This summer as you may have noticed from monthly recaps, I spent quite a lot of time in nearby Washington, D.C. Joe being the successful political major he is, was interning there for the majority of the summer, offering me the opportunity to hangout and use his pool for the small price of a four hour bus ride. Happy to say I managed to visit more often than not, definitely took advantage of the pool, and was already well versed in surviving Megabus. I hadn’t been to D.C. since my 8th grade trip but I am now very familiar with the cobble roads of Old Town, the preppy shops in Georgetown with proximity to the most beautiful old townhouse, and of course the monuments sprinkled throughout D.C. proper. Here’s a rundown of some of the highlights and nuances of the lovely city I now know nearly as well as Joe.
Food:
Starting with my favorite category, as you can guess there’s no lack of amazing food in the D.C. area. Admittedly on my first visit we ordered in Baja Fresh, but even that was an amazing treat (we hadn’t had it since the ballet/ soccer days and it’s still just as good). We managed to visit B more than once, due to it’s incredibly delicious burgers. I can attest to it’s veggie option as well as their salad, all wonderful.
Brunches are my favorite, and we excelled in brunching in D.C. Clyde’s in Georgetown has an amazing atmosphere and decor and the food to match. When our Dad visited and stayed at the Autograph, we had brunch at the adjoining restaurant. The potatoes were wonderfully crispy and the staff was very helpful, keeping my food heated while I was upstairs taking a last minute shower.For a historic bite to eat, we went to Martin’s Tavern, an old favorite of JFK’s, among other prominent figures. With a classic menu (I shed a tear being recently vegetarian), comfort food is something of a specialty.
Old Town was a favorite for dinner, not the least reason being the proximity of plenty of ice cream shops. One of my first visits we went to a restaurant on the water with Joe’s roommate. I had amazing fish taco and a refreshing Moscow Mule to match. With Dad in town we visited a lovely downtown restaurant with outdoor seating, and again I had amazing fish tacos.With a few weeks in between them i can’t say for sure which was better. They were both just that delicious. We followed up the fish tacos with ice cream at Pop’s, where I tried the carrot cake and was far from disappointed.
Clyde’s in Georgetown, wonderful decor and wonderful brunch! The mimosas weren’t bad either…
B Burgers, which has won a bunch of awards, makes a delicious bean and quinoa vegetarian burger. I didn’t miss meat for even a second.
Sometimes you just need an old reliable – the spinach and egg white feta wrap from Starbucks is mine.
Founding Farmers uses locally sourced food and makes delicious mashed potatoes, so naturally I was a big fan.
Del Rey Pizzeria, the fluffiest and best crust and delicious salads as well.
Museums:
We spent a fair bit of time in the free museums but I will say, the Spy Museum got rave reviews from family despite us not making it there for a visit. My favorite was the Natural history Smithsonian with the many bones and animals illustrating the delicacy of our ecosystem and the beauty of the many species Earth is home to. My favorite exhibit in the American history Smithsonian had to be the First Ladies gowns on display. It’s like a piece of each of these incredible women is right in front of you, making them so much more alive and accessible. We also visited the Archives to see the documents our country was built on, a rather awe inspiring sight that calls to mind many history lessons from middle school.
Monuments & Buildings
The National Mall is a wonderful place for a walk even in hundred degree heat or in the middle of the night (I experienced both). I love the wide open space surrounded by iconic meeting places and monuments. Starting with the Supreme Court, such a hallowed and stately building that immediately brought me back to On the Basis of Sex (fantastic movie), we made our way by the library, Capital building, and down the mall to the Washington Monument more than once. It’s a long walk but the ice cream trucks along the way sell water which is an extreme life saver. From there it’s another stretch next to the reflecting pool over to the Lincoln Memorial and the Vietnam Memorial. It’s incredible that in once single city there are so many reminders of the greatness and sacrifice of our nation. We visited Arlington as well, witnessing the changing of the guard and paying respects to Kennedy.
Shopping:
As luck would have it, an old hometown friend we hadn’t seen in years was in town one of the weekends I was visiting. Our friendship was based on a mutual shopping addiction so naturally we all met up in Georgetown, popping in and out of our favorite shops while catching up. There’s no lack of staple brands to shop, but one new name caught our eye. Billy Reid is a Southern brand with shops situated along the East Coast. We got the back story from the friendly staff, and hung out with their dog while listening (seriously the sweetest pup). The designs are refined and the people as charming as you’d expect from a Southern brand. Definitely worth popping in to have a look at a newer name on the block.
~KS
Katydid in NYC 