Go to Martin’s Tavern (1264 Wisconsin Avenue, Tel: 203-333-7370. www.martinstavern.com) if you want to sit at a table where President Kennedy sat (called the dugout) or where he proposed to Jacqueline. It is also just down the block from the last home they occupied before the White House. Martin’s Tavern is legendary in Georgetown as a small quaint pub with outstanding food. Go for a personally crafted omelet or pancakes, and make sure to have a Bloody Mary.
If you love everything French, Le Diplomate (16701 14th Street, Tel: 202-332- 3333. www.lediplomatedc.com) is a must. The miraculous transformation of an old shirt laundry into one of DC’s most desirable restaurants has had staying power through a few administrations. Everything is wonderful, but I am very partial to the burger, onion soup, and the profiteroles for dessert. The pastries are pretty darn good too.
What are the hottest shows in town, and how do I get tickets?
The entire concierge and theatrical communities are thrilled that live performances are back, and Washington is no exception. DC is the second largest performing arts town in the USA (after New York City) with dozens of venues and hundreds, if not thousands, of performances. Most of the blockbuster Broadway shows and top rock stars get to our stages and stadiums. We have all the major sports leagues and world champions. Thousands of DC’s gays attend Pride night out at the Nationals (www.mlb.com/nationals/tickets/specials/night-out) every summer. Our concierge desk will help you get the very best available seat, something possibly in the first or second row or behind home plate? Let us work our magic.
What museums are a must see for visitors?
We are the museum capital of the world! We have museums for nearly every interest here in DC, with remarkable small, medium, and large collections. My very favorite small museum is Hillwood Museum and Garden (4155 Linnean Avenue, Tel: 202-686-5807. www.hillwoodmuseum.org), which is the home of famed heiress to the Post Cereal fortune, Marjorie Merriwether Post. This is the largest collection of Russian decorative arts outside of Russia, and the museum also features beautiful, pristine gardens. Hillwood makes a big splash during Pride Month (this is where “fabulous lives”).
A wonderful mid-size museum in our famed Dupont Circle neighborhood called The Phillips Collection (1600 21st Street, NW, Tel: 202-387-2151. www.phillipscollection.org). This was our nation’s first modern art museum and home to Renoir’s famed “Luncheon of the Boating Party.”
National Gallery of Art
Photo: Anton Ivanov
National Gallery of Art (Between 4th and 6th Street, www.nga.gov), both the East and West Wings boast collections that rival every other art museum in the world. They have it all with more than 150,000 sculptures, decorative arts, prints, drawings, photographs, and paintings. Don’t forget to visit the outdoor sculpture garden, and the ice rink in the winter.
Which guided tours do you recommend most often to your guests?
We have learned that our guests are happiest seeing sites on their schedule. Keeping this in mind, we work with DC’s licensed master tour guides (booked through us) who curate a private tour tailored to their specific points of interest. This can be done from dawn to dusk and into the late evening (I love seeing the white marble buildings strongly contrasted against the dark evening sky).
Where can you go to get the best views of the city?
The very best place for DC’s finest view is from atop the Washington Monument (2 15th Street. www.nps.gov/wamo), which stands 555 feet above the National Mall between the Lincoln Memorial and Capitol Building and between the White House and Jefferson Memorial. Tickets are mandatory.
The View of DC (1201 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, Virginia, Tel: 703-423-0600. www.theviewofdc.com), located just over the river from the hotel in Arlington, Virginia has a great vista from high up. This is an indoor panoramic observation deck with floor to ceiling windows.
Air Force Memorial (1 Air Force Memorial Drive, Tel: 703-979-0674. www.afdw.af.mil/afmemorial) located adjacent to the Pentagon and Arlington National Cemetery in northern Virginia quietly boasts one of the best views of DC. Come see this memorial dedicated to our brave Air Force and take in the spectacular view of the National Mall.
