It could be the streets lined with blooming cherry blossoms, the animated patio crowds at outdoor cafes and restaurants, or the impending summer heat but Washington, D.C., feels positively luminous in the springtime. If you haven’t explored Washington lately, you might not recognize it. Take the Historic U Street District or Chinatown for example; these once beleaguered districts now boast art galleries, movie theaters, restaurants, and yoga centers. This spring, mix the monuments, sights, and history of the nation’s capital with the best of the District’s healing style.
Best Boutique Hotel
Tucked away on a side street, Hotel Tabard Inn is one of Washington’s best kept secrets. The Tabard rambles through three townhouses, each over 100 years old. Its forty rooms are all decorated differently and may feature hand painted walls, Victorian velvet sofas, claw foot tubs, and antique iron bed frames. Don’t expect a business center or even a television at the Tabard; instead, enjoy socializing or listening to live jazz in the Tabard’s spacious parlor. The restaurant offers a seasonal menu, often with local, organic, and heritage foods. Reservations are strongly recommended as the restaurant is popular with locals, particularly in the spring and summer when the Tabard opens its private, lush patio for outdoor dining. Contact (202) 785-1277 or visit www.tabardinn.com
Best Spa Workout
Washington architect Theo Adamstein designed SomaFit with his wife after they found themselves running to three or more places per week for personal training, massage, and yoga classes. What Washington needed, they thought, was a real urban retreat. The design-minded couple created an exquisite spa with eight treatment rooms, state-of-the-art exercise equipment, and classes featuring Pilates, yoga, and qigong. Don’t worry about membership all SomaFit services are a la carte and classes, training sessions, and spa services can be combined. Contact (202) 965-2121 or visit www.somafit.com
Best Vegan Bakery
Longtime friends Doron Petersan and Kirsten Rosenberg are changing the way Washington thinks about sweets. No need to feel guilty about your sweet tooth at Sticky Fingers, because everything is 100 percent vegan, low in saturated fats, and free of hydrogenated oils. Whether you are looking for a special occasion cake or just stopping by for a lemon coconut cookie, you won’t be disappointed with the delightful selection. Chocoholics beware: Sticky Fingers offers everything from the basic chocolate chip cookie to the deliciously seductive chocolate love loaf. Contact (202) 299-9700 or visit www.stickyfingersbakery.com
Best Tea House
With three locations in downtown Washington, you don’t need an excuse to take a soothing break at Teaism, an Asian-inspired tea shop and restaurant. Teaism offers more than forty varieties of top-shelf, pure teas without such additives as perfumes or oils. Teasism’s descriptive menu can guide you towards a delicate white tea, allowing tea novices to feel like connoisseurs. Whether you visit for a lunch hour Bento Box or an early morning ginger scone and a steaming cup of Teaism’s signature Chai tea, you won’t be disappointed by the wide selection, casual atmosphere, and knowledgeable staff. Contact www.teaism.com
Best Weekend Getaway
Set on more than 2,500 acres, Nemacolin Woodlands Resort and Spa, named after the Delaware Indian Chief, is only a three-hour drive from the D.C. area. The lavish amenities include a larger-than-Olympic-size Paradise Pool inspired by Hawaii and the Riviera, an Equestrian Center, two golf courses, and the Woodlands Spa. Spend the afternoon in a culinary class or on the ropes course, and then relax with the Tropical Delight Body Scrub Odyssey, which features hibiscus flowers and lilac oil. Chef Brad Kelly’s French Bistro, Lautrec, offers a five-course tasting menu that includes such delights as Sauteed John Dory with Celery Root Potato Puree. After dinner, return to your luxurious room at Falling Rock, one of three Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired accommodations on property. And if all this isn’t enough, room service can include a private butler. Contact (800) 422-2736 or visit www.nemacolin.com
Best Eco-friendly Spa
Recycled materials, bamboo flooring, and energy efficient lighting are just some of the eco-friendly trappings you’ll find in Nusta Spa (pronounced noo-stuh). Nusta means “royalty” in Quechua, and you’ll feel like a queen (or king they offer special services for men) when sampling Nusta’s top-of-the-line spa treatments. Enjoy the Pure Facial with any number of additions, such as microdermabrasion or vitamin C therapy to give your skin exactly what it needs. If you want to indulge as a twosome, ask for their couples massage which is offered in Nusta’s most spacious treatment room. Contact (202) 530-5700 or visit www.nustaspa.com
Best Yoga Studio
Expert teachers and a wide selection of classes, including yoga for kids, Pilates, and tai chi, make Willow Street’s yoga studios in Takoma Park or Silver Spring worth the trip. Mats, instruction tapes, and funky yoga accessories are also available in Yogawares, Willow Street’s yoga boutique; although the studio provides all the props you’ll need for class as well as a changing room. Early morning classes, “lunchbreak yoga,” and gentle, after-work classes keep Willow Street popular with those who need to decompress from the chaos of city life. Willow Street also offers convenient weekend and one-day workshops for yogis who want to deepen their yoga practice as well as therapeutic massage. Class registration is strongly encouraged, but if you’d rather not commit, Willow Street will take drop-ins (space permitting) or arrange private lessons. Contact (301) 270-8038 or visit www.willowstreetyoga.com
Best Sports Club
Considered the most posh gym chain in the US, Sports Club LA lives up to its reputation as D.C.’s “Urban Country Club.” This glorified sports club, part of the Ritz Carlton Hotel, remains a top choice for travelers and celebrities from around the world. The gargantuan sports and fitness complex features a 15,000-square-foot weight training gym, two basketball courts, four international squash courts, two pools, a 200-piece cardiovascular center, and a flexibility/balance center. After a workout, visit Splash Spa, their Destination CitySpa or head to the caf© and full-service bar for a drink and a bite to eat. After enjoying a fresh juice or even sipping a martini, visit the Roche Salon for a touch-up before hitting the city’s night life. Contact (202) 974-6600 or visit www.thesportsclubla.com
Best Bookstore
If you’re not satiated after browsing the outstanding selection of fiction, travel guides, and hard-to-find political titles at Kramerbooks & Afterwords Caf© & Grill, simply wander into their Caf©, where dinner is served into the wee hours of the night. Find a book and a table, then enjoy a coffee and a Dysfunctional Family Sundae, one of Kramerbook’s most decadent desserts. This Dupont Circle mainstay has been “Serving Latte to the Literati Since 1976.” It also offers a bustling outdoor patio, live music on weekends, a coffee bar, and late night hours. The “specials” at Kramerbooks are often coffee drinks and cocktails with a political twist like the post-inaugural “red state” and “blue state” cocktails, made with pomegranate juice or blue curacao for people of all political persuasions. Contact (202) 387-1400 or visit www.kramers.com
Best Outdoor Activity
With 184 miles of bike paths stretching from Washington, D.C., to Cumberland, MD, and views of the mighty Potomac River along the way, you’ll instantly see why the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park boasts one of the best biking trails on the East Coast. Georgetown offers a convenient entry point to the C&O Canal Trail and several locations to rent bikes. If you plan to spend the day, pack a picnic lunch or stop by one of Georgetown’s cafes for all the supplies you need for a lazy afternoon on the trail. Contact www.nps.gov/choh/
Best Neighborhood Restaurant
Travel down the Ancient Silk Road as you dine at Mie N Yu, a new multi-cultural restaurant in historic Georgetown. Enjoy executive chef Tim Elliott’s Four Course Prix Fixe Dinner from your Turkish Tent complete with plush daybeds and hanging lanterns or spend the evening in the Moroccan Bazaar, featuring candle-lit dining nooks and tented tables. The cuisine is inspired by and accented with flavors from Asia, the Middle East, North Africa, and the Mediterranean; specialties include Peanut Crusted Shrimp with Green Mango Salad and Wasabi Salmon. After dinner, visit one of the two chic lounges located within the restaurant for a Mediterannean martini featuring Kettle One Citron, Hpnotiq, and white cranberry juice. Mie N Yu is open for brunch, lunch, and dinner as well as for private events. Contact (202) 333-6122 or visit www.mienyu.com
Best Organic Restaurants
Restaurant Nora is the first certified organic restaurant in the country, and the proud namesake of chef Nora Pouillon, who dishes up organic “New American” cuisine in her elegant 19th century dining room. The menu, which changes daily, always features seasonal and local ingredients. Reservations are a must. Asia Nora is the sister-restaurant to Nora, and although it is just a short distance away, the menu and ambiance are worlds apart. Where Restaurant Nora is refined, Asia Nora is opulent, decorated with beautiful textiles and Asian art. But with tantalizing dishes like Grilled Lemongrass Shrimp Satay with Clementine-Vanilla Emulsion or Seared Lemongrass Beef Roulade with Roasted Butternut-Scallion Gnocchi, you may not be able to take your eyes off your plate. Contact Restaurant Nora, (202) 462-5143; Asia Nora, (202) 797-4860 or visit www.noras.com
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