We’d both been to Washington D.C. before, but had never spent much time the National Mall area. So when a business trip brought James to Rockville, Maryland we opted to spend the previous weekend in the capital. In a busy couple of days, we attended a Capitals NHL game, visited the National Air and Space Museum and took in many of the highlights of the National Mall, including the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument, the Capitol Building, and the White House.

Below are highlights from March 8th through 12th, 2025. Click any image for a larger view, or click the position to view the location on a map. And a map with our most recent log entries always is available at mvdirona.com/maps.

3/8/2025

Del Mar Position: 38°52.74’N, -77°1.48’W A delicious tapas dinner at Del Mar, one of many restaurants in the revitalized Wharf district along the Potomac River in Washington, DC. We are spending the weekend here before James attends an X-Energy board meeting in Gaithersburg next week.

3/9/2025

The Wharf Marina Position: 38°52.78’N, -77°1.52’W Dawn view from our hotel room to The Wharf Marina along the Potomac River.

The Office Position: 38°52.78’N, -77°1.52’W James getting some work done in our room at the Wharf InterContinental, overlooking the Potomac River. We loved the light-filled corner room with its floor-to-ceiling windows.

Washington Capitals Position: 38°53.88’N, -77°1.24’W Attending a Washington Capitals game against, coincidentally, the Seattle Kraken. We usually cheer for the home team wherever we happen to be, but here we pretty much had to cheer, albeit quietly, for the Seattle Kraken. We had a great time at the game, and were quite impressed with the club seating at Capital One Arena.

US Capitol Building Position: 38°53.57’N, -77°1.20’W The US Capitol Building aglow in the early evening sun as we walk towards our hotel from the Washington Capitals hockey game.

Washington Monument Position: 38°53.41’N, -77°2.04’W Sunset with the flag-encircled Washington Monument.

Reflecting Pool Position: 38°53.35’N, -77°2.96’W The Washington Monument mirrored in the still waters of the Reflecting Pool, with the dome of the US Capitol Building just visible in the distance.

Lincoln Memorial Position: 38°53.36’N, -77°3.01’W The iconic Lincoln Memorial to the 16th US president was dedicated in 1922.

Hell’s Kitchen Position: 38°52.61’N, -77°1.33’W Back at The Wharf district, we had an excellent dinner at Hell’s Kitchen. The restaurant is part of a chain owned by celebrity chef Gordon Ramsey and themed after the reality competition cooking show of the same name.

3/10/2025

MI VIDA Position: 38°52.79’N, -77°1.55’W Lunch at MI VIDA Mexican restaurant beside our hotel in Washington DC’s Wharf district. We were amazed that the weather was warm enough in early March to eat outside. We didn’t even need to wear jackets.

Fish Market Position: 38°52.88’N, -77°1.68’W The expansive Municipal Fish Market at The Wharf in Washington, DC is housed in floating barges below street level. The seafood looked quite fresh and tasty.

Air and Space Museum Position: 38°53.27’N, -77°1.20’W The lineup to enter the Air and Space Museum in Washington DC. Even with pre-purchased timed-entry tickets, it took a good half-hour for us to get in.

GE CF6 Position: 38°53.30’N, -77°1.23’W A General Electric CF6, the first successful high-bypass turbofan design, on display at the Air and Space Museum in Washington DC. Originally designed for the the US Air Force’s massive Lockheed C-5A Galaxy transport, it was first installed commercially in the McDonnell Douglas DC-10.

1903 Wright Flyer Position: 38°53.28’N, -77°1.21’W The original Wright Flyer, flown by the Wright Brothers at Kittyhawk in 1903, on display at the Air and Space Museum in Washington DC. This was the first heavier-than-air, powered aircraft to make a sustained, controlled flight with a pilot aboard.

Columbia Position: 38°53.28’N, -77°1.22’W The Apollo 11 command module Columbia, at the Air and Space Museum in Washington DC. This was the only part of the spacecraft from the first moon landing to return to earth.

Thinker on a Rock Position: 38°53.46’N, -77°1.34’W After visiting the Air and Space Museum, we walked across the National Mall to the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden. This is Thinker on a Rock, where sculptor Barry Flanagan has inserted his signature hare in the place of the human in Rodin’s famous sculpture The Thinker.

J. Edgar Hoover FBI Building Position: 38°53.64’N, -77°1.51’W Passing the J. Edgar Hoover FBI Building on our way to the White House.

US Treasury Building Position: 38°53.91’N, -77°2.06’W Statue of Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, the first Secretary of the Treasury, in front of the US Treasury Building. Completed in 1842, it is the oldest departmental building in Washington and a National Historic Landmark.

The White House Position: 38°53.91’N, -77°2.19’W Looking across the North Lawn and the North Fountain to the White House. No sign of the President, but we did see plenty of Secret Service agents. We’d been to Washington, DC a few times in the past, but had never spent much time around the National Mall area. We were having a great time checking out all the famous sights.

White House Reporters Position: 38°53.91’N, -77°2.23’W White House reporters broadcasting from a row of tents just west of the building.

Eisenhower Executive Office Building Position: 38°53.91’N, -77°2.36’W The massive Eisenhower Executive Office Building was completed in 1888 and originally was called the State, War, and Navy (SWAN) Building because it was built for those three tenants. The building now is part of the White House compound and houses offices and agencies of the Executive Office of the President. The heavy French Second Empire design received much criticism, differing so much from the graceful neoclassical style of the other Federal buildings. Writer Mark Twain called it the “ugliest building in America”.

Limani Position: 38°52.64’N, -77°1.38’W A wonderful sunset dinner at Limani in the Washington DC Wharf district.

3/11/2025

Workout Position: 38°52.77’N, -77°1.50’W James on the treadmill as part of our morning workout at the Wharf InterContinental in Washington DC.

Rio Washington Lake Position: 39°6.91’N, -77°11.76’W Rio Washington Lake in Gaithersburg, where we’ll be for the next two days while James attends the X-Energy board meeting.

3/12/2025

Sunset Position: 39°6.92’N, -77°11.72’W Sunset from our Gaithersburg hotel.

X-Energy Board Meeting Position: 39°6.93’N, -77°11.73’W James dressed a little more formally than his normal work day as he heads off to the X-Energy board meeting.

The Silence of the Lobsters Position: 39°6.95’N, -77°11.81’W We got a giggle out of this advertisement for Charley Prime Foods restaurant in Gaithersburg.

Yard House Position: 39°7.03’N, -77°11.99’W The temperature was just barely warm enough for dinner on the terrace at Yard House overlooking Rio Washington Lake in Gaithersburg.

Click the travel log icon on the left to see these locations on a map. And a map of our most recent log entries always is available at mvdirona.com/maps.