Sweet (Local) 16

A few of my friends like to get together and discuss a trip we're taking in August-September at Local 16. It features a pub, a lounge, dining, and a rooftop deck. With spring arriving I expect the rooftop to become a main attraction. The $5 happy hour highlights were the Loose Canon IPA and the Hemmingway, both which paired well with roasted prime rib slider and the original pizza. Ed, one of the quick-handed bartenders, makes a mean Manhattan.

The atmosphere for happy hour was really laid back; the lounge and the rooftop were filled with mostly slender disheveled Europeans and exotic black hipsters smiling wide and bouncing from circle to circle talking to old friends. The music was provided by a friend that particular night so I had my choice of electronica and soul fusion sounds to pick from. The people were particularly interesting. I met a gorgeous dance theater director from the Philippines who did charity work for disadvantaged youth, and her demure friend, a software engineer with a dirty mouth who designed movement for video games. Two musicians, a sax player and a violinist, and I had an awesome conversation about some of the projects I'm working on and lent some great advice for playing venues in DC.

Overall it was a good experience. I'd love to see a DJ for happy hour on the rooftop and a couple more local beers on tap. I'll have to drop in in a few Thursdays for more of those Manhattans.

Den of Theives

Open Sesame. You have to love a place called Den of Thieves (Follow on twitter by clicking here: https://twitter.com/denofthievesdc). located at 14th and U St Nw, The Den features super cool heavy-handed bartenders, blood-red walls, and plush velvety curtains that look like something out of a '70s Bedouin adventure film. The drinks came in at around $7-10 per pour and while I did not try any of the food. the patrons I spoke to rated their dishes at average to above average.

DJ John Jazz is what lured me in. I was walking by on the way home and heard a mixture of sweet tunes spinning that I needed to know about. Something about world music and reggae mash ups with a little Uncle Luke mixed in is a perfect way to lounge out on a Sunday night. The dance floor had plenty of action from a mixed crowd of demure Asians,  modelesque, creamy-toned, dark-skinned beauties, and spunky break dancing euro chics. The fellas were mostly preppy hipsters and obvious fun music aficionados.  All hail the Den of Theives. I'm sure there is a genies lamp in here somewhere...

Flash!

Flash Lounge is a hip new lounge two blocks from the infamous U St corridor. An international group of friends and I checked the place out Saturday night and had a great time. Flash greets you with a small patio and as you cross the thresh hold, the long busy bar on the left is usually lined with a throng of 20-40 somethings indulging in the neighborhoods increasingly gentrified feel. To the left are various pose worthy seating areas where the young ladies will most certainly stop to get their mandatory selfies taken care of for their Instagram feeds. An amateur would think from the music and the chatty crowd that this is a perfect place to lounge for the night. This is a mistake. Walk to the very back of the venue and you will find a small line to a photo booth with a velvety curtain hosted by a pretty girl inviting people to step inside. Once you get your free snap shots, a sly back door will open to a set of stairs to the main event.

I was lucky enough to catch two awesome DJs spinning tunes. One from Serbia and one from Germany both who brought some amazing sounds to the night's young and beautiful. I really dig DJ M.A.N.D.Y.'s groove. it was amazing! My friends and danced for four hours straight under an awesome sound system and the eye-pillaging synchronized lights.

The place was full of various femme fatale'. Blonds, brunettes, Indian,  latin, and other flavors of lust danced

well into the darkness. The two women I arrived with boasted the men were the hottest collection of guys they'd ever seen. They'd be right as the ratio that night was about 4:1 guys to girls so fellas... bring your A game and a couple wing chicks with you to balance things out.

The drinks price in from $9-15 and up and the average wait could be improved on the 2nd floor but the wait was worth the well made cocktails. Even  my Russian Comrade Alex had to take his time with his drinks. Last call lights will catch you at 2a but the place doesn't close till 3am. Don't forget to get your after picture taken. #EPICSaturday

Poetic

I walked into one of my favorite chill spots, Busboys and Poets, (2021 14th St NW

Washington, DC 202-387-7638) and realized that I hadn't written about it. It's not in my own neighborhood, Columbia Heights, but since it is only a seventeen minute walk from the pad, I figured I'll spin a few lines for one of the coolest venues.

I've been here regularly for the Tuesday night open mics or stopped in for happy hour drinks but I'd never been for lunch. I decided it was time to see about the lunch groove. I went in and grabbed a seat in the centrally located community area on a huge super comfortable leather sofa and  was immediately greeted with a huge smile by a tiny bubbly waitress who let me know she'd be right with me. Right on cue a gorgeous friend of mine plops down next to me smelling like an island girl. Lunch is going to be good today. "Hi Dollface!" "Hi Lycan, who have you been howling at?" Our conversation spilled over into the rest of table due to the curiosity around our mischievous laughter and bro-sis love. One of the young vegans frowned up at my order of the bacon cheeseburger but respected my carnivorous appetite. The sweet potato fries were on point and we chatted the afternoon away to the tune of a $26 bill for both of us (Thanks for picking up the tab, Dollface!).

We order jade green tea which is pretty good and chat about a number if things before I began "Swyping" out this article from my Samsung Galaxy 7 2.0  tablet. The free wifi really makes a writer want to hangout all the day but the bookstore makes one want to live there for a couple days. Check out a couple lines from the poetry book "Twerk". It isn't what you'd expect but it's pretty damn good... just like Busboys.

The Howard Theatre

 The Howard Theatre is back and in an amazing way! I recently saw Dwele in concert at the century old theatre there and had a great experience. The outside still has the classic look and feel from its birth in the early 1900's, However, the interior is completely new and modern. The sound system is excellent, second probably to only to U St Music Hall (UHall for the initiated) or the 9.30 Club and the designers totally nailed the decor. the table arrangements around the balcony with space near both the 1st and 2nd floor bars is perfect for a night a show. The food is pretty good and the drinks come in at around $10-12 each. The tables aren't costly but there is a 25 minimum. I like the concept of the show packages for large groups as you can get an open bar for around $50 per person not including your ticket prices. Personally, I had a great time ordering a pair of drinks a the bar and dancing all night. Make sure you check it out. Dru Hill is performing tonight so it might be a good night to grab tickets.

Tropicalia! The Global Dancehall

Tropicalia featured a live band and $5 caipirinha's all night. Matt did a great job behind the bar while The Global Dancehall kept all the exotic ladies on the dance floor through the night. I don't know what I expected when I found this little bar conveniently tucked under the Subway at the corner of 14th and U. I was walking by and heard this awesome music and at first I was puzzled because I thought it was the Subway itself. Ridiculous. After setting myself straight and climbing down the stairs into the brilliant psychedelic Brazilian decor, my ears got a treat as the 7 piece band belted out Brazilian music for the next four hours. I'll definitely be back here and often! The video was overwhelmed by the sound system so it doesn't do justice but I'll stick it up here anyway.

Policy: The Hip Spot for Hunger

I stopped in to Policy's happy hour the other day and really enjoyed myself. It was a very chill spot full of hip 20-30 somethings and a few attractive couples in their 40s. The atmosphere escalated from a cool little happy hour to an increasingly loud and excited space full of laughter and clever conversations. One of which revealed the second floor of Policy turns into a sharp night spot after 9p; complete with DJ's and table service. The intimate, warmly decorated venue boasts an extensive wine list, a strong selection of craft cocktails, and a plethora of  beers from domestic old favorites to local craft breweries. The bartenders and staff are pretty savvy at recommending great pairings so don't be afraid to ask. The duck salad was delicious and I'd definitely recommend it if you get a chance to drop by. Happy hour runs from 5-8p Tuesday through Friday and 2.30-7p on Saturday and details about hours, brunch, and their interesting menu can be found a their website: http://www.policydc.com/.

Recess: The Underground Playground

Last night was filled with laughs, dancing, and of course chemical indulgence. I stopped in at a place I hadn't been in for sometime, Recess Lounge on 15th St NW. A small, stylish, lounge with great DJ's and a pair of some of the busiest bartenders I have ever seen. Kyle mixed up all kinds of libations I hadn't even heard of. He was fast, efficient, and didn't water down any drinks. It was obvious he prided himself on putting the right amounts of the right ingredients in front of the right customers.

Adherence to the stylish dress codes will give way to your descent into Recess' subterranean lounge without hinting at what you're in for. The glass doors open up to a small intimate venue that boasts hardwood floors, softly lit rail walls, and laser lighting. Low slung tables and contemporary leather sofas line the walls and centrally place the DJ booth at the back of the venue giving music the focus of this establishment. Depending on the night, spinsters put on hip-hop, pop, R&B, reggae,  and electronica. The DJ even played a bit of Brazilian Lounge Music. The atmosphere is personal and intimate even though it can get insanely busy so ladies should definitely wear their dancing shoes. By the end of the night there were definitely a few slender beauties packed around tables and bleeding out into the dance floor smiling and a tipping a bit as they danced through the night. 

The crowd is usually a 21-35yr old mix of urban professionals, international collegiate graduate and under graduate students, and young quirky hipsters who are really into haute couture trends. Recess' staff and management are innovative and welcoming and remind me of those you'd find at neighborhood bars in Rome or Moscow where the venues are ultra hip but still down to earth. Throughout the night, Sayo, one of the managers walked up to random people including myself and talked about the venue, asked what I liked and didn't like, and gave me a couple pointers on best nights to drop by and he didn't even know I'd be writing this article. I'm told they almost immediately recognize their regulars and treat them well for their frequent patronage.

As far as the venue itself, it's strength is also it's weakness. Since Recess is a small place, it can get really wild, and really packed, really fast. The bathrooms are small, clean, and well attended but can be hard to get through at the back of the lounge when it gets super busy.

All in all, Recess Lounge was it was a great experience and I will definitely be a regular here.

Insider tips: 

• Depending on what time you arrive, there will be a cover charge but you can also go their website, and add yourself to the guest list for free entry before 11p when available.
• It gets really packed with a 21-30yr old crowd on Tuesday night. 
• Follow on Twitter for insiders on when they have Open Bar events

Crepeaway=>Madhatter's=>Cafe Citron

This blog is usually about Columbia Heights but it just so happens I spent most of my yesterday outside my neighborhood so you'll have to bear with me...

Yesterday was a pretty interesting day. It started off with a trip to the Sprint store to pick up my Samsung Galaxy SII. Whitney was kind enough to repair it for me after an antennae malfunctioned (she is the best damn phone tech I've ever seen, by the way). While she was repairing my phone I stopped next door at Crepeaway, checked out their menu, and had an Obama Crepe for lunch. It was pretty good.

After that I headed to Chinatown to see The Avengers movie with a friend. It was two and a half hours of fantastic! It was over just in time to run over to Madhatter's  in Dupont Circle to catch the end of game six of the Miami/Boston playoff series. One of the best kept known secrets of DC is Madhatter's has $1 dollar Bud Light, and $5 Maker's Mark every Thursday night, all night. Eric, one of the best bartenders in town can make any drink known to mankind and never screws up my bill. I took my time with the bourbon so I could watch the Heat win 98-79 to tie up the series (3-3). Game 7 is sure to be a battle on the hardwood down in Miami this weekend so I'll probably drop into Lou's for that. Once the game wrapped up the DJ played Top 40 and some custom spins while ultra-tipsy, scantily-clad 20 somethings tried to dance well after midnight.

I left Madhatter's around around 12.30 am and on my way up the street, a gorgeous group of Latina's invited me into Cafe Citron for a margarita and some dancing. They bought me a couple of margarita's in exchange for a few rounds of salsa and merengue. Shirley was the bartender of choice at Citron and her Margarita's were strong and sour. I'd love to write more about rest of the night but I don't remember much of it, only that I had a great time.

I love Thursday nights in this town!

Eighteenth Street Lounge

Eighteenth Street Lounge Main Room

It's about 9pm on a Wednesday night and a few of Clement's friends are visiting from France. I think to myself where is the best place to take them tonight? I believe in being a good host and I know Thievery Corporation always spins good music so I send a text to Clement that the venue of choice would be Eighteenth Street Lounge (ESL). ESL, as its affectionately referred to by its regulars, is a cool little lounge with a very vintage feel. Thievery Corp did a great job with the sound system and they manage to fill it with some of the hottest music around. When I say hottest music, I do not mean the garbage you find on the charts these days, I'm talking about real good music, whether it be from the DJs themselves, to local artists, to international gems from all over. You never know what you'll hear but you won't hear any garbage that is for certain.

ESL Main Bar

Drinks were kind of pricey for a Wednesday night at 10 bucks a pop but the bartenders are pretty good chemists. The dress code is fashionable and you'll see everything from jeans and Kenneth Cole boots, to Armani suits with a pair of Chuck Taylor's. The ladies in particular have their very own sense of style and keep it pretty chic. When in doubt,clean up a little and be yourself. There's a main area, complete with logs, a fireplace, and parlor sofas. You'll find lots of cool kittens purring throughout the area chatting, people watching, and if you're lucky dancing up against you near the fireplace. There's also a Gold Room and a Jazz Bar to explore. This particular night they had a DJ on one side of the main area and a reggae band on the other called Rockers International. I ended up hypnotized by an awesome live band so I never got farther than the main room and gold room... except to the outdoor patio to find my friends when they wandered off to smoke and drag them back to the dance floor.

We had a great time. Thievery Corporation stole a good formula and is using it just like those those turntables they keep spinning. I'll be here often.

L.

Venue: ESL

Location: 1212 18th St, Washington DC 20036

Phone: (202) 466-3922

Map

New Digs in Columbia Heights

The Getaway in Columbia Heights DC

     So I just moved into the Elberon in Columbia Heights. The high ceilings, wood floors, and modern kitchen are the highlights of the new pad. I can't wait until the door buzzer gets fixed. Here's my take on the area.

     There a lot of things going on in this area right now and I can't see The Heights getting anything but better. For starters there is a huge retail center right in the center of Columbia Heights on the corner of 14th and Irving right across the street from Columbia Heights Metro Station (Green and Yellow Line). There's a Target, Best Buy, Marshalls, and a Bed, Bath, and Beyond to take care of the major retail needs. There's also a  Washington Sports Club (WSC), Vitamin Shoppe, and Modell's Sporting Goods to help the neighborhood fitness nuts stay in shape. A range of stores, banks, eateries, and restaurants radiate out from the central shopping center. Potbelly's, Panera, Panda Express, Pete's Pizza, and a couple other eateries that don't start with a 'P' fill the whole area and cater to a variety of tastes. There's even a Five Guys right above the metro station!

     Its a really diverse area too. I like that there's a mix of locals as well as people from all over the world that populate the area and I regularly laugh at the mix of children playing together in the fountain in front of the Froyo (I still can't figure out how they get the happiest music playing all day long. There's always little kids in there dancing). People are sometimes surprised at me greeting people as I walk by, but that is the way I was raised so I'd rather see the perplexed look of sudden politeness than make my grandmother turn over in her grave. she'd smack the living daylights out of me if I didn't greet an old lady passing by (they'll tell you a bunch of cool stuff about the area if you give them five minutes and a smile.)

RedRocks Pizza Columbia Heights

    My favorite restaurant is a tie right now between Redrocks Pizza on 11th and Park Rd, and The Heights on 14th and Kenyon. I swear Redrocks Pizza has the best damn pies in the universe and brunch at The Heights will make you go go home and take a nap afterward. The service at both establishments are really good. Acre 121 and Room 11 I heard are great too but I haven't had the chance to go just yet.

     A few watering holes populate the immediate as well. There's Wonderland Ballroom, Lou's City Bar, Alero, and the Getaway to name a few. so I guess what I'll do is start going to a different happy hour every night and posting a quick blurb or video about the places I check out. Stay tuned....it'll be fun!

L.

New To DC

Here's what the sky looked like the day I moved in

I just moved to Washington DC and I love it here. It's expensive, there's traffic, and the Metro escalators are usually stairs, but it is home. I admit it took time to find a place I could afford on my musician's budget and scholarship money. After looking at about 30-40 places advertised on various sources such as Craigslist, the Washington Post, and the Washington Times among others, I found a one bedroom apartment in a renovated mansion. Hardwood floors, high ceilings, stainless steel appliances and views of the neighbor's brick building...yes I have all the amenities of city life. The only thing I was missing was pointers on how to spend my downtime and I figured I'd fill that myself. After all there's only a few thousand other bloggers in this town, why don;t I take a crack at it. So here's my crack. It's filled mostly with stuff about venues, but since I like new technology and good music, I'll try to get a bit in on those as well. Maybe.

Indulj...

Its 10 after 8p and smooth ass acoustic soul band is playing at the front of the venue. Their cover of my cheri amore is vibrating real nice some guitars and bongos, a cool male and sultry female vocalist leading the way into the night. I’ve got a feeling they have a few more clever innuendo laden covers on the twilight horizon.

The service is excellent. Beautiful young bartenders (thanks Jewels), waitresses, and a couple handsome males flirting with their patrons are well versed in both the fare and the specials. A few appetizers ranging in price from 7-10 dollars and a couple key cocktails and beers are priced at 3-7 dollars as well. The menu is simple and light, and somewhat mismatched but pleasant. I’m craving chicken so I ordered the jerk chicken and judging by my neighbors red sauced stained fingertips it should be pretty good. Its taking a good while but that’s ok with me, I suspect they might actually be making it fresh. I’ll definitely be devouring them wholeheartedly because I’m hungry as hell. Until the food arrives I’m having a Georgia Peach. It’s not really my kind of drink but I’m in an experimental mood.

The place is filled with a few young professionals watching college football, and some eclecticly clad females who have obviously been Induljing in their happy hour specials. The décor looks like it a smooth ass jazz bar from the late 90’s with big galss windows and mirrors and some original abstract pantings by a very talented artist I can’t seem to place. The only bad things are 1) the absence of Wifi, and 2) I smacked my face on the bathroom door which is jammed in some kind of weird way (fellas kill that long stride or you’ll have a nice line down the middle of your forehead that looks just like mine) and . The bathroom is clean, well kept, and filled with cool little vases and paintings I can look at while I “relax standing up”.

All in all I like it and I’ll be back. You can’t beat food, drinks, and live music for 20 bucks. My jerk chicken is here and I’m not getting this sauce on my keyboard so...

follow the light,

L.

...in the beginning

... there was the night and everyone loved to get down. fortunately, we still love to get down its just sometimes we don't know exactly what we'd like to do and where. So as a nocturnal kind of guy i've taken it upon myself to start trying to figure out ways, means, and places to enjoy the nightlife in Washington DC.

Fact of the matter is i'm a musician and over time i've come to get to know lots of places and i'm getting to know even more people so i figured i'd start blogging about it all. we'll call it the Chronicles of a Visitor: Vol. I.

Since you can go just about anywhere in DC on a friday and saturday and have a blast i want to start off by focusing on the off days. so tomorrow night, monday, august 9, i'm on the big hunt.

follow the light,
L