Wish You Were Here
You Already Are: Three Ways to Journey Abroad Without Leaving Town

By Emily Heil
Special to The Washington Post
Sunday, August 13, 2006

Maybe it was all those years at sleep-away camp that gave me the idea that summer is the time to get out of town.

But travel is expensive -- increasingly so. Travelers' transportation costs have risen 19.9 percent from last year, and their lodging 4.5 percent, according to the Travel Industry Association.

This summer, an overseas trip is out of the question for me. But my travel bug still needs feeding. What's a Washingtonian on a budget to do?

Then I realized: Why not re-create a foreign voyage here? I've always felt twinges of guilt, thinking about the local museums, restaurants, monuments and shops I've never visited -- despite living in the District for six years.

Erik Torkells, editor of Budget Travel magazine, says a stay-at-home vacation is a great way to strip out the two biggest cost factors in a trip: flights and hotels. "Let's face it, travel can be a hassle," he says. "Gasoline prices are brutal."

The key to a successful in-town getaway, he notes, is making it feel like a vacation. Eat breakfast out, drink wine at lunch and don't return phone calls. Try unexpected dishes, museums and streets. "Or else you'll fall back into your usual routines," he says. (And then it's arrivederci relaxation, hello dry cleaning.)

I started thinking big. Why not three vacations, instead of just one? First, I decide to "voyage" to Italy, which I've never managed to see despite crisscrossing Europe. Then I'll give Japan a whirl. To round out my trio, Jamaica seems like the perfect, beachy choice. I set a $100 budget per "place," which I hope will give me two full days of fun. (Hey, on an actual vacation, that wouldn't even cover my in-flight magazine stash, a cab from the airport and dinner.)

For the game plan of my exotic adventures (right here at home!), turn to Page M4.

ITALY

SATURDAY. For the next 48 hours, my rowhouse is a Tuscan villa, my VW is a zippy Vespa and all carbs are good.

I start my pursuit of la dolce vita with a trip to A. Litteri Inc. A step inside the Italian grocer's reveals a picnicker's delight: jewel-colored jars of peppers, crusty breads in brown paper and a counter stocked with cheeses and cured meats. I'm drawn to a do-it-yourself spread of prosciutto, smoked mozzarella and a loaf of bread. (The deli counter also prepares made-to-order sandwiches.)

I head to the Mall for my picnic (oh, for that Vespa to speed through the weekend crowds). The National Gallery of Art is showing "Bellini, Giorgione, Titian and the Renaissance of Venetian Painting" (through Sept. 17). The exhibit runs the gamut from sacred images to Giorgione's sensual, bare-breasted "Portrait of a Woman ('Laura')." I briefly try following the Italian-language museum guide offered at the information booth. (I'm instantly lost -- just like on real vacation!)

I stroll to nearby Garfield Park to catch a glimpse of people playing bocce -- the game of choice for old, Italian men. (The players I spot look more like thirty-something escapees from the office softball league -- much closer to Reston than Rome. Oh well . . .)

Capping off the afternoon? A late lunch at A.V. Ristorante. I tuck into a plateful of pasta in the restaurant's wood-paneled room (complete with checked tablecloths and endearingly gruff waiters), accompanied by a jukebox serenade courtesy of Pavarotti.

I finish my day with some window-shopping on Connecticut Avenue, pausing in front of Daddy & Son Camiceria Italiana. Imported Italian shirts, the specialty of la casa , have the starchy-yet-sexy look of something Sophia Loren would toss on.

SUNDAY. I head to the Holy Rosary Church, where the area's Italian-speaking Catholic community is gathered for 10:30 mass. The Sunday best-clad families convene afterward to sip espresso at the Casa Italiana, the church's cultural center. I feel like a foreigner since most of the conversations are in Italian, although an awkward "grazie" earns me a smile from the white-haired gentleman working the espresso machine.

I spend the afternoon on a barge trip down the C&O Canal. Okay, so maybe it's a stretch, but if you squint a bit behind those sunglasses -- or indulge in a pre-excursion Sambuca -- the C&O can sub for a romantic Venetian waterway. Next up? Whiling away the hours at a sidewalk cafe. Sette Osteria is a favorite of the Italian embassy, and it's easy to see why. A chic, international crowd sends up a swirl of chatter and imported cigarette smoke. I try to fit in, hoping that the dark, oversize glasses I've snagged from a street vendor are lending me the air of a Fellini babe. After a Campari and an antipasto platter, the crispy wood-fired pizza is perfetto .

After my busy day, an evening on the couch sounds great. I've Netflix-ed "The Bicycle Thief," Vittorio De Sica's classic story of a man searching for his stolen bike in the streets of Rome. In preparation, I stop by Addy Bassin's MacArthur Beverages. The shop's Italian wine guru, Tom Hanna, recommends checking out Grillo, a white grape variety from Sicily, or Aglianico, a bold red grown in southern Italy. Outstanding examples can be had for $16 or less, he says. As I raise a glass, I bid a fond ciao to my fantasy villa.

TOTAL: $100

· $15 at A. Litteri Inc. (517-519 Morse St. NE, 202-544-0184).

· Free at the National Gallery of Art, West Building (Fourth Street and Constitution Avenue NW, 202-737-4215).

· Free at Garfield Park (Second and F streets SE, 202-673-7643).

· $20 at A.V. Ristorante (607 New York Ave. NW, 202-737-0550).

· Free at Daddy & Son Camiceria Italiana (1704 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202-462-1324).

· Free at Holy Rosary Church (595 Third St. NW, 202-638-0165).

· $2 at Casa Italiana (595 Third St. NW, 202-638-0165).

· $8 at C&O Canal (1057 Thomas Jefferson St. NW, 202-653-5190).

· $35 at Sette Osteria (1666 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202-483-3070).

· $10 at sunglasses vendor.

· $10 at Addy Bassin's MacArthur Beverages (4877 MacArthur Blvd. NW, 202-338-1433).

JAPAN

SATURDAY. I'm aiming to capture two Japanese experiences: the country's lush landscapes and peaceful Buddhist temples, as well as Tokyo's bustling street scenes and high-velocity night life. I start out the day with green tea and a steaming bowl of miso soup at Teaism. Co-owner Michelle Brown suggests sencha , the most popular of Japan's green teas, which looks and smells like fresh grass clippings. I take breakfast in the lower level, where koi swim in a trickling fountain.

After a short walk, I'm at the National Japanese American Memorial, a monument to the Japanese Americans who fought in World War II, as well as to those held in U.S. internment camps. A graceful crane rises above inscriptions of quotations by prominent Japanese Americans, setting a lovely and melancholic mood.

Then it's on to the Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, two interconnected Smithsonian outlets that house the nation's largest Asian art collections in a serene setting of cool stone halls. I'm drawn to the wood-block prints of Kabuki actors in the exhibit "Facing East: Portraits From Asia" (through Sept. 4). Apparently, beginning in the 18th century, Japanese people collected images of their favorite actors -- the precursor to the Tiger Beat pinups that graced my junior high locker.

For lunch, I head to Sushi Taro, where if you're lucky, you can snag the tatami room, an enclosed booth-like platform. You remove your shoes (don't wear your day-before-laundry-day socks!), then sit on mats clustered around the low-slung table. A mixed plate of sushi and sashimi makes a light but satisfying lunch.

Arise is a shop full of items so exquisite, they belong in a museum. The vast space makes for an absorbing hour of browsing. Among the inventory of furniture, art and clothing, my favorites are the kimonos. There's a whole room devoted to the rainbow-colored, flowing silk robes, both vintage and new, complete with obis (sashes) and tabi (split-toe socks).

I stop by the U.S. National Arboretum, which is home to the National Bonsai and Penjing Museum ( penjing is the Chinese art of cultivating miniature plants, and the precursor to Japan's bonsai). The collection includes several stunning centuries-old trees.

Now that I've gotten my culture fix, I'm ready to reward myself. I drop by Tako Grill, which has one of the area's largest selections of sake, a delicate rice wine. Manager Jasper Caparas says his many Japanese customers like the nigori sakes, which are less filtered than other varieties. "They're a little on the sweet side," he says. For those looking for something more exotic, there's the hot sake garnished with the crispy broiled fin of a blowfish.

When my inhibitions are sufficiently lowered, I'm ready for karaoke. My landmark is a giant mural of a sumo wrestler: Yep, I'm at Cafe Japone, where the karaoke system includes 8,000 Japanese tunes in addition to a catalogue of English titles. Be prepared to fight your way through a crowd of college students and bachelorette parties to get behind the mike -- the competition can be tough. But your heartfelt rendition of "Sweet Caroline" is sure to win over the crowd.

SUNDAY. After last night's revelry, I'm in the mood for something a bit more, well, Zen. And I find it at the Ekoji Buddhist Temple. Don't miss the tranquil rock garden -- or the temple's interior, where intricate wooden Buddha sculptures are on display.

After I leave, I'm craving some indulgence. I head to the spa at the Mandarin Oriental hotel, which offers ultra-posh services such as a full day of body and skin treatments for $600. I opt for the manicure. It's $40, which is certainly more than my $13 lunch-hour mani routine. But the price proves worth it once I'm ushered into a small room with buttery walls and bowls of floating lotus flowers.

Lest I get too relaxed, I make a final stop at Sushi Go Round & Tapas. A conveyor belt parades sushi before patrons, who may pluck off a plate that appeals to them. It's an interactive experience that inspires not a little competitive spirit -- once you spy a platter of fat spicy tuna rolls, you want to make sure you grab them before your neighbor does. A few plates later, I'm ready to return home from my Far East sojourn.

TOTAL: $113

· $10 at Teaism (400 Eighth St. NW, 202-638-6010).

· Free at the National Japanese American Memorial (New Jersey Avenue and D Street NW, 202-530-0015).

· Free at the Freer Gallery of Art (Jefferson Drive and 12th Street SW, 202-633-4880.)

· Free at the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery (12th Street and Independence Avenue SW, 202-633-4880.)

· $18 at Sushi Taro (1503 17th St. NW, 202-462-8999).

· Free at Arise (5114 Roanoke Place, College Park, 301-486-1230).

· Free at U.S. National Arboretum (3501 New York Ave. NE, 202-245-2726).

· $10 at Tako Grill (7756 Wisconsin Ave., Bethesda, 301-652-7030).

· $15 at Cafe Japone (2032 P St. NW, 202-223-1573).

· Free at Ekoji Buddhist Temple (6500 Lake Haven Lane, Fairfax Station, 703-239-0500).

· $45 at Mandarin Oriental spa (1330 Maryland Ave. SW, 202-787-6100).

· $15 at Sushi Go Round & Tapas (705 Seventh St. NW, 202-393-2825).

JAMAICA

SATURDAY. I'm not usually a flip-flop sort of girl. But for my trip to Jamaica, I'm ditching the strappy heels. This will be my criterion for the entire weekend: Must I wear real shoes? Yes? Never mind, then.

First, I need some tunes. Reggae, specifically. Sure, I could hit up iTunes, but somehow that just doesn't seem right. So I head to the DJ Hut. The shop's bamboo-lined ceiling and tiki decor lend it an island vibe, and the reggae section is impressive. Co-owner Chris Stiles notes that mixmasters from all over the country travel to the District for the store's collection of dancehall music. I find some discs by Damian Marley (yup, Bob's kid) and I'm on my way.

I swing by Brown's Caribbean Bakery for some Jamaican patties, yellow pastries encasing a filling of chicken or beef. The patties are crisp and the insides have just a touch of heat. I eat them as I walk, since the bakery is takeout.

I want a good part of the weekend to consist of staring blissfully at water while sunning my pasty skin. Since the beach isn't an option, I've selected the Wardman Park Marriott hotel pool, which opens its facilities to non-guests on certain dates every month (call for dates). The pool fits all my criteria for approximating an island getaway. Few children? Check. Comfy lounge chairs? Yup. Aquamarine water? Uh huh. I can't wait to settle in for the day.

In search of some reading to bring with me, I browse the shelves at Candida's World of Books. Owner Candida Mannozzi includes a thoughtful collection of Jamaican literature among her inventory of travel books and foreign-language titles. She recommends Richard Hughes's "A High Wind in Jamaica" for historical context, and Patricia Powell's "A Small Gathering of Bones" and "Me Dying Trial" for a take on contemporary Jamaican life.

After my swim, it's time to get some food in my stomach -- and some sand between my toes. Island Jim's Classy BBQ Joint is the place for me. It's a little fantasy-land, complete with bamboo plants and a sand-filled patio. I order up a piña colada along with a jerk chicken sandwich, and sit, relishing the feel of being on the "beach."

SUNDAY. After soaking up rays and downing umbrella drinks, I thought I'd try imbibing a little culture, too. The Art Museum of the Americas is home to one of the country's largest collections of Caribbean paintings, sculptures and murals. Look for abstract works by noted Jamaican artists David Boxer and Karl Craig.

Lunch is at Negril, a no-frills Jamaican eatery with three other locations in the area. Plastic booths are brightened by a colorful tile counter and Bob Marley posters. A plate of curried goat with rice and beans hits the right notes: spicy, meaty, moist. Sweet sorrel juice, a purplish brew with a slightly herbal scent, makes a satisfying partner.

I still need to hear some live music, so I head to Bukom Cafe. Although it's a West African restaurant, it's considered the best reggae venue in the city: It took last year's D.C. Reggae Music Award for best live club music.

Like a kid who needs to be bribed to keep from pouting, I celebrate the end of my Jamaican weekend by visiting York Castle Tropical Ice Cream, an ice-cream parlor owned by a Jamaican family that puts a Caribbean spin on the classic cone, offering flavors such as mango, guava, soursop (a tangy island fruit) and coconut. As I lick the last of my drippy pineapple-soursop cone, I realize it's almost time to exchange my flip-flops for workaday heels.

TOTAL: $94.50

· $16 at DJ Hut (Second Floor, 2010 P St. NW, 202-659-2010).

· $6 at Brown's Caribbean Bakery (3301 Georgia Ave. NW, 202-882-1626).

· $5 at the Wardman Park Marriott (2660 Woodley Rd. NW, 202-328-2000).

· $13 at Candida's World of Books (1541 14th St. NW, 202-667-4811).

· $20 at Island Jim's Classy BBQ Joint (901 Monroe St. NE, 202-635-8454).

· Free at the Art Museum of the Americas (201 18th St. NW, 202-458-6016).

· $10 at Negril (2301G Georgia Ave. NW, 202-332-3737).

· $20 at Bukom Cafe (2442 18th St. NW, 202-265-4600).

· $4.50 at York Castle Tropical Ice Cream (9324 Georgia Ave. NW, 301-589-1616).