Posh, Pre-Inaugural DC

It was exciting to walk around the political and governmental epicenter of our country only days before one of the most controversially-elected presidents in the USA's history was about to be sworn into office. The energy around Capitol Hill was palpable -- there were politicians and protestors everywhere! When not enjoying the mild weather, I wandered aimlessly through the National Gallery of Art. Discovering the Cathedral of Saint Matthew the Apostle on the edge of the Golden Triangle district was a lovely surprise, as I went there to worship and left edified by stunning architecture and art.

Quick Tips:

Anything you do in DC will be great, as most of the cultural attractions (the Smithsonian and Monuments) are free. Have a plan if you are heading to any of the Smithsonians as they are behemoths. If you are trying to see a specific show at the NGA, cue up early and bring a book, as you can wait in line for up to 2 or 3 hours for certain installations!

Best Way To Get Around:

If you live on the East Coast of the USA, from New York down to the southern part of Virginia, it is so easy to get to DC with public transportation. Amtrak drops you off right in the center of town at Union Station and there is a Metro stop there. I took Greyhound, which was almost as cheap as if I had driven my own car (if you think about gas, tolls, and emotional stress), and which is also only a short walk from the Union Station Metro stop (or a ten-minute cab ride to the White House). Flying into town is probably the most annoying way to arrive, as the airport is far from the city and the drive is almost an hour. Once you are in DC, though, the clean and easy-to-navigate Metro will take you most places of tourist interest, while cabs or buses will get you the rest of the way there. (Bummer: no Metro line stops in Georgetown, the great university/shopping/restaurant/bar neighborhood).

When I was deciding whether or not to join Rick on his business trip, I checked out this hotel on the Internet, and was so agog that I decided to take the trip then and there. The St. Regis is a classy, old-school hotel which treats their guests with style and tact. I felt like an urban prep while there. The lobby is decorated in wood, deep-pile area rugs, and smart chairs and couches. Off to one side is the hotel bar, which features bookshelves lined with fake leather-bound books (they shelves are actually only an inch deep) and up on higher, deeper shelves are postmodern artwork and ceramics which don''t quite match up with the otherwise library-ish feel of the place. I sat in there one evening with a group of folks and drank many snifters of Amaretto, and found the atmosphere congenial.

The room we had was definitely on the small side. Larger rooms and suites would cost a bit more, I imagine. The room was well-equiped with minibar, all the amenities in the bathroom including robe and slippers, a writing table/desk, and a small table with two wing chairs we could use for a room service meal. My favorite service the hotel provided was a free, overnight shoe-polish.

Room service was not terrific and overpriced. The fresh fruit and berries they brought if you asked was good, though.

On foot, the hotel is about 15 minutes from the White House, five to ten minutes from a street full of middling to fine restaurants, and two minutes from the nearest Metro stop. The staff was always friendly and helpful, especially the concierge who whipped out a city map to give us directions even to the bathroom. (I exaggerate, but you get the idea.) Over all, I recommend it if plunking down the cash is no problem for you, as the service is exceptional.

Now this is a restaurant. A local favorite, I hear. We saw the whole range of diners -- European visitors, young 30-somethings chatting about work, matrons in suits with Barbara Bush pearls and obedient husbands, and a table full of young blondes all wearing black leather pants and tight tops. Our waiter was a wry character, who very formally would explain dishes to us unbidden but at the same time grin at us while dealing with the matrons-in-suits, as if we shared a private joke. We liked him; he fluttered his eyelashes.

In the front of the restaurant there is a wine bar, at which you can eat but mostly folks were drinking wine, chatting and looking cool. Of course, it's not hard to look cool in the Mendocino, as its decor is a sleek and soothing array of aqua and white, clean lines and surfaces. I believe there were tables either upstairs or in a room off the one we were in, we could not see it from where we were seated.

While deciding what to order was hell, what we did eventually select was heavenly. It was carefully prepared and artfully arranged: we ate well. I ordered the Mendocino Cioppino, a fish stew which definitely tasted fresh and came with soft breadsticks. The scallops, clams, mussels, shrimp and various finfish had been simmered together in the red sauce with the perfect amount of herbs and picante that my lips tingled as if they'd been kissed long and hard. Yes, it was that good.

Definitely make a reservation if you have your heart set on eating here, any night of the week. On a Saturday night, when we left (reluctantly I might add), the hostess was turning couples away at the door who did not have a reservation.

Their business card says, "A Georgetown favorite since 1986!... Pasta-ively delicious!" A bit of self-promotion going on here, but for the most part, I'd say you can take them at their word.

Rick and I went in and found a very inviting and colorful decor with lots of nooks with tables for two. Rick had made a reservation for a Sunday early-evening dinner, but we did not need it. Perhaps on Friday or Saturday, you would want to reserve a table.

The food was better than average (but not outstanding) and there was much of it. I ordered gnocchi which I would have sworn the menu said came with a pesto sauce but it was brought with a red sauce. None of the other dishes really stands out in my mind. I did drink a delicious glass of red wine (a Montepulciano or Valpolicella): I was pleasantly surprised to learn they offered a broad selection of Italian wines.

The disappointing thing of this meal was that we were virtually ignored by our server the whole time. Waiters walked by us, and to get their attention we practically had to shout -- mind you, there were maybe four other tables of diners in the restaurant at this time.

This restaurant is probably a good choice in the summer, when you can sit out on one of the second-floor balcony tables with your beloved and take in the street sights; or if you come with a group of friends and are more concerned with saving some money for bottles of wine than the quality of service you receive.

It feels weird categorizing this cathedral as a "top attraction," since it is usually overlooked for the National Cathedral and indeed does have a thriving parish community. However, its architectural beauty and artistic ease make it worth a visit.

I went simply because I wanted to go to Sunday mass, and the concierge sent me here. It wasn't until I walked inside that I stopped in my tracks. The interior of this church is among the most beautiful I have ever seen -- and I've seen a lot (I lived in Italy for a while...). Its interior artistry definitely surpasses NYC's St. Patrick's Cathedral. St. Matthew's is so colorful! The mosaics, the several chapels, and (perhaps most of all) the enormous dome are stunning. While I was there they were restoring the dome (which rises 190 feet) and there was netting semi-obscuring the mosaics behind the altar and in the dome. Nonetheless, it was still possible to get a good sense of their beauty, color and shimmering detail. Some of the more memorable depict St. Matthew in various anecdotes from his life, the angels of the Crucifiction, and other saints. Perhaps the most stunning is the one you see immediately: behind the altar rises a 35-foot mosaic of St. Matthew and the Angel, done by Edwin Howland Blashfield in the style of the mosaics in Ravenna, Italy (he did most of the mosaics in this church). My other favorite was of St. Anthony of Padua, which is in the chapel immediately on the right once you walk in.

One other notable detail in the cathedral is the pipe organ. One of the biggest in the USA, it was installed in 1995 and still is not completed! It is beautiful -- the wood case shines with gold leafing -- and is over 30 feet high. The cathedral is in the Golden Triangle, a ritzy shopping neighborhood of DC. You can pick up a brochure at the entrance which gives you a self-guided tour of the many chapels and mosaics in the Cathedral. Call 202 347 3215 for more information or to set up a guided tour.

Tel 202 737 4215 / www.nga.org / There are three parts to the Gallery: The West Building, The East Building, and the Scuplture Garden (outdoors). The two buildings are connected by an underground concourse which runs under 4th Street. The gift shops and cafeteria are located in this concourse.

These galleries are immense. On a sunny day that is not too humid (as DC can be in the summer) the Sculpture Garden is an absolute dream. Any other day, the West Bldg holds the older art, while the East Bldg generally concerns itself with art from the 20th Century and forward, as well as special installations. While I was there, the French Art Nouveau show was drawing hordes of line-waiters (oui oui tres jolie). I passed this by, and browsed around through the permanent collection in the East Bldg.

My favorite collection this visit was the Calder room. In here the NGA has arrayed a dozen of Alexander Calder's famous mobiles and wire sculptures. The enormous mobile that hangs from the upper level of the East Bldg is his, too -- slightly reminiscent of a dinosaur skeleton, it is lumbering grace in primary colors. In the Calder Room, though, the mobiles are hung up high, and they are smaller and delicate, and they are lit from all angles, so that when you sit on the benches that line the perimeter, you can gaze up at the play of shadows and mobile and lose yourself in the flutter. Gazing at Calder mobiles has got to be one of the most relaxing and playful things we can do for ourselves as humans. When you're done, walk around to the balcony that overlooks the mobiles, and gaze at them from eye-level as they spin about. You are so close, you can almost touch their metal petals.

There are many other rooms worth mentioning, but I'll let you discover them on your own. I do want to say, though, that I spoke with four guards while I was in the East Building, and all were the most courteous and friendly people I met. One took my picuture with the mobiles, another gave me directions with a truly sincere smile, and another two gave me permission to take photos. These small kindnesses made my day, and were surprising in the face of the crowd of people to see the Nouveau show.

The multiple terraces of this hip-looking glass and steel restaurant & bar affords beautiful views of both the Potomac and the patrons. This bar was built for flirting and chatting on a summer night, and it gets crowded. If a pretentious crowd bothers you, plan on starting or ending your night here, so you can have one cocktail, enjoy the view, and then skeedaddle. If you love flirting with the guy in Ralp Lauren or the girl in Donna Karan, get there early to secure a table! FYI the restaurant's food is generally considered subpar and overpriced.

Telephone 202/944-4200.

This area, nestled in the triangle between Farragut Square, Washington Circle and Dupont Circle has an abundance of stores and restaurants. Rather than the quaint boutiques and cafes of Georgetown, though, it seems you will encounter stores you could find in many malls across America. The Golden Triangle is only a few blocks northwest of the White House. Despite my many previous visits to DC, I had never even heard of this part of the city. I am sure this is because most visitors, (me too), focus their attention on the areas of DC South East and South West of the White House -- from the Lincon Memorial to the Capitol Bldg. However, if you get tired of white marble government buildings, hit the Golden Triangle. It's residential streets and chic store fronts will be a welcome change.

I sat and had an early Sunday morning coffee in a pleasantly-located Starbucks at 1301 Conneticut Ave (and N St NW) while reading the Washington Post. I mention this because I seemed to be the only non-local in there, and that was good for discreet people watching.

For a listing of all stores, restaurants and other services in this are, go to the easy to use www.gtbid.com

Since I am not a delegate, a policy wonk, an elected official, a party goobersmoocher, or even a rich corporate donor, I was not invited to any of the Inauguration shindigs that went down the weekend after my visit. However, even us lowly voting taxpayers get to have a peek at the festivities, as many of them happen right on the sidewalk. It seemed that along the whole stretch of Pennsylvania Avenue the sidewalk had been taken up by football stadium bleachers, and all the flanking buildings were having their marble manicured, brass buffed, windows washed, and bunting brightened. Even the corporate banks, or rather, especially the corporate banks, were hanging flags from every hook, gutter and sill. You'd think they were getting ready for some kind of internationally-broadcast parade or something. On the Mall, high, white vinyl tents were being erected, heated, and furnished with folding tables and chairs for toasting opportunities (or, maybe, cry-in-your-beer pity parties). It was very exciting to behold, even for a nonbeliever. Some old guy stopped me on the street outside the Willard Hotel on Pennsylvania Avenue to breathlessly point out, "This is where Gore grew up!" A Russian couple (obviously quite lost, I think they took a wrong turn at Budapest) pulled out their best English to ask how to get to the National Archives. The sun shone, the wind stopped blowing, and the Metro was half price. Well, that last bit isn't true, but Washington definitely had some of that Times-Square-on-December-30th vibe. Even as one of the great unwashed, it was memorable to walk by the merriment-in-the-making. (I bet if Nader had won, I'd have been invited to the party.)