Washington D.C.

Washington DC

Hotel:  Sofitel, H and 15th Streets.  French hotel, excellent location near White House, 10 min walk to the Mall, Portrait Gallery, DuPont Circle, very near McPherson Metro stop.

Restaurants:  Agora, Turkish restaurant at 1527 17th St.  Buzzing atmosphere, fabulous small plates (mezes) from Greece and Turkey. Cuisine called "Mediterranean fusion."Reasonable.

Old Ebbitt Grill, 15th St. bet G and H Streets (very near Sofitel). Old, very popular grill and outstanding crab cakes (best I've had outside of Maryland), filet, chops. Reasonable.

1789.  1226 36th St. NW (Georgetown).  Charming small rooms in larger restaurant. The table where we sat is favorite of the Clintons.  Low paintings on the dark walls. felt like Presidential china.  Gourmet mag said one of Washington's finest experiences. Pricey but not unreasonable at all.  Had pompano ($26) and $44. bottle of good wine.

Sights in D.C. 

Art  

West and East wings of the National Gallery

National Museum of American Art and National Portrait Gallery, in the former Patent Office building

Hirshhorn Gallery of the Smithsonian (Ai Wei Wei exhibit until Feb 24, 2013)

Phillips Collection

Government

Tour of the U.S.Capitol from new Visitors Center, with optional visits to House and Senate Chambers. Get ticket at center or from your congressman or senator

National Archives building:  original Declaration of Independence, Constitution, Magna Carta, exhibit on Cuban Missile Crisis with tapes and documents that have been declassified 50 years after the crisis in 1962.  

Anita Poss 2012