By Lani Gering

I don’t know why I have been feeling so melancholy about not living in the Harbor anymore. I really miss sitting on the very large balcony of my second-floor condo with a glass of wine as well as spending time on the party room balcony overlooking the waterfront at the bottom of American Way. Not being able to just walk to the Gaylord to check out all of the action there on a regular basis is another thing I miss. It has been at least six years since the damned pandemic ensued and loss of advertising revenue forced my hand and I had to give up renting the condo I loved in One National. I guess having lived there for almost eleven years and loving it like I did, made a big impact on me. Maybe running into Vivian, the current and my favorite ONH Manager, the last time I dropped copies of the Old Town Crier off there “triggered” me. You have no idea how much seeing and reminiscing with her made me smile.

Much has changed in these last six or so years. Some for the better and some not so much. There are more attractions including Spirit Park that opened in 2023 with my very favorite sculptures in the Harbor (more so than the Beckoning at the entrance and the Awakening on the beach at the Plaza), the bison family on the knoll behind it. More recently the addition of the impressive Wildlife Wonder Boat sculpture that arrived in late April. There are more on the water activities with Freedom Boats as one of the newest. I have featured all of these in past columns.

The Capital Wheel has added Saturday Night live music to their lineup and there seem to be a few more festivals in the mix these days during the year.

New restaurants are popping up as old ones have closed down and new storefronts are opening as others close but at a glance, it looks like the closings are out in front of the race. I am still in mourning at the loss of Bond 45 and the whole west side of the 100 block of Fleet Street – Public House, Brother Jimmy’s and Irish Whisper (both of which were one very large restaurant called Harrington’s in the beginning). The closing of the only market of any sort in the Harbor, Potomac Gourmet, was a huge loss to the residents and remained vacant for quite some time but the space just opened a Michelin Guide recommended authentic Chinese restaurant, Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao. It appears that dumplings are its specialty and I understand it will be the restaurant’s first location south of Manhattan. Sounds like it will be worth a try. Another place that opened a few years ago that brought a welcome new element to the Harbor dining scene is the popular Brazilian Steakhouse, Fogo de Chao. I have yet to experience the full meal presentation at this location but have had some great cocktails and small bites during their Happy Hour. Definitely going to take in lunch there with friends soon.

There have been other eatery openings in the last few years that will appeal to those of you who like eating in airports. Most all of the familiar chains the likes of Auntie Ann’s, Cinnabon, Carvel and Dippin’ Dots are at your disposal on Waterfront Street. None of these remotely appeal to me except maybe Cinnabon!

I won’t touch on the many changes in the retail outlets here since my departure and I have never been a big shopper, however, I do make purchases on a semi-regular basis at Savanah’s Candy Kitchen and the Pepper Palace, both of which have been hanging in there for quite a few years!

I fully confess that this probably isn’t one of my best Harbor columns, and the fact that I moved back to Old Town Alexandria doesn’t mean I still don’t have a deep affection for all of my friends that still live and work in the Harbor. I love it every time I am over there and I take pride in showing my out-of-town visitors everything I love about it. In fact, I had the pleasure of showing it off to friends visiting from Tennessee on the 4^th of July!! We rode the wheel and everything!

Special August Events

8th

Veterans Makers Market: A curated open-air marketplace featuring goods produced by veteran business owners. Stroll the white tent displays on August 8.

8^th & 9th

Water Lantern Festival: A magical evening event where attendees launch personalized lanterns onto the water. It features food trucks and local music at National Harbor SouthPointe starting at 5:30 PM.

29th

FOX 5 DC Summer Zip Trip: A lively, interactive community morning broadcast showcasing local businesses and entertainment right in the harbor from 7:00 AM to 11:00 AM.

Details on these events and the recurring Summer in the Harbor events can be found at nationalharbor.com.