Austin Graff

Austin Graff Covering the real stories and places of Washington, D.C. and beyond.

05/31/2026

One of the country’s most beautiful public libraries is the Central Library. Holding 1.5 million books and materials on eleven floors, the library is famous for its architectural design, “Red Floor” featuring 13 shades of red, and “Books Spiral,” four continuous, ADA accessible floors of non-fiction books. The entire building was designed by Rem Koolhaas and Joshua Prince-Ramus in 2004.

05/30/2026

The 21-day dry-aged duck shawarma uses a 19th century Ottoman recipe at along H Street NE. Carrying on his father’s Istanbul restaurateur legacy, the chef opened Tiffany’s around the same time he and his wife and co-founder welcomed their first baby. Inside a cozy setting, Tiffany’s serve American-Mediterranean food, including a weekend brunch with pistachio French toast and rose cardamom biscuits on the menu.

(Note: Our meal was comped, but views of our own. We enjoyed our experience, especially the sampler of all their spreads.)

Downtown D.C.’s largest green space used to supply The White House with water. Established in 1832, housed Union soldie...
05/29/2026

Downtown D.C.’s largest green space used to supply The White House with water. Established in 1832, housed Union soldiers during the Civil War. Four years after the Compensated Emancipation Act freed those enslaved in D.C., a celebration happened here, an occasion still celebrated in the park. Rehabilitated several times, including during Roosevelt’s New Deal programs, Franklin Park is home to five acres of open space, a fountain, a playground, and a statue honoring the father of the U.S. Navy. The park hosts regular events, including workout classes on select Saturdays and live music and lawn games every Wednesday in June.

05/26/2026

My nine-year-old daughter’s favorite tour is at , the estate of Marjorie Merriweather Post, the then-wealthiest woman in the country. Her mansion comes with a pink bathroom, furniture from actual queens, fancy clothes, lush gardens and more. For kids, there’s a scavenger hunt activity sheet. Ask for docent Lorraine. She is masterful at keeping kids’ attention while teaching them history like Post being among the first to pay for health insurance for her employees. On this particular visit, , a woman-owned organization on a mission to make learning fun for kids through custom, personalized experiences, provided activity books and a bag of questions for each room.

05/25/2026

Next time you visit the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C., find wartime graffiti etched in two places. Near the backside of the Pennsylvania pillar is one “Kilroy Was Here” and the other opposite of it. U.S. soldiers carved the graffiti all over Europe and Asia as a sign of comfort and lightheartedness during the country’s second-bloodiest war.

05/23/2026

100 new murals by 100 artists color East of the River in Washington, D.C. On walls and fences, inside takeout spots, and at local businesses, these murals honor the people and community of Chocolate City. The annual led by gives muralists, some experienced and others just starting out, full creative freedom. The result is a love letter to the real D.C.

(Shoutout to artists , , , , , , , , .beezy, , , , , .theexplorer, .e.r.k.e, , , .studio, , , .sunshine, , .cartesian, , , , , , , , .by.nv, , , , , , , , , , , .daryl, , , , , , , .onthe.wall, , .of.insta, , , , , , , , , and others.)

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05/19/2026

A meal worth the Metro ride is Arlington’s , a short walk from the East Falls Church Metro. Order the Garlic Butter Miso Scallops. Four come out on a black plate. A second order usually follow. The great of the menu is inspired by the creativity of the chef, a common practice in Japanese restaurants that requires the trust of guests. As sushi rolls and nigiri come out, guests are often wowed. With murals on the inside, Yume Sushi is open every day for dinner and for both lunch and dinner on weekends.

(Note: Our meal was comped, but views are my own. Their Garlic Butter Miso Scallops is the best dish we’ve had this year.)

05/16/2026

Always look up when on Capitol Hill. Animal sculptures are hidden on light posts to match some lettered streets. There’s a grasshopper along G Street SE and a cat along C Street SE. Inspired by a local dad who used D.C.’s lettered streets to teach his daughter the alphabet, ’s Capitol Hill Alphabet Animal Art Project first went up in 2014. Today, there are around 20 different animals to find by local artists. Additionally, there are ten sculptures of 10 sculptures of local endangered or formerly native species along Connecticut Avenue NW between Cleveland Park and Woodley Park.

05/15/2026

On May 15, 1918, during World War I, the world’s first scheduled regular airmail service took off from Hains Point in Washington, D.C. Although ceremonial, the flight represented a major shift in connecting the country and world. The route went from D.C. to Philadelphia to New York. On the same day, a flight left New York carrying mail toward D.C. An overlooked memorial honors the moment erected in 1958 by the Areo Club of Washington.

05/10/2026

One of Washington, D.C.’s mysteries is the identity behind Logan Circle’s , a Barbie-themed art installation in the front yard of an 1874 rowhouse that changes seasonally. Since 2014, the Barbie and Ken dolls match whatever holiday, event, or theme is going on nationally. Whoville in December, voting during the presidential elections, Stars Wars on May 4th, and, most recently, Mother’s Day. Although the display changes often, what remains is the question, “Who’s its curator?”

(Note: For the Mother’s Day installation, crafting credit goes to .)

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