Let’s face it, sometimes D.C. can feel like a small town disguised as a big city. With the District spanning just shy of 70 square miles, it is easy to feel like you’ve experienced most of the nooks and crannies the capital has to offer. But all it takes is a venture outside of Tenleytown to find your scene. Here are the Scene staff’s top five scenes in and around D.C.
Gravelly Point Park
George Washington Memorial Parkway
Even though Gravelly Point is in Arlington, Va., it’s worth a spot on the list.
The best way to get there is via bike, not just because of convenience, but because the ride down the Mount Vernon Trail offers some of the best views of the National Mall. While a bike may be your fastest bet, the paved trail also allows people to run, skateboard and rollerskate. The trail runs through the beautiful grassy Virginia shores of the Potomac River during some stretches and then dips back into thick wooded areas at others, making it a perfect escape from the city while keeping the District in your sight.
Along the trail is Gravelly Point, which may not be the most beautiful park in D.C., but its views are unbeatable. It is located right next to Ronald Reagan National Airport’s landing runway, so park visitors can picnic as airplanes fly directly overhead at what feels like an arms length away. Bikers stopping for a water break, families chatting over a picnic and rugby players meeting for a weekend practice all congregate at Gravelly Point, a park that is truly off the beaten (well, paved in this instance) trail.
-Kendall Breitman
Chesapeake & Ohio Canal
1057 Thomas Jefferson St., NW
Washington, DC 20007
Tucked away in the crevices between 30th and 31st Streets of Georgetown and next door to Baked & Wired resides a canal. It’s a hard sight to miss with “The Georgetown,” a gigantic boat straight out of the 1800s. Follow the cobblestone road to the wooden bench beside the canal and escape from the busyness of M Street and Georgetown. This particular scene is the ideal secluded spot— it is relatively empty and quiet with a beautiful view of the outskirts of one of D.C.’s finest areas.
As birds cheerfully chirp and a gentle breeze blows through, the overhanging trees sway with ease and provide the perfect amount of shade from the sunshine.
-Sydney Gore
Idle Time Books
2467 18th St., NW
Washington, DC 20009
Slightly past the Columbia Road intersection on 18th Street in Adams Morgan lies one of the most relaxing and cozy places in D.C.: Idle Time Books. This bookshop is a great place to spend an afternoon with its freshly-repainted storefront and laid-back employees.
The smell of old books engulfs your senses upon walking through the front doors, and shelves are lined with old and new books of numerous genres. On a sunny day, you can grab a spot by the window in a broken-in chair and read for a bit. The intimate, calming atmosphere makes it feel like home. And when you’re away at college, a little slice of home is welcome, whenever and wherever.
-Jane Morice
Landmark Bethesda Row Theater
7235 Woodmont Ave.
Bethesda, MD 20814
Of all the movie theaters in the D.C. area, the Landmark Bethesda Row tops the list. The less well-known cousin to E Street Cinema downtown, Landmark Bethesda Row houses smaller, more personal “indie” films that often end up on critics’ lists of the year’s best movies.
But it’s not just the movies themselves that light up this corner of Maryland. The lavish concession stand offers gourmet snacks and meals for cinema lovers who also have a passion for food. The unusually plush seats never disappoint, especially when an usher guides you to the seat of your choice. Old movie posters add variety to the walls, creating an atmosphere of reverence for the art of cinema that you won’t find in the multiplexes.
The theater is conveniently located on one end of the famous Bethesda Row, just a short stroll away from a diverse array of the D.C. area’s greatest and most interesting restaurants. Better yet, the Capital Crescent Trail lies just a few blocks away from the theater, offering an opportunity for post-movie reflection and relaxing exercise on a pleasant sunny day.
Landmark Bethesda Row presents a rare opportunity to escape from the hustle of city life and the bustle of college. Serious and casual moviegoers alike ought to check it out.
-Mark Lieberman
Kramerbooks & Afterwords Café
1517 Connecticut Ave., NW
Washington, D.C. 20036
During the day, Kramerbooks & Afterwords Café is as innocuous as any other storefront. A rotating series of books might be stationed in front, ranging from Chad Harbach’s “The Art of Fielding” to hardcovers by Joyce Carol Oates or Jon Meacham. At night, the spacious bookstore lights up with an amber glow that filters out into the street, where dozens of people browse the stacks of books piled upon each other like Jenga blocks.
Whether you’re looking for new releases or old classics, Kramerbooks has it placed snugly between its well stocked shelves. When you move into the second section, there’s an aisle filled with a generous amount of children’s and crime literature that lies in wait.
For the 21 and over crowd who want to channel their inner Kingsley Amis and Ernest Hemingway, there’s a bar sequestered off in the rear, filled with musty hardwood counters and local beers on tap. Sylvia Beach’s famed “Shakespeare & Co.” bookstore may be across the pond, but Kramerbooks certainly is an excellent place to go on our shores.
-David Kahen-Kashi
thescene@theeagleonline.com
