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.
No comments:
Post a Comment