A Special Seventh Birthday present-Visit to Washington DC
Apr 14th, 2010, 03:19 PM
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A Special Seventh Birthday present-Visit to Washington DC
Who We Were: My seven year old namesake, her mother and me.
When We Went: April 7-11-Cherry Blossom Festival Time
Weather: Fantastic! Really fantastic! The day of arrival was quite warm. Temps cooled to mid to high sixties for the rest of the weekend. Skies stayed clear except for a short spell of rain one night. The rain knocked down the pollen, which helped.
Where We Stayed: The Residence Inn Suites in Alexandria, VA. This hotel is a super choice. We had two suites. Each suite consisted of a fully equipped kitchen, a living/dining area, large bedroom and bath. The rooms were kept in excellent condition and were very clean. The hotel is convenient to King St.. which has many restaurants and shops, Whole Foods and the Metro. Although the location is on a busy street, I heard no significant street noise in the evenings. Breakfast is included in the rate. Itt is a generous buffet with lots of choices. Three newspaper choices were also offered. I cannot rate the evening service because we never made it back in time. The hotel has an indoor pool with lifeguard. The fitness room was well equipped and kept clean. Parking is on site. The traffic from Richmond north was a nightmare so we were happy to park the car until it was time to return home.
I did a review on TA of the property, but would like to mention the extraordinary staff. There is a real attitude of customer service and professionalism at the hotel. Every single member of the staff whether it was front desk, buffet service or housekeeping was friendly and anxious to make our travel experience a good one.
Where We Ate:
IMy namesake told me she wanted to have a tea party to celebrate her birthday. I selected the Willard even though I knew the cost was relatively high. I figured the event warranted a bit of a splurge. For $150 plus $30 tip we got a glass of champagne each for the adults, a pot of tea each, six small scones (with lemon curd, clotted cream, jams), 12 tea sandwiches (peanut butter and jelly, egg salad, chicken salad, ham, and smoked salmon), and 12 small dessert samplers. The food was fine (in fact the lemon curd was fantastic), the service polite, but the price is simply unwarranted. We had anticipated a relatively formal setting and had rushed to change from our travel clothes. We were surprised to find the tea was served in a busy hallway through which passed every sort of costume ranging from shorts/crocs to jeans. It was extremely noisy, at times drowning out the Japanese music which was offered as a Cherry Blossom special.
The cost of the tea was disclosed in advance, but I was completely taken aback by the extremely small amounts of food served and the atmosphere. It was a big disappointment.
Special birthday lunch at POV at the W hotel:
This was splendid. The restaurant is on the rooftop and has a stylish decor and kid friendly menu. The prices at lunch are quite reasonable. Factor in the fabulous views and it was a perfect choice. Thank you, Ryan, for the suggestion.
The staff made a great fuss over the birthday girl and took her to a special vantage point where she was able to watch President Obama's helicopter arrive at the White House. They also brought her a lava cake with ice cream and a huge sparkling candle which she thought was just fantastic. The food was very good.
Late snack:
We stopped at Le Pain Quotidien on King St. for a late snack. It is a nice litle cafe with good sanwiches and salads and prosecco, always a big plus with me. Prices are reasonable and it is comfortable for people in tourist mode.
Casual lunch:
We were ready to sit down and relax a bit for lunch so we walked up to Union Station. We ate at the American Grill. The food is on the ordinary side, but the service was terrible. A forgetful or distracted or simply bad server caused the meal to last a good deal longer than it should have....but we didn't complain. We were glad to sit for a while. DC is fun, but it takes a toll on the feet.
Dinner in Alexandria:
Mom and daughter were beat; but I was a little hungry so I went to Jackson 20 at the Hotel Monaco on King. I had tried it before and was not disappointed on this visit. Even though it was a busy night, I had good service and enjoyed my meal.
Gotta have ice cream!
I loved Gifford's as a kid and it was a thrill to find one in the District not far from the White House The ice cream and sauce are great, but the shop was understaffed. The customer seating area was dirty and ill kept. It was a Saturday in April during Cherry Blossom Festival and there were only two people handling the very long lines.
What We Did:
We did a great deal of walking. Washingon is a city made for walking. The Metro is convenient and easy, but we all preferred to be outdoors enjoying the marvelous spring weather and all the flowering trees.
Day 1. After tea, the Birthday Girl wanted to see the monuments, especially the Lincoln. Starting out at dusk she was able to see them as they became lit. It is a beautiful and exciting experience, which she fully enjoyed. She announced we were going to climb the Washington monument the next morning (thankfully this idea was either forgotten or dismissed).
Day 2. We got an early start to see the Smithsonian. A little too early, since none of the museums opened until 1000. We spent our time walking the mall and letting her get oriented about the choices. She decided she wanted to start at the Natural History Museum and then spend the afternoon American History Museum. These are truly national treasures. I have been many times and each visit brings new experiences. She loved it, but was ready to swim and rest by about four. It was a good idea for us to get our Metro travel done before the heavy traffic got started. We spent our evening in Alexandria, which is a great place for a stroll.
Day 3. The Birthday Girl knew that my mother died last summer and had been interred with my dad at Arlington Cemetery on their sixty seventh wedding anniversary. She has heard me tell the story of their romance and she expressed a wish to visit Arlington and see their grave. We started the day at the cemetery, visiting the Unkown Soldiers' Tomb and the Kennedy memorials as well. We then decided to walk across the bridge to the District. What a glorious choice it was. Perfect vantage point to enjoy all the beauty of the approach to the Mall. We decided to visit the Native American museum since it was a new one. This is more of an art gallery than a museum (and a pretty odd art gallery...unless your taste runs to totem poles made of catchers' mitts and lawn chair sculpture). It is possible there were some really interesting exhibits on the Fourth Floor which was closed to the public during our visit, but what I saw was not impressive. The building itself is lovely. We walked to Union Station and back down to the White House before catching the Metro back to Alexandria. Alexandria has a great deal of street activity, mimes, clowns, showmen, etc near the waterfront and it is a fun place to spend an evening.
Day 4. We were up and on the road early to beat the traffic. Thankfully our tactic worked and we made it back to North Carolina by one. I have never left DC without wanting more. I am already planning my next visit.
When We Went: April 7-11-Cherry Blossom Festival Time
Weather: Fantastic! Really fantastic! The day of arrival was quite warm. Temps cooled to mid to high sixties for the rest of the weekend. Skies stayed clear except for a short spell of rain one night. The rain knocked down the pollen, which helped.
Where We Stayed: The Residence Inn Suites in Alexandria, VA. This hotel is a super choice. We had two suites. Each suite consisted of a fully equipped kitchen, a living/dining area, large bedroom and bath. The rooms were kept in excellent condition and were very clean. The hotel is convenient to King St.. which has many restaurants and shops, Whole Foods and the Metro. Although the location is on a busy street, I heard no significant street noise in the evenings. Breakfast is included in the rate. Itt is a generous buffet with lots of choices. Three newspaper choices were also offered. I cannot rate the evening service because we never made it back in time. The hotel has an indoor pool with lifeguard. The fitness room was well equipped and kept clean. Parking is on site. The traffic from Richmond north was a nightmare so we were happy to park the car until it was time to return home.
I did a review on TA of the property, but would like to mention the extraordinary staff. There is a real attitude of customer service and professionalism at the hotel. Every single member of the staff whether it was front desk, buffet service or housekeeping was friendly and anxious to make our travel experience a good one.
Where We Ate:
IMy namesake told me she wanted to have a tea party to celebrate her birthday. I selected the Willard even though I knew the cost was relatively high. I figured the event warranted a bit of a splurge. For $150 plus $30 tip we got a glass of champagne each for the adults, a pot of tea each, six small scones (with lemon curd, clotted cream, jams), 12 tea sandwiches (peanut butter and jelly, egg salad, chicken salad, ham, and smoked salmon), and 12 small dessert samplers. The food was fine (in fact the lemon curd was fantastic), the service polite, but the price is simply unwarranted. We had anticipated a relatively formal setting and had rushed to change from our travel clothes. We were surprised to find the tea was served in a busy hallway through which passed every sort of costume ranging from shorts/crocs to jeans. It was extremely noisy, at times drowning out the Japanese music which was offered as a Cherry Blossom special.
The cost of the tea was disclosed in advance, but I was completely taken aback by the extremely small amounts of food served and the atmosphere. It was a big disappointment.
Special birthday lunch at POV at the W hotel:
This was splendid. The restaurant is on the rooftop and has a stylish decor and kid friendly menu. The prices at lunch are quite reasonable. Factor in the fabulous views and it was a perfect choice. Thank you, Ryan, for the suggestion.
The staff made a great fuss over the birthday girl and took her to a special vantage point where she was able to watch President Obama's helicopter arrive at the White House. They also brought her a lava cake with ice cream and a huge sparkling candle which she thought was just fantastic. The food was very good.
Late snack:
We stopped at Le Pain Quotidien on King St. for a late snack. It is a nice litle cafe with good sanwiches and salads and prosecco, always a big plus with me. Prices are reasonable and it is comfortable for people in tourist mode.
Casual lunch:
We were ready to sit down and relax a bit for lunch so we walked up to Union Station. We ate at the American Grill. The food is on the ordinary side, but the service was terrible. A forgetful or distracted or simply bad server caused the meal to last a good deal longer than it should have....but we didn't complain. We were glad to sit for a while. DC is fun, but it takes a toll on the feet.
Dinner in Alexandria:
Mom and daughter were beat; but I was a little hungry so I went to Jackson 20 at the Hotel Monaco on King. I had tried it before and was not disappointed on this visit. Even though it was a busy night, I had good service and enjoyed my meal.
Gotta have ice cream!
I loved Gifford's as a kid and it was a thrill to find one in the District not far from the White House The ice cream and sauce are great, but the shop was understaffed. The customer seating area was dirty and ill kept. It was a Saturday in April during Cherry Blossom Festival and there were only two people handling the very long lines.
What We Did:
We did a great deal of walking. Washingon is a city made for walking. The Metro is convenient and easy, but we all preferred to be outdoors enjoying the marvelous spring weather and all the flowering trees.
Day 1. After tea, the Birthday Girl wanted to see the monuments, especially the Lincoln. Starting out at dusk she was able to see them as they became lit. It is a beautiful and exciting experience, which she fully enjoyed. She announced we were going to climb the Washington monument the next morning (thankfully this idea was either forgotten or dismissed).
Day 2. We got an early start to see the Smithsonian. A little too early, since none of the museums opened until 1000. We spent our time walking the mall and letting her get oriented about the choices. She decided she wanted to start at the Natural History Museum and then spend the afternoon American History Museum. These are truly national treasures. I have been many times and each visit brings new experiences. She loved it, but was ready to swim and rest by about four. It was a good idea for us to get our Metro travel done before the heavy traffic got started. We spent our evening in Alexandria, which is a great place for a stroll.
Day 3. The Birthday Girl knew that my mother died last summer and had been interred with my dad at Arlington Cemetery on their sixty seventh wedding anniversary. She has heard me tell the story of their romance and she expressed a wish to visit Arlington and see their grave. We started the day at the cemetery, visiting the Unkown Soldiers' Tomb and the Kennedy memorials as well. We then decided to walk across the bridge to the District. What a glorious choice it was. Perfect vantage point to enjoy all the beauty of the approach to the Mall. We decided to visit the Native American museum since it was a new one. This is more of an art gallery than a museum (and a pretty odd art gallery...unless your taste runs to totem poles made of catchers' mitts and lawn chair sculpture). It is possible there were some really interesting exhibits on the Fourth Floor which was closed to the public during our visit, but what I saw was not impressive. The building itself is lovely. We walked to Union Station and back down to the White House before catching the Metro back to Alexandria. Alexandria has a great deal of street activity, mimes, clowns, showmen, etc near the waterfront and it is a fun place to spend an evening.
Day 4. We were up and on the road early to beat the traffic. Thankfully our tactic worked and we made it back to North Carolina by one. I have never left DC without wanting more. I am already planning my next visit.
Apr 15th, 2010, 03:42 AM
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I loved reading your report. What a great report and what a great trip. I'm sure the birthday girl will always remember how special this trip was. She's a very lucky young lady!
Washington has long been on my list , now I want to go more than ever. Sounds like spring is the time to go. And the lemon curd would almost be worth the price of the tea. Notice I said"almost" !
Thanks for such an enjoyable and informative report
Washington has long been on my list , now I want to go more than ever. Sounds like spring is the time to go. And the lemon curd would almost be worth the price of the tea. Notice I said"almost" !
Thanks for such an enjoyable and informative report
Apr 15th, 2010, 05:58 AM
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I had hoped the lemon curd was for sale in the hotel gift shop, but no such luck! Thanks for reading the report, Kodi. I hope it makes you want to go. Washington DC is a wonderful city!
Apr 16th, 2010, 06:45 AM
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Cmcfong,
Another terrific trip report. What a treat to stay in Alexandria...I've been there during the day and enjoyed, but the nighttime entertainment sounds delightful, something I must check out one of these days. I'm sorry I was only an adult when I discovered Old Town Alexandria, which is particularly a shame considering I went to high school in nearby suburban Northern Virginia (Fairfax County)!
Thanks for sharing, Daniel
Another terrific trip report. What a treat to stay in Alexandria...I've been there during the day and enjoyed, but the nighttime entertainment sounds delightful, something I must check out one of these days. I'm sorry I was only an adult when I discovered Old Town Alexandria, which is particularly a shame considering I went to high school in nearby suburban Northern Virginia (Fairfax County)!
Thanks for sharing, Daniel
Apr 16th, 2010, 07:20 AM
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Thank you for all the nice comments. Birdie, her mother told me she named her relying on the native American belief that you would imbue your child the with spirit of the person for whom she was named. Her love of travel and ice cream suggests it worked.
Daniel, any chance you were an Annandale Atom?
Daniel, any chance you were an Annandale Atom?
Apr 16th, 2010, 10:48 AM
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Cmcfong, no, I lived closer to Falls Church...however, my brother lives in Annandale now so maybe my pre-teen nephews will be Annandale Atoms (I guess that's the term for Annanadale High folks)?
Considering my proximity, it's doubly a pity that I didn't visit Old Town Alexandria until my late twenties... Even worse, Annapolis (which might just be my far-and-away favorite spot within an hour of DC, excepting perhaps certain places in Baltimore) I only visited for the first time in my mid thirties! I really was missing out on some jewels in the region...
Considering my proximity, it's doubly a pity that I didn't visit Old Town Alexandria until my late twenties... Even worse, Annapolis (which might just be my far-and-away favorite spot within an hour of DC, excepting perhaps certain places in Baltimore) I only visited for the first time in my mid thirties! I really was missing out on some jewels in the region...
Apr 16th, 2010, 01:46 PM
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Yes, the Atoms of Annadale High. Amazingly almost fifty years later the name is unchanged. http://www.annandaleatoms.com/
Annapolis is on the list for a trip soon. You are right the area is loaded with treasures.
Annapolis is on the list for a trip soon. You are right the area is loaded with treasures.
Apr 16th, 2010, 04:07 PM
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Nice report cmcfong. We missed you in Alexandria by a week! We stayed at the Embassy Suites and I think Old Town Alexandria is the perfect place to stay for a visit to DC, since the metro, Amtrak station, restaurants and grocery are all easily reachable by trolley or a short walk.
Apr 16th, 2010, 04:56 PM
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Hi cmcfong!
I can't believe it - we must have passed each other on the street! I was in Alexandria April 9, 10, 11 too.
I had dinner Fri night (the 9th) at Gatsby's and lunch on Sat (the 10th) at Le Pain Quotidien.
I wondered around King St. Saturday morning. That evening I attended a wedding in DC at the Longview Gallery.
Sadly I had to fly home on Sunday, but would have love to stayed longer.
Great trip report!
I can't believe it - we must have passed each other on the street! I was in Alexandria April 9, 10, 11 too.
I had dinner Fri night (the 9th) at Gatsby's and lunch on Sat (the 10th) at Le Pain Quotidien.
I wondered around King St. Saturday morning. That evening I attended a wedding in DC at the Longview Gallery.
Sadly I had to fly home on Sunday, but would have love to stayed longer.
Great trip report!
Apr 16th, 2010, 06:40 PM
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Well darn the luck, nanabee. I wish I had known. I went out alone on Saturday night because the Birthday Girl and her mom were too tired. Don't you love Le Pain Quotidien? I think it is perfect for the light meal and prosecco.
I'll bet the wedding was something else!
I'll bet the wedding was something else!
Apr 18th, 2010, 06:57 AM
#17
cmcfong, I feel badly b/c I'm pretty sure I'm the one who recommended the Willard to you. It's been a few years since I took my daughter there but it was definitely more reminiscent of afternoon tea in London than a crocs-fest. Apologies for the bad rec!
Does sound like the rest was a wonderful family centered trip.
I remember well the story you told about your parents.
Does sound like the rest was a wonderful family centered trip.
I remember well the story you told about your parents.
Apr 18th, 2010, 07:48 AM
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Oh dear, obxgirl, you must not feel badly at all! I have been to the Willard many times before and was completely taken aback by the atmosphere this visit. I,too, would have been confident to recommend it. Please don't feel any guilt, I appreciate that you were willing to help me! You have always been a terrific resource for me.
