Girlfriend Getaway In Washington DC. Reconnect and Relax

Girlfriend getaways are a MUST for reconnecting with the ladies in your life who have seen you through the best and worst of times. It is one thing to call, text or leave Facebook messages but it is another to take the time to schedule a girlfriend getaway. Put it on the calendar, ask off from work, get the kids taken care of and get together for several days. Once you have picked a date that works for everyone, the rest is easy! Here is how I connected with some of my best girlfriends at the Avenue Suites, A Modus Hotel in Washington DC. We truly had nothing on the agenda other than to be together, reconnect and relax. I think we did all three of these.

Avenue Suites

Located at 2500 Pennsylvania Avenue, yes THAT Pennsylvania Avenue, Avenue Suites was our home away from home for two nights. For a girlfriend getaway I recommend a minimum of two nights. Why? Because one night is not NEARLY enough. by the time you all arrive, check in, put your bags down, have dinner… it is time to go to bed and then check out the next morning. NOPE. Not relaxing. Not refreshing. You need TIME. Give yourself a MINIMUM of two nights for a girls weekend.

There is ON SITE valet parking for $45 a night and they will let you fetch and return your car as much as you want. I think that is very reasonably prices for parking in DC. Just be sure to pull up to the curb in front of the hotel, not in the garage doorway, like I did. The pedestrians will give you dirty looks.

4th of July in Washington DC

If you are lucky enough to be in our Nations capital to celebrate the birth of our independence, you are going to want to check out this list of WASHINGTON DC 4TH OF JULY FREE EVENTS.

Welcome to Washington DC!

I have truly never felt as welcome at a hotel than when I walked into the Avenue Suites. I could tell that they didn’t see us as a reservation walking in the door but a guest who was about to be part of the Modus family. There was fruit infused water waiting on a side table and we were asked why we were visiting them at the Avenue Suites. Suggestions were made about where to visit and where to eat in the area. They were doing what they could to welcome welcome these weary travelers and it was very refreshing!

Art at the Avenue Suites

Throughout the hotel are beautiful photographs of movie stars, musical legends and other celebrities.The whole hotel has a very trendy, cool inviting feel to it. The colors are very muted and complimented by bright white marble. I wish I had their decorator come to my house!

The Avenue Executive Room – Private Terrace

We stayed in one of the two executive rooms with private terraces. This was the PERFECT suite for the 4 of us who were staying for the girlfriends weekend. There was a King size bed and a sleeper sofa to accommodate our group. We are all friends from way back so it was like a pajama party from high school…. but with adult beverages.

Signature Amenities at the Avenue Suites:

Stock The Fridge – select your favorite items from the local Trader Joes’s and we’ll deliver them to your room upon arrival. Click here to see the menu.
Modus Loves Pets – All pets stay for free and can enjoy their own pet-friendly amenities. Click here to learn more.
Run This City – Our in-house fitness program. Guests can join a weekly running tour led by our Modus “running concierge”. These routes showcase notable DC landmarks and neighborhoods. Route maps are available to run at your own schedule and pace.

Expect More:

Fully-Equipped Kitchens
Two 42″ Flat Screen TVs
Marble bathroom fixtures with Double Vanity
Roam by William Roam bath amenities
Keurig Coffee Machines
Large work desk
Living Room With Sofa Bed
Connecting rooms available upon request
Complimentary WIFI
Valet Parking ($42 a day)
Laundry facilities

Private Terrace

We couldn’t believe the privacy and SPACE that this terrace provided us! Plush couches and side tables were very inviting and we spent a lot of time out here!

Just outside of the La Piazza Ristorante there is a HUGE patio with multiple seating areas complete with fire pits. if we didn’t have our own private patio we would have spent lots of time in this area. This would be a amazing meet up location if you had a larger group meeting for the weekend or if were in the Georgetown area and wanted some private, outdoor seating. This section is open to the public and a great place to enjoy drinks and small plates from La Piazza Ristorante.

Good good, good drinks and amazing friends make for a memorable evening in #washingtondc. Our #girlfriendweekend started out with a LONG walk to dinner. We ended up at @lupoverde.dc at the recommendation of @avenuesuitesdc. Amazingly fresh #italianfood! The #charcuterie board was out of this world and the #freshpasta was so amazing we wanted to weep. We want to know the #mixologist secrets but we are sure they won’t tell. #mocktravels

A post shared by Lifestyle BloggerSarah Mock (@sarahbmock) on Jun 30, 2017 at 5:18am PDT

Dinner

After all four of us had arrived we decided to stretch our legs and find some dinner. We walked to 14th street but in hind sight probably should have taken an Uber. With the heat in the mid 90’s in the late afternoon it was hotter than we were comfortable walking over a mile and a half. If you have never taken an Uber and would like your first ride for free ( value amounts cary by location and/or up to $15) Use code: 8f47x

We found our way to Lupo Verde at the suggestion of our new friends at the Avenue Suites. They were RIGHT! this was an amazing restaurant that we would visit time and time again if we lived in the area. We enjoyed fresh, hand crafted cocktails, hand made pasta, and a chef selected charcuterie and cheese board that made me want to never leave my seat!

Back to the hotel

We did Uber back to the hotel and shared a bottle of wine and conversation on the patio. This was the part of the girlfriend getaway I was looking forward to. Just reconnecting with these women who have been my friend for so long. One of them for THREE DECADES! Seriously. These are the friends that you hang on to.

We caught up on relationships, job promotions, fears, dreams and a little bit of gossip.

Read more on why I love these ladies and the journey we have all been on in the post I wrote entitled: One Of the Best Investments Is Friendship

Breakfast

At the recommendation of the Avenue Suites, we took a short walk, (no uber required!) to Baked and Wired. I love supporting local coffee shops when ever possible and this one has an amazing vibe about it. We grabbed drinks for the group and an assortment of pastries and headed back to the hotel to see who was up and ready for the day.

More giggling and a bit of gossip over breakfast. It is always a good time with this crew!

Planning The Day

We decided we were all in need of a pedicure, because it is a girls weekend and who doesn’t love a pedicure?!! So we did a quick search on the phones and made an appointment at Yvones Salon and Day Spa. We booked the fish pedicures! No one in the group had done the fish pedicure before so we had to give it a try.

Let me tell you!!! It TICKLES!!!!Seriously, tickles. The idea is this certain type of fish will suck/eat/kiss the dead skin cells off your feet. I am not sure how much it works beyond the novelty of it but it sure what a fun expereince.

Then we wandered around Alexandria eating cupcakes, shopping and people watching. Always good activities for a girls weekend.

Check out more of our weekend:

La Piazza Ristorante

The day was catching up with us so we decided to head home to the Avenue Suite and relax at the La Piazza Ristorante.

La Piazza strives to recreate the unique atmosphere of an Italian piazza, where people gather to share conversation, laughter, and of course, great food. With glass walls and rustic décor, it serves as a great spot to gather with friends, family and anyone wishes to enjoy a comfortable place to enjoy in the neighborhood. La Piazza serves glasses of wine, local beer or cocktails, along with pizzas, sandwiches and a variety of small plates:

Click here to view the menu
Click here to view the aperitivo (happy hour) menu

Sunday – Thursday 5pm – 10pm, Bar service until 11pm
Friday – Saturday 5pm – 11pm, Bar service until 12am

We took over one of these cozy booths. We would have headed outside to the patio but we opted to enjoy the air conditioning. It was a tough choice because the patio is so inviting!!

Green Hat Gin

I love that they source the gin locally! Take my tip and visit the distillery! All Modus hotel guests get a free tour of the distillery! Yet, another perk of staying at the hotel!

WOOT!

If you are anywhere near #georgetown you need to stop by @avenuesuitesdc #laPiazza #ad. We have had an AMAZING evening with these #handmadecocktails and #appetizers. They are more along the lines of shareable #smallplates but they all are delicious! The staff is super hospitable and accommodating to our shenanigans. Follow the #instagramstory in my profile for all the details. #girlsweekend #dcnightlife #washingtondc #modushotels

A post shared by Lifestyle Blogger🌸Sarah Mock (@sarahbmock) on Jun 30, 2017 at 6:16pm PDT

Cocktails and small plates:

Nordic Lady and The Fascinator

Garlicky Spinach Pizza

Formaggi

Pecan rasin bread, figs, wild flower hone, La Tur, Gorgonzola and Toscono Romano.

Compobasso Hero

Mortadella, genoa salami, prosciutto, provolone, muffuletta relish, oregano, balsamic vinaigrette.

Avocado Hero

Shredded carrots, fresh avocado, cucumber, arugula, lemon dressing

Morning Yoga

I am going to admit it. This is a STAGED photo! but this is where I could have taken a free yoga class BUT is was a bit drizzly at the beginning of the class. So we had the class moved indoors. But I wanted you to see how amazing Yoga with Georgetown Yoga. INCLUDED in your stay at the Avenue Suites is a Saturday morning yoga class. The class is a combination of Vinyasa and Hatha yoga that includes flowing movements and more stationary poses, each designed for all fitness levels. Open to all guests, these Saturday sessions are both soothing and invigorating. Class includes yoga mat, block and towel. This was great because I don’t travel with my Yoga equipment!

More Fitness:

Through our partnership with Georgetown Yoga, we also offer unlimited access to all their in-studio classes. Conveniently located, just a 5 minute walk from the hotel, Georgetown Yoga offers classes for all – regardless of shape, age, or athleticism.

For guests interested in cycling or a different and unique fitness experience, SoulCycle is just a short walk from the hotel. Click here to learn more and view the class schedule.