#5: Tryst

I'm not one of those people that falls neatly into either generally skeptical or generally optimistic when it comes to places with a lot of hype.  So with Matt living in Adams Morgan, we left a good amount of stones unturned ("Best Jumbo Slice in DC" down the street from "#1 Jumbo Slice in the City"?  Hard to believe) while experimenting with the variety of places to eat, drink and be merry in the neighborhood.  Tryst was one of those places with a lot of hype.  So we approached it cautiously but eagerly after our trip to the Spanish Steps and we pleased with our snacktime adventure.   

Upon entering, I saw a scene out of any WB drama from the early 2000s: tons of couches, laptops and a saucy wait staff littering a HUGE space.  We found a cute table for two in the back between an iPod-budded student and a wine-fueled gossipfest and settled in.  To start, I ordered a banana smoothie that was enormous and especially satisfying on such a hot day.  To snack, I ordered Lebneh.  It's described on their site as "A Lebanese tangy yogurt served with za'atar - a blend of oregano and thyme-olives & lavash."  It was refreshing and a very generous portion.  Matt grabbed a variety of turkey sandwich (I believe "Grace": "sliced turkey, creamy brie, granny smith apple and cranberry sauce" but I could be wrong) and was happy as well.  It was definitely a "don't rush, take it easy" sort of vibe and those around us were certainly not budging.  Worth braving the scene.

Location: 2459 18th Street, NW (between Columbia and Mintwood)

Closest Metro Stop: Woodley Park-Zoo/Adams Morgan (Red) - 12 minute walk, or take the Circulator to the top of the hill

Cost: Around $25.72 for two (sandwich, dip, smoothie)

#4: The Spanish Steps

On a summer day in DC, spending any amount of time outside requires a worthwhile destination and a good supply of water. So when I asked Matt to go on an adventure in the beginning of the summer, it was a slight push to get us out of the air conditioning. But knowing that the shady, peaceful Spanish Steps were our destination, I pushed a bit and we were on our way.

The Spanish Steps are tucked away near Dupont Circle and after revisiting them several times, I can confirm seeing someone else near them just once. This is part of the appeal: knowing how close you are to the hustle and bustle of Dupont but actually getting to be alone and relax nearby.  Getting to the steps requires just a brief walk down S Street, past a few embassies and beautiful townhouses. Fortunately for us, the walk is almost entirely in the shade. The landmark kind of creeps up on you; look the other way for too long and you'll miss it.  But if you keep an eye out for it, you'll encounter old stone steps that wrap around a small fountain and come together in the middle. The steps are surrounded by some well-maintained vines and flowers and made me feel like I had stepped into The Secret Garden.  Looking down the steps gives you a nice view down 22nd Street and a different perspective of the city.  While the steps aren't very large, they are charming and a nice detour from busy Connecticut Ave.

(Lifted from My DC: Spanish Steps)

Once we walked from the top of the steps down to Decatur, we saw an old fire callbox and Matt taught me what they were. I claimed to have never seen one before but lo and behold, I walk past several every day. We then took a nice walk down Decatur in the shade and checked out the beautiful details of the houses on that street. These walks are one of my favorite things that Matt and I do - somehow, regardless of how many times we've traveled through an area - we always find something new to check out. And those moments are some of the few that I manage to stop talking for a little bit. The Steps ended up being just a starting point for a nice escape for us, though I could see it being a good spot to read a book or relax.

Location: S Street NW between 23rd and Phelps (or, coming from the bottom of the steps: Decatur between Florida Ave. and 22nd.)

Closest Metro Stop: Dupont Circle (Red)

Cost: Free

#3: Nooshi Sushi Crazy Hour

At the age of 16, I fell in love for the first time.  His name was sushi, and he was intoxicating.  My parents had inexplicably tried to keep us apart for too long and with one taste, I was hooked.  Since then, I've done my best to make up for lost time.  I haven't gotten past rolls for the most part (c'mon, I'm being encouraged to have cream cheese in my entrees?  Sign me UP), but I do try to order something new each time. 

While I knew it was impractical to make a list of adventures that read "try all sushi spots in all of the DC Metro area," I wasn't about to get through 3 adventures without making one pitstop to indulge first.  Our weapon of choice?  Nooshi Sushi.  I came across Nooshi while looking for good happy hours - Matt enjoys a well-made cocktail just slightly more than he loves barely paying for one.  So a sushi happy hour was like blending my heaven with his, and blend indeed we did.

Nooshi's "crazy hour" brings half-off all drinks: cocktails, sake, beers and non-alcoholic beverages.  Though we went on a rainy day, they have a little patio outside that's distinctly Farragut.  Inside, an enormous bar lines one wall while the opposite wall has big booths that continue to the back of the rather large restaurant.  Before going to Nooshi, I read that a reservation was mandatory because of happy hour crowds, but that didn't pose a problem to us on that Thursday night.  Then again, GWU was not in session and it's apparently a go-to for students there.

The sushi was average-priced ($5.25 shrimp tempura, $4.00 California and $8-$12 specialty maki rolls) and delicious.  I indulged and ordered (devoured) a dancing eel roll: BBQ eel, crabstick, masago and cucumber.  It was filling and a work of art.  Unfortunately, I get stage fright at restaurants and am reluctant to take pictures (read: embarrass Matt more than I probably already am), so you'll have to use your imagination.  (It's called the dancing eel.  Got it?  Good.)  We also split their Japanese Dumpling to start.  Though it was delicious, that's as far as we got on their dinner menu.  Other items on our table included shrimp tempura for me and spicy tuna and spicy crunchy yellowtail for Matt.  Not one complaint was uttered!

The Happy Hour runs from 3pm to 7pm on weeknights.  Besides sushi, Nooshi also has a fairly large lunch and dinner menu, with noodles, teriyaki, and other dishes.

Location: 1120 19th St, NW (between L & M streets), Washington, DC 20036
Closest Metro Stops: Farragut West (Orange/Blue), Farragut North (Red)
My Cost: $29.29 for dinner (two sushi rolls, spring rolls) and drinks (one cocktail, one iced tea)

#2: Sonny Bono Memorial Park

In keeping with the theme of surprising landmarks within our stomping ground, for adventure number two we found our way to the Sonny Bono Memorial Park.  After far too much wandering, we found the park - a small triangle of fenced-in grass near New Hampshire, 20th, and O Streets NW.  The park has some small benches, a Japanese maple tree and some flowers, and is a quaint little place that is easily overlooked in such a high-traffic area.

The plaque in the park reads: "In memory of my friend Sonny Bono 1935-1998
Entertainer - Entrepreneur - Statesman - Friend"

A little research taught me that buried 4 feet under the plaque is the sheet music to "The Beat Goes On," Bono's congressional cufflinks, a coffee mug from Sonny's Italian Restaurant and other Bono-related gear.  Supposedly the park's founder, Bono's friend Geary Simon, asked Bono's friends for contributions to the underground vault.  Among other items, Simon received two sealed envelopes that were buried as they were given to him.  Adding mystery to an adventure?  Bonus! 

Once we had finally found the park, I darted over and caught the attention of some passers-by, who asked what we were looking at.  One of them said, "I've walked past here 20,000 times and never knew that was here!"  Ta-da, mission accomplished!

Location: New Hampshire & 20th Street, NW
Closest Metro Stop: Dupont Circle (Red)
Cost: Free

#1: The Watermelon House

The first adventure felt like a risk: I had to make it adventurous enough that another would be desired, but also not so involved that the whole list would be an ordeal.  After careful consideration, I settled on the watermelon house near Logan Circle.  To me, the best part about this was once we saw it, I'd have no explanation other than "I found it on the internet" and that would be that - just a nice mystery not-so-hidden in a nearby neighborhood.

I consider this one a success: we avoided looking completely sketchy while gawking at someone's actual home, but dawdled long enough to enjoy the scene.  Since I wasn't willing to reveal what we were looking for, it was up to me to get us there without getting lost (which will be an unfortunate theme in a good bulk of adventures).  Fortunately, it wasn't too hard, especially because of the empty driveway next door.

While stumbling upon it organically would've warranted a three-point turn to check it out again, going out of our way to intentionally see it was a fun, brief excuse for a "date."  Lo and behold, it worked, far too many puns were delivered ("it looks a bit seedy," "sweet digs," etc.) and the adventures continued.

Location: 1112 Q Street, NW
Closest Metro Stop: Shaw-Howard U (Yellow/Green)
Cost: Free

The Maiden Voyage

I was never the little girl who had a diary and hid it from her brothers, only to have it stolen and read aloud to the neighborhood.  This wasn't for lack of intruding brothers (hey guys!), but instead because my diaries never got far.  Anytime I'd write, I'd always reread my entry, decide it sounded whiny, and tear out the pages.  So if anyone ever reads this, it's a huge step for me - though you can rest assured I've edited it 9000 times.

Why I'm hopefully overcoming this barrier is to share the adventures that I've been able to go on in DC.  In April, I deferred law school for one year.  Armed with the knowledge that I'd be moving out of town soon, I created a list of "adventures" through which my boyfriend Matt and me could see the city together.  My ideas came from lots of internet roaming, walks, and recommendations, and the resulting list is a mixture of well-known and little-known gems within the city. 

We went on our first adventure in April, so I'll start with that one and work my way to the present.  Hopefully this will provide a nice list of things to try in DC - but to be honest, it's mostly for my own sentiment, so that once Matt and I move on from this place, we have a record of all those times that I made him blindly visit somewhere with the promise that it'd be good.  For some reason, he trusted me.  Here's to not just surviving, but enjoying those times.