Sassi visits Washington, DC!

The White House, Washington D.C.

My friend Minx came to visit me from London, and we took a 2 day road trip to Washington, DC. At least I was able to video that (and not lose the footage to faulty equipment!).

We took a 2 day hop on, hop off bus tour for around $38, and visited all the usual suspects - The White House, The Washington Monument, Lincoln Monument, etc. We shopped at The Fashion Centre at Pentagon City. All of this during a heat wave! Thankfully, I packed sunscreen, otherwise we would have been scorched by the relentless sun. We did forget to take hats though!

We visited Arlington National Cemetery and watched the Changing of the Guard, which was very moving.

That night we dined at The Hamburger Hamlet in Bethesda, Maryland, where the food was fresh and delicious, the portions were huge and the waiters were friendly.  The Hamburger Hamlet has a Hollywood connection.  In 1950, actor Harry Lewis and dress designer Marilyn, opened the first Hamburger Hamlet on Sunset Boulevard.  The fresh, tasty food was so popular that they expanded their restaurant chain over the years, and they now have locations throughout Southern California and in the Washington, D.C. area.  They have a really good website with lots of pictures of their superb food.  Check them out here: Hamburger Hamlet

We stayed overnight at the Hyatt Place in Sterling, Virginia, near Dulles International Airport. It was clean and safe (great for women traveling alone!), and they had a delicious complimentary breakfast selection.  It is also close to the infamous Tysons I and II Shopping Malls, Old Dominion Brewery, the National Air and Space Museum and the Potomac Lake Sportsplex.  If you are in the Dulles area, check out their site here: Hyatt Place Sterling/Dulles Airport-North

The next morning, we visited Gunston Hall Plantation whose original owner, George Mason IV (1725-1792), was the author of the Virginia Declaration of Rights. Gunston Hall Plantation was breathtakingly beautiful, and a must-see.

Gunston Hall Plantation, Virginia.

Gunston Hall Plantation

10709 Gunston Road
Mason Neck, VA 22079
Phone: 703-550-9220
email: historic@gunstonhall.org

So if you ever find yourself in Virginia, be sure to check out Gunston Hall Plantation.  It is seeped in history.

All in all, we had a fabulous weekend!  Good food, interesting and exciting places to visit, and we met more than a few very nice people.  It's everything you would expect to get out of a jam-packed weekend away!

- The Sassi Wench