Callahan’s GAC Guide To Washington, DC

Where to eat, drink, and be merry during GAC.

GAC is fast approaching, and if you’re one of the thousands of credit union representatives visiting our nation’s capital — and the home of Callahan & Associates you’ll be looking for some local flavor after hiking the Hill and hopping from happy hour to happy hour.

Consider this an unscientific list of favorites from Callahan’s well-traveled.

Sam Taft, Director of Industry Analysis

Places to eat: DCity Smokehouse
Looking for a BBQ experience like Freddie’s Rib Joint on House of Cards? Look no further than DCity Smokehouse where the wings, ribs and brisket melt in your mouth and you’ll feel like you’re right there with Kevin Spacey.

Cost: $

Location: 1540 North Capitol St. NW

Metro: Red Line, NoMa-Gallaudet

Online: https://dcitysmokehouse.com/

Jennifer Williams, Senior Marketing & Engagement Specialist

Places to eat: Astro Doughnuts & Fried Chicken and Gold Brown Delicious
Doughnuts are the new cupcakes and both Astro Doughnuts & Fried Chicken and Gold Brown Delicious serve up monumental confections that rival the city’s best bakeries. If you’re looking for a great way to satisfy a sweet tooth during GAC, these two are great options.

Cost: $

Astro Doughnuts & Fried Chicken

Location: 1308 G St. NW

Metro: Blue/Orange/Silver/Red Lines, Metro Center

Online: http://astrodoughnuts.com/

Gold Brown Delicious

Location: 1323 Connecticut Ave. NW

Metro: Red Line, Dupont Circle

Online: http://gbdchickendoughnuts.com/

AstroDoughnuts

Astro Doughnuts are your friends.

Stephanie Clark, Industry Analyst

Places to eat: The Milk Bar
 Awesome cookies, milkshakes, and coffee. It’s open 7 a.m. to midnight every day. And it’s close to the convention center.

Cost: $

Location: 1090 I St. NW

Metro: Blue/Orange/Silver/Red Lines, Metro Center (Walking distance from the Convention Center)

Online: http://milkbarstore.com/

Places to see: United States Botanic Garden
There’s yoga in the gardens every Saturday! Indoor gardens by the Capitol, feels like it’s summer inside, wide array of plants, different activities every day ranging from yoga to guided tours.

Cost: Free

Location: 100 Maryland Ave. SW

Metro: Blue/Orange/Silver Lines, Federal Center SW

Online: https://www.usbg.gov/

Botanic_Garden

Get lost in the Botanic Garden.

Places to see: The Renwick Gallery
The most interesting art gallery I’ve been to in DC. There’s a room where everyone lies on the ground and looks up at the exhibit hanging from the ceiling.

Cost: Free

Location: 1661 Pennsylvania Ave. NW

Metro: Blue/Orange/Silver Lines, Farragut West

Online: http://renwick.americanart.si.edu/

Rebecca Wessler, Editor-In-Chief

Places to eat: Lincoln
A trip to Washington, DC, isn’t complete without a wink and a nod to what makes our country fare. Lincoln offers a selection of Americana-inspired small plates and entrees — think mac and cheese, deviled eggs, and fried chicken made with locally sourced ingredients. Options such as oysters and chicken fricassee served alongside bourbon and moonshine cocktails pay tribute to the 16th president of the United States, as does the interior’s artwork and penny-covered floors.

Cost: $$

Location: 1110 Vermont Ave. NW

Metro: Blue/Orange Lines, McPherson Square

Online: www.lincolnrestaurant-dc.com/

Places to see: National Portrait Gallery
This collection of art is so much more than pretty faces. A walk through the National Portrait Gallery is also a lesson in American history and culture, with a selection of rotating exhibitions complementing the permanent iconography. A must-see display is the America’s Presidents exhibition, which features some of the most famous images of the first 43 presidents and a few first ladies. And the Docent’s Choice tour means you can take a tour every day of the week and never have the same experience twice.

Cost: Free

Location: 8th St. NW & F St. NW

Metro: Red Line, Gallery Place-Chinatown

Online: npg.si.edu

Erik Payne, Associate Editor

Places to eat: Right Proper Brewing Company
The district is in the midst of a brewing revolution. Right Proper opened in 2013 and has quickly become a go-to for the happy-hour crowd and those looking for cheap, southern-style eats. The atmosphere is definitely unorthodox properly described as industrially artistic but there’s beer, food that will stick to your ribs, and you won’t have to refinance your car to pay for dinner.

Cost: $

Location: 624 T St. NW

Metro: Yellow/Green Lines, Shaw-Howard

Online: http://www.rightproperbrewing.com/

Places to see: Le Diplomate
You can find a little bit of Paris right here in DC. Less than a mile north of the Convention Center you’ll find Le Diplomate, a French bistro that does two things exceedingly well: seafood and wine. Also the burgers. And the beer list. Come to think of it, they do just about everything well and it’s one of the prettiest places in town to get a look at some Washington politicos. If you’re into that sort of thing.

Cost: $$

Location: 1601 14th St. NW

Metro: Red Line, Shaw-Howard (I’d recommend taking a cab)

Online: http://lediplomatedc.com/

 

LeDiplomate

Le Diplomate isn’t in Paris. But it sure tastes like it.

Places to see: World War II Memorial
One of the more recent additions to the memorial circuit, the World War II Memorial is a must for out-of-towners. The memorial is lit at night and, if temperatures are nice, it’s quite a site to see. Take your time if you can to really soak up the history. There’s also a nice view of the Lincoln Memorial in the background. Why not just hit all of them?

Cost: Free

Location: 1750 Independence Ave. SW

Metro: Orange/Blue Lines, Smithsonian (Again, cab is the best bet unless you prefer a stroll)

Online: http://www.wwiimemorial.com/

February 18, 2016

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