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JETSETTING WITH JESS

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Welcome to My Blog!

Here’s a little inspiration for your next trip. 


  • October 2018 2
    • Oct 25, 2018 Aloha Part 2: Kapalua and Wailea Oct 25, 2018
    • Oct 23, 2018 Aloha Part 1: Waikiki and Pearl Harbor Oct 23, 2018
  • December 2017 1
    • Dec 31, 2017 Happy New Year from Key West! Dec 31, 2017
  • November 2017 1
    • Nov 21, 2017 Sintra, the land of Portuguese Castles Nov 21, 2017
  • October 2017 1
    • Oct 3, 2017 Andalucía Parte Dos: The Sizzling City of Sevilla Oct 3, 2017
  • September 2017 2
    • Sep 26, 2017 Andalucía Parte Uno: The Captivating Towns of Córdoba & Granada Sep 26, 2017
    • Sep 19, 2017 A Quick Stopover in Madrid Sep 19, 2017
  • June 2017 1
    • Jun 7, 2017 A Weekend Jaunt to La La Land Jun 7, 2017
  • May 2017 4
    • May 23, 2017 A Weekend Getaway in Martha's Vineyard May 23, 2017
    • May 16, 2017 Views, Views, Views in Trentino May 16, 2017
    • May 9, 2017 3 (other) Places to Visit in the Veneto May 9, 2017
    • May 2, 2017 How to Enjoy the Ever-So-Crowded Venice May 2, 2017
  • March 2017 1
    • Mar 7, 2017 Bye Bye Boston & Blogger Goes on Break Mar 7, 2017
  • February 2017 7
    • Feb 28, 2017 Seductive & Sizzling Saint-Tropez Feb 28, 2017
    • Feb 23, 2017 The Allure of the Côte d'Azur (Part Deux) Feb 23, 2017
    • Feb 21, 2017 The Allure of the Côte d'Azur Feb 21, 2017
    • Feb 16, 2017 La Joie de Vivre in Paris (Part Deux) Feb 16, 2017
    • Feb 14, 2017 La Joie de Vivre in Paris Feb 14, 2017
    • Feb 9, 2017 Eat & Drink like a Roman Feb 9, 2017
    • Feb 7, 2017 When in Rome... Feb 7, 2017
  • January 2017 7
    • Jan 31, 2017 The Small Towns You Can't Miss in Southern Tuscany Jan 31, 2017
    • Jan 26, 2017 Fantastic Food, Fizzy Wine & Fast Cars in Modena Jan 26, 2017
    • Jan 24, 2017 The Italian Foodie Region of Emilia Romagna Jan 24, 2017
    • Jan 19, 2017 Living La Dolce Vita on the Amalfi Coast (Part II) Jan 19, 2017
    • Jan 17, 2017 Living La Dolce Vita on the Amalfi Coast (Part I) Jan 17, 2017
    • Jan 9, 2017 Sunshine & Salsa in San Juan Jan 9, 2017
    • Jan 6, 2017 Benvenuto a Boston, Eataly! Jan 6, 2017
  • October 2016 2
    • Oct 10, 2016 Key West: My Guide to the Conch Republic Oct 10, 2016
    • Oct 4, 2016 The Low-Key yet Lovely Life of SoBe Oct 4, 2016
  • September 2016 1
    • Sep 27, 2016 I'm baaack & Luxe-for-Less in Miami Beach Sep 27, 2016
  • February 2016 2
    • Feb 23, 2016 Guadeloupe: the other French Caribbean (Part 2) Feb 23, 2016
    • Feb 16, 2016 Guadeloupe: The other French Caribbean (Part I) Feb 16, 2016
  • December 2015 8
    • Dec 28, 2015 Hotel Spotlight: the Captain Fairfield Inn Dec 28, 2015
    • Dec 22, 2015 Smart Packing Tips Dec 22, 2015
    • Dec 17, 2015 Ireland Day 4: Dingle & Limerick Dec 17, 2015
    • Dec 15, 2015 Ireland Day 3: Beara Peninsula & Killarney Dec 15, 2015
    • Dec 10, 2015 Ireland Day 2: Cork & Kinsale Dec 10, 2015
    • Dec 8, 2015 Ireland Day 1: County Clare & Galway Dec 8, 2015
    • Dec 4, 2015 10 Gifts for the Jetsetter Dec 4, 2015
    • Dec 1, 2015 Save on SPG Hotels Dec 1, 2015
  • November 2015 6
    • Nov 19, 2015 Essential Carry-On Items Nov 19, 2015
    • Nov 17, 2015 The Best Shoes for Traveling Nov 17, 2015
    • Nov 12, 2015 The BVI's Part Two: Island Hopping and Painkillers Nov 12, 2015
    • Nov 10, 2015 The BVI's: A Little Slice of Britain in the Caribbean Nov 10, 2015
    • Nov 5, 2015 The Airline Upgrade Worth Paying For Nov 5, 2015
    • Nov 3, 2015 007 Things I Fancy about London Nov 3, 2015
  • October 2015 8
    • Oct 29, 2015 Is Global Entry Worth It? Oct 29, 2015
    • Oct 22, 2015 Cheap Rates at the Chatham Bars Inn Oct 22, 2015
    • Oct 20, 2015 Amsterdam, the Land of Canals and Pancakes Oct 20, 2015
    • Oct 15, 2015 5 Tips on Traveling by Train in Europe Oct 15, 2015
    • Oct 13, 2015 There's More Than Beer in Bruges Oct 13, 2015
    • Oct 9, 2015 Awesome Alternative Accommodations in Italy: the Agriturismo Oct 9, 2015
    • Oct 7, 2015 7 Places to See in Tuscany Oct 7, 2015
    • Oct 4, 2015 A New Airline is Coming to Town Oct 4, 2015
  • September 2015 5
    • Sep 29, 2015 A Long Weekend in D.C. Sep 29, 2015
    • Sep 24, 2015 Caffè Cultura 101: Understanding Coffee in Italy Sep 24, 2015
    • Sep 21, 2015 Mangia! Mangia! Eating in Florence and Tuscany Sep 21, 2015
    • Sep 18, 2015 What to See in Florence, Italy Sep 18, 2015
    • Sep 17, 2015 Hello and Welcome to my Blog! Sep 17, 2015

A Long Weekend in D.C.

September 29, 2015 in cities, minication, museums, weekend, USA

Earlier this month, my husband and I spent a few days in Washington D.C. and I have to say it is a perfect destination for a long weekend. The quick, inexpensive flights from Boston were definitely our biggest draw and when we saw that the St. Regis was offering a discounted rate we pulled the trigger and started planning for a weekend in our nation's capital. There is so much to do in D.C. so you should really decide ahead of time what you want to get out of the trip. Since I knew this would a place we would probably return to someday given how close it is, I decided not to do everything this time and focus only on a couple museums (totally unlike me) balanced out by some good eating, drinking & exploring. Getting to D.C. is easy, especially from the Northeast, and flights can be pretty cheap if you hit it right. We went in the beginning of September which is still on the hot side for D.C. so prices were pretty cheap. We coped by making stops into cute shops for their a/c or a bar for a cold drink. There are a few airports that serve D.C. but you definitely want to fly into Reagan National (DCA) since it is the closest to downtown and therefore the most convenient. Score a window seat and you get to see a preview of the monuments as you land. Once you step off the plane, a quick metro ride brings you downtown.

The area we stayed in was very centrally located, being only a few blocks from the White House, but was technically considered Downtown D.C. which is the financial/business district so it was pretty quiet on the weekend. We ended up doing a lot of walking to other parts of the city or taking the metro, which had a stop right near the hotel. Here are my highlights and reccos from the weekend.

 

GEORGETOWN

One of my favorite areas of D.C. and a great place to stroll during the day is the Georgetown neighborhood. Stroll the main drag (M Street & Wisconsin Ave) for some shopping and restaurants and veer off down the cobblestone streets lined with old colonial homes (O Street), some of which have working gaslamps by their front door, how cool! The Georgetown campus is all the way at the end of O Street at 37th Street and is beautiful, especially in the spring when the cherry blossoms are blooming. This neighborhood definitely has a younger feel, thanks to the college students that live here but don't let that deter you.

 

LOGAN CIRCLE

My absolute favorite neighborhood that you cannot miss, especially for eating and drinking, is Logan Circle. It has a slightly older vibe than Georgetown (think young-professional) and 14th Street is hopping with hip restaurants and bars. We walked around this area a bit and discovered so many fun-looking places. I can't wait to go back and spend more time here.

Anyway, if you're into craft beer, stop into Birch & Barley for dinner or the bar upstairs at Churchkey, which shares the same owner. We were drawn to Birch & Barley, not just because of its beer list of over 500 craft brews but because of its farm-to-table, seasonal fare. Everything from the homemade buttermilk biscuits to the chicken-of-the-woods mushroom risotto was fabulous.

Another cool place is Ghibellina. We only stopped in for a glass of wine but it was a hip little joint serving up Tuscan-fare. We saw the pizzas being served with scissors for cutting, which was a neat touch, and I especially loved the interior-- exposed brick walls with a rustic, wooden-beamed ceiling, and a marble bar. We will definitely be back here to have dinner.

We also walked by Le Diplomat, a brasserie serving up classic French fare, which seemed like another great place. At a quick glance, you'd think you're in Paris with the red awnings and cafe chairs outside. I heard the brunch here is one of the best but I'd also like to check it out for dinner because it was quite lively.

 

SUNDAY BRUNCH

A great way to start your Saturday or Sunday is having brunch at Founding Farmers, a hopping spot located in the Foggy Bottom neighborhood a few blocks West of the White House. It has a rustic, farmhouse interior and serves up delicious comfort food. This place was so popular that we could see the crowds lined up outside from blocks away. Reservations are a must and will be your best bet at scoring a table. We did not have a reservation and we were starving (recipe for disaster and amateur move), but miraculously 2 spots opened up at the bar as soon as we were ready to abandon ship. We threw a few elbows and probably made a few enemies but it was well worth it.

 

THE SMITHSONIAN AIR & SPACE MUSEUMS

I've always been fascinated by air and space travel so we decided to check out the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum. Some of the highlights include the lunar module from the Apollo 11 landing on the moon, the exhibition on the Golden Age of flight and the section on America by Air. I especially loved seeing the stewardess uniforms from the 60's. But my absolute favorite was our visit to the Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia right next to Dulles International Airport. If you're even a little interested in aviation and space travel, you should rent a car and see this place. Highlights include an Air France Concorde supersonic jet, a Blackbird, many WWII aircrafts including German Nazi planes, and the space shuttle Discovery. You can also go up to the top of an observation tower for a view of planes landing and taking off at Dulles. The tower is even plugged into air traffic control at Dulles so you can listen to communications with pilots about to land. In just 5 minutes, I saw a Lufthansa Boeing 747 take off for Germany and an Air France Airbus A380, the largest commercial jet, land after a 7 hour journey from Paris Charles de Gaulle. Pretty sweet.

D.C. might often times get overlooked as a place to visit but for a long weekend it was the perfect little getaway offering great dining options and trendy neighborhoods. Oh and lots and lots of airplanes.

Georgetown street
Georgetown street
whitehouse
whitehouse
Udvar-Hazy center
Udvar-Hazy center
stewardess uniforms
stewardess uniforms
space shuttle discovery
space shuttle discovery
Tags: White House, space shuttle, Smithsonian Museums, farm to table, foodies, Washington D.C., brunch, craft beer, air and space
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email: jetsettingwithjess@gmail.com
phone: (781) 801 2640