Despite its monumental charm, D.C. is not “The City of Love.”
Paris rightfully holds that prized title with its winding cobblestone streets, cafes haunted by famed writers and museums full of the world’s greatest works of art. But, believe it or not, a Parisian designed the District’s cityscapes with the architecture of “The City of Love” in mind.
Pierre L’Enfant, who sailed to America from France to fight in the Revolutionary War, was the architect selected by George Washington to design the plan for the nation’s capital. His vision for D.C. was grand, scored by wide boulevards, à la the Champs-Élysées. Eventually, L’Enfant’s clashes with city commissioners led to Washington giving him the boot, but his plan lived on as the blueprint for the city’s development through the 20th century.
This Valentine’s Day, walk through D.C. with L’Enfant’s vision in mind. While the District can’t hold a candle to “The City of Love,” there is romantic enlightenment to be found across its landscape. Whether you are head over heels or looking for a sign to dump your situationship, here are some architectural landmarks that can offer a backdrop for your romance-filled Friday.
If you are head over heels
In the final scene of the 1998 romantic comedy “You’ve Got Mail,” Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan finally get together in Manhattan’s Riverside Park, surrounded by a garden of lush flowers. What better place to commemorate newfound love than in a field of blossoms during springtime?
Unfortunately, Potomac Phil predicted another six weeks of winter. And if the wintery mix blowing through the District this week is any indication, the all-knowing, mystical groundhog may be onto something. But if you’re looking for a floral rendezvous that puts Hanks and Ryan to shame this Friday, do not fret.
The U.S. Botanic Garden — established by Congress in 1820 as one of the oldest botanical gardens in North America — provides a free respite from the District’s sleet and slush. Enclosed in panes of glass just a stone’s throw away from the U.S. Capitol, the garden’s conservatory is an ideal location for taking a stroll with your new beau. You two can also enjoy the exhibit “Orchids: Masters of Deception,” opening to the public on Valentine’s Day. Just don’t let the orchids’ illusive tendencies give you lovebirds any ideas. But, hey, what’s a romantic comedy without a little deception?
If you are ready to get back on the horse
When it comes to romantic disappointment in college, the body keeps the score. The ping of a Hinge notification fills you with dread. A drunken and ultimately regrettable rendezvous triggers a next-day hangxiety spiral. A glimpse of a former flame in Gelman Library makes your stomach churn. Eventually, you consider ditching GW for a convent or a monastery.
But then, something shifts. Maybe it’s the sight of someone buying a bouquet for their significant other in Trader Joe’s. Suddenly, flinging yourself back into the throes of the District’s dating scene feels worth the prospect of finding love. If you’re ready to get back on the horse of romance, D.C. has just the inspiration you need: the countless man-on-horse statues sprinkled across the city.
It’s often difficult to distinguish one equestrian sculpture from another, leaving you wondering, “Is that George Washington or just some other guy who rocked a ponytail and a tricorn hat?” But in the case of Washington Circle, the man on the horse is indeed GW’s namesake. While riding into the Battle of Princeton is not the most relatable situation for today’s college students, the image of determination in the face of adversity is universal. Just like the Continental Army in Princeton, New Jersey, your romantic victory could be just around the corner.
If you are in the depths of a situationship
This February, situationships should be dead on arrival. A term so overused in recent years, a situationship is an entanglement that lies in the purgatory between friends with benefits and a serious relationship. Some out there may enjoy relating to the lyrics of Chappell Roan’s “Casual,” but situationships often blow up in flames when one person craves the commitment and vulnerability that their partner is unable to give them.
If you’re in the abyss of romantic turmoil, like Orpheus searching for Eurydice in the Underworld, a sign from a higher power may be what you need this Valentine’s Day. Just a 30-minute jaunt away from campus, the Oak Hill Cemetery is home to the graves of notable individuals in D.C. history — from Washington Post publisher Katharine Graham to plagiarizer John A. Joyce. By spending an hour wandering the tombstones, your communion with the spirits may help you decide your situationship is best left buried in the remains or even inspire you to resurrect an old flame.
If you are yearning for someone
Nothing compares to sitting in front of a body of water, strapping on a pair of headphones and letting your thoughts wander into the woods of your latest romantic fixation. Bobby Darin understood this sentiment when he popularized the jazz standard “Beyond the Sea” in 1959, fantasizing about a lover waiting for him across an ocean. If you’re feeling like Darin and are in need of some water to yearn toward this Valentine’s Day, stroll down to America’s front yard.
Although well-manicured lawns and war memorials soak up most of the spotlight, the National Mall is flanked by a stunning, man-made body of water: the Tidal Basin. Lined by cherry blossom trees and the Thomas Jefferson, Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Martin Luther King, Jr. memorials, the glistening surface of the Basin is an apt canvas for processing romantic feelings.
Ask yourself, is this a fleeting crush brought on by a case of boredom or an all-consuming feeling you can’t ignore? The answer could be written somewhere in the Basin’s ripples. If you still feel entangled in the web of your crush, stop by the Lincoln Memorial on your way back to campus to have it out with Honest Abe. Maybe you’ll find the resolve to transform your yearning into action under the 16th president’s foreboding stare.
