"Chef Geoff" gets flowers for his Friendship Heights house at Johnson's Florist & Garden Center. Photograph by Yassine El Mansouri.

GEOFF TRACY
Tracy is chef/owner of Lia’s in Friendship Heights as well as three Chef Geoff’s restaurants. He and his wife, MSNBC correspondent Norah O’Donnell, recently cowrote a cookbook of baby-food recipes, Baby Love.

My wife and I love Sushi-Ko Chevy Chase (301-961-1644) for takeout. We always get the crunchy shrimp and some edamame and have a quick dinner with a bottle of wine. We also like Meiwah (301-652-9882). Larry La is the owner, and the best thing to get is the Peking duck, which Larry serves tableside.

My favorite place for good shoes is the Saks Men’s Store (202-363-2059). They have sales once a year, which is usually when I go, and great service.

Friendship Heights Village Center (301-656-2797) is a great place. Norah and I speak there sometimes, and I’ve done cooking demonstrations. They have a wide range of events for the community as well as great author readings and signings.

Johnson’s Florist & Garden Center (202-244-6100) is a great place for urban gardeners. And it’s also a nice place to get cut flowers for the house.

Norah finds the best deals for the kids at Lord & Taylor (202-362-9600). They always send out those discount cards, and they really add up.

JANE MAYER
Mayer is a staff writer for the New Yorker. Her most recent book, The Dark Side, explores terrorism and the George W. Bush administration’s policies on Islamic radicalism.

The Oregon Avenue entrance to Rock Creek Park always restores my sanity. I take our Labrador there every day—there’s a fantastic trail that goes all the way to Beach Drive. It’s gorgeous in every season and so tranquil.

The Avalon Theatre (202-966-3464) has been restored. Its main theater has a huge, wonderful screen and a ceiling fresco of a flying cherub with a movie reel. There’s a cafe where you can pick up a glass of wine and take it in with you.

Chevy Chase Village has a lot of neighborhood character. On the Fourth of July, we have a “decorate your bike” parade that ends with a reading of the Declaration of Independence. Around Christmas, Santa rides around on a fire engine throwing candy to all the kids. It’s very old-fashioned.

Not only does Chevy Chase Seafood Market (202-686-1068) have great fish, but if you’re stuck with nothing to serve at a dinner party, they poach a whole salmon for you and put in on a platter with cucumbers and sauce. It’s perfect and not all that expensive.

Barston’s Child’s Play (202-244-3602) is the best toy store in the area. It has a fantastic children’s book section. And as somebody who writes books and reads a lot of them, I consider Politics and Prose (202-364-1919) a treasure. It has a wonderful community feel, and it’s such a resource for anyone interested in political reading.

Full of Beans (202-362-8566) has tasteful, adorable outfits for kids. We’ve loved it from babyhood on—it’s the best place to get party dresses. I was sorry when my daughter outgrew the sizes there.

Chevy Chase Post Office (301-941-2681) is a tiny post office used by the immediate neighborhood. It’s also the only one I know where there’s never a line and the people are never surly. It’s like stepping back in time.