW,
202.419.6755 www.blueducktavern.com H EL CHALANCL007685 Peruvian. D.C.’s oldest Peruvian cafe with lomo saltado (filet strips with fried potato), South American-style paella, chicken in peanut sauce drawing World Bank crowd. Touted by Hispanic Magazine-reated one of top 50 U.S. Latin restaurants. 1924 I St. NW, 202.293.2765 www.elchalandc.com KAZ SUSHI BISTROCL007659 Japanese. Prized chef Kazuhiro Okochi’s intimate spot drawing an international crowd for seared bonito, sea trout napoleon, tuna tartare. Tasting menu (eight courses $80 or $120). Bento boxes, sakes. Counter seats near the knife work. 1915 I St. NW, 202.530.5500 www.kazsushibistro.com MARCEL’SCL007681 French. Flemish-French cuisine by chef-owner Robert Wiedmaier. Alaskan seafood, pheasant, sushi-grade tuna, wild game. Bar. Live jazz. Jacket required. Reservations recommended. Valet parking ($15). Pre-theater three-course ($85), car to/from Kennedy Center included. 2401 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, 202.296.1166 www.marcelsdc.com OVAL ROOMCL00753 American. Near White House, a favorite of power folks with chef John Melfi serving up pan-roasted monkfish, rack of lamb, grilled Caesar salad and charred octopus from a specialty oven. Three-course pre-theater menu ($39). 800 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202.463.8700 www.ovalroom.com
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TABERNA DEL ALABARDEROCL00781 Spanish. Elegant Old Spain setting (crimson walls, portraits of famous faces) and patio with monthly specials (pig roast, wine dinners). Seafood, paella by Javier Romero here from Michelin-starred Madrid base. Pintxos (tapas) in the bar. 1776 I St. NW, enter on 18th St., 202.429.2200 www.alabardero.com
GEORGETOWN 1789 RESTAURANTCL00753 American. Federal town house with chef Samuel Kim bringing New York experience to this multi-level “country inn” by Georgetown University. Seasonal menu in several dining rooms. Fireplace. Carolers during the holidays. Free valet parking. 1226 36th St. NW, 202.965.1789 www.1789restaurant.com BOURBON STEAKCL002890 Steaks. Michael Mina’s outpost in David Rockwell-designed space with chef Joe Palma bringing French-Mediterranean flavor to hormone-free meats, seafood, regional produce. Patio, on-site garden. Popular lounge. Four Seasons Hotel, 2800 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, 202.342.0444 www.bourbonsteakdc.com CHEZ BILLY SUD French. Brothers Eric and Ian Hilton’s elegant bistro for boeuf Bourguignon, steak frites, frisée au lardons served in a cozy residence-like space. 1039 31st St. NW, 202.965.2606 www.chezbillysud.com FIOLA MARECL0045021 Seafood. Beard-winner Fabio Trabocchi’s elegant venture at the Georgetown waterfront. Raw bar, Maine lob-
ster, squid ink risotto, fish deboned at table, lemon tart, chocolate bon bons. Cocktails to mocktails. Valet. 3050 K St. NW, 202.628.0065 www.fiolamaredc.com MARTIN’S TAVERNCL00752 American. Since 1933, politicos (from JFK to Joe), Supreme Court justices, spies, celebs and Georgetown friends have been saying “Meet me at Martin’s.” Classic fare: tavern burger, prime rib, fish and chips, lobster risotto, plus daily chef’s specials. Shaded patio, weather permitting. Ask to see history brochure. 1264 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202.333.7370 www.martinstavern.com
NORTHEAST H LE GRENIERCL0040521 French. Romantic bi-level bistro with an antique attic setting. Classic fare elegantly presented: braised beef stew and frog legs (both house specialties) plus duck breast, salads, cheeses, desserts. Full bar. 502 H St. NE, 202.544.4999 www.legrenierdc.com MAKETTO Asian. Communal marketplace mixing dining, coffee and retail in modern surrounds with central patio. Beard-nominee Erik Bruner-Yang overseeing a menu of Cambodian/ Taiwanese street food (Khmer tamarind salad, steamed pork bao, Taiwanese fried chicken). Frenchie’s desserts, Vigilante coffee. Durkl menswear and accessories. 1351 H St. NE, 202.838.9972 www.maketto1351.com
MASSERIA Italian. A glam patio with granite fire pits leading into a rustic dining room. Nicholas Stefanelli’s Michelinstarred ode to Italy’s Puglia region with set-price menu of seasonal dishes. Three-six courses ($92-$135). Linguine with spicy XO sauce, squab, local veal, crudo. Inventive cocktails. No sneakers/sportswear. 1340 4th St. NE, 202.608.1330 www.masseria-dc.com
NORTHWEST BINDAAS Indian. Beard-winning chef Vikram Sunderam’s “independent, cool and carefree” ode to Indian street food in an intimate space. Kabobs, chaats (savory snacks) like crab and rice noodles, kathi rolls filled with chicken tikka masala. Beer, wine pairings, cocktails. 3309 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202.244.6550 www.bindaasdc.com CASOLARE Italian. Beard winner Michael Schlow’s newest eatery serving up coastal Italian fare inside glam Kimpton Glover Park Hotel. Maltagliati pasta with local crab, Capri-style seafood salad, crudo, wood-fired pizzas. Classic cocktails (Negroni, Boulevardier) on draft. 2505 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202.625.5400 www.casolaredc.com CHEF GEOFF’SCL0042918 American. Eclectic menu of favorites from pork belly steamed buns to beef Bourguignon, burgers and pizza. Desserts like apple butter shortcake, Rocky Road sundae. Wed. half-price wine. Famous happy hour daily, lavish
jazz brunch ($25) weekends. 3201 New Mexico Ave. NW, 202.237.7800 8045 Leesburg Pike, Vienna, Va., 571.282.6003 www.chefgeoff.com
SHAW ALL-PURPOSE PIZZERIA Pizza. Owners of Red Hen and Boundary Stone’s ode to pizza. A selection of six whole wheat pies, plus make-your-own. House-made charcuterie, hot and cold antipasti. American and Italian wines, plus hand-selected craft cocktails. Sweets by nearby Buttercream Bakeshop. 1250 9th St. NW, 202.849.6174 www.allpurposedc.com ARROZ Spanish. Celeb chef Mike Isabella’s newest concept inside slick Marriott Marquis with exec chef Michael Rafidi (of Michael Mina) in the kitchen. Familiar Spanish favorites with fine dining upgrades, plus flavors of Portugal and Morocco. Namesake rice dishes topped with duck breast or soft-shell crab. Sangrias on tap, sherry cocktails. Extensive wine list. 901 Massachusetts Ave. NW, 202.869.3300 www.arrozbymic.com CONVIVIAL American. Star chef Cedric Maupillier’s lauded French-accented cafe-style food (bouillabaisse with catfish, coq au vin fried chicken). 801 O St. NW, 202.525.2870 www.convivialdc.com THE DABNEY American. Jeremiah Langhorne’s Michelin-starred rustic digs in hip Blagden Alley for open hearth cookWHERE GUEST B OOK
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DINING ing, using ingredients from a rooftop garden. Menu changes daily. 122 Blagden Alley, 202.450.1015 www.thedabney.com ESPITA MEZCALERIA Mexican. Lively space with vibrant murals setting the stage for Oaxacan fare. Handmade tortillas for tacos, ceviches, seven types of moles and six types of salsas. Extensive mezcal list, plus aguas frescas, horchata. 1250 9th St. NW, 202.621.9695 www.espitadc.com HAZEL American. Chef Rob Rubba’s globally inspired “medium” plates in a festive setting. Charcoal-grilled branzino, “gnocchi bokki” pork and kimchi ragu. Tasting-style menus, Peking duck revamped. Eclectic wines, inventive desserts. 808 V St. NW, 202.847.4980 www.hazelrestaurant.com KINSHIP American. Acclaimed chef Eric Ziebold’s Michelin-starred dining room, a casual counterpart to sister spot Metier downstairs. Themed menu (Craft, History, Ingredients, Indulgence) offering smoked sturgeon, seared duck, grilled Japanese Kuroge beef ($$$$), plus whole-roasted meat, poultry, fish. Extensive wine list. 1015 7th St. NW, 202.737.7700 www.kinshipdc.com KYIRISAN Asian/French. Inside the ultra-hip Shay apartment complex, lauded Tim Ma blending flavors: Filipino scrapple with fingerling potatos, beef heart tartare with gochujang aioli. 1924 8th St. NW, 202.525.2942 www.kyirisandc.com
METIER American. In a historic 1907 building, Eric Ziebold’s exclusive Michelin-starred counterpoint to sister Kinship, accessible via private elevator. Seven-course menu ($200, excluding tax and beverages) “influenced by seasons, travel, culture and history,” preceded by hors d’oeuvres in salon with fireplace. Jackets for men/reservations required. 1015 7th St. NW, 202.737.7500 www.metierdc.com RPM Italian. Sexy spot by celeb couple Giuliana and Bill Rancic (she a Bethesda, Md. native) for housemade pastas (some with high-end flourishes), steaks, seafood, raw bar for crudo. Salted caramel and vanilla gelato cake, flambéed tableside. Gluten-free menu. 20 wines by the glass. 601 Massachusetts Ave. NW, 202.204.4480 www.rpmrestaurants.com/dc
VIRGINIA SUBURBS 2941 RESTAURANTCL0041369 American. Bertrand Chemel marrying modern American, French and Italian cuisines: calamari, pastas, chops, duck breast. Seasonal themed tasting menus (call for latest/prices). Dramatic dining room with 30-foot glass walls overlooking a lake.. 2941 Fairview Park Drive, Falls Church, Va., 703.270.1500 www.2941.com THE INN AT LITTLE WASHINGTONCL0041350 American. Prestigious Michelinstarred foodie destination featuring a romantic country inn with courtyard and regional cuisine by chef Patrick O’Connell. Prix-fixe ($218, plus $125
with wine pairings). Kitchen tables $595. Ninety minutes from D.C. down country roads. Best to hire driver. Reservations required. Middle & Main sts., Washington, Va. (40 miles from Dulles Airport), 540.675.3800 www.theinnatlittlewashington.com L’AUBERGE CHEZ FRANCOISCL0032598 French. Haeringer family’s Alsatian inn with terrace tables. Dover sole, sweetbreads, rack of lamb or prix fixe ($75-$85). Jacques Brasserie with pizza, beers on tap. Family dinners. Reservations required. 332 Springvale Road, Great Falls, Va., 703.759.3800 www.laubergechezfrancois.com H M&S GRILLCL004135 American. Lively chophouse/saloon with garden patio and bar, serving aged steaks, entrée salads, calamari, oysters, surf & turf, bone-in ribeye, good sides. Nice wine list, many by the glass. Happy hour. Reston Town Center, 11901 Democracy Drive, Reston, Va., 703.787.7766 www.mandsgrill.com TRUMMER’S ON MAINCL006213 American. Historic hotel in Civil War town, now airy three-story restaurant with glass “winter garden.” Sustainable seafood, local duck, ribeye. Chocolate and hazelnut mousse, artisanal cheeses. Wine tasting room with 8,000 bottles. 7134 Main St., Clifton, Va., 703.266.1623 www.trummersonmain.com REQUIN French. Top Chef alum Mike Isabella’s newest star in a growing culinary constellation, founded with fellow TV contestant Jennifer Carroll
(Le Bernardin). Classic bistro fare (steak frites, mussels), plus small plates (spiced carrot bisque, blistered shishito peppers). Chocolate soufflé. Bottomless brunch. Mostly French wine list. Mosaic District, 8296 Glass Alley, Fairfax, Va., 703.462.8662 The Wharf, 100 District Square SW, 202.827.8380 www.requinbymic.com
WATERFRONT ANA AT DISTRICT WINERY American. Inside an urban winery and event space, a cool Midcentury modern-style restaurant with water views for sophisticated, vino-friendly fare. Smoked duck, pan-roasted cod, charred broccoli “steak.” Diverse wine list, good cocktails. 385 Water St. SE, 202.484.9210 www.districtwinery.com THE ARSENAL AT BLUEJACKET American. Former warehouse with onsite brewery serving new American cuisine like rotisserie half chicken, big salads and a variety of burgers. Extensive beer menu, cocktails, wines. 300 Tingey St. SE, 202.524.4862 www.bluejacketdc.com DEL MAR Seafood. James Beard winner Fabio Trabocchi's soaring glass-walled digs paying homage to his wife’s Spanish coastal heritage on the redeveloped The Wharf waterfront. Wide-ranging menu from tapas with a seaside spin to caviar, grilled seafood and family-style paella. Classic cocktails, mocktails, ciders. Wine list focused on Spain, but also France and California. The Wharf, 791 Wharf St. SW,
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202.525.1402 www.delmardc.com DUE SOUTH Southern. Southern hospitality in a rustic, modern setting along the waterfront. Smoked chicken wings, Brunswick stew, ribs, shrimp and grits. Full bar. 301 Water St. SE, 202.479.4616 www.duesouthdc.com KALIWA Southeast Asian. Restaurant Eve chef Cathal Armstrong’s eagerly awaited outpost at The Wharf development focusing on the cuisine of Thailand, the Philippines and Korea with distinct dishes from each. Large, 4,300-square-foot space with outdoor riverside dining in good weather. Opening imminent at press time. The Wharf, 751 Wharf St. SW, www.kaliwadc.com KITH AND KIN Caribbean. Top Chef alum and CIA/ Hyde Park grad Kwame Onwuachi’s highly anticipated new spot on The Wharf with water views, serving African-accented flavors from his youth with classic techniques. “Torched” mackerel with jollof rice and Nigerian red sauce, burger with house-ground patties and jerk-spiced bacon, curried goat with dahl puri roti. Bar program highlighting rum in punches, craft concoctions, plus mocktails. Inside the InterContinental Hotel. The Wharf, 801 Wharf St. SW, 202.878.8566 www.kithandkindc.com MASALA ARTCL006243 Indian. Amid temple art, calamari with coconut and curry, biryanis, tandoori (prawns, lamb, etc.). Bar. 1101 4th St. SW, 202.554.1101
4441-B Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202.362.4441 www.masalaartsw.com ODYSSEYCL0046102 Dining Cruises. Three-hour scenic journey with three-course lunch/ dinner, live music, two dance floors on glass-enclosed vessel. 600 Water St. SW, 800.250.3877 797 National Harbor Blvd., National Harbor, Md., 866.306.2469 www.odysseycruises.com OSTERIA MORINICL004476 Italian. From James Beard winner Michael White, cuisine of the Emilia-Romagna. Grilled meats, pastas, bass with clams and olives. Gelati, small-batch and sparkling wines, excellent cocktails. 301 Water St. SE, 202.484.0660 www.osteriamorini.com SPIRIT OF WASHINGTONCL007593 Dining Cruises. Three-level yachtstyle vessel with rooftop lounge, lunch/dinner buffet. DJ, dancing and views. Two-hour lunch cruise; threehour dinner cruise. 600 Water St. SW, 866.834.7245 www.spiritofwashington.com WHALEY’S RAW BAR & RESTAURANT Seafood. Airy, modern waterfront spot for sustainably raised seafood. Dayboat scallops, razor clams, seafood towers. Pork chop, hanger steak, family-style seafood risotto. Wines, local beers, craft cocktails. 301 Water St. SE, 202.484.8800 www.whaleysdc.com
MASTRO’S Mastro’s Restaurants are recognized for their combination of world-class service, highly acclaimed cuisine, and live entertainment in an elegant yet energetic atmosphere. A trip to Mastro’s Steakhouse is a culinary adventure of pure refinement and excellence. Recognized among the nation’s most extraordinary restaurants, Mastro’s offers an unparalleled dining experience. The menu features 16 different steaks and chops— ranging from an eightounce petite filet to a 48-ounce double cut porterhouse—and an array of fresh seafood selections. Enjoy live entertainment at the bar seven nights a week while sipping on hand-crafted cocktails and eclectic wines. Mastro’s is committed to delivering an unforgettable experience, every time. 600 13th St NW
202.347.1500
WASHINGTON, D.C.
ENTERTAINMENT
©JOY ASICO/COLUMBIA ROOM
SURE, POLITICS CAN BE ENTERTAINING, BUT THE CAPITAL CITY BRIMS WITH DELIGHTFUL DIVERSIONS, FROM BALLET DANCES AND TONY-WINNING PLAYS TO MAJOR LEAGUE SPORTS AND HAND-CRAFTED COCKTAILS.
THEATER & DANCE ADVENTURE THEATRECL0043956 In a former amusement park, a theater offering top-notch familyfriendly productions often based on beloved children’s books. 7300 MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echo, Md., 301.634.2270 www.adventuretheatre-mtc.org ARENA STAGECL007908 A pioneering, not-for-profit theater staging classic and contemporary productions in a striking glass-walled venue on the Southwest Waterfront. Catwalk Cafe with dishes inspired by current shows. 1101 6th St. SW, 202.488.3300 www.arenastage.org FOLGER THEATRECL004761 In the Folger Shakespeare Library, an intimate Elizabethan-style theater presenting classic plays and earlymusic concerts. 201 E. Capitol St. SE, 202.544.7077 www.folger.edu FORD’S THEATRECL004761 Professional actors still taking the stage in this historic site where Lincoln was shot by John Wilkes Booth during a performance on April 14, 1865. 511 10th St. NW, 202.347.4833 www.fordstheatre.org IMAGINATION STAGECL005132 Inventive shows geared to toddlers (who participate with a suitcase full of props) and older children. 4908 Auburn Ave., Bethesda, Md., 301.961.6060 www.imaginationstage.org
THE KEEGAN THEATRECL005192 This small company with a focus on Irish and American works performs in a historic (1905) and newly renovated Dupont Circle building. 1742 Church St. NW, 703.892.0202 www.keegantheatre.com KENNEDY CENTERCL007921 The riverside performance complex, a memorial to John F. Kennedy, offering dance, opera, music and theater, plus free shows daily at 6 p.m. Gift shops, KC Cafe and Roof Terrace Restaurant. 2700 F St. NW., 202.467.4600 www.kennedy-center.org MOSAIC THEATER COMPANY Presenting thought-provoking works that grapple with complex social and political issues. Based at the Atlas Performing Arts Center. 1333 H St. NE, 202.399.7993 www.mosaictheater.org NATIONAL THEATRECL004761 A landmark playhouse, in operation since 1835, presenting touring Broadway plays and musicals as well as pre-Broadway productions. 1321 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, 202.628.6161 www.thenationaldc.org ROUND HOUSE THEATRECL004395 Modern classics plus new plays and musicals in a 400-seat theater. 4545 East-West Highway, Bethesda, Md., 240.644.1100 www.roundhousetheatre.org SHAKESPEARE THEATRE CO.CL006432 The winner of the 2012 Regional Theatre Tony Award, with two stages for the Bard and other playwrights. Lansburgh Theatre, 450 7th St. NW, 202.547.1122 Sidney Harman Hall,
610 F St. NW, 202.547.1122 www.shakespearetheatre.org SIGNATURE THEATRECL007941 Artistic director Eric Schaeffer staging contemporary plays and musicals (often world premieres) in a $16million space with two theaters. 4200 Campbell Ave., Arlington, Va., 703.820.9771 www.sigtheatre.org SIXTH & I HISTORIC SYNAGOGUECL00693 Non-denominational 1909 synagogue becomes evening site for discussion and the arts. 600 I St. NW, 202.408.3100 www.sixthandi.org STUDIO THEATRECL007951 In the Logan Circle arts zone, four stages for cutting-edge plays, revivals and performance art. 1501 14th St. NW, 202.332.3300 www.studiotheatre.org SYNETIC THEATERCL004182 Innovative storytelling (usually wordless) through movement, dance and mime. Known for its “Silent Shakespeare” series. 1800 S. Bell St., Arlington, Va., 703.824.8061 www.synetictheater.org THEATER JCL00274 In the Jewish community center, a theater producing works that respond to the Jewish cultural legacy. 1529 16th St. NW, 800.494.8497 www.theaterj.org WARNER THEATRECL0076108 Performances of theater, comedy and dance in an ornate 1924 movie palace. 513 13th St. NW, 202.783.4000 www.warnertheatredc.com
THE WASHINGTON BALLETCL006541 Led by American Ballet Theatre star (and D.C.-area native) Julie Kent, a troupe performing at the Kennedy Center and other venues. Special events at the Wisconsin Avenue studios. 3515 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202.362.3606 www.washingtonballet.org WOOLLY MAMMOTH 007961 In lively Penn Quarter, an innovative venue staging unconventional plays in an underground space with good sightlines and company actors. 641 D St. NW, 202.393.3939 www.woollymammoth.net
MUSIC 9:30 CLUBCL007948 Frequent winner of nightclub of the year awards, a storied concert space booking top names in rock, pop, punk, hip-hop and country. 815 V St. NW, 202.265.0930 www.930.com THE ANTHEM From the owners of 9:30 Club, new concert venue on The Wharf waterfront redevelopment for big-name rock/pop and indie stars. State-ofthe-art sound system, two levels for seating 2,500-6000, bars. 901 Wharf St. SW, 202.888.0020 www.theanthemdc.com THE BIRCHMERECL0056709 A down-home venue dubbing itself “America’s Legendary Music Hall,” because stars from Lyle Lovett to Mary Chapin Carpenter played early on. 3701 Mt. Vernon Ave., Alexandria, Va., 703.549.7500 www.birchmere.com
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ENTERTAINMENT BLACK CATCL007946 Indie rockers call this dark club home. Also DJ and theme nights like “Drink and a Movie” plus the Lucky Cat game room for pinball. 1811 14th St. NW, 202.667.4490 www.blackcatdc.com BLUES ALLEYCL005371 Tucked in an alley south of M Street, the nation’s oldest continuing jazz supper club (since 1965), which has hosted Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Byrd. 1073 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202.337.4141 www.bluesalley.com CAPITAL ONE ARENA07519 Anchoring Penn Quarter, an arena that hosts top touring musical artists, plus D.C.’s NBA, WNBA and NHL teams. 601 F St. NW, 202.628.3200 tickets: 800.745.3000 www.verizoncenter.com ECHOSTAGECL00482 In an emerging neighborhood, the city’s newest concert venue with electronic dance music and other genres in 30,000 square feet. Standing room, bottle-service tables to reserve. Hightech sound and visuals. 2135 Queens Chapel Road NE, 202.503.2330 www.echostage.com GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY CENTER FOR THE ARTSCL0048712 Presenting top touring acts, from music and dance to theater, plus the Virginia Opera. 4400 University Drive, Fairfax, Va., 888.945.2468, www.gmu.edu/cfa
THE HAMILTON LIVECL005160 Named for the first Treasury secretary, a spacious live music venue underneath The Hamilton restaurant. Two elevated bars and tiers of tables around the stage. 600 14th St. NW, 202.787.1000 www.thehamiltondc.com THE HOWARD THEATRECL005172 The 1910 landmark that helped launch the careers of Duke Ellington, Marvin Gaye and The Supremes. Supper clubstyle or standing-room-only shows. Gospel and go-go brunches. 620 T St. NW, 202.803.2899 www.thehowardtheatre.com JIFFY LUBE LIVECL0075198 Open-air amphitheater about 40 miles west of D.C. drawing big names. 7800 Cellar Door Drive, Bristow, Va., 703.754.6400 www.jiffylubelive.com H MADAM’S ORGAN0794 A rowdy Adams Morgan bar, where redheads get a half-price drink special, and revelers enjoy live music nightly, plus soul food, pool and karaoke. 2461 18th St. NW, 202.667.5370 www.madamsorgan.com STRATHMORECL005172 On scenic acres, a music center that’s the base of the National Philharmonic and the second home of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. 5301 Tuckerman Lane, N. Bethesda, Md., 301.581.5100 www.strathmore.org THE THEATER AT MGM NATIONAL HARBOR At the luxury gaming resort just south of D.C., a 3,000-seat theater drawing some of the biggest names in music and comedy, plus UFC and boxing
events. Food, drinks, VIP suites. 7100 Oxon Hill Road, Oxon Hill, Md., 844.346.4664 www.mgmnationalharbor.com U.S. NAVY BAND Based at the Navy Yard, the U.S. Navy’s six performing ensembles give free concerts at venues around the area. See the website for locations and times. 617 Warrington Ave. SE, 202.433.3366 www.navyband.navy.mil U STREET MUSIC HALLCL006724 Basement dance club with DJs and live music (impressive sound system), a 1,200-square-foot cork-cushioned dance floor, two full bars and room for 300. 1115A U St. NW, 202.588.1880 www.ustreetmusichall.com WOLF TRAPCL00517 America’s only national park for the performing arts, with shows in an open-air pavilion and children’s theater during warm months and in 18thcentury barns when temperatures drop. Barns, 1635 Trap Road; Filene Center, 1551 Trap Road, Vienna, Va., 703.255.1900 www.wolftrap.org
BARS & LOUNGES 2 BIRDS 1 STONECL0045261 Under Doi Moi restaurant, an intimate cocktail den with six selections (in quirky, mismatched glassware) that rotate regularly. Also bar bites like Vietnamese dumplings sent down from upstairs. 1800 14th St. NW (entrance on S St.), no phone www.2birds1stonedc.com
BAR PX An elegant and intimate 1920s-style speakeasy in a historic town house (no sign outside, just a blue lantern marks the upstairs spot). Spirits master Todd Thrasher and team mixing cocktails with house-made tonics. Reservations recommended. 728 King St., Alexandria, Va., 703.299.8385 www.barpx.com BARMINICL0046570 Adjoining his experimental Minibar, celeb chef José Andrés’ culinary cocktail lab with more than 100 original pours and fresh takes on classics. Reservations recommended. 501 9th St. NW, 202.393.4451 www.minibarbyjoseandres.com BLUEJACKET CL006245 In a former (1919) Navy factory, a buzzing brewery headed by Greg Engert. Rotating selection of 20 beers and five cask ales. On-site bar, tasting room, shop and Arsenal restaurant. 300 Tingey St. SE, 202.524.4862 www.bluejacketdc.com CAPTAIN GREGORY’S Inside Sugar Shack Donuts, an intimate, rustic lounge with a seafaring theme for handcrafted cocktails and gourmet bar bites. No phone. Reservations via website. 804 N. Henry St. www.captaingregorys.com COLUMBIA ROOM Derek Brown’s award-winning cocktail bar with a 14-seat tasting room (by reservation) for seasonal drinks and amuse-bouches. Also spirits library (à la carte) and terrace. 124 Blagden Alley NW, 202.316.9396 www.columbiaroomdc.com
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COPYCAT CO. On emerging H Street NE, a cozy, dimly lit cocktail bar where expert mixologists concoct drinks from the menu or according to patrons’ cravings. Also short menu of Chinese dumplings and skewers. 1110 H St. NE, 202.241.1952 www.copycatcompany.com ENO WINE BARCL004574 The company’s first East Coast location, offering “exceptional wines in an approachable setting.” Vino by the glass (50), bottle and flight plus cheeses, charcuterie and chocolates. 2810 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, 202.295.2826 www.enowinerooms.com FLIGHTCL004580 Owned by spouses Swati Bose and Kabir Amir, a welcoming spot with dramatic semicircular bar offering 460 selections (30 by the glass and half-glass), including lesser-known varietals. Flights, wine cocktails and a short menu of shareable plates. 777 6th St. NW, 202.864.6445 www.flightdc.com HEISTCL00420 Behind a black door, a subterranean lair of “lighthearted delinquency” with faux valuables in display cases, reproductions of infamous stolen paintings and security footage of actual robberies. Crime-themed cocktails, champagne and fine spirits. 1802 Jefferson Place NW, 202.688.0098 www.heistdc.com THE PASSENGERCL006245 Tom Brown’s popular cocktail bar, featuring a mural inspired by the namesake Iggy Pop tune (beside church-pew seating), plus Chartreuse
on tap and experts behind the bar. 1539 7th St. NW, 202.853.3588 www.passengerdc.com
202.628.9100 washington.intercontinental.com/ food-drink/round-robin-bar
POVCL005907 A glamorous hot spot with chic decor and a rooftop terrace atop the W Hotel. Panoramic views of the White House, Washington Monument and across the river to Arlington, Virginia. 515 15th St. NW, 202.661.2400 www.wwashingtondc.com/pov
H SHELLY’S BACK ROOMCL005901 For cigar aficionados, a casual but elegant tavern with a state-of-the-art air ventilation system. Lunch and dinner (also late-night) menus plus premium cigars and rare whiskeys. 1331 F St. NW, 202.737.3003 www.shellysbackroom.com
RIGHT PROPERCL004670 Brew pub featuring colorful murals of D.C. and a focus on playful experimentation (house-blended strains of yeast), plus a full menu of Southern comfort food. Also a separate production facility with tasting room, tours. Brew pub, 624 T St. NW, 202.607.2337 Production facility, 920 Girard St. NE, 202.526.5904 www.rightproperbrewery.com
TOP OF THE GATE On the roof of The Watergate Hotel, a swanky lounge offering stunning views of the Potomac River, Georgetown and Washington Monument. Cocktails, granita cart, gourmet pizzas. 2650 Virginia Ave. NW, 202.827.1600 www.thewatergatehotel.com/ dine-and-drink/top-of-the-gate
THE ROOFTOP Perched atop The Embassy Row Hotel, an open-air terrace with swimming pool and swank lounge for sipping cocktails and taking in views of Dupont Circle, the Washington Monument and National Cathedral. Special events like silent disco parties and dive-in movies. Day pass available for non-hotel guests ($30) daily starting at 3 p.m. 2015 Massachusetts Ave. NW, 202.265.1600 www.embassyrowhotel.com ROUND ROBIN BARCL0063418 In the Willard InterContinental Hotel, upscale bar serving venerable drinks and 130 scotches. Henry Clay introduced the mint julep to D.C. here 200 years ago. Also find the Belmont gin fizz and Pimlico black-eyed Susan. 1401 Pennsylvania Ave. NW,
VINOTECA WINE BAR & BISTROCL007238 Intimate space for sampling 100-plus wines from around the globe, comfort food and small plates. Daily happy hour specials and back patio with bocce court in warm months. 1940 11th St. NW, 202.332.9463 www.vinotecadc.com
CASINO MGM NATIONAL HARBOR CASINO At the luxe MGM National Harbor Resort, a luxe 125,000-square-foot casino featuring Vegas-style gambling. An Asian gaming pit, 3,300 slot machines, 124 table games, a 39-table poker room and a high-limit room, plus the Blossom Cocktail Lounge with views on the action. 7100 Oxon Hill Road, Oxon Hill, Md., 844.346.4664 www.mgmnationalharbor.com
ESCAPE ROOMS H ESCAPE ROOM LIVECL00673 Teams of players testing their wits to escape locked rooms filled with clues, riddles and red herrings (in 45 minutes). Themes from Sherlock Holmes and Edgar Allan Poe to spies and mummies. Reservations required. 2300 Wisconsin Ave. NW; 814 King St., Floor 2, Alexandria, Va.; 3345 M St. NW, 800.616.4880 www.escaperoomlive.com THE GREAT ESCAPE ROOM Based on popular mobile phone games, a real-life puzzler in which teams have 60 minutes to find clues and escape a locked room (“The Library” or “The Gameroom”). 1730 Connecticut Ave. NW (basement level), 202.930.1843. www.thegreatescaperoom.com
GAY BARS COBALTCL00751 Restaurant, lounge and club in one. Club features DJs, dancing, theme parties and “American Idol” TV showstyle contests. 1639 R St. NW, 202.232.4416 www.cobaltdc.com TOWN DANCEBOUTIQUECL0078 The area’s largest gay nightclub with state-of-the-art sound and video systems, multiple dance floors, plush lounge and an outdoor patio in good weather. Hosts energetic drag shows. Cover charge $5-$12. 2009 8th St. NW, 202.234.8696 www.towndc.com
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ENTERTAINMENT
TUNED IN For a decade now, the Music Center at Strathmore (page
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TOURS/TRANSPORT
D.C. UNITED SOCCERCL007610 Major league club going for the goal. RFK Stadium, 2400 E. Capitol St. SE, 202.587.5000 www.dcunited.com
ALEXANDRIA COLONIAL TOURSCL00801 Costumed guides leading by lantern light around historic Old Town with ghost stories, legends and folklore (ages 9 and older). Departs from Visitors Center. Departs from 221 King St., Alexandria, Va., 703.519.1749 www.alexcolonialtours.com
WASHINGTON CAPITALS At Capital One Arena, the District's NHL team powering the puck and “rocking the red” with star captain Alex Ovechkin. 601 F St. NW, 202.628.3200 capitals.nhl.com
68) has drawn attendees to its 1,976-seat concert hall with genres that span the scale from classical to jazz, rock, pop and folk. The center's striking glass façade—six stories at its zenith— contrasts with the property's other equally popular venue, an 1899 mansion that hosts art exhibitions, afternoon teas and small shows. In warmer months, visitors come for free outdoor concerts and peaceful strolls through the 11-acre, sculpturestudded grounds.
WASHINGTON MYSTICSCL0076102 D.C.’s WNBA team shoots for the hoop on its downtown home court. Capital One Arena, 601 F St. NW, 877.324.6671 www.wnba.com/mystics WASHINGTON NATIONALSCL005173 D.C.’s MLB team at bat in state-of-theart LEED-certified Nationals Park, anchoring an emerging riverside zone of bars and eateries. Stadium tours April-November. 1500 S. Capitol St. SE, 202.675.6287 www.nationals.com WASHINGTON REDSKINS At FedEx Field, D.C.’s NFL team tackling the competition. Parking lots open four hours before kickoff. Shuttle to the stadium. Take exit 17 from 495. 1600 FedEx Way, Landover, Md., 301.276.6000 www.redskins.com WASHINGTON WIZARDS At Capital One Arena, D.C.’s NBA team shooting for the hoop with talented point guard John Wall. 601 F St. NW, 202.628.3200 www.nba.com/wizards
BIG BUS TOURSCL0038465 Capital views from the enclosed first level or open upper deck of a bus on these hop-on, hop-off narrated tours. Most tickets include admission to Madame Tussauds wax museum. 877.332.8689 www.bigbustours.com H BIKE AND ROLLCL0054095 Guided tours by bike and Segway plus bike rentals in many styles, hybrid to tandem. Hours vary by season. 955 L’Enfant Plaza SW; 50 Massachusetts Ave. NE; 14th St. and Constitution Ave. NW; Old Town Waterfront, Alexandria, Va., 202.842.2453 www.bikeandrolldc.com BOATING IN DC Offering sailing, kayak, canoe and paddleboard rentals and lessons at locations on the Potomac and Anacostia rivers. Also kayak tours of Georgetown and monuments/memorials, SUP yoga, sculling classes and Tidal Basin paddle boat rentals. Key Bridge Boathouse, 3500 Water St. NW, 202.337.9642 Ballpark Boathouse, Potomac Ave. and First St. SE, 202.337.9642
National Harbor, Oxon Hill, Md., 202.337.9642 www.boatingindc.com CARPE DC FOOD TOURS Walking tours featuring the restaurants in the historic and trendy U Street/Shaw/Georgetown/14th St. neighborhoods, plus cultural and historic points of interest. Also, happy hour and private tours. $36-$89. Check schedule online. 888.697.2693 www.carpedcfoodtours.com CITY SIGHTS DC Hop-on, hop-off tours (day and night) on double-decker buses with open tops. Narration offered in 11 languages, including Korean and Russian. 202.650.5444 www.citysightsdc.com DC CIRCULATOR Daily bus system running six routes including east-west between Union Station and Georgetown and northsouth between Woodley Park and McPherson Square, plus a National Mall loop. Buses arrive every 10 minutes. $1, children under 5 free. www.dccirculator.com DC METRO FOOD TOURSCL0051829 Three-and-a-half-hour food-focused tours of neighborhoods in D.C. (Adams Morgan, Capitol Hill, Dupont Circle, Eastern Market, Georgetown, Little Ethiopia, U St.) plus Old Town Alexandria. $30-$65. 202.851.2268 www.dcmetrofoodtours.com ENTERTAINMENT CRUISESCL0 A fleet of elegant vessels offering narrated excursions on the Potomac past DC and Alexandria landmarks, like Mount Vernon, plus dining and enter-
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tainment with panoramic views. 600 Water St. SW, 866.834.7245 www.entertainmentcruises.com EXECUCARCL0051405 Since 1988, private rides in luxury sedans and SUVs to and from airports, business meetings, group events. ExecuCar serves more than 55 airports around the country and offers sedan and SUV service, flat rates, meet-andgreet and specialized group services, and frequent flier points and miles with select airlines. Ronald Reagan National Airport, Alexandria, Va. Dulles International Airport, Dulles, Va., 800.410.4444 www.execucar.com FORD’S THEATRE “HISTORY ON FOOT” WALKING TOURSCL003651 A two-hour, 1.6 mile walk with “Detective McDevitt,” as he revisits sites and reexamines clues from the investigation into Lincoln’s April 14, 1865, assassination. Departs from theater. Reserve online. $17. 511 10th St. NW, 202.347.4833 www.fords.org PICKLE PEA WALKS Three 70-minute walking tours focused on the White House, in which costumed actors portray historical figures like Quentin Roosevelt, youngest son of Theodore (no entry to White House). $23, children $15, under 6 free. 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, 301.251.7064 www.picklepeawalks.com H POTOMAC RIVERBOAT CO.CL0054095 Water taxi service to the National Mall; The Wharf; Alexandria, Va.; and National Harbor, Md., plus sightseeing cruises and, in warmer months,
canine and pirate outings. Cameron & Union sts., Alexandria, Va. (see website for other dock locations), 703.684.0580 www.potomacriverboatco.com SENATE TRANSPORTATION SERVICES With a fleet of vehicles ranging from sedans and limos to vans and buses, shuttling passengers to and from airports, business meetings, weddings, sports games and other events. Also private sightseeing tours. 888.556.5331, www.senate transportationservices.com WASHINGTON METROPOLITAN AREA TRANSIT AUTHORITYCL0000071229 Metrorail and Metrobus services. Most major city sites accessible by Metrorail, the second busiest subway in the country. Use the smartphone app or the website’s “Trip Planner” for times, prices. Rechargeable SmarTrip card costs $2. 202.637.7000, www.wmata.com WASHINGTON PHOTO SAFARICL004651 Photographer E. David Luria and his team leading instructional tours of photogenic sights, from the monuments and memorials to neighborhoods and nature. 202.537.0937 www.washingtonphotosafari.com WASHINGTON WALKSCL008061 Two-hour tours on foot through areas well-known (National Mall, Georgetown, Dupont Circle, Embassy Row, Capitol Hill) and not (Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, Kalorama, Rock Creek Cemetery). $20, under 4 free. 202.484.1565 www.washingtonwalks.com
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