In order to keep me from getting further
distracted and accountable for, not only my one thing of the day, but for making the most out of my time in D.C., I have started a list, yes- a list.
I have picked out 365 things to do, one for each day of the
1-year lease I signed.
Yes, I have already done many of the items on this list. (I had to account for the 5 months I have already spent here!) Besides, my theory is always to put something on a to-do list that is done already. It gives you the feeling of accomplishment and the impetus to keep going.
As you will see, my list is only at 200-some. This is so that I can add things as I come upon them or as they are suggested to me (suggestions welcome!). Here is my work in progress:
Karen's Official Living like a Tourist list- D.C. Edition
For Pity’s Sake (you’re in D.C.!)
- White House (inside)
- Washington Monument (top)
- The Capitol (inside)
- Library of Congress
- National Archives- Constitution, Declaration of Independence, Magna Carta Originals
- Natural History Museum
- Air and Space Museum
- American Art Museum
- National Portrait Gallery
- National Art Gallery- West Building
- National Art Gallery- East Building
- Botanical Gardens
- National Arboretum
- Cherry Blossom Festival
- International Spy Museum
- Crime and Punishment Museum
- National Building Museum- Lego Exhibit
- National Museum of Women in the Arts
- National Zoo
- National Aquarium
- Lincoln Memorial
- Jefferson Memorial
- World War I Memorial
- World War II Memorial
- Moonlight Monument Cruise on the Potomac
- Holocaust Museum
- Smithsonian Castle
- National Museum of the American Indian
- American History Museum- Julia Child's Kitchen
- National Museum of African Art
- Woodrow Wilson Center
- Woodrow Wilson Presidential Exhibit
- Old Post Office Pavilion
- D.C. Acropolis- Columns that belonged to the Capital
- Newseum
- John F. Kennedy Center
- Ford’s Theater
- Dumbarton House
- Supreme Court
- Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden
- Watergate (inside)
- Pentagon (inside)
- Georgetown’s M Street
- FDR Memorial
- Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial
- Korean War Veteran's Memorial
- National Archives- Civil War Exhibit
- World Bank Building
For Food
- Sorriso- Italian-Cleveland Park
- Sette- Italian- Dupont
- Thaiphoon- Thai- Dupont
- Kafe Leopold- Cafe- Georgetown
- Bistro du Coin- French- Dupont
- Teakwood- Thai & Sushi- 14th Street
- La Forchette- French - 18th St.
- Rosemary and Thyme- 18th St.
- The Diner- American- 18th St.
- Dukem- Ethiopian- U St.
- Meskerem- Ethiopian - 18th St.
- Old City Café of Jerusalem- Falafel- Columbia St.
- Grill from Ipanema- Adams Morgan
- Napoleon- French Savory Crepes- Adams Morgan
- Open City- Woodley Park
- Front page- Dupont
- Sushi AOI- New York Ave
- Lauriol Plaza- Mexican- 18th St.
- Straits of Malay- Malaysian- 18th St.
- Mandu Korean Restaurant-18th St.
- Bayou- Cajun Food- Penn Ave- Foggy Bottom
- Mie N Yu- Table with curtains- Georgetown
- Perry’s Rooftop
- Rosa Mexicano- Penn Quarter
- Pete’s New Haven Style Pizza
- Pizzeria Paradiso
- Café DuPont- French
- Circa - Dupont
- Teakwood- Thai/Sushi- 14th Street
- Zorba’s Cafe-Greek- Dupont
- Indique- Indian- Cleveland Park
- Mate- Sushi- K Street
- Il Canale- Italian
- Alero- Mexican- Cleveland Park
- New Heights New American- Adams Morgan
- Mama Ayesha- Lebanese- Calvert St.
- Café Oaxaca - Adams Morgan
- Ghana Cafe - 14 Street
- Heights- Columbia Heights
- Aria - Italian- Federal Triangle
- Wasabi- Sushi
- Penang Malaysian Restaurant
- James Hobans- Dupont
- Meze- Lebanese- Adams Morgan
- Amsterdam Shop- Falafel- Adams Morgan
- Spices- Asia/Sushi- Cleveland Park
- Russia House- Dupont
- Sticky Rice- Sticky Balls & Godzirra rolls- Sushi- H & 12.5 St
- Bens Chili Bowl- Vegetarian Chili- U Street
- Amorini Panini- F Street
- Cafe Green- Raw food
- Malaysia Kopitiam- Malaysian- Dupont
- Camille's- Sandwiches
- Madhatter- American- Dupont
- Jaleo- Tapas- Penn Quarter
- Cashion's Eat Place- Adams Morgan
- Marrakesh- Moroccan
- Two Amy's- Pizza
- Cuba Libre- after it opens in Sept.
- Agora- Turkish Restaurant to try the Raki
- Haydees- Mexican Food and Live music- Mt. Pleasant
- Nam Viet- Vietnamese- Cleveland Park
- Crepe Amour- Georgetown- Don't go here! They are rude!
- Bistro D'Oc- French- Downtown
- Comet Ping Pong- Pizza
- Lavandou- Provencal- Cleveland Park
- Jyoti- Indian- 18th St.
- Bus Boys & Poets- U Street
- Oro Pomodoro- Pizza- Rockville
- Pupatella- Pizza- Arlington
- Grillfish-Seafood
- Firehook Bakery
- Hot Potato Cafe- E Street (Penn Quarter)
- Chop't- a DC craze
- El Tamarindo- El Salvadorean & Mexican- Adams Morgan-Florida Ave.
- Pasta Mia- Italian- Adams Morgan
- Red Rocks Pizza- Columbia Heights
- Le Pain Quotidien- Alexandria
- Faccia Luna- Thick Crust Carciofi pizza- Clarendon
- Bao - Bao dumplings- Vermont Avenue
- Nando's Peri-Peri
- Asian Spice- Sapporo on Draft
- Justin's Cafe- Portobello/ spinach spread sandwich- yum!- Near Nats Stadium
- Love Cafe- U Street
- Birch & Barley- 14th Street
- Rustico- Pizza- Alexandria
- Utopia- U Street
- Zaytinya-Mediterranean- Penn Quarter
- Mai Thai- 19th Street
- Cosmopolitan Grill- Balkans- Burek (not on the menu)- Alexandria
- Oyamel- Penn Quarter
- Slaviya- Serbian & E. European- Adams Morgan
- Asia Nine- Sushi- E Street
- Montmartre- French- Capitol Hill
- Dalchini- Indian- Dupont Circle
- Hotel Tabard Inn Restaurant- N Street
- Local 16- U Street
- Pasara Thai- Dupont
- Tonic-Brunch- Mt. Pleasant
- Social- Columbia Heights
- Jandara Thai Restaurant- Woodley Park- Not good!
- Founding Farmers- Penn Ave
- Iron Gate- N Street- CLOSED
- Sonoma- Italian- Capital Hill
- Sushi Ko- Glover Park
- Hollywood East Cafe- Dim Sum- Wheaton
- Paul- French Bakery- Penn Quarter
For a Night out
- Buddha Bar
- 9:30 Club
- Madam’s Organ
- Bossa
- Foreign Language Cinema on E Street
- Habana Village- Salsa
- Paul Oakenfold DJ live in D.C.
- Screen on the green
- Silver Theater- Silver Spring
- Napoleon
- Verizon Center
- Red Derby- Board Games & beer
- Country Club- Mini Golf course inside the bar- H street
- Shelly's Back Room- Cigar Lounge- F Street
- Mambo Room- Low-key dancing- Adams Morgan
- Rocket Bar- skeeball machines & games
- Bohemian Caverns
- Soussi- Hookah
- Chi Cha Lounge- Hookah & Live music
For the Spirit
- St. Matthews Cathedral
- National Cathedral
- Washington Mormon Temple
- Franciscan Monastery- replicas of Holy Land sites in the Chapel and grotto
- Santa Rosaria (Holy Rosary)- Italian Church
- National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception- Basilica
- Tour of the Basilica of the National Shrine
- Sagrada Corazon- Haitian Catholic Mass- 16th street
- St. Patrick's Church- Oldest Parish in D.C.
For Sport
- Nationals Stadium at Navy Yards
- Nationals Game @ Nats Stadium
- Orioles vs. Nationals Game (I can cheer for both, can't I?)
- D.C. United Game
- Capitals Hockey Game
- D.C. RollerGirls
- Bowie Baysox Game
- Frederick Keys Game
- Richmond Flying Squirrels Game (because I have to watch a team with flying squirrels as the mascot!!)
- Support Runners- Marine Corps Marathon
For A Sweet Tooth
- Cake love- 44th Cupcake "Salted Caramel"
- Georgetown Cupcake- Bethesda Row Location
- Georgetown Cupcake- Secret Cupcake
- Georgetown Cupcake's Saturdays Mint Cookies & Creme Cupcake
- Red Velvet's Red Velvet cupcake (duh)
- Pitango- Cardammom flavor
- Pitango- Spicy Chocolate flavor
- Larry’s Homemade Ice Cream
- Café Dolcezza
- Dolci Gelati
- Yogenfruz
- Tangy Sweet
- Schokolade
- Hook- lingonberry linzertorte
- Crumbs- Grasshopper or Black Bottom Cheesecake cupcake
- Co Co Sala- Chocolate Onyx
- Snap- Bubble Tea
- Boccato Gelato- Carambola (starfruit, kiwi & mint) & Cake Batter flavor- Arlington
- Frozen yo- Self-serve, frozen yogart- red velvet flavor
- The Dairy Godmother- Alexandria
- Hello Cupcake- Dupont
- Hello Cupcake's Blarney Stone Mint Cupcake for St. Patrick's Day!
- Yola- Dupont
- Sweetgreen- Dupont
- Gelateria Dolce Vita- Georgetown
- Pleasant Pops- Watermelon Mint, Strawberry Rhubarb or Blueberry Pancake
- Parisian Macaron- Provence Lavendar or Chocolate Ecuador- Cacao- Cleveland park
- Lavendar Chocolate Bar at The Cocoa Gallery- 14th Street
- Sweet Potato Cupcake- LoveBites Food Truck
For a Drink
- Tryst
- Café du Parc
- Le Bar
- Potenza
- Rooftop bar- JandG
- Bourbon- Glover Park
- Estadio- frozen alcoholic slushies
- Dickson Wine Bar- U Street
- Veritas Wine Bar- Dupont
- Bistro du Coin- Dupont
- Brickskeller Saloon
- Urbana- P Street
- Bar DuPont- Dupont Circle
- Nanny O'briens
- Try DC Brau’s Porter
- Cafe Berlin- Capitol Hill
- Black Squirrel Pub- Beer
- R.F.D. Washington- Beer
- Dark and Stormy drink- Islander Caribbean Restaurant
- Four Corners Pub- Cleveland Park
- Biergarten Haus- Capitol Hill
- Mie N Yu- Bar/Lounge area
- Brasserie Beck- Belgian Beer
- Meridian Pint- Columbia Heights
- Adams Mill- Adams Morgan
- Breadsoda-Beer & ping pong- Wisconsin Ave.
- Policy- 14th Street
- Marvin- 14th Street
- Bar Pillar- 14th Street
- Stoney's- P Street- Beer Joint
- Cafe Saint Ex- 14th Street
- Sign of the Whale- Dupont
- Madhatter- Alice Beer
- Churchkey- Cask Ales
For Caffe (or Hot Cocoa!)
- Illy café on M and New Hampshire
- Caffe Affogato ("drowned coffee"- espresso w/ gelato!) at Pitango
- Ebenezers Coffeehouse- Near Penn Station
- Bourbon Coffee- Supporting Sustainable, Economic Development in Africa!
- Java Green Café- 19th Street
- Chinatown Coffee Company- H Street
- M.E. Swing Co.- Alexandria
- Bread & Chocolate- M Street
- Mayorga Coffee- Takoma
- Marvelous Market- Eastern Market- Capitol Hill
- Quartermaine Coffee Roasters- Bethesda
- Peregrine Espresso- Capitol Hill
- St. Elmo's Coffee Pub- Alexandria
- Saxby's- Ronald Reagan Building- Mint Hot Chocolate
- The Cocoa Gallery- - Belgian White with Mint Hot Cocoa
For Some Pampering
- Mimosa salon- Manicure
- Dhoonya Dance- Bhangra classes
- All Fired Up- Paint your own ceramics- Cleveland Park
- Stroga Yoga- Adams Morgan
- Drive a Zipcar Mini Cooper
For Happy Hour
- L’Enfant Belgian Beer Happy Hour
- Lima outdoor terrace
- Zenten Rooftop bar- Donovan House- Canton Ginger Liquor
- Art & Soul- SnoCone Happy hour
- Vapiano
- Ceiba
- Vinoteca
- Chocolate & Bubbles Happy hour- Co Co Sala
- ONE Lounge- potato pancakes
- Medaterra- Watermelon Margarita- Woodley Park
- Cafe Japone- Sushi & Sapporo- P Street
- Ping Pong- Dim Sum Happy Hour- Chinatown
- Commissary- P Street
For the Season
- Zoo lights- Free this year at National Zoo!
- Candy Cane & White Chocolate Swirl- Yogen Fruz
- National Tree at White House
- Willard Hotel Tree in lobby & decorations
- Holiday Market- Penn Quarter
- Hot Toddy or Mulled Wine at Poste
- Ice Skating at the National Art Gallery Sculpture Garden
For Culture
- Chinatown
- Passport D.C. Days
- Italian Festival
- Millennium Stage free concerts- Kennedy Center
- Strathmore Music Hall
- Wolf Trapp
- National Theater
- Freer Gallery
- Phillips Collection
- Alliance Francaise Event
- Goethe Instituit
- Pope John Paul II Cultural Center
- National Geographic Museum
- Tea at the Mansion on O Street
- Corcoran Gallery
- Allen Ginsberg's Photography "Beat Memories"- National Gallery
- Gallery at the Canadian Embassy
- Italian Embassy
- Washington National Opera at the Kennedy Center
- Shakespeare Theater
- Hand Dance Club- DC's official dance
- Columbia Heights Day- Street Festival
- Norman Rockwell Exhibit- American Art Museum
- Historical Society of Washington DC
- American Red Cross Headquarters Tour
- Mount Pleasant Neighborhood Festival- September 26
For Being Outside
- Rock Creek Trail
- Kayaking on the Potomac
- Paddle Boat- Tidal Basin
- Eastern Market
- Bike along C&O Canal
- Tubing on the Potomac
- Brookside Gardens- Wheaton
- Theodore Roosevelt Island- Trails
- Photograph DC's interesting murals
- Friday Farmer's Market- Federal Triangle
- Chicha Morada at Latin Market- Columbia St.-Adams Morgan
- Barrack's Row- Shops & Restaurants- Capitol Hill
- Rent a bike from Capital Bike Share
- Meridian Hill Park
For getting out of the city
- Port City Brewery- Alexandria
- Old town Alexandria
- Del Rae neighborhood in Alexandria
- Oasis Winery
- National Harbor
- Arlington Cemetery
- Monticello
- Mount Vernon
- Authentic Korean Restuarant in D.C. suburbs
I don’t know what for…
- Ollie’s Trolley
- O Line at National Zoo- Orangutan’s crossing
- See Baby Giant Anteater- National Zoo
- Visit Baby lion cubs - National Zoo
- Drag Queen Brunch at Perry’s
- Hard Rock Cafe- This used to be a tradition for me
- Madame Tussauds Wax Museum- In case I don't actually meeet Obama
- National Postal Museum
- Hyperbolic algebra Coral Reef Exhibit at Natural History Museum
- Meridian Pint- Pour your own pint
- Rally on the National Mall
- Using App to get photo up on the wall Ben's Chili Bowl
- Againn- Beer Floats
- Cereal Bowl- Cleveland Park-Out of business now!
- Funxion- Beet, Alcoholic Drink
- Albert Einstein Memorial
- Spotting Black Squirrels
- Find a D.C. geocache
- The Big Chair- world’s largest chair, in Anacostia
- The Big Adirondack Chair
- Participate in a D.C. Dance Mob
- Buzz Bakery- Homemade Root Beer marshmallows (what are these??)- Alexandria
- Eat Wonky Food Truck- Poutine
- Solar Crepes Food Truck- White bean hummus crepe
- A DuFrein (Guinness with a shot of espresso) at Tryst
- Food from a Food truck- a D.C. Craze
For helping round out this list
- Union Station
- Ronald Reagan Airport
- Dulles Airport
- Freedom Plaza
- Ronald Reagan Building
- The Circulator
- D.C. Metro
** All photos created by Karen Mardelli using
Picnik!
have you been to jaleo?? yum...
ReplyDeletesuch a fun (comprehensive) list! how did you compile this??
Oh Jaleo! I meant to add that one- will add it now. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteHmm... just kept a running tab of things I was interested in as I toured the city or read in my D.C. books/magazines! I love picking up brochures too :)
Great list! two of my favorites that you don't have listed are a DC RollerGirls bout @ the Armory & tubing on the Potomac in Harpers Ferry. Also, if you're going to visit the Big Chair in Anacostia, you might also visit the giant Adirondack chair on the front lawn of the Ellington School in Georgetown
ReplyDeleteSo happy to see Brickskeller on your list!
ReplyDeleteAnd so disappointed NOT to see the Capitals! Hockey! Capitals! YAY!
You really didn't put the Capitals on there??? And what about Nats Park? Plus, there's tons of good minor league baseball. Def could add lots to the sports sections!
ReplyDeleteGreat Suggestions! Thanks everyone. Will definitely add tubing, hockey and some minor league baseball to the list.
ReplyDelete@Malnurtured Snay & Colby and Mike- you have a point. I went to a Capitals game a long time ago, too long to even remember how old I was, so I could definitely have a second go at it.
@M I never thought of Rollergirls, and I have no idea what the giant Adirondack chair is, but why not!
you have quite the ambitious list! ive lived here almost my whole life & havent done all the stuff on your list!! my only addition would be Marrakesh @ 617 new york ave... its a dc institution.. they only added a sign this year- you used to have to just knock on the door... and they have a belly dancer... so theres that! break a leg ... but dont be tooo hard on yourself if you dont get to the WHOLE list!! xoxo
ReplyDeleteGreat list. Some wonderful ideas on here anyone can use. Should point out that #s 12 and 28 are one in the same. The old Capitol columns are at the Arboretum so you can knock out two with one visit!
ReplyDelete@blonderthanyou- Can't resist a place with a belly dancer! Added! Do they have sisha?
ReplyDelete@FoggyDew- good to know! I will leave them as 2 separate items (for the sake of reaching 365), but I'll consider one a bonus item :)
What a great, fun list! I will definitely refer back to it this winter when I'm looking for things to do. Thanks!
ReplyDelete@ marseadc: Thanks! And let me know if you find something not on here. I am always open to new suggestions!
ReplyDeleteFor a superb pub-grub meal and a couple cold beers the next time you're in DC you might want to try my favorite haunt: The Tombs, a basement joint (not a pejorative term to me) close-by the Georgetown University campus.
ReplyDeleteFor a look at the Franciscan Monastery check out my Flickr page; I'll put the monastery album of images where it will be easy to find.
www.flickr.com/billyp545/