Our Favorite Things to Do in Washington, DC

My husband's boss will be visiting Washington, DC from Switzerland next month, and has asked for our suggestions on some local activities. I gave her such a comprehensive letter, that I wanted to be sure to share it with my readers and clients. Feel free to comment if I missed your favorite!

I am sure you would love to see the monuments. They are very interesting, but many are even better at night when they are all lit up. You can walk from the Lincoln Memorial past the Vietnam and Korean War Memorials for some pretty dramatic effect.

Be sure not to miss the Thomas Jefferson and FDR monuments, as well as the newer memorials to MLK and WWII -- these are all good for daytime. And there's a pretty cool sculpture of Einstein near the National Academy of Engineering. Easy to pass by when you're near the Vietnam Memorial.

You might get lucky to see the cherry blossoms that surround the Tidal Basin -- it will be fabulous if the timing works out. An early bloom would be March 20 and a late bloom would be April 10. Strolling around this area is a wonderful way to spend the day. The actual Cherry Blossom Festival will take place March 20 - April 17, 2016, and the city does see large crowds during this time. I recommend booking your hotel ASAP if you haven't already.

Speaking of hotels, have you started researching? What's your budget? If you want to stay in the center of town, the rooms will be a bit pricey. I am just checking my sources and see some pretty nice options in the $200-$350/nt range. I would be cautious with options that are pricing lower than that. There is no reason to rent a car provided you want to focus your activities on the main attractions within the city. The metro is a perfect way to get around; and be sure to pack excellent walking shoes.

The Smithsonian is an enormous institute of free museums mostly clustered around the National Mall (between the Capitol and Washington Monument). Depending on your interests, the best ones are the National Air and Space Museum (note that there is a second location way outside of the city near Dulles airport that houses additional artifacts, but it isn't easy to reach), National Museum of American History, National Museum of the American Indian, and the Hirshorn (Art) Museum. A quick metro trip on the red line will take you to the free Smithsonian National Zoo if you are interested in seeing pandas and other creatures.

One of my favorite experiences as an American is visiting Ford's Theatre where Abraham Lincoln was assassinated. It's worth taking the tour to hear about some of the interesting events of the day. 

I have never been, but the International Spy Museum and Newseum are supposed to be interesting. I would skip the wax museum and crime museums.

Also pass on the National Cathedral and Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, as you have access to much more interesting churches coming from Europe.

My other favorite activity is to go to Southwest DC (Waterfront metro stop) where the seafood market is serving up fresh Maryland steamed crabs and hot New England clam chowder. It's worth a stop there for a snack and to see all the fresh catch of the day.

If you fancy a stage performance, the Kennedy Center is an amazing venue. Not only do they have free performances daily at their Millennium Stage, but you can see wonderful Broadway shows, concerts, opera, ballet, and other amazing theater. It's worthwhile to visit just to go to the rooftop and see some neat views over the city. I recommend buying tickets ASAP if there is something that strikes you on the calendar.

No visit to Washington, DC is completed without a tour of the Capitol building and White House. If it is important to you to get INSIDE, you should research and request that ASAP.

For a real American experience, go see a Washington Nationals baseball game. The stadium is easy to reach on the metro, and it will be a lot of fun.

I hope you have a wonderful trip to one of my favorite U.S. cities!

Lively Madrid -- a Beautiful Weekend Escape

We were treated to sunny skies on the other side of the Pyrenees during our weekend getaway to Madrid,. It was my husband's birthday, so we decided to take our first trip to Spain to this lovely bustling city -- one of the biggest in Europe.

Pyrenees Mountains bordering Spain and France

The first thing to note about Spanish cities is that things happen on a different schedule than most other places. Here in Geneva, Switzerland we have adjusted to specific strict hours for restaurants, and most stores close at 6 pm. In Madrid, restaurants serve lunch between 1:30 and 4 pm, while dinner begins after 9 pm. Social activities linger well into the early morning.

Plaza Mayor

Our hotel Villa Real, a Derby Hotel within the portfolio of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, was well-situated on Plaza de las Cortes -- within an easy walking distance of parks, palaces, squares, markets, restaurants, and other attractions. We anticipated using the metro, but ended up being able to walk everywhere we wanted to go. Our room at this boutique 5-star hotel was large and comfortable with all the amenities we needed. The included daily breakfast was a perfect start to each day.

Full mood over the Square

The hotel was a 30 minute taxi ride from the airport, and check-in was a breeze. Friday evening, we decided to head out for tapas, which is an excellent way to sample a variety of local cuisine. You order several small plates and share with your companions. We had some nice blood sausage, garlic shrimp, and fresh local mushrooms with a bottle of local house wine. Spanish wines are a great value, and it's hard to go wrong even with so-called "table wine".

We spent all day Saturday on our feet checking out as much of the city as we could see in one day. From Parque de El Retiro with its large crowds of people enjoying the sun to the pretty Cristal Palace to Plaza Mayor with many outdoor cafes to the wonderful shopping streets around town. It was a great day getting to know our way around.

Cristal Palace

Saturday night dinner at Marina Ventura was wonderful. It was a special occasion so we splurged a little. We started with some amazing local cured ham (Jamón ibérico) which is a local delicacy in Spain. For the main course we enjoyed a delicious Paella Valenciana with rabbit and chicken. It is supposed to be as good as the real thing from just a few hundred km away on the Mediterranean coast. A bottle of  Roda Reserva Rioja was the perfect accompaniment. We meant to hang out at a rooftop bar enjoying views of the city, but were pretty exhausted after exploring all day.

Some nightlife in Madrid

After sleeping in on Sunday, we headed out to El Botin -- the most famous restaurant in Madrid. The restaurant is older than the USA, having been established in 1725. We had to go for the suckling pig, roast baby lamb, garlic soup plus a half pitcher of sangria. The food was outstanding, and the service spot on. Reservations are highly recommended.

There is always a line at El Botin

Roast Baby Lamb

Suckling Pig

Sangria

Happy in Madrid

El Botin

We ventured out for more exploring to check out the Mercado San Miguel. We were hoping to shop, but discovered it was only a place for eating, drinking, and socializing. Having filled up on our glorious lunch, we could only take photos and observe the fun atmosphere of the place.

Madrid has so much to offer, and our trip was too short. Our next visit will include greater depths of understanding of the local culture as well as branching out to see the nearby countryside, villages, and vineyards. Hasta luego!

A Wonderful Wet Weekend in Paris

We had to be in the area near Paris for business purposes, so we decided to explore the city over the weekend. When I realized my last trip to Paris was in 1997 as an 18 year old college student, I knew I had to return ASAP. The weather proved to be quite rainy and windy -- we should have expected that in January -- but it didn't dampen our good time!

We stayed at a very comfortable 4-star hotel the K+K Hotel Cayré in the Saint Germain des Prés neighborhood of the 7ème arrondissement. The Rue du Bac metro stop was just outside our front door; and we were an easy walk or metro ride to all the attractions, shopping, bars, restaurants, and other offerings of the city.

Our first night, I was craving sushi so we stopped in a fantastic nearby joint called Blueberry. A strange name for a sushi restaurant (famous for their rolls), but it did not disappoint. The fish was so fresh, and the creative flavor combinations were very satisfying. And the unusual cocktails were marvelous. We spent the rest of our Friday evening relaxing over a glass of wine at our hotel bar.

Saturday is when the weather got really bad, but we donned our waterproof hiking boots, carried an umbrella, and set out on the long, cold walk to the Eiffel Tower. After catching a glimpse, we "ducked" into a specialty duck, goose, and foie gras restaurant called Au Petit Sud-Ouest for lunch. We were greeted by the friendly owner who has created a special atmosphere for diners to enjoy some of this fabulous French delicacy. Every table has its own toaster so you will have fresh, warm bread on which to spread the creamy foie gras. We had a nice appetizer of goose foie gras with fig; and my main course salad came with its own duck gizzards and foie gras. Jon's duck confit was cooked to perfection. This restaurant is the perfect place for a romantic meal to enjoy some traditional French cuisine.

After a wonderful meal and gorgeous wine, we walked off some calories doing some window shopping in the rain. The Concorde area has some very unusual stores, along with typical touristy shops. And we couldn't miss out on Angelina's famous hot chocolate.

Follow up shopping in and around the Bon Marché eepartment store led us to the very beautiful white paper art installation by the Chinese artist Ai Weiwei.

One of our favorite experiences of the weekend was our Saturday evening spent at Aux Deux Amis. This place was a recommendation from a Parisian we met in Geneva, and is not on the tourist radar. As wine lovers, we were over the moon. They serve fantastic tapas, cheese, and natural wines in this bar; and the atmosphere is crowded, noisy, and full of locals. It is well off the beaten track, and some knowledge of French was helpful.

On Sunday, we got moving early to meet our gracious tour guide Richard from Eye Prefer Paris for a fun afternoon touring La Bastille and Le Marais districts during a private market and gourmet walking tour. We sampled cheese, crepes, pastries, breads, rotisserie chicken, and so many other delights. It was such a fun afternoon as the rain began to lift.

In the evening, we were so impressed by the hospitality and generosity of our kind hosts (Jon's coworker and his wife). They provided us with delectable wines, the most amazing cheese plate I have ever seen, and delightful conversation we didn't want to end.

Just before leaving Monday morning, I went to check out the Mercure Paris Centre Eiffel Tower and Pullman Eiffel Tower hotels for my upcoming destination wedding clients group trip to Paris next summer. Taking the TGV high speed train between Geneva and Paris makes for a most comfortable and convenient way to travel, and we look forward to returning to Paris often!