The Top Secrets of Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., might be loathed from every corner of the nation, yet these are fun and busy days at this nexus of big politics, big money, big media, and big vanity. While most Americans associate Capitol Hill with Congressional misadventures and general dysfunction, thousands of people — senators, reporters, congressional aides, artists, working-class long-timers and young families — call it home.
“There are no Democrats and Republicans anymore in the nation’s capital, just millionaires.”
HOW WASHINGTON, D.C. WAS DESIGNED AND ITS HISTORY
Since its official founding in 1790, the nation's capital has been home to high-profile historic events. Read on to learn about the city's historical highs and lows.
Founded on July 16, 1790, Washington DC is unique among American cities because it was established by the Constitution of the United States to serve as the nation’s capital. From its beginning, it has been embroiled in political maneuvering, sectional conflicts and issues of race, national identity, compromise and, of course, power.
Today's Washington, D.C. owes much of its unique design to Pierre Charles L'Enfant, who came to America from France to fight in the Revolutionary War and rose from obscurity to become a trusted city planner for George Washington. L'Enfant designed the city from scratch, envisioning a grand capital of wide avenues, public squares and inspiring buildings in what was then a district of hills, forests, marshes and plantations.
The choice of Washington’s site along the Potomac and Anacostia Rivers resulted from a compromise between Alexander Hamilton and northern states who wanted the new federal government to assume Revolutionary War debts, and Thomas Jefferson and southern states who wanted the capital placed in a location friendly to slave-holding agricultural interests.
George Washington, the first president and namesake of the city, chose the site and appointed three commissioners to help prepare for the arrival of the new government in 1800. Pierre Charles L’Enfant designed the city as a bold new capital with sweeping boulevards and ceremonial spaces reminiscent of Paris in his native France. Benjamin Banneker, a self-taught African American mathematical genius, provided the astronomical calculations for surveying and laying out the city. The full development of Washington as a monumental city, however, did not come until a hundred years later when the McMillan Commission updated its plan to establish the National Mall and monuments that most visitors to Washington now know.
Visitors that can make a guided trip to Washington, D.C. from New York City, and enjoy the best of these two great cities
HOW TO MAKE A FUN AND EDUCATIONAL ONE-DAY TRIP TO D.C
Some of the most influential places in the world: a map of the best spots in the capital city, Washington, D.C., USA. The details and websites are right below the map.
ENJOYING D.C.
Source: The New York Times (2015)
THE DETAILS
1. United States Botanic Garden, 100 Maryland Ave SW; usbg.gov.
2. Rose’s Luxury, 717 Eighth Street SE; rosesluxury.com.
3. The Atlas Room, 1015 H Street NE; theatlasroom.com.
4. Biergarten Haus, 1355 H Street NE; biergartenhaus.com. H Street Country Club,1335 H Street NE; thehstreetcountryclub.com. The Pug, 1234 H Street NE;thepugdc.com.
5. Tune Inn, 331 Pennsylvania Avenue SE.
6. The Library of Congress, 10 First Street, SE; loc.gov.
7. Folger Shakespeare Library, 201 East Capitol Street SE; folger.edu/index.cfm.
8. Seventh Hill Pizza, 327 Seventh Street SE; montmartredc.com/seventhhill.
9. Congressional Cemetery, 1801 E Street SE; congressionalcemetery.org.
10. Osteria Morini, 301 Water Street SE; osteriamorini.com.
11. HR 57, 1007 H Street NE; hr57.org.
12. Eastern Market, 225 Seventh Street SE; easternmarket-dc.org. Hill’s Kitchen, 713 D Street SE; hillskitchen.com.
13. Lincoln Park, nps.gov/cahi/historyculture/cahi_lincoln.htm. Ted’s Bulletin, 505 Eighth Street SE; tedsbulletincapitolhill.com.
14. MULTI-DAY AND EXTENDED TOURS DEPARTING FROM NEW YORK CITY ==> CLICK HERE
Learn more about Washington, D.C.
HOUSE OF CARDS
It is diabolical. It's addictive. It makes you glue your eyes on your screen for watching an entire season at once, around 13 hours of the show. We are talking about House of Cards, an American political drama developed and produced by Beau Willimon. Netflix's original production is an adaptation of the BBC's mini-series of the same name and based on the novel by Michael Dobbs.
House of Cards is a television series that helped pioneer the streaming revolution since it was the first one to give control and power to the viewer – releasing all episodes of an entire season at once. "This new format is the online-is-the-new-black era of TV viewing," as Jennifer Wood, from Roling Stone magazine says.
Watching Frank Underwood (Kevin Spacey) and his wife Francis Underwood (Robin Wright) planning their often illegal, occasionally homicidal machinations, makes you feel like a naive kid, and reptiles seem like they are butterflies. Most likely, even Machiavelli would fell like The Little Prince. Italian Historian and author John Dalberg-Acton remarked that "Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely." True. If you watch 'House of Cards' you have no doubt about it. Thankfully, not every man is corrupted; not everyone is corruptible. There's always hope standing strong if you look around or to yourself. Or maybe not. Who knows?
The truth is that as an entertainment product, House of Cards is great fun. Even the advertising dynamics for this revolutionary TV Series is very peculiar. We can learn a lot fro it, as we were traveling to Washington D.C. and walking the streets of History.
Enjoy this interesting educational content. It is going to be very useful when you plan your next touristic adventure to get to know some of the most influential places in the free world. The following content was created by Atlantic Re:think, The Atlantic's creative marketing group, and made possible by the sponsorship of Netflix. It does not necessarily reflect the views of The Atlantic's editorial staff.
THE MAKINGS OF A FIRST COUPLE
People from all over the world are very familiar with the existence of the first lady. Could the United States of America make for the first time the first gentleman, instead? Click on the video below to learn more
THE PRESIDENCY
When we cast our votes for president, the name that’s not on the ticket matters just as much as the one that is. Read More
THIS TOWN
If you would like to dive into the behind-the-scenes of some of the most powerful offices in Washington, D.C., you might enjoy reading This Town, Mark Leibovich, chief national correspondent for The New York Times Magazine, presents a blistering, stunning—and often hysterically funny— examination of our ruling class’s incestuous “media industrial complex.” Through his eyes, we discover how the funeral for a beloved newsman becomes the social event of the year.
How political reporters are fetishized for their ability to get their names into the predawn e-mail sent out by the city’s most powerful and puzzled-over journalist.
How a disgraced Hill aide can overcome ignominy and maybe emerge with a more potent “brand” than many elected members of Congress. And how an administration bent on “changing Washington” can be sucked into the ways of This Town with the same ease with which Tea Party insurgents can, once elected, settle into it like a warm bath.
Outrageous, fascinating, and very necessary, This Town is a must-read, whether you’re inside the Beltway—or just trying to get there.
