Tour-i-city

Before

Rob, my 1st visitor, joins me as a tourist, sight-seer, and of course adventurer.

After
We take on the most powerful city in America until Rob collapses in gratified exhaustion.

The Plan

Time to become a tourist! Rob (my visitor) isn’t too picky. He wants to see the National Mall, a Smithsonian Museum or 2 & is otherwise is open for adventure.

Gosh, he knows me well. 

So I plan to take him to Silver Docs Documentary Film Festival, out to eat at Everlasting Life Cafe, biking around my favorite parks, & dancing (of course) at some place in or around the gayberhood (DuPont Circle).

The rest (per usual) will be in the unexpected section.

The Execution

Tourist:

• National Mall (Day & Night)
  • White House, Washington Monument, WWII, Vietnam, Lincoln, Korean Memorials
    • COMPLETELY different experience at night. Rec: take bikes to get around faster, BUT BE CAREFUL. Memorials (specifically the Vietnam) seem like a good place to be stabbed. Exercise good judgement, go with someone else.
  • United States Botanical Gardens: Jungle paradise. Most beautiful flowers I’ve ever seen. So cool, we went by twice. FREE!
  • Smithsonian: Air & Space Museum: The Spirit of Saint Lewis and Wright Bros Flyer made my mouth drop open, but did not live up to the praise of being the best Smithsonian. FREE!
  • Capitol Building Tour: Had to book online (got away with 2 days in adv. w/ 2 people). FREE!
    • Rec: DO NOT book the tour yourself. Yes, you get to watch a cool little video, wear wireless headsets, but you only get to see the Rotunda & the Statue Hall. Go through your Representative/Senator for a much better tour & see more as well.
      

Sights Seen:

• Library of Congress, Supreme Court, The Smithsonian Castle, Traffic Circles, Discovery Communications Headquarters

Adventures:

• Capitol Hill (NE & SE)
  • The Eastern Market: Indoor market: daily, Outdoor market: Sat & Sunday. Best peaches I’ve ever tasted.
  • Peregrine: Capitol Hill staple raved about by Washington Post & Yelp . Rob LOVED individually brewed iced coffee, I thought lattes & coffee were just ok.
  • Pound the Hill: Iced nutella late on a shaded private patio is where it’s at! Rob says go to Peregrine for iced coffee instead.
  • Hello Cupcake: A contendor in the “Best of DC: Cupcakes” post (coming soon!) w/ vegan friendly options.
• Colombia Heights
  • Everlasting Life Cafe: So good, Rob bought an extra tray for breakfast!
  • Meridian Hill Park: surprises with each succeeding slope. Will appear in “Best of DC: Parks” post.
• Silver Spring:
  • Silverdocs: Fulfilling. Just make sure to always get to each movie AT LEAST 15 mins. early or else the theater might be too full for you to get a seat  (#storyofmylife).
• DuPont Circle/U Street
  • 14th St NW: DC social scene’s aortic artery
  • Town: $8 cover b4 11pm.  Hour drag show @ 10:30pm.  2 floors of dancing & DJs.  Worked on the dance floor by a birthday girl. Priceless.
• Downtown
  • Chinatown: Picture of the arch on U Street
  • Busboys & Poets: Rob’s Approval: Vegan Nachos. Mine: Sweet Fuji Apple & Gorgonzola Sandwich.
  • TaKorean & Foodtrucks: Meals on Wheels are the real deal.

And of Course, in my life there is always…

The Unexpected Section

• On Thursday night, I got off the Metro Bus (D6 Westbound) to find my wallet had fallen out of my wallet. Other than freezing/replacing credit cards, there are a couple of things you should do.
  • 1st: Fill out a Lost/Found Claim on the Metro Site RIGHT AWAY. If you don’t, they’ll make you do it and call back later. Metro will contact you if your item is found.
  • 2nd: Call the Metro Lost/Found office at 202-962-1195 Tues.-Fri. 11AM-5PM (really bad hours) to get the “bus depot” number (if you lost your item on the bus). The depots are usually open 7AM-7PM 7 days a week and can tell you if they have found anything yet. The night D6 bus number is 202-962-5607. 
  • 3rd: Wait (which is SO HARD) & order new cards. 
• Rob’s bike got stolen after leaving it ON MY PORCH in Capitol Hill NE. Mine, right next to his, was not. How come? I have a U Lock, which is not able to be cut with bolt-cutters. Rob only had a chair with a padlock, which they must have cut right through.
  • Lesson: DON’T leave your bike outside UNLESS you have a ULock.

The adventure continues… next week.