All Access

Washington D.C.

blue

A guide to fun things to do in D.C. this weekend.

Axios D.C. Weekender

Weekender

A daily look at the most significant and interesting stories affecting Washington, DC. Written by Anna Spiegel and Cuneyt Dil.

Axios D.C. Thought Bubble

Thought Bubble

Axios D.C.

Standard

D.C. Alerts

Alert

Washington, DC Members

Membership

D.C. editor Kayla here! I'm stepping out of the editorial shadows to highlight my favorite holiday activity: ice skating. 

I started figure skating a few years ago because I was in desperate need of a work/life balance hobby, and I highly recommend it.

Here are a few of my favorite local ice rinks:

Reston Town Center: 818 Discovery St., Reston

I've skated here every holiday since I was a kid. This is a lovely outdoor rink surrounded by shops and restaurants and decked out with more twinkle lights than you could ever wish for. Seriously, the scene looks like it's straight out of a Hallmark movie.

If you're not a fan of skating outdoors, check out Reston SkateQuest (the indoor rink where I practice) down the street.

Pentagon Row: 1201 S. Joyce St., Arlington

Pentagon Row boasts the biggest outdoor ice rink in northern Virginia and is a short distance from the Pentagon City Metro station.

Their rental skates aren't my favorite, but they're perfect for a few casual laps with friends followed by drinks at one of the many nearby restaurants.

National Sculpture Garden: Constitution Ave NW &, 7th St. NW

You can't talk about skating in D.C. without highlighting one of the city's most iconic spots. Accessible via multiple Metro and bus lines, this is a beautiful place to go for a glide in the evening or even during lunch break if you work downtown. 

Enchant Christmas at Nationals Park: 1500 S. Capitol St., SE

Each year, Enchant Christmas takes over Nationals Park to transform it into a winter wonderland complete with sparkling lights, a Christmas market, and Santa himself. Skating aficionados can take it all in while gliding across the ice skating trail that winds through the park.

Have I skated here yet? No. Is my inner child filled with glee at the thought of doing so? Definitely!

Rockville Town Square: 131 Gibbs St., Rockville

The largest outdoor ice rink between D.C. and Baltimore, Rockville Town Square offers 7,200 square feet to slip, slide, and salchow.

A lovely outdoor space and a big surface. What's not to love?

Email me to share which rinks you think I should hit up next!

Editor's pick: Favorite D.C. area ice skating rinks

Each year, Enchant Christmas takes over Nationals Park with a market, twinkling lights and Santa himself.

People ice skate at the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden ice rink.

Washington, D.C.

D.C. editor <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Kayla" data-vars-click-url="https://twitter.com/KaylaNSharpe" data-vars-content-id="6d1bea47-016a-4a46-8460-5178d54c1fb7" data-vars-headline="Editor&#x27;s pick: Favorite D.C. area ice skating rinks" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://twitter.com/KaylaNSharpe" target="_blank">Kayla</a> here! I&#x27;m stepping out of the editorial shadows to highlight my favorite holiday activity: ice skating. I started figure skating a few years ago because I was in desperate need of a work/life balance hobby, and I highly recommend it.

Things to Do

Hi, editor Kayla here, back with another restaurant spotlight from my neck of the woods in Northern Virginia. 

Quick take: If you're a fan of creative flavors and cooking your own meal but not having to clean up after, consider the Japanese barbeque hot spot Gyu Shige in Fairfax's Mosaic District.

I brought along my younger brothers for a catch-up … and so that they could cook the food while I took photos for the Axios D.C. Instagram (smash that follow button).

How it works: If you've never had Japanese barbecue, don't be intimidated. Our server was friendly and made great recommendations. She showed us how to use the utensils for the in-table grill, and dished up suggested cooking times to suit our doneness preferences.

What we drank: Light, tropical drinks that felt like summer. I ordered the Bittersweet Daiquiri and my brothers enjoyed the Agave Smokehouse (a margarita made with smoky mezcal tequila)  and the Tokyo Drift (a Long Island Iced Tea-style cocktail with vodka, rum, gin, tequila, and Midori liqueur).

No, you can't take a sip yet. I need to snap a picture. Photo: Kayla Sharpe/Axios

What we ate: Order 2-3 proteins per person. Our favorites were the boneless short rib, the spicy chicken breast, the filet mignon, and the miso squid. Several of the meats were accompanied by dipping sauces. My favorite was the shio garlic.

If you're looking for something more straightforward, the garlic beef fried rice is great. Sushi fans: try the baked lobster roll.

We ordered the spicy chicken breast (top left), the boneless short rib (center), and the thin beef tongue arranged in the shape of a flower (top right). Photo: Kayla Sharpe/Axios

Get grilling at Gyu Shige Japanese barbeque

If you've never had Japanese barbecue, don't be intimidated. Our server was friendly and made great recommendations.

Hi, editor Kayla here, back with another restaurant spotlight from my neck of the woods in Northern Virginia. Quick take: If you&#x27;re a fan of creative flavors and cooking your own meal but not having to clean up after, consider the Japanese barbeque hot spot Gyu Shige in <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Fairfax&#x27;s Mosaic District" data-vars-click-url="https://mosaicdistrict.com/" data-vars-content-id="7c62f809-aa80-433b-a8c6-fd252cb6fd67" data-vars-headline="Get grilling at Gyu Shige Japanese barbeque" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://mosaicdistrict.com/" target="_blank">Fairfax&#x27;s Mosaic District</a>.

Food and Drink

My Australian Shepherd Kirby recently got neutered, so after two weeks of bed rest (and the cone of shame), we're ready to make up for lost adventure time.

Why it matters: I'm a huge fan of dog-friendly local hikes that don't require a ton of skill or gear.  Here are my favorite Northern Virginia spots to explore with my good boy:

🏞 Seneca Regional Park in Great Falls is a great walking spot along the Potomac. Stick to the gravel road if you want the easiest route down to the river. If you want a more adventurous route, veer off onto one of the marked trails.

Pro tips: There are several benches by the river. Take some time to rest and reflect. 

Be sure to download or print a copy of the trail map so you don't get lost.

The park's gravel parking lot can fill up pretty quickly so arrive early on weekends and consider carpooling if you visit with a friend.

🌳 Walker Nature Center in Reston is situated amid several wooded walking trails. During our hour-long adventure, Kirby and I saw foxes and deer, and even stopped to read some signs about native Virginia plant species. This is a great spot to spend time in nature while knowing that you're only a mile or so from a main road or residential area if you get lost.

Pro tips: The nature center has water fountains out back so bring a water bottle and portable dog bowl to fill up.

🎶 Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts combines music with nature in the best ways possible. In addition to being a great outdoor concert venue, the park also has two trails and many grassy areas that are perfect for hikes, birdwatching, or picnics.

Pro tips: If you take a hike during the afternoon before an evening concert, you might be lucky enough to hear an artist's soundcheck.

If you or your dog are keen to cool off, Wolf Trap Run is a small creek that runs through the woods. Kirby had a great time splashing around.

Of note: Despite the name, there are no longer wolves in the Northern Virginia area, per the National Park Service.

🌼 Riverbend Park is a popular hiking destination, and for good reason. There are plenty of well-marked trails to choose from, many of which wind scenically alongside the Potomac River. You can even hike three miles to Great Falls National Park, no entry fee required.

I don't know what kind of flowers these are, but they were very pretty so I stopped in the meadow to take a picture... and catch my breath. Photo: Kayla Sharpe/Axios.

Pro tips: Whatever route you take, make sure it includes the Bootlegger Trail which passes through the beautiful Conn's Farm Meadow.

Visit: 8700 Potomac Hills St., Great Falls 

🐕🚶🏾‍♀️Where should Kirby and I venture next? I'm sure there are other fantastic walking spots in the Washington area. Let me know which nearby dog-friendly trails we should explore.

Editor's pick: Best places to hike with your dog in Northern Virginia

Here are my favorite walking trails to visit with my Australian Shepherd, Kirby.

A red merle Australian Shepherd sits near a stream in the forest.

Kirby the Australian Shepherd loves to spend time in nature. Where should we hike next? Photo: Kayla Sharpe/Axios

My Australian Shepherd Kirby recently got neutered, so after two weeks of bed rest (and the cone of shame), we&#x27;re ready to make up for lost adventure time.Why it matters: I&#x27;m a huge fan of dog-friendly local hikes that don&#x27;t require a ton of skill or gear. Here are my favorite Northern Virginia spots to explore with my good boy:

I'm guessing you probably don't have plans to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the discovery of Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun's tomb.

My suggestion: Walk like an Egyptian to the National Geographic museum's new immersive exhibit: Beyond King Tut. 

I just visited with my friend, Egyptologist and archaeologist Melissa in De Nile, and highly recommend it. 

What's different: Don't expect to see actual ancient artifacts. Instead, the exhibit uses replicas and high-definition projections to depict artifacts found inside Tut's tomb, along with burial practices, and to interpret the ancient Egyptians' perception of the Duat, the realm of the dead.  

This means you get a much closer look than a display case would allow, and artifacts remain back in Egypt where they belong.  

Also notable: You aren’t overwhelmed by walls of text. There's a good balance of visual and audio storytelling, perfect for young explorers.  

What not to miss: The burial chamber room features a massive replica of  Tutankhamun's shrine. Keep your head on a swivel to catch all the details of the story being projected onto the walls around you. 

A replica of King Tut's golden burial shrine

This burial shrine is to die for. Photo: Kayla Sharpe/Axios

There are also many photo ops along the route. Have you ever wanted to be on the cover of National Geographic? Now’s your chance.

What I learned: Melissa pointed out that the hieroglyphs on the bottom corner of Tut's gold shrine are called a cartouche. According to her, they accurately read "tut-ankh-Amun," though the name of the god Amun is written first out of respect for the god. The boy king's name means "Living Image of Amun." 

Egyptologist Melissa in De Nile reads hieroglyphics on the replica shrine.

Everyone should have an Egyptologist friend on speed dial. Photo: Kayla Sharpe/Axios

Plan your visit: The exhibit is open daily and runs through February 2023. Tickets are $12 - $20. Set aside at least an hour for the best experience. 

Unwrap National Geographic's immersive "Beyond King Tut" exhibit

There's a good balance of visual and audio storytelling, perfect for young explorers.

A screen displaying the exhibit name "Beyond King Tut"

👋🏿 Hi, D.C. editor Kayla here!I&#x27;m guessing you probably don&#x27;t have plans to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the discovery of Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun&#x27;s tomb.My suggestion: Walk like an Egyptian to the National Geographic museum&#x27;s new immersive exhibit: <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Beyond King Tut" data-vars-click-url="https://www.beyondkingtut.com/city/washingtondc" data-vars-content-id="b95c8621-1499-47c6-9107-5faa38548856" data-vars-headline="Unwrap National Geographic&#x27;s immersive &quot;Beyond King Tut&quot; exhibit" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.beyondkingtut.com/city/washingtondc" target="_blank">Beyond King Tut</a>.

Like so many Washingtonians, I was shocked Sunday night to learn of Bruce Johnson's passing. As a kid in Vienna, I grew up watching Johnson anchor on Channel 9, and as a Black D.C. journalist, I'll always be indebted to him.

I was lucky to connect with Johnson just last week, as it happens. My mother had attended an event where Johnson was signing copies of his latest book, "Surviving Deep Waters," and asked him to inscribe a copy for me. 

When she told him about my work at Axios, he did something else: He added his phone number and made her promise to have me reach out. 

We eventually got in touch via LinkedIn (his voicemail was full!), and made plans to chat. 

"[I] always make time for serious young journalists like you," he told me in a message last Thursday. 

Our call never happened — it was scheduled for Monday morning, the day after he died. Watching the social media tributes hail Johnson as a mentor who supported young Black journos in particular, I know I would’ve taken notes on every word. 

Remembering Bruce Johnson

Our team remembers veteran journalist Bruce Johnson, who died on Sunday.

👋🏿 Hi, editor Kayla here. Like so many Washingtonians, I was shocked Sunday night to learn of Bruce Johnson&#x27;s passing. As a kid in Vienna, I grew up watching Johnson anchor on Channel 9, and as a Black D.C. journalist, I&#x27;ll always be indebted to him.

Kayla Sharpe

Featured stories

Editor's pick: Best places to hike with your dog in Northern Virginia

Get grilling at Gyu Shige Japanese barbeque

Unwrap National Geographic's immersive "Beyond King Tut" exhibit

Remembering Bruce Johnson

Editor's pick: Favorite D.C. area ice skating rinks