WASHINGTON, DC. — In a bleak and dreary November found me in the ‘burbs of Washington, DC. To the cognoscenti, that’s that famous place that is, of course, the center of the universe. I do not exaggerate.
Some days ago, the DC baseball team, the Nationals, won the World Series. That’s evidence number one.
Two, it has been unseasonably cold, almost freezing, almost unheard of before Thanksgiving. That’s a portent of momentous events as well as palpable evidence of climate change. No self-respecting center of the universe would be left out of the climate change debate, and even if Greta Thunberg preferred to land by sailboat in Frank S’s New York, she sandwiched a protest visit to Washington, making the latter a competitor to the title of the Definite Place to Visit.
Three, and most importantly, the Washington Post still shows up on my driveway, once a week at least, although slimmed down measurably with the advent of competing news and advertising sources online. It doesn’t matter, this competition thing, so long as we embrace the philosophy of no more driving to the shopping because, of course, Amazon.com not only reads your needs but also delivers in One Day Prime.
Finally, for nostalgia more than anything else, there’s still The Old Ebbitt Grill; go there for the oysters and crab cakes.
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There are certain perennials about the American capital. The Redskins have only the remembrances of things past (to evoke Marcel Proust, Doug Williams, and Joe Gibbs). The Washingtonian Magazine is still around, especially where you go for a haircut. Reagan National is still the airport of choice for Movers and Shakers. The traffic, yes the traffic, still competes with La-la land. The visitors still visit the White House and the great museums, of which the Smithsonian is still the best. The Kennedy Center still has free performances (at 6pm, Monday to Friday).
But there must be things that are new. As a creature of habit, I can report not much. This is due more to my inaction than anything else.
But I checked around and came up with certain nuggets, if only to help guide out-of-town visitors. For the museum-hungry, there’s a $1 bus called The Circulator. The Washington Monument has re-opened after closing for a renovation in 2016 (get your tickets in advance). The lure of Atlantic City has dimmed, replaced by nearby casinos in Baltimore and at the National Harbor, for the visitor who likes slots and tables.
For Filipinos, the restaurant scene has grown like mushrooms in a rain forest. In my neighborhood, there’s a Kuya Ja’s Lechon Belly (4.5 on 473 reviews).
What do the French say? Plus ca change, plus c’est la meme.
Mao jud. I visit but not in the extremes of winter and summer; for then, there’s Dumaguete.
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Author’s email: [email protected]; Twitter: @ORoncesvalles
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