From college students to D.C. natives, everyone seems to have their own personal escape hatch for avoiding the tourist crowd while living in the city.
Typically inexpensive and off the beaten path, the urban oases of D.C. dwellers reflect a sense of appreciation for the "real D.C.," according to Karen Racowsky, a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences.
The Adams-Morgan neighborhood of Washington is known by some AU students for its ability to draw in young people by the hoards, while still seeming like a well-kept secret.
Unfortunately, as Adams-Morgan becomes associated with rumors of MTV's "The Real World," and as it's known as Washington's version of New York City's Greenwich Village, this old standby for nightlife and entertainment may soon become yet another place to avoid the crowd.
"I definitely don't consider the marbled monuments of the Mall to be the real D.C. I think there's so much more to the city that the average person never has the opportunity to see," Racowsky said.
One of the many oft-unexplored adventures is the D.C. restaurant scene, which offers a selection so wide, it can satisfy almost any palate, even for the most restrictive diets. Racowsky is one of several vegans and vegetarians questioned about their favorite D.C. destinations. Many said that eating out can be difficult on a restricted diet, but there are a few good options. John Cheney, a senior in the School of International Service, mentioned Soul Veg in Northwest D.C.
Located at 2606 Georgia Ave., NW, Soul Veg offers soul food options like veggie burgers, macaroni and cheese, rice and beans and more. The restaurant is part of the Soul Vegetarian community of restaurants and caterers that try to emphasize taste and nutrition.
Another option for vegan Washingtonians is Sticky Fingers Bakery, located at 1904 18th St., NW. Owned and operated by animal rights activists Doron Greenblatt Petersan and Kirsten Rosenberg, all of the products at Sticky Fingers are 100 percent dairy, egg and cholesterol-free.
Sticky Fingers' muffins, cakes and cookies are all sold at another hidden-jewel destination, the Brian MacKenzie Infoshop. Located at 1426 9th St., NW, the Infoshop is a self-proclaimed "center for radical thought," according to its Web site. The shop features magazines, books and recordings with a leftist slant. Visitors can also partake in the Radical Reading Library, where the shop keeps a wide collection of anarchist and radical literature. The Infoshop is named after Brian MacKenzie, a local youth activist who passed away in 1999. The shop is owned and operated entirely by volunteers.
"I like the whole collective aspect of the Infoshop. I think people are naturally good and want to help each other and when it works, I think it is a testament to people toward a goal," said Racowsky, who also volunteers at the Infoshop. "If we don't want bosses or hierarchies, we don't have to have them and still do a great job," she said. "All kinds of neat opportunities and interactions can come out of it."
Community and interaction are also emphasized at Ethiopian eatery Meskerem, located at 2434 18th St., NW. Ethiopian food is consumed using a piece of indigenous flatbread called "injera," on which various dishes come served. An additional piece of injera is provided as a utensil, and everyone eats from the same large dish. The communal charm of sharing Ethiopian cuisine cannot be denied, according to Josh Goodman, a freshman in SIS.
But not everything to do for fun in Washington must revolve around food. Some of the students surveyed expressed a distinct love for the simpler pleasures Washington has to offer. A beautiful spring day can draw many people from their dorm rooms and out to enjoy the city.
When he's not dining on Ethiopian food, Goodman said he enjoys the walk from the Woodley Park Metro stop down Connecticut Avenue into Dupont Circle. According to Goodman, the walk is a good way to kill time that also includes a "really great view of Washington."
One of Racowsky's favorite things to do is find a welcoming park on a sunny day and take a nap or knit.
"I love knitting outside," she said. "People give you the strangest looks when you're knitting in public. It can be so relaxing."
Amanda Price, a junior in SIS, said that a great pastime in D.C. is wandering up and down the U Street and Columbia Heights neighborhoods and looking at the multi-colored townhouses.
"I walk around and try to imagine what they look like inside and criticize the owner's taste in paint colors or lack thereof," Price said. "The fa?ade and construction of these townhouses is the same, but each one is painted differently and has its own personality."
But even with an arsenal of off-the-beaten-path options for fun in Washington, a change of scenery is still necessary at times. Jen Zurek, a sophomore in SIS, had some advice for tourist-weary AU students:
"The train to Baltimore is only $7"
