My Washington

If you visit, certainly look at the temples of freedom that line the National Mall, visit any of the Smithsonian museums and look at great treasures, and see the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution at the Archives (no treasure maps, sorry). But check out some of Washington's other neighborhoods to get a real feel for the city.

Quick Tips:

The Washington Post's Entertainment Guide (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/artsandliving/entertainmentguide/?nav=globetop) features restaurant/club reviews, concert listings, events, and other fun things for your visit. In addition, check out some of the Post's online chats, which provide further insight into goings-on (the Going Out Gurus, Thursdays at 1pm), restaurant advice (food critic Tom Sietsema, Wednesdays at 11), etc.

Best Way To Get Around:

But, PLEASE, do all of us locals a favor -- when you ride Metro, be sure to let people OFF the trains first. Also, if you choose not to walk up/down escalators, please stand on the RIGHT so those who wish to walk can do so.

Cabs are plentiful, too, but they’re a bit of a pain, especially if you're not used to the zone system. (Cabs are not metered in D.C. proper; they go by distance traveled, so sometimes you can get screwed over. Beware!)

Located in Woodley Park, near the National Zoo, Lebanese Taverna is literally across the street (Connecticut Avenue) from the Metro (Red Line, Woodly Park-Zoo/Adams Morgan station).

The restaurant has a nice atmosphere, wonderful service, and a great and extensive wine list – there are many options for by-the-glass and the vintages are from all over the world, including Chile, Argentina, France, Italy, Lebanon (natch), California, and Oregon. While I go for the carnivorous options, this restaurant was recently rated as D.C.'s best vegetarian restaurant. I'd highly recommend the lamb kebob for those of you who are meat-eaters. It is succulent and delicious; has mushrooms, tomatoes, onions, and green peppers; and is served with rice, tomato sauce, and sumac-spiced onions. Or, instead of entrées, you can order a number of different mezza plates and have a tapas-like dining experience.

LT is great for a group of friends, business associates, dates, or even a group of travelers. It's listed as "casual," but most dinner patrons are dressed smartly. (Don't wear a tie or dress up unless you want to; you can get by with nice casual clothes.) This location has a nice outdoor patio with large umbrellas that is open when the weather is nice.

Metro: Woodley Park/Zoo-Adams Morgan (Red line)

Web site: http://www.lebanesetaverna.com/

You may be disappointed in the construction going on -- they are building a permanent (yet decorative, they say) security fence around the monument to keep the bad guys out. The good news is that they have just reopened the monument to the public, so you can go up to the top once again.

Tickets are free, but you have to make a reservation through the National Park Service. Call 800/967-2283 or visit for more info. Metro: Smithsonian (Orange/Blue lines)

Two main pavilions representing the Atlantic and Pacific theaters are on either side of the memorial, beautifully framing the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial, depending on where you’re standing. Fifty-six granite pillars represent the U.S. states, districts, and territories that contributed to the war effort. A field of 4,000 golden stars each represents 1,000 lives that were lost: "Here we mark the price of Freedom," it says. Bas-relief panels commemorate the war effort, including the special effort made by the nation’s women.

It can get crowded during the day. The memorial is absolutely beautiful at night, too. Perhaps the best feature are the many WWII veterans who can be found there – hearing their stories is inspirational, and it's neat to see them treated like rock stars, getting well-deserved thanks from young and old alike. So go, remember the fallen, celebrate the living, and thank any veterans you encounter for saving the world.

Mackey's is your traditional pub with traditional pub fare. The fish and chips are excellent, and the burgers are superb. When the weather's nice, you'll have to fight to sit on the patio and enjoy the weather.

Inside, Mackey's has enough room for mid-sized groups. There are many television sets tuned into sports or, in election years, political news. (I hosted an Election Night party here in 2004; it was like a Super Bowl party. Only in D.C.!) There are dart boards in the back -- not that many, though.

In all, Mackey's is the perfect place for an after-work or midday pint, especially when the patio is open.

Info: 202-331-7667
Metro: Farragut West (orange/blue) or Farragut North (red)

The upstairs is not a large space, but tables throughout offer you the chance to sit and eat the New American cuisine. Grilled seafood dominates the dinner menu, but they also offer tasty hamburgers and other bar noshes.

Speaking of bar, there is a full bar with an eclectic mix of brews (from Stella Artois and Chimay Triple to Magic Hat #9 and Sam Smith) and great cocktails. This is the only place I've found in D.C. that makes a decent Manhattan. Happy hour is from 4 to 7 pm, where you can pick up a Yeungling lager for only $2.

Downstairs is an equally small basement dubbed Gate 54, which goes along with Saint-Ex's vintage aircraft theme. (Decorations throughout recall the Golden Age of air travel, along with some modern flourishes.) DJs spin some great tunes, and by 10:30 or 11pm, the place is hopping with people dancing, talking, and drinking. Gate 54 also hosts iPod Jukebox Night the second Wednesday of each month, where you can plug in your mp3 player and be a DJ for a song or two.

This is not a good place for large groups, as it is not a large bar, but your gang of four or six would be quite happy here.

Metro: U Street/African-Amer Civil War Memorial/Cardozo (Green Line)

The Washington, D.C., area has miles and miles of trails for bikers, joggers, rollerbladers, etc., and I've only just scratched the surface.

You'll want to take the Mt. Vernon Trail, which follows the Potomac River from Rosslyn (in Arlington) all the way down to Mt. Vernon, George Washington's home, about 20 miles away. Along the way, you'll get great views of our nation's capitol, including of the Kennedy Center, the National Mall, and some of the beautiful bridges that span the river.

Be sure to stop off by National Airport to watch the planes take off and land right above your head!

Visit Arlington County's Web page (http://www.arlingtonva.us/Departments/EnvironmentalServices/dot/planning/bike/EnvironmentalServicesBicycling.aspx) for trail maps and the rules/laws that govern them. Note that any rider under the age of 14 MUST have a helmet.

Upstairs, Dremo's has enough pool tables to go around, although they're always taken on the busy days. There's a full bar inside that includes mixed drinks, wine, and your usual ales. Plus, Dremo's brews their own beer. Right now, they have a Chocolate Donut Beer, which seems a little too Homer Simpson for my tastes.

There's always something going on at Dremo's, whether it's a beer-pong tournament (for charity), a Texas Hold 'Em tournament, or movie screenings with The Washington Psychotronic Film Society. There’s live music on Saturday nights, and even free wi-fi!

There's a fairly extensive menu full of the usual bar foods, but, to be honest, I'm always drinking my dinner at Dremo's.

Metro: Courthouse (Orange/Blue lines)

Web site: http://www.drdremo.com/

SOTG sets up a huge movie screen in the middle of the Mall, with the U.S. Capitol behind it, and tens of thousands of people come on Monday nights to watch old or classic movies. Last year's schedule included "All the President's Men," "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde," "The Thin Man," and "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" (naturally).

Movies start just after dusk, which in the summer is around 8:30 or 9pm. Be sure to bring a blanket and a picnic dinner, and get there early! Some people scope out spaces as early as 5pm.

Two tips: Bring a pillow, because the ground can get very uncomfortable when you're sitting on it for 2 hours. Also, alcohol is not technically allowed, but we've had no troubles brining a bottle of wine.

Special bonus: They show old cartoons (Bugs Bunny, Roadrunner/Coyote, etc.) before the feature. And you get to hear the old-school HBO Movies theme -- the cool one from the '80s -- and everyone dances to it.

There's no better way to enjoy a free movie than under the stars in Washington with 20,000 of your closest friends.

Metro: Smithsonian

For more information, including a schedule of films, visit http://cityguide.aol.com/washington/screenonthegreen/main.adp

Brickskeller actually is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records for "the most varieties of beer commercially available... has added 1,072 to the list since 1983." You name it, they've probably got it, and they're all listed by country on their menu, which, thankfully, is just the size of a small booklet, not "War and Peace."

A fun game we like to play is to theme our drinking rounds -- this round, we'll drink beer only from former Soviet-block countries, or this round, we'll drink from the Commonwealth, or from countries that begin with a vowel, etc. See, because you have to have some way to introduce order into the chaos.

In addition to ridiculous amounts of beer, Brickskeller also features a so-so wine list (but let's face it, you're not coming here for the wine) and has an excellent selection of single-malt Scotch.

Ambience is casual, like an old drinking club used to be. Get there early on the weekends, as this place gets crowded.

Metro: Dupont Circle (Red line)

Website: http://www.thebrickskeller.com/

The Washington Nationals are the official big-league ball club for D.C., and if you're visiting Washington during the season (April through September, and October if we're lucky), you have to visit Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium ("RFK," or "the Bobby" to locals) and see a game. Buy a hot dog (better yet, get the Italian sausage or the chorizo dog). Buy a beer. Watch baseball. It's that simple.

You can get tickets for as little as $7, which will put you in the outfield. Many times, you can "upgrade" your seats (unofficially) by moving to a better seating area where you notice no one is sitting.

If you want a fun experience, sit on the first deck along the third base line, which is behind the Nationals’ dugout, along the 120s or 220s. (I’m not sure I know of another MLB ballpark where the home team’s dugout is along the third base line.) These stands shake because they move so that the stadium can be converted for either baseball or soccer. When the Nats score, the fans jump up and down and the entire stands will shake. Just don’t spill your beer.

But it gets crowded -- the Nats are hot, in first place in their division (National League East), so games can get crowded. But this town is so excited to have baseball after such a long drought that everyone is just happy to be there.

Order online at www.nationals.com. See a seating chart at http://washington.nationals.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/was/ticketing/seating_pricing.jsp.

To get there, take the Metro on either the Orange or Blue lines to Stadium-Armory. Just follow the crowds.

Washington's subway system, which we call The Metro, is much younger than most of the subways in the United States, or the world. It opened in 1976, America's bicentennial year. Today, the system consists of 103 miles of rails spanning three states (well, two actual states, Virginia and Maryland, and the District of Columbia), with 86 stations and five train lines. The Metro is one of the cleanest systems you’ll encounter, and it is very accessible for the disabled. Every station has elevators from the street level to the station and from the station concourses to the platforms. There also are escalators at every station that will help you out – when they’re working. You’ll also see some of the world’s longest escalators at Rosslyn, and at Wheaton, which has the longest escalator in the Western hemisphere (70m).

Riding is easy, since the system is not as big as New York’s or London’s, although, for the most part, it gets you where you want to go. (For example, the National Cathedral is not easily accessible from the rail, although you can get there from rail by a Metrobus.)

WHEN’S IT OPEN?

The Metro opens at 5am on the weekdays and 7am on the weekends. It closes at midnight during the week and 3am on Friday and Saturday nights. Note that not every station closes at the same time – be sure to check at that station to see when the last train leaves in each direction.

HOW MUCH IS IT?

Fares are calculated based on distance traveled and time of day. The base fare is $1.35 per trip at all times, but some routes are more expensive during rush hours (weekdays from 5 to 9:30 am, 3 to 7 pm, and 2am to closing). Senior citizens get a 50% discount off the regular fare, and up to two children 4 years old and younger ride free with each full-fare adult.

For visitors, it’s best to purchase a day or week pass. Day passes are $6.50 and offer unlimited rides; 7-Day Short Trip Passes are $22 and good for a week for any fare under $2.20; and 7-Day Fast passes are $32.50 and good anywhere. Look for a chart near the fare machines to find out how much it is from that station to somewhere else.

HOW DO I GET AROUND?

Check the maps or ask a station manager or a local. They work like all other subway maps in the world – know where you want to go, look for the train’s direction (the name of the station at the end of the line), and you’re off. For easy navigation, use Metro’s trip planner on their homepage at www.wmata.com. Also, StationMasters has handy neighborhood maps, so you can see what streets are near a station (http://www.stationmasters.com/System_Map/system_map.html).

ANYTHING ELSE I SHOULD KNOW?

There are a few points of etiquette, especially for those of you who aren’t used to riding subways. Please remember that, although this is a tourist city, it’s also a working city. There are millions of people in the Washington area, and many of them work every day to keep the U.S. government going. A few things to remember will make everybody happier.

First, there is a quick note about escalators. Although there are no signs posted to this effect, like there are on the London Underground. It is customary to stand on the right-hand side of the escalator and let those who wish to walk do so on the left. If you are standing on the left side, you’ll get some nasty looks, words, or even some shoves.

Second, when you’re waiting for a train, be sure to let people off the train before you try to board. Make a gap at the doors so people can easily disembark. Trust me, the train operator will wait for you to get on before he or she leaves.

Third, do not try to hold the doors open. They’re not like elevator doors – they won’t open back up. You might even end up breaking one, which will take the entire train out of service and really make everyone mad. If you’re going to miss a train, it stinks, but there’ll be one right behind it.

Fourth, if you’re alone, sit by the window – leave the aisle seat empty so someone else can sit down. Don’t be a seat hog!

That’s about it. Have an excellent trip.

Web site: http://www.wmata.com/ - Includes a route finder. Another helpful site is StationMasters, which shows you neighborhood maps surrounding each station -- like where the exits are for each, what streets they're on, etc.