I spy with my little eye

USA Today (Society for the Advancement of Education), Jan, 2005

If you're intrigued by the world of undercover missions, there is no better venue to visit than the gift shop at the International Spy Museum, Washington, D.C. (If enemy agents are preventing you from traveling, not to worry, all its neat products are available online at www.spymuseum.org.

To put us in the mood, our first purchase was the two-CD set, "Music to Spy By" ($29.95), containing everybody's favorite spy-themed songs and soundtracks, including Secret Agent Man. Get Smart. Man from U.N.C.L.E., Mission Impossible, Pink Panther, and, of course, the James Bond theme. These are 36 tracks you won't find together anywhere else.

Another unique item is a Silk Map Scarf ($16.95), designed after the silk maps used by military and intelligence officers throughout World Wars I and II. These fashionable scarves include detailed maps of Paris, Moscow, Berlin, and our own Washington, D.C. There's also the Spy Code Scarf ($24.99), an exclusive 42" square red and black 100% wool challis wrap-around with a black self-fringe edge. Delicate spy code letters are sprinkled liberally throughout the rich red center field surrounded by tasseled binocular details around the outside edges.

The Top Secret Tie ($38), made of 100% silk, features a design using the words "Top Secret," perfect for the well-dressed aficionado. It's available in red, yellow, and navy.

Finally, like any good spy wannabe, remember to wear your "Deny Everything" long-sleeve ($28) and short-sleeve ($18.95) t-shirts. Both are 100% cotton gray. The long-sleeve version is imprinted in yellow, the short-sleeve, red. These are the Museum's best-selling items. (No wonder with all the politicians in town.)