Sterling's Top 4 Sandwich Shops

Just because the holiday season is over, doesn't mean you can't treat yourself to a day of shopping. Luckily, Washington, D.C. is replete with upscale stores and boutiques to quench your purchasing hunger. Browse the best merchandise and score killer deals at one or all of the following high-end shopping areas in DC. more Mazza Gallerie Step into DC's most renowned destination for upscale shopping. The Mazza Gallerie offers all the shops you crave, including big names like Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue. Chocolate lovers will appreciate the delicacies offered by Krön Chocolatier, while those in need of a new handbag can stop by TW Luggage and Leather for an upgrade. If you tire after a long day of browsing the shelves, book an appointment at PR at Partners Salon to rejuvenate your body and mind. Mazza Gallerie is also home to a movie theater and numerous dining options, so it really provides all the entertainment you could need for a day on the town. Georgetown To skip the commercial chains and find something a little more unique, hit up Georgetown. This quaint college neighborhood features everything from independent gems to high-end boutiques offering the latest and greatest fashions. Some of the top stores you might want to browse include Hu's Wear, Tory Burch, rag & bone, and Billy Reid. Of course, there's more to Georgetown than just fashion. It's also the home of some of the region's most popular home design shops. If this is your goal, take a stroll down Cady's Alley to browse more than 20 furniture, decor, and antique stores just waiting for the chance to help you furnish your home. The Collection at Chevy Chase When you're shopping, you don't have time to browse stores that are irrelevant or tasteless. That's why The Collection at Chevy Chase exists. It totes itself as "a curated anthology of shops and restaurants" designed with the high-end shopper in mind. Grab the goods you're seeking without compromise when you stop into stores like Cartier, DePandi, Saks Fifth Avenue, Whyte House Monograms, and Tiffany & Co. While you're perusing the items available, don't forget to stop by Luxoptics to try on some luxury eyewear brands or the Merritt Gallery to purchase some fine art for your walls. Tysons Corner Center For a more traditional shopping experience, head to Tysons Corner Center. This destination features over 300 shopping, entertainment, and dining establishments to accommodate a variety of tastes and interests. Of particular note to upscale shoppers are some important name-brand boutiques like Michael Kors, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, and Nordstrom. You may also wish to browse Armani Exchange to stock up on business clothing or Lululemon Athletica to gear up for your next yoga class. If you don't feel like driving home once your day is done, stay in one of the luxurious rooms at the on-site Hyatt Regency. High-end shopping doesn't have to drag you down. By stopping at some of the above destinations, you'll find everything you're looking for in one convenient trip. Image “ Three decades of retail” by Payton Chung, used under CC BY 2.0

Washington, D.C. has endless dining options across all types of cuisine, but sometimes you just want a delicious dessert. Check out some of these bakeries in Washington, D.C. for a pastry to start the day or a snack after your meal. more Un Je Ne Sais Quoi Un Je Ne Sais Quoi is located at 1361 Connecticut Ave. NW in the Dupont Circle area of Washington, D.C. and is open daily. Un Je Ne Sais Quoi is definitely the place to go if you are a fan of French pastries, desserts, and bread. Start your morning off with either a flaky croissant or a delectable pain au chocolat paired with a hot chocolate, and you won't regret it. If you enjoy cakes, don't skip out on one of the cafe's specialties, the merveilleux. This cake is basically a sweet sandwich consisting of two meringues connected together with whipped cream, topped with whipped cream, and dusted with shavings of chocolate. The bakery rounds out its menu with fruit tarts, eclairs, and cream puffs among a myriad of other options. Baked & Wired Baked & Wired can be found in Georgetown at 1052 Thomas Jefferson St. NW and is open every day. Baked & Wired's specialty is the cupcake, which comes in over a dozen varieties, including vegan and gluten-free options. A couple cupcakes you need to try are the chocolate cupcake of doom, the razmanian devil, and the peppermint patty. Baked & Wired also bake a lot more than cupcakes. You can get things like biscotti, brownies, biscuits, cake, cookies, ice cream sandwiches, muffins, pies, and quiche as well. If you have your furry friend with you, they won't feel left out with zillabonez dog treats. Seylou Seylou is located downtown at 926 N St. NW and is open from Wednesday through Sunday from 8 a.m until 6 p.m. Seylou is the place to go for a great loaf of freshly baked whole-grain bread. All of the loaves at Seylou are made with organic and whole-grain flours they mill themselves in-house. If you are on a vegan or wheat-free diet, they have products for you too. They bake everything from a classic rustic baguette to a sourdough pain au levain. All of their bread is baked on a specific schedule, so check their website to see what fresh loaves are being made each day. Bakeshop Bakeshop can be found at 1025 N Fillmore St. near Arlington and is open daily. Bakeshop has almost any type of cookie you can think of, including Asian treats. Some of the popular choices at Bakeshop are the brown butter chocolate chip cookies, macarons, and a gooey creation called the bookie, which is a mix between a brownie and a cookie. You can also enjoy a coffee or tea from their fully loaded drink bar. Whether you are in the mood for something sweet or something savory, any of the bakeries listed above will fill your needs. Treat yourself to a tasty snack, and you won't be disappointed.   Image “ French Pastries” by You As A Machine, used under CC BY-SA 2.0

Bubble tea has been around since the '80s, but don't feel bad if you aren't familiar per se. It is only recently that this Taiwanese invention has gained enough popularity in America that shops are actually featuring the beverage. Usually made from ice tea mixed with sweetened or flavored milk, it's topped off with chewy tapioca balls or popping boba, fruit jelly, grass jelly, agar jelly, or puddings. Here are a few places near Sterling you can find the fun beverage. more Kung Fu Tea Born from Taiwanese roots and fostered by the kung fu spirit, Kung Fu Tea brings authenticity to bubble tea in Sterling. Located in Community Plaza in Sterling, you can top off your tea with over 10 toppings — from fig jelly to tapioca, red bean, mung bean, herbal jelly, or the always popular popping flavors of coffee, grape, and mango. Panda Express Panda Express has 10 locations around Sterling. Panda Express has a great selection of Asian inspired drinks, including bubble teas. They have over 20 flavors of teas, from fruit teas and milk teas to sparkling teas and yogurt teas. Combine that with toppings like honey boba, aloe vera, jelly, fruit jelly, and even Chia seeds, and there is literally a drink for every taste. Tbreak Pho and Boba If you want Taiwanese, Tbreak is the Starbucks of bubble tea and a place you want to check out. Located on South Cottage Road, Tbreak brings Taiwan to you. They offer three different sweetness levels of their fresh brewed teas: Light, Regular, or Extra. Hot or iced, they only use real fruit in all of their teas, never a powdered mix. Order one of their 14 signature teas by number and then select from 18 toppings. They have everything from basil seeds and Lychee jelly, to rainbow jelly and Pandan jelly, to five different fruit bits, like pineapple and mango. Panda Tea House Located at Dulles Town Center on the Macy's side, Panda Tea House delivers the best bubble tea. Open whenever the mall is open, you can stop in and get an authentic fresh brewed tea with your choice of toppings, also made fresh every few hours. The Panda Tea House also offers rolled ice cream, and all you need to know is that it goes great with the teas. Stop on in the next time you're at Dulles Town Center and see for yourself. Guava and Java Uniquely designed and devoted to airports, this concept delivers excellent bubble tea. So next time you are jetting out of town, look for their kiosk in the airport and order up one of your favorite bubble teas for the flight. They use only fresh local farms wherever possible and focus on fresh local flavors to break from the typical fast food options that abound. So if you like bubble tea or are ready to try it for the first time, any one of these places will get you a great, authentic bubble tea.   Image “ Bubble Tea” by ljguitar, used under CC BY 2.0