As soon as we emerged from the dark underground metro station, the rain started to drip down on the DC pavement. I expected the area to be bursting in cherry blossom colors, but due to a late freeze, they weren’t in bloom. With a smartphone in one hand and an umbrella in the other, my friend Whitney tried to find directions to our destination, but we were decidedly off track.
We were lost in the rain without a hint of spring color that our nation’s capital is known for and you know what? It was fantastic.
There’s something about DC that is exciting and beautiful to a tourist, despite the damp conditions on the Friday we were there. Walking along the bustling National Mall with the Washington Monument on one end and the Capitol building on the other, I felt the rush of being steps away from politicians and decision-makers.
However on that day of all days, decision-makers were scarce as the government shutdown was looming. There was a sense of uncertain urgency in the air; the repercussions of a shutdown would have been far-reaching and devastating—not to mention disappointing for visitors. While I’ve “done DC” in the past, my friends Tara, Matt, and Rosie from Albuquerque were there for the first time and anxiously waiting to hear if all the museums on their “to do” list would be closed over the weekend. Luckily, the shutdown was miraculously avoided and it simply made for an interesting day in DC.
Whitney and I eventually found our way to the Newseum, an interactive news history museum on Pennsylvania Avenue. Back in 2004, I received the Al Neuharth Free Spirit Scholarship, sponsored by the Newseum and ever since I’ve craved a visit to this cutting-edge depository for the world’s news. It’s six floors of history and news, photos and broadcasts from world events that shook the public from 9/11 to Hurricane Katrina, the fall of the Berlin wall to the Kennedy assassination.
We met up with Tara, Matt, and Rosie and perused the Newseum for hours. I highly recommend this place, it ranks in my top three favorite museums of all-time next to the Musee D’Orsay and The Van Gogh Museum. Try to win tickets through the Newseum’s headline writing competition every Tuesday on their Facebook page.
After a pub lunch at the Elephant and Castle, we all headed to Ford’s Theatre, which was closed due to a matinee (yes, apparently it’s still functional). Check the schedule before you attempt a visit, their hours are anything but consistent. All was not lost, however, as the National Portrait Gallery is just up the street. Hundreds of portraits line the halls, from a gigantic monstrosity of LL Cool J in neon splattered paint, to more dignified versions of the presidents of the United States.
Since we racked up our culture points on Friday, we took Saturday to lounge and watch baseball down at Camden Yards with a group of friends. It was a double-header Orioles v. Rangers at this “retro” stadium built in the mid-nineties. While I’m a Yankees fan through and through, it was easy enough to root for the home team thanks to enthusiastic fans, a great view, and $8 pints of Flying Dog IPA. There’s a ballpark price calculation one must factor in when justifying buying beer at a stadium:
(# of games) (# of people you’re with) x (miles from home) (beer alcohol percentage) – (start time of game) = Price You’re Willing to Pay
(2) (5) x (17.40) (7.1%) – 4:35 = Price You’re Willing to Pay
Price You’re Willing to Pay = 8.004
Those are some solid math skills right there. Is it right? I don’t know. But I had to try and justify $8 beer, no matter how delicious it proved to be.
After the double-header we headed back to Whitney’s neck of the woods in Jessup where we indulged in some dancing at The Ram’s Head Tavern. It was a rocking little pub with a live band that gave a sense of fun and local flavor. It seems the suburbs know how to rock, and the prices are more reasonable than living the real city life. And there are some picture-perfect options, including Ellicott City, Maryland, which is ranked one of the top places to live in the United States.
While I don’t feel an affinity toward Baltimore at all, I do have a special place in my heart for DC. I think most Americans do. Kids tend to see it on a school trip or getting dragged from monument to museum back to monument by their parents, but seeing DC when you’re all grown up (ish) is a different experience. Besides the fact you can enjoy the bar scene, there are a lot of reasons to like DC as a young professional. From the politics to the landmarks, the food to the vibe, there’s something in our nation's capital for everyone. Even when you’re lost in the rain without a blossom in sight.
