Faves and raves by Jason Lifton
Lifton is the student body president of George Washington University, where the senior studies political science and minors in business administration.
PERSONAL STATS
AGE: 22
NUMBER OF YEARS IN D.C. AREA: 3.5 years
NEIGHBORHOOD: Foggy Bottom
– Lisa Gartner
1. FAVORITE NEIGHBORHOOD HANGOUT
The Froggy Bottom Pub on Pennsylvania Avenue, right off Washington Circle, is my home away from home. The staff there is like my D.C. family and you can’t go wrong with half-price pizza nights! Whether I’m looking for a quick bite to eat or we’re looking to take someone out for their birthday, Froggy is our place.
2. BEST MODE OF TRANSPORTATION
I love biking around Washington. After my bike sat in the basement of a friend’s townhouse for a year, I decided to take it for a ride. Since then, I’ve relied on my bike to get me all over the city. I’ve recently become a huge fan of the Capital Bikeshare program. It seems that there’s a station everywhere I want to go, so I foresee that becoming my new favorite mode of transportation.
3. FAVORITE LOCAL SPORTS EVENT
GW basketball games at the new GW Smith Center are always a fun way to spend an evening. The team’s record is less than perfect, but sitting in the student section with hundreds of other screaming fans really has a great buzz and is a great experience to be a part of.
4. BEST PLACE FOR LIVE MUSIC
Mr. Smiths on M Street is a great bar if you’re interested in piano music. They have a sing-along piano player every night of the week. Although I may not be the best vocalist in the D.C. area, it really doesn’t stop me from belting out the words to all of my favorite Billy Joel tunes.
5. BEST PLACE FOR OUT-OF-TOWN VISITORS
The Lincoln Memorial is crawling with tourists from sunrise to sunset, but I think that one of the best-kept secrets in D.C. is the beauty of the Lincoln Memorial late at night. There are very few people around, and the lighting is just spectacular, not to mention the incredible views of Arlington Cemetery from the backside. All out-of-towners know that they want to see the monuments, but taking a visitor there late at night is something special that you wouldn’t ordinarily get to do.
6. FAVORITE MUSEUM
My favorite museum is absolutely the Air and Space Museum at the Udvar-Hazy Center near Dulles Airport. I’m a self-proclaimed airplane nerd and love seeing all of the old planes (not to mention, they have a real space shuttle!). Although it’s not the easiest one to get to, the trip is certainly worth the drive. In addition to all of the planes, the view from the top of the control tower is incredible. My insider tip is to go in the late afternoon to watch all of the really big planes landing as they arrive from overseas.
7. MOST ROMANTIC SPOT
King Street in Old Town Alexandria is one of the most romantic spots that I’ve found in the D.C. area. It’s right on the Metro and the walk down King Street to the water is absolutely beautiful. There are tons of restaurants to choose from and a walk down on the pier after dinner is great way to spend a romantic evening.
8. FAVORITE WAY TO SPEND A LAZY SUNDAY
My lazy Sunday usually revolves around food. The day is all about being adventurous and exploring Sunday brunch restaurants with some friends. Some highlights would include Founding Farmers, Lindy’s, the Beacon Hotel and most recently Bardia’s New Orleans Cafe in Adams Morgan. We usually end the day with a late-night run to Five Guys because there’s clearly no better way to get ready for the week than a Five Guys cheeseburger.
9. BEN’S CHILI BOWL, OLD EBBITT GRILL OR CAFE MILANO? OR AN ALT-FAVORITE?
Vapiano’s at 1800 M Street is my suggestion! The food’s great, it’s a fun atmosphere and, best of all, you don’t have to worry about splitting a check when you go with 20 people. Their modern food-bar concept is a new twist on somewhere to eat.
10. BEST RETREAT OUTSIDE THE BELTWAY
As an avid sailor and someone who loves pretty much everything nautical, I love venturing out to Annapolis for dinner. It’s close enough to go for an informal dinner with some friends, but far enough to escape mainstream Washington.
11. BEST RETREAT INSIDE THE BELTWAY
I love hanging out on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. Whether it’s reading for class, listening to music or simply people watching, the front steps of the Lincoln Memorial is my spot.
12. BEST PLACE FOR LATE-NIGHT EATS
Foggy Bottom Grocery or “FoBoGro” has a great late-night sandwich shop, open until midnight (and late-night grocery shopping). They also recently launched late-night delivery so I don’t even need to leave my apartment! My personal recommendation is “The Famous McDougall.”
13. PROUDEST PART OF LIVING IN THE D.C. AREA
I’m the kind of person who, even after 3 ? years, still loves getting stopped for motorcades to watch important dignitaries roll by. I love that I can call my friends who live all around the country and tell them that I just saw the pope drive past my apartment or that the presidential Inaugural Parade is closing down the city this week or that I can’t use the front door to my office building because President Obama is across the street. The constant buzz of excitement is something that I love being a part of and living with every day.
14. EMBARRASSING PART OF LIVING IN D.C. AREA
Being involved with student government at one of the most politically active schools in the country sometimes gets a little bit intense. There are times that we need to remind certain people that the “real government” is down the road and not in our senate meetings. I find that some people in D.C. take themselves very seriously and allow things to get out of hand. It’s always nice to go visit people at a school like Penn State or University of Miami where people tend to be more relaxed and laid-back.
