I Heart My City: Emily's Washington D.C.

If you come to my city, get your picture taken with Obama. Duh. And if you can't find him (I still haven't!), pose with Einstein, who sits on the corner of 21st St. and Constitution Avenue, NW.

If you have to order one thing off the brunch menu at Old Ebbitt Grill, it has to be the Eggs Long Island (an English muffin topped with scrambled eggs, spinach, and fried oysters, and smothered in Dijon-chive hollandaise.) Simply divine.

Sweet Green is my one-stop shop for great salads.

Locals know to skip M Street in Georgetown and check out the awesome shopping on 14th Street instead.

When I'm feeling cash-strapped, I go to the East Wing of the National Gallery. I'm wowed every time I enter the atrium and can spend hours--cost free (!!!)--poring over the art.

For a huge splurge I go to fancy restaurants. Think: CityZen, Citronelle, Inn at Little Washington. (Note: these are once-every-five-years kind of places. Once-a-month splurges may include Central, Potenza, and Cork.)

Photo ops in my city include a weekend visit to the Maine Avenue Fish Market, where you can snap great shots of locals slurping oysters and mongers steaming live crabs.

If my city were a celebrity it'd be Michelle Obama. We're stylish, smart, and powerful--and despite that phallic monument, we're decidedly female. (We have the lowest ratio of single men to single women in the nation!)

The most random thing about my city is the tiny Japanese travel agency/grocery store on the corner of 17th and U Streets, NW. You can buy your authentic candy, ramen noodles, and frozen fish, and then, book a trip to Japan at the desk in the back.

My city has the most suited (as in jackets and ties) men.

My city has the most intelligent women.

In my city, an active day outdoors involves walking miles upon miles on D.C.'s easy-to-navigate streets.

My city's best museum is The Phillips Collection. It houses one of the most beautiful paintings in the world--Renoir's "Luncheon of the Boating Party"--and offers an intimacy that's rare in most big-time galleries.

My favorite jogging/walking route (from Dupont Circle) is running up 19th Street to Kalorama/Adams Morgan, crossing the Calvert Bridge (where you'll see gorgeous views of Rock Creek Park), running through the neighborhood of Woodley Park (and its gorgeous wooded gully) to Mass Ave, where you'll jog past all the gorgeous embassies.

For a night of dancing, go to Wonderland. Or, for live music, check out HR-57.

Annie's Paramount Steakhouse is the spot for late-night eats.

To find out what's going on at night and on the weekends, read DCist.

You can tell a lot about my city from the weather: our moods shift accordingly.

You can tell if someone is from my city if they're wearing a suit.

In the spring you really should come see the cherry blossoms. They're popular for a reason.

In the summer you should spend lots of time indoors. Thank goodness for the myriad of museums in this city.

In the fall you should go to the Washington National Cathedral's 7th floor observation gallery, where you'll see stunning views (especially with the colored leaves) of our city.

In the winter you should walk along the Mall. The monuments feel more imposing, more impressive when it's bleak and cold.

A hidden gem in my city is the Woodrow Wilson House.

For a great breakfast joint try Teaism, for their French toast, cilantro eggs, and chai.

For something more pancake and bacon-ish, go to Ben's Chili Bowl.

Don't miss the Barrack's Row Festival and Oktoberfest, which is usually the last weekend in September. It'll give you a quirky taste of D.C. Last year I got to pet a hedgehog.

Just outside my city, you can visit Old Town Alexandria. A benchmark for historic preservation, it's easy to pass an entire afternoon ambling along the cobblestone streets and admiring the quaint 18th-century architecture.

The best way to see my city is by foot. Get some good walkin' shoes!

If my city were a pet it would be a Weimaraner.

If I didn't live in a city, I'd live in rural Ohio.

The best book about my city is the AIA Guide to the Architecture of Washington, D.C. If you're interested in our city's buildings and history, this far better than any guidebook.

When I think about my city, the song that comes to mind is "Hail to the Chief".

If you have kids, you won't want to miss a paddleboat ride in the Tidal Basin. Kids appreciate a break from the educational ops to just play around outside.

The Presidential Inauguration could only happen in my city.

My city should be featured on your cover or website because it houses the NGS headquarters. Naturally, that makes it the most important city in the world, right?

Photos: Emily King