DC By the Book

Excerpt: Once we took our seats, the dinner seemed to fly by faster than summer vacation. Charlie Palmer’s had a reputation for classy dining, catering to those with fat expense accounts. Close to the Hill with lavish surroundings, it was hard to beat for a fundraiser.

Excerpt: Young Chow was only three blocks away. It wasn’t as splashy as some of the other popular Capitol Hill eateries like We The Pizza or Sonoma. Nevertheless, it offered cheap Chinese and sushi lunch specials prepared in ten minutes or less. The anteroom of the restaurant provided an element of discretion. A table in the rear almost guaranteed privacy, a rare commodity in Washington.

Excerpt: The Rayburn House Office Building lived up to its namesake. RHOB, as it was known, could be described as functional, expansive, and state-of-the-art during its heyday. It now housed several committees, the House gymnasium, a large cafeteria, and a parking garage. Given these amenities, Rayburn was a favorite office location for senior, powerful members of Congress like Edwards.

Excerpt: The elevator dinged, and we entered a perfectly clean yet austere hallway, unpredictably consistent with the industrial chic feel of the renovated building. The décor was aggressively modern and deserved every architecture and style award it had won, but the asceticism didn’t exactly scream, “Honey, I’m home.” Perhaps one and half million-dollar condos weren’t for me, after all.

Excerpt: "Lots of caricatures on the walls here, “ remarked Meg. We turned around to survey the artwork, which covered almost every inch of the room. It was easy to spot the usual suspects, such as Barack Obama, Donald Trump, Joe Biden, and George W. Bush. In addition to famous politicians and journalists, there were a lot of unfamiliar faces, too.