Faves and raves by
Catherine Andrews
Editorial director of Washingtonian.com
PERSONAL STATS
AGE: 29
YEARS IN THE D.C. REGION: On and off, most of my life, with stints in Charlottesville, Italy, Chicago and Atlanta.
NEIGHBORHOOD: Bloomingdale, Washington, D.C.
1. FAVORITE RESTAURANT
I really adore Cashion’s in Adams Morgan (1819 Columbia Pike). I love going to sit at the bar and ordering a few appetizers and a glass of wine. The staff is so friendly, and the atmosphere is elegant but still totally laid-back. D.C. doesn’t have a lot of sort of “neighborhoody”-feeling restaurants, but this is definitely one of them.
2. FAVORITE MODE OF TRANSPORTATION
Without a doubt, my bike, which has been sadly out of commission the past couple of weeks while it gets a tuneup at the Bike Rack. I’ve only been biking regularly for the past couple of years, but even in that time D.C.’s grown enormously as a bike-friendly city. It’s always such a pleasure to stop at a red light and see several other bikers pull up alongside you.
3. FAVORITE SPORTS EVENT
If I could ever score tickets to Redskins games, I imagine it would be that, but I do really enjoy a summer afternoon spent drinking beer, eating hot dogs and watching the Nationals. Even though my knowledge of baseball is laughable.
4. BEST LIVE MUSIC
How am I supposed to choose between the 9:30 Club and the Black Cat? I’m not sure I can! The 9:30 Club is beautiful, with great sound and sight lines, and does such an amazing job bringing buzzworthy national acts to town. But if I’m in the mood for a low-key evening, I love stopping in the Red Room at the Black Cat for a beer and then catching some up-and-coming indie band upstairs.
5. BEST CHEAP FUN
A trip to my yoga studio, Inspired Yoga, would definitely start off the day. Then I’d hit up Eastern Market or the Dupont Farmers Market, and maybe settle in for a matinee at the E Street Cinema. I wouldn’t mind capping off the day with a couple of cheap cans of beer at the Red Derby (3718 14th St. NW). In fact, I wouldn’t mind starting off the day there, either, as they have a ridiculously good brunch with super-cheap mimosas and bloody marys.
6. BEST PLACE FOR VISITORS
If they haven’t been to D.C. before, definitely the Mall and the Smithsonian museums. But if they’re looking to go off the beaten path, I’d take them to U Street to show them how lively and fun D.C. has become. We could spend the whole day there — brunch at Creme, shopping at cute boutiques like Nana, maybe swing up to Meridian Hill Park to people-watch, and end the day with a cocktail at the Gibson.
7. FAVORITE HISTORICAL SPOT
Mount Vernon. It’s both a beautiful spot and totally fascinating to learn about.
8. MOST ROMANTIC SPOT
Here’s a universal one: Take a bottle of wine to the top of almost any row house in D.C. (if you can sneak up there). Whether the views are just of your neighborhood or the Washington Monument, you’ll feel like you have a secret retreat for the night. Barring rooftop access, I’m a fan of the Constitution Gardens Lake on the Mall.
9. FAVORITE ESCAPE
I’m a member of the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club, which maintains loads of trails and primitive cabins throughout Virginia and beyond. Once a month or so, a group of friends and I will rent a cabin, hike in, and spend the weekend hiking, talking and playing board games by the fire. Without any running water, electricity or access to e-mail, you feel pretty disconnected from D.C. pretty quickly — in a totally refreshing way.
10. BEST LATE-NIGHT EATS
If you’re too ashamed to admit you want a jumbo slice, 24 Seven Plus on 14th and U streets is a good bet. They serve tasty shawarma and Mediterranean food until midnight.
11. BEST BREAKFAST
I’m biased, since I live in the neighborhood and am friends with the staff, but the Big Bear Cafe (1700 First St. NW) is a killer coffee shop with these great breakfast sandwiches. A bagel ham, egg and cheese sandwich and one of their amazing lattes, and I’m set for the day.
12. BEST MEMORY OF D.C.
I grew up in the Palisades, and every weekend my brother and I would tromp down to the C&O Canal with our dad, and then make our way to the banks of the Potomac to watch folks fishing.
13. LEAST FAVORITE PART OF LIVING IN THE D.C. AREA
Do broken Metro escalators count? Besides that, various ridiculous zoning requirements in neighborhoods that make it difficult to develop retail, restaurants and bars.
14. BEST KID-FRIENDLY ENTERTAINMENT
I don’t have children of my own, but when I was a kid growing up in D.C., it was always a tie between the National Zoo and the National Museum of Natural History.
15. BEST FAIR/FESTIVAL
I’m a sucker for the Maryland Renaissance Festival. Where else can you watch silly jousting while gnawing on a turkey leg and sipping on a cup of mead? The Capital Fringe Festival is also really becoming a force to be reckoned with. You’re definitely playing roulette on if you’ll see a brilliant theater performance or the worst play you ever sat through, but it’s a fun experience.
