Capitol Steps

Capitol Steps performance had us laughing from the moment it opened until it closed with its political satire.  The performance pokes fun at politics from all angles and the absurdities involved in the process.  The performances concentrate on both sides of the aisle.  Somehow through its humor it reminds the audience the system is made up of human beings and therefore can’t help but manifest some foibles along the way.  If you enjoy political satire and don’t take your own party too seriously, you will double over with laughter at the performances!  Add this show to your list of things to do on your next visit to Washington DC.

Aatish on the Hill

A Pakistani restaurant near Capitol Hill, Aatish on the Hill, serves delicious food.  The owner is friendly and interesting.  He chatted with us for a while after the other diners left and we’d put away our guidebook.  The décor is simple but pleasant.  We arrived shortly before the restaurant closed after serving lunch, but we enjoyed our meal with out feeling rushed.  We stumbled on this delightful restaurant while looking for another restaurant from our guidebook and forgot all about the other highly recommended restaurant.

The Library of Congress

The Library of Congress is comprised of three buildings: The Jefferson Building, the Adams Building, and the Madison Building.  The Jefferson Building is a beautiful building inside and out.  The reading rooms are only open to people with Library of Congress ID cards.  To get a Library of Congress card you must cross the street to the Madison Building and fill out a form indicating the reason you need the card (as a souvenir isn’t reason enough).

            The free tour of the Jefferson Building is quite interesting.  The paintings depicting not only the history of writing but also many occupations important to the United States economy are lovely as well as educational.  Our tour included a trip into what appeared to be a storage room overlooking the main reading room.  Seeing the paintings adorning the walls as well as the old printing encased in glass are worth the visit while viewing the reading room is worth taking the free tour.

DC Grill

A two-part restaurant, DC Grill has an upstairs with a homier atmosphere while the downstairs is more like a place to grab a quick bite or something to go.  We ate upstairs which provided us plenty of privacy to be sure – we were the only diners for dinner.  The food - served on paper plates with plastic utensils – was simple.

The Capitol Building

A beautiful structure known worldwide from the photos we’ve all seen all our lives, in person the Capitol Building’s opulence overwhelms the senses before you even step inside.

            Pay attention to the restrictions on the list provided when you pick up your tickets for the free tour of the Capitol Building.  Any items on that list will be trashed before the tour begins.  Plan to take this tour before doing any shopping just to be on the safe side.  People sat the tour out so they wouldn’t have to throw away purchases they’d made before arriving.

            Once you make it through security which includes a long walk up the hill, a trip through a metal detector (typical of most buildings in Washington DC), and a short reminder of the rules, the tour itself is interesting, educational, and fun.  Seeing the inside of the Capitol Building, the building where the Legislative Branch of the United States government develops laws, you can’t help but feel a sense of history.  Paintings depict much of US history and statues honor important persons from each of the fifty states that make up the United States.

            On the basement floor a star that is the center of the original Washington DC sets among multiple other displays.

            Also in the basement is the room where the Supreme Court convened for many years.  It’s preserved for tour groups to see a bit of the Court’s history.  It’s a dark, gloomy room especially when compared with the Supreme Court Building across the street.  One can easily see why it’s somewhat affectionately referred to as the dungeon.

            While the tour only covers historical areas and not the offices or daily working areas of Congress (contact your Congressman’s office to arrange a private tour to see more), it is still well worth taking the time for the tour.

Front Page

We arrived in Washington D. C., checked into the hotel, and went for a walk.  By the time we stopped at Front Page for dinner, we were ready for their tasty hot beef stew and a cup of tea, commonly known as comfort food.  We sat by the large windows and watched the traffic and people on the sidewalk getting a feel for the beat of the city.  Service was friendly and efficient.  Front Page’s vibe lent to the business discussion we heard on one side of us, the friendly discussion of the group on the other side of us, or to the quiet conversation taking place between two people rewinding after flying across the country.

Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

A piece of advice, grab a map of the museum and decide what you want to see if especially if you’re pressed for time.  There’s a lot to see inside the Museum of Natural History.  I especially enjoyed the Hope Diamond display and the gemstone display.  Don’t expect to get a really good photo of the Hope Diamond though.  The lighting affects the ability to get a good photo.  My husband enjoyed the dinosaur exhibit much more than I, but it was interesting.  The history of man exhibit, which I walked through while searching for the ladies’ room, was also interesting.  A trip to the Natural History Museum is worth the stop even if only to see the variety of exhibits and the attempt to help us better understand the Earth we all inhabit.

Georgia Brown's

White linens and low lighting set the mood in Georgia Brown’s.  The staff is friendly and appears genuinely excited about the food they’re describing and serving.  Upscale down-home dishes like roasted chicken with sweet potato dumplings and trout tempt the palette and remind diners of Sunday dinners at Grandma’s house with a special twist.

The National Archives

 Every American should visit the National Archives at least once if for no other reason than to see The Constitution of the United States, the Bill of Rights, and the Declaration of Independence.  These important documents contain the words that provide us the freedoms we often trust others to protect.  Because these items are in a room with a specially controlled environment, there’s a wait to see the documents.  The small room is also crowded, so don’t think of this as an opportunity to read the originals in full.  The room’s lighting makes it nearly impossible to take clear photos.

            Telecasts, documents, and other communications both public and declassified are on display.  If you have the time, and I didn’t this trip, you can visit a different section of the building to request to look at other documents pertaining to the United States including past military records if you’re so inclined.

Lebanese Taverna

Lebanese Taverna is a bustling restaurant in north Washington DC.  Our wait for a table was well worth it.  We enjoyed the atmosphere and the food.  The staff was friendly and efficient.  When they needed our table to accommodate a large party, they gave us free dessert for the trouble of moving us to a table that turned out to be better than our original table.  Our dining experience at Lebanese Taverna was one we’d gladly repeat.

National Gallery of Art

If you’ve ever wanted to see a painting of George Washington and his family, the National Gallery of Art is the place to go.  The National Gallery of Art is filled with paintings and sculptures of famous historical American figures.  Benches I the middle of most rooms provide visitors a chance to sit and study the paintings (or just rest their feet if they’ve been walking all day).  Also in the National Gallery of Art are lovely landscape paintings.  Give yourself time to enjoy the gallery, but it shouldn’t take up your whole day.

photo of sculpture titled Hand of Rodin with a Female Figure by Auguste Rodin.

Palette

Just down the block from Wyndham Hotel, plates of glass look in on contemporary décor of Palette.  Soft, cushiony seating around low tables, contemporary stools around a bar, and rich, modern colors on the wall lend to a fun, energizing, and somehow still relaxing atmosphere.  Our appetizers and drinks were tasty but expensive.  The staff was nice, non-intrusive, and helpful in describing the menu.

Renwick Gallery

Renwick Gallery wasn’t on our list of places to see.  After we took photos of The White House, we walked to the west and saw Renwick Gallery.   We decided to stop in for a quick look.  While not all the contemporary artwork was beautiful, it was all quite interesting to view.  We enjoyed Renwick Gallery.  The museum took less than an hour to tour and was well worth the time.

Red, Hot, & Blue

We drove into Arlington, Virginia for lunch at Red, Hot, & Blue before heading to the airport for our trip home.  Photos of politicians and celebrities crowd the walls to the point of distraction throughout the entire restaurant.  The food was simple no-frills, barb-a-cue and side dishes served with huge mugs of iced tea or water.  If you’re looking for slightly upscale fast food, Red, Hot, & Blue is your place.  Don’t go here expecting homemade bread, new twists on old favorites, or fancy dishes.

Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum

The place for the aeronautic in you, The Air and Space Museum gives you a view of the history of flight.  Many planes including The Spirit of St. Louis hang from the ceiling.  The Wright Brothers Exhibit traces the live and work of Orville and Wilbur Wright including the famous Kitty Hawk flight.  Also on display are space flight exhibits, a World War II display, and multiple other items telling the history of flight.  For those interested, there are also flight simulators.  For an entertaining, educational, and interesting experience for children of all ages, a trip to The Smithsonian Air and Space Museum fills the bill.  One piece of advice, unless you want to eat fast food, eat before you visit.

National Mall

It’s hard to avoid walking National Mall in Washington DC.  We started our walk from the Capitol Building and ended at the Lincoln Memorial.  The pathways surround rectangles of grass.  I could imagine it as beautiful in the summer even though we were there in January.  The Washington Monument stands tall in the center of a patch of well maintained green.  In the twilight, we almost missed the White House on our right.  The scale of the Lincoln Memorial was more overwhelming than I’d imagined.  It positively dwarfs the people standing below it.  National Mall provides a lovely walk even in the twilight of a January evening.  History positively oozes from every place along The Mall.  Be prepared though, it is a long walk.

The Supreme Court

If the Supreme Court is in session, you can listen to cases being presented.  We weren’t that lucky on our visit.  Still sitting in the gallery where the nine Supreme Court Justices hear cases while a knowledgeable staffer explains the process and points out where each justice sits as well as other characteristics of the building is quite interesting.  She briefly talks about the basketball court directly above the court room and the offices of the justices in the building.  The staffer also takes questions from the visitors.  Lastly, you may visit the basement where historical items related to the court are on display.  While looking at the history is informative, I enjoyed the staffer’s presentation much more.  Even more than that, I wish court had been in session because that would have been even more interesting.

Virginia Grill

We stopped for breakfast on the way to Potomac Mills Outlet Mall in Woodbridge, Virginia at Virginia Grill, a down home country restaurant with paneled walls and photos or landscapes and war re-enactment scenes adorning the walls.  Southern hospitality was served alongside large helpings of pancakes and omelets.  I ordered a quite tasty crab omelet.  There was more food than we could finish, and we were certainly full and happy when we left the restaurant.

The Wyndham Hotel

Wyndham Hotel’s staff is friendly, efficient, and helpful.  Our room was clean, comfortable, and nicely sized.  Verandah, the hotel restaurant provided attentive staff and tasty if pricey dishes.  Wyndham Hotel was far enough from many of the main tourist attractions to allow quiet relaxation while in the room but still close enough to make seeing any of the desired attractions a short subway ride away.