Washingtonians and NoVA-ites...lend me your shopping locations...

Hey guys,

I've been living in the suburbs of west Chicago now for the past 10 years but grew up in NoVA.

I'm going to be visiting family there for Fourth of July weekend and my aunt has generously offered to take me on a shopping spree. However, I have no idea where to go.

With Farinelli's now closed, where should I go? Looking specifically for EG, BoO, WWM, W+H, Our Legacy type stuff, if that offers a brief overview of the pieces I'd be looking for.

So far I've seen that there's a Barney's in Georgetown but that's about it. Are there any other boutiques in Georgetown that are any good?

Also, is there anywhere worth going to at Tyson's or is it all just glorified mall crap?

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

That's what I was afraid of. Anyone else have any other input. I know La Taverna has good hummus so if you're going to provide smarmy food advice, don't use that one.

Thanks for the tips guys. And sorry Slopho, I realize now that "smarmy" came off sounding harsher than I meant it to sound. I assure you it was light-hearted as it just rattled off the keyboard.

Now as far as pizza goes, however, just bear in mind that you are talking to somebody accustomed to Chicago-style pizza. So I hope when I get to Tysons II that I don't find those floppy pieces of cardboard that they try and pass off as slices of pizza.

What do they call that again? Oh yeah, New York-style "pizza".

What's up with that anyway? I'm seriously not trying to spark an inter-city war over who has the best style of pizza but I just don't get New York-style pizza. All my friends in NYC make fun of Chicago-style pizza by making direct correlations to it and Midwestern obesity, which, admittedly, I do find amusing because there's probably a modicum of truth to it.

However, that aside, I just feel like Chicago-style pizza is supernal in every way. The sauce is so much more sophisticated, the crust and stuffed ingredients offer appealing and contrasting textures and I think I just like that I have to eat it with a knife and fork and not wield it like some folded soggy newspaper I just found on the sidewalk.

Then again, maybe I just haven't had good NYC pizza. I'm willing to admit to that.

Wow, now I really want pizza.

Anyway, thanks for the tips again on the stores. Does Saks or Niemans carry any *gag* "SF-approved" clothing out there? I've looked at Niemans here and haven't found anything but wonder if they differ from region to region.

Well then please beg my forgiveness your highness for being unable to ascend to the lofty heights you've attained with your $2000 dinner jacket. The view must be utterly breath-taking.

Seriously, you don't even know me yet you still felt the overwhelming urge to tear down my style preferences.

It's clear we have a difference of opinions concerning what is poorly made and overpriced (usually what I consider to be mall crap) and I'm fine with that as I don't expect everybody to agree with me. But that doesn't mean you have to come in out of nowhere like a 3rd grade bully and knock my ice cream cone out of my hand in front of everybody.

Maybe I'm new to all this and trying to find my style while you and your 5500+ posts are further along than me, which in all honesty, is probably the case. I'm still figuring things out so please, a little latitude if you will.

I feel like I've learned a lot about my own style through reading people's posts on this forum and still have a lot more to learn, but at least I try and make an effort to comport myself when it comes to basic civility and in the end I feel strongly that that's worth more than a $2000 dinner jacket.