Originally published: November 8, 2023
This past weekend, my husband and I took a brief trip to DC, where we lived for nine years. The city is incredibly special to us: we met, fell in love, got masters degrees, made lifelong friends, moved in together, married, and lived through the first year and a half of the pandemic, all while in DC. We originally took this trip to see the Folger Shakespeare Library’s opening night production of “The Winter’s Tale” (my favorite Shakespeare play) after a three year closure due to renovation. The Folger cancelled the performance the week before (which I am STILL pretty bummed about), so Zach and I made the pivot to see a performance at the Kennedy Center instead.
Here are some of the things we did during our visit to our former home, plus some other things we would have done if we had been in DC longer.
In front of the White House in 2014. Prepare yourself for some throwbacks.
Where We Ate
Le Diplomate: The first thing we did after booking plane tickets was book a reservation at Le Diplomate. Le Diplomate is a wonderful restaurant: homey meals cooked to perfection, fantastic drinks, chic decor, and a charming ambiance. If you go, I recommend getting a cheeseboard in addition to your meal. If I could duplicate one restaurant from anywhere in the world to bring to Columbus, it would be Le Diplo.
At Le Diplomate in August 2016
Il Canale: My husband and I went on our first date eleven years ago, nearly to the day, at Il Canale. Il Canale has great Neapolitan food—especially pizza—and I just really adore the restaurant. They have great salads too.
Good Stuff: Good Stuff is my favorite fast casual chain in DC. I personally love their milkshakes (I don’t let lactose intolerance get in my way), but I’ve liked their mushroom burgers and their fries as well. If you walk by a Good Stuff, just go in and get something. Also, Good Stuff’s expanded beyond the DC area, including to Cairo (?!?!), so I guess I need to go back to Egypt to check it out.
Elle: Elle opened about halfway into my time living in Columbia Heights, and it quickly became a staple. I had my first (and certainly not last) London Fog at Elle, and I loved their lentil soup, which sadly no longer seems to be on the menu. Elle turns into a restaurant at night, which I haven’t tried, but based on it’s bar, I assume it’s pretty good.
I trust a café with wallpaper
Other recommendations
- Letena (Ethiopian – very homey)
- Das (Ethiopian – more upscale)
- Lapis (Afghan – we would have made a reservation here if Le Diplomate wasn’t possible)
- Zaytinya (One of José Andrés’s restaurants, focused on eastern Mediterranean cuisine. I dream of their haloumi and their cauliflower).
- Stellina (great pizza near my old job in NOMA)
- Menomale (easily the best pizza I’ve had outside of Italy. Certified by the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana)
- Little Coco’s (A great Italian spot in northern Columbia Heights)
- Lupo Verde (Even more great Italian food—although a bit more focused on northern cuisine—in the heart of the 14th Street corridor)
What We Did
Kennedy Center: As mentioned before, we had to pivot after the Folger cancelled our performance of “The Winter’s Tale,” and lucky for me, DC was in the midst of the “Shakespeare Everywhere” festival. We settled on “Romeo and Juliet,” an opera by Charles Gounod. The performance was wonderful, although I don’t think I’ve see too many bad performances at the Kennedy Center. If you’re in DC and like opera, I definitely recommend seeing this adaptation of “Romeo and Juliet.”
At a performance at the Kennedy Center in 2019
Meridian Hill/Malcolm X Park: My husband and I got married at this park in 2017, and we try to visit every time we’re in DC. It’s also home to the longest cascading fountain in North America, a presidential memorial (President James Buchanan), and three other unusual statues (Joan of Arc, Dante, and the personification of “Serenity”). The park is beautiful, especially when the fountains are running, and it’s a wonderful place to go for a run, read, meet up with friends, or you know… get married.
The park in 2015.
Walk: We spent a lot of time walking around—most notably from Mt. Pleasant to Dupont, which is easily my favorite place to walk around in. DC has beautiful architecture and a rich history, and walking is my prefered method of getting around the city. My favorite memory from our walk this trip was stumbling up embassies that we had visited during Passport DC in previous years. If you’ve never heard of “Embassy Day” or Passport DC and you’re planning on visiting DC in May, I really suggest you read up on it—it is a unique experience and a fun way to be exposed to a variety of cultures (including free food!).
Things we may have done if we’d had more time (or if it was the right time of year)
- Air and Space Museum / The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center near Dulles: John Glenn is my husband’s hero, and I hope to have a pilot’s license one day, so the Air and Space Museum is easily our joint-favorite Smithsonian. The Udvar-Hazy Center has an incredible collection of important air and space craft, including the Enola Gay and the Space Shuttle Discovery. That being said, you can’t go wrong with visiting any of the Smithsonian Museums. DC is brimming with incredible art from all over the world and, unsurprisingly, important historical artifacts. The Smithsonians are also free, which is a wonderful perk of being in DC.
- Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in America: There is indeed a Franciscan Monastery in DC, and it is 100 percent worth the visit. The monastery is peaceful (this makes sense) and beautiful, and its architects were intentional about designing a space that included elements from churches from the Holy Land. It’s lovely.
- Kayaking on the Potomac: Georgetown or Navy Yard: One of the best experiences we ever had though was watching the 4th of July fireworks that are shot off from the National Mall from our kayaks on the Potomac.
- Run my old running route: I got into running during COVID, and I loved the opportunity to move around. I decided on this running route pretty early on in my running career, which took me past Meridian Hill Park (see above). Running was a great way to enjoy the city I called home and that I knew I’d soon be leaving.
This route takes you down 16th Street, which is so beautiful, then down past the White House, along the mall, to the Lincoln Memorial, and then back, with a stop in front of the White House. Also you warm up by running down hill, which is good for the spirit. It’s a wonderful route.
DC is such a special place—to me and in general—and I always feel more optimistic about things when I visit. If you’re considering a trip there, please just DO IT. I have *plenty* more recommendations for things to do, shopping, and places to stay if you need them!
That’s it! Have a great rest of your week!