RSS FeedTourist in Your Own Neighborhood
by Columbo
My girlfriend and I are big fans of being out and about in the places we live. Over the 4 years we lived in Kalorama we walked for miles in all directions stopping into various stores.
Eventually we came to call our style of jumping from place to place “Tourist in Your Own Neighborhood” (“TIYON”). We’d leave our condo, pick a direction and see what there was to see.
Now living in the Penn Quarter, we spent a recent Saturday on our first TIYON experience here. The Penn Quarter is most unique because of the proximity to the National Mall, Capitol, Museums, and all the other big national tourist attractions. For TIYON we try to skip items that big, although it’s hard not to at least include the Mall when the weather is nice.
On this particular Saturday, our TIYON included:
* A freezing cold walk to the Waffle Shop for breakfast.
* Went to H&M, JoS. A. Bank, and then B&N to shop & look around.
* Girlfriend wanted a manicure, so she stopped by the place below the Bead Museum for a quick & cheap manicure (I read a magazine I’d picked up at B&N while I waited through this ordeal).
* Movie at Gallery Place Theaters, getting cheap candy first at Bed, Bath, & Beyond.
* Next to Poste for an afternoon coffee and snack.
* Went out to Rosa Mexicano for a late dinner and the end of our day (cheated here and went home before dinner and took a nap. Naps are usually not part of TIYON).
Tell GP Living about your favorite TIYON itinerary.
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Comments
It is nice to know that we are not the only ones who play tourist where we live. We moved to Gallery Place in November, and every weekend we hit the sidewalks.
We love to go for wine or coffee at the cafe in the Sculpture garden by the ice rink. We enjoy great people watching and we love the park like atmosphere.
Today we walked to the Old Post Office and went to the Lookout tower….a great view of all the snow and ice. It is one of many of our favorite places here.
Later we stopped for a fattening hot chocolate and the ice cream place a couple doors down from the E.
There is so much to do here…it take a little imagination.
Glad to be among people with the same interests.
This is a great city.
GPLiving. I am, of course, happy that you’re enjoying everything the neighborhood has to offer – the shopping, the dining, the theatres, etc. I, too, love living in our neighborhood. But I really don’t see how this is being a tourist in your own neighborhood. If you lived in Georgetown would shopping on M street be a TIYON thing? Your itinerary sounds like a fun afternoon — but more everyday than touristy.
On Sat i woke up and rolled out of bed and went to starbucks on 7th and E street. since, living in the CB it is like having a starbucks in my bldg lobby. After that I got dressed and took a tour of the National Portait Museum.. it is literally one block from my condo (CB)… If you have not checked out that museum, please do.. it even has a bar inside… After leaving the museum, i wanted to go to the Spy Museum, which was an incredible experience…. Leavign the spy museum, i felt a little adventourous, so went to the Indian Musuem.. wow..what an experience.. also, they have the best cafeteria in DC.. walking home, i stopped by Banana Repulic and H&M to get a few items for dinner at Rosa Mexicano…. I then went home took a quick nap, and headed to dinner at one of my fav Mexican rest.. (Rosa mexicano)..
I love living in Penn Quarters/ or Chinatown…
heheh
To anonymous who thought our “touring” sounded “everyday”…
People enjoy cities in different ways. When we travel out of the United States, we like to do ordinary things and live like the locals. To us, that is the meaning of learning about other countries and other cultures…not just partaking in tourist traps.
Living in the Penn Quarter allows us to do just that. Dave seems to be enjoying living like a local.
Thanks for all the great comments and ideas. After reading some over the long weekend my girlfriend & we acted on one of your ideasalready. Drinks at the Sculputre Garden cafe were great! Something I’d never thought of.
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Cafe Atlantico dim sum is always a weekend treat.
Like to hang at Olsson’s, perhaps rent a movie there too. Or head to the E Street Theater later.
Get a coffee at the National Building Museum. My fave. Off the beaten track, always relaxed and peaceful, best gift shop, and great exhibits. Few tourists. Gorgeous building.