Got the team (11 of us) out of the office for a fun afternoon and this did not disappoint. Marisa was our tour guide and did a great job blending the fascinating history of the neighborhood with the culture, art (murals, architecture), music and, of course, food. As far as highlights, food-wise, we all loved Ben's Chili Bowl (who doesn't, though, right?). The other was our apparent dumb luck to get a backstage tour of the iconic Howard Theater, which extended our tour a bit. (I guess everyone shouldn't expect that, though!) The African American Civil War monument was great, too, as one of the docents from the nearby African American Civil War Museum was dressed in costume and gave a short lecture on the important contributions African American soldiers made to the Union's ultimate victory. What also made the tour special were seemingly little things like the brief history of Industrial Bank (the last African American owned bank) and its role in the development of U Street. Ditto about the history of the 9:30 club. Of course, it didn't hurt that we had beautiful weather. The walking part is easy, with plenty of time for rest. In sum, when you think DC its only natural to think first and foremost about all the monuments and museums, the Capitol, White House, etc. But, this is a great option for - let's call it - a less traditional, more off-the beaten-path afternoon in DC. Thanks Marisa!