The bibliophiles among you must check out the Lambda, a major player in the Dupont Circle area, for a different kind of experience. It specializes in novels by gay and lesbian writers and other books that hold the interest of the gay community. It is one of the finest places to pick up some gay oriented books, cards, and magazines. When you are cruising through this area, don't go away without exploring the Hilton Washington Embassy Row that is an important international market place. You must visit its elegant Main Hall, located at a distance of 6 miles from Embassy Suites at Chevy Chase Pavillion . It's over 90-feet high vaulted ceiling and marble floors will transport you back to the days when railway travel was popular and fashionable. This beaux-arts building became operational in 1908, but by the 1940s, it lost much of its grandness due to neglect and disrepair. After a large-scale restoration project, this building attained its lost splendor and reopened in 1988 for the public. Innumerable restaurants as well as an international food court and over 100 specialty shops are now housed within its premises. It has become a popular midday snacks or lunch destination of both tourists and locals because of its nearness to the Library of Congress and the U.S. Capitol. Tysons Corner Center near Holiday Inn Tysons Corner is the largest mall in the DC metro area. This mall houses six anchor stores, 230 specialty stores, and over 30 restaurants and eateries within its complex. But, this place is also famous for some of the area's heaviest traffic, so you have to fight your way through the crowd to reach this mall. Another place worth visiting for the purpose of shopping is the Pavilion at the Old Post Office in the proximity of Homewood Suites By Hilton . It has a little of everything from office space for the National Arts and Humanities Endowments to shops and restaurants. This building also has a huge atrium, very uncommon these days, where the visitors may play a round of miniature golf, browse and enjoy free afternoon concerts. And, do take out some time to take a ride up the 315-foot clock tower. The observation deck of the clock tower offers some of the most panoramic and enchanting views of the city. Located within a historic 19th-century post office building, this shopping center couldn't become as popular a tourist destination as its developers had hoped after its restoration in the 1980s. The developers are now planning to transform it into a hotel or any other enterprise, but till then, you can enjoy shopping in its 17 shops and eat from about a dozen food vendors. You'll be required to produce a photo ID to get entry into this building, as it also houses several federal offices. In case you want to round up your shopping spree with a visit to Georgetown , the most posh area of this city, you can have a look at the shops at Georgetown Park . It is situated in the proximity of the central Georgetown shopping district at the intersection of Wisconsin Avenue and M Street, near the Georgetown Suites Hotel . This trendy and upscale tri-level mall resembles a Victorian ice-cream parlor from inside. Its expensive clothing and accessory boutiques and the omnipresent chain stores (like Victoria 's Secret) along with the posh Sharper Image, attract extravagantly and stinkingly rich international visitors in hordes. You can relax your shopping fatigue at a branch of Dean & Deluca, the gourmet food store that is located in its neighborhood. During the holidays, this mall becomes a fantastic place to stroll about and window-shop. If you have a purse full of money, this is the ideal place to lighten it. You won't find any department stores or movie theaters here; there are only famous brand names, such as FAO Schwartz, Bebe, Polo/Ralph Lauren and Waldenbooks. You can also explore its innumerable small, independent boutiques where you can chance upon some exquisite, special and unusual gift items for your family and friends. Have a nice time shopping in Washington DC ! <<--Back |
