takes you into the true heart of our nation's capital.
Our new guidebook, 111 Places in Washington, DC That You Must Not Miss, is a tribute to a city that has both seen and made its share of history.
Most of us view the US capital through the stressful headlines in the news, as the issues of the day fill our social media feeds and our daily conversations. We also know Washington, DC from school trips and family vacations, with fond memories of the amazing (free!) museums at the Smithsonian Institution. But 111 Places in Washington, DC reminds us that our capital is a magnificent city unto itself, beyond the politics and the news cycle.
Mr. Peterbug of Peterbug Shoe Academy
Author Andréa Seiger moved to DC after she graduated from college, and she has been exploring the streets, shops, and institutions that grace this city ever since. By institutions, we mean the grand museums of course, but also the people who give the city its character. Mr. Peterbug teaches the art of shoe repair and also the importance of community service and self-value at his Peterbug Shoe Repair Academy. Angel Anderson adds some spice to DC's palate, and also a huge smile for everyone who walks into her Spice Suite. Frank Kameny, a WWII combat veteran and founder the Gay Rights Movement, is buried in Congressional Cemetery.
Washington, DC is the second 111 Places book for Photographer John Dean, who also recently photographed his home town of Baltimore for 111 Places in Baltimore That You Must Not Miss. Pay homage at the place where DC native Duke Ellington played his first paid gig. Read Thomas Jefferson's personal letters in a hotel lobby. March yourself over to the childhood home of John Philip Sousa. Sit under a clone of the very same tree that inspired Sir Isaac Newton's thoughts and theories about gravity. These people left indelible marks on history and culture, and they are no place more alive than in Washington, DC.
Chef Freddie Bitsoie, Mitsitam Café, American Indian Museum
DC has become a destination for food lovers too. Forget sushi or French cuisine - Chef Freddie Bitsoie serves up Iroquois, Penobscot, and other Indigenous dishes at Mitsitam Café in the American Indian Museum. Dig into a massive pile of blueberry buckwheat pancakes at Eastern Market. Dine at a cozy restaurant that was the scene of a Russian double agent spy and sex scandal. And definitely visit a distillery inspired by the bootlegger to the most powerful people in the city.
Angel Anderson, Owner, Spice Suite
Even the well-trodden Smithsonian Museums still hold onto some wonderful secrets, from a craft masterpiece hanging in a gift shop, to an early video installation depicting the culture of the American road trip. Beloved chef Julia Child's entire home kitchen now resides in the American History Museum. Discover how the Wright Brothers made it to the moon in the National Air and Space Museum. Learn the noble story about the humble prairie dogs at the National Zoo.
We invite all the summer interns, the family vacationers, the DC denizens, and newcomers to the city to visit the hidden places, learn the secret stories, and discover the all-but-forgotten history that make Washington, DC a fascinating and wonderful place to visit or stick around for an election cycle - or perhaps forever.
The American Prairie Dog (Photo courtesy of the The National Zoo)
Make summer vacation great again and pick up your copy of 111 Places in Washington, DC That You Must Not Miss at your local bookstore or online!
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