The DC Traveler

I grew up in a German neighborhood in Chicago.  When I say German neighborhood, the majority of the shops within a couple blocks of home required all of their employees to speak at least some German. 

But my favorite place in the old neighborhood was Meyer Delicatessen. It was an old world German deli filled with countless types of German sausages, cold cuts and food products. After I moved from Chicago, every trip back would require a stop at Meyer’s to fill a cooler to bring home.  Just walking in the door and smelling the rich flavors that permeated the walls …read more

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“Here’s a bold Cabernet Sauvignon I created last season. Can you taste the raspberries and the hint of lavender?” That might be something you proudly state at your next wine tasting or dinner party. 
But even if you don’t own your own vineyard or winery in the South of France, Tuscany or the Napa Valley, you can still serve friends a personally created wine from the micro-winery, Carafe Wine Makers in suburban Alexandria, VA.
The concept of a boutique micro-winery or “brew on premise” winery is big in Canada, where over 600 micro-wineries are operating. Carafe Wine Makers, a franchise company with …read more

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Seismologists at the U.S. Geological Survey research and monitor seismic activity.
Using technology first developed by Charles F. Richter, a professor at the California Institute of Technology in 1935, scientists track and record every earthquake and seismic event that occurs around  the world.
And volcanic eruptions, major earthquakes and deadly tsunamis have dominated the recent news.
While they can’t predict earthquakes, they do build models that estimate the probability of an earthquake occurring in specific regions of the world. 
Besides measuring earthquakes, the U.S. Geological Survey is the governmental science organization responsible for providing reliable scientific information to help the government, …read more

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Cross under the Lion Arch and listen for the Vietnamese pop music coming out of the shops, as you enter what’s called by many locals, “the heart and soul of DC’s Vietnamese-American community”.
The Eden Center is DC’s Vietnamese-centric shopping mall and community gathering place.  Located in suburban Falls Church, Virginia, about 20 minutes from downtown Washington, DC, it seems to caters almost exclusively to the Vietnamese community.
Close to 30 Vietnamese restaurants and phở soup shops, along with another 17 bakeries, delis and cafes, with not a Burger Kings or Subway in site, draw many people to come Eden Center for …read more

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A few times a season, the National Symphony Orchestra steps out of its traditional role of playing famous classical music by composers such as Mozart, Beethoven, and Wagner, and play scores from classic Hollywood movies.
For two evenings in September, the NSO will perform music from some of the greatest films of all time. 
The first evening, Classical Hollywood, includes selections from movies that use classical music as parts of their score, including Disney’s Sleeping Beauty, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Alien, The Godfather, and Raging Bull.
The second evening, entitled The Golden Age of Film Music, features musical scores written …read more

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I love donuts.  I think it’s a genetic thing.  I try to avoid them, but I have a weakness for them, a BIG weakness.
My father would start his day picking up fresh donuts just about every morning. If for some reason the shop was closed, or had run out of his favorites, his day was pretty much ruined.
Unlike most donut shops, the Fractured Prune Donut Shoppe lets you create your own.
You can select from 14 donut glazes including classics such as chocolate and maple, but some unique ones as well – banana, orange, raspberry, peanut butter, blueberry, mocha, and even …read more

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Be prepared for long lines during the exceptionally popular lunch hour (at times, close to an hour) at The Italian Store in suburban Arlington, Virginia.
It’s a Mecca for hungry lunchtime diners who flock to this Italian sandwich deli landmark, that’s been serving lovers of authentic Italian sandwiches since 1980.
The small Italian market and sandwich shop does a booming lunchtime business, thanks to its dozen-plus Philly-style sub sandwiches ($ 6.19-$ 7.69).  The sandwiches come in two sizes and are served on soft or hard Italian style rolls, along with sweet or hot peppers, lettuce, onions, oregano, and their own special …read more

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Join the good King Phillipe and his marry men for dinner and a jousting tournament at Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament in a medieval castle-like setting.
Besides a jousting tournament on a large, indoor field where the regally attired knights compete for the hand of the beautiful princess, watch and cheer for your favorite knight as they test their skills in swordsmanship, hand-to-hand combat, and displays of horsemanship.
You dine on long tables while the Medieval Times knights joust and pummel each other with swords, maces, lances and the alabardas. But be prepared to eat with your hands, as no silverware is provided. 
The meal, …read more

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Colvin Run Mill, in nearby Great Falls, Virginia is a working 19th-century water-powered gristmill, owner’s home and general store, set on a 38-acre historic site. There is also a recreation of a barn and blacksmith shop from the same era. The grain mill, powered by a waterwheel, was erected around the mid-1800s and ground grains for the local farming community.  Three grinding stones and various flour sifting apparatus are located in the basement of the mill, powered by three large wooden gears attached to the waterwheel. The miller’s house, just a short walk from the mill, was the residence …read more

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Washington, DC has tons of places for brunch where you need to get dressed up to enjoy an expensive and lavish Sunday brunch.  But how about a neighborhood joint that caters to locals and serves simple and hardy classic breakfasts, where wearing jeans and a sweatshirt is more than acceptable?
Then head on over to Jimmy T’s Place, just five blocks from The Capitol Building, for a classic diner,  no-frills breakfast. It’s been called the last of a dying breed- the classic greasy spoon and is a weekend ritual for people who live on The Hill.
Down home breakfasts ($5.00 – …read more

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