don't go to the bad parts...haha! sorry, I live in Arlington and I'm not sure exactly is a good place to stay...I can ask, what's your price range?

can you recommend some good bars or restaurants? i'm going to be there next weekend visiting my cousin but we have, shall we say, different styles. i like pubs and he likes clubs.
bars, restaurants, coffee shops, good places to go that are off the beaten path? i lived there for a summer in college but i wasn't 21 so i wasn't really able to enjoy the scene. and i'd like to do some non-touristy stuff too, perhaps off the mall.

every time i am there i like to stay around Dupond Circle- great restaurants all around, coffee shops and book stores plus the metro is station is right there- can get you anyplace within minutes

We went to Pizza Paradiso in Georgetown tonight for dinner. Time Magazine is right - it's one of the top five pizza places in the country delicious and resonably priced. (and I love Chicago-style pizza, too.)

btw, you may want to look into the Mayflower Hotel. It's comparably priced to Arlington hotels but right in the heart of the CBD and very exquisite.

i usually stay here...

when in dc, go to the brickskeller

i mean come on. look at that beer list. i'll have a de dolle stille nacht 1996 please.

oh, one more please. do you have a 750 of the fantome de noel 2001? if so, we'll take two.

Good luck getting any beers you want at the Brickskeller. Normally I'll have three choices in mind each time I order because they are out of 30% of the beer menu. If you want a crappy dive bar with a good juke box go to either "Pharmacy Bar" on 18th Street in Adam's Morgan, "Fox and Hounds" on 17th Street in Dupont Circle (if you order a bourbon and ginger they'll give you a glass filled with bourbon and an airplane bottle of ginger ale) or "The Raven" on Mt. Pleasant Street in Mt. Pleasant. All three are somewhat off the beaten path. I also like "The Black Cat" on 14th street for pinball and a good juke box.

When I visit DC I usually stay here:
www.morrisonhouse.com
It's in Old Town Alexandria, but close to the metro and next to my fav. coffee house (Misha's) If I need to stay in the city, these are usually good: Hotel Rouge, Helix Hotel-www.kimptonhotels.com/

There are many fine hotels by the White House; my family stays at the Sofitel: http://www.sofitel.com/sofitel/fichehotel/gb/sof/3293/fiche_hotel.shtml

For eats, I reccomend 16th and P St. NW, where there is a wicked sushi restaurant, Sushi Taro: http://www.sushitaro.com/ There is also a great Middle Eastern resaurant, Skewers, next door, and below it, is Luna Cafe for desserts, coffee and/or brunch. I second Joe Blogg's Zaytinya recommendation, but tapas can get pricey.

For drinks, I prefer Penn Ave by the Capitol (Capitol South metro stop) where the many bars/pubs are littered with Hill staffers.

hey does anyone from the area know if eastern market is open this time of year? i know i've been there in the summers, but their website says nothing about the seasons. is it still an outdoor flea market this time of year??

Dupont circle and adams morgan are probably the two hippest areas (beside the yuppi george town). I would recomend staying close to one of those two

The flea market at Eastern market is open year round. Normally till about four on saturday and sunday.

gravitas, i hear you on the availablity issue with the brickskeller. that i usually the case with a beer joint of that nature to have a bit of its offering out of stock. i have friends who own a similar place in seattle.

I second Holeyman on SushiTaro. It is one of my favorite sushi restaurants anywhere. I can't visit DC without going...my days of oin once a week are over (moved away from DC)