Capital Spots In the Capital

OK You've taken care of that summer internship interview with your Congressman, climbed the Washington Monument and gawked at the Hope Diamond at the Smithsonian. s Since you're bound to end up on The Mall between the Capital and Lincoln's scowling marble face; why not step into the least-frequented building there; the National Boitanical Gardens?

The botanical gardens are lush, humid peaceful and beautiful. They're a great place to wait for someone. You can listen to the birds and to waterfalls, wander around realizing what you could do with your window garden if you only gave it a little time. People practice flutes, read poetry, taken maps on the stone benches.

Or, head up to Georgetown, then keep on going, down to the Potomac and Fletcher's Boathouse. Rent a canoe, and paddle out with your lunch and The Post to one of the Three Sisters' Islands. From there, you might wallow in your tranquility by watching the traffic snarl on Key Bridge a quarter of a mile away--too far to be heard or smelt, but close enough to enjoy.

Most of us like to eat, and you're in the right town if you do, too. Because of its hordes of embasssy foreign service denizens, D.C. is second to probably only New York for international cuisine, especially Thai, Vietnamese and Latin American.

Two favorites are on Columbia Road N.W. in the funky neighborhood of Adams-Morgan. The Omega serves sumptuous Cuban dishes like black beans and rice. The Cafe New Orleans serves hot and spicy Cajun specialties. Both are cheap, delicious and generous.

For an afternoon study in Washington's extremes, how about this: Head up to Valu Village on 14th St. N.E. near the Maryland border, in a neighborhood that usually is--and for good reason--deserted after dark. It still offers real bargains, unlike Keezer's. Recently, Brooks Brothers shirts were 15 cents, cashmere sweaters 35 cents, and most overcoats $1.95. Don't be put off by the inside of Valu Village-yes, it does look like an airplane hanger, and the bus station crowd will be spending a lot of time creaming at each other. This is what thrift shopping is all about.

Your brown paper bag in hand, you can now sashay sumptuously, from Low Budget to High Tea, into the lobby of the Four Seasons Hotel on a M. Street N.W. in Georgetown. There, hot buttered scones and perfect tea are served to the accompaniment of a grant Steinway piano. At dusk, they light the candles candle, and bring out the champagne.

How to Find Tin Cup, Colorado

It you're following Greeley's advice anytime soon, or just heading West for some skiing and sun, you might want to see more of Colorado than just Aspen and Broncoland.

A few miles west of the town named after ol' Horace, between Routes 257 and 14, there's a one gas-station village called Severance Inhabited mostly by stockyard workers. Severance would be easily forgettable of it weren't for Bruce's.

Bruce's is the quintessential cowboy bat--grubby smoky, just a little dangerous and it attracts locals from Ault and Timnath. They come booted and hatted to do the two-steps and Western Swing on the sawdust-sprinkled dance floor Bruce's also beasts the best Rocky Mountain. Oysters in the state (Those, by the way, are deep the bull testicles. Don't knock 'em--they'll put on anyone's chest).

Into coming and hiking? Forget tourist-clotted Rocky Mountain Park. Instead, head south on Route 135 out of skitown Crested Buite. Go left at Almont, past Taylor Park Reservoir. At the lake, go right. A bumpy seven-mile dirt road brings you through a glade into Tin Cup. Yes, that is its name. A half-doezen log cabins nestle at the Western foot of the Sawatch Range. There's an ice-cold brook to drink from, and miles of meadows and mountain trails to explore.

On head north from Boulder where route 114 narrows, winding northeast through the mountains. It flanks the Poudre River as it passes such rustic villages as Rustic then enters Roosevelt National Forest. About 15 miles into your serpentine climb up the Poudre, look for a log cabin with a hand-carved sign, Mishawaka Inn.

"The Mish" caters to an eclectic clientele, depending on the time of day. At 10 a.m., when the kegs still haven't been cleared from the dance room, the mountain types are usually already swilling Coors around the pool table. Scenery aficianados stop pies) either in the glassed room or the deck overlooking the river. Night draws crowds from college-town Fort Collins and Cheyenne, who drink Rocky Mountain-sized quantities of beer while dancin and hollerin and havin a wild time.