If you're in the NW area of DC and looking for good food with fresh ingredients, or for some unhealthy beignets that are simply excellent, check out Founding Farmers. I called myself eating healthy with an egg white omelet and hash browns made from shredded leeks. Then I saw beignets w/ caramel, chocolate, and raspberry sauces. I'm so weak. Diet=failure.

Astro's is the brainchild of two childhood friends Eliot Spaisman and Jeff Halpern who grew up playing hockey together (one currently plays in the NHL) and a would enjoy doughnuts as post-game treat. An union of two iconic comfort foods, relish in the daily rotation of chef Jason Gehring's doughnut flavors (Maple Bacon and Brooklyn Blackout are served everyday) and of his grandma's classic buttermilk fried chicken recipe (but you can kick it up with a spicy garlic blend or a sriracha blend).

Though admittedly lacking in the quaint appeal of an Indian Rickshaw or the quiet lull of an inter-island ferry, the Washington, D.C. Metro is nothing if not efficient. Simple to navigate, relatively inexpensive to ride, and convenient to most interesting parts of the city, don't miss the opportunity to ride underground the next time you visit. It's so fast to get from one place to the next, you'll never have to ask, "Are we there yet?"

Like many people these days, I need a cup of caffeine to get me going in the morning. Most mornings I’m a tea person but every now again, I need a cup of coffee. Luckily for me, M.E. Swing is just a short two blocks away from my office. M.E. Swing is a local D.C. coffee house that has been serving coffee since 1916. They not only grind the beans fresh but they also roast them so the coffee is just about the best there is in the city and you can’t beat the prices either. While you can get a latte or espresso or macchiato at Swing’s, the best cup is actually their simple drip coffee, especially the house blends. There really is no better way to savor the flavor and aroma of the freshly roasted and ground beans. Trust me on that and save the fancy coffee concoctions for another place. In 1994, Swing’s moved to its present location and they brought along a lot of the interior fixtures from their original building on E St. The moment you step inside, you’ll feel like you’ve stepped back in time with antique wooden coffee bins and high round tables with chrome plated stools for customers to sit on. Swing’s is located right across 17th St from the Old Executive Office Building which sits right next door to the White House. If you’re in the area and need a cup of joe, walk past Starbucks and head to Swing’s. There is no WiFi here so leave the laptop behind! Metro stops: Farragut North (Red Line) or Farragut West (Orange Line)

Aside from fictional spies like James Bond, Jason Bourne and Austin Powers, few of us know much about the world of espionage and that’s probably very deliberate. After all, you can’t expect any good spy to be giving away their trade secrets. If you are intrigued by spies, and want to separate fact from fiction, then the place for you is the International Spy Museum; it is the only museum in the US dedicated to espionage. Here, you can learn all about the gadgets and techniques real spies used - from cameras embedded in everyday objects to my favorite, the lipstick pistol. Discover the realm of ciphers and codes that spies used to transmit messages, notorious female spies (you’ll likely recognize most of the names but never knew they were spies), and the role of carrier pigeons in espionage. For fun, you can also assume the identity of one of 16 different spies. As you walk through the museum there are displays as well as guards to test how well you remember the details of your spy profile. There is also a GPS guided tour called Spy in the City which involves walking streets around the museum to solve a spy case on your own. It’s a lot of fun plus you get to see a bit of the Penn Quarter neighborhood at the same time. Though the Spy Museum is small, they cram in the displays and there is a lot of information to read. Give yourself at least four hours to cover it all. The museum does come with a price tag for admission; check Groupon or LivingSocial for deals.

An undulating steel and glass canopy wows visitors who enter the Kogod Courtyard. Inside you'll find diners from the museum's café, tourists soaking their weary feet in the shallow fountain running across the space and students taking advantage of free WiFi in the light and airy setting. The modern roof seals the center of the old Patent Office Building, currently shared by the National Portrait Gallery and American Art Museum. Architect, Norman Foster, designed the roof to have minimal impact on the building by creating a support system that prevents direct contact and weight placement on it. Unlike most of the other Smithsonian museums that are located on the Mall, this gem is found in the busy Penn Quarter of downtown DC. It is my favorite place to bring visitors not only for the impressive courtyard space, but also for the preserved architecture of the patent offices on the top floor. Check the Smithsonian's website for special courtyard workshops, concerts or events. GET THERE: Right by Gallery Place/Chinatown Metro on green, yellow and red lines

If I could have, I would have hugged Robert Wiedmaier for the meal we had at his exceptional restaurant. I would tell anyone traveling to D.C., that if they wanted just one good meal, this is the place. We started our meal with seasonal oysters that were the freshest and tastiest I think I’ve ever had. Next, we tried the bone marrow with sage and rosemary crusted bread. The main attraction, the mussels with white wine, roasted garlic, parsley, and cream made me sing. They come to your table right in the pot they are cooked in, steaming hot, accompanied with frites and bread for dipping. I love you Robert Wiedmaier. We will be back.

Located in the atrium of the Corcoran Gallery of Art is a casual café that is owned and operated by celebrated chef, Todd Gray, who is better known for the elegant and composed meals that he serves up at his flagship restaurant, Equinox, than creating earthy health food. Todd Gray’s Muse at the Corcoran is a daily lunch and Sunday brunch café featuring market-sourced produce and local ingredients in soups, salads, sandwiches and desserts. What’s unusual about the menu is that a lot of it focuses on vegetarian as well as vegan dishes. In fact, once a month, the Sunday brunch is totally vegan! I am a die-hard omnivore and even I love going to Muse for lunch. My perennial warm weather favorite is the grilled cheese (pressed to order) sandwich served up with a cup of tomato soup and a salad of baby arugula and carrot. The soup is to die for – thick puree of sun ripened tomatoes that is well seasoned with an ever so slight hint of fresh ginger. Simple but it makes my taste buds very happy! Though this is café food, it is definitely very upscale – don’t let the recyclable bowls and compostable corn cutlery fool you into believing anything otherwise! You place your order at the counter and they give you a small blackboard plaque to place on your table; your food will be brought to you when it’s ready. The Corcoran Gallery is just around the corner from the White House so Muse is a convenient spot to grab a healthy bite for lunch!

After a long awaited re-opening, the infamous reflecting pool shared by the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial has been opened to the public once again. Over one year of construction on the new water filtration system that now pulls water from the nearby Potomac River has kept tourists from enjoying one of the Nations most coveted sites. If you visit D.C. you will notice numerous changes. The National Mall has undergone a major re-construction with new sod and walkways to make all of the monuments handicap accessible. Now everyone is able to enjoy some of the Nation's greatest memorials. (This photo was taken in September 2012.)

If you feel visiting the free smithsonian museums has saved you the bucks intended for your daily expenditure in travel plan, head over to the cafe of National museum of the American Indian and have one of the best meals of your trip. In the picture are chipotle chicken taco along with a chocolate tart and a fountain coke, a meal that you would cherish for a long time.

Last September, Union Market opened as a year-round indoor food hall in Northeast Washington, D.C. The market showcases more than 40 local vendors including Neopol Smokery, Peregrine Espresso, and Righteous Cheese. Photo courtesy of Union Market. This appeared in the March/April 2013 issue.

I love museums. When I saw the exhibit for America I Am, a look into the African Diaspora and its contributions to America, I knew I had to go. I know, I know, the sponsorship by Walmart isn't all that appealing. Still, I was glad to see a crowd lined up for a chance to see the exhibit. I saw a young Black male complaining to his mother he thought the whole thing was stupid. I was happy his mother forced him to go. Today's youth (and adults for that matter) are not always able to appreciate the struggles of the past. On another note, there was also an exhibit with excellent photography that I found fascinating.

I’ve had a life long love affair with pork so when a friend suggested that we go for dinner at a place called The Pig, how could I say no? The Pig serves up its dishes as small plates so it’s the perfect place to go with a group of people and sample as much as you can from the menu. All the ingredients are locally sourced and if you must know where your food comes from, they note down the names of the suppliers on a chalkboard in the waiting area. At Pig, you have to start your meal off with the charcuterie platter, which comes with a selection of cured meats – the best of which is the Surryano ham, Virginia’s attempt to produce Serrano style ham. Along with the meats, there are pickled vegetables, olives, dates and two sauces – house made honey mustard and mint. A small tin bucket holds slices of toasted bread. I would then recommend sampling and sharing the rest of the menu. One of my favorite dishes is the Braised Cheek, which is served with sautéed greens and just about the most scrumptious stone grits I have ever had! Each delicious bite transports me to pig nirvana! There are plenty of handcrafted alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks to accompany your meal with and don’t forget to leave room for dessert. (If they have the Sticky Toffee Pudding, go for it!) They do have a few non-pork options and there are enough side dishes to keep a vegetarian happy but it really is all about The Pig here and I love it!

It is only the beginning of March and already the perfume of cherry blossoms is in the air. There are a few gorgeous trees right outside the stately National City Christian Church with space to sit beneath them and enjoy the fragrant shade.

Looking for a spectacular panoramic view of Washington, D.C.? Head to the Top of the Hay rooftop terrace, located in the historic and iconic Hay-Adams Hotel. For over 82 years, the hotel has played host to prominent travelers and Washington's elite movers and shakers such as Charles Lindbergh, Amelia Earhart, Sinclair Lewis, Ethel Barrymore, and the Obama family before they moved to the house you see across Lafayette Park in 2009.

If you come to DC, do not skip out on a visit to the Library of Congress. You will regret it. Don’t be impressed by the statistics. The largest library in the world - a campus of 8 buildings, housing nearly 150+ million items. You'll never see it all or even a small bit of it. Be impressed by the interior of the Jefferson Building. It is jaw dropping gorgeous. You don't need a plane ticket to Europe to see stunning architecture. It's right here in DC and in of all places, a library. You can either walk around on your own or join the free guided tour which lasts about an hour. Be impressed by the Main Reading Room. You can't take pictures there so memorize every bit of detail that you can about this magnificent room Be impressed by the amazing first edition classic books. Yes, they have first edition Twain and Dr. Seuss just to name two. Be impressed by the originals of the Gutenberg Bible printed in vellum and also in type print and then thank Gutenberg for his invention. Wander through the various reading rooms and before you know it, a couple hours will have passed by and you've barely nicked the surface of what there is to see in just this one building. You’ll want to come back. You don't have to be a bookworm to appreciate this institution. The Library does have a multimedia collection. Here are their tips for preserving all the photos that you took of your visit to this amazing place! http://www.digitalpreservation.gov/personalarchiving/

An entire convention center full of enthusiastic travelers, writers, photographers, tour operators, and more! So much excitement and inspiration in one giant room! Can you spot the AFAR booth?