Take a Tour of
Washington, D.C.
An insider’s guide to
our nation’s capital
By Jenn Plum
Washington, D.C., located on the banks of the Potomac River and bordered by Virginia and Maryland, is a visitors’ dream. The city—famous for celebrated symbols of patriotism and undiscovered neighborhoods—is packed with awe-inspiring historical sites, ritzy hotels, art galleries, hopping clubs, casual cafés and upscale bistros. With all the attractions that line the streets of Georgetown and downtown, you can visit for a weekend or stay a whole week—and never run out of things to do.
Stay
The Hay-Adams is a standout for its legendary views. Travelers are faced with a tough choice: a room with a vista of the White House on Pennsylvania Avenue or one overlooking St. John’s Church. If money is no obstacle, splurge for the corner Federal Suite with unobstructed views of both landmarks. For a less expensive option, head to the Hotel Helix, where the staff still rolls out the red carpet—at an affordable price—with a complimentary “bubbly hour” every night in the hotel’s “living room” lobby. Each room feels like a one-of-a-kind creation, with colorful furniture, rich linens and black-and-white photos. Those who value their privacy above all else should stay at The Mansion on O Street, where impeccable service and unparalleled luxury meet you at every turn, whether you’re paying $350 for the hidden Stateroom with a waterbed or $850 for the sophisticated Lennon room. Just remember, if you want to be found, give any callers the password or they’ll be stonewalled at the front desk.
The renovation project on the iconic St.
Regis Hotel is the talk of the town. The hotel combined its signature luxury with many new technological bonuses.
Eat
According to Amanda McClements, writer and blogger behind the popular D.C. food blog Metrocurean, Tabard Inn, with its warming fireplace in the lounge, is the perfect spot for weekend brunch. Zaytinya is a great eatery for a group; it’s big, beautiful and always feels like a party. You can order dozens of Mediterranean mezzes (McClements loves the havuc koftesi and shrimp saganaki) to pass around and share. If you’re into comfort food, head to Creme Cafe and Lounge, a lively little joint on U Street that serves outstanding shrimp and grits, hearty chicken noodle soup, and a take on pork and beans that brings together a generous braised pork shank over three kinds of lima beans and applewood bacon.
You can experience a Washington, D.C., power lunch for yourself at The Palm, where political big-wigs make deals over hearty salads and classic steak house offerings. Recent renovations added new “power booths” in the bar area and an enclosed glass patio, offering more opportunities to see and be seen. Barton Seaver’s Georgetown-based Hook has all of the makings of a hit—a beautiful dining room and even more beautiful clientele. The 28-year-old Seaver is reeling in the crowds with his delightful preparations of sustainable seafood. Expand your palate with a flight of crudo—three bite-sized slivers of delicate raw fish—and seafood like arctic char, wahoo and weakfish. If you’re craving Italian food, the mozzarella is airfreighted from Campania twice a week at Dino, while the prosciutto is aged for 500 days and the pasta is handmade. Take advantage of weeknight discounts on wines as well as the “Menu della Sera,” which proves early-bird specials aren’t just for the early-to-bed set, with three delicious courses for $24 before 7 p.m. Whether you’re seated in front of the open kitchen or relaxing in the lounge, Rasika is one of the hottest tables in town. If you think you know Indian food, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by some of the twists and turns on Chef Vikram Sunderam’s menu. There’s traditional tandoori and lots of perfectly prepared lamb, but the menu’s real heavyweights include modern flavor combinations like the bison chili roast.
A couple new food and drink spots have the locals excited. Popular pizza joint Matchbox will open a new outpost in Barracks Heights. And Dupont Circle will be getting a new watering hole when Black Fox Executive Lounge opens later this year.
If you live for the night, limitless options await, regardless of whether your tastes run to tea or tequila. Lotus Lounge offers a taste of the East. By day, the scene is serene with bento boxes and organic tea in the shadow of a 10-foot statue of Buddha. But at night, mod lighting, sleek leather banquettes, lotus-shaped chandeliers and a DJ spinning tunes in a bamboo booth create a sultry vibe. Playing to its K Street crowd, Lotus lets drinkers pick the “POTUS” (president of the U.S.) by ordering a drink named for their favorite hopeful. “The Hillartini” is a strong and snappy pink Cosmopolitan, while “The Romney” is a concoction of mixed fruit juices with an optional shot of vodka. For those less politically and more musically minded, Rock and Roll Hotel is an indie club that’s a bit off the beaten path on H Street. Listen to The Killers and Stone Sour while dancing (or posing) the night away. If a little vino is all it takes for you to have a good time, Veritas Wine Bar is the perfect place. Carefully chosen flights of wine offer three tastes centered around a common theme, like “French bubbles,” “three deadly zins” or “backpacking in Italy.” Once you find a favorite, order a glass or bottle, as well as a nice selection of nibbles, including cheeses, pates and cured meats.
Things to Do
The biggest news in theater circles is the Harman Center for the Arts, the Shakespeare Theatre Company’s new 776-seat performance center in the Penn Quarter. With this dramatic new space, the company will add three plays to its season. And from March through May, the Arena Stage will simultaneously tackle two Arthur Miller plays: the well-known Death of a Salesman and the slightly more obscure A View from the Bridge.
There’s no shortage of museums in D.C., with 17 art and history venues in the Smithsonian complex alone. “America by Air,” the new permanent exhibit at the National Air and Space Museum, celebrates commercial aviation with plenty of large-scale aircraft. The National Museum of Natural History studies the evolution of butterflies and plants in an exhibit sure to delight children and adults alike: The 1,400-square-foot Butterfly Pavilion will be filled with live plants and fluttering butterflies when it opens this winter.
If you are visting during early January, be sure to catch the Annie Leibovitz photography exhibit at the Corcoran Gallery of Art (through Jan. 13). Also closing that day is the “Impressionists by the Sea” exhibit (heavy on the Monet) at the Phillips Collection. Less conventional museums include the International Spy Museum and the brand-new Newseum, with seven levels of galleries devoted to the study of five centuries of print media. D.C. is also now home to its own Madame Tussauds, where guests can pose for photos in an Oval Office made entirely of wax.
YOUR GUIDE TO WASHINGTON, D.C.
LODGING
The Hay-Adams >>>
202-638-6600
www.hayadams.com
The Mansion on O Street
202-496-2000
www.omansion.com
Hotel Helix
202-462-9001
www.hotelhelix.com
St. Regis Hotel
202-638-2626
www.stregis.com
Tabard Inn
202-785-1277
www.tabardinn.com
DINING
<<< Rasika
202-637-1222
www.rasikarestaurant.com
Creme Cafe and Lounge
202-234-1884
www.cremedc.com
Hook
202-625-4488
www.hookdc.com
The Palm
202-293-9091
www.thepalm.com
Lotus Lounge >>>
202-289-4222
www.lotusloungedc.com
Matchbox
202-289-4441
<<< Dino
202-686-2966
www.dino-dc.com
Black Fox Executive
Lounge
202-265-0030
www.blackfoxlounge.com
Rock and Roll
Hotel
202-388-7625
www.rockandrollhoteldc.com
Veritas Wine Bar
202-265-6270
www.veritasdc.com
Zaytinya
202-638-0800
www.zaytinya.com
ATTRACTIONS
Harman Center
for the Arts
202-547-1122
www.shakespearetheatre.org
Arena Stage
202-554-9066
www.arena-stage.org
Phillips Collection
202-387-2152
www.phillipscollection.org
National Air and
Space Museum
202-633-1000
www.nasm.si.edu
National Museum
of Natural History
202-633-1000
www.folkways.si.edu
Corcoran Gallery of Art
202-639-1800
www.corcoran.org/index.asp
International Spy Museum
202-393-7798
www.spymuseum.org
Smithsonian Institution
202-633-1000
www.si.edu
Newseum
888-639-7386
www.newseum.org
Madame Tussauds
202-942-7300
www.madametussaudsdc.com
INSIDER GUIDE: Julie M. Saunders, Four Seasons Hotel
We caught up with Julie M. Saunders, concierge supervisor at Georgetown’s Four Seasons Hotel, for her picks on the best in town. With 22 years of experience as a concierge in D.C., she knows all the top spots.
WINTER FUN IN THE CITY:
Ice skating at the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Gardens (202-737-4215, www.nga.gov/exhibitions) followed by hot chocolate in the café.
BEST HAIRCUT IN TOWN:
Andre Chreky, at the salon spa (202-293-9393, www.andrechreky.com) gives the best in town, hands down.
BEST SPA TREATMENT:
The Pennsylvania Avenue Retreat at The Four Seasons Spa (202-944-2022, www.fourseasons.com) is an 80-minute massage that aids in clarity, relaxation and calm.
ESCAPE FROM THE CITY:
Middleburg, Va. (www.middleburgonline.com). Just one hour away, this beautiful horse and wine country town offers luxurious lodgings and great restaurants.
BEST PLACE FOR COFFEE IN GEORGETOWN:
Leopold’s Kafe Konditorei (202-965-6005, www.kafeleopolds.com) is an Austrian cafe with fabulous coffee and pastries.
