A Long Weekend in D.C.

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

whitehouse

Udvar-Hazy center

stewardess uniforms

space shuttle discovery

Caffè Cultura 101: Understanding Coffee in Italy

Earlier this week Boston.com informed me that a local coffee giant, Dunkin Donuts, has launched a macchiato. Pumpkin-flavored of course to kick off the first day of fall. The truth is, Dunkin's macchiato couldn't be any further from the real thing and grandpa Giuseppe is probably rolling in his grave. I actually really enjoy macchiatos and it's sort of annoying when I visit a local independent coffee shop and they have to explain to me each time I order one that it comes in a 4-ounce cup (uh, yeah I know, thanks....) But they do have good reason for asking-- most of us Americans don't know espresso. When you're in Italy, espresso is all you get and not any of the drip brew coffee that we are so familiar with. So to make sure you're not surprised or disappointed when you order your coffee in Italy, here's a little explanation of what's what.

• un caffè - a single shot of espresso served in a demitasse cup

• un caffè doppio (or doppio) - a double shot of espresso served in a slightly larger cup

• un caffè macchiato - a single shot of espresso with a drop of steamed milk

• un cappuccino - equal parts espresso and steamed milk topped with foam

• un caffè latte - equal parts espresso and steamed milk served in a large clear glass(Note: make sure you say "caffè latte" and not simply "latte" or else you'll end up with a glass of milk!)

• un caffè americano - a shot of espresso diluted with hot water

A few facts and tips:

1. All of the above items can be decaf if you'd like, just specify "decaffeinato."
2. Sugar is given to you with your coffee for you to add as you please.
3. VERY IMPORTANT: Italians don't order milk in their coffee after 11am. Unless you want to stick out like a tourist, stick with the shots of espresso for a midday pick-me-up.
4. The price of your coffee will depend on where you consume it. Cheapest is at the bar (il banco) and most expensive will be sitting outside. Cafès often charge double and sometimes triple for the same drink to sit at a table. I actually recommend having your coffee at the bar because it is a great way to try to fit in with the locals. But to warn you, the bar is not for lingerers. Have your coffee and go. It's called espresso for a reason.
5. Espresso is stronger than American coffee, yes, but because the usual serving size is much smaller than a cup o'joe, you're actually consuming less caffeine.
6. Espresso is not a different type of coffee per say, it's more like a different method of extracting coffee.

There's nothing like having espresso in Italy so I encourage you to try it even if you're not sure you will like it. The good thing is it's over quickly (a shot is only 1 ounce!) and it will give you that perfect level of energy you need for exploring.

Love espresso and want to become a barista at home? Well, that La Marzocco machine you see in all the cafès costs a pretty penny. They are the Ferrari's of espresso machines, the cheapest costing around $4500 and the industrial machine will run you about $23,000! But hey, they're all made by hand in Florence so I guess you get what you pay for. Luckily there are some other great (cheaper) brands out there that make a pretty tasty cappuccino, Breville to name one.

Now get out there and enjoy your Italian coffee! And please please please don't say eXpresso. It's eSpresso. Arrivederci!

Caffè Macchiato at Milk Bar in Brooklyn NY

Homemade Caffè Macchiato...just need to work on my latte art!