VZ City Guides: Washington, DC

By Matt Siblo
Published: March 11th, 2009 | 1:15pm

Nicknames: The District, Our Nation’s Capital
Population: 5.3 million in the DC metro area
Happening ‘Hood: U Street Corridor, Columbia Heights, Adams Morgan

Washington DC is a unique entity. Known primarily for its transient student and politico population, the best non-state in the union breeds a fierce sense of pride and ownership among natives (read: American flag tattoos) in the face of the otherwise rotating inhabitants. It’s a town where bow-ties mingle with bike messengers over empanadas and Ethiopian cuisine, while taxi drivers argue environmental policy with their passengers. The District of Columbia can provide hours of fanny pack entertainment with its rich history and copious photo opportunities, but there are plenty of other sides to this town that don’t involve gawking at memorials or rubbing elbows with Capitol Hill interns.

Dates
If you’re looking for an excuse to visit our nation’s capital, the National Cherry Blossom Festival, which usually takes place in late March or early April, finds the Mid-Atlantic at its most picturesque. The festivities vary widely (this year’s events, for example, range from a Kurosawa screening to a soccer tournament), making this a great way to enjoy the bustle of the National Mall in all its over-crowded glory. One of the area’s least heralded but worthwhile events is the National Book Festival in the fall. Participating authors are surprisingly engaging and approachable, plus it's guaranteed to restore your faith that the public still actively enjoys reading!

For those who want to experience the local DC music scene, springtime ushers in the famous Fort Reno concert series in Tenleytown. Although an arsenic scare on the park grounds threatened to put the kibosh on this summertime tradition last year, Venus Zine is happy to report that things seem to be comfortably in order for 2009. While it’s as likely as W getting re-elected for a third term, if Fugazi were ever to play another show, it’d probably be here.

Sights
It’s a given that a great deal of your time spent in DC will include the snapping of many hilarious depth perception photos of the Washington monument. Beyond that, the city has a museum for just about any historical point of interest, most of which are free (that's what we like to hear). For those with deep pockets, the Corcoran Gallery might be worth a splurge. Depending on your tastes, the Newseum and the International Spy Museum are other options that appeal, respectively, to the high-minded aspirations of Bernstein and Woodward and the cartoonish sensibilities of Inspector Gadget. Both can easily kill an afternoon.

Fare
Although the district seems to have an overabundance of burger and beer establishments that feed off Capitol Hill staffers' bureaucratic tastes, the diverse cuisine offers more than just stuffy expense account clam bars. No write-up of DC is complete without an obligatory mention of Ben’s Chili Bowl, an establishment so ingrained in the public consciousness that our 44th president had his first "half smoke" (Ben's specialty) right before Inauguration. A less popular yet no less satisfying spot to grab a quick bite pre- or post-museum is Pedro and Vinny’s cart, a downtown lunch hour fixture that serves one of the city’s best vegetarian burritos. John, the owner, only sets up shop during weekdays, leaving weekend getaway-ers stuck with the singular option of a lowly soft pretzel. Those looking for something a bit more substantial can head to Busboys and Poets, a local favorite incorporating everyone’s two favorite things: social activism and Bourgie brunch. If you go on Saturday or Sunday morning, though, be sure to bring your patience and a newspaper.

For vegetarians, local options range from nominal to swank. Java Green and Soul Vegetarian are great inexpensive lunch spots while Vegetate and Founding Farmers are better suited for those upwardly mobile, environmentally friendly foodies among us. And despite what you’ve heard about the city’s “famous” jumbo slices, save your pizza palate for a visit to that other venerable East Coast city.

Nights
After soaking up all the culture and American history, you’ll have earned the right to take in some of the less high-minded charms of DC nightlife. A sojourn in the district should undoubtedly start at the Palace of Wonders on H Street NE, a Vaudevillian-inspired bar that is part club, part oddity museum featuring weekly burlesque troupes among other delightfully sleazy acts. Once in the area, take a quick walk down to the recently renovated Rock and Roll Hotel or Red and the Black, two of the cities best smaller music venues.

Film aficionados have a few unique options including the historic AMC Uptown, where noisy blockbuster screenings are more than redeemed by the gorgeous interior décor. The Avalon, a non-profit theater in Friendship Heights is another option for the pre-war theater aficionado, featuring independent and mainstream film fare alike. And although it requires a 20 minute ride on the Metro, no trip to the area would be complete for any self-respecting cinephile without a visit to the American Film Institute (AFI) theater in Silver Spring. A tip for those making the trek: dine while you’re still inside the Beltway (i.e. in the city). The area surrounding the suburban theater might sound appealing in theory, but it’s really nothing more than a sea of faceless chains.

For DC visitors who are not limited to Metro-accessible areas, Comet Ping Pong might be worth the effort and/or cab fare. Here you can find all of the entertainment essentials: ping pong tables, a jukebox, beer, gourmet pizza, and the occasional impressive touring band like Calvin Johnson and The Homosexuals.

Merch
If you’re a VZ kind of traveler, you’re probably interested in that elusive one-stop-shop for new Doc Martins, Circus Lupus LPs, and commemorative "Banned in DC" Bad Brains T-shirts. Well, look no further than the venerable Smash! Records, a former Georgetown staple now residing in Adams Morgan. Anything you can’t find there will most likely be at Crooked Beat or Red Onion Records, a short walk either up or down 18th Street. Since this is DC, and you're here to get smarter anyway, reading a book or two wouldn’t hurt. For that, nothing beats the ambiance of Politics and Prose where daily lectures and latte drinking wonks will round out your quintessential DC experience.

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If there is a special city you'd like to see, or a killer hot spot we somehow overlooked in this guide, email VZ City Guides editor, Erica Phillips, at cityguide (at) venuszine (dot-com).