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 ___________________________________________________

Indy Street Racing Coming to Baltimore

High-speed Indy-style street racing is coming to the Inner Harbor in Baltimore (map) next August. The 3-day Baltimore Grand Prix event will include an Indy Racing League-sanctioned 140 lap race in open-wheeled race cars reaching speeds of up to 185 mph, and will take place along Pratt Street, near the National Aquarium (map) and close to Camden Yards (map), home of the Baltimore Orioles. Additionally, the race weekend may include other car races, go-kart competitions, live music, family events...

June 4th, 2010 | Washington DC | Read More

Virginia’s Biggest Wine Festival This Weekend

If you want to try countless Virginia wines, the Vintage Virginia Wine Festival is the wine festival to attend. With close to 50 Virginia wineries on hand pouring a variety of samples of their wines, you could try close to 300 wines. And you can purchase bottles to take home of any wine you enjoy. In addition to wine, wine and more wine, there are numerous food booth with traditional festival foods and ethnic foods that are great with a glass of wine. Take your glass and relax on the lawn while...

June 2nd, 2010 | Washington DC | Read More

Rolling Thunder Booms into DC for Missing Vets

As the nation remembers and pays tribute to Americans killed in military service, Rolling Thunder, the annual motorcycle rally and caravan on the National Mall in Washington DC brings attention to POWs and MIA from Vietnam and all other wars since, as well as the supporting veterans groups, veterans care and families of vets who gave the ultimate sacrifice in service to their country. The attendees vary as much as their motorcycles, from tricked out Harleys to sleek pocket rockets. Some were vintage,...

June 1st, 2010 | Washington DC | Read More

Tea & Garden Tour at Green Springs Garden

Enjoy a docent-led tour of the historical gardens at Green Spring Gardens & Manor, one of DC’s preeminent places for horticulture located in Alexandria, Virginia, followed by afternoon tea service. The house dates back to 1784 when farmer and land owner John Moss built Green Spring, the brick home on his 540 acre farm in Alexandria, Virginia. What were once tobacco fields were turned into farmlands that produced wheat, corn, oats and rye, plus livestock. Three generations of Moss’s lived...

May 31st, 2010 | Washington DC | Read More

Riverdance’s Farewell Tour Stops at Wolf Trap

After 15 years of delighting audiences with its legendary high-stepping, fast-tapping Irish dancing troupe, Riverdance is making its final world tour and stopping at Wolf Trap for 7 shows before taking their final bow. Initially made famous by Jean Butler and Michael Flatley, Riverdance will be visiting every venue in North America it visited during its 15-year run. Over the past few years, the show has been performing to smaller audiences and smaller venues. The show brings their usual intricate...

May 29th, 2010 | Washington DC | Read More

Rolling Thunder Remembers MIAs and POWs

Watch as more than a hundred thousand motorcyclists ride through the National Mall in Washington DC this Memorial Day weekend as part of Rolling Thunder. The annual motorcycle rally supports U.S. soldiers that are missing in action (MIA) or prisoners of war (POW) from past and present wars. In it’s 23rd year, Rolling Thunder brings vets, bikers, and supporters of our troops to DC for one of the biggest motorcycle events the in the country. It’s also a major fundraiser for veteran’s groups,...

May 28th, 2010 | Washington DC | Read More

Photo Recap of the Joint Service Air Show

Last weekend at Andrews Air Force Base, all branches of the military – Army, Marines, Air Force, Navy and Coast Guard held their annual Joint Service Open House. And as usual, the aviators put on one heck of a show. Besides the Blue Angels and Golden Knights, aviation fans were treated to a acrobatic performance by the Gieco Skytypers, and a demonstration flight of the $150 million, Mach 2+, F-22 Raptor. Another aircraft that impressed the crowd is the vertical lift off and landing AV-8B...

May 26th, 2010 | Photo Highlights, Washington DC | Read More

Stargazing at the Heavens

Look up in the night sky and enjoy an evening of stargazing at the University of Maryland’s Observatory near Washington DC twice a month during the summer. University astronomers and special guests present an informative half-hour presentation (changing topics) at the University of Maryland Observatory Open House Nights followed by an observatory tour that includes their 4 telescopes. The observatory’s telescope collection includes a 7-inch manual telescope, an 8-inch 1960s-era NASA reflector...

May 25th, 2010 | Washington DC | Read More

Memorial Day Pig Roast for the Leukemia Society

Nothing says “summer” like an old fashioned community pig roast. And 3 Bar & Grill (formerly Restaurant Three) in Arlington, Virginia is hosting this charity fund-raiser to celebrate the opening of its outdoor patio with benefits going to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Take a 250 lb pig, roast it over open coals for hours and then offer pulled pork sandwiches for a suggested donation of just $5.00 and you have a great Memorial Day Pig Roast for charity. Add to the list a collection...

May 23rd, 2010 | Washington DC | Read More

Summer Music in the Yard At Eastern Market

Every Sunday during the late Spring and Summer in Washington DC’s Capitol Hill neighborhood, Eastern Market is alive with Music in the Yard. Eastern Market is probably DC’s most famous indoor market and outdoor flea market, where vendors sell everything fresh flowers and produce to furniture and pieces of art. To make the market even more fun, every Sunday, there’s a free live music concert presenting two bands of different musical styles. This summer’s free live music schedule at Easter...

May 22nd, 2010 | Washington DC | Read More

Skydiving with the Golden Knights

During the recent Joint Services Air Show at Andrews Air Force Base, I was able to ride along with the Army’s special parachute demonstration team, the Golden Knights. The Golden Knights parachute team was formed in 1969 and consists of about 90 men and women stationed at Ft. Bragg in North Carolina. But not all of the group actually jump out of planes. About half of the team’s personnel handle support and logistics both on the ground and in the air for the 2 competitive skydiving teams,...

May 20th, 2010 | Washington DC | Read More

Tinner Hills Blues Festival

Bringing together all blues, all weekend, all over town, the Tinner Hills Blues Festival kicks off Thursday, June 10th at 8:00 pm at The State Theatre in Falls Church, Virginia. Chuck Brown, the undisputed “King of Go-Go,” will get the place going. The festival runs Thursday night through Sunday, and includes numerous blues performances fro9the likes of WAMMIE winner Patty Reese & Band, the Piedmont blues style of MSG Acoustic Blues Trio, more acoustic blues by Phil Wiggins & Corey...

May 19th, 2010 | Washington DC | Read More

Restaurant Review – Upscale Mexican Street Food at Oyamel

Restaurant Oyamel Cocina Mexicana updates and refines the classic tastes of Mexican street food and small plates with modernized home-style cooking that spans the history of Mexico. Named after the mountainous fir tree that is home to Mexico’s Monarch butterflies before they start their annual 3,000 mile epic migration north every spring, Oyamel Cocina Mexicana, is located in the Penn Quarter neighborhood of Washington DC. The bright orange and gold dining room is open and airy with a collection...

May 18th, 2010 | Washington DC | Read More

Enjoy Dozens of Folk Cultures at the Washington Folk Festival

The 30th annual Washington Folk Festival at Glen Echo Park just outside of Washington DC, highlights the diversity of traditional folk music and dancing. With over 450 folk musicians, traditional folk dancers and storytellers performing on 7 stages around the park, there’s sure to be something for everyone. And since the Festival is geared toward family fun, bring the children. You can start off with a free dance lesson, then take in a puppet show, watch a few dance performances or just relax and...

May 12th, 2010 | Washington DC | Read More

Save Your Money – Don’t Speed in Washington DC

Washington DC tops the list of the most likely place in America where you’ll get a speeding ticket. The latest Top Ten list from Driverside.com shows the states that average the highest number of speeding tickets per capita. And while not a state, the District of Columbia raced into the top spot, with a shocking equivalent of 78% of the population getting a speeding tickets last year. That’s a walloping 434,301 citations. Aided by 10 permanent fixed radar speeding cameras, and another 35...

May 10th, 2010 | Washington DC | Read More

Unique New Silent Film about Jazzman Louis Armstrong

This August, Grammy Award-winner Wynton Marsalis and his 10-piece ensemble, join with internationally-acclaimed classical pianist Cecile Licad to play their musical score for the silent movie ‘LOUIS’ – A Silent Film. LOUIS is a film homage to the great American jazz trumpeter Louis Armstrong and the birth of the great American musical art form – jazz. Set in 1907 New Orleans, the film, shot by Academy Award-winning cinematographer Vilmos Zsigmond (The Deer Hunter, Close Encounters...

May 6th, 2010 | Washington DC | Read More

See the Best of the Best in Military Aviation

Watch as the Air Force Thunderbirds scream overhead at the annual Joint Service Open House at Edwards Air Force Base in Camp Springs, Maryland. Besides the Blue Angels, watch the Army’s Golden Knights parachute team, the military’s most high-tech helicopters, vintage war birds and acrobatic flyers as they put on one heck of show that demonstrates the power of the US Air Force and it’s rich aviation history. The show allows you to get up close and even climb into a few of the many aircraft...

May 5th, 2010 | Washington DC | Read More

Fierstein Shines in Fiddler on the Roof

Harvey Fierstein is filling huge shoes in the lead role of Tevye in the touring production of Fiddler on the Roof, at National Theatre in Washington DC. Fierstein, a four-time Tony Award winner, brings to the stage the perfect balance of physical comedy, his signature raspy voice, a confident strut and some blustering that intimidates everyone except his wife. His performance breathes new life into this story first produced on Broadway in 1964. This classic production tells the story of a Russian...

April 28th, 2010 | Washington DC | Read More

Wolf Trap for Great Summer Music

With summer just around the corner, it’s time to select upcoming plays, music and dance performances at Wolf Trap just outside of Washington DC. As usual, the schedule includes everything from the National Symphony Orchestra to Harry Connick, Jr. and Jackson Browne. My favorite location to see and hear a show is sitting on the lawn relaxing on a blanket with a picnic and a nice bottle of wine. But some people prefer to avoid the need to arrive early, and the infamous rush to secure a blanket...

April 27th, 2010 | Washington DC | Read More

Writers Writing about Writing – A Review of [title of show]

[title of show] is the latest hilarious musical production playing at Signature Theatre in Arlington, Virginia. It’s a story of two guys writing a musical about…two guys writing a musical. Confused? In it’s Washington DC area premiere, the show includes recent updates, based on cast member’s real life experiences about the show since it initially debuted off Broadway, and later on Broadway, so it’s been turned into a continual work in progress. The story surrounds two friends (self described...

April 16th, 2010 | Washington DC | Read More