weekend in DC, what to see? what to avoid?

[cody.wms]

Data point - The line for the Holocaust Museum was all the way to Independence - at 915a, on a Tuesday.

As dbh says, look for places that charge admission. Or if you can, come in winter. It's so nice in the winter.

Best thing in DC to me - the Hockney installation at the Portrait Gallery. I can sit there for an hour (and have, several times).

[prcrstn8]

Eastern Market and Newseum were great recos, thanks again.
FYI, Mourayo Greek restaurant near Dupont Circle - excellent!
Capital Bikeshare is like Bixi in Montreal was 2 years ago. What's needed right now are more bikes, more locations, more docking stations but so far so good.

Rode the subway in both DC and NYC today, what a bizarre contrast. Metro to Union Station, piece of cake. Amtrak home, meh (1'45" late). Got out at Penn Station, ugh. Rode the subway home, some guy puked all over the train.

[cody.wms]

Glad to hear you had fun! Hope you got to see Ted Koizenski's (sp?) cabin at the Newseum. A weird and terrifying piece of American history.

Too bad you couldn't go by the Greek Deli just south of Dupont, since he's only open during the week. I was in there on Thursday, as he was yelling at his employees at the top of his lungs. Like the soup nazi, just, you know, nice to he customers.

The bikeshare IS going gangbusters. I'm amazed at the uptake, after the first attempt we had a couple years ago.

[prcrstn8]

One thing bothers me, though...
http://www.getbetterhealth.com/wp-co.../walgreens.jpg

[Too Tall]

data point - the line for the holocaust museum was all the way to independence - at 915a, on a tuesday.

As dbh says, look for places that charge admission. Or if you can, come in winter. It's so nice in the winter.

Best thing in dc to me - the hockney installation at the portrait gallery. I can sit there for an hour (and have, several times).

hockney < yes yes.

[cody.wms]

hockney < yes yes.

TT, Not following you on this one.

I thought I had a good picture of the Hockney install, but my lens wasn't wide enough. Instead, here is a Finster from the Portrait Gallery:


finster1 by Cody Wms, on Flickr

[Too Tall]

David Hockney at the National Portrait Gallery | Arts | guardian.co.uk Arts

One of my fav. artists.

FWIIW Bikeshare changed my life. My current day job location is an abyss however there are two BikeShare stations nearby and it only takes 10 mins. to ride into downtown DC :) Terrific system and I've only had a problem once when an station was full and I could not rack my bike. That situation was very frustrating because the Lobster Roll truck was nearby and I was in dire need of a roll. Life is not fair.

[ron l edmiston]

Data point - The line for the Holocaust Museum was all the way to Independence - at 915a, on a Tuesday.

As dbh says, look for places that charge admission. Or if you can, come in winter. It's so nice in the winter.

Best thing in DC to me - the Hockney installation at the Portrait Gallery. I can sit there for an hour (and have, several times).

holocaust museum --- if your a veteran, just show your dog tags --- head of the line ya go..
jonathan and ronnie a few years back --- knew them tags round my neck have a positive back pay some day..
seriously, brought tears to our eyes --- thought i come into contact with all that man could dream/do to a human in v nam, but the railroad car filled with shoes from victims and gas chamber deaths ... made me want to kill all over again..
all americans need/should be required "front & center.."
the v nam wall was the hardest for me ----
damn, i love our country and DC is so great with a travel bud --- great pizza/beer.. jonathan walked me almost to mt vernon to get --- he has a hard time with "true distance.."

ronnie

[Jonathan]

2 Amy's and Pizza Paradiso are my favorite places to get a Za.

The last time I was there good Bagels were non existent.

All of the attractions are good.

For a good time, take Ronnie.

[cody.wms]

That situation was very frustrating because the Lobster Roll truck was nearby and I was in dire need of a roll. Life is not fair.

Talk to me about this lobster roll truck. It is behind my work at least one day of the week. The line is ALWAYS long. Worth the wait (and the price?).

[cody.wms]

damn, i love our country and DC is so great with a travel bud

Tell me about it. For as much as I've complained in the thread about long lines and tourists, and how much I prefer the winter, since no one is around and I can wander through a Smithsonian at will, I'm grateful that so many people make the trek here. I hope they really absorb the significance of what is around them, and do more than check off some "seen it" list. The holocaust museum, the twisted steel from ground zero in the Newseum, the eternal flame in front of JFK's grave on a drizzly day, and the Vietnam memorial, with all of the personal touches and handwritten notes to loves ones that died WAY before they should... It's all about the sacrifice that people have made on our (Americans) behalf.

It's very powerful stuff. Everyone should see it.

[Eddie]

2 Amy's and Pizza Paradiso are my favorite places to get a Za.

The last time I was there good Bagels were non existent.

All of the attractions are good.

For a good time, take Ronnie.

Both very good pizzas.

The Bagel situation in DC is a bad one, and one that I'm not looking forward to on my re-relocation to DC, having now lived in NJ for three years.

A legal pal, Jewish guy from Miami, was for a time considering quitting the gig, renting warehouse space, and getting into the bagel thing as a street vendor. Oh man the possibilities.

Insider tip: for an amazing espresso-based Ethiopian coffee drink from a street cart, go find Bahru in the cart with the green awning over by the World Bank. At least that's where he used to set up after he moved from 24th and N. I hope he's still there. If not, I'll go find him. He does close at 11 and tends to take lengthy vacations.

[prcrstn8]

Long-distance bagels:
H&H Bagels
Bagel

[Eddie]

Best bagel we ever found in the greater DC area was Brooklyn Bagels at Courthouse in Arlington. It was a total comedy of errors every time we used to order; you were guaranteed that the guys behind the counter, who never wrote anything down, would screw up at least part of your order.

The bagels at that joint up the street from the American Law campus on Mass. Ave were pretty decent the few times I had them.

The place in Georgetown wasn't too good.

Any others worth checking out?

[robin3mj]

Best bagel we ever found in the greater DC area was Brooklyn Bagels at Courthouse in Arlington. It was a total comedy of errors every time we used to order; you were guaranteed that the guys behind the counter, who never wrote anything down, would screw up at least part of your order.

The bagels at that joint up the street from the American Law campus on Mass. Ave were pretty decent the few times I had them.

The place in Georgetown wasn't too good.

Any others worth checking out?

Best bagels I've had in DC are the day-olds I buy 6 for a dollar at Bagel Bin in Bernardsville, and toss in the freezer. Ha!

Bklyn in Courthouse is as good as it gets around here. Never had the problem with messed up orders, b/c I usually go to the bagel-only counter on the left and buy a dozen and a tub of cream cheese.

[Too Tall]

2 Amy's and Pizza Paradiso are my favorite places to get a Za.

The last time I was there good Bagels were non existent.

All of the attractions are good.

For a good time, take Ronnie.

Bethesda Bagel. Real deal AND good coffee next door.
prcrstn8 - H&H RIGHT ON, that is my last stop in the city on my way home to Merryland. They are wonderful.

[prcrstn8]

Try BagelWorks on 1st Ave bet 66th-67th (west side of the ave) if you get a chance - a hole-in-the-wall you'd never even consider if you didn't live/work in the neighborhood.

[billrick]

ArrowWine on Lee Hwy in Arlington used to carry H&H bagels. No more. Tragic.

Favorite NY pizza in the area is Valentino's in VA, on Beauregard Street near Landmark Mall. It has a mini statue of liberty on the roof, there is always someone screaming into a cell phone in a foreign language, and it is full of feds and local cops. Can't beat it.

Portrait Gallery is on my list for this weekend, combined with lunch at Teaism. Thanks!

[ericpmoss]

If it hasn't been mentioned, I liked the espresso drinks from Chinatown Coffee Co. | Washington, DC, which at the time seemed far smoother than those from Peregrine Espresso. Peregrine had the cooler crowd and surroundings (near the Eastern market), but chinatown gets my nod.