This slogan was on the back of t-shirts worn by veterans of WWII and the Korean War from Dayton, Ohio who were sitting front and center at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery. This is just a slice of what we just experienced in Washington, DC over Memorial Day weekend.
We decided to go to Washington for the long weekend with our friends L and M. To us Memorial Day means a nice long weekend, but we didn’t realize the significance of what it means in Washington. The theme kept appearing – patriotism, the service to country and it was hard not to get caught up even if you don’t believe in war.
Our base of operations was the Palomar in Dupont Circle. It’s a Kimpton boutique hotel, priding itself on service and it didn’t disappoint. It’s a hip, urban, modern hotel and it’s dog friendly. The rooms are spacious and the staff from the doormen to the front desk can’t do enough for you. It’s known for it’s artwork and every evening there is a wine tasting for guests showcasing a different wineries. It’s a nice touch after a day of touring. You can walk into Urbana, the hotel’s restaurant and bar to have a glass of wine or a cocktail with some fresh oysters or a little snack before heading out for the evening.
After checking into the Palomar our first stop was Ben’s Chili Bowl. It was lunchtime after all! Around since 1958 Ben’s is famous and has a rich history. Obama’s been there along with anyone who’s anyone that comes to Washington. It’s not fancy and the menu is limited. I’m not a hot dog person but how could I possibly order a tuna sandwich at Ben’s. So we all ordered the Ben’s Half-Smoke Special. It’s a 1/4 lb. of fat, juicy, half pork and beef smoked sausage on a warm steamed bun topped with mustard, onions and their spicy homemade chili sauce. There are few culinary delights better at any price. I have to say, it was good. Since we were there at lunchtime, the restaurant was packed. All walks of life go to Ben’s, from locals to the table next to us which was a group of six men from Chile loving the experience.
After lunch we took the Metro to The Newseum. The Newseum is dedicated to journalism and media in our lives. It’s six floors of exhibits. Some of what we saw ranged from the photographer Neil Liefer’s exhibit of famous athletes of everyone from Sandy Koufax to Michael Phelps; an exhibit about the FBI and the G-men of the 20’s and 30’s; Pulitzer Prize winning photographs and an amazing exhibit about 9/11. Before you enter the building, in a window on the ground floor are the front pages of newspapers from a city or town in all 50 states. 800 newspapers from around the world are sent to the Newseum every morning and by 4AM 80 front pages are chosen to be posted on a wall inside the Newseum. The museum is interactive; you can be a broadcaster, you can write your thoughts about 9/11, you can play games. There are movies about the media, there are videos about each exhibit, there’s a 4-D movie and there is a chilling account from the first reporter on the scene of 9/11 along with an exhibit that will give you goosebumps. You could spend hours there.
Dinner on our first night night was at Bistro Cacao, a French bistro located in a brownstone in the Capital Hill neighborhood. The decor is romantic and almost bordello-like with an extensive art collection. The owners are Turkish and own two other well known restaurants in the area. The food was excellent. Entrees on the table ranged from a Fillet Mignon that was like “buttah”, a hanger steak with caramelized onions done to perfection, sea scallops that were pan seared and a delicious Pouilly Fuisse.
Not bad for Day 1.
See you at the bar for day 2……
“there is a chilling account from the first reporter on the scene of 9/11 along with an exhibit that will give you goosebumps.”
I can almost feel them from this line in your post…..wow! What better way to spend Memorial Day then experiencing its true essence.
Waiting for more…….