http://www.nychinatown.org/directory/m_bus.html
My little "you're not in Kansas anymore" moment was a Washington Post Metro section headline reminding Washingtonians that the choppers that frequently buzz overhead will soon be Lakotas and not the aging Vietnam era Hueys. The kind of story you're not going to read in the NYTimes Metro section.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/06/AR2009030603207.html
With a $139 per night weekend rate River Inn is a terrific friendly hotel -centrally located - near the Foggy Bottom subway stop and within view of the Watergatehttp://theriverinn.com/
http://www.visitingdc.com/boat-bus-metro/washington-dc-metro-subway.htm
http://map.mapnetwork.com/destination/dc/
http://www.washington.org/
http://www.travelpost.com/NA/USA/District_of_Columbia/Washington/logs/7844670
As hungry early risers we could not find a place to have breakfast before 8 AM on Saturday. The room had a cute little equipped kitchenette - with coffee beans and a grinder - we picked up eggs at 7-11 and it was breakfast in the room.
DC is a company town and you see lots of plastic covered government id's hanging from necks during subway rush hour. Another striking difference between Washington and New York - the restaurants were busy. You have to wonder if its those relatively secure goverment paychecks.
Friday night dinner
Cafe Atlantico -
They have good pre-theatre menu until 6:30 - $35 three courses- the most delicious salad that had a kind of puffed wild rice and walnut dressing with gorgonzola - delicious short ribs came with spinach and mushrooms. For desert molten chocolate cake with banana cream like whip - chocolate pudding and great mojitos with lots of mint - grilled octopus off the prix fixe was fabulous
Saturday Lunch
We went back to Atlantico the next day for lunch. The Crab cake salad - with two tiny crab cakes - shredded not lumps - and boring greens was not the only disappointing part of the meal.
My daughter ordered her omelette whites only, no potatoes and no bacon. When we questioned the sad little naked $16 omlette that arrived, a snippy manager took it off the check but not without scolding us with "thats why we dont do special orders" followed by they will never do special orders again because of us. To future customers of Atlantico who may want an undersized egg whites only omlette with no bacon or potatoes -for 16 bucks - we offer our heartfelt apologies. We ruined it for everybody.
Sunday night dinner in Georgetown
Hook -upscale seafood -http://www.hookdc.com/ very attractive place ($27 entrees) friendly, knowledgeable waiters and staff. The place takes pride in its sustainable fish only policy. Our waiter pointed out that the fish from Australia was the kind that gets caught up in a bigger catch and we might not see it again. So Im thinking - aren't you creating a market for this diminishing species and discouraging fishermen from throwing it back?
Excellent tuna tartare appetizer with small little tasty if hard to identify cubes of something on the side. We also had Artic char from Iceland - the waiter reminded us that Iceland could use the cash - good point - brussel sprouts, sweet potatoes and celeriac puree - delicious
A Japanese broth with mushrooms and a dark green with a fish called suzuki - was tasty. Memo to self - if its called broth you'll be hungry afterwards
It did leave room for a chocoholics dessert built with layers of intense chocolate and nutella ice cream on the side.
The free museums of the Smithsonian are perfect for my short attention span because you can bop in and out of these world class places without guilt.
http://www.si.edu/
The Smithsonian National Museum of American History is great. http://americanhistory.si.edu/The exhibits are supplemented with some very cool performances by actors playing historical characters - like one of the college students from the Civil Rights era lunch counter sit down. The actor walked through the lobby, picket sign over his shoulder, with his beautiful voice miked and booming out a civil rights protest song, as he made his way to a replica of the famous lunch counter for an interactive presentation.
Betsy Ross was also at work rounding up little ones in the crowd to help her place stars on a lobby size flag.
Its not part of the Smithsonian and therefore not free but The Newseum is an entire new building devoted to the media - lots of historical front pages, videos about and by media biggies and a funny montage of comic send ups of the news, a tribute to fallen journalists with Daniel Pearl's lap top, a special exhibit about the coverage of the Lincoln assasination. They even have the actual broken into door from the Watergate. Its worth a few hours. http://www.newseum.org/
You dont get to see much on the Capital tour, but it is fun just to be in the building plus you get passing glimpses of stuff - as we walked by Speaker Pelosi was holding a press conference on the Capital steps surrounded by a coterie of well coifed folks. http://www.visitthecapitol.gov/
Dont forget the Library of Congress http://www.loc.gov/today/pr/2008/08-199.html
That's where Jefferson's bible is, the one that Obama used for his swearing in. Jefferson's actual library is on display in a glass enclosed semi- circular bookshelf. The current Lincoln exhibit " With Malice Towards None" is an opportunity to see Lincoln letters and documents - a few every day writings and legal documents, from his law practise and lots of presidency artifacts and photos including his draft of the Gettysburg Address.
To get a White House tour you need to give them a week for a Secret Service clearance check.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/history/
So we just walked by to marvel at the sight of the Obama families new home - makes one pretty goose bumpy.
The sight of an Afro American couple just sitting on the stone ledge in front of the White House fence, quietly taking in the historic tsunami said it all.
