Tourist in Your Own Town

We all would like to fit more travel into our busy schedules, but time and money limits when we can take a getaway. So why not spend the weekend exploring the places you love in your town or city? There are always museums, restaurants, parks, and other places we wish we had more time to revisit.

I'm fortunate to live in Washington, D.C. where there is never a shortage of something cultural to do, and I don't know of any other place that has as many free museums. Here are some things I did this weekend when summery weather hit, and some other options in case you want to visit!

No matter where you live, I'm sure there are great places in your city or town to plan a weekend itinerary.

Sunny and 85 degree weather was enough to make me brave the tourist crowds on the National Mall. I visited the East Wing of the National Gallery to check out some modern and contemporary art. The architecture of the building is as enjoyable as the art, and the huge Calder mobile never disappoints. The Philip Guston exhibit in the tower gallery has a handful of paintings spanning his career.

The most enjoyable exhibit was installed in the underground passageway leading from the East Gallery to the West Gallery. The metal ceiling and walls were covered in 41,000 LEDs that changed patterns as you rode along the moving sidewalk. Very cool! At the end of the walkway is the museum's cafeteria, gelato and espresso cafe, and probably one of the best museum bookstores I've seen.



After leaving the museum, I grabbed an iced coffee and walked up to the Gallery Place neighborhood. This revitalized neighborhood also includes Chinatown, and is a popular destination for its many restaurants surrounding the Verizon Center, where the Washington Capitals play hockey and many concerts are held. The central focus are the conjoined buildings housing the Museum of American Art and the National Portrait Gallery. The newly-completed courtyard should not be missed.

From there I took a long walk through Metro Center, where a lot of downtown shopping is located, and past the White House. I walked up 17th St. to the Dupont Circle neighborhood, which is still the center of the GLBT community. 17th between P and T streets has many restaurants and bars. JR's and Dupont Italian Kitchen are old standbys. We opted for dinner at a mexican restaurant off the circle and drinks late that night at Nellie's Sports Bar.

Why travel?

You know how the memory of our last trip fades before we are ready to forget about the great time we had? There's always a To-Do list waiting for us upon our return, and we're pressed to jump back into our busy lives. Just a few weeks back, my boyfriend and I and a good friend were wandering the wondeful streets of Madrid, but it seems like months ago. Today I got to daydream a little about our recent trip.

This afternoon at work, I grabbed a coffee and stepped outside to enjoy the misty weather and the last of the white petals dropping from the pear trees. While I was sipping my coffee I thought of Jose, a friend-of-a-friend who showed us around the Gran Via and Chueca neighborhoods for an afternoon. "How do you spot an American in Europe?" he asked. "They've got a coffee in their hand and are walking down the street." Jose laughed and proudly said he needs a chair, at least 30 minutes, and conversation with a few good friends to enjoy a coffee!

Jose's joke was telling. Americans, in my opinion, are accustomed to being on the run and seek instant gratification. We want it cheap, fast, and preferably in large quantities. This appears different from many European cultures where the focus is on fine ingredients (or other qualities) and true enjoyment of the experience. Is it too harsh to generalize and say that Europeans are living for the moment and Americans are living for the future? Surely, a balance is best.

And this is why we travel...to step outside our daily box, to gain a little perspective, and to see how the other 6 billion people in this world live. I bet they might know something I don't. Geez, deep thoughts. And all I wanted was a quick cup of coffee.