The DC Traveler

The band KISS is not just a heavy metal band, it’s a rock merchandising empire. Probably no other rock band has parlayed their fame into more non-music revenue, perhaps other than Elvis Presley. The band’s list of merchandise includes comics, television, reality television shows, action figures, and tons of other KISS merchandise and memorabilia.
And KISS front man Paul Stanley is no exception. He will be exhibiting his oil and acrylic paintings, along with Giclee prints, at the Wentworth Gallery in Tysons Gallery in suburban McLean, Virginia.
If you can’t recall the different KISS characters, Stanley was the Starchild and is …read more

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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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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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Learn about you cat or the many breeds at the annual National Capital Cat Show in suburban Chantilly, Virginia.
Again this years, over 500 cats compete at the Cat Fanciers’ Association Debutante’s Ball in various competitions.
And remember, dogs have owners…cats simply have staffs.
There’s several categories of contacts including a cat agility competition. There’s also no cat swimming contest, but I suspect if so, this scuba diving Calico named Hawkeye, would have taken that prize.

National Capital Cat Show
Dulles Expo Center
4368 Chantilly Center
Chantilly, VA  (map it)
Dates and Times – Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 6 & 7, 2008.  Doors open at 9:30 a.m. , and …read more

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If you need a great picnic while in Washington, DC, your first stop should be Dean & Deluca, in the heart of Georgetown.  It’s one of my favorite gourmet food shops in Washington, DC. And perfect for creating a memorable picnic.
Artisan breads, gourmet cheeses, high-quality produce and case after case prepared foods, desserts, and other gourmet items, make this small grocery store with a neighborhood feel seem much larger.
The well-stocked wine hall in the rear of the store, has a wine expert on staff to help you with your selection or with suggested pairings with your meal. They also …read more

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I’m amazed at how reliant I’ve become on portable electronic devices.  I can no longer leave the house without my cell phone and digital camera.  I won’t get into my car without my GPS device. And I never travel without my laptop.
Yet some of my more tech-savvy friends, think I’m a tech dinosaur, as I don’t carry an iPhone or have a neon-glowing Bluetooth device implanted in my ear 24/7.
But even admitting to being a generation (or perhaps two) behind in the tech curve, doesn’t mean I don’t get frustrated when my device’s batteries die, especially when I’m not …read more

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I’m not sure if the price of Hillary Clinton tee-shirts will go up in price as collectors scoop up memorabilia related to the first woman to have a viable chance at winning the White House, or plummet in price as she fades back into her role as a New York Senator. 
Or, is a Obama/Hillary tee the next new fashion statement for the Fall election season?
But this site, of a Washington, DC street vendor’s tee-shirt offerings,  may not be something you see again, (at least for another 4 years).
But I suspect these Hillary tees will quickly end up in the 5 for …read more

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No question about it…my sense of direction stinks.
Growing up in Chicago, with its tall landmark buildings and logical grid block system, I found it easy to navigate the city. Since I moved away, I think I left my sense of direction somewhere near Wrigley Field. It got so bad, that I bought myself a GPS device.
Since it’s not convenient to carry my bulky GPS around with me once I leave the car, Metro or while riding my bike, I still carry a map of Washington, DC when out exploring.
And just in time for Washington’s summer tourists season, let me tell …read more

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In one of the first major in-water events at the new National Harbor on the Potomac River, the Yacht Show at National Harbor is for the millionaire who’s in the market for a personal luxury yachts. Or for people who don’t hob-knob with the wealthy elite, to see how the upper crust pamper themselves on the high seas.
  
At the show you can check out and tour about 40 luxury yachts (not “boats”) all over 40 feet in length.  The yachts are for sale, for hire/charter or can be custom built by yacht builders to your specifications.
The show also includes other …read more

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