For the airplane aficionados, the National Air and Space Museum has opened up an annex near Dulles Airport: The Udvar-Hazy Center. It has more room than the museum downtown and you'll be able to see the Enola Gay, the space shuttle Enterprise, and a SR-71 Blackbird amongst other things.

You will need a car to get there, but it's so very worthwhile. It's probably an all-day trip; the Center is more than 760,000 sq.ft. For more information, visit [link]

I completely OD'ed on the Air and Space museum as a kid

and

Air and Space sounds very good

I got to visit Air&Space on the Mall last June. Many differences and IMHO much improved since my last visit in '89. Worth seeing again.

the National Air and Space Museum has opened up an annex near Dulles Airport: The Udvar-Hazy Center. It has more room than the museum downtown and you'll be able to see the Enola Gay, the space shuttle Enterprise, and a SR-71 Blackbird amongst other things.

DH was there last week (without me. Bastard) and it is indeed spiffy.

I'm sorry I won't be there with you, but it's still fun to read this thread.

I don't know how one gets to them if one is not coming from Friendship Heights.

The 38B runs from Farragut North through Georgetown. It sounds like its route and schedule is about the same as the blue bus Hil is talking about.

Where are the cool thrift stores?

Yeah, what meara said. There's a biggish Goodwill out in south Arlington that has some good stuff, but there's no specific Thrifty Neighborhood.

Where are the cool thrift stores?

In Baltimore! Ask John Waters.

Wah! On the lack of SusanO and amyP erika and SusanW and everybody else who isn't going to make it. Someday, we ALL have to F2F. Would that cause a spontaneous combustion the like of which no-one has ever witnessed, d'you suppose?

Sadly, Jon, DC is rather regrettably lacking in a concentration of cool thrift stores. There's a big Value Village out in College Park that I find some decent stuff at, but it's not "cool".

maybe Eastern Market?

Hello all! There are, indeed, buses through Georgetown. There's the "blue bus", which I've never ridden, but there are regular Metrobuses that go along M Street. The 38B which someone mentioned above runs about every 20-30 minutes during off hours, more frequently during rush hour; goes from Virginia to Farragut Square (Connecticut and K) and back. There are also the 30, 32, 34, 35 and 36 buses which go from the Mall area, along Pennsylvania (pass right by the Archives, McPherson Square, Farragut Square and Foggy Bottom Metrorail stops) to M Street, then up Wisconsin Avenue.

Yup - I ride the bus.

Other delights - there's the Maya exhibit, the American History museum has a lunchbox exhibit, the Renwick has studio furniture, and there's the Textile Museum, which is close to the Phillips (art). And on the south side of the Mall there's the Freer - oriental art and lots of Whistler (including the Peacock Room).

there's the Maya exhibit

Which I recommend, BTW.

And on the south side of the Mall there's the Freer - oriental art and lots of Whistler (including the Peacock Room).

I also recommend, though I won't be there because I'm already there so often. The Freer also connects to the Ripley International Gallery (which has rotating exhibits -- the current one is on Chinese writing), the Sackler Gallery of Asian Art (see the money sculpture over the pool and the Buddha heads exhibit), and the Museum of African Art (no special exhibit currently).

I'm coming to the F2F! I don't have much in the way of details yet. Except for what I'm wearing Saturday night, which is, of course, the most important detail to have.

I need a roommate if I am to stay at the hotel. I even have an airbed I can bring if someone wants to rent me floor space. This will have to be as no-frills as possible, as I am Desperately Poor.

SA, do you already have travel plans? Steph is flying right? I'd like to drive, but I can't justify driving that far by myself. Want/need a lift, SA? What about any other Midwest types? I'll be traveling from southern Indiana - if someone wants to meet in Columbus, IN, or anywhere along the route, I'd love to form a Fun Van!