flygirl

Thank you so much again, everyone.  I am going to look into the 4th of July near the Marine Barracks.  Any tips on getting downtown near that, on the 4th?  No street closings on that end of town, etc?

I made rez at Brasserie Beck for 2 PM on that day - good or bad idea, based on being at the barracks, or not?  I'm also thinking of how heavy the food and beer will be and how hot it will be...

If we make it to the barracks on the 4th, where would you lunch?

More soon..  this is so fabulous.

Hey again!  What great information - I hope everyone who stumbles across this has a lot of fun following up...

Another Q:

Any ideas on SMALL comedy venues?  You know, that bar that you wouldn't think would have comedy but on certain nights, it does?  Or ones which have regular comedy, etc, open mikes, etc..  including in Virginia?

I already know about the big-big ones (Improv, Drafthouse)..

Any thoughts in this regard would be Awesome.

Thanks!

Thank you so much everyone!

Does anyone have any tips on attending Obama's public events - or even (hahahahaha) the non-public ones?  You don't know unless you ask!

I thought I'd throw this out there:  I got a season's pass for kayaking at the boat house in Georgetown under the key bridge.  This is the Keybridge Boathouse, not Thompson.  200 bucks for unlimited paddling on ANY of their boats.  All season - ends in October.  Otherwise it is 15 bucks an hour which is a bargain.

Anyone plans to kayak any weekend, I might be there - early early early...  lmk!

Don, thank you for the edits, too.  This is really a great thread, and thank you again to everyone for contributing.

Don: He will be here for a while although we will be going to NYC at some point too so I can't be sure how much time in DC just yet. Enough to see a lot of things, though, although July will suck.  My best guess right now is about 10 days on the ground in DC although it might be more than that.

I hear ya re: Hains Point being a great location for that statue.

Will try for Einstein, why not. We will be crawling all over the Mall for sure. Likely a night monument wander, which is prettier as well as less hot.

Arlington Cemetery for sure.

Smithsonians / National Gallery of Art / National Portrait Gallery - will have to check exhibits.

I can't decide re: where to see the fireworks.  The Marine Corps Memorial would be my first choice, but, he hasn't been to DC before so hanging around downtown would be cool too.  Can someone fill me in re: security?  How bad is it? How tough is it to just hang out in DC, away from the security points... during the day...  then sneak over to either the Mall or Iwo Jima for the actual fireworks?  I know that whatever we do we will not be heading home until midnight at least due to the overload of people on the metro.

And on July 4th, other than the Mall where is a great place to hang out and feel festive yet not be stuck in the craziness of the Mall?  I am envisioning being downtown maybe mid-late afternoon, hanging out, doing DC stuff that does not include the Mall, then finding a place to park our butts for the actual fireworks.  Mostly to avoid the heat all day long as I live in Ashburn and once we are there, we are there.

However if we do it that way, we will have no refreshments while we are hanging out on the Mall - we'd go there just to see the fireworks.  That is kind of a bummer because it would be nice to be able to eat/drink while hanging out down on the Mall.

Unless someone I know here or elsewhere is planning a picnic down near the Fireworks, that is!

Lovehockey, did you mean hanging out on the airport parking garage to watch?  How hard is it to do that?  My cousin USED to be ATC there, many years ago, but I don't know anyone there anymore.  All great ideas, thank you!  Will look into them all. Was also trying to think of some "insider" things for him, too.

I live near Udvar so I suppose we will be going there!

And definitely monuments by night.

I know someone at the NTSB and he is willing to take us on a tour of the labs.

Is there any other really cool government place in DC that would be a neato tour?  I applied for a tour of the White House, which I hope was done in time. The Capitol would be cool, maybe the Supreme Court or LOC if those are easy to get into...

Thanks, getting very excited about this!

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[NOTE to all readers: my links stopped here, and the ball rests in my court to continue putting them in. I hope you find this thread useful - I learned a lot just by putting in the links up to this point. Cheers, and welcome to Washington, DC! Please join our community at donrockwell.com, and write me personally (via our Private Messaging system) if you need any help once you join. We'll help you to find some good restaurants as well - we are the only restaurant resource you need, and have a greater expertise in that area than all other resources combined. Plus, we're nice and we want to help you enjoy your visit. Cheers, Rocks]

Other than the obvious, I mean (White House, Capitol, Smithsonian, etc).

I am not sure where to put this query.  This isn't really a food question per se, but more of a "how do you show out of town friends a cool/unique time"?

This will be in July, including July 4th.

Thanks for any thoughts!

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[Note to all Washington, DC tourists: This is an organic, unedited conversation between people who live in the Washington, DC area, replying to a member asking for tourist help - some were born here; others weren't, but everyone in the conversation knows what they're doing - the only thing I've done is add a link for each tourist attraction mentioned, to save you the trouble of hunting for them, and I used my best judgment as to which links would be most helpful to you, as tourists coming in from out-of-town. This entire conversation is well-worth reading, and contains pretty much everything you need to know for a true, "Best Of" trip to Washington, DC, as recommended by intelligent, informed residents. Feel free to join our website, and add your opinions as well, and you can always send me a Private Message once you join - I'll be happy to answer any specific questions you have about tourist attractions or restaurants (I'm a native Washingtonian as well, and have been helping tourists for 30 years). Happy travels, Don Rockwell]

The title says it. I'm not looking for fancy dress-up places (well, maybe one, but only one), just darn good food. The max we'd dress up would be smart casual.  Especially since this will be July and too hot.

They don't have to be unique cuisines of DC but having a handful of such would be nice.

Thanks for any thoughts.

Good evening

I will be hosting an out of town friend this summer. I live in the hellburbs and will be looking to escape downtown at all available opps.  Or at least Clarendon.

Any suggestions?  Someplace fun but not so bloody loud or crowded we can't hear each other talking. I know that is a tall order, especially for July 4th.

Thanks!

This was wonderful!  I thoroughly enjoyed the tour and learned a lot of interesting things. Thank you so much for taking time out of your Saturday to do this with us, and, good luck with your decisions! 

Colleen McGraw would like to go as well.

For me, too far. Probably for many? Location skewed too south. Why not more central location?

Me me me! Would love to go! Hope you have room!

I wanted to thank you for the info. I didn't make it downtown that time, but this is good info for another trip.

I haven't been online much at all..  just checking in.  I am home, finally, from months of traveling.  Will this be "for good" remains to be seen.

Reviving this 6 yrs later..  have things evolved yet or do we exurb denizens need to get in our cars and drive drive drive, still?

Good morning

It's been ages since I've posted or read anything here.  Probably all of two of you remember me.  The two I am dining with tomorrow, for brunch, that is!

Anyway.  I live out in BFE and have decided I need to do an urban wander one day soon.  Midweek or weekend, no matter.

I plan to avoid the National Tree like the plague.  I want to dig into an interesting neighborhood.  See some lights (if it's after dark) or at least some Xmas displays or an open house, have a pleasant meal that won't break the bank (and something I can actually walk around afterwards - IE not heavy food and probably only one glass of wine), and possibly a good cup of coffee or hot chocolate mid-wander.  Window shopping too.

It would be either before/after lunch or before/after dinner - I will probably last about four hours of wandering.

I do know about the National Zoo so that may happen (would be an evening thing, then).  I also know about Logan Circle's open house tomorrow - perhaps after brunch with a few fellow DR peeps.

Or not.  Something else, this week.  Unclear.  Help?  (and if you did choose the National Zoo, where would you stop by for some food?)

Muchas Gracias!

What is the name of the park again? Our biz trip was cancelled. Not sure if I can make it as I happen to have a vet appt smack in the middle of the day (and I live out near Leesburg, so this is a road trip with pit stops) but I will try.

And I will be leaving that evening for Chile, which means I'm out, once again. Drat.

I plan on coming and I might bring a friend. Not sure what foodstuffs I'll bring yet.

Whoops, I see you have me down already.

I can actually make it this year. I am in town. Wonders never cease...

Hello

I recently joined but have not gone to any dinners yet. Who else is a member, and do you go to their events? What are your thoughts on this club?

Thanks

Beth

Thank you everyone!

We are going to Proof. Their menu looks great.

I do want to try Cashion's sometime.

Which restaurants do foie gras right, or even "have foie gras"? I do not see it on menus often. My birthday is coming up and I want my foie gras starter! :-)

Thank you.

These are carried at a few retail locations, one in Reston. I am so there.

Hi all

I am going to dinner/late concert with some non-foodies (my brother and his wife). I'd like to introduce them to something good, but that isn't going to bust their budget. (It's easy for me to shell out 100 bucks solo, they are times-two which hits a little harder).

Any ideas for dining (does not need to be near theater as we don't have to be there until 9 PM) that would work out to about 60 bucks a person, drinks/tax/tips included? This is for non-foodies - I'd like to show them the world beyond chain restaurants. They are coming from near Baltimore, I live in the exurbs of NoVa near Dulles - so something in DC is the most central (although I might be able to talk them into Rays the Steaks....)

Thank you!

ps. I realize 60 is gonna be hard, so maybe go up to 75 each but would be better if it were lower, incl drink/tax/tip

question:

Pot Roast, made on Friday. (in oven for 2.5 hours...)

Today is Tuesday. It has been in the fridge the whole time (a lot of food for one person - lotta leftovers).

OK to eat?