What’s your favorite place or thing to do in Washington DC?
About The Author
BooMan
Martin Longman a contributing editor at the Washington Monthly. He is also the founder of Booman Tribune and Progress Pond. He has a degree in philosophy from Western Michigan University.
The Brickskeller. Mmmmm.
Spy Museum
The spy museum is awesome but I went there recently.
http://www.boomantribune.com/?op=displaystory;sid=2009/4/10/9466/15346
nothing. i hate DC with a passion.
the roads suck, the city is designed by maniacs, it’s too expensive, the monuments are ugly, the people are rude and entitled, the politicians add to the smell, the bars close too early.
Well, i guess I like one thing: leaving.
with ALL of the freaking money being laundered in that town, you’d think it would be much more hip.
that’s another thing. no one is hip or cool down there. and both the women and the men are uuuuuuugly, many of them inside as well as outside.
plus no beach, the potomac is filthy, taxation without representation, and a crime rate that makes philly look like a candy store. real estate? forget it: way overpriced for what you get.
yep.. I’ve heard of guys doing some serious fishing
in the Potomac.. with the underlying history.. I wouldn’t
be filleting and frying those babies up.
Sorry Brendan but the bars close at 3am on the weekends, is that too early? As for crime, DC is a much more violent of a place than Philly? Really? Come visit DC again, I will take to you to cool spots in my Mount Pleasant Neighborhood. We have brown, black and white people all living together in one cultural area.
Chinatown, U Street, Logan Circle, & Columbia Heights are neighborhoods that have been transformed for the better in the last few years. H Street NE has some kick ass new bars and restaurants.
I will agree that there are way too many lawyers and Capitol Hill dbags in this town.
The 9:30 club is by far the best non NYC rock club on the East coast.
I coulda sworn your bars closed earlier than that. If I’m wrong, my bad.
I stand by the crime comments though. You have “brown, black and white people all living together in one cultural area”? We live together all over the place in Philly.
9:30’s OK. I prefer the Middle East in Boston.
Sorry, not a fan of DC.
so tell us how you really feel 🙂
as my wife said about Berkeley, “it looks great in the rear view mirror of a speeding car”.
The Old Ebbitt Grill, near the White House. Lots of history in that place, the food is very good too.
Excellent place/food full of history. Mayflower hotel too.
The last time I was in DC I was 1989. Lucille Ball died when I was in town. I was there for my union lobbying for childcare. What did I do? We got drunk with other people from other locals one night. Before we left I visited my dad’s grave at Arlington. Drinking was more fun.
There was also a picture of me with my arm around a much younger Nancy Pelosi. She was hot.
Monument hopping at night during Cherry Blossom time (which is now I think).
Holding my nose and leaving as quickly as possible.
the Lincoln Memorial and all the museums.
It’s all great and it’s all free.
The Vietnam and Korean memorials are very good – the WWII memorial sucks.
i’m with you
the whole Mall, and the Smithsonian – Air&Space, the Peacock Room…
The National Museum of the American Indian – current exhibits and interesting food from a variety of American Indian regions including South America
Favorite place: Union Station.
Favorite thing to do: leave.
At this time of year walk around in Constitution Gardens on the Mall, go to the Arboretum
http://www.usna.usda.gov/
or just walk anywhere in Rock Creek Park.
Never been there.
FDR Monument is my favorite. It has great views of the city, plus it’s cherry blossom season
Don’t listen to any of these people who have obviously never lived in DC.
First thing, go to the Adams-Morgan area and look up a great French bakery, whose name is now long forgotten. No matter just ask for the French bakery, everyone knows it, and you will find it. Then, over a cup a great coffee or two, just start ordering one pastrie at a time, after another, enjoy, and stay the afternoon.
Only when you feel blouted and sick, should you think about getting out of town.
Yeah, Adams-Morgan is a cool place. Been a while since I was down there, but it has lots of personality, and lots of little places to eat and hang out.
I was going to say the Spy Museum, but you said you’d been there recently.
I’ve been through the Holocaust Museum twice — if you’ve never been there, you should see it at least once.
I’m also partial to the National Theater, but I’m not sure what’s playing there now. Or the Kennedy Center. Since I don’t work downtown anymore, I tend to only go down there when I’m going to see something. (or if there’s a protest planned…)
The Lincoln memorial at night, when the temperature is hovering near freezing. It is like nothing else. Awesome.
Leave
Wow, all the DC haters are inspiring me to hook you up with some recommendations of my city.
Museums- American History just reopened and it looks awesome. The Newseum is new and I have not been but heard good things. Unfortunately, it is not free and costs like 20 bucks. The Sculpture Garden can be a good place to relax when the weather is nice and there is live music.
Georgetown waterfront is a must visit when its warm. Tuns of solid people watching and cool spot for an afternoon or early evening drink.
Since Im an alkie, I could probably fill this up with just bar places.
Great Belgian beer- Granville Moore’s 1238 H St. NE
Pizza Paradiso- Georgetown location has by far the best beer selection in the whole city. I think you would love it Booman. Pizza is tasty too. 3282 M Street NW http://www.eatyourpizza.com/
Live Jazz Funk Blues- New Vegas Lounge, 14th&P ST NW
Cool Hipster Type Bar- Wonderland, Good beers and music, 1101 Kenyon St NW
Lounge Bar with Patio- Marvin’s 14th St NW, between U and V, owned by Thievery Corporation
Eigheenth ST Lounge- Dupont Circle, 1212 18th St NW, awesome lounge that was owned by Thievery Corporation.
Pool or Shuffleboard- Buffalo Billiards, Dupont Circle, 1330 19th St., NW, Rocket Bar in Chinatown.
Other cool bar type bars, Saint Ex, 14th and T ST NW, Bar Pilar, right next door to Bar Pilar.
Tonic- My local hangout, 3155 Mt. Pleasant ST NW
Raven- the best dive bar in DC, cheap beer, great jukebox, 3125 Mount Pleasant St NW
Wine Bars- Proof in Chinatown, 775 G ST NW and Cork, 14th ST NW, between R ST &S ST
Food
Great Tapas and cool ambiance- Zaytina, 701 9th Street NW
Chicken- Nandos, 2 new Portugese chicken places have just opened, one in Chinatown, 819 7th St NW the other in Dupont Circle, across from Lucky Bar on Connecticut Avenue.
El Salvadorian- Awesome ethnic food in my hood. Haydees,3102 Mount Pleasant Street NW
Pizza- Radius, 3155 Mount Pleasant St NW, Matchbox in Chinatown, Pete’s Pizza, outside of Columbia Heights Metro/Green Line
Vegan Bakery- Sticky Fingers, 14th ST NW and Park Road in Columbia Heights,
The Eastern Market area on Sundays is pretty cool and 8th ST NE is OK with restaurants/bars but for the most part Capitol Hill is pretty blah.
Brunch-Clydes in Chinatown and Georgetown are both excellent.
Bus Boy and Poets on 14th ST NW and V ST NW, Awesome food and one of my favorite spots. This is the cultural epicenter of Obama supporters in DC. http://www.busboysandpoets.com/
Live Music
930 Club
Black Cat
Rock n Roll Hotel
DC 9
Velvet Lounge
Book Stores- Kramer books in Dupont is great and you can get a drink or a bite to eat. The restaurant is a little pricey.
Movie- Uptown Theater in Cleveland Park is an old school movie theater. E Street Cinema is my favorite place in DC for a flick. Great selection there.
I could keep going on but dinner and boozing are calling. Have Fun Booman.
The Smithsonian Institution. All their museums are great, but my personal favorites are Air & Space and Natural History. Can you still eat at the private buffet in Natural History for a nominal membership fee? You also get a great magazine. I had to drop my membership (in everything) during an earlier bout of unemployment, but I’m thinking of renewing.
Also, if you hate football, the Smithsonian is the only place open on New Year’s Day. It’s only closed on Christmas Day.
Air and Space Museum, Jefferson Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, Sackler Gallery, National Zoo….
A cliche – but the Lincoln Memorial at night.
And the National Archives. The history of America is there.