A derelict bit of infrastructure from the canal that once ran through D.C. is landlocked in the heart of the city.

This unique museum cafeteria showcases the history and regional diversity of African American cuisine.

This mysterious structure by the Washington Monument is a flood barrier designed to protect the White House against rising waters.

A tiny monument to the unsuccessful attempt by Thomas Jefferson to place the prime meridian in Washington.

Look closely and you’ll notice that the color changes a third of the way up the tower.

Daredevil repair workers can worm their way out the access hatch, loop ropes over the apex and rappel down the monument.

The monument's pointy aluminum tip has been melted down by repeated lightning strikes.

There's a 12-foot-tall replica of the Washington Monument hidden under a manhole nearby.

This mosaic dedicated to John Lennon was tended for years by a Beatles super-fan.

Great place to have a drink and a bite to eat in an atmosphere laden with New York's Bohemian past.

A Ukrainian church canteen doles out hearty fare in an East Village basement.

Have a steam and some blini at this cafe in a century-old bathhouse.

New York City's only radical feminist independent bookstore.

During the holidays, a vintage subway train whisks New Yorkers back in time.

A veritable variety of odds and ends.

Love, knishes, and best wishes from this legendary Lower East Side bakery.

Order scoops of pandan, lychee, and black sesame at this family-run institution.

A touching tribute to the "Queen of Soul."

Manhattan's lighthouse, erected at the insistence of the unsinkable Molly Brown.

A huge resale shop for the cast-offs of the film & television industry.

Come for the pastrami, stay for the million-dollar art.

A world of whimsy and wonder aboard a one of a kind historic landmark vessel.

Enter the deli, walk until you hit the taxidermy, then order some hot, homey guisado.

Lehigh Valley barge No. 79 still gets tugged along - but now it houses a museum and unusual performances.