Washington Heights
Norah Casey strolls through the corridors of The White House, meditates with a Buddhist monk and dons stilettos for the annual drag queen high heel race in the USA’s capital of cool.
It’s day one in Washington and I am starting the morning with a meditation session at 7am with the Dalai Lama’s right hand man, Matthiew Ricard, French author and Buddhist monk whose claim to fame is that he is the happiest man in the world. It was quite something to contemplate the meaning of life in his presence.
At the other end of the day I found myself in a swirl of beautiful, bejewelled men, also very happy – the theatrical drag queens who compete in the annual high heel race at Dupont. In between I strolled the rooms of the White House, stood in the spot where Martin Luther King made his famous 1963 ‘I have a dream’ speech and sat dwarfed by Abe Lincoln as he gazed in perpetual reflection at the Washington memorial. It only took 24 hours to come to the conclusion that Washington DC is cool.
And it’s not just me who thinks so because Forbes listed the nation’s capital as America’s coolest city. It came as a bit of a surprise to many who harbour easily acquired misconceptions about one of the world’s most familiar on-screen cities. Your Washington might well be the testosterone-fuelled political corridors where Frank Underwood plots Michaevellian-like revenge on opponents or a White House where Jed Bartlet saves the free world in every episode of The West Wing or maybe it’s a Washington immortalised in Hollywood movies such as All the President’s Men or Patriot Games. I too had my perceptions, most built up over years of watching those all too recognisable Washington facades whether it’s the front steps of The White House, the dome of the United States Capitol or the home of espionage, the FBI’s J. Edgar Hoover Building on Pennsylvania Avenue.
It’s impossible to escape that surreal movie set feeling when strolling around the city so it’s only once you pull back the star spangled façade that you see why Washington has gained the well-deserved reputation for being the king of cool. And I’m conscious that labelling a city as ‘cool’ might well by default mean it’s not – so I had to think a lot about just why it is.
Norah with Matthieu Ricard
I love cities that have a strong rhythm. Some like Shanghai have the ability to change your momentum. When I land there I feel like I’ve been catapulted at warp-speed into a futuristic urban hive of adrenaline fuelled hyper-activity. On the other hand, most Italian cities make me consciously take a step back from the frenzy. Time takes on less significance and wandering aimlessly in beautiful streets and lingering for hours over a lovely Chianti seems the thing to do. Washington has a unique tempo. It is the culturally significant stately home of national treasures, not to mention the President, Congress, the Supreme Court, the Smithsonian museums, the iconic statues of the National Mall, Arlington Cemetery and many more must-see sights. A strong magnet for a city break for those reasons alone. But what sets it apart from being a worthy if a little dull school tour destination is that this seemingly solemn statesmanlike city is also home to the polar opposite. It harbours a young, vibrant, culturally diverse underbelly where new talent in music, the arts and gastronomy is verging on the experimental. Previously no-go areas are emerging as hip new neighbourhoods with a raw energy and edgy vibe that I have experienced in only a few cities (Berlin feels close). As one resident said – the only riots some of these streets see now are the ones to get into the hottest new restaurant.
So it was that my first day – mixing ancient meditation with a stroll through the White House and finishing with a drag queen race on six inch stilettos turned out to be not so unusual for Washington.
The White House
The highlight of my four day visit to Washington was definitely the chance to visit The White House. It’s not that easy to get inside and I was grateful for this once in a lifetime glimpse at the spectacular rooms and corridors – well me and the secret service men dotted everywhere. I joked to a friend afterwards that it was so big they had to colour code the rooms. There’s a stunning Blue Room with furniture dating back to 1814 where Thomas Jefferson presides, the room is also home to the annual White House Christmas Tree. The Green Room is now used as a parlor and the walls are draped with silk with a beautiful white marble mantle. The First Lady’s favourite and also mine is the Red Room, now used as a small reception room. It was remarkably informal once we went through the security hurdles, the atmosphere is relaxed (even with all that weaponry in evidence) and we browsed from room to room taking pictures (you are only allowed enter with a phone and passport). The corridors are adorned with artwork and photographs of past Presidents, First Ladies and visiting dignitaries and rooms like the State Dining Room are set out as though ready to use at a moment’s notice. You can imagine the current and former inhabitants of this grand home sitting by the fire in the Library or greeting guests for cocktails amongst the gilded silver of The Vermeil Room. Much of The White House exterior and interior remains as it was when it was first designed by Irish man James Hoban in the 1790s. Since then it has been home to many who proudly proclaim their Irish ancestry – 22 presidents in total and chief among them our own John F Kennedy. But others who claim Irish roots include Ronald Reagan, Richard Nixon, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama and the current President, Joe Biden.
There are some things you know you will probably never get a chance to do again and this was one of them. It was pretty cool.
Irish citizens must go though the Irish Embassy in Washington (dfa.ie/irish-embassy/usa/). Visit whitehouse.gov
The Best Sights
The best thing about Washington is that almost all of its attractions are concentrated in an area known as the National Mall that runs from the Potomac River to Capitol Hill. At the western end of The Mall is the United States Capitol (with the Library of Congress and the Supreme Court tucked in behind it). At the mid-way point is the towering Washington Memorial seen from almost every point in the city – just north of it is The White House. From the Washington Memorial to the Eastern point runs the majestic long reflecting pool leading to the awesome sight of the Lincoln Memorial. Continuing eastwards from Lincoln you will cross the Potomac River to visit Arlington Cemetery and the changing of the guards and nearby the familiar outline of the Pentagon. The city was designed by a Frenchman Pierre Charles L’Enfant and the grand avenues, thousands of elm trees and cherry blossoms add to the streetscape beauty.
Monuments & Iconic Buildings
We did a drive through of the Mall to get our bearings on the first day and see the sights from a distance and Dara and I went back to spend longer wandering through the more spectacular monuments including the Lincoln Memorial (and the scene of Martin Luther King’s I have a Dream speech), the Korean Veterans Memorial, The Vietnam Veterans Memorial and the Jefferson Memorial. Make a trip at night too to see a totally different ethereal beauty to these illuminated icons. We walked from the Washington Memorial to the United States Capitol which will give you a great feel for the city, including some cool people-watching especially around the Library of Congress and the Supreme Court (both of which you can visit).
Museums
One of Washington’s great treasures is The Smithsonian (si.edu), the world’s largest collection of museums (19 at present), the National Zoological Park and nine research facilities. It is government owned and free to all. The Mall is overwhelming to the first time visitor so plan ahead or better still take a guide if you want a bespoke tour that maximises your time and maintains your interest despite tired feet. Believe me after wandering through the cavernous rooms and spaces of the first couple of museums you will be tempted to give up on day one – despite the wonders within. We chose Fiat Luxe Tours (fiatluxetours.com) who came recommended by Destination Washington DC and had the knowledgeable founder Andrew Rawls on hand to hand-pick our experiences and keep us entertained with lots of insights, facts and anecdotes along the way. He was fantastic at engaging the young adult’s brain with an infectious enthusiasm and just the right amount of stops in each location.
Smithsonian Museum of Natural History
The National Museum of American History was a fantastic experience. Andrew, our guide came into his own as he picked out exhibits that had an interesting backstory. The history of the star spangled banner and the original flag that inspired it shares space with cinematic artefacts like Dorothy’s ruby slippers from the Wizard of Oz and sporting memorabilia including Mahammad Ali’s boxing gloves. Inventions like Alexander Bell's big box telephone features along with the first steam engine, a gallery of dresses worn by the First Ladies, Abraham Lincoln’s top hat and a recreation of Chef Julia Child’s famous kitchen. It’s a heady miscellany with something to suit all tastes and the Stars and Stripes café on the lower level is a good stop off for lunch (try the cheese curds!).
We also visited The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum also on the National Mall – an amazing collection of aviation and space exhibits from the first successful aircraft, the 1903 Wright Flyer, through to some 3500 artefacts from the Apollo II mission when astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin made history by taking those first steps on the moon on July 20, 1969. You can see command module Columbia from that mission where the three astronauts lived for most of that mission and which orbited the moon with astronaut Michael Collins. You can even touch a real life lunar rock. This is every aviation nerd and space geek’s dream place. Charles Lindbergh’s Spirit of St Louis, a host of drones, satellites, various lunar modules are all on show. You can take simulated flights, surf the solar system in the planetarium and catch a 3D Journey into Space at the IMAX theatre.
We also visited The Spy Museum (spymuseum.org), not part of The Smithsonian and one of the few with an admission ($21 each). Think James Bond and espionage inspired exhibits. Dara and I weren’t that taken with it and after the first few rooms we raced through to escape but maybe younger children might find it more appealing.
One crisp cold morning we headed to The National Zoo on Connecticut Avenue (also free and part of The Smithsonian) and spent a blissful few hours walking through this lovely tree-filled park catching those animals brave enough to venture out into the chill Washington air. One of the highlights of the Zoo is the four Giant Pandas, adults Tian Tian and Mei Xiang who gave birth to a female Bao Bao a few years ago and twins after that – one sadly died but the other a baby boy panda Bei Bei is thriving but was not out on show at that time until he’s a bit older. You can see the progress of mum and baby on a cool Panda Cam on the zoo’s website (nationalzoo.si.edu). WW
Eating out
Barcelona Wine Bar
A great area for great restaurant life is around 14th Street and Barcelona is a lively tapas restaurant right in the heart of the action. It is the kind of place where you automatically feel like you’re that ‘It’ person if only for the evening. We loved the buzz and the Hanger Steak with truffle vinaigrette, the Jamón Serrano was sublime and we made light work of the Patatas Bravas and spiced meatballs. barcelonawinebar.com
Le Diplomate
This amazing French bistro is part of a chain, but an extremely well done one. From the impeccable service to the casual fare, this location on 14th street is a definitive destination! If you can get in for brunch, you’ve got to try the paté. It truly is to die for. LeDiplomatedc.com
Denson
This is my ‘ off the beaten path’ place to go. Denson is a modern speakeasy with a cool Great Gatsby vibe to it. The décor uses actual Prohibition era style fixtures throughout. Their drink menu is predominantly Prohibition era drinks with a contemporary twist. It’s dark, sexy and very secluded. Well worth the trip. densondc.com
Maketto
Our first night in Washington was at the eclectic Maketto, one of the new hip eateries reenergising the previously no-go H Street area. It’s a bit of a strange mix of Asian fusion restaurant, bar, café and clothing store. The interior blends from bar to patio to open kitchen with dinner seating throughout. Food is Cambodian and Taiwanese served on small or large plates – all served family style. Take the plunge and order some adventurous Khmer sausage, braised beef tongue, pig’s trotters or stay safe with pork filled steamed buns
maketto1351.com.
Agora
Our hotel The Dupont Circle (doylecollection.com) was perfectly located for some great bars and restaurants within a short walking distance. I ventured out to meet a friend who lived a few blocks from the hotel and she took me to a great neighbourhood favourite, a Turkish/Greek tapas restaurant and bar called Agora. Great small plates and mezes including tasty fresh olive oil from the family farm in Turkey, Taramasalata, Falafel, various fish and meat Dolma and Borek. Lovely fun atmosphere – you’ll want to stay for a while. agoradc.net
POV, W Hotel
The best view has to be the POV lounge on the rooftop at the W Hotel with up close views of the top floors of The White House. We had been told you could see the snipers on the roof and while it seemed all clear the day we were there the waiter diplomatically told us the President had just left by helicopter. Great views of the Washington Memorial and the city stretched out on either side. POV serves food, cocktails and the best view of the city. wwashingtondc.com
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