Jon Rochetti: Hi Everyone: I’m Jon, the PlanetEye Traveler writer who covers the Washington, DC area, formerly the writer of The DC Traveler. Besides writing about all the fun and different things to do in and around Washington, DC, I’m also a marketing consultant, and a photographer (many of the photos used on my posts were taken by me and are available for sale or licensing). I'm also a home gourmet chef and avid biker and scuba diver. Plus, I love to travel, explore and take advantage of all the great things to do in Washington, DC. I love exploring places in and around the District of Columbia, ranging from local neighborhood mom & pop ethnic restaurants to museums, galleries, places of interest and more. I also love history and art, love touring museums, enjoy architecture, great food, and the Arts. Have a comment, suggestion or story idea? Feel free to e-mail me. Some of my favorite places around Washington, DC are at the Jefferson Memorial, my deck at sunset, the Smithsonian museums (all of them) especially the National Gallery of Art and the National Air & Space museum, perhaps a fun Latin dance club for a little Salsa dancing, Zaytinya or Bambule for tapas, riding my bike on the National Mall or along the Potomac River in the summer, and the National Arboretum just about any time of the year. Outside of DC, I love scuba diving in Belize, relaxing on the island of Santorini in Greece, sitting at a cafe in Rome, visiting Chicago and seeing a Cubs game at Wrigley Field (my home town), and spending time with family in Sonoma County and the Napa Valley (my home away from home). I’m also a marketing and branding consultant with over 25 years of consumer and b2b marketing experience. Most of my clients are household names or in the Fortune 500. Washington, DC is such a wonderful town, full of rich culture, a great history, and events of all types happening all the time. And then there’s the food and festivals…so there’s always something interesting to tell you about. I'll consistently try to provide all the information you’ll need for a visit to one of the Washington, DC’s many attractions, the best in the local music scene, plays and artistic performances, museums, great parks and outdoor recreation, fun things to do on a date, as well as family-friendly activities, shopping, places to eat, drink, and stay, or just relax and have some fun. So if you love all that Washington, DC has to offer – from the Smithsonian museums to weekend get-aways in DC or around Virginia, Maryland and beyond, then the PlanetEye Traveler is here for you. With new ideas and posts almost every day, please us a daily website destination and tell your friends about us. Follow me on Twitter @jrochetti And thanks very much for stopping by. Jon ___________________________________________________

Inner Harbor Weekend – Baltimore’s Historic Admiral Fell Inn

This is part 2 of a series of fun things to do in nearby Baltimore. No weekend trip to Baltimore’s Inner Harbor would complete without a night or two at the Admiral Fell Inn. The historic inn is located just steps away from the waterfront in the heart of the Baltimore’s National Historic District of Fells Point. The 80-room inn is actually a collection of adjoining buildings, some dating back to the 1770s. The inn was first opened as a Christian seaman’s hostel named The Anchorage in...

May 5th, 2009 | Washington DC | Read More

Baltimore Inner Harbor Weekend – A Birdseye View from the Top of the World

This is the first part of a short series of fun things to do in nearby Baltimore. Sitting on the edge of the Inner Harbor, Baltimore’s 32-story World Trade Center building seems to rise out of the water. At 405 feet tall (123 m), it offers spectacular views. The Top of the World observation deck on the building’s 27th floor gives visitors a 360-degree view of the waterfront, promenade and ships moored at Baltimore’s Harborplace, as well as the Inner Harbor, the city’s skyline and as far...

May 4th, 2009 | Washington DC | Read More

Washington DC’s Young Playwrights’ Theater

Washington, DC’s Young Playwrights’ Theater program helps teach elementary and high school students students to clearly and creatively express themselves, through the art of telling stories through playwriting. Promoting written, verbal, communications skills as part of a basic education, as well as focusing on “the arts”, Young Playwrights’ Theater, a professional theater company dedicated exclusively to education. Launched in 2005 with an initial group of 60 students from three DC...

May 3rd, 2009 | Washington DC | Read More

ESPN Zone in Washington, DC Grabs Top Ten Ranking

If you want to have a quiet conversation, skip the ESPN Zone in Washington, DC, but if you want an unparalleled access to all kinds of televised sports, it’s the place for the true sports junkie. The travel and dining site GAYOT.com recently rated the top sports bars in America, and Washington, DC’s ESPN Zone made the list. And the Washington, DC ESPN Zone was the only location listed out of nine in the ESPN chain. With more then 200 HD televisions covering virtually every inch of wall space...

May 2nd, 2009 | Washington DC | Read More

May Music Round-up – In & Around Washington, DC

May is a great month for live music in and around Washington, DC. Many of the outdoor venues are opening and the weather is warm enough for an evening of music outdoors. At The Birchmere in nearby Alexandria… America will be singing about the Ventura Highway and a horse without a name -Friday & Sunday, May 1 & 3, 2009 – 7:30 p.m., $69.50 (the Sat. show is sold out) New gypsy and flamenco guitarist Otmar Leibert joins with Luna Negra – May 6 - 7:30, $35.00 Must of been...

May 1st, 2009 | Washington DC | Read More

Celebrate Mexican Heritage on Cinco de Mayo

Join over 10,000 people as they celebrate Cinco de Mayo, the annual Mexican festival celebrating the 1862 victory at the battle of Puebla. The Mexican army defeated French colonial forces in a major battle for Mexican independence, in south central Mexico on May 5th of that year. To remember and celebrate that day, the annual National Cinco de Mayo Festival features traditional Mariachi music with Mexican and Latin American folk dance performances, Latin food, children’s craft workshops, Mexican...

April 30th, 2009 | Washington DC | Read More

Free Performances in May at the Kennedy Center

As I’ve written about before, the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC offers free performances at the Millennium Stage just about every evening. From tribal drumers to eclectic gypsy, classical to funk, here’s a few of the free performance highlights during the month of May: Monday, May 4, 2009 – Ljova and the Kontraband – A New York City-based ensemble that blends chamber music with gypsy melodies, jazz, and tango rhythms. Saturday, May 9 – So Percussion...

April 30th, 2009 | Washington DC | Read More

Artist Fritz Scholder – Indian / Not Indian at the NMAI

One of the more influential 20th-century American artists was Fritz Scholder (1937–2005), who was also part American Indian. By rejecting the acceptable and sentimental way American Indians were portrayed on canvas, and how American Indians created these images, Scholder forever changed the genre of American Indian art. He opened doors to a new way for Indian artists to express themselves and their culture. The exhibit, Fritz Scholder: Indian/Not Indian, at the National Museum of the American...

April 29th, 2009 | Washington DC | Read More

DC Restaurant Review – Grillfish

Recently, an old high school buddy from Chicago visited Washington, DC for an annual firefighters convention. In the past, we’ve dined at Zaytinya and Old Ebbitt Grill. This year, my friend and I, along with two other hungry firefighters, had dinner at Grillfish near Dupont Circle. One thing I know about firemen, other than being willing to run into burning buildings to save people, is that they are known for having great home-cooked food at the firehouse and hearty appetites. So I was a bit...

April 28th, 2009 | Washington DC | Read More

Monument Monday – Union Station – Washington DC’s Passenger Rail Hub

The history Washington DC’s Union Station dates back to 1835, when the first Baltimore and Ohio train rolled into the city. By the 1890s, street-level railroad tracks crisscrossed the city heading to and from two smaller railroad stations located in downtown Washington, DC. The high volume of train traffic disrupted not only daily commerce built was unsafe for pedestrian traffic. Train traffic became so heavy, that during a three-year period, over 40 pedestrian deaths in downtown were caused...

April 27th, 2009 | Washington DC | Read More

Daniel Phoenix Singh Dance

Two new dance works will be preformed by Dakshina-Daniel Phoenix Singh Dance & Co. at a premiere at Dance Place in Washington, DC. Celebrating Asian Pacific Islander Month, the troupe will perform Indian dance forms, such as Bharata Natyam – the national dance of India which is based on ancient temple dances dating back to 300 BC, along with modern dance pieces. Dakshina / Daniel Phoenix Singh & Company Dance Place 3225 8th Street, NE Washington, DC 20017 (map it) Additional Destination...

April 26th, 2009 | Washington DC | Read More

A Truly Green Vehicle at Washington, DC’s Earth Day

At the Washington, DC Earth Day event this past weekend, I was passing some of the eco displays and noticed a strange looking silver vehicle, one with solar panels all over it. Upon investigation, I met the passionate designer of the Solarcycle and President of Greenhouse 2000, Larry Wexler. Larry has personally hand-built this 7-year labor of love project from the ground up. The three-wheel, three-person electric vehicle (driver up front, two-passengers in the rear) is currently street-legal and...

April 25th, 2009 | Washington DC | Read More

Take a Georgetown Garden Tour

Take a leisurely self-guided walking tour of eight beautiful gardens, at the annual Georgetown Garden Tour. The 8 gardens in this year’s tour are all within easy walking distance from each other and offer a selection of the many garden styles in historic Georgetown. While walking around Georgetown, stop by any of the 7 homes where where John F. Kennedy lived before being elected president. He lived in Georgetown both as a single man, and after he married Jackie, while he was in the U.S. Senate. Georgetown...

April 24th, 2009 | Washington DC | Read More

Spring Flower Photo Ops at the US Botanic Garden in Washington, DC

The flower beds at the U.S. Botanic Garden across the street from the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, DC are bursting with colorful spring flowers. Here’s just a small sampling of what lucky visitors saw this past weekend. U.S. Botanic Garden 100 Maryland Avenue, SW – across from the U.S. Capitol Washington, DC (map it) Additional Destination Information Dates and Hours – The conservatory is open daily, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The flowers beds in front are accessible 24...

April 23rd, 2009 | Washington DC | Read More

The Passion of the DC Tango Festival

The Washington DC Tango Festival celebrates the romance and passion of the hottest Latin dance – Tango. One of the highlights of the 10-day celebration of tango music, dance and cinema is Two To Tango, featuring 30 world-class dancers, musician and singers from Argentina and Uruguay. Ballroom Tango originated in the poorer, working-class districts of Buenos Aires, Argentina. Initially considered immoral due to suggestive moves and passionate music, tango’s popularity grew rapidly, and...

April 23rd, 2009 | Washington DC | Read More

Check out the Latest Carnival of Cities

The latest Carnival of Cities just went live with tons of travel destinations across the globe hosted by eyeflare.com. Check out some of the 20+ destinations blogged about including empty beachs in Costa Rica, dining in Orlando, how to be a human gyroscope at the Kansas Cosmosphere (sounds fun), how the Sea Life Aquarium in San Diego is celebrating Earth Month, and the beautiful murals of Valparaiso in Peru. For a bit of travel advice, if you’ve ever had a vacation go bad, check...

April 22nd, 2009 | Washington DC | Read More

DC Restaurant Review – A Classic Parisian Bistro – Bistrot Du Coin

If you ever get a desire to visit a Parisian café, but would prefer to avoid the transatlantic flight, then stop by Bistrot Du Coin, in Washington, DC’s Dupont Circle neighborhood. The café is known for its Gratinée des Halles (French Onion Soup), along with their ten varieties of steamed mussels. The classic French Onion soup, at $6.95, is served piping hot in a large stoneware crock. It’s rich and topped with a generous amount of flavorful Guerre cheese. It is like most restaurant...

April 22nd, 2009 | Washington DC | Read More

Last Chance to See DC’s Blossoming Trees this Spring

By now, all the Washington, DC cherry blossoms around the National Mall have come and gone. I confirmed it this past weekend. And just a few of the colorful spring blooming trees, such as a couple late –blooming magnolia trees are still offering visitors delightful views. However, around the Capitol Building, I found what may be some of the final rich and colorful blooms of the spring in the National Mall area. So this is your last chance to get a glimpse of the area’s magnolia...

April 21st, 2009 | Washington DC | Read More

Goodbye DC Cherry Blossoms…Hello Tulips!

The famous Washington, DC cherry blossoms have come and gone. So if you missed the annual display of color, you’ll have to wait until next year. But that doesn’t mean the National Mall isn’t still full of beautiful color. The annual explosion of spring flowers, mostly tulips have bloomed in flower beds all over the mall, most notably at the National Park Service’s Tulip Library, on the northern border of the Tidal Basin, between the Jefferson Memorial and the Washington Monument. One...

April 20th, 2009 | Washington DC | Read More

Debunking An Urban Myth on the World War II Memorial…“So Help Us God”

Recently I received a reader’s comment to the post I wrote about the World War II Memorial, which is located on the National Mall in Washington, DC. It seems there have been multiple e-mails floating around cyberspace stating that the inscription on the memorial of President Roosevelt’s December 8th, 1941 “Day of Infamy” speech left off the key phrase, “…so help us God.” The memorial’s inscription reads: Pearl Harbor – December 7, 1941, a date which will live...

April 20th, 2009 | Washington DC | Read More