Faculty Favorites: Dining and Places – Martha Angle

September 6, 2007, 6:57 am

We asked our faculty and authors to share with us some of their favorite things about living in our nation’s capital. Their responses are posted in “Faculty Favorites”

Martha Angle (bio), associate editor at Congressional Quarterly, shares her favorites.

Favorite Places to Visit

Phillips Collection — Superb art in a comfortable, accessible setting. Renoir’s “The Luncheon of the Boating Party” is worth the price of admission all by itself, but there are dozens of other treasures, including some of the finest Van Goghs you’ll find anywhere. web site, 1600 21st Street NW, Washington, DC, 202-387-2151
National Gallery of Art — Both buildings (East and West), all collections. Something for all art lovers, whatever your preferred era. web site, 6th Street NW and Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC, 202-737-4215
National Arboretum — A beautiful place to explore any time of year (there’s always the Bonsai gardens, indoors) but especially lovely in the spring at azalea time, which runs about mid-April to mid-May. web site, 3501 New York Avenue NE, Washington, DC, 202-245-2726
Bishop’s Garden at the National Cathedral — A much smaller gem, located directly below the Cathedral on south side, with nooks and crannies where you can escape and enjoy a tranquil moment or two. Combine with visit the the Cathedral itself, a stunning architectural work and fascinating place to tour. Gift shop is first-rate, too. web site, 3101 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC, 202-537-6200
Georgetown — a walking tour. The oldest section of DC, its residential streets are filled with historic old townhouses while the commercial corridors offer fabulous shopping and restaurants. Georgetown BID, Georgetown, Washington, D.C. – from Wikipedia

Fun Things to Do

Hike any section of the C&O Canal, from Georgetown all the way up into Maryland. maps from NPS, C&O Canal Bicycling Guide
Visit Great Falls, either Virginia park or the Maryland side. web site, 9200 Old Dominion Drive, McLean, VA, Great Falls, MD
Bike ride or walk through Rock Creek Park, enjoying a vehicle-free stretch of Beach Drive on the weekends. web site, weekends on Beach Drive
Pick a Smithsonian museum — any museum — on a rainy day and prowl through. web site | also see “Museums, Memorials and Monuments in DC” from TheCapitol.Net
Browse the shops and restaurants at Union Station, and don’t miss Appalachian Spring [Jargol]. web site, 50 Massachusetts Avenue NE, Washington DC, Metro