The Old Ebbitt Grill, founded in 1856, is one of Washington, DC's, oldest continuosly operated restaurants. It reached its present location, across f…

Underneath the US Capitol building runs one of the more unusual transit systems that you'll encounter. Linking the Capitol building to the Congressio…

Every summer since 1967 the Smithsonian Institution has held the outdoor Smithsonian Folklife Festival on the National Mall in Washington, DC. It's a…

I took some time today to visit the 43rd annual Smithsonian Folklife Festival on the National Mall. The featured countr…

The Kennedy Center is Washington, DC's, principal venue for large-scale music and theatre performances. Musicals, opera, symphonic and chamber music,…

Capital Gallery is not an art gallery or musuem. It is a conveniently located retail arcade with restuarants and shops of interest to travelers and v…

Photos from my April trip to New York City elicited several nice smiles from TravBuddy member Ge…

Washington, DC, always anticipates the annual arrival of its Cherry Blossoms. The Japanese cherry trees burst into bloom between late March…

On Sunday afternoon a friend from my office was to give a vocal recital at Catholic University. He's a classically trained singer and performs …

The National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception is a landmark in Northeast Washington. The very large Catholic church is not a cathedral or a parish…

Lincoln Park is a public park on the far eastern end of Capitol Hill. The urban greenspace was a part of Pierre L’Enfant’s 1791 plan for Washingt…

Thursday, February 12 was Abraham Lincoln’s 200th Birthday. Much was going on in Washington to celebrate the Lincoln Bicentennial: commemorative pr…

When Barack Obama took the Oath of Office as 44th President of the United States, he placed his hand on the same Bible that Abraham Lincoln used at h…

It’s been quite an Inauguration Weekend for the Washington, DC, region. I didn’t travel down to the National Mall for Inauguration Day 2009, but …

The National Christmas Tree in Washington, DC, is lit each year in early December and remains illuminated through New Years. We usually see it …

The illuminated National Christmas Tree has been a Washington, DC, tradition since 1923. Since, 1978 the same live tree, a Colorado Blue Spruce plant…

Construction began on the new Visitor Center for the United States Capitol in 2000. The Visitor Center was opened to the public in December 2008 and …

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History has been called “America’s Attic.” The museum on the National Mall definitely exhibits…

In January, Washington, DC, will greet a new President, a new Administration, and a new Congress. But first, in December, Washing…

After the Thanksgiving holiday in late November, signs of the December holiday season begin to appear around the USA. Two events in Washing…

Washingon, DC's Union Station celebrated its centennial this weekend. The landmark building designed by architect Daniel Burnham continues …

Union Station in Washington, DC, recently celebrated the centennial of its compeltion. Since 1908 the railway terminal has served as a transportation…

I stopped by the Library of Congress Jefferson Building today to see the Book of Secrets on display. Not a real artifact, like the nearby …

The Newseum is one of Washington, DC's newest museums and attractions. It's a museum of--News. The story of news and current events past and present …

After our trip to the National Portrait Gallery last December, Julia had waed to see some of the other newer museums in Washington. She'd heard…

Late one sunny August afternoon I went to see Afghanistan: Hidden Treasurers from the National Museum, an exhibit at the National Gallery of …

Bhutan: Land of the Thunder Dragon was the theme of the 2008 Smthsonian Folklife Festival. Every summer, the Smithsonian Instiution sponsors the fest…

In this journal entry, we'll visit the western end of the National Mall in Washington, DC. Sunday was the day to take my daughter and best friend&nbs…

The Lincoln Memorial, dedicated in 1922, honors Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865), the sixteenth President. The Lincoln Memorial, with its commanding view …

On Wednesday I made it down to the Tidal Basin to see this year's edition of Washington's cherry blossoms. The National Park Service had announced a …

Hunan Dynasty is one of two popular Chinese restaurants on Capitol Hill, just two blocks from the U.S. Capitol. Typical Szechuan and Hunan cuisine is…

Washington Metrorail, or Metro, as everyone calls it, is the subway/rapid transit system serving Wshington, DC and its Maryland and Virginia suburbs.…

Virginia Railway Express (VRE) is a commuter train system linking communities in the Northern Virginia suburbs with Washington, DC. VRE trains operat…

Washington, DC, has many outdoor statues and sculptures atop memorials and in public spaces. But, there has been nothing quite like The Awakening, an…

Tha National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC, is the most comprehensive art museum in the Nation's Capital. The National Gallery is located along th…

I've long been a fan of "Nighthawks," the famous painting by American artist Edward Hopper. I'd once seen it at the Art Institute of Chicago, al…

Sonma Restaurant and Wine Bar offers a touch of casual sophistication on Capitol Hill. The interesting menu features wood grilled meats and seafood p…

The National Portrait Gallery displays images of individuals who have shaped the United States and its culture. Men and women are depicted here who h…

You may recall from over in my Virginia blog that my daughter has a very innovative high school history teacher--one who sends his students out on th…

The Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM) shares the same building with the National Portrait Gallery. They represent two separate but complementary…

The Capitol and major monuments in Washington, DC, are beautifully illuminated at night. A family Holiday outing to the Kennedy Center to see th…

Model trains and Christmas. They seem to go together. Every year during the holiday season, there are several outdoor and indoor model train displays…

The United States Botanic Garden is a wonderful display of plants, flowers, and other flora. The Conservatory is located between the National Mall an…

The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum opened in 1993. It serves as a memorial to those who perished during the Holocaust and as a research and …

Today was one of those beautiful sunny fall days that are the best in Washington, DC. Rain the previous day washed away the haze allowing an int…

The Mount Vernon Inn, on the property of George Washington's Mount Vernon, offers lunch and dinner served in a colonial atmosphere. Costumed waitstaf…

Mount Vernon was the home and estate of George and Martha Washington. It’s long been one of the major sites to see when visiting the Washington, DC…

Young Chow is my favorite Chinese restaurant on Capitol Hill. You’ll find people from the Library of Congress’ Asian Division and Capitol Hill st…

Often I'll observe visitors to Capitol Hill--groups, families, individuals--looking for somewhere to find an inexpensive, familiar, and quick place t…

Capitol Hill is a true hill on the Eastern side of the District of Columbia. Because of its elevated view over central Washington, Pierre L…

Queen Elizabeth II visited Jamestown, Virginia, this week and brought media attention to the 400th anniversary celebration of the founding of the fir…

The Library of Congress is the national library of the USA. It is a library, and a vast one, with all sorts of books, maps, photos, films, music, mus…

No experience of Washington, DC, can be complete without seeing the annual Cherry Blossom display. Each spring since 1912, the Japanese cherry trees …

With its cherry trees, placid river inlet, landscaping, and monuments, the area around the Tidal Basin has some of most beautiful scenery in Washingt…

The Thomas Jefferson Memorial, dedicated in 1940, honors Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States and author of the Declaration of …

Fort Stevens is a little-known Civil War historic site in the District of Columbia. I'll tell you its story as I describe a visit I made there on a h…