Over the Labor Day weekend, the southwestern Washington, D.C., waterfront Wharf neighborhood was alive with the sound of music. Grammy-winning chanteuse Samara Pleasure headlined the annual DC JazzFest and serenaded overheated pageant attendees and dockside bystanders. Eating places overflowed with good-looking {couples} and teams of singles able to mingle, whereas carefree children and grown people alike grooved to the ’80s funk and soul flowing from an out of doors DJ set.
As a proud alumna of Howard College, that is the DC I like to see. This upwardly cellular and melanin-blessed surroundings was an idyllic backdrop for my solo getaway.
In the event you’re able to observe my lead, listed below are some highlights of what to do and see on a visit to the District of Columbia this fall.
The place to remain
“With open arms, we welcome you to your haven away from dwelling.”
Get a spacious room with a view on the Salamander Washington DC, which lately took over the 373-room Mandarin Oriental. Owned by Sheila Johnson, co-founder of BET and founder and CEO of the luxurious Salamander Motels & Resorts portfolio, the resort is the epitome of basic resort class. The widespread areas have a floral perfume, and the property’s tucked-away location between the landmarks on the Nationwide Mall and the Wharf make it an amazing launch pad for sightseeing.
The customer support is topnotch and African American patrons specifically will respect that everybody is handled like royalty. Room options embody deep soaking tubs and fragrant Diptyque bathtub and physique merchandise. Complimentary espresso and tea is ready up within the foyer each day.
Don’t miss the Salamander’s opulent Afternoon Tea ($95 per visitor, Saturday and Sunday seatings at 1:00 p.m. and three:30 p.m.) within the sunlit foyer lounge. Surrounded by well-heeled women who lunch, sip glowing wine and natural teas, and luxuriate within the subtle setting, punctuated by ambient jazz. Have a leisurely nosh on tiers of tea sandwiches, sweets, and selfmade scones served with lemon curd and jam.
And no keep on the Salamander DC could be full with out treating your self to a rejuvenating and rebalancing facial, therapeutic massage, or physique remedy on the Salamander Spa, which is a serene self-care sanctuary for each company and non-guests. Earlier than or after your remedy, allot time to loosen up within the steam room, sauna, and plunge pool.
Artwork and tradition
Whether or not you go for the primary or the fifth time, the Nationwide Museum of African American Historical past & Tradition (https://nmaahc.si.edu/) by no means disappoints. By way of August 2024, view the thought-provoking “Afrofuturism: A Historical past of Black Futures” exhibition on the decrease stage, spotlighting Black innovators in sci-fi, tech, popular culture, and activism. The motivating theme is that “Afrofuturism is Black resiliency and evolution,” and the immersive exhibit options eye-catching album covers, devices from pioneering musicians, and costumes from the unique Broadway present “The Wiz” and the blockbuster movie “Black Panther.” Admission is free, however timed-entry passes are required.
Discover the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Backyard (https://hirshhorn.si.edu/), and admire internationally famend artist Mark Bradford’s ongoing, large-scale exhibition, “Pickett’s Cost.” Admission is free.
Alongside the Nationwide Mall’s Tidal Basin and a bit off the crushed path, go to the putting Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial (https://www.nps.gov/mlkm/index.htm).
The place to eat and drink
The Wharf (https://www.wharfdc.com/eating places/) is the place locals and in-the-know vacationers go to eat, drink, and be merry. Price range-friendly picks embody the Union Pie pizza kiosk for tasty thin-crust pies, Fats Fish for poke bowls and sushi-style hand rolls, and bartaco for contemporary Mexican avenue meals and specialty cocktails.
For festive eating places and bars, fashionable retailers, and a handy Dealer Joe’s, head to the vigorous northwestern 14th Avenue hall. Two dependable Black-owned staples are the unique Busboys and Poets (https://www.busboysandpoets.com/) and the enduring Ben’s Chilli Bowl (https://benschilibowl.com/), now in its sixty fifth yr in enterprise.
Rooftop viewsNot removed from Dupont and Logan circles, relish small bites and spirits at Hedy’s Rooftop (https://www.viceroyhotelsandresorts.com/zena/dining-nightlife) on the female-empowerment-themed Lodge Zena. For sundown views, hearth pits, and comfortable hour sips and bites, pop by Woman Fowl (https://www.ladybirddc.com/), perched atop the Kimpton Banneker Lodge. In Downtown D.C. at strolling distance from Black Lives Matter Plaza, go to Eaton DC’s rooftop bar and lounge Wild Days (https://www.wild-days-dc.com/new-page-2) for cool music vibes in a plant-and-mosaic-art-filled setting.
