June 1,  2022

Washington D.C is our nation’s capital, the hub of our country, and our political center. But there’s a lot more to Washington DC than just vessels of one ideology to another, halls of power and striking marble slabs ... like cherry blossoms, eclectic food, amazing art, museums ... lots of them, containing all the lessons we need to be reminded of histories we shall not repeat. And history itself. DC is a living history book of American history, the ground where so many stories of presidents and their wives ... and girlfriends and family dramas were told. It is quite an eccentric state, or district I should say. 

You always start DC touring the monuments. Tourists or not ... monuments first. You go, you pay respect because you love this country, you read the histories and you get on with your day. Or otherwise, it's always a beautiful walkaround where the monuments are. A nice way to reset, to clear your head. I always love a stroll from the Lincoln Memorial which I find monumental everytime, then along the reflection pool to the Obelisk, which always stops me for a moment. It's just standing there, so tall and erect. If you drown out the tourists all around, you'd find a solitary moment there. Sometimes I walk over to the Vietnam Memorial nearby, I always see old vets visiting. I would think how lucky they are to be alive today. And I would look at the seemingly endless amount of names engraved on the black marble and think, how many families have empty chairs during the holidays. How many children have cried because their fathers never returned home ... 

A quick Uber ride takes you to Georgetown and the Canals. That has become my favorite DC hangout. Georgetown has evolved so much in the last decade, from a cafe filled collegetown to now a bustling waterside community with more cupcake shops than you can count. Of course, first stop, Georgetown Cupcakes. I'm not a fan of cupcakes, but when in Georgetown ... then I make way to Clyde's, an American-Irish pub. During warm weather months, sit outside, its great for people watching and their food, is delicious. Try their crab tower. Just trust me. Then you have Levain Bakery and a few quaint coffee shops. But always, always find Ben's Chili Bowl. Ben's Chili Bowl is a landmark restaurant in DC and it fulfills both food and history. Known for its chili dogs, half-smokes, and milkshakes, and has been an integral part of the neighborhood's history since its founding in 1958. They have several locations, but the Georgetown location is their original. 

Take a stroll down the side streets to the waterside, you'd pass the canals. Definitely a great neighborhood to spend the day with lots of fun shops to dip in and out of. And somewhere along the 

way, in between neighborhood, a walk down Embassy Row is quite fascinating. A mix of mansions and apartment-like buildings ... some well-preserved Gilded Age estates and townhouses, while some newly built and acquired, it is both historic and multicultural. 

Besides patriotic pride, when in DC, a museum or two is a must. There is the collective of museums called Smithsonians. This group of world-renowned museum and research complex consists of 17 museums, galleries and a zoo. The National Zoo in that collection was quite impressive. I can actually spend the day there. And then there is the Museum of American History. it's not as boring as it may sound to some of you, it's a pretty fun museum to walk through, but you don't need an entire day. It is all about the evolution of time. Each era has its own space, and everyone will find a piece of memory in there from their childhood days. It's a walk through time capsules after time capsules of various themes from the glamour of first ladies to the changes of fast foods. Outside of the Smithsonian, there are a ton of museums. As a Renaissance & Neoclassic art lover, I was thoroughly surprised at the beauty of all the original work of art hung in the Museum of the Bible. It's certainly not so much of a kids museum unless they have some understanding of the bible. But if you have an appreciation for the bible, the real lives behind the bible, Renaissance, Neoclassic or Baroque art ... this museum is for you.

After all the shopping, the foods, the museum hopping, time for another landmark destination and my favorite: Arlington Cemetery. Arlington Cemetery is the home where the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier lies. Catch the somber changing of the guards which happens every hour. This takes place rain or shine, around the clock 24 hours a day. Find where the fallen astronauts from the Challenger rest. And there, perched high on the hill is the final resting place of President John F. Kennedy, former first lady Jacqueline Kennedy, their 2 day old child Patrick Kennedy and their stillborn daughter Annabelle ... and there, marked their site is the eternal flame. That eternal flame is symbolic of a chapter in history that will live on forever.

We continue with more eating ... catch Sunday brunch at Teddy and the Bully Bar. This restaurant is beautiful inside, mildly ornate mixed with a little Park Avenue modern glam and it also has a fabulous outdoor space. It is ode to Teddy Roosevelt and his love for American fare like game, steak and oysters. Grab coffee at La Colombe (that was good) and we tried attempting an all pink shop Call Your Mother ... but that morning line wrapped around like it was the most popular Disneyland ride. We decided a line like that is just not worth it for coffee ... DC is a city of its own with its own pulse. And that will always be, the the pulse of our country.