Nelson

Hello MoonGirl. Thanks once again for your comments and suggestions. I have checked a number of the restaurants you mention - Willard, Citronelle, Farenheit and that all look lovely, but expensive in the sense that we won't get our money's worth. I should mention we were vegetarians for 20 years of our marriage. We are off the wagon due to needing more protein in our diet, but are not yet up to face a rack of lamp, even though I used to love that. We will have fish and chicken if prepared to our requirements.

We may tend towards a non-traditional meal like a Turkish restaurant - a style of food we don't get, but generally love. I found this for example, looks great:http://mezedc.com/wp-content/uploads/menu-dinner.pdf, a metro ride and some foot work from our hotel. Hence why La Tasca rang a bell.

Anyway, the Willard, Citronelle, Farenheit all look like great places to at least go have a drink. Note taken.

Thanks for the Alexandria tip, will plan on some time there. We arrive in DC on the 22nd and depart the 4th, so we do need something to do on New Years. Also, January 3 is our 35th wedding anniversary (!).

Still time to plan this out, but I went ahead and bought Mount Vernon tix today.

I also have a note out to our Congressional Representative to see about White House, Capitol, and Library if Congress tours. Waiting to see what they come back with.

yestravel

Asian & Indian Restaurants tend to be open on Xmas. R u interested in that type of food?

Nelson

Asian yes. Indian not so much, unless it is not the heavy, greasy, overcooked style of Indian Food we tend to get in the U.S. We have traveled a lot in South and Southeast Asia and have eaten the lighter style of south Indian food one can find there.

Recommendations always welcome. Thanks.

bardo1

www.rasikarestaurant.com

VERY good Indian cuisine. One of Michelle Obama's favorites.

car_free_traveler

I spent a wonderful Christmas week in DC last year (even w/ > 1 ft of snow!) visiting a friend and relatives.
Highlights:
Library of Congress. You can walk in and get a tour, even at busy holiday time. I could spend hours there.
Corcoran Gallery of Art
Went to a performance of the Capitol Steps at Kennedy Ctr and ate at a fantastic, fairly fancy Asian (Vietnamese?) restaurant. I regret that I can't remember the name, but I think it was a variant of the address (10 something?)
Ethiopian restaurant in Adams-Morgan neighborhood.
Great Falls Park/C&O NHP--took a lovely walk on Christmas Day, though the visitors center was closed.
National Geographic Museum.
Freer Gallery of Art.
A great French bistro in Dupont Circle, near Columbia Rd and Kolarama. I should have taken better notes!
I had no problems as a vegetarian in DC.
Other sights to check out, from a summer visit years ago: Vietnam Memorial, Rock Creek Park, Eastern Market, Dumbarton Oaks.

Have a fantastic time, happy anniversary, and please post a trip report when you return.

denice7

car-free-traveler.

I am guessing the restaurant was TenPenh....located at 10 and Pennsyvlvania.

The french place in Dupont Circle may have bene Bistro Du Coin...it is open 365 days a year I believe. Though Kalorama and Columbia road is more Adams Morgan and cant' think of where you might have been.

DC is great that time of year..

Nelson

THANKS everyone for the great suggestions! Rasika does look intriguing - not the normal Indian food menu. Maybe we'll check it out and see if we agree with Michelle!

TenPenn has been added to the bookmarks, looks great.

car_free_traveler, appreciate all your suggestions. I was reading my Fodor's last night and the Corcoran made it to the "must see" list.

I'm looking forward to the Library of Congress, glad to hear you can get the walk-in tour. Several years ago in London the British Library turned out to be an unexpected highlight of our trip. There is a relatively little known research facility called the American Heritage Center in Laramie, Wyoming of all places (about an hour from us), that has an amazing collection of printed material. I love looking at that stuff. We were wandering around there and stumbled on Leonard Bernstein's _original_ score to "West Side Story", not to mention some 16th century vellum manuscripts that they let us handle.

Anyway, I made note of your suggestions and will let you know how it turns out.

Nelson

Coincidentally, yesterday I started reading "The Fourth Part of the World: An Astonishing Epic of Global Discovery, Imperial Ambition, and the Birth of America" by Toby Lester.

http://www.amazon.com/Fourth-Part-Wo.../dp/1416535349

The first chapter is about the disappearance and rediscovery, 4 centuries later, of the Waldseemüller map. I had never heard of it before, but it is now on display in the Library of Congress. Now I'm excited about seeing that!

bardo1

The Arcimboldo exhibit will still be in town while you are here. Don't miss it!

http://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/arcimboldoinfo.shtm

Nelson

Thanks, it is added to the list. Looks cool!

car_free_traveler

OK, now I have the names of 2 restaurants I enjoyed but failed to write down; a reason to visit Laramie, WY; and maybe even a book recommendation.
Thanks, Nelson and denice7.