January, Washington DC's Tidal Basin with Jefferson Memorial Pillar to Post blog photography by Phyllis Shess unless indicated otherwise |
DODGING THE WEATHER
GODS—We
landed in mid-January at Dulles Airport on an uncrowded Virgin America red eye
and were greeted with wisps of rain and 25F on the thermometer. We decided on a winter vacation because we
could, plus we can handle bad weather better than big crowds. Arriving at a late hour, we hopped a
Washington Flyer, a quality shuttle service that has plenty of vehicles ready (even at midnight) so
one need not book a car in advance or share rides. “Just wanted to get to the hotel room and the
$64 plus tip fare to Dupont Circle was OK given the hour.”
Upon
arrival at our hotel, which we booked six months earlier on a popular online
travel website, we discovered the Massachusetts Avenue Euro-style hotel that we
enjoyed on a previous trip was undergoing massive reconstruction. We had to search for the entrance. Our shuttle driver located the lobby down in
the garage while I steamed under the scaffolding. Check in desk turned out to be a conference a
podium in a lower level hallway. It got
worse but were too tired to find another hotel for the remainder of our week in
the nation’s capitol. (Example of what
can go wrong by planning too far in advance and compounded by no courtesy
update by the hotel re: upcoming construction war zone to guests that were on
the books when owners decided to remodel.
Nice place but we’ll never go back).
Up
early (it was sunny), we booked a nearby
Marriott Residence Inn at 21st and P Streets NW for the rest of our
stay. Because it was January, we had a
choice of rooms and the one bedroom with a full kitchen was very functional and
appealing. Every successful adventure
needs a practical home base. What the
Residence Inn lacked in flash made up for in its functionality and location,
location, location. Plus, we were near a large independent grocer nearby and a
host of local restaurants.
When
traveling to NE America in winter, the whole trip is a weather craps
shoot. (Yes, we dodged the proverbial weather bullet because less than a week later the blizzard of the decade hit the East Coast). Understanding that we planned for indoor
adventures. Luckily the cold stuff stayed
away for our entire week at the Nation's capital. Now, we were free to visit the
places that we couldn’t fit in on an earlier trip. We took a simple stroll on the National Mall
and along the Tidal Basin to the Jefferson Memorial.
Soon
my cold nose led us indoors to the awesome Ford’s Theater National Historic site
experience.
It
was personally chilling to be able to view that fated theater box where an
unspeakable assassin did his work. Like
most historical sites, Ford’s has a great book/gift store with amazing
contemporary paints of Lincoln. Don’t
miss what they’ve done with the Peterson House across the street from the
theatre. There you see the pitifully
small bed where our greatest President died.
The somber reality was lifted somewhat by the bookstore adjacent to the
Petersen House, including its four story stack of books on the 16th
President as an art treatment.
The
International Spy Museum was another pleasant surprise. We walked right in. No lines and enjoyed four
hours that we fully expected to be only one. http://www.spymuseum.org/about/history-mission/
Another
example of why we appreciate winter travel in the East USA was how manageable
the subway was. (Tip: buy the Metro’s SmarTrip card and save even more time by not
standing in line at the ticket vending machines). http://www.wmata.com/
The
Metro was its usual workaday busy but it was not compounded by the tourist
hordes trying to figure out transfer points.
Didn’t see one student with five pieces of carry luggage clogging up the
train.
Speaking
of tourists (certainly not us) we exited the Smithsonian Exit on the blue line
and walked right up to the Washington Monument and stepped aboard the elevator
to the top of the 555-foot architectural wonder. How long was your wait at the Washington
Monument? With
the time saved by not standing in Disney-like lines we were able to fit in the
splendid Union Station with its mall and restaurants.
We also saw sites we missed before, including high tea at the Henley Hotel (we were the only customers for a first rate experience); the Smithsonian’s Museum of American History; Building Museum and the Law Enforcement Memorial, the latter two important to us as an architect writer and a career district attorney prosecutor.
Interior of Union Station, Washington DC. Note January sunlight pouring in through upper windows |
We also saw sites we missed before, including high tea at the Henley Hotel (we were the only customers for a first rate experience); the Smithsonian’s Museum of American History; Building Museum and the Law Enforcement Memorial, the latter two important to us as an architect writer and a career district attorney prosecutor.
The
previous week it had snowed in Washington and the chilly white stuff was aging
on the side of roads, sidewalks and buildings.
I remembered to wear well broken in non-slip shoes and a heavy jacket
with a hood to ward off spits of rain.
Seven days in January we saw four sunny days and virtually no rain and
temperatures in upper 40s. We took a dufflebag
along filled with our winter gear. It
was worth the extra $25 bag charge on our airline because you need those big
jackets, thermal long johns, scarves (two
scarves were trendy) gloves, ear muffs and fluffy vests and poncho (the ones you roll into a ball).
We
celebrated our good fortune on the last day by finding the Monocle, a venerable
steak and seafood fare restaurant near the Capitol. We arrived to a lightly crowded restaurant (it was 2:30 pm and the lunch crowd was back
to work—or in the case of our elected officials back to gridlock).
Monocle
Manager Jennifer Davies was very pleasant to her visiting tourists and sat us
upon our request at the front window in the bar overlooking the street.
Good
choice, she said as we learned by reading a brass plaque at the table that this
was the favorite table of Jack and Jackie Kennedy, when our late President was
a Senator. Another lucky star followed
us in as we noticed the Monocle was participating in the local restaurant
week. We took serious advantage of the
featured rib and salmon entrees respectively.
“...Since 1960, this
old smoothie has been counseling decision-makers both Democrat and Republican
in the wisdom of saying, “An empty stomach is not a good political advisor.”
The Congressional Record may not show it but intentions are spoken here,
alliances formed and deals sealed....”
--The
Washington Post
At
the next table, Maitre d’ Nick Selimos, who has been at the Monocle 30 years
was most cordial and over coffee and dessert he regaled us with many of his
favorite stories over the years. It was
an unexpected delight and we are confident we caught him when he wasn’t crushed
with business. “Come back when it’s more crowded,” he laughed (meaning if we
wanted to view politicos and lobbyists).
www.themonocle.com
The coffered dome of the Library of Congress (Jefferson Building), divided in eight stucco panels, was designed bysculptor Albert Weinhart. |
Luckily
avoiding the politicos we ventured to the Library of Congress and stood in awe
once more at the magnificence of the interior design and architecture. It is one of the country’s truly amazing
works of art.
Because
our Washington Flyer driver was so first rate, we asked for his business card
for the return trip to Dulles. As called
he showed up early.
http://www.washfly.com/Taxi.html A WF cabbie can only take you from Dulles
into DC. They cannot operate in DC
unless you call the WF directly and request a pick up to airport.
Washington
DC is remarkable. Roll the dice try
visiting in winter. Plan for the foul
weather and be treated if it turns out mild.
We got lucky with fair skies and so may you. And,
our DC trip ended too soon but we were ready for the next one as we left Dulles
aboard Turkish Airlines for a winter flight to Istanbul, but more on that
Euro/Asian city in winter next month in this blog.
MORE IMAGES:
We ran into the same tourist couple but only this time at high tea at the historic Henley Park Hotel |
Interior of the National Building Museum, where many inaugural Balls are held. |
There she is, again this time our favorite tourist is posed in the honored United States Law Enforcement Memorial, just south of the National Building Museum |
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