City Center is DC's signature downtown neighborhood filled with shops, restaurants, and a beautiful courtyard, located just steps away from both the Conrad and Renaissance hotels. It is always decorated for the seasons and has its own holiday tree. All of the restaurants are delicious but we are particularly fond of Fig & Olive followed by hand-spun gelato and sorbet at locally-owned Dolcezza.
'Tis the season...the National Christmas Tree, located in the northeast quadrant of The Ellipse near the White House, has been lit every year since 1923 and visiting it is an honored DC holiday tradition. While you're in the neighborhood, try Old Ebbitt Grill for a classic American meal with an amazing raw bar or its sister restaurant, The Hamilton, offering a more modern menu and live music downstairs. For a night cap, head over to the iconic Round Robin Bar at the Willard InterContinental, where Abraham Lincoln, Woodrow Wilson, Walt Whitman and Mark Twain have all stayed as guests.
Check out our stomping grounds in the historical neighborhood of Shaw. It also where the wedding reception will take place! Start your morning at local coffee shop, Compass Coffee (1535 7th Street NW) or pastry from local, female-run Buttercream Bakeshop (1250 9th Street NW). We are big fans of the cinascone, the s'mores bars, spanikopita scones but you can't go wrong! Burn off some of the calories by checking out the cool shops on Florida Ave., including Modcloth, Lettie Gooch, and Warby Parker. If all that shopping has helped you work up an appetite, pop into Bistro Bohem (600 Florida Ave. NW) or The Royal (501 Florida Ave. NW) for lunch or check out Maxwell Park's monthly rotation of wine (1336 9th Street NW). There are many amazing restaurants in the Shaw/Logan Circle neighborhood and our favorites include All-Purpose Pizzeria or Ghibellina for wood-burning pizza and great cocktails, Zeppelin for sushi, or Espita for upscale Mexican.
There's a reason millions of people visit the National Mall each year, which is book-ended by the U.S. Capital building on one end and the Lincoln memorial on the other. Whether you're interested in history, art, culture or science, there is something for you! You can visit the many museums that line the perimeter of the grassy mall while taking in the vista which includes the Washington Monument, the World War II memorial, and the Reflecting Pool. Start planning your visit here: https://www.nps.gov/nama/index.htm
Welcome to Union Market, DC’s hippest feasting ground, a revived mid-century produce- and meat-selling bazaar that holds food stalls, informal restaurants and kitchenware boutiques! Since it was restored and reopened in 2012, the industrial-cool space has grown to include 40-plus vendors, from pop-up dumpling stands to permanent fixtures like Buffalo & Bergen, a throwback, Brooklyn diner-inspired spot where you can munch bagels and slurp egg creams at a long bar. Other businesses offer takeout to eat at indoor or outdoor tables; try TaKorean for addictive bulgogi beef tacos and Puddin' for decadent shrimp ‘n' grits. Grab some espresso from Peregrine or tea from Teaism while you browse the market shops or check out the nearby Stellina for pizza, St. Anselm for an upscale dinner, or Cotton & Reed, a local DC distillery.