July 26 - August 1, 2004 ...
 
... Is DC Restaurant Week. This is the fourth year of the bi-annual event, which I think is one of the few good ideas the DC Convention and Tourism Corporation has come up with. And by 'come up with' I mean stole from NYC, but I digress. I live here now. Sigh.
 
Prix fixe meals (lunch $20.04, and dinner $20.03)  at over one hundred restaurant will draw big crowds, so start making reservations now. During the Winter Restaurant week, I was able to indulge at Charlie Palmer's Steak House, Firefly, Coeur De Lion, and Indique. I gained ten pounds, but had a happy tummy and a happier wallet.
Now you have a good excuse to take that pretty young thing in your building out to dinner, the hot treadmill guy from the gym out for lunch, or (hint, hint) you're favorite gourmand cum rambling blogger. If you're too lazy/busy to call around to each restaurant in search of a table, I'll make it even easier for you- Click here to do it online. 

Way to go DC, I give you one point for recognizing that delicious, affordable food is better for tourism than Pandas.