Monthly Archives: July 2011

Old Town Alexandria is a lovely town just outside of Washington, DC. The streets are lined with colonial buildings that have been well maintained over the years.  The Alexandria Waterfront is a popular tourist attraction, and beyond that are tons of shops and restaurants to explore for hours. There are clothing boutiques, specialty stores of all sorts, art and stationary stores, and the Farmers market at the courtyard of the Town Hall on Saturdays. The Torpedo Factory, a building containing several small galleries where local artists and artisans display and sell their work, should be added to every tourists to-do list while visiting the DC metro area.

Old Town Alexandria is accessible by the King Street metro Station serviced by the blue and yellow lines. The King’s Street Trolley leaves in regular 20 minute intervals, and makes stops along King Street. The trolley is a free service. Please visit metro’s website for additional travel information.

Alexis,  Innkeeper

American Guest House Bed and Breakfast
Washington DC Bed and Breakfast accommodations .  We are centrally located, 10 minutes walk to DuPont Circle metro/subway, 1 mile north west of White House.

Looking to accessorize or just add a few new things to your wardrobe? There’s plenty of choices conveniently located at the shopping center at Union Station. Their stores include a variety of shops for health and beauty, men and womens clothing, specialty foods, childrens clothing, books, stationary, jewelry, accessories, electronics and shoes.

Take a load off at one of their restaurants where you’ll find options ranging from fine dining to a quick bite.

Union Station is also one of D.C.’s major travel hubs where you can catch a ride on Amtrak, Marc, or Metro trains, buses, taxis or rental cars to get to your next destination.

It’s located in Capitol Hill right by the Senate and House buildings, Supreme Court and The Capital. So if you have some time, take a walk around the area for some beautiful sightseeing.

Here’s a little history on Union Station for you- Union Station officially opened at 6:50am on October 27th, 1907. “During World War I, troops were mobilized through Union Station, and many prominent women worked in the Station’s canteen, including Eleanor Roosevelt and Mrs. Woodrow Wilson. It was reported that Mrs. Wilson had kept her husband, the President, waiting for her outside the Station, until she had finished her duties at the canteen.”

Jonathan,  Innkeeper

American Guest House Bed and Breakfast
Washington DC Bed and Breakfast accommodations .  We are centrally located, 10 minutes walk to DuPont Circle metro/subway, 1 mile north west of White House.

Columbia Heights is home to a prized gem in the DC metropolitan area. The DC USA Shopping Center. The shops are more for day to day purchases. I have directed guests here on more than one occassion where luggage did not arrive in time.  Target is a great store for these types of emergencies, and is also the largest store in the shopping center. There is also BestBuy,  for any emergency electronic purchases you may need, e.g. mobile phone or laptop charger. Bed Bath & Beyond, a home goods store, has been useful for guests transitioning from the guest house and preparing to move into their new apartments. There is also a Marshalls which always has great sales, and you never need an excuse to look for a great sale.

Columbia Heights is an extremely diverse neighborhood located North of Downtown DC, accessible by several metro bus lines, the DC Circulator  and the Columbia Heights metro station serviced by the green and yellow lines. If you are shopping, stop at Pho 14 for lunch and have the  Pho or try some of their other delicious Vietnamese dishes.

Happy Shopping!
Alexis, Innkeeper

American Guest House Bed and Breakfast
Washington DC Bed and Breakfast accommodations .  We are centrally located, 10 minutes walk to DuPont Circle metro/subway, 1 mile north west of White House.

Georgetown Park is a shopping mall and condominium complex in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Near the hub of the Georgetown shopping district is this posh tri-level mall, which looks like a Victorian ice-cream parlor inside. The pricey clothing and accessory boutiques and the ubiquitous chain stores draw international visitors in droves. Next door is a branch of the Dean & Deluca gourmet grocery and café.

The Shops at Georgetown Park are located at 3222 M Street, NW.

Jonathan,  Innkeeper

American Guest House Bed and Breakfast
Washington DC Bed and Breakfast accommodations .  We are centrally located, 10 minutes walk to DuPont Circle metro/subway, 1 mile north west of White House.

Want some great deals at some of the best stores. Swing by the Leesburg Corner Premium Outlets in Leesburg, Virginia. The Premium Outlets have over 110 stores including clothing for the whole family, shoes, luggage, jewelry, and housewares. If you work up an appetite after all that shopping, you won’t have to look  far as there are also a restaurants in the shopping area and a small children’s playground for the kiddies.

Directions: The Premium Outlets are located about 15 minutes from Dulles Airport at the intersection of Route 7 and US 15 Bypass:

241 Fort Evans Road NE
Leesburg, Virginia 20176
(703) 737-3071

A sample of the stores includes:

Clothing: Adidas, Ann Taylor, Burberry, Gap, Guess, J. Crew, Izod, Kenneth Cole, Old Navy, Pac Sun, Polo Ralph Lauren, Saks Fifth Avenue, Talbots, Timberland, Tommy Hilfiger, True Religion, Under Armour and the Washington Redskins Official Store Outlet.

For Children: Carter’s, Gymboree Outlet, Old Navy, OshKosh B’gosh, Polo Ralph Lauren Children, Stride Rite Keds Sperry and? Tommy Hilfiger Kid.

Shoes: Adidas, Aerosoles, Converse, Kenneth Cole, Naturalizer, Puma, Reebok and Sketchers.

Others: Coach, Fossil, Sunglasses Hut, Crate & Barrel, Williams-Sonoma, Book Warehouse, Bose, Restoration Hardware, Harry & David, Zales, Claire’s Accessories, Movado, Reed & Baron and Le Creuset.

Happy shopping!
Alexis, Innkeeper

American Guest House Bed and Breakfast

Washington DC Bed and Breakfast accommodations.  We are centrally located, 10 minutes walk to DuPont Circle metro/subway, 1 mile north west of White House.

If visiting Washington, DC please be advised that history is not the only thing this town has to offer! There is also great shopping if you want to go on a shopping spree, and I am not just talking about souvenirs. There are several great neighborhoods that offer Shopping, but today I want to tell you about The Fashion Center at Pentagon City.

The Pentagon City Mall contains shops and department stores to suit everyone’s needs. Macy’s and Nordstrom are located at opposite ends of the mall. In between you will find Steve Madden, Aldo’s, William and Sonoma, the Apple Store, MAC, Sephora, Aveda, Yankee Candle, Lane Bryant and Talbot’s just to name a few. There are also many specialty stores and vendors located throughout the mall. Please see the mall’s directory for a complete list of stores.

There are also plenty of stores in the area surrounding the mall such as DSW and Sur La Table. There is a wide choice of restaurants in the area if the food court’s offerings do not tickle your fancy.

Pentagon City Mall is located in Arlington, VA easily accessible by metro rail. The Pentagon City metro station is serviced by the blue and yellow lines. The station is located under the mall and is just an escalator ride away from the station exit. You will inhale the aromas from the diverse food court as soon as you arrive.

Happy Shopping!
Alexis, Innkeeper

American Guest House Bed and Breakfast

Washington DC Bed and Breakfast accommodations.  We are centrally located, 10 minutes walk to DuPont Circle metro/subway, 1 mile north west of White House.