binspired, March 2019 | In honour of International Women’s Day, which takes place on 8 March, Jess Moss tracks down a host of female pioneers in America’s capital city…
Category: Washington DC
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How to Visit Washington D.C. for Inauguration Weekend
January 5, 2017 on Fodors.com || All eyes will be on Washington D.C. this January for Inauguration Weekend. The city’s preparing for over 1 million visitors, coming in for everything from celebrations to protests to getting a glimpse of history. Here’s a quick guide to visiting Washington for the Inauguration, the Women’s March on Washington, or any other events on tap from January 19-21, 2017.
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Best Restaurants in D.C. (According to Me)
My ongoing effort to casually document the good (and not so good) restaurants I’ve tried around the District.
Adams Morgan
Tail Up Goat: small plates and yummy craft cocktails
Dupont Circle
14th Street/U Street
Compass Rose: awesome menu of street food small plates from around the world
Le Diplomate: French bistro that’s a standby on 14th street
Lupo Verde: my favorite Italian restaurant
Shaw & Bloomingdale
The Red Hen: perfectly cooked pasta & Italian, in good but not gluttony-inducing portion sizes in a cozy-hip setting
Columbia Room: a swanky prohibition-style den in Blagden Alley. Their special cocktail tasting menu is worth the $80 splurge.
Downtown D.C.
Petworth
Timber Pizza: small shop with gourmet made-to-order thin crust pizza and an interesting lineup of craft beers
H Street NE
Arlington
Ambar: Balkan tapas in a airy plant-filled corner space in Clarendon.
Lyon Hall: Belgian beer, mussels and subway tile in a moody-mod space (think candle bulbs and subway tiles)
Yona
Northside Social
Pupatella
Alexandria
On My Radar (Haven’t Tried Yet, but Worth Mentioning)
Pineapple and Pearls or Roses Luxury: two of the foodiest spots in DC
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What to Do When You Visit D.C. in Winter
A friend wrote me in late December asking for some tips for some friends visiting D.C. Since a lot of my favorite spots are better in summer, here’s a list of some winter recommendations I sent over.Overall for food/drinks I’d recommend going to these neighborhoods: 14th St./Logan Circle, U Street and Shaw. 14th/U is really the hub of dining and nightlife so you can walk along til you find a place that has something you like. Shaw is a tad less corridor-like; you need to have more of a destination, but it’s where a lot of the new hotspots are opening. Dupont Circle and Adams Morgan are still good food and drinks spots. I wouldn’t recommend Gtown these days, except for a few spots or for shopping during the day.A few of my favorite bars are:
- Churchkey: beer galore (we got drinks here when you were in town a while back)
- Bar Pilar: cozy & classic bar on 14th
- McClellan’s Retreat: a good one for history nerds, this bar is Civil War themed
- Board Room: board game-themed bar, good for holing up on cold nights
- Vegas Lounge: live band turns this place into a Motown/Pop dance party
- Wok and Roll: drunk latenight (or not so latenight) karaoke
Some restaurants to look at:
- Tail Up Goat: small plates and yummy craft cocktails
- Compass Rose: awesome menu of street food small plates from around the world
- Le Diplomate: French bistro that’s a standby on 14th street
- Lupo Verde: my favorite Italian restaurant
- Pineapple and Pearls or Roses Luxury: two of the foodiest spots in DC
- American Indian Museum: if you’re doing the Mall/Museums, this Smithsonian has a great food court, with native foods from all over the Americas
Local Booze: there are a ton of great local beers to try/breweries (3 Stars, Atlas, DC Brau, Right Proper, Port City), but other local booze is also buzzy, like the ANXO Cidery and District Distilling Co.Quintessential “DC” spots:
- The rooftop bar at the W Hotel is probably one of the best views in DC, overlooking WH/Mall
- Off the Record in the Hay Adams hotel has fun political cartoon coasters you can steal
- The Watergate Hotel opened and I think it’s overdone but if it happens to be warm there’s a great new rooftop bar overlooking Gtown
Other things to do:
- I’d say good luck getting tickets to the new African American museum … they’re booked til April, though there are some daily giveaways I think.
- The East Wing of the National Gallery of Art just reopened and is cool
- The Renwick Gallery is really fun for some Instagram action
- One of my favorite lesser known spots on the Mall is the US Botanical Garden – in winter it’s a nice tropical jungle to escape into.
If they’re Hamilton fans, then this guide might be of interest 🙂 -
The Ultimate Guide to the National Mall
December 15, 2016 on U.S. News Travel || No trip to the District of Columbia is complete without a visit to the National Mall. The site of presidential inaugurations, historic protest marches and a brand-new Smithsonian museum, this 2-mile-long grassy lawn that runs through the heart of the nation’s capital sees over 25 million visitors per year. Here, you’ll find the city’s iconic marbled monuments and museums. Plus, the White House and Capitol are steps away. If you’re visiting the city for the first time – or if you want to give your feet and camera a workout – plan on spending a day here. And if you’re short on time, check out these top sights and museums.
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The 8 Best New Rooftop Bars in Washington, D.C.
August 2, 2016 on Conde Nast Traveler || Want to find D.C.’s hottest bars? Just look up.
There’s something missing from the D.C. skyline: skyscrapers. A height limit has kept most of the District’s buildings shorter than the Capitol dome, creating a town-like atmosphere while offering unobstructed views. It’s the perfect recipe for rooftop bars—and this summer, the city’s nightlife mavens have taken note. D.C.’s in a rooftop boom, with nearly a dozen new drinking perches open this year. From cozy cornertops where you can people-watch the street below, to Instagram-ready sunset and stadium views, here are some of Washington’s best new rooftop bars.
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Your Guide to 3 Big Cities: New York-Philadelphia-Washington, D.C.
March 2016 on VisitTheUSA.com || It’s easy to combine a visit to three of the USA’s most exciting cities in less than a week. From the soaring skyscrapers of New York City, New York, to the history-rich streets of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to the seat of government in Washington, D.C., this six-day itinerary will give you a taste of the country’s food, culture and spirit.
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Washington D.C.: See Top Museums & Neighborhoods in 3 Days
March 2016 on VisitTheUSA.com || With three days in Washington, D.C., you can see both the top tourist sites and experience some of the city’s most popular neighborhoods. Be prepared to cover a lot of ground on foot — comfortable shoes are a must.
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5 Washington, D.C. Neighborhoods Locals Love
February 29, 2016 on Fodors.com || Talk to any longtime D.C. local, and you’re likely to hear a common refrain: the District is sodifferent than it used to be. A grand revival is underway in the city, with an invigorated food-and-drink scene and a housing boom that’s spreading across all four quadrants, from Georgetown to Anacostia. But some neighborhoods have seen a more drastic shift than others. Here are five areas that have Washingtonians more excited than a D.C. panda rolling in snow.
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25 Ultimate Things to Do in Washington, D.C.
February 26, 2016 on Fodors.com || The best way to get to know Washington, D.C. is to take a bipartisan approach. At the city’s downtown core are grand tributes to American history and government that create an aura of power and diplomacy. But don’t forget that this is a city where people live, work, and play—and there’s a side of D.C. that thrives beyond the marble columns and museum galleries, so don’t delegate all your time to one aspect of the city. Add these top experiences to your list and you’ll cross the aisle between essential visitor sights and hotspots that locals love.