Mondo DC: An Insider's Guide to Washington, DC's Most Unusual Tourist Attractions [Paperback]

Jeff Bagato (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 12, 2005

Welcome to Mondo DC! Come along on an adventure through the Washington, DC, area's most astonishing, inspiring, and unusual places. You'll visit little museums, odd archives, hidden monuments, unusual tours, and roadside art. From the Agnew Room to an insect zoo, castles to catacombs, erotic art to outsider art; gold mines, gargoyles, giants, and ghosts. Plus sex, drugs, guns, anarchy, and much more! These are DC's secret spots, many unknown even to long-time Washingtonians-each with fascinating stories that come to life when you join the Mondo DC tour. More than a tour guide, Mondo DC collects the definitive true stories about the oddest and most interesting places in Washington. Go behind the scenes to learn the history, explore the highlights, and hear conversations with key people at each attraction. This book includes 40 articles, covering over 70 sites, including the Squished Penny Museum, Black Fashion Museum, Assassination Archives and Research Center, Joseph Cornell Study Center, National Cryptologic Museum, National Glamour Archives, and the Bull Run Castle. You'll meet an Awakening Giant, the Queen of the Belly Dancers, a Giant Mermaid, naked mole-rats, Mr. Dixie, and Anarchy herself! There are also special mini-guides to the DC area's mummies, planetariums, and mini-golf courses. Plus DC's hidden belly dancing legacy, including a guide to current local restaurants that feature Middle Eastern dance. No other guide offers this level of detail about these amazing attractions-if they mention them at all. Many of these places are covered only in Mondo DC! Mondo DC will entertain life-long residents, newcomers, and travelers looking to expand their experience of Washington, DC, beyond the Mall and monument core. Cheap dates, family fun, group outings, and private retreats were never so wild! The author has written about unusual people and places in DC for over ten years for the Washington Post, Washington City Paper, Bizarre (UK), Pulse!, and other publication

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Jeff Bagato has written about unusual people and places in Washington, DC, for over ten years for the Washington Post, Washington City Paper, Bizarre (UK), Pulse!, and other publications. A native Washingtonian, his experiences as a concert promoter, underground musician, and freelance writer frequently bring him face to face with the best and the weirdest DC has to offer.Currently, he directs the Panic Research Agency (www.panicresearch.com), an umbrella for creative projects including the Electric Possible (concert series for experimental, free improvisation, and electronic music); and the experimental music groups Spaceships Panic Orbit, Violet Panic, and DJ Panic. From 1989-2002, he edited and self-published Mole magazine, which covered underground music, outsider art, crackpot thought, and the counterculture.

Product Details

• Paperback: 232 pages
• Publisher: AuthorHouse (April 12, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1420821385
• ISBN-13: 978-1420821383
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,140,784 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

A writer, musician and artist living near Washington, DC, Jeff Bagato just released a book of limericks based on H.P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu Mythos, naturally titled Cthulhu Limericks. Other recent books include a surreal science fiction novel, Kill Claus! and a photo book about now defunct Northern Virginia outsider environment Johnston's Garage. A new surreal science fiction novel is in the works for 2012. He writes the blog MondoDC.com, about unusual and underground events, attractions, art, music and more in Washington, DC, extending a project that started with the book Mondo DC and continued with contributions to local NPR affiliate WAMU-FM. He hopes to one day open a museum to showcase his large collection of thrift store art.

As a musician, he performs in several music projects including Tone Ghosting (solo electronics), Mercury Fools the Alchemist (free improvisation trio), For Official Use Only (electronics trio), Bionic Eyes (electronics duo), and Alzo Boszormenyi and the Acid Achievers (7 piece improvising rock band). The latest Tone Ghosting CD, Plastic Voice, is available via Amazon.

His poetry and fiction have appeared in Exquisite Corpse, Chiron Review, Open 24 Hours, Malefact, Spoonfed, Shattered Wig Review, and other publications.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally! A unique guide to DC, June 22, 2005

By 

MRM "McLean, VA native" (Raleigh, NC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mondo DC: An Insider's Guide to Washington, DC's Most Unusual Tourist Attractions (Paperback)

I grew up in the suburbs of DC and now live out of State. I got this book before a planned trip back home and found it a fascinating read. Since we have 3 children, we wanted to make our tour of the Capitol a little more interesting than the norm. I'm glad we had this book to guide us. I would highly recommend it to anyone (tourist or native) who wants to see some different sights.

5.0 out of 5 stars Mondo DC is good book, January 22, 2011

By 

C. - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Mondo DC: An Insider's Guide to Washington, DC's Most Unusual Tourist Attractions (Paperback)

Mondo DC is well written. Being a native Washingtonian, I knew of several of these attractions but most I didn't know of. The book is great for anyone who lives in or near Washington DC or is visiting.