Grace & Owen
Things To Do
The National Portrait Gallery
The location of our first date (conveniently just across the street from the Hotel Monaco), the National Portrait Gallery houses the nation’s only complete collection of presidential portraits outside the White House.
DC has one of the nations best international selections of restaurants. Some of our favorites are:
Rasika. A high end Indian restaurant. We ate here the night we got engaged. Can’t miss: the palak chaat Oyamel. Mexican tapas. Located near the National Portrait Gallery and the Hotel Monaco, we ate here on our first date. Can’t miss: the air foam margaritas Supra. A welcomed introduction to Georgian food. Can’t miss: the Khachapuri Ajaruli - possibly Grace’s favorite dish in all of DC Filomena. This Italian restaurant in the heart of Georgetown is a Berardini family favorite for pre-Kennedy Center show dinners. Filomena is also special as Owen’s Italian grandmother was named Filomena. Can’t miss: Italian chefs hand-rolling pasta in the window Angolo. A casual Italian restaurant in Georgetown with a beautiful outdoor patio. This very patio kept us sane, and full, during the pandemic as Angolo became our regular date night spot Pupatella. Classic Neapolitan woodfired pizza. Pupatella is Owen’s inspiration for our future backyard pizza oven
The National Monuments and Memorials (preferably at night)
Take some time to tour DC’s iconic monuments and memorials on the National Mall. Most visitors assume that the monuments must be seen during the day but we recommend leaving the monuments until it’s dark. The combination of the white marble, the dark sky, and the moon light makes for a unique experience. Also, you’ll avoid the hoards of students on field trips, cherry blossom crowds, and Grace’s arch nemesis, the sun! If you want the true Grace and Owen experience, walk around the top of the Lincoln. Owen proposed to Grace in “our spot” on the Northeast corner of the Lincoln between the two pillars facing the Capitol.
The Washington Monument (preferably at sunset)
You can purchase tickets ($1) to ride the elevator to the top of the Washington monument for a breathtaking city view. Tickets become available daily at 10 a.m. for the next day’s visits.
Museums
DC offers a variety of fun (and free!) museums in close walking distance of one another. We’ve pulled together a few of our favorites for you to check out! Hirshhorn Museum & Sculpture Garden The United States Botanic Garden National Museum of African American History and Culture The National Archives. If you are avid National Treasure fans, like us, you’ll need to stop here if you want to “steal the Declaration of Independence.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fStGVHBNRXo The International Spy Museum. If you are a James Bond fan or were recruited to the Secret Service (like Owen) then this museum is a must-see for you. We recommend pairing this museum with a water-front walk through the Wharf.
Theodore Roosevelt Island
A visit to Theodore Roosevelt Island is a great way to combine the outdoors and exercise with a classic, yet lesser known, memorial—the Theodore Roosevelt Memorial. The island, and its hiking trails, can be accessed via foot by crossing the Francis Scott Key Memorial Bridge at the West end of Georgetown, or by car (with free parking) at the abrupt, and often missed, exit off George Washington Memorial Parkway.
Union Market
Located in a restored 1930s food hall in the NoMa neighborhood, just a short walk from Union Station, the hip Union Market is home to a range of local food vendors offering everything from Korean tacos and Chesapeake oysters to African spices and French wines. Union Market was a regular weekend stop for us when Owen lived on Capitol Hill.
The White House “Trifecta”
We recommend combining the White House, the Hay Adams/Off the Record, and the Renwick together due to their proximity to each other. For more details, see the following final three descriptions:
The White House
Public tours of the White House are available. Requests must be submitted through one’s Member of Congress. Tours are scheduled on a first come, first served basis. Requests can be submitted up to three months in advance and no less than 21 days in advance. You are encouraged to submit your request as early as possible as a limited number of spaces are available. All White House tours are free of charge. If you wish to visit the White House and are a citizen of a foreign country, please contact your embassy in Washington, DC for assistance in submitting a tour request. Candidly, we have never done a White House tour, but it’s on our bucket list. And we have it on good authority that there is a bowling alley in the basement!
The Hay Adams Hotel Roof & Off The Record Bar
If you weren’t able to secure a White House tour, the next best thing is to ask the Hay Adams concierges if the roof top is available to visitors. Once on the roof, you will have an amazing view of the White House. In fact, the view is so good that the Hay Adams has to radio over to the Secret Service that they are having visitors on the roof. Off the Record bar is located in the basement of the Hay Adams. As one of the “World’s Best Hotel Bars,” it is known as DC’s best “place to be seen and not heard.” Surrounded by caricatures of the city’s political elite both past and present, Off the Record is a popular undercover hot spot for both Washingtonians and “in-the-know” tourists. The drink coasters, boasting original political cartoons, are a staple in our home.
The Renwick Gallery
Located just steps away from the White House, the Renwick Gallery, a branch museum of the Smithsonian American Art Museum, is dedicated to contemporary craft and decorative arts. The Renwick is a small and manageable museum for a quick walk through. Be sure to see Janet Echelman’s colorful fiber and lighting installation on the top floor.