In this special midweek edition we take you to Piola restaurant in Rosslyn, a favorite of ours. We recommend you get there via the Rosslyn station.

We visit with the owner and manager, Nabil Elachi.

We play Soup du Jour by Virginia singer Bill Williams. This music is used by permission.

We have a small Photo Album on Piola, which makes up, we hope, for not having one for our dining podcast!

It's late but it's here! Today we stay in the studio and talk about dining in DC and the Virginia Suburbs. We share our favorite restaurants.

We start out talking about dining on the mall, primarily in the museums. (1:40)

We head on out to places near the mall - Union Station, The Reagan International Trade Building, and the Post Office Pavilion. (5:51)

We talk about dinner options in the Capitol Hill area. (12:32)

We move on to discussions of restaurants we like in the Penn Quarter and Chinatown. (19:26)

We visit restaurants in Adams Morgan and near DuPont Circle. (28:34)

We travel in our culinary memories over the Potomac River and into Arlington area. We will be posting a midweek edition this week on Piola, our favorite in Rosslyn. We continue on into Ballston, and Shirlington areas. (35:13)

We come home to Vienna, and the rest of Fairfax County. (41:15)

Our email addresses are:

• feedback@washingtontravelcast.net
• Julie@washingtontravelcast.net
• Mark@washingtontravelcast.net

Our Opening Theme Music is Garden Walk by Kim Evans, and our logo design is by Kathleen Hamm at Hamm Multimedia.

There is no photo album for this podcast.

Today we take you to a Ball Game, specifically a Washington Nationals Major League Baseball Game! We recommend you take Metro to the Stadium-Armory station on the Orange Line.

We attended the game on Friday, May 18 against the Baltimore Orioles. (During the podcast we say May 19, but we were mistaken.) After getting you to the stadium we talk about the stadium, logistics of getting tickets, and food.

We start out the way every US Major League game starts, with a rendition of The Star Spangled Banner. For the podcast we use a version performed by the Air Force Band and Singing Sergeants. (6:20)

As the game begins, Julie starts about the Washington Senators of the National League. while Guzman steals second base, Julie talks about the Senators being cut and the birth of the American League, and the second Washington Senators. (7:34)

Second Inning, Julie talks about Walter Johnson, and the glory days of the Washington Senators, including their 1924 World Series Victory. (11:31)

Fourth Inning, Julie talks about Clark Griffith, his ownership of the team, and Griffith field. The Orioles get a run. (19:40)

We experience the race of the Presidents, and Julie talks about the culture of the ballpark experience. We do some chants, as Ryan Church bats. The Orioles score two runs in the fifth inning, and Julie talks about the second set of American League Senators, and the current Nationals. (25:30)

In the sixth inning, Young hits a two run homer for Washington. (38:00)

Julie talks about some of the unique things about Washington DC baseball, including Presidents throwing out balls, baseball spies, and Damn Yankees. (39:42)

We sing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" during the seventh inning stretch. The lovely bass voice you hear is Mark. Julie continues to talk about some oddities associated with Washington Baseball. (44:30)

We talk about RFK Stadium, Mark's memories of Senators' baseball while he was growing up, the future of the team, and the new ballpark. Both Orioles and Nationals score in the 8th inning, with each getting two runs, and Ryan Zimmerman hitting a two run homer. (48:50)

We finish up with the end of the game, which is pretty darn exciting, then we head on home. (52:37)

Our Theme Music is Garden Walk by Kim Evans.

Incidental music during the walk is from Take Me Out to the Ball Game from RoyaltyFreeMusic.com.

You can email us at feedback@washingtontravelcast.com. You can Skype us via skype name JulieorMark, and Julie answers Washington DC travel questions on Yahoo! Answers.

We take you to RFK in pictures with our Photo Album.

Today we return to Hillwood Gardens, at the home of Marjorie Merriweather Post. Since they let us tour the mansion with the recording gear, we did! We recommend you take Metro to Van Ness/UDC station on the Red Line.

We start out in the entry hall, and appreciate the various decorations and furniture in it. (1:24)

We visit the Russian Porcelain room. (3:43)

We head through a hallway with some display cabinets, and into the Pavilion. (6:57)

Walking back past the porcelain, we head into the French Drawing Room, then into the Russian Icon Room, where we see the Faberge collection. (11:55)

We stop for a moment in the library, then go into the dining room. (14:07)

We visit the very 20th century kitchen, before heading on to view the exquisite collection of Russian liturgical items. (19:35)

We play The Infernal Dance of Kaschey's Subjects from Stravinsky's Firebird Suite performed by the Air Force Concert Band. (24:25)

Heading upstairs, past the French porcelain, we start off in the second floor library, then go on into the Adam Bedroom Suite - appreciating the pinkness of it. (29:05)

We finish in Marjorie Merriweather Post's own bedroom suite. (32:34)

Our theme music is Garden Walk by Kim Evans.

Incidental music during the walk is from find me by H.

You can email us at feedback@washingtontravelcast.com. You can Skype us via skype name JulieorMark, and Julie answers Washington DC travel questions on Yahoo! Answers.

We don't have a new Photo album this week (no cameras allowed inside) but you can enjoy the grounds and exterior of Hillwood in our Photo Album from last week.

Today we visit Hillwood Gardens, at the home of Marjorie Merriweather Post. We were unable to get the whole visit into one podcast - next week we'll cover the mansion. We recommend you take Metro to Van Ness/UDC.

We start out at the Visitor's Center, paying our admission and seeing a movie. (5:09)

We visit the French Parterre, right off the Mansion's French Drawing Room, and Julie talks about the life of Marjorie Merriweather Post. (6:43)

We head around the house to the Lunar Lawn and check out the statuary and the patio that looks out over Rock Creek Park. We check out the flagpole on the lawn. (19:45)

We visit the Adirondack House, and the Dacha. (24:29)

We stop briefly in Marjorie's pet Cemetary. (26:51)

We linger a bit in the Japanese Garden, for Julie the highlight of the gardens. (27:50)

We play Sally Gardens by Nathan Granner and Beau Bledsoe, from the album Departure. This is brought to us by Ioda Promonet. (30:27)

Download "Sally Gardens" (mp3)
from "Departure"
by Nathan Granner / Beau Bledsoe
Tzigane Music

• Buy at iTunes Music Store
• Buy at eMusic
• Buy at Napster
• Buy at GroupieTunes
• Buy at Navio Download

More On This Album

We visit the Putting Green, the Rose Garden, and the Friendship Garden. (32:43)

We finish up at the greenhouse, with their lavish collection of Orchids. (40:29)

Our Theme Music is, appropriately, Garden Walk by Kim Evans.

Incidental music during the walk is from find me by H.

You can email us at feedback@washingtontravelcast.com. You can Skype us via skype name JulieorMark, and Julie answers Washington DC travel questions on Yahoo! Answers.

There is only one Photo Album for both our garden and mansion visits at Hillwood.