Spot for a Spot of Tea
Georgetown isn’t known for serenity. But ChingChing Cha (1063 Wisconsin Ave., NW; 202-333-8288), a skylit Chinese-style tea house and shop, provides just that. You can curl up on the pillow-strewn floor with your journal or share pan-Asian nibbles at a table (try the marinated eggs and flaky curry puffs). On the tea menu, you’ll find oolongs and lapsang souchong; lovely jasmine blossoms that unfurl in their glass pot; and puerhs—aged leaves steeped in the meticulous manner of a traditional Chinese tea ceremony. If you’re in a rush, peruse the shelves—lined with loose teas, diffusers, and a colorful array of cups and pots—and unwind at home.