A Pseudo-Staycation: Washington, D.C.

Evan and I always do something special for our wedding anniversary and the precedent is that we take a trip somewhere. It's not always out of the country or even a plane ride away but it's always out of town.  Our travel theme this year has been "cheap" and with our closing date on the condo fast approaching, it was looking more and more like we weren't going anywhere for our seventh anniversary.  Well, I was wrong!

Evan very romantically and thoughtfully concocted an entire "trip" without my knowledge.  You know how you can live somewhere and as a result, take it for granted?  We don't technically live in Washington, D.C. but we're close enough and we've been there enough to feel invulnerable to its allure.  We complain about the horrendous traffic, the tricky parking that often results in a ticket, the crowded and stinky metro, the expense of parking garages, etc. We've both been to the Smithsonian on several occasions (separately) and not so long ago, I was commuting to D.C. four days a week while interning at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum.  We're not strangers to the city but we've never enjoyed D.C. as tourists.

I know there are people all over the country and probably in other parts of the world that are mesmerized by D.C. and would love to experience it. Evan had the bright idea that we should experience it through that same prism of curiosity and wonder.

He booked us a two night stay at Embassy Circle Guest House in Dupont Circle so we could be car-free in DC and not have to worry about commuting except on our own two feet or by cab (how fancy)!  And while he was at it he planned some activities and made reservations at several foodie spots for us to enjoy. Everything you see here will actually be HIS itinerary with the exception of lunch and dinner on our last day.

Our Itinerary (October 4, 2014 - October 5, 2014)

Saturday, October 4

We got up sort of leisurely and then made our way to Embassy Circle Guest House.  It's a beautiful house but really palatial since it was converted from a former Embassy.  We got a great parking spot right in front and that's where our car stayed for the weekend.

Almost immediately after we dropped off our stuff we made our way on foot to the day's first destination - Heurich House Museum.  Christian Heurich, a German immigrant, built this historic and beautiful mansion with the monies he made from brewing beer.  It even earned him the nickname "Brewmaster".

  
We were taken on a very intimate (there were probably a dozen of us) guided hour-long tour of the mansion.  I can't remember our docent's name but she was absolutely lovely and a wealth of information.  I thoroughly enjoyed her presentation.

I'd like to share some of the more interesting tidbits.  I can always tell how much I enjoy an experience by how well I remember it!

Christian Heurich lived to the ripe old age of 102 and he credited his longevity to a beer and nap a day.  On his immigrant voyage across the Atlantic 80+ of his fellow passengers died from cholera and he believed he survived because he drank only beer.  He was frugal but also very interested in showing off his wealth. For example, the dining room ceiling appears to be hand-carved wood, which would've been extremely expensive.  Instead, it's machine-made plaster painted to look like wood.

When he didn't cut corners, he made it known.  For example, the floor tiles in the conservatory were American-made ($$$$). To show that off he flipped over one of the tiles in the center of the floor so that everyone who walked in the room could see where and by whom it was manufactured.

The mansion was outfitted with the newest technology of the day.  For example, on a return voyage from Germany (Heurich and his family would return every year) he stopped at the 1939 NYC World Fair and picked up a brand-new stove and stainless steel kitchen countertop.  As a businessman he experienced the dangers of fire in his breweries and so, when building his house he made sure to fireproof it.  The inner structure was made from steel and concrete.  The only wood in the house was the interior staircase.  Another safety precaution he took was to replace the original glass dome of his conservatory with regular roofing. He made this change as a result of an infamous local incident.  During a particularly heavy snowfall a glass dome collapsed on and killed almost 100 patrons of the DC Knickerbocker Theatre.

Heurich was married three times.  His first wife was the widow of his brewery partner.  She bought the plot of land where the Heurich Mansion would later be built.  Unfortunately, she died before she could ever see the house.  Heurich then married another woman, a secretary at his brewery.  She helped design/plan the house for entertaining but unfortunately, never got to enjoy the house either.  Finally, Heurich married his third and final wife, the niece and namesake of his first wife.  I have to mention this because it's so funny and also creepy.  Even though they were only related through marriage, his wife called him "uncle" up until the third week of their marriage.  Ewww.  But they did eventually have four children, three who lived to adulthood.

After processing all that information we were hungry so we hopped in a cab and headed toward Alero in Cleveland Park. There's a very specific reason why Evan picked Alero for lunch.  He had made dinner reservations there the night he proposed to me but we were unable to find parking so we never went.

We had a lovely brunch with bottomless mimosas.

Afterward we took a stroll through Cleveland Park before we hopped into a cab to arrive back at the B&B.  We took a little break and then resumed strolling around Kalorama Circle.  We saw some truly magnificent homes where I'm sure the most elite of Washingtonians reside.

Some cool sculptures along the way:

We also saw several revitalized call boxes part of the Sheridan-Kalorama Call Box Restoration Project.  They're only decorative now but their original purpose was to connect people to the local firehouse.

At the end of our walk and back near our B&B we stopped to take pictures at The Spanish Steps.  Obviously, this version pales in comparison to the real deal in Rome but it's nice enough.  We even saw a couple and their bridal party taking pictures.  It was a perfect day for a wedding!

We went to the B&B with plenty of time (1+ hours) for me to get my spanx on (ha!) and then we cabbed over to Obelisk, a very highly-rated Italian restaurant. It's a little hard to locate as there is a lack of signage outside the restaurant.  They have a lone obelisk on display to give you a clue.

They have a very intimate and comfortable dining room.  We were fortunate to be seated in the far corner near the kitchen/bar.  It was the perfect spot for an anniversary dinner because it was like we were in our own little world.

It wasn't the type of place where we wanted to pull out the clunky camera every few minutes to take pictures but Evan was able to get a quick and fuzzy pic of the menu with his iPod.

As you can see, they have a set five-course menu.  It took us about 2.5 hours from start to finish and it was quite filling! Their portions weren't huge but when everything was added together (including five separate antipasti dishes) it amounted to a lot of food.  No joke - I was relieved when my pants didn't split as I slid out of the booth.  

Everything was excellent with the exception of the veal chop that Evan and I shared.  We both regret not going the safe route. We both wanted the quail.  It's not that the veal chop wasn't good but it wasn't exceptional.  The meat was a little fatty and chewy.  I also wasn't a huge fan of the accompanying escarole (bitter) and cannelloni beans (bland).  I also didn't like two out of the three cheeses in the cheese course or the accompanying jam.  Other than those specific complaints I loved my glass of white wine, the antipasti (with a special emphasis on the burrata cheese flown in from Sicily), the ravioli from the first course, and the desserts.  As a very special treat, our server gave us all three desserts despite the fact that we should've only had one choice each.

I'd absolutely recommend Obelisk and I'd go again.  It's a great experience for a special occasion.  The service was also excellent.  I never felt uncomfortable or that I wasn't exactly where I belonged.  Sometimes I feel out of place in fancy places but Obelisk isn't like that.  They're not stuffy at all. They're extremely welcoming and everything about the experience felt very personalized.

Sunday, October 5

Evan and I decided to sleep in as late as possible since we didn't have cats whining around the bed or stepping on our faces so we got to breakfast at the last possible moment.  When we arrived there were three Australian guests at the table in addition to one of the B&B owners (the other joined in later).  The breakfast - buffet-style - was quite good but Evan and I didn't have much of a chance to enjoy it because with little more than a brief introduction everyone was launched into a debate about religion.  Apparently, the B&B hosts have the gift of polarizing gab!  I won't delve anymore into it but suffice it to say, it wasn't our style.  It's an amazing property but we wouldn't stay there again.

Because we were being talked at against our will (ha!) we were late leaving the house and meeting up with our Dupont Circle Walking Tour with Washington Walks.  Fortunately, we did eventually catch up to them and the only thing we missed was the guide's background of the Heurich House.

It was a lovely walk on another great weather day.  It was informative but not quite as fact-heavy as we were expecting.  It was interesting but also a slight let-down when compared with the Heurich House tour.

   
The FRESHFARM Market:

The Dupont Circle metro station:

There are quotes dedicated to Dupont Circle's LGBT community that ring around the metro station and a nearby bench.

The Dupont Circle fountain:

We also walked by an apartment building (no picture) that Andrew Mellon lived in.  His floor plan took up an entire floor that with inflation would cost $22,000+ a month.  A cool factoid: he bought a treasure trove of art that was housed on another floor of the building that would later become the founding collection of the National Gallery of Art.

We also learned about the architect, Thomas Franklin Schneider.  He built the famous apartment building, The Cairo, that inspired building height restrictions in Washington, D.C.

He also built row homes.  The green one in the first picture was his brother's home.  Unfortunately, Schneider's brother was a bad egg and killed his brother-in-law in front of the house.  He also shot his wife who later died inside the house but not before she was able to identify him as the perpetrator. He was later hanged for his crimes.

We ended the walk where we began - next to the Dupont Circle metro station and the FRESHFARM Market.  Don't these buildings remind you of the canal houses in Amsterdam?

Evan had tentative plans for lunch and dinner but we threw them out the window so we could go with the flow.  We picked up some delicious pulled pork BBQ sliders on jalapeño cheese buns from TLP or Three Little Pigs.  They had a stand at the market.  Later we had some mediocre gelato push-pops also from the market.  

After lunch we walked to Second Story Books.  They were having a sale and I scored a three-in-one Joseph Conrad book for $4 for my Dad.

Then we went to an equally famous Kramerbooks & Afterwords Cafe.  Personally, I preferred Second Story because it was more geared toward older books and they also had antiques/art work from all over the world randomly displayed around the bookshop.  I guess the appeal of Kramerbooks is its Cafe.  Looking at their website it looks like they host events, too.

Next up Evan had a plan for us to visit the O Street Museum Foundation.  It's SO weird that it's hard to imagine until you see it in person.  Even reading the description of the museum - art exhibits that change everyday - doesn't prepare you for what you're about to see.  First of all, it's about five row houses that are connected by secret doors (think long mirrors or bookcases that double as doors) and in addition to being a gallery of sorts to display any number of kitschy items, it's a B&B. They have 13 themed rooms.  They also have a bar and several rooms on the main floor for events/dining.

Everything in the mansion is for sale with the exception of their collection of autographed guitars.  I was hoping we'd find something to bring to our condo but that didn't work out.  90% of the junk that clutters the mansion isn't worth buying and the 10% of items that are worth buying are too rich for our blood - an $18,000 Yellow Submarine-themed jukebox, for example. Still, it was really fun to explore (although, it was a little claustrophobic having to share the staircases with the other people tromping around) and certainly, it was an experience that can't be replicated.

I kind of want this side table:

This is the Lennon-themed room:

Lots of Beatles paraphernalia:

We had a quick but superb dinner at Pizza Paradiso.  Evan and I are pretty easy to please when it comes to simple but good food.  If we had it our way we'd eat Neapolitan-style pizza a few times a week.  

To cap off our wonderful anniversary weekend we decided to take a walk amongst the Monuments.  We cabbed over to the Lincoln Memorial right before sunset.  Neither of us had ever been there (or to the majority of Monuments we saw later) so that was really special.  I wish we had had more time to soak it all in but it was mesmerizing even for the brief time we were there.  

The view from the Lincoln Memorial of the Washington Monument, Capitol Building, and Reflecting Pool:

Then we quickly cabbed over to the Jefferson Memorial because we mistakenly thought that we were meeting up with Washington Walks for a Memorials by Moonlight Walk.  When no one showed up Evan called and found out that they stop conducting them after Labor Day.  No biggie - we did our own walk!

Next up was the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial.  It was one of my favorites because I loved the interactiveness of it. It was a moving, I mean that literally, monument.  As you walked through it you experienced many different things.  You could read FDR quotes, there were sculptures of Eleanor and FDR, and there was even a sculpture depicting the unemployment lines during the Great Depression.  It felt like a combination of a monument, museum, and park.  

Then we arrived at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial.  I can't understand the controversy surrounding it having seen it person.  I thought it was beautiful. And as Evan mentioned, it makes total sense that he's carved out of a rock because behind him are two giant slabs of stone with a large gap between them like he powered through the mountain and came out on the other side.  Similar to the FDR Memorial several of MLK, Jr.'s most famous quotes are on display.

          
Last but not least we ended our walk with the National World War II Memorial.  

It was such a magical and wonderful evening.  What a great way to close out our anniversary weekend.  I'd say the Heurich House, Obelisk, and our Monument Walk were the highlights of our trip.  

Did we successfully experience DC as true tourists and not locals?  Yes, I think we did.  We were able to park the car and not have to worry about paying an exorbitant fee or getting ticketed.  But even walking around presented us with some challenges.  At least a couple of times we walked in the complete opposite direction of where we were supposed to be and had to start over.  I don't care where you're from, DC streets are hard to navigate! Aside from that particular frustration, I do think we saw DC from a new and curious perspective and we really enjoyed it.  Being there overnight with ample time to explore made me want to go back and see more.  And I think we'll do just that on my birthday and to celebrate settling/moving into our new condo!!!

Thank you to Evan for planning such a sweet and fun anniversary getaway.  He said it took him seven years to plan something like this so it may not happen again for another seven years.  I guess I have our fourteenth anniversary to look forward to.  ;) 

Here's Evan's carefully planned and researched itinerary in his words (we hit all the main spots but changed out some of the food options):      

B&B/Transportation
Embassy Circle Guest House
2224 R Street, NW, Washington, DC 20008
Tel: 202.232.7744   Toll Free: 877.232.7744

DC Taxi, 202-398-0500
Yellow Cab of DC, 202-546-7900 / 202-544-1212

Saturday, Oct. 4
Heurich House Museum/The Brewmaster's Castle – $5/person, Sat. 11:30am reservation (Devil in the White City connection)
Lunch: Alero – 3500 Connecticut Ave. NW Washington DC 20008 1pm
Dinner: Obelisk – 2029 P St NW, Washington, DC, 6pm reservation

Sunday Oct. 5*Dupont Circle walk (Washington Walks) – 10:30am, 2 hrs, Dupont Circle Metro Station (South exit--by the entrance to Panera Bread on 19th Street, NW)Lunch: Julia’s Empanadas, 1221 Connecticut Ave NW, walk-in
Mansion on O street, Self-guided tour, advanced $10/person donation, 3pm reservation
Dinner: Le Diplomate 1601 14th St. NW Washington DC, 202-332-3333, 6:15pm reservation

Food alternates: 
Vidalia (Sat or Sun), 1990 M St NW, 202-659-1990
Siroc Restaurant (Sat or Sun), 915 15th St NW, 202-628-2220
Las Canteras (Sat or Sun), 2307 18th Street, 202-265-1780
Miscellaneous:
Kramer Books, 24 hrs a dayKalorama walk – Self guided
FRESHFARM Markets, Sunday 9am-2pm, 20th St. NW between Massachusetts Ave. and Hillyer Pl.
Spanish StepsHeurich House Museum/The Brewmaster's Castle:
"Devil in the White City" about the Chicago Columbus Exposition in 1893.  It was headed by an architect named Burnham.  The newel post at the bottom of the stairs is a replica of the newel post in Burnham & Root's most notable building in Chicago, the Rookery.  The original has since been redesigned by Frank Lloyd Wright.

The connection here is that after the Chicago Exposition, Burnham was in great demand.  He was brought into DC, along with Olmstead, to beautify DC. Olmstead was the man who designed Central Park and also did the Vanderbuilt estate, among others.