Category Archives: Penn Quarter

Downtown, Entertainment, Food and Drink, Life in the Capital, Night Life, Penn Quarter, Special Events, The Daily Feed
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Only The Best

Photo courtesy of
”
courtesy of ‘Hoffmann’

Where and when are you going to be able to get Sweetgreen’s Sweet Flow, wine from Asia Nine, sushi from Kaz, a dish from The Source and Pete’s Apizza all in the same room? Duh, at Washingtonian’s Best Of Washington Party, of course!

Washington’s top restaurants (as voted by readers and editors of Washingtonian) and wine and beer purveyors will be serving up their best at the National Building Museum on July 15. See the list of participating restaurants and purveyors here. Editor- and reader-favorites including Central Michel Richard, Citronelle, Blacksalt, Hook, Charlie Parker Steak and the Oval Room will participate in the annual event which attracts more than 1,200 people and shares a portion of the profits with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Dessert lovers will find cool treats from Dolcezza Gelato, sweets from Georgetown Cupcake and Baked & Wired, and delicious offerings from other top-rated bakeries and creameries.

Tickets, $95 to $125, are available on washingtonian.com.

Food and Drink, Fun & Games, Night Life, Penn Quarter, Special Events, The Daily Feed
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A Chef Spit-Roasted Garden Dinner

Photo courtesy of
‘Ladelling the pig’
courtesy of ‘jACK TWO’

Penn Quarter’s trendy happy hour spot Poste is introducing a new farm-to-table concept by chef Rob Weland. ‘Poste Roasts’, an affordable family table dining concept served out in the garden, features a spit-roasted locally-sourced animal (guest’s choice) on the garden’s new grill. Weland serves it with a complementary side that features ingredients from local farms and the restaurant’s organic garden.

The dinner, served for 6 to 12 people,  is available every night except Thursdays. The meal is eaten outdoors, at the chef’s table in the restaurant garden. Unlike other larger dinners like this in the area (Planet Wine or The Majestic) – Poste Roasts will only set you back $27 per person (excluding dessert and wine). If you’re up for it, you can spring for more specific pairings with VA wines for each roast as well.

Penn Quarter, The Features, We Love Arts
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We Love Arts: Fever/Dream

KenYatta Rogers and Kate Eastwood Norris in "FEVER/DREAM" at Woolly Mammoth. Photo by Stan Barouh.

KenYatta Rogers and Kate Eastwood Norris in "Fever/Dream" at Woolly Mammoth. Photo by Stan Barouh.

Battle of the sexes, generational conflict, and class warfare all tied up in a screwball comedy that re-imagines Calderon’s classic “Life is a Dream” – this is Woolly Mammoth‘s world premiere of Sheila Callaghan’s “Fever/Dream.” It’s a frolic, but with bite.

There’s something for everyone to relate to here. The generations are neatly drawn – Boomers worrying about relinquishing control, Gen Xers bitterly bemoaning the loss of their ideals to get ahead, Millennials seemingly disinterested but eager to be inspired. Witty references to the modern mania for celebrity culture abound.

Poor neglected Segis (an engaging Daniel Eichner) is chained up in the basement of a mega-corporation, doomed forever to serve in Customer Service. His crime? Being born on Black Monday, symbolizing the worst double losses of his corporate shark father Bill Basil – his money and his wife. But what if this hapless kid became head of the company? Would he be able to rise above revenge and pain to do what’s right for his employees? It’s really a King-for-a-Day morality play, peppered with hilarious moments – the accountant staff literally whipped into shape, the struggling temp (a heartbreaking Jessica Frances Dukes) grinding out meaningless tasks to perfection, the associates blogging on the job.

While Segis flounders in his new role, two rivals for the throne of CEO wage war against him and each other. “Coward,” hisses Kate Eastwood Norris as the chilly Stella Strong. “Cougar,” snaps KenYatta Rogers as the dapper Aston Martin. It’s a Hepburn/Tracy pairing for the 21st Century, and these two give what could have easily been cold caricatures a brilliant sheen. Love them. Continue reading →

Entertainment, News, Penn Quarter, The Daily Feed
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Romantic Comedies Love DC

Photo courtesy of
‘Hollywood east’
courtesy of ‘philliefan99’

The stars will be falling on DC over the next 14 weeks as a romantic comedy (bleh) is filmed in Adams Morgan, Penn Quarter and DuPont.  The Examiner reports that Owen Wilson, Paul Rudd, and Reese Witherspoon will be staring in the as of yet unnamed movie. The directors state that they were drawn to their filming locations by the unique architecture of the city.  Sets will focus more on the internal neighborhoods and less on DC’s monuments and iconic buildings. Filming is set to begin on June 14 at Nationals Park. Supposedly, they’re looking for extras and local production assistants.

Entertainment, Food and Drink, Life in the Capital, Night Life, Penn Quarter, Special Events, The Daily Feed
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Savor In Review

Photo courtesy of
‘savor’
courtesy of ‘needlessspaces’

The buzz inside the National Building Museum Saturday night was near deafening. Glasses clanked, people’s discussions echoed through the great hall, and music floated through the air. From jeans and tee shirts to high heels and cocktail dresses, the crowd at the American Craft Beer & Food Experience known as Savor was in full swing when I arrived around 8 p.m.

With 136 craft beers from 68 breweries, plus food pairings, I have to admit, it was a bit overwhelming. But in the best possible sense of the word. Continue reading →

Food and Drink, Life in the Capital, Penn Quarter, Special Events, The Daily Feed
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Taste of Eleven

Photo courtesy of
‘Caps Game Pretzel and Coke’
courtesy of ‘Mr. T in DC’

Work in Chinatown/Penn Quarter or even just somewhere Metro accessible? Good for you, cause there is deliciousness to be had on Wednesday, May 20th, when Wizards Care host the Taste of Eleven luncheon. This year’s Taste of Eleven will feature over 30 restaurants each featuring a signature lunch item. Each ticket to the luncheon will allow for up to six lunch items per person. Attendees can enter through the main entrance on F Street NW at Verizon Center and then walk the entire concourse to select their food items.

The list of eat places with items is huge, so here is my short list, keeping in mind both deliciousness and price so your $11 goes that much farther. I’d stop by Brasserie Beck, Cafe Atlantico, Indebleu, La Tasca, Oyamel, Rosa Mexicano, The Source, and Zola.

Thanks to twitter foodie @arasmus for the tip!

Farm Fresh, Food and Drink, Night Life, Penn Quarter, People, Special Events, We Love Food
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Farm Fresh: Cafe Atlantico

Cafe Atlantico

WeLoveDC authors Donna (greenie) and Katie (foodie) have paired up to bring you a double-hitting feature about local area restaurants that take on the challenge of being green. Donna will explain the logic behind the environmentally friendly trends and Katie will tell you if the food tastes any good. It’s a rough life, but someone has to do it, right?

It is oh-so-trendy, but not just that, it’s plain good for you and the earth. Farm-to-Table dinners have hit DC hard, so when WLDC author Donna and I were invited to sample Chef Terri Cutrino’s Farmer’s Market Dinners at Cafe Atlantico, we jumped at the chance.

Katie: From a foodie standpoint, these dinners are interesting to me, not just because I’ve finally gotten around to reading The Omnivore’s Dilemma (I’m late, I know), but also because this particular type of dinner and dining can show you what exactly a chef is made of.

Because the ingredients are not picked until Thursday, and the dinner is put together on Friday, it’s a stretch. Sort of Top Chef meets real life, if you will. And the results, I must say are the same, given the short amount of time a Chef has to work on a dish, with specific ingredients, you’re bound to have it be hit or miss – just like Top Chef, you’ll be presented with dishes that shine, and dishes that flop. On our particular night we experienced both. Continue reading →

Life in the Capital, Penn Quarter, Petworth, Special Events, The Daily Feed
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Spotted in DC: Jen Lancaster

Photo courtesy of
‘Jen Lancaster NYC 5/7/09’
courtesy of ‘Rooskygirl’

I was killing time last night before a dinner in Penn Quarter and decided to take the hike to Barnes and Noble on E st. I walked in, and the security guard turned to me and said, “Are you here for the book signing with Jen Lancaster?”

My world stopped – not being over dramatic. WHAT? JEN LANCASTER IS GOING TO BE IN THE SAME BUILDING AS I AM RIGHT NOW? Jen Lancaster, as in my author-idol? As in, Jen? The biggest influence on my narrative voice as a blogger? As in the woman who invented the well-placed question mark and who taught me how to squee? Jen Lancaster, as in the author of the books that I read and re-read that can get me through even my darkest hours by making my cry laughing? WHAT? Continue reading →

Crime & Punishment, Downtown, Food and Drink, Night Life, Penn Quarter, The Daily Feed
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701 Owner Responds to Credit Card Thefts

Photo courtesy of
‘credit card’
courtesy of ‘Ebu Cehil’

Ashok Bajaj, owner of 701 Restaurant, is responding to the stories about credit card thefts at several area restaurants, including 701. Mr. Bajaj explains, via an email sent to patrons this evening, that he goes to great lengths to hire good staff, but that despite that, these thefts still occured:

I would like to personally assure you of my commitment and my staff’s commitment to protect our guests. Please know that my approach to business is one of creating the highest level of service, value and standards. We strive to hire employees who abide by the superior standards of professionalism and integrity established by our restaurant group. We also perform due diligence on all candidates including reference checks before hiring them. Unfortunately, despite our high standards and due diligence in hiring restaurant personnel, the screening process is not fail proof.

While there’s no promise of further diligence, or that they’re cooperating with the Police as part of an on-going investigation, that’s probably more for PR reasons, than anything else. So, watch your credit cards, folks, when you’re dining out. As if we all didn’t have enough to worry about.

Entertainment, Essential DC, Fun & Games, Penn Quarter, Special Events, The Features
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Cherry Blossom Festival Opening Day

cherry-blossom-festival-2009

The Cherry Blossom Festival kicked off this past Saturday with a family day and the opening ceremony at the National Building Museum. The interior space of the National Building Museum is always pretty overwhelming, but you could see the stimulus overload on people’s faces the minute they stepped into the great hall. The fountain in the middle of the hall is drained and giant pink (and I mean pink, as you can see above) inflatable cherry blossoms are suspended above it, and all around are booths with activities and crafts for kids and people offering information and selling Cherry Blossom Festival-related wares. Continue reading →

Downtown, History, Penn Quarter, Special Events, The Features, Tourism
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Tourism: Ford’s Theatre

Rehearsal, Ford's Theatre

"Rehearsal, Ford's Theatre" by Jenn Larsen, on Flickr

It seemed eerie and yet fitting that as I was rushing to get to Ford’s Theatre I was delayed by a major traffic jam as the President was attending an event downtown. People were lining the streets to catch a glimpse of the man who counts Lincoln as a guide, and I was on the way to see a tech rehearsal of a musical on the Civil War, in the theater where Lincoln fell. Sometimes the line between the present and the past in this town gets blurred in a truly palpable way. It’s manifest in the remarkable renovation of this living museum.

Ford’s Theatre’s reopening season continues this month with “The Civil War,” a Tony-nominated musical opening tonight and in performance through May 24. I’m very impressed by the renovated space. Last time I saw a show in this theater it was a bit clunky, and that’s being charitable. Now they are up-to-date, with all new lighting, sound and visual equipment – it’s a bit snazzy actually! And those infamously uncomfortable seats and obstructed sightlines are a thing of the past. It looks to be an admirable job updating the theater while maintaining its historical and monumental status.

With all the tourists pouring into our city this week, I hope many of them take the chance to see the renovations and catch a show. “The Civil War” sounded quite rousing musically, a little bit bluesy, with some incredible vocalists, live musicians, and moving visuals. Get some important history mixed in with your cherry blossoms. 

Ford’s Theatre
511 10th Street NW
between E and F Streets
202.347.4833
“The Civil War” performs Tuesdays thru Sundays at 7:30pm, Saturdays and Sundays at 2:30pm, now thru May 24

Downtown, Food and Drink, Penn Quarter, The Features, We Love Drinks
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We Love Drinks: SEI

"Silver Samurai" cocktail at SEI

"'Silver Samurai' cocktail at SEI" by Jenn Larsen, on Flickr

Oh, SEI! How I wanted to be seduced by your mod opulence, so Versailles by way of Anime. Your pristine white and gold decor, your flirty little lounge, all punctuated by red coral. What a tease you are. For these are not the times to enjoy $11 cocktails smothered in ice (what are those cubes hiding, I wonder? about 4 ounces of liquor), no matter how lusciously they roll over the tongue, or $12 plates of tiny cubes of tuna, no matter how perfectly they quiver before melting in my mouth…

Damn.

Honestly, going to a lounge like SEI at a time when everyday I hear of someone else losing their job, makes me feel dirty. I admit to a certain hypocrisy. But, really? Who are these people lining the bar? These spray-tanned wallet vampires in go-go boots? Of course, one can’t control clientele, and SEI’s decor (“New York? Miami? Where are they trying to be?” my friend sighed in confusion) is going to inspire people to dress a certain way. I just wish that the women of this city who still have disposable income would PLEASE learn that classy can still be sexy. It just isn’t seemly to see that much of your browned  (I meant) hyper-tanned crackling cleavage during a recession…

Ahem. Ok, sorry to get all social commentary on you. Back to drinks. 

The good news is that those ridiculously small cocktails are surprisingly good. I had the “Silver Samurai” first, a mixture of shochu, cucumber and vanilla syrup topped with cracked black pepper. I just had to try it, given the combination of cucumber and vanilla which to me sounded more like a bath gel than a drink. However, it was addictive, fresh and smart. “I could definitely take a bath in this,” I smiled to my friend, who was happily enjoying a mocktail concocted just for her. We never did find out its ingredients, because we could barely hear our lovely server over the electronica pumping through the place.

Next, I nervously ordered “Liquid Wasabi.” Continue reading →

Entertainment, Penn Quarter, The Daily Feed
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Riggle It

Photo courtesy of
‘ROB RIGGLE’
courtesy of ‘Robotclaw666’

The Daily Show really seems to have a knack for turning out the big stars: Stephen Colbert, Steve Carell, and Ed Helms (now on The Office as Andy) all took their turns as correspondants before their current gigs.

So who’s excited that Rob Riggle, one of my favorites because he’s so obnoxious and over-the-top, will be at Sixth & I tomorrow night? I am! Amazingly, it’s not sold out yet, and tickets are $20 for the rest of today (they go up to $25 the day of the show).

Entertainment, Penn Quarter, The Features, We Love Arts
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We Love Arts: How Theater Failed America

How Theater Failed America

“You should not have come.”

That’s how Mike Daisey opens his monologue at Woolly Mammoth, acknowledging that this is going to be a different kind of show. He’s very wrong, mind you: this show has a self-selecting audience that is sure to be glad they came. The show’s title assures that. Anyone who reads “How Theater Failed America” on a program schedule and thinks “that’s something I want to see!” is pretty certain to enjoy it, since anyone who isn’t predisposed to be interested in a critical examination of the business of modern theater isn’t going to be jazzed by a moniker that holds up a metaphorical axe and grindstone.

That’s really too bad, since this is a show that anyone can take something away from. (Well, presuming they’re not afraid of the word “fuck,” which Daisey uses pretty liberally.) Daisey intertwines examination, analysis, personal anecdote and touching revelation to create something worth hearing even if you couldn’t care less about what ends up on local or national stages. Continue reading →

Entertainment, Fun & Games, Penn Quarter, Sports Fix, The Features
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Caps Extra: Halfway There

Photo courtesy of clydeorama
Boudreau and Capitals at Bench, courtesy of clydeorama

I recently had the pleasure of chatting about hockey with John Buccigross, ESPNEWS Anchor and SportsCenter host – and the former primary host of NHL 2Night when ESPN covered NHL games. Bucci’s (as many call him) columns on hockey on the ESPN website are often insightful, humorous and engaging. Just don’t call him ESPN’s “hockey guy.”

Since the Washington Capitals have hit the halfway point, I wanted to give a mid-season review, so why not Bucci?

Sum up the Caps season so far. At or above expectations?

[Bucci] Right about where I thought they would be. Maybe a little better. They are certainly among the NHL elite. Time will tell if they can win low scoring playoff games and if they have enough playoff defense and goaltending when they play a good team every night for two months.

Areas of improvement?

[Bucci] Team defense, blueline, a goaltender to trust to win for two months, and keeping their goals against lower.

Goaltending. Can they be successful with just Johnson and Theodore (and some solid minor-league backups), or is this where McPhee needs to pull a trade-trigger?

[Bucci] This where GM’s earn their money. They get paid to make tough decisions. They have to make a determination if they have the goaltending to win the Cup. I would think they don’t because they are not a great defensive team. But, if they can improve in that area and they keep scoring goals, they might have enough. Continue reading →

Penn Quarter, The Daily Feed
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I do not approve

Photo courtesy of Me

RFD going downhill, courtesy of Me

We went to RFD recently to meet up with some people who my darling fiancée went to high school with, and when I was finished renting my beer I was horrified to discover that they’d repainted the bathrooms. Where there’d once been walls covered with amusing beer quotes there was now just a blah flat brown. The tin beer signs over the urinals were an improvement over obnoxious ads, but only barely.

I’m disappointed, RFD. Your old decor reflected your enthusiasm for beer. There’s nothing wrong with it as it is now, but those quotes were part of your character.

Penn Quarter, We Love Arts
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We Love Arts: Twelfth Night

Images courtesy the Shakespeare Theater Company

Images courtesy of the Shakespeare Theater Company

The biggest complaint I have with STC’s production of Twelfth Night has nothing to do with the actual production they put on, so I’m going to just get it out of the way here and move on to praising them. Why in the name of all that’s holy wasn’t this the production they chose to do an all-male version of, rather than Romeo and Juliet? Here’s a story that contains gender-bending, and an (albeit brief) moment of a character confronted with the confusion of feeling romantic love for someone he believes to be his own gender. There’s interesting ground to cover there, as opposed to stunt casting that does little more than say “hey, check out how they used to do it four centuries ago!”

The only problem with that idea is that if I’d been at that production I wouldn’t have gotten to enjoy this one. The actors are all excellent, the set is beautiful, and Director Rebecca Taichman manages a flow and rhythm that pulls you along enjoyably. There’s one odd choice in the second half that took me out of the moment a few times, but it comes and goes quickly enough. There’s only one aspect that stands out notably and delightfully so. Continue reading →

Downtown, Penn Quarter, Special Events, The Mall, We Love Arts
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We Love Arts: Pompeii at NGA

Marine mosaic detail, from a house in Pompeii (2nd century BC), by chrisjohnbeckett, on Flickr

"Marine mosaic detail, from a house in Pompeii (2nd century BC)," by chrisjohnbeckett, on Flickr

One of the most incredible sights in my life was watching angry red streaks of lava etch the side of Mount Etna. I was on my way to the Catania airport during a vicious rainstorm. As the lightning crackled through the dark sky and the burning streams pulsated, the laconic driver assured me in typical Sicilian fashion – “c’è normale” – that’s nothing, it’s normal, it isn’t even a “real” eruption. My heart was racing even though I was safely miles away from the volcano, so awesome was the power of nature.

So I can only imagine how more horrifying the power of Mount Vesuvius was when it erupted in AD 79. But the people of the Bay of Naples still live under its threat, no doubt echoing their Sicilian counterparts in thinking, “c’è normale,” even with the ruins of Pompeii and Herculaneum close by to remind them. Pompeii and the Roman Villa: Art and Culture Around the Bay of Naples, at the National Gallery of Art, cleverly lulls you into a similar state of complacency. The exhibit first highlights the decorative art of Pompeii and the surrounding area, taking you through the various rooms and courtyards of a typical villa of the Roman Empire. Only at the end are you hit with a dark room and depictions of volcanic explosions, a haunting evocation of “La Civita” – the lost ancient city.

Continue reading →

Arlington, Downtown, Food and Drink, Penn Quarter, The Features
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Thrifty District: Dine Like a Congressman on an Aide’s Budget


FoodSign
Originally uploaded by brownpau

Welcome to the first post of our new feature, Thrifty District. Inspired by the New York Magazine “Cheap Living” feature, we’ll post ideas designed to help save you money, while still living large. Bad economy + already steep DC prices = OUCH! We’re here to act as your band-aid (ahem, generic-priced bandage, that is…) for otherwise painful prices.

We’ll explore where to get a great yet cheap haircut, how to dress up for less, the best place to find an affordable drink, among many more localized money saving ideas and tips. The first installment though, is how to eat great for less. I’ll do head-to-head (or is it fork-to-fork) comparisons of some of the cities most delicious yet expensive restaurant dishes and suggest you try their cheaper (and equally delectable) brethren.

Continue reading →