Nathaniel Mills
Three-time Olympic speed skater; “Coach Nat” of the D.C. Inner City Excellence (D.C. I.C.E.) skating program at Fort Dupont Ice Arena
PERSONAL STATS
» AGE: On my 40th lap
around the sun …
» NUMBER OF YEARS
IN THE D.C. REGION: Nearly 15
» NEIGHBORHOOD: Takoma Park
BEST PLACE FOR OUT-OF-TOWN VISITORS
Gallery Place-Chinatown area, where local and global converge.
FAVORITE LOCAL SPORTS EVENT
» Gold: Our annual ICE-a-thon at Fort Dupont Ice Arena [3779 Ely Place SE], coinciding with the National Marathon.
» Silver: A round of golf at Langston [Benning Road Northeast].
» Bronze: Capitals games, especially when we get Ovechkin Crazy 8s tickets from our partner, Most Valuable Kids!
FAVORITE NEIGHBORHOOD HANGOUT
Fort Dupont Ice Arena. The coolest place in town — especially in summer!
BEST MODE OF TRANSPORTATION
Speed skates at the rink, Rollerblades everywhere else.
MOST ROMANTIC SPOT
Brookside Gardens in Wheaton Regional Park.
FAVORITE WAY TO SPEND A LAZY SUNDAY
Sitting around the kitchen table at my parents’ home in Glen Echo.
BEN’S CHILI BOWL, OLD EBBITT GRILL OR CAFE MILANO
Uhh, Soul Vegetarian on Georgia Avenue (2606).
BEST OUT-OF-TOWN RETREAT
Harpers Ferry — by bike via C&O Canal!
BEST INSIDE-THE-BELTWAY RETREAT
Our home in Takoma Park.
BEST PLACE TO PEOPLE WATCH
Tryst [2459 18th St. NW] in Adams Morgan, Busboys & Poets off U Street.
BEST PLACE FOR LATE-NIGHT EATS
I can’t remember the last time I was up past 11 p.m. …
MOST ‘D.C.’ MOMENT
» Having to step off the tee at East Potomac Golf Course because the president’s helicopter is flying overhead
» Getting called to jury duty for United States v. Rod Strickland.
PROUDEST PART OF LIVING IN THE NATION’S CAPITAL
Co-existing with folks of so many different cultures, creeds and credentials.
BEST PLACE FOR LIVE MUSIC
Meridian Hill/Malcolm X Park on Sunday afternoons, hands down.
FAVORITE MUSEUM
Newseum and Frederick Douglass Home.
EMBARRASSING PART OF LIVING IN D.C.
The economic and educational disparity between some of these same folks: D.C. has the most advanced degrees per capita, as well as some of the highest rates of illiteracy, incarceration and HIV infection. Still too much of a divided city. …
