Shopping in Glassmanor

The Framing Studio and Art Plus Frame carries an assortment of custom framing options, including wood, aluminum, and other materials. Using only acid-free materials, the shop's staff can lend elegance to prints with conservation framing, linen mats, and custom brass and aluminum plaques. For lonely frames with nothing to hold, the studio also stocks prints from several fine-art distributors, including Charles Bibbs, Washington Green, and Rod Chase. The shop's photo-restoration services rejuvenate even the most faded screenshots of Lewis and Clark's live blogging. Many services can be completed in as little as one hour.

The staff at Fashion Time hold time itself in their hands, in the form of their store’s collection of eye-catching watches. At locations throughout Maryland and Virginia, they pair customers’ wrists with low- and high-end watches from name-brand designers, such as Edifice, Kimio, Seiko, and Citizen. Customers can also peruse the store’s inventory on its comprehensive website, with shipping available nationwide. Already-purchased watches can be registered online through an easy submission form or a more difficult smoke-signal pattern.

Master Engravers' skilled etchers harness more than 20 years of experience to precisely carve designs and personal messages in more than 130 fonts into glass, crystal, and marble. Chisels immortalize any achievement upon crystal and glass trophies and plaques, or engrave a heartfelt apology for eating a friend's pet rock onto a wine bottle or glass. Alternatively, elegant or playful fonts brand the surface of any gift item, such as coaster sets and wedding presents. Guest can pick up freshly engraved surfaces from the store or have them shipped to their doorsteps.

Fragrant smoke wafts through the air of the Alhaery family's Cigar Palace, a haven for DC-area tobacco aficionados for more than 15 years. More than 90 brands rest inside humidors, with customers choosing from renowned brands such as H. Upmann, Partagas, and CAO, as well as cigarillos, accessories, and gift sets. Once purchased, cigars can be enjoyed at home or in Cigar Palace's cozy lounge, furnished with leather seats, a poker table, and a flat-screen television.

From its petal-filled space in Arlington's Ballston Mall, Saeeda's Blooming Flowers enlivens weddings, birthdays, and anniversaries with stunning floral arrangements enhanced by elegant vases and gift-appropriate extras. Helpful, flower-savvy staff members shepherd guests through the sweet-smelling inventory of bouquets, baskets, and potted greenery as they find the perfect union of tulips, roses, daisies, and exotic foliage. The leafy selection can mark festivals and social occasions with a wealth of holiday-appropriate gifts, such as a charming potted lily to celebrate Easter or a blossom-free fern to taunt a rival beekeeper.

Diva Boutique thrills savvy fashion hunters with gently used designer apparel, earning the store the title of Best Consignment Shop of 2009 from the Washingtonian. A dachshund mannequin stares benevolently from the 1880s townhome's front window, ushering shoppers inside for an obligatory ear scratch and exploration of the boutique's ever-changing selection. Rack upon well-organized rack of clothes by designers such as Tory Burch, Diane Von Furstenberg, Prada, and Chanel greet visitors alongside accessories and a line of new jewelry designed to compliment the sophisticated stock. Those hoping to consign their own gently used duds can schedule an appointment for staffers to examine the items' condition, determine their sell prices (generally 1/3 to 1/2 of the original price), and assess their intellect with a brief written exam.

When owner Cindy McCartney isn't pampering her beloved pet dachshund—after whom she named her boutique—she strives to make a difference in the world. Recognized for her social activism by Northern Virginia Magazine, Cindy believes in tapping into her inherent "visibility as a retailer to support community causes" such as the American Heart Association's Go Red for Women movement and the Susan G. Komen National Race for the Cure.