© Rudy Sulgan / Corbis
The capital city that John F. Kennedy once panned for its “Southern efficiency and Northern charm” continues to rebuild itself into the world-class cultural and culinary capital it was always meant to be. Sure, it’s still a showcase for the nation’s historical treasures, but D.C. has also become a burgeoning hub for music and—more surprisingly—a foodie’s playground, with hotter-than-thou restaurants opening seemingly every week. Among the political and nonpolitical upheaval, though, the nation’s capital eternally thrills at being the wheeling, dealing center of power for the United States and, in some ways, the world. See the slideshow.