On Inauguration day, Washington a party capital
JAN. 20 | With millions expected for inauguration, here's how to plan
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Considering a mid-January trip to the nation's capital? You and the rest of Chicago -- not to mention America.
Ever since Barack Obama became the 44th president-elect, predictions about how many rabid supporters would invade Washington, D.C., on inauguration weekend have only grown. Though the Secret Service has downplayed the estimates, the city's mayor has said the crowd could be anywhere from 3 million to 5 million. (President Bush's second inauguration attracted around 300,000 people.)
(AP)
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Inauguration preparations
If you're planning to turn the big event into a long weekend in D.C., you'll want to see the best the capital has to offer while avoiding the worst of what are sure to be lengthy lines of visitors waiting in the cold for a glimpse at the Washington Monument and tours of the Capitol.
Here's a handful of insider tips for enjoying the city among the throngs of Obamaniacs:
• • If you haven't walked the National Mall since your eighth-grade field trip, the monuments are worth another look. But wait until after dark to avoid the crowds, bundle up against the cold, and stare at Lincoln and Jefferson in an even more elegant light -- of the moon-lit variety.
• The newly reopened National Museum of American History -- not to mention its timely Abraham Lincoln exhibit, opening four days before the inauguration -- will be packed. But there are other great museums that will likely draw slightly smaller crowds, like the Holocaust Memorial Museum, the National Portrait Gallery and the Newseum (see today's Detours column), which boasts the best panoramic view of the Pennsylvania Avenue parade route.
• Expect long lines at Ben's Chili Bowl (www.benschilibowl.com), a greasy District staple: the 50-year-old institution just added "The Obama Family" to its list of those who eat free (Bill Cosby was the only previous honoree).
The good news is D.C. is a food-lover's paradise, and there are plenty of less crowded and less gastronomically abusive options in the surrounding U Street Corridor. Try the Ethiopian food at Dukem (www.dukemrestaurant.com), Busboys and Poets (www.busboysandpo ets.com) for brunch, or the down home cooking at Creme Cafe and Lounge (www.cremedc.com). Good, inexpensive fare also can be had at Malaysia Kopitiam (www.malaysiakopitiam.com), just south of Dupont Circle, Eastern Market's open flea and farmers market (www.easternmarket.net) on Sunday afternoons, or Good Stuff Eatery (www.goodstuffeatery.com), an upscale burger joint opened near Capitol Hill by Bravo's "Top Chef" Spike Mendelsohn.
• The Washington Monument dominates the National Mall, and rightfully so. It's worth a look, but waiting for hours just for a glance through its tiny, smudged windows isn't the best use of limited time. For a stellar view of both the Mall and city, visit the 270-foot-tall observation deck at the Old Post Office Tower (www.nps.gov/opot), the third tallest building in D.C., at 12th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue. The Washington National Cathedral (www.nationalcathedral.org) also offers great views but requires an admission fee for some tours.
• The White House will be a mob scene all weekend, and the Capitol's new $621 million visitor center is sure to attract crowds. While a visit to D.C. wouldn't be complete without a glimpse of both, don't forget the government's third branch: the Supreme Court (www.supremecourtus.gov). It allows visitors to watch its daily oral arguments, making for one heck of a civics lesson.
• Looking to toast history? Forget Georgetown, unless you don't mind inebriated college students -- and intoxicated tourists. The most euphoric revelry will be down U Street and inside the many bars in D.C.'s dynamic, culturally diverse Adams Morgan neighborhood. Good news for night owls: You'll be able to get an "Obamatini" as late as 5 a.m. thanks to the city's extended bar hours.
For a sampling of the city's best bars, try the cleverly titled Madam's Organ (www.madamsorgan.com) in Adams Morgan, Station 9 Lounge (www.station9dc.com) on U Street (hosting an open bar the night before the big day), and the Brickskeller Saloon (www.lovethebeer.com) near Dupont Circle for the largest selection of commercially available beers in any bar, according to the Guinness World Records.
• Inaugural balls are the high-definition TVs of inauguration week: expensive, but everyone's got to have one. Multiple balls will be hosted by different organizations each night leading up to the inauguration, with tickets costing upwards of $100 and some prices reaching into the thousands. If your wallet has proven recession-proof, you can get in to party with Dionne Warwick, Sting, Elvis Costello and others. Earlier this month, the Presidential Inaugrual Committee announced plans for a first-ever Neighborhood Inaugural Ball on January 20 at the Washington Convention Center with free or affordable tickets (www.pic2009.org/content/home).
• Outside the party scene, the E Street Cinema (www.landmarktheatres.com) just blocks from the Mall offers art house fair (and if you miss the bar, they serve beer). The Signature Theater (www.sig-online.org) in nearby Arlington, Va., just extended the run of its production of "Les Miserables" -- a fitting play to toast a president who campaigned on a platform for change.
Cheap tickets can also be had for both Wizards and Capitols games at the Verizon Center over the weekend.
Reeves Wiedeman is a Washington, D.C.-based free-lance writer.