The Voice and Roots of Our America Today

The root: The marble monuments of the Republic — and the city where go-go music was born, still beating in the neighborhoods.

Eat: Ben's Chili Bowl — the U Street landmark since 1958. Old Ebbitt Grill — historic tavern steps from the White House. A go-go spot on H Street — food with the bounce beat.

Skip — don't: The overpriced chain steakhouses and tourist traps ringing the National Mall — the good food lives in the neighborhoods.

Specialty: Half-smokes at Ben's and the go-go beat — D.C.'s homegrown funk, born in the '70s and still going.

Shops & crafts: Eastern Market — local vendors, art, and produce under a 19th-century roof. U Street — Black-owned boutiques and record shops. The Smithsonian gift shops — actually good, with real artifacts in replica.

See: National Mall monuments — Lincoln, MLK, and the Vietnam wall at dawn. Smithsonian museums — free, and there's one for everything. Georgetown — old brick streets and canal views.

Main Street: Pennsylvania Avenue — the parade route between the Capitol and the White House, America on its best behavior.

After dark: A go-go show at a local club — D.C.'s own funk, loud and alive. Or the monuments lit up at night, empty and stunning.