bites to eat

d.c. has a pretty decent restaurant scene. and there's definitely something for everyone here.

here, in no particular order, are some of our favorite places to eat:

1. birch and barley - located in logan circle, this place is delicious. pretty standard american food. seasonal and local ingredients abound. don't forget to check out their sister restaurant, chuchkey, located on the second floor. seriously excellent bar food. fried mac and cheese sticks? ok.

2. jaleo

if you're looking for something fun, check out this jose andres' tapas restaurant. this place is right in the heart of chinatown, and the food is delicious and unique. 

3. ted's bulletin

this place is located right by eastern market. the food is american diner style. this place is amazing. don't forget to try one of their famous 'adult milkshakes' (hint: there's booze in it) or one of their insane homemade pop tarts.

4. zaytinya - this is another tapas place. and it's also in chinatown. but the food couldn't be more different than jaleo. this place is run by former top chef contestant mike isabella. the website describes their food as greek and turkish, but it's just good stuff.

5. proof - this is located almost directly next door to zaytinya. it's a wine bar/restaurant. their cheese plates are a must try and their other food is just as good.

6. rosa mexicano. oh what's that? another chinatown restaurant? yes, this one is also in chinatown, but if you're looking for good guac (they make it at your table!) and margaritas, this is your place.

7. estadio. i have actually never been here before, but i'm dying to try it. this is also in logan circle, very close to birch & barley. spanish-style tapas. dc loves small places i guess.

8. sushi taro. bob and i used to live a block away from this sushi place. they've since remodeled the place, but i hear the sushi is as good as ever.

9. 2 amys. this place is located in upper georgetown. also known as glover park. in my opinion, this is the best pizza in the city. 

10. tackle box. you'll find this casual restaurant in the heart of georgetown on bustling m street. this is easily some of the best and freshest seafood i've ever had. 

11. marvin. you'll find marvin in dc's U street neighborhood. they have a cute little open air roof deck where you can grab a cocktail and the food here is to die for. i've never once left disappointed. just make sure at least one person in your party tries the chicken and waffles.

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we're pumped to see everyone in just a few short days! this will be our last blog post, but if there's anything you're wondering about, don't hesitate to send an email (ansmiley@gmail.com; bobby.sumner@gmail.com).


see you saturday!

getting there and parking

there's no shortage of hotels and places to stay while you're visiting dc. but no matter where you're staying, we want to make sure you can find us on the 16th.

directions from maryland, virginia and dc are below:

from maryland to eastern market

bethesda to eastern market

silver spring to eastern market

chevy chase to eastern market

from virginia to eastern market

alexandria to eastern market

springfield to eastern market

arlington to eastern market

from the grand hyatt washington/downtown d.c.

downtown dc to eastern market

and don't forget, eastern market has its own metro stop. so getting there via public transportation is also an excellent option.

CLICK HERE FOR FULL-SIZED MAP

once you arrive, directional signage will guide you to the north hall.

if you decide to drive, parking on the weekends is completely doable.

you can park in any spot you can find. just remember to read the neighborhood signs carefully to ensure you're not accidentally in a tow-away zone.

we recommend looking for a space anywhere within the red outline on this map. you'll have to parallel park, so but out those driver's ed skills from way back.

you can park outside of this red outline, but the walk will be longer. and we need you on the dance floor.

you're also welcome to take a taxi if that's more your speed.

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if you have questions about the parking/arrival situation, by all means let us know. we're happy to help (ansmiley@gmail.com/bobby.sumner@gmail.com).

see everyone soon!

top ten things to do

we are really looking forward to seeing everyone in a few weeks! 

so today, i thought it would be nice to share with you some fantastic dc activities. there's so much to do in this city that it can be hard to choose, but bob and i have worked together to come up with a list of some can't-miss activities.

so here goes: in no particular order, ten very awesome and mostly free things to do while you're here.

1. the monuments. whether you just check out some or manage to make the trek to see them all, if you've never been to dc or seen the monuments before, check them out! there's the lincoln, jefferson, washington momument, world war II memorial, vietnam memorial and more! 

insider tip: go at dawn or dusk. they're spectacular in the sunrise and moonlight. plus it won't be as hot or crowded!

2. the national gallery of art + sculpture garden.  this is an awesome FREE and air conditioned museum. there are new exhibits up all the time, and i've never left disappointed. when you're finished looking at the art, hop on over to the sculpture garden for a quick bite to eat. the sculptures are definitely something worth seeing.

insider tip: if you're in town friday afternoon, check out the free jazz in the garden series that takes place at the sculpture garden. bring a picnic blanket and spread out and enjoy the tunes!

3.  m street in georgetown. if shopping is what you're after, head this way. there's an endless amount of shops, cafes, and boutiques to check out. parking can be a bit of a challenge in the summer, but you should be able to find something. 

insider tip: skip the line at georgetown cupcake and head over to baked & wired instead. better cupcakes, no waiting.

4. nationals park. our hometown nationals will be taking on the evil yankees during the weekend. if you're looking for something fun and laid back to do on friday or sunday, head on over and check out the game and our beautiful stadium. you can buy tickets here.


insider tip: the line at shake shack is always long. but it's worth it if you really love a good burger. also, don't forget to check out the bullpen before and/or after the game ends. there's always something fun going on in there!

5. the portrait gallery. another free museum that has rotating exhibits and plentiful air conditioning. this is right in the heart of chinatown, so there's plenty of places to eat if you want to grab a bite after you're done soaking up the culture.

insider tip: don't miss the kogod courtyard. it's one of the most beautiful spaces in the city.

6. eastern market! we know you're coming here on saturday, but if you're still around on sunday morning, it's a great place to walk through. farmers, artists, and local vendors are located outside and there's fresh pasta and even more produce inside.

insider tip: don't forget to check out the parking lot across the street from the farmers tables. there's tons more to see in there!

7. the botanic gardens.  situated just in front of the u.s. capitol building, the botanic gardens are beautiful. if you're into natural surroundings, check this place out.


insider tip: admission is free so even if you just hop in here for some relief from the heat, it won't cost you a dime.

8. the newseum. this is one of the few museums in dc that has an admission but it's worth it. if you're a journalism nerd or history buff, this is an excellent museum.


insider tip: every morning, the newseum staff changes the front-page newspaper display out front to reflect the nation's most current news. see if you can find your local paper represented! 

9. the smithsonian museums. if you've been to dc before, you've probably been to a smithsonian. but they're still here. still free. still full of cool stuff.


insider tip: getting hungry while walking from museum to museum? stop in the cafeteria in the national museum of the american indian for the best food on the mall.

10. segway tour! if you don't feel like walking at all, but still want to take in everything dc has to show you, a segway tour is for you. i've done this twice now, and it was a blast.


insider tip: none. just have fun!

have questions about something that's not mentioned here? shoot us an email at ansmiley@gmail.com or bobby.sumner@gmail.com.

what to expect on june 16th

hello esteemed invited guest.

it's the soon-to-be groom checking in and flexing my once-strong blogging muscle to let you know what to expect once we finally reach the third weekend in june and get these nuptials underway. by now you have (hopefully!) received your invitation. in this post, i'll lay out what you can expect to happen june 16th.

 plan to arrive at eastern market in time for our 6PM ceremony (translation: arrive earlier). dress is cocktail attire; us groomsmen will be in suits and ties, and the ladies will be in cocktail/evening dresses. there is limited street parking near the north hall, but it's a take-what-you-can-get situation. if you don't mind spending a few minutes looking for a parking space and would like to drive, please do. but if you are planning on staying in the city (like at our beautiful reserved hotel), you can take a 15-20 minute cab ride($10-15) or the metro rail to eastern market station ($1.85). seating will be set up inside the north hall for our ceremony, which will run a scant 15 minutes or so.

(yet another shot of the building)

once our ceremony is completed, during that seemingly endless time where the bridal party and other associates are taking pics outside, we will kick off a cocktail hour in north hall(all drinks are free, by the way). 


during cocktail hour, have one of our signature cocktails while tasting some of the many passed hors d'oeuvres. eat as much as you'd like; our caterer will be passing these 'heavy' hors d'oeuvres all night in lieu of a sit-down dinner. 

after the bridal party is done with their photos, we'll do a few quick toasts and the first dance. 


and that's it. we'll open up the ceremony space for you to continue to enjoy the delicious locally sourced passed foods and the abundant free drinks. and even though there's no formal dinner, we'll have assigned seats during the toasts just so you know where to sit. don't worry. we sat you by someone cool. 


up next? it's time to wild-out on the dance floor, which will hopefully definitely be jamming with revelers. a dessert table with several selections will also be on display at this time. feel free to try everything!

we'll be partying most of the night (till about 11PM), but we understand if you aren't the type to dance the night away. feel free to come and go as you please. we just love that you decided to come and see us dedicate our lives to each other. 

as a failed disc jockey, it was imperative that i virtually 'deejayed' the party via a playlist of mp3s. we have scoured the internet for what has amounted to six hours of music, and we are in the process of whittling it down to something coherent for you all to get down to (nothing too obscure, i promise!). but that doesn't mean we aren't still looking for music options: if you have a song that you are dying to dance to with us, post its title or a youtube link in the comments, and we will be sure to include it on the playlist if it's funky enough (translation: no death metal).

i can't wait to see all of you, and i can't wait to finally marry my best friend in your presence. if you have any other questions about the ceremony or if you have any special requests for the event, don't hesitate to shoot me an email (bobby.sumner@gmail.com). 


47 days to go!

coming soon

by now, you should have received the save the dates in the mail.

just a quick update on the invitations: they are with our printer now and should start coming in the mail to you very soon.

we have included a custom map with the invitations so you can easily see points of interest in relation to the hotel and venue.

yay!

as always, questions about the wedding can be directed to either of us: ansmiley@gmail.com or bobby.sumner@gmail.com

almost two months until we get to see everyone.

oh yes.

married in a market

for those not from dc, you may not have heard of eastern market before. 


here's some things to note about this dc landmark.

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this is where we will do everything - cocktail hour, ceremony, reception - so once you're here, sit back and relax!


here's a peek at the inside. it's empty now, but we'll make it pretty.

eastern market is in the capitol hill neighborhood of this beautiful city.

it's home to a weekend outdoor farmer's market and art fair. tuesday through sunday, there are indoor merchants who sell their wares -- fresh pasta, flowers, meats and cheeses -- at the market.


there's a number of awesome restaurants in the area, including we, the pizza (run by former top chef contestant spike mendelsohn), cava mezze, sonoma wine bar, and ted's bulletin. all are excellent choices.


and here's directions on how to get to the market from anywhere in the dc metro area.
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we hope you'll have fun checking out capitol hill!

for those so inclined

for any guests so inclined, we are registered at macy's, anthropologie, and crate & barrel.

stay for a while

are you coming in from out of town?

how exciting!

we have reserved a room block at the grand washington hyatt. learn more about the hotel and its amenities here.

this hotel is right in the heart of everything: chinatown, the white house, the national mall, dupont circle and more.


the grand hyatt is also conveniently located directly on top of the metro center station, part of dc's metro system.


should you plan to use public transportation to get to the wedding, the blue line will take you directly to eastern market.

CLICK FOR FULL-SIZE MAP

sound good to you?


great!

click here to be directed to the reservation site. our group rate is $139/night.


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other nearby hotels include the westin, the madison, the donovan house, hampton inn, and the hilton garden inn.


 please contact us at ansmiley@gmail.com should you have any questions about the area or if you have difficulty reserving your room.


can't wait to see everyone!

get pumped

why, hello there!


we're excited you found our blog. 


are you coming to the wedding?


we're even more excited about that.
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can't wait for june 16!