On our quest to have a vacation like experience without hopping into a plane, we decided to have a "staycation" at Old Town Alexandria.  One of the things that surprises me about Old Town is how you can be in a completely different world from DC just a twenty minute car ride away.  You enter to a land with colonial homes with colorful shutters, many with an American flag hanging from the front porch, and cobble stoned streets. King Street, the main street of Old Town maintains a old fashioned façade with many specialty shops, cafés, and restaurants. Here's a snapshot of what we did, ate, and saw during our short escapade from the city. 

Lobby of Kimpton Hotel Monaco Alexandria Photo Courtesy of Kimpton

Stay: we stayed at the iconic Kimpton Hotel Monaco on King Street.  I arrived at the hotel at the peak of the wine happy hour, with plenty of guests taking advantage of the complimentary wine. The lobby is decorated with rich colors of red, blues, and greens which automatically make you feel welcome. We loved our room, the stayed at the Loft Suite, a beautifully appointed two floor room with a great view of King Street. The hotel is centrally located in the heart of King Street, which makes it a great starting point to discover the city.  We also enjoyed some post dinner cocktails at Jackson's 20 which had a vibrant and elegant scene on a Friday night. 

The Loaner Bicycle at Kimpton

Do: We woke up early and borrowed a bicycle from Kimpton and went on a bike ride along the Mount Vernon trail. We enjoyed a lovely bike ride along the Potomac up to Reagan Airport. We returned to Old Town and went to the Saturday Farmer's Market  at the town square where cooled down with freshly squeezed orange juice and bought ripe peaches to grill later. No trip to Old Town is not complete without a little shopping. We paid a visit to the lovely Katya from She's Unique and added some beautiful pieces to my wishlist. 

Diver Scallops at Columbia Firehouse

Food Tour: We went on the Old Town Alexandria Food Tour. Katie, our tour guide gave us a very informative and delicious tour around Old Town Alexandria. We learned about the history of Old Town, the architecture, and special details about the city (it is believed Old Town has the oldest farmer's market in the country). We started at Landini's  a warm Italian restaurant on King Street. There, we had a simple yet delicious dish of chicken and veggies. Next, we sampled Virtue Feed and Grain where we had mac n cheese and soup. The food choice was underwhelming but the true winner was the Port City Belgian style wit beer which came with our meal. Wish we could have had the signature fish tacos we have had there in the past. However, the best was saved for last at the Columbia Firehouse where we started with a yummy pimento cheese dip, followed by Virginia ham sliders on a biscuit, but the highlight was the diver scallops with the cauliflower couscous. The scallops were seared to perfection and they paired very well with the cauliflower.

Suckling Pig at Brabo

Dine: We had dinner at Brabo, an intimate space at the Lorien Hotel on King St. One of the highlights of Old Town is that you can take a trolley that runs from the King St Metro Stop to the end of King Street. We took the trolley from Hotel Monaco to the restaurant, which gave me an excuse to wear heels. There, I ate an amazing pork roll with suckling pig paired with Sass Pinot Noir from Oregon. We concluded our dinner with a lovely chocolate mousse with berries.  The restaurant is perfect for a date night: intimate space, refined menu, and great service.


The Homes of Old Town



We had a great experience at Old Town and love the fact we can see a whole different environment just from crossing the Potomac.  We enjoy taking these little escapes and getting to know all these amazing worlds which surround our Nation's Capital. 

Casablanca at Dupont Circle

With the summer travels, I have not been able to do a DC post in a little while. Sometimes, we get caught up with travels that we forget how amazing our own city can be. In honor of the arrival of the Dutchman, I decided to do a little staycation less than two miles from my home: 24 hours in Dupont Circle. After my stay at the Okura Hotel in Amsterdam through the Jetsetter Mystery Hotel Sale, I was sold on the same offer in Washington DC. I was excited to find out it was the Dupont Circle Hotel. The room had an amazing panoramic view of Dupont circle, the bed was light and airy (which the Dutchman appreciated after a nine hour flight), and the location was perfect. In my quest for a good deal, I purchased a Living Social deal for Ping Pong Dim Sum at Dupont. We sat on the terrace on a breezy night and enjoyed a nice 5-course meal with a bottle of prosecco, a great deal for $75, especially in that neighborhood.

Soft Shell Crab at Ping Pong

Cozy Bed at the Dupont Circle Hotel

As we walked back to the hotel from dinner, we walked around the circle to be pleasantly surprised by the screening of Casablanca right on Dupont Circle. We were impressed by the magical display right in the middle of the city, an intimate setting shared by a diverse set of people. After a good night sleep, we headed to Kramer Books for brunch. The Dutchman is always impressed with the level of friendliness he receives in the United States, especially at restaurants. What I enjoyed about Kramer Books the most were the nice plates of mini-breads and fresh fruit we received upon being seated. Nice touch especially as we arrived starving. The crabcake eggs benedict was delicious as a washed it down with a pomegranate mimosa.

Dutchman Chowing Away at Kramer's

We walked off the brunch at the Dupont Circle Farmer's Market. Much bigger than my neighborhood market at Bloomingdale, it had a great variety, especially of fruits and vegetables that are rare finds at supermarkets. One of the things I appreciate the most about DC is how much neighborhoods can change within a few blocks. I am in love with my neighborhood of Bloomindale but I am also happy that a whole new world and experiences are available in a two mile radius.


At the Dupont Farmer's Market