HyperLocal News for Richmond, Virginia

Old Rag: Virginia's favorite hikeIf there's something Washingtonians aim to do, it's to climb higher – up the corporate ladder, the political spotlight, or anywhere higher than the Capitol, Washington's highest point. If you're feeling a little antsy above sea-level, fear not. Within an hour and a half of Washington lies Old Rag, Shenandoah National Park's most challenging and interesting hike. It is not for the faint of heart and requires hikers to be in some kind of athletic shape, or at least have experience in hiking.

George Washington's Whiskey Distillery: commanding spiritsGeorge Washington was more than just a politician and a general – he was a whiskey maker. The founding father maintained a whiskey distillery about three miles from his Mount Vernon estate, where it cranked out 11,000 gallons of whiskey at its peak in 1799. A renovation of his gristmill, the miller's house, and a reconstruction of his distillery exists in its original location and is open to the public.

Decatur House: Washington's historic homeThe Decatur House, located on Lafayette Square, is one of Washington's historic homes many walk by and sigh over, wishing they had that address. Built in 1818, the house is the first private home in the White House neighborhood and neighbors of the President. Back then, the home had more visible space and fewer – if no other – buildings nearby. Today, it remains sandwiched among office and government buildings, but its historic appeal keeps it alive.

Corcoran Gallery of Art: Where classic meets modernThe expansive marble building across from the White House may seem daunting and important. Daunting, no. Important, very much so. Home of the Corcoran Gallery of Art, the building holds some great works of art, including Degas, Warhol, Picasso, Renoir, Delacroix and Monet, to name a few.

National Press Club: Where the world's journalists cover the free world's capitalIf you want to find where the nation's -- and now the world's -- journalistic voice goes to gather, mingle, exchange ideas and talk shop, then go no further than the National Press Club. Located around the corner from Metro Center and just three blocks from the White House, it's a private club where the public can venture in as guests or visitors and be wowed by the intense intellectuality that surfaces there.

Anderson House: Historic home of the Continental ArmyThe Anderson House in Washington's Dupont Circle neighborhood is another historic home many sigh over as they pass by, and brides dream of holding their weddings on its grounds. A National Historic Landmark, the house retains much of its original character, design and furnishings, and is currently the headquarters for the Society of the Cincinnati, an organization formed during the American Revolution and continues to function as a reminder of the freedoms for which the founding fathers fought.

Capital Crescent Trail: Connecting DC by bikeWashington loves to bike, particularly suburbanites who hate driving. So it only makes sense that the Capital Crescent Trail would lead people from Bethesda to Georgetown without ever having to go through a stop light. One of the nation's most popular rail trails, and ranked the most traveled on, Capital Crescent is 11 miles long one-way and popular year-round with bikers, runners, and families.

Capitol Steps: A mesmerizing, GOP (grand old political) tripFor decades, American political figures have endured the risk of being mocked, and in Washington, no one does it better than the Capitol Steps. This live comedy troupe has been poking fun at presidents, congresspersons, news media, lobby groups, Republicans, Democrats, and the Washington Metro since 1981, when the group were six Republican Congressional staffers working on the Senate Subcommittee on Energy, Nuclear Proliferation and Government Processes. Ever since then, the Capitol Steps are as

Eastern Market: DC's eclectic spotEvery city of European influence contains a public market with food stalls for people to wander past and gaze at cuts of meat, hunks of cheese and luscious farm-fresh fruits and vegetables, and Washington is no different. Its establishment is the Eastern Market, a popular weekend site for locals and visitors, in an up-and-coming pocket of the Capitol Hill neighborhood.

Freer and Sackler Galleries: A focus on Asian artA smaller section of the National Mall houses the exquisite collections in the Freer Gallery and the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery. The museums don't have the same pomp and circumstance as the other Smithsonian museums, such as the Air & Space Museum, but its collections of Chinese and Asian fine arts continue to impress visitors who tour the galleries.

The Tasting Room Wine Bar & Shop: an urban vineyard experienceThe Tasting Room is more than just a wine bar and shop: it’s a place where you can let your palette explore any number of wines without committing to an entire glass of each. From nearby Virginia to Europe, the selection provides a wide variety to while away an afternoon in a relaxed, unpretentious setting.

The Birchmere Keeps Rockin'As nightclubs come and go, The Birchmere is clearly here to stay.

Tugooh Toys: Organic playingWashington's children are some of the best-educated in the country. Perhaps it's because they only play with educational, organic toys, none of which are noisy enough to deafen them, painted with lead paint, or passive video-watching. Washington's elite offspring play with mind-stimulating, safe but challenging, expensive toys, and many of them are purchased none other than at Tugooh Toys, a specialist in such products.

Q West Nails: keeping your feet and wallet happyBeauty doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg. Just a hand and a foot – or all, if you're going for the Q-West “mani-pedi” special. The neighborhood nail salon is one of those where people who just want nice nails for a nice price will find themselves, happily buzzing away in a massage chair while having their feet and hands smoothed into silk. Though the price isn't as dirt-cheap as some may have experienced in cities like Los Angeles or New York, it's fairly decent for Washington, D.C.

Mr. Yogato: Wackiest frozen yogurt everDomo origato, yogurt fans. It's like the Pinkberry craze that took over the West coast and made its way East – though its origins really are from the far East. The tangy, low-fat dessert has become so popular thanks to Mr. Yogato's prime location on 17th Street in Dupont. Here, the line usually goes out the door of the brightly lit, no-frills, basement shop on hot summer evenings. It's a great place to stop after dinner, with friends, or with a first date to play old-school Nintendo games while

Tabletop: A bright retail oasisTabletop is a small breath of fresh air among all the Ikea-laden apartments. The little Dupont shop, tucked in the garden level of a brownstone, features whimsical home accessories and gifts that always makes it a fun trip to visit, even if you don't buy anything.

Kramerbooks and Afterwords book store & café: Where Washington reads and debatesPicture the perfect place in a movie for two intellectuals who meet in a bookshop and then debate philosophy over a cup of coffee, and you would choose Kramerbooks and Afterwords café for your setting. Except that this popular Dupont Circle bookshop is filled with actual literati and bookworms, and anyone who just loves spending an afternoon browsing among the shelves.

D.C. smoking ban exceptions lights fire under controversyWashington, D.C. businesses may get an exemption for the city's smoking ban.

Jazz in the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden: Art within art through Sept. 10Summer comes, and suddenly Washington is exploding with outdoor activity on the National Mall. If you've been dreaming of spending your Friday evening surrounded by great works of sculptured art, the nation's monuments in the background, live jazz, a picnic spread and a pitcher of sangria, just head to the Sculpture Garden at the National Gallery of Art on Friday evenings.

Cherry Blossom Festival Ushers in SpringNow is the time to see Washington, D.C. in its springtime finery as the cherry blossoms bloom.

Wolf Trap: Washington's favorite picnicAs the summer season makes its way around the corner, Washingtonians, too, like to head to the great outdoors and relax on a hot night under the stars. Throw in a picnic, a bottle of wine, and some live music, and you’ve got the perfect evening – right at Wolf Trap in Northern Virginia.

Georgetown: Washington's epicenter of societyGeorgetown is the quintissential neighborhood used to envision pictures of Washington, D.C. living. Brick townhouses with colonial shutters and gas lamps on brick-paved sidewalks line the streets, and women in sweater sets and pearls enjoy leisurely lunch and tea while chatting private schools and politics. It's an exclusive part of the District, so exclusive you can't reach it by Metro. Yet so many locals and tourists manage to find their way into the neighborhood, trolling M Street's shops and

Chinatown: A preservation of historyThe Chinatown in Washington is a ghost version of its original, which thrived between the 1930's and 1960's. Chinese restaurants and businesses still exist, but the neighborhood has been overshadowed by shopping-mall type stores, chain restaurants, and the Verizon Center. The only reminder of Chinatown is the enormous Friendship Arch and signage in Chinese characters, plus a small handful of Chinese restaurants.

Logan Circle: The hipper DupontOnce the stepsibling of the much-desired Dupont Circle and once a popular site for drug deals and prostitution, Logan Circle has since risen quite high above its previous standards and has become one of the most desirable neighborhoods in the city.

Friendship Heights – an Eastern Rodeo DriveFriendship Heights was always a destination for Washingtonians’ favorite department stores clustered in a one-block radius. But only in recent years has it suddenly sprouted into a luxury shopping mecca for the well-heeled. Situated on the Washington-Maryland border at Chevy Chase, along Wisconsin Avenue and bisecting Western Avenue, Friendship Heights boasts the wealthiest spread of stores per square foot.

Washington's Dupont Circle: Keeping the trendy vibe flowingFor the best ethnic food, indie bookstores and art galleries, head to this historic neighborhood in Northwest D.C., just blocks from the White House and the K Street downtown corridor.

Bethesda Bagels: New York bagels go to WashingtonNothing is more natural than having New Yorkers transplanted to our nation's capitol and requiring a local bagel place to open for nourishment and survival. That's exactly what Bethesda Bagels does: caters to the New Yorkers and trains others into learning about the essentials of lox and fat bagels on a Sunday morning over the New York Times (or in this case, the Washington Post).

Chicken Out: Rotisserie without guiltSure, it's called Chicken Out, but there's no reason to do actually “chicken out” when ordering at this popular rotisserie chain of the Washington suburbs. With a focus on healthy, natural ingredients without chemicals, the restaurant allows customers to freely put together a family meal quickly without the greasy guilt associated with quick-chicken.

Cafe Saint-Ex: Good eats, good times from taxiway to takeoffLocals under 26 years old will know Cafe Saint-Ex as a bar. A rowdy, drunken good time near the U Street corridor with a sweaty basement level for dancing to the guest DJ spinning tunes. But others will recognize it as a neighborhood restaurant serving up modern American cuisine with quirky twists, like fried green tomato BLT. Named for the French author who penned the Little Prince, Cafe Saint-Ex is a popular meeting spot with fun events spread throughout the week.

Harry's Tap Room: Pentagon City's organic restaurantHarry's Tap Room fits into the Pentagon City scene perfectly. Its laid-back, after-work beers and festive weekend brunches makes it a perfect setting for the young, yuppie neighborhood, along with its focus on organic food. And like most of Arlington, Harry's Tap Room is clean, bright and modern, with earth-tones and décor.

America: Our country's national restaurantIf there's to be a restaurant named America, featuring all the American favorites in one single restaurant, you'd be sure it would have some tourist appeal and in a location serving many tourists. America is located in Union Station, with partial views of Capitol Hill, and a menu that may satiate the appetites of Americans though scornfully by those from other parts of the world. In any case, it's the experience of dining in a themed restaurant that serves mac & cheese among decorations of dairy

Raku: Pan-Asian comfortNo one does comfort food, Asian-style, quite like they do at Raku. Though the Pan-Asian restaurant covers nearly all of the Orient, its food is fairly decent and rarely disappointing. Whether you're in the mood for sushi or noodles, or drinks with a side of potstickers, there's a little of everything for everyone, from tourists to first dates.

Lavandou: A Franco-American experienceLavandou is a classic French restaurant, slightly Americanized in its service (quicker than in France), but with all the herbs, slow-cooking and butter that necessitates true French cuisine. Located away from the downtown hype in an unlikely part of town, in quieter Cleveland Park, Lavandou is a real treasure trove of moules and pate and rillettes de canard. If you're a real francophile, or really enjoy French cooking, an evening at Lavandou will whisk you away to Provence, the restaurant's reg

Chop't: Salad in the District in 30 secondsChop't: a lunch place that prepares your food so quick, it doesn't even have time to write out “Chopped”. This salad specialty place makes salads in almost 30 seconds (more like three minutes, but who's complaining?) and ushers people in and out the door in a New York – or DC – minute. It's fitting considering the restaurant has about 10 locations between the two cities.

Old Ebbitt Grill: Where food meets historyA true Washington institution, almost as old as some of the monuments and buildings around town, Old Ebbitt Grill continues to draw politicians and pundits, locals and tourists to hang around with a stiff drink and a good meal the same way Presidents Grant, Cleveland, Harding and Teddy Roosevelt once did.

Sushi Taro: A courtly Japanese ritualSushi Taro is a true cultural dining experience. Besides having sushi that is extremely fresh and a lunch menu that's among the tastiest around Dupont Circle, Sushi Taro is so much more than just a really good Japanese restaurant. It is a genuinely elegant ancient court cuisine mixed with the simplicity of Buddhist fare. This concept is known as Kaiseki, designed to taste the natural flavors of food at its peak of freshness.