Hello, Washington, DC!
The nation’s capital, Washington, D.C., is a whole lot more than just a tourist trap. There’s plenty of amazing restaurants and bars in the area, perfect for the extrovert.
On my recent trip here I decided to forego the ubiquitous recommendations to tour sites like the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial. Instead, this time I was on the hunt for the perfect Bloody Mary and some delicious meal that would be worthy of the entire trip.
For people that have never been to DC, they have an outstanding Metro system that is remarkably clean. This isn’t quite the same experience you’d get in places like NY – although the bustling crowds are there, you’re not rubbing elbows with passengers at any given time of day.
I must have caught the Metro system on an off day though. The morning I climbed aboard, a passenger has been struck by the train just around the Waterfront stop – the area closest to my hotel. ‘Unnerving’ is perhaps the best word I could associate with that situation; it was confusing to be standing on the train with the doors open and passengers murmuring about a potential suicide. Certainly gave me the willies so I decided to jump off a few stops earlier and walk the remainder.
Walking around the city during the winter months requires good resistance to the bone chilling wind. It’s not much different from the wind chill I’ve experienced in Chicago at times. Fortunately I was prepared with my pennycoat and fluffy infinity scarf, but there’s only so much you can do to keep warm. My nose felt like it might fall off before I finally found the warmth of my hotel!
I took my time to decompress at the hotel after working consecutive 60 hour weeks. DC seems like a wino city – something I have absolutely no problem with. I stocked up at the local Safeway, didn’t get anything fancy but that doesn’t matter when you just feel like relaxing!
I had the energy to do some exploring the following morning. Although I’d recovered from the unnerving feeling from the Metro, I wasn’t going far and opted to use Uber service from my phone – it’s huge out here. Following the advice of my friend attending nearby Howard University’s medical school, I was promptly dropped off at Matchbox in Chinatown, a vintage pizza shop considered a local favorite.
Although my friend Kevin told me the food at Matchbox was amazing, the recommendation actually came on the behest of my Bloody Mary quest. They make an interesting Bloody here, actually adding a bit of beef broth into their mix.
Although the mix was thinner than what I was used to, the not-so-secret ingredient made this one of the more interesting varieties I’ve had. I suggest you ask your server to kick up the spice a little bit if you try it yourself, really adds the perfect compliment!
The last noteworthy item of the evening was sampling the most delicious cocktail I’ve had on the east coast (and that’s saying something), the Maple Manhattan. I had to beg the bartender for the recipe, apparently my charm loses some edge the longer I travel. After a bit of convincing I got the recipe: Maple Crown Royal, a shot of fresh espresso and a dash of simple syrup. Serve it in a little scotch glass and you coffee/whiskey lovers out there are in heaven.
Still have some time to enjoy myself a bit out here in D.C., any suggestions on what I should do my fellow vagabonds? Don’t suggest visiting the White House or other super tourist activities, I’ll just lose it!
Categories: Travel Tips
