Our Girls' Weekend Away in DC
Some days I wake up and think to myself, “is this really my life?” It almost seems too good to be true. Living out my passions for writing, styling, and connecting with other female entrepreneurs and creatives is truly icing on the cake. I am already grateful for so many beautiful people and opportunities in my life, and to be able to add to that list is mind-blowing.
Other days I wake up and I’m like “6am again, really!?”, but that’s beside the point. When I woke up on Sunday morning at Avenue Suites in Georgetown, DC in my own enormous king-sized bed (sprawled out half-sideways, I might add), I looked around for a moment thinking that I must still be dreaming.
It felt like I somehow transformed into Carrie Bradshaw overnight and I was going to spend my day looking out onto the city streets and writing on my laptop about my glamorous life. From where I was lounging, I could see a bottle of champagne, the prettiest trio of cupcakes from Baked and Wired, and a bouquet of flowers placed on the table, complimentary of the incredible hotel we were staying at.
Over the past few months, I have been traveling to D.C. regularly to shoot content for campaigns and the blog. With the historic monuments, cobblestone streets, and boutique shopping, it is really no wonder that we fell in love with the beautiful location.
Before the chaos of the holiday season would begin in our hometown of Baltimore, Vanessa (The Primpy Sheep), Jade (Jade Nikkole Photography), and I decided that we needed a quick weekend away to relax and have a little ‘girl time’. With Avenue Suites located in the heart of every place we wanted to visit, we decided to make it our home base.
From the moment that our car pulled up in front for valet, we were spoiled with kindness and care, and made to feel right at home. I believe that is the difference between a big hotel chain and a boutique hotel, like Avenue Suites. We were truly more than just a number and a reservation. We were treated like family and grew close to the staff as they went above and beyond every step of the way.
Immediately upon arrival on Saturday, we were shown to our enormous adjoining suites, complete with two kitchenettes, king-sized beds, pull-out sofas, working desks, marble decorated bathrooms, and so much more. We were in absolute heaven.
Once we got settled in and changed, we wandered into downtown Georgetown (only half a mile away from the hotel). First on our list was Laduree, my all-time favorite, where we enjoyed French macarons, warm pots of tea, and the prettiest pink raspberry dessert. We then made our way over to Grace Street Coffee where we sat on their outdoor patio, people-watched, and enjoyed an Instagram-worthy espresso. The last stop of the day before returning to the hotel was Rent the Runway where we browsed through racks of glamorous gowns, piled sequins onto our arms to try on, and finalized outfits for the following day’s NYE-themed shoot.
Back at Avenue Suites, we ended the day with handcrafted pizzas, arugula salads, and cocktails in their restaurant, La Piazza. The plush wrap-around booths, lounge couches and, of course, the cozy fireplaces right outside the door on their private patio created the most relaxing ambiance I could have imagined. It was the perfect way to end a day in DC filled with so much fun and adventure.
What we ordered and I recommend: Sprellini cocktail, Arugula & Shaved Parmesan salad, White pizza, and Fennel Sausage & Pepperoni pizza.
The entire menu looked delicious and, although we were already taking leftovers back to our room after devouring half of each pizza and our salads, I couldn’t help myself from drooling over the Formaggi and the Cannoli. There’s always next time, I suppose…
On Sunday morning, we woke up bright and early and I hopped into the rainfall shower where I never wanted to leave. It was the first thing I mentioned to Sam when he got to our room. I told him it would make a great Christmas gift for our bathroom at home, lol!
Once we were all dolled up and ready to go, we did a quick 10-minute drive over to the Jefferson Memorial to shoot Sam and my annual holiday look. The Memorial was quiet and peaceful as the sun was rising; it was the perfect location for a romantic morning filled with snuggles and smooches on the marble stone steps.
After we wrapped up at the Jefferson Memorial, we quickly changed and wandered over to the US Capitol where we met up with another one of our favorite bloggers. We shot our New Years Eve looks for the holiday season, complete with tinsel and balloons, of course.
A few weeks have passed now since our stay at Avenue Suites, and I still find myself raving about this special weekend to anyone who will listen; it was simply that incredible. From the luxurious rooms to the cozy restaurant and patio, the staff that went above and beyond, and every little detail in between - all I’m thinking now is, when can I go back?
Disclaimer: The hotel stay and amenities were provided to us for free, however the views and opinions expressed here are my own. Photography by Jade Nikkole Photography
Where is your favorite place to get away for the weekend to? Comment on the last photo on my Instagram feed and tell me, or tag me in your travel #OOTD!
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xo Anna Elizabeth