Sunday is Father’s Day and if you haven’t already gotten the dad in your life something special, there is still time to get the perfect gift, right here in the neighborhood.
Is your dad (or brother, uncle, best friend, etc) the active type? Take them to the Ballpark Boathouse for an afternoon of kayaking or canoeing. Or hop on your bikes and take a ride to Kingman Island, or go the other direction for a self guided tour of the monuments.
Sporty? The Nationals are in town, which always makes for a great Sunday. Take it a step further by booking a behind-the-scenes tour of Nationals Park. If he’s more of a soccer buff, DC United is traveling but you can still get tickets to future games, and watch Sunday’s game from one of our MANY sports bars in the neighborhood.
One of my dad’s favorite gifts is a home-cooked meal, which I am always happy to provide. A nice cut of meat or fish from Eastern Market, pretty much always hits the spot for him. And because my mom taught me to always eat my veggies, I’ll pick up some of his favorites (usually asparagus this time of year) from the farmers market. If you are not much of a cook but want to try your hand in the kitchen, ask Union Meats or Canales Quality Meats for a recipe card from Jonathan Bardzik. His recipes seem complicated but are very simple and use ingredients from Eastern Market.
If your dad does love being in the kitchen, swing by Hill’s Kitchen for a pirate chef apron, a new chef’s knife, or a nice stainless pan. Or, take his current knives to DC Sharp at Union Market for sharpening. Or get him some hands on fun with cheese making lessons at Sona or a cooking class at Hill’s Kitchen or Hill Center.
How about clothes? Take him to Hugh & Crye by Yards Park. It’s a new favorite for our writer, Jon, who says that the shirts fit great, they are made in America, and the business is DC based. They also have pocket squares and blazers.
Let’s not forget the gifts that help him become a grill master. Hill’s Kitchen has a huge selection of grilling accessories, tools, sauces, aprons, cook books and more. And stop by Frager’s for a grill or a Green Egg smoker. It’s a gift that the whole family will enjoy when they get to taste the delicious meal that was cooked on it.
Speaking of Frager’s, just about any guy loves new tools. If you’re not sure exactly what tool to get him, you can’t go wrong with a gift certificate!
This is all just the tip of the iceberg in terms of activities and shopping in the neighborhood. What would be your ideal Father’s Day gift on the Hill?