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LaMuse
a Live with Gratitude, Inc. company
a Live with Gratitude, Inc. company
chicagotribune.com >> Travel
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
YOUTH MOVEMENT
Hip club scenes to gourmet doggy treats in D.C./Alexandria
By Laurie D. Borman
Rand McNally Travel News
Published April 29, 2007
Washington has been called the city where fun goes to die. A place where
policy wonks drone and lobbyists strong-arm. But behind the austere
facade, the D.C. area parties.
The club scene rocks on weekends.
Smart, sophisticated Blue Gin, 1206 Wisconsin Ave. NW (
www.bluegindc.com), sits at the end of an alley off M Street in Georgetown.
The crowd trends older than the university kids milling outside looking for a
no-cover bar. Patrons here sport turtlenecks and suit jackets, leather pants
and satin tops. They sip on passion fruit cocktails ($12) near the virtual
fireplaces. Upstairs there's even a window to the street, a lounge rarity.
In the hopping DuPont Circle area, crowds line up around the block to push
past the velvet ropes of 1223, at 1223 Connecticut Ave. The scene is far
less dressed up than Blue Gin, but equally appealing. An endless variety of
kaleidoscopic patterns are projected on walls of brick; columns of steel
mesh cascade from the ceiling. Easy R&B fills the air.
The owner of K Street Lounge, 1301 K Street (www.kstreetdc .com), says
they're aiming for a more mature crowd -- meaning over 25 -- and the tactics
include a cover, strict dress code and serious security screening. Go online
for coupons to waive the cover. It's a tight space of white acrylic panels and
a deejay right in the center of the action. Red Bull and vodka is the most
popular drink, but bottle service and 23 reserved tables give it an exclusive
atmosphere.
Cool shops abound
Big chain stores pack most of Georgetown's Wisconsin Avenue near M, so
head up to the 1500-1600 block near Q for pricey boutiques, or to U Street,
starting at the 1400 block. Ideas:
Sassanova, 1641 Wisconsin Ave. NW, featuring high fashion shoes with
prices to match.
Candida's World of Books, 1541 14th St. NW (www.candidas
worldofbooks.com), specializes in books from around the world, offering
works in 15 languages from more than 40 countries.
Meeps, 1520 U St. NW ( www.meepsonu.com), with vintage clothing and
local designer retro versions as well.
Varied boutiques line the streets of Alexandria, Va., just across the D.C.
border. Three good bets:
La Muse, 108 N. Patrick ( www.shoplamuse.net), sells whimsical gifts,
clothing, jewelry and photos from Washington.
Virginia wines, peanuts, Williamsburg and colonial-style accents fill the
Virginia Shop, 104 S. Union St. (www.thevirginia shop.com).
Barkley Square Gourmet Dog Bakery & Boutique, 1 Wales Alley
(www.barkleysqua rebakery.com), welcomes pooches to Alexandria's
Historic Old Town to sniff among the Chewy Vuitton and Jimmy Chew attire.
Clean, friendly transportation
Bus drivers answer your questions about which bus to take with a smile. The
Georgetown Shuttle gets you around the neighborhood for under $2.
There's also the DC Circulator for $1 ( www.dccirculator.com).
Residents and tourist alike ride the squeaky clean Metro (subway) at all
hours. It is cheap, easy and accessible. Vending machines dispense tickets
at the entry to each station, with charts to figure out fares (often under
$1.50).
One word: cupcakes.
Mmmm. Cake Love, 1506 U St. NW, bakes, then lavishes gobs of
buttercream frosting on their little delicacies. A bit of heaven for $3 each.
What else would you expect from Warren Brown, the host of Food Network's
"Sugar Rush"? If the bakery's closed, Love Cafe at 1501 U St. NW serves
sandwiches and salads along with the cupcakes from the bakery.
Museums
Most museums don't charge admission.
Of course, that includes all the museums of the Smithsonian swelling with
school kids, Boy Scout troops and toddlers. Bypass the kiddies on the Mall
and take a jog through U.S. history at the National Portrait Gallery, 8th and
F St. George is there, of course, but also Civil War soldiers in Matthew
Brady's photos, Harriet Beecher Stowe, John Wayne, Martin Luther King.
And if you must spend money on an admission, well, the International Spy
Museum at 800 F St. NW demands a fee of $15. Visitors assume an alias
and play throughout their visit, watch video clips of spies in action and
peruse a huge collection of international espionage-related artifacts.
Best budget tips: Get an invisible ink pen kit or an undercover listening
device (each $6.95) at the International Spy Museum gift shop. If you're
clubbing and dining, the small plate appetizers at Blue Gin range from
$9-$18, and make a cheap date.
Best splurge: Bike the Sites, 1100 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
(www.bikethesites.com), has three-hour bike tours for $40, including bike,
helmet, guide and water, and scooter rentals for $65 a day.
More, more, more: Washington tourism info: www.washing ton.org;
Alexandria, Va., tourism info: www.thefunsideofthe potomac.com.
Copyright © 2007, Chicago Tribune
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