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I had wanted to go to the Holocaust Museum ever since I heard about it, but I was concerned that it wouldn't live up to the initial hype. But, it is an amazing place. The exhibits are actual things from Germany & Europe leading up to the Holocaust and then through the aftermath. There's a lot of info that they manage to get across (a combination of reading placards and videos), but it never felt laborious. It was easy to work your way through and learn a lot about it. Most striking to me was the use of propaganda in the leadup to it. Ostracize a set of people slowly and surely and eventually add in laws limiting their rights. It is a scary parallel of the gay rights setbacks we've had. I shuddered when I noted some tactics of the Bush administration in the early days. My only disappointment was that the area with the pink triangle seemed easy to miss. I would have liked them to call that out a bit more, especially with the current climate around gay rights. I highly recommend this to anyone visiting DC, it is educational, moving and very well done.

I stayed at the Nines when last in Portland and was very impressed with the room, quality of the amenities and the decor. Clearly they wanted the place to look "designed" and *everything* is either aqua or brown. I'm a Starwood fan, and The Nines is one of their "luxury collection", but other than the design, I found little distinction from their other properties - it was large and tended to be impersonal. For a "luxury" hotel, I'd like to be able to feel the extra service and I simply didn't here. Regardless, I'd stay again thanks to the great rooms and the location (right in the heart of downtown near to all transportation).

When friends come into town, I always try to get a table at Delfina. This is an Italian place, but it's not the tomato-sauce kind of place. You'll find creative takes on pasta and amazing pizzas, but I almost always order one of their entrees which read more continental than Italian. Their wine list is amazing and the service is always knowledgeable about the menu and their large wine list (with lots of Italian wines). If you are coming to town to meet me, I'll likely take you here.

I've been to the Red Inn twice and each time I've had a great meal. I've heard some people say that the menu isn't all that inventive - and that's true, it's a bit more on the seafood/chicken/meat and veggies/potatoes side, but cooked perfectly with great preparation and the service a delight. Come around sunset to enjoy their views or sit on the deck ad have a drink. It's a hike to get here (maybe a 15 minute walk from town), so either plan on the walk or get a cab.

Bubala's is perfectly located, convenient to everything and the service is generally fast (once you get past the long line). I love the lobster salad roll here (probably the best one I had in Ptown), and the breakfast items are usually good. Yes, the food isn't stellar, but I really enjoy Bubala's and never miss it when I'm there.

I was surprised to hear about a new bar opening in Provincetown, it is so rare that it happens. This one, however, I think is a win. The bar is basically the lobby area of the Brass Key inn and the courtyard out back. The bartenders were cute and the drinks strong. It's a nice spot to grab a drink with friends, sit around the fire or to meet up with your group that might be staying different places. This is the place to go after dinner but before the A-House, so I'm not sure this would be a place to meet new people (most everyone was with groups of friends). The crowd was slightly older than some other places, but that suited me just fine.