Washington, D.C.: The High Heel Drag Queen Race

Each year, thousands of spectators flock to Dupont Circle the Tuesday before Halloween for a unique D.C. tradition: The High Heel Drag Queen Race. Women, men, and transgenders in ball gowns and stilettos charge at full throttle for a quarter of a mile as a rowdy crowd lining the route goes wild.

This prideful event is about the elaborate costumes more than the runners' athletic prowess. Participants often spends month designing their outfits and accessories with feathers, sequins, and intricate beading. Some even get a little glue gun crazy by attaching the most absurd of objects to their getups; think condoms, bottles, playing cards...you name it.

While it's certainly an entertaining show, more importantly it's a symbol of free speech in our nation's capital and in the heart of a neighborhood that was integral in the gay rights movement from its inception.

Washington, D.C.: The Other Side of The Potomac

The juxtaposition of the 18th century colonial architecture and the modern chain stores in Georgetown can detract from the charm of this popular neighborhood. Its aesthetic and history are unique and yet it's become a giant sale for the same commodities that are being advertised in malls across America. It's worthy of a few hours, but if you're looking for a similar experience without all the trend seeking shoppers head to Old Town in Alexandria, Virginia. It's right off the last stop on the metro out of Washington. From there you hop on a picturesque little trolley which takes you into the center of this historic area built in 1749. 

Urban Art at The Torpedo Factory

Here instead of Victoria's Secret, Barney's, and Ralph Lauren, you'll find small boutiques with arts and crafts handmade by local designers. This neighborhood is also home to The Torpedo Factory which in and of itself attracts 500,000 art lovers annually. This collective of galleries, studios, and workshops was originally built by the U.S. Navy during World War I as a factory for...wait for it...building torpedos! Now, 165 professional visual artists create and display everything from stained glass to photography in this contemporary warehouse.

Just down the way from the main stretch of businesses is a serene park looking out over the Potomac. Grab a scoop at Pop's Old Fashioned Ice Cream before heading on a stroll by the waterfront. Their creamy classics slowly churned in house have made this parlor an Old Town establishment for decades. While you're standing at the river's edge, see if you can throw a silver dollar from Virginia to D.C. According to an old folk tale, George Washington did it from this very spot. 

Washington, D.C.: The Washington Woods

The neighborhood of Georgetown is quintessentially northeastern. The hub of this popular hang, located at M Street and Wisconsin, consists of a quaint stretch of two story brick townhouses converted into high-end shops, restaurants, cafes, and bars. This historic part of town was constructed in 1751 and predates the city of Washington itself. 

It's a charming place to take a stroll, but the true gem lies just beyond this commercial arena. Keep walking down M past H&M, the Apple Store, and all your other usual chain stores. Take a left on 31st Street and you'll hit a path which runs along the Potomac river. It will take you under a dark urban bridge covered in graffiti. Don't be deterred, the other side of this tunnel opens up into a wooded oasis. 

This walkway is called the Capital Crescent Trail. It runs for over 180 miles from the tidal basin in Washington to the mountains of Western Maryland. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, the adjacent canal played an integral role in the development of America's coal, lumber, and agricultural industries. Now, it's designated as a national park. It's hard to believe this forest full of wildlife, limestone caves, and wetlands sits just beyond our bustling capital. 

Washington, D.C.: Capital Cruising

Instead of spending all day walking the six mile perimeter of the National Mall, spend a few hours cruising at your own pace on a bike. You can pick one up at an hourly rate at one of the Capital Bikeshare stands around town. Put in your credit card, take your cruiser, and drop it off at one of the many locations nearby wherever you finish your tour. While exhausted tourists drag their feet, you'll be zipping past them enjoying the breeze. 

The most beautiful time to take a ride is as the sun is setting. In the summertime, fireflies create a blanket of bright green lights in the wooded areas by the Jefferson memorial. 

Most visitors don't take the time to walk all the way over to this memorial, but on a bike it'll take you less than ten minutes from the center of the mall. This tranquility, far away from the touristy madness of the Lincoln, is a most beautiful time to reflect on your patriotism. 

Washington, D.C.: Sculpture Sipping

Most tourists head down to the National Mall to see the monuments. The two mile lawn designed by French architect Pierre Charles L'Enfant in 1791 is one of the most iconic scenes in American cinema. The tallest ivory marble obelisk in the world stands majestically on a green hill top surrounded by flags in honor of our nation's first president. To the east is the capitol building and to the west is the sublime rectangular pool reflecting the Lincoln memorial just beyond its waters. 

Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen   , Typewriter Eraser, Scale X, 1999, stainless steel and cement

Living in the shadow of this patriotic picture is a park of century-old trees accented by a vibrant palette of tropical flowers that bloom in the warm seasons. A path winds through this quiet garden taking you past the National Gallery of Art's permanent sculpture collection. There you'll stumble upon large scale masterpieces by Claes Oldenberg, Joan Miró, Louise Bourgeois, Mark di Suvero, Ellsworth Kelly, and Sol LeWitt. 

Every Friday afternoon in the summertime, it serves as the picturesque backdrop for Washington's Jazz in the Garden Series. Families, young professionals, and couples set up camp by their favorite piece of art and welcome the weekend with a free concert. 

When I was living in Washington as a recent college grad, I looked forward to these afternoons all year. The lively and diverse atmosphere makes for great people watching and the pitchers of sangria sold nearby are the perfect way to quench your thirst as the often unbearably hot northeast days melt into evening. 

Washington, D.C.: Duke's Place

The legendary building on U St. where Ellington's band "The Duke's Serenaders" had their first gig

In the early 1900s, there was a large migration of blacks coming from the south to the D.C-Maryland-Virginia area in search of racial equality. While the political conditions in the north were certainly better than the ones they'd left behind, even in the nation's capital there was still overt segregation. Black Washingtonians used music to cope with the prejudice.

The Southwest part of the city roared with ragtime in the early 20th century. By the 1920s, there were wild dance parties every night of the week overflowing with bootlegged booze and Jazz bands. This was Duke Ellington's training ground.

As a teenager, he convinced Washington band leader Oliver "Doc" Perry to take him under his wing. Ellington soon began filling in for his mentor and other musicians at cafes and restaurants. Some of the best spots were right around the corner from where he grew up. U Street is still the Jazz hub of Washington today.

One of his regular gigs was at Bohemian Caverns on U and 11th. Legendary Jazz pianist and composer Theolonious Monk was also known to play in this intimate underground cave. You can still catch everything from world-class latin Jazz to funk there most nights of the week.

There isn't a bad seat in the house at Bohemian Caverns

Twins Jazz is just up the street. You'd never know this tiny, well-worn club hosts some of the best surprises in the neighborhood. They don't score big names, but they always deliver a winning show. They also serve up some reasonable Ethiopian food if you're looking to scratch two items off your Washington bucket list in one sitting.

Anthony Pirog and his band at Twins Jazz

HR-57 is the place to be if you're looking to work out your chops. They have a Jazz jam every Wednesday and Thursday. The house band can play any song in the real book in just about any key.

I'll admit, there's a reason why Ellington picked up and moved to Harlem when he made a name for himself in these corridors. Washington's Jazz scene still can't hold a candle to New York or New Orleans. If you're in town, U street is definitely worth checking out.

Washington, D.C.: Bar Hopping and Chowing Down

Adams Morgan is a melting pot of ethnicities from around the world. Just on the popular five block stretch of 18th street, you can find cuisine from Spain, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Mexico, Italy, The Netherlands, Vietnam, Ghana, Brazil, Palestine, Peru, India, Nepal, Thailand, Lebanon, and China. Oh, and Eritrea. 

It's like a real life Epcot with endless international amusements and yet it still remains relatively unvisited by tourists. There's no metro stop nearby so the only way to get there is to cab or walk a good twenty minutes up hills through residential areas. 

A favorite local spot on this strip is Madam's Organ. It has three floors all with completely differently ambiences which perfectly embodies the appeal of the surrounding neighborhood. 

The first floor is always a rowdy crowd. Bourbon and craft beer types spend their nights here stomping their feet and swinging to live blues. 

The second floor's more like a small club. During the week, they hold open mic and karaoke nights that are hilarious or pathetic depending on how many drinks you've had. On weekends, it's usually bumping with hip hop. 

The top floor is on the roof. It's a cozy spot that's been made to feel like a shipwreck. If you're looking to step away from the downstairs debauchery, it's the perfect place to grab a seat, mingle under the stars, have a smoke, and take a deep breath.

People love Madam's Organ for the same reason families eat at restaurants with big menus; there's something for everyone. No matter what your scene is, you're bound to find something that suits you. 

We couldn't resist. 

When the bar closes at 3 a.m., make sure to head over to one of the competing pizza parlors for a "jumbo slice." The absurdly huge pieces of pizza seem insurmountable, but trust me, with a few cocktails in your system you'll inhale every last bite. Then, you'll really be able to say you went out in D.C. like a local. 

Washington, D.C.: The Ethiopia Experience

In the 1970s, Washington, D.C. became a hub for Ethiopians seeking asylum from the civil war in their country. They settled in Adams Morgan; a neighborhood that's now a favorite hang for young professionals looking for an eclectic night out. On the main stretch of 18th Street, you'll find everything from a hole-in-the-wall Himalayan kitchen to a a quaint French cafe to a record store for your trendy college kid. In the mix, you'll also encounter one of the only remaining Ethiopian restaurants on this block. Meskerem is a reminder of what this gentrified piece of town used to be before all the Ethiopians got fed up with increasing rent prices and moved down the way to U Street between 9th and 13th. It persists as one of the best places to try Ethiopian food in D.C.

You'll be sitting at a traditional Messob; a small circular table that's low to ground. It encourages diners to lean in close to one another making eating a shared experience. 

All the food is served with a long piece of sponge like bread called injera that's used as a utensil by placing it on your hand and pinching the meat and vegetable stews with your fingers. The injera soaks up all the rich curries and chili that explode on your taste buds. It also creates a more intimate relationship with what your eating as you feel the warmth and consistency of your food before placing it into your mouth. 

The most popular choices on the menu are pu pu platters. The mixed vegetable and meat tray generally comes with a sweet lentil dip, a yellow cabbage which tastes slightly pickled, lamb which has been slowly stewed and melts off the bone, a spicy beef stir fry, tender and fatty pieces of pork soaking in a chili verde sauce, and a bolognese like dish made with ground lamb, tomato, and onion. Each little entrée has its own distinct seasonings, but they all come together in a cohesive blend on your palate. Eating the same dishes as the people you're dining with is another way in which Ethiopians use the meal time as an opportunity to build friendship and trust.

After you're done eating, you can continue your cultural education at Queen's Café & Hookah across the street. There you'll observe big groups of Ethiopian men who have been relaxing in the back for hours. They slowly inhale the fruity tobacco through a long snake-like hose as though they're meditating and then exhale a veil of swirling vapor around them. Round and round the hose goes as the men sink deeper and deeper into their chairs with seemingly no motivation to ever leave. 

This activity too is about community as much as it is personal enjoyment. You'll find that as soon as you're sharing the hookah, you'll also be sharing moments of connectedness that will provide you with some insight into why something as seemingly insignificant as sitting in a circle is so integral to Ethiopian culture. 

Washington, D.C.: Shopping Like A Local

Southeast D.C. has a reputation for being one of the most impoverished and crime-ridden neighborhoods in the country. If you're a tourist, locals will tell you going there's a big no-no. The one bright and blossoming exception is Eastern Market.

Just adjacent to the dilapidating houses and run-down storefronts is a colorful and happy little nook overflowing with hundreds of artists selling handmade trinkets, busking musicians playing folk, and cafes selling gourmet treats. Keep walking and you'll find yourself in a large tented farmers' market. There you'll see beautiful stacks of vibrant root vegetables still sprinkled with dirt, homemade salsas
and hummus for sampling, nuts and honey, juicy slabs of meat, fresh fish, and ice cream.

There's even a large multipurpose room void of interior design, but often lively with a band playing Jazz for anyone who wants to take a swing before picking up some groceries.

Eastern Market's juxtaposition with the surrounding area illuminates the diversity many fail to see when they visit D.C. It's also one of the most charming places in the city and yet many visitors will never go there because it's off the beaten path. Morale of the story, next time you're in town venture into this Southeast haven and don't ask the concierge at your hotel if it's a good idea.

Washington, D.C.: Behind The Pristine Facade

Washington, D.C. is designed to be as magnificent as the country it represents. The National Mall, The White House, and other landmarks stand proud as the hallmark of a nation that's now ruled as the world's hegemony for over a century.

National Museum of Natural History

The D.C. most visitors experience is just one small snippet of what this dynamic city has to offer. In fact, the tourism industry blatantly shelters out-of-towners from the less pristine neighborhoods by giving out maps at information centers that only include the northwest quarter of the city as though the other three-fourths doesn't exist.

Eastern Market Farmers Market in Northeast, D.C. 

It's in these rarely recommended nooks that we discover the rich communities that give our capital life and vibrancy beyond the well-curated facade. Ironically, it's this exact diversity that makes the United States such a unique and incredible place to live.

Adams Morgan

D.C. has the largest Ethiopian population in the country and is home to a high number of Salvadoran immigrants.

In the early 1900s, it was a hub for the inception of the gay rights movement. There's still a strong sense of pride around the Dupont Circle area including a high heel drag race and parade both of which attract thousands of spectators each year.

Capital Pride Parade

D.C. was also home to some of the most influential Jazz cats of all time. It was the birthplace of Duke Ellington, Shirley Horn, Billy Taylor, and Frank Wess. You can still catch live music any day of the week around town. There's also some mean soul food; particularly if you're willing to venture into some of the neighborhoods off your map.

While the free museums, grand architecture, and American history are all worth seeing, there's so much more to Washington, D.C. than the glossy tourism pamphlets advertise. This week Backpacktress will take you on to the metro and into some of the most underappreciated secrets of a city many have visited, but few really know. 

The Hudson Valley: FDR's Home

Hyde Park in New York was the beloved birthplace of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Even while in Washington, he dreamt of the old dutch colonial style homes, the changing leaves, and the red barns that were the landscape of his childhood. 

Throughout his presidency he often returned to the 220 square mile estate his father purchased in 1866. The property holds flourishing gardens, a grand home, a small cottage getaway, and the first presidential library ever built. 

The inside of these rooms hold the memories of Roosevelt's life: his naval paintings, ship models, and over 14,000 books.

It's a rare insight into the eclectic hobbies of one of the most influential men in American history. The halls are a treasure trove of coins, banknotes, campaign buttons, medallions, and over 1.2 million stamps. 

Step foot onto this beautiful escape and you'll immediately understand why FDR once said, "All that is within me cries out to go back to my home on the Hudson River."

The Hudson Valley: A Cultural Campus

The Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts at Bard College

Bard College, a liberal arts school just over an hour north of New York City, has become a cultural force in the Hudson Valley. It was intentionally built in an isolated location on over 500 acres of forest so its students wouldn't be distracted by the mass production and overstimulation of an urban environment. Then, the college installed multimillion dollar sculptures, founded a museum with a world-class contemporary art collection, and commissioned Frank Gehry to build a performing arts center which brings lovers of all things highbrow right to its campus. 

Olafur Eliasson   , Parliament of Reality, 2009. 

Each summer, thousands from New York and beyond come to the college for Summerscape; seven weeks of opera, music, theater, dance, film, and cabaret. Each season honors the work of one composer. This year, it's one of the most influential composers of the 20th century Igor Stravinsky. The festival is designed for those looking to delve into the deepest depths of an artist's legacy experiencing the progression and maturation of their style. 

The program includes orchestral concerts by the American Symphony Orchestra, chamber and choral music performances, and panel discussions. The intention is not to glorify an artist's most renowned pieces, but to understand the intricacies of what made his or her body of work so influential. Each Summerscape also includes a film festival which is an extension of the music festival and presents the highlighted composer's influence on the world of motion pictures. This year there's a retrospective of sixteen screenings about the lives of Russian émigrés which brings us into the time and place when Stravinsky was composing. 

If all the film screenings, lectures, performances, and special events aren't enough to fill your day, the rest of Bard is a magical place to explore. There's a large open field which overlooks the Hudson River and Catskill Mountains, a small natural stream and waterfall you can take a dip in during the hot summer months, and well-curated current exhibitions at the Hessel Museum of Art. 

For more information on upcoming performances at Bard click here