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Capitol Hill is quickly becoming the most buzz-worthy neighborhood in the District. While many attribute this to gentrification, it may also be that with upcoming elections, Capitol Hill residents are looking to enjoy their time while it lasts. Whatever the reason, the Hill’s now a hangout for more than just the Occupy Movement, and as The Corp’s resident intern-about-town, I’ve found some things worth trying.
Food
Despite its reputation as the home of the D.C. “Power Lunch,” the Capitol Hill area is full of dining options that are easy on the average undergrad’s expense account. From food-trucks to hot-dog joints, here are your best bets:
Good Stuff Eatery
303 Pennsylvania Ave. SE
Washington, DC 20003
Like Shake Shack, but with more variety, Top Chef contestant Spike Mendelsohn’s shiny joint serves up creative burgers,Image may be NSFW.
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hand-spun shakes, and some winning fries to lines of tourists, Congressional staffers, and the occasional President (Obama and his staff grabbed lunch here after this summer’s debt-ceiling negotiations). My suggestions: Get the Prez Obama Burger–Applewood bacon, onion marmalade, Roquefort cheese and horseradish mayo–and the toasted marshmallow shake.
Food Truck Land
L’Enfant Plaza
7th St & SW Maryland Av
ww.foodtruckfiesta.com/
If you walk out the L’Enfant Plaza metro stop at lunchtime on weekdays, you’ll find yourself in the middle of a fleet of food trucks lining both sides of Maryland Avenue. You’ve just entered “Food Truck Land,” where you can try all kinds of mobile meals from Sâuça, an international-themed health food truck, to Pepe, your source for chef Jose Andres’ Spanish cuisine on the go. My suggestion: follow the Red Hook Lobster Truck on twitter to find great Maine or Connecticut-style lobster rolls made fresh for only $15.
Fun
D.C. Ladies Arm Wrestling
American Legion Post 8
224 D Street SE
Near Capitol South Metro
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For extreme fans of Title IX, Capitol Hill is home to D.C. Ladies Arm Wrestling. You heard me. For a $5 cover charge, you can bet on female arm wrestlers with names like Holly Gofightly or Capitol Punishment while you soak up the atmosphere (and the drinks) at DCLAW’s monthly competitions. Since all proceeds go to charity, there’s no reason to feel bad – at least until you realize half that the women in the room could easily bench-press you…
Rooftop Pool at The Liason Capitol Hill
415 New Jersey Avenue, NW, 2001
If you’re like your pool party with a little politics, head to the Liason Capitol Hill Hotel’s rooftop pool and deck overlooking the Capitol. Here you can swim laps with lobbyists or grab a drink from the bar and just soak up the rays. Best thing: the pool is open ‘till midnight five days a week.
Capitol Hill Golf
1741 A St SE
202-577-7310
Just before Obama’s September jobs speech, Vice President Biden, in a rare act of bipartisanship, took it upon himself toImage may be NSFW.
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listen to Speaker Boehner talk about… golf. But as bad as the economy is right now, who wouldn’t want to hear John Boehner lie about shooting a 67? For those of us who lack the golf skills of the Speaker of the House (or the late Kim Jong Il, for that matter) there’s Capitol Hill Golf. Tucked away in a back alley to the east of the Hill, here you can take lessons with top PGA pro Bryan Huss, or test your skills on 36 different HD virtual courses (everywhere from Pebble Beach to St. Andrews) replete with missile tracking technology. If you’re not swinging like Bubba Watson by the end of the year, you can always head to their pro shop and buy your own green jacket.
Fearless
Cupid’s Undie Run DC
www.cupidsundierun.com/dc/
If you’ve ever wanted to run past the Capitol Building in your underwear in February, you can always take part in Cupid’s Undie Run, held on the Hill each year on Valentine’s Day. The run is only a mile and a half long and benefits the Children’s Tumor Foundation, but in mid-30s weather, I’m having second thoughts. Then again, who could miss the opportunity to jog past your favorite Senator in nothing but your underwear? I’ll leave this one up to you.
Photos: Good Stuff Eatery via flickr.com; Billy Hunt, Billy Hunt photography, via wtop.com; Michael Clemmer, Golf Landscapes, via http://www.rtjgolf.com/
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Dan Marrow is an intern in the U.S. House of Representatives. He is the lowest-paid lobbyist on Capitol Hill.