Category Archives: Essential DC

Essential DC, Tourism
By

Tourism: United States Botanic Gardens

flowers at US Botanical Gardens

So the doldrums have hit. It’s cold. You’ve got on your scarf, your hat, your gloves, and soon we’ll upgrade and add in some ear muffs and your heaviest coat. It’s the perfect time to plan your winter escape to the United States Botanic Gardens. Open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily (including holidays and weekends!) the conservatory is a large glassed-in garden-topia. You can get there a number of ways, but my lovely roommate and I took the metro to Federal Center and walked a quick few blocks to the West side front lawn of the Capitol.

The conservatory is split into different plant-type sections, for example, one for orchids and one for the desert, etc. (Wow, am I a botinast or what?) And then there’s a big huge rainforest in the middle stretching two or three stories high. It’s humid and somewhere around 78 degrees, kind of like a mild DC summer day. It’ll bring nostalgic flashbacks of those wonderful, warm days of yore. Short on cash? The US Botanic Gardens admission is free, like all the best things in DC.

So aside from the rainforest, and the desert, there is plenty more to see at the Botanic Gardens…

Continue reading →

All Politics is Local, Downtown, Essential DC, History
By

Flashback Special: Nov 4, 2008

Photo courtesy of Yelp.com
Vote for Yelp! Election Night Soiree, courtesy of Yelp.com

As all my friends can attest, I don’t talk politics with anyone, save my wife. (My vote is always a closely guarded secret.) So yesterday was a pretty quiet day for me. And that was actually kinda cool, because I didn’t get caught up in any hype or despair, and pretty much enjoyed just being in DC during a major, national election – which just happened to make history.

What I’m most pleased with is just how awesome the voter turnout was. This, my friends, is what democracy IS. Not who’s “team” won or lost, but the fact that we, as Americans, have the privilege to have a say in who our leaders are to be. And to see such excitement, such passion for the chance to exercise our voice – THAT is what the United States of America is all about.

So take a moment and enjoy a cross-cut of photos taken yesterday by citizens just like you and I, as they shared how they spent their Election Day.

Continue reading →

Essential DC, Talkin' Transit, WMATA, WTF?!
By

Talkin’ Transit: Gas Bags

DSC_1713

Cabs and Metro, two of our favorite subjects in the DC blogosphere and other conversational mediums, have surfaced again in the last couple of days. How could we not discuss it here?

First, cabbies. Did you know the taxicab commission extended the $1 gas surcharge through January 31, 2009? The last extension ended on Sept. 29 and the sneaky commission just slipped it right under all our noses.

Now, when it was instigated back in January 2007, the average gas price around the area was hovering around $3.13. And of course, during the summer they were flirting with the $4 mark. But now? If you’re a driver you know that gas has dropped to an average of $2.68 in the region, with continued expectation it will fall through the next month or two.

Continue reading →

Essential DC, Featured Photo, Weekend Flashback
By

Weekend Flashback: 10/24-10/26

Photo courtesy of Rob Shenk
The Golden Horseman #2, courtesy of Rob Shenk

It’s so dreary outside here in Tysons and I’m in desperate need of a pick-up. So I was perusing through Flickr during lunch today and noticed quite a few shots that I think encapsulated what a great weekend we had in the area. For some reason, the great photos I saw helped give me a much-needed boost out of the “Monday blahs” so I decided to share.

Indulge me as I show some of the photos that told me about your weekend here in the DC metro area.

Continue reading →

Adventures, Essential DC, Interviews, People
By

Tourists Love DC: Ryan from Seattle

Photo courtesy of Ryan
National Air and Space Museum, courtesy of Ryan

Tell us a little about you.

Right now, I live in the Fremont neighborhood of Seattle and spend my days working in aerospace procurement. My nights and weekends are spent attending live shows and being outside trying to enjoy any good weather Seattle has to offer.

Why did you choose to visit DC?

Simple: I’d never been to DC before. I’m 32 years old and while DC has been in the forefront of my mind because of its historical importance and the constant references to it on the news and in pop culture, I didn’t have a real sense of what it was like. In many ways, it’s America’s most important city and I really wanted to experience it.

Was this your first visit to the area?

Yep.

Continue reading →

Essential DC, Featured Photo
By

Featured Photo

The Pillars @ The National Arboretum by citron_smurf.

When I traveled to Rome a few years ago, I was awestruck by the ancient ruins that are scattered throughout the modern city.  “Oh look, there’s a quaint little restaurant, a place to rent scooters, aaaand some excavated pillars that date back to several hundred years before Christ?”  Neato.

You don’t see that much, if at all, here in the United States.  It’s more like, “Oh look, there’s a California Pizza Kitchen, a Starbucks, aaaand a big hole in the ground where an office building from the 1970’s used to be.”  Lame.

Continue reading →

Essential DC, Talkin' Transit, WMATA
By

Talkin’ Transit: Transfer Pains

Photo courtesy of Mr. T in DC
Metro SmarTrip Card, courtesy of Mr. T in DC

Metro has announced they are moving forward with their plans to eliminate the free paper-to-bus transfers, as well as the discounted rail-to-bus transfers, beginning on January 4 of next year. Discounts aren’t going away, however – you just have to have a SmarTrip card to get it.

There’s a lot of flak hitting Metro for the decision, however. Riders groups in the area have mentioned a few concerns, namely that of time and money.

Continue reading →

Downtown, Essential DC, Penn Quarter, Sports Fix
By

Sports Extra: Capital Preview

Photo courtesy of clydeorama
Four Caps, No Waiting For Love, courtesy of clydeorama

Thank goodness, it’s almost Hockeytime.

No, seriously. I get the Redskins, people. Really. But I’m not a football fan. It’s all about sticks, pucks and skates – and the cool Zamboni ‘race’ between periods.

Hockey. Where the men have more gaps in their teeth than West Virginians. (I kid! Ok, not completely.)

And yes, Ovechkin, I’m lookin’ at you. Continue reading →

Adventures, Essential DC, Food and Drink, The District
By

DC Omnivore 100: 82 & 99

Photo courtesy of zephyrbunny
Best Eggs Benedict Ever, courtesy of zephyrbunny

Welcome to the first review of the 100 foods an omnivore in DC should partake of. We posted the full list already; here’s my take on two of them.

#82 Eggs Benedict. Ok, this isn’t a ‘new’ dish for me – I’m a connoisseur of this classic egg dish. It’s usually the one I order when we have a rare breakfast out and I’m not feeling fat. Because any dish that combines half an English muffin, poached eggs, ham and hollandaise sauce just gives you that feeling of hardening arteries. My particular dish for this review was consumed at the nearby Silver Diner over in Springfield, VA.

Continue reading →

Essential DC, Featured Photo, History, Life in the Capital, The District
By

Richard Avedon: Portraits of Power

The Generals of the Daughters of the American Revolution, DAR Convention,
Mayflower Hotel, Washington, D.C., October 15, 1963,
© 2008 The Richard Avedon Foundation

There really isn’t a just way to describe how incredible and important Richard Avedon’s photographs are, at least in words that haven’t already been written or spoken.  He’s been called “America’s pre-eminent editorial portrait and fashion photographer” which is accurate, but he, like all master photographers, is also a great historian.  Richard Avedon: Portraits of Power, a new exhibit set to open this Saturday at the Corcoran Gallery of Art, has brought together more than 200 of his photos that cover over 50 years of his career and of American history, some of them having never been on exhibit or published.

Continue reading →

Essential DC, History, Life in the Capital, Special Events, The District
By

We Remember: September 11, 2001

Photo courtesy of MatthewBradley
courtesy of MatthewBradley

As we stop today to take a moment to remember, some of the staff here at WeLoveDC wanted to share our own thoughts about this tragic day in our history with our readers. Please feel free to share your thoughts in comments – but we do ask that you be respectful. (Comments will be moderated as necessary.)

Continue reading →

Arlington, Essential DC, Talkin' Transit, WMATA
By

Transit: Memorial Memo

Photo courtesy of tsmyther
Pentagon, courtesy of tsmyther

The Pentagon will open the first of three memorials for the victims of the September 11 attacks on Thursday. The memorial will be available to visitors 24 hours a day.

A dedication ceremony will be given tomorrow morning; the site will open to the public in the evening.

If you’re planning on driving / commuting near the Pentagon tomorrow, there’s some things you need to know.

Continue reading →

Essential DC, Talkin' Transit
By

Talkin’ Transit: Capital Connectivity

Photo courtesy of Joe Shlabotnik
Traffic, courtesy of Joe Shlabotnik

Yesterday was “Terrible Traffic Tuesday” – the dreaded day after Labor Day when everyone in the region hits the rush hour roads after the summer stretch of vacations.

However, some good news came out yesterday for commuters from the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments. While it may not be as beltway-shattering as new construction projects or Metro passenger records, it’s still pretty important.

Yesterday, the council unveiled their newly revamped Commuter Connections website. Continue reading →

All Politics is Local, Essential DC, Life in the Capital
By

Greek Columns and Arrogance

Jefferson Memorial Columns

I don’t know if you’ve heard, but some political candidate apparently gave some sort of speech last night. He gave it in front of a portico with Greek columns, which was roundly scoffed in some corners as “arrogant,” or “presumptuous,” as if said candidate were erecting a temple in his own honor.

Without expressing an opinion one way or the other on any candidate, I’d just like to point out that this is the kind of high-minded political discourse found in those email forwards your crank uncle sends you. Greek columns are only evocative of a temple? Really? Not, say… the White House? I’m pretty sure that when a presidential candidate tries to get voters to imagine him in the White House, it’s called “campaigning,” not “presumption.”

In the spirit of mocking the silliness of our political posturing over common architectural features, I present a small gallery of some of the best examples of Greek columns around DC.  Might make for a good walk around this weekend when the rain stops. And please share your favorite DC Greek column photos in the comments.

Continue reading →

Adventures, Essential DC, History, The District, The Mall
By

Archival Lovin’

archives_arch

One of my favorite museum sites to visit in DC is the National Archives. Housing the original documents from our country’s founding, the National Archives Experience (as it is officially called) always evokes a sense of awe and history in me and many other visitors. And it’s missed by thousands of tourists every year.

People are surprised to find out that there’s more to the Archives than the popular Rotunda. In fact, the entire mission of the Archives is to serve American democracy by safeguarding and preserving the records of our Government, ensuring that the people can discover, use, and learn from this documentary heritage. As such, the National Archives and Record Administration (NARA) was designed to safeguard and preserve the most important documents to American history and our heritage as a country. Thus, NARA serves both the public and the federal government through a network of facilities across the U.S. Continue reading →

Essential DC, History, Petworth
By

Fort Slocum: Hidden DC Treasure

Fort Slocum in Washington DC - managed by the National Park Service

Fort Slocum in Washington DC - managed by the National Park Service

Here’s an oasis of green you don’t see often in the middle of a city: Fort Slocum Park, where a cool urban forest abuts the row houses of Northwest DC.

Nestled in northern Petworth, you’ll first notice Fort Slocum by the green hill you see on Kansas Avenue NW, the only remnant of the Civil War earthworks that defended Washington DC from Confederate General Jubal A. Early’s attack in June 1864.

While the National Park Service description is brief, the Historic Marker Database tells the full story:

When the Confederates demonstrated against Fort Stevens, to the west, Fort Slocum had the honor of opening the engagement by firing its long range guns. During the battle, some 1,500 employees of the Army Quartermaster office, led by General Montgomery Meigs, assisted the fort’s garrison. 

Juxtaposed to that history is a modern escape for all manner of Washingtonians, as I found on a recent exploration of its central woods..

Continue reading →

Essential DC, Monumental, The Daily Feed, The Mall
By

Schmap Guides

Schmap makes interactive map/tour-book hybrid guides that you can reach on the web or download to your computer or iphone. You can click on map-points to see places of interest (with photos solicited from local Flickr photographers), directions, and information.

The D.C. edition seems like a great choice for those going out on “local tourism” adventures, but trying to keep touristy image to a minimum.

Many editions exist for cities around the world and all are available for free. An updated version of the Washington guide will be published mid-August.

Adventures, Business and Money, Downtown, Entertainment, Essential DC, Food and Drink, Fun & Games, Life in the Capital, Music, Night Life, Special Events, We Love Arts, WMATA
By

Why I Love DC: David


Capitol Columns #5
Originally uploaded by andertho

My first exposure to Washington D.C. was in 1982 as a side stop on our family’s trip down to see the World’s Fair in Knoxville, TN. On that trip we did the National Aquarium in Baltimore and the National Zoo in D.C.. I remember vaguely, the trees being more plentiful and taller, however I’m also a yard taller now, and they seem now, just a bit shorter. I’m still surprised I remember something from over 26 years ago, but D.C. had that kind of effect.
Continue reading →