Most American cities measure their strength in commerce. They project their power upward, in towers of glass and steel. But Washington, D.C. is different. Here, they measure strength in terms of access and influence; it's about achievement rather than money. And they understand this essential truth about power: the more one has, the less one needs to proclaim it. Subtlety and discretion are not just virtues; they are requirements for anyone whose professional life orbits around the nation's capital. Such ideals, however, need not be incompatible with comfort and luxury, and the surest proof is found in Washington, D.C. luxury homes- from classic colonials and federals of Georgetown, to gorgeous revivals and rustic but luxurious retreats outside of the city.