The only place that I remember seing a snooker table in this country is Buffalo Billiards, but that was ... two years ago? (I'm not very good at snooker, I'm afraid, so I don't seek it out.)
Can anyone else help?
The only place that I remember seing a snooker table in this country is Buffalo Billiards, but that was ... two years ago? (I'm not very good at snooker, I'm afraid, so I don't seek it out.)
Can anyone else help?
I haven't been to Mari Vanna since the grand opening of the third floor, which features karaoke and a DJ booth, though I can't wait to see what the scene is like. (I've spent my visits at the downstairs bar doing shots of horseradish vodka and eating dumplings.) Anyone make it out for the weekend dance parties?
If you're headed to the show on Feb. 9, you'll be right on time for Restaurant Week. You might make a reservation for District Commons, which is one of the rare restaurants that will allow diners to select anything from the menu, and the total (pre-tax) per person would be right around your budget, at $35.13. The restaurant is pretty large, so it shouldn't be too crowded, restaurant week or not -- particularly if you get there at 6.
Looks like the Kanawha Valley Rodeo is an option for you if you're willing to drive, and wait -- it's below Roanoake and doesn't seem to have many events scheduled until May. There's also J Bar W Ranch in Carroll County, Md., where you'll find barrel racing and the "Battle of the Beast," though it doesn't look like they've put up their 2013 schedule yet. Chatters, know any other options?
Here's what I've told readers in the past (sorry for the repeat, but these are still my favorites): First, make a stop at The Philadelphia Museum of Art, which is really really incredible. For dinner, you could hit Continental (which is near the water, so that's a fun walk), which is a kind of crazy 50s diner meets Asian food joint (the Chinese mustard-doused french fries, the Chinese mustard-doused french fries...). It's on Market Street, which is fun to explore. I'm a huge fan of Standard Tap (the food's great, too, but you can also just grab beers, in true Philly fashion). For a good grimy little bar with crazy dance parties (not unlike the cat) - I'd check out the Barbary, or slightly more tame, Johnny Brenda's. And before you leave, head to Honey's for brunch. They only take cash), but it's like a weird Philly tradition .
Here's what I'll add: Amy Orndorff recommends Pat's for a real Philly cheesesteak; definitely stop and see some of the popular historic attractions, including the Liberty Bell. Readers? Anything else to add?
It sounds like a decent way to drink a lot of beer over the course of an afternoon. It's covered and heated, and it's definitely different. The beer lineup isn't awful, either, if you go for Blue Mountain, Green Flash, Harpoon or even the Virginia-made Bold Rock ciders instead of Yuengling or Labatt. (Seriously, people get free beer and they choose Labatt?)
You might also want to check out the new happy hour at Smoke and Barrel, which pairs two of my favorite things: local beer and kentucky bourbon. Every day, they're offering $4 local brews and a $5 bourbon-of-the-day from 5 to 8 p.m.
When I go to National Harbor, I enjoy dining at Elevation Burger and Nando's. Cough. Cough.
Cosmos? Seriously? Is he a "Sex and the City" fan? Take him to the Passenger, Hank's on the Hill, Firefly ...
Oh, wait. You're a wine fan. He wants to drink Cosmopolitans. Go to Proof. If they're not slammed, see if the bartender can track down Adam Bernbach, who runs the cocktail list. I bet he can whip up an amazing one.
This sounds vaguely familiar from two or three years ago, but I cannot recall seing anything like it recently. Chatters?
"It's the anti-Lucky Strike," former GOG David Malitz says from way over in the Style Section. Fatty food, cheap beer. It's a little tired, from the shoes to the balls, but for there's a reason it's $13 for all-you-can bowl (after 9 p.m.) outside of weekends.
My go-to lately is Estadio, which is just so so good right now, and there are lots of small plates for sharing. My advice is to get there at 5:30 or so, but you won't get a happy hour there. If you're looking for a place with a happy hour, you could try getting to El Centro very early, put your name down for a table (or call today and try to make a res), then have a drink. Or just head downstirs, and have tacos at the bar. The key to all of these popular places is to get there early.
Vegas Lounge's appeal is that it feels like a sweaty frat party. It's hard to sit down unless you get there really early to stake out seats. I'd suggest trying Tropicalia for African funk/South American and Caribbean beats, Lost Society for house and electro or Fever or 1920dc for old-school hip-hop.
Go to Tony Lukes for cheesesteaks or the roast pork. Pat's is a scene at 2am, if you want to people watch. Go to the Reading Terminal Market. DiBruno Brothers for amazing Italian "deli" (but so much more than that). Franklin Mortgage for cocktails. The Mutter Museum is spooky cool. The Barnes is supposed to be wonderful, but reserve tickets early. Also the Rodin. Philadelphia Magazine just put out a great list of the top restaurants. I'd recommend Osteria, Vedge, and Zahav (preorder the lamb). Also the Farmer's Cabinet is cool, especially when the live ragtime band is playing. Walk around Rittenhouse Square and stop at Parc for a French 75. This makes me miss my hometown!
I second most of this. (Especially the pork at Tony Luke's.) For beers, I like Johnny Brenda's in Fishtown and (especially) the Standard Tap in Northern Liberties. Can't say enough about the Rodin Museum -- cool and quiet and feels off the beaten path.
The only place that seems to fit all your needs is Busboys and Poets in Shirlington - I like their brunch, actually (the vegan tempeh sandwich, is amazing, whether you're vegan or not, and they have a great selection of tofu scrambles, etc.).
I put this question up to Jen Chaney, former Postie and DC-based "Downton" recapper for New York Magazine, and she was stumped. You could try the MeetUp group for Brits and Anglophiles?
Batting cages, photos with players, the reveal of a new mascot (please be James Madison, please be James Madison, please don't be Reagan) -- it could be fun. It could also be crazy crowded, especially on a cold weekend. If I had kids I'd probably take them, but I'm not sure that I would go by myself for $20.
I feel like what you need is a retreat - hotel-based spas are a good way to do this, because they combine treatments with the kind of service that doesn't feel as clinical as some medi-spas, or as hair-salon-y as some of the spas in the backs of hair salons, haha. A couple I've known about that are splurges include the spa at the Jefferson, and Red Door at the Willard is always a favorite of Washingtonian women. Last thought: Try the Bliss at the W Hotel. I'd honestly also sign up for Gilt City, because they'll frequently have deals for nicer spas in town, if you wanted to try a place without the huge investment.
PS I understand what you mean about Spa World - I love it there, and yet, on a weekend, it can also be crowded, chatty, and about as relaxing as the Orange Line. It's kind of a crapshoot.
I'd suggest the lounge at Firefly, Bar Dupont at the Dupont Circle Hotel or the lounge at Science Club. Be warned that all will fill up, because it's Friday. I'd try to get to any of them early. (If price is not a concern, I like the redone Edgar at the Mayflower, but the cocktails were around $15.)
Can't go wrong with any of those choices, but I'm leaning toward the latter two. Cork's chef Ron Tanaka left a couple of years ago, and the buzz, well, hasn't been the same.
You could make a day of browsing and noshing at Union Market. New York bagels and egg cremes at Buffalo and Bergen, oysters at Rappahannock Oysters, sausage and bacon at Red Apron Oysters, cool cheese at Righteous Cheese ... getting hungry just thinking about it.
Oh, and this Sunday (surprise) is a Super Bowl preview, with cooking demos and such from 11 to 3.
So once you're marketed out, I'd head over to A. Litteri's, just because I love the place. It's full of gas can-sized jugs of Italian olive oil, more pasta shapes than you've ever seen, walls of Italian wine -- amazing. I could spend so much time browsing in there.
And after that, with bellies full, I'd steer you down to H Street. For something arty, see Rorschach Theatre's "The Minotaur" at the Atlas Performing Arts Center. If not, play skee-ball or mini-golf at H Street Country Club.
How about Range? A big menu with plenty of group-friendly shareable plates, and it's fun to marvel at the small army of people required to prepare food for such a gigantic restaurant. If you're not a vegetarian, do the cornbread with bacon marmalade as a starter - it's super.
Maggie's (the old Wing Hub) is my place for good wings, cheap beer and TVs in Bethesda these days. You could also try Union Jack's -- their sister bar in Ballston is a big Caps bar.
Since it's a Saturday night, and pretty hard to find parking in D.C., I'd stick to a place near the Improv. If you want to do something kind of fun, you could try Shake Shack up the street, which is open till midnight - who doesn't love cheese fries and burgers? Better idea for a date night: I'd make a reservation at Boqueria. We don't shout it out enough, but it's just a few blocks from the Improv and clubs such as Eighteenth Street Lounge. In fact, I need go back soon.
This question is so up my alley. For tacos alone, try Tacos El Chilango; if you really want to sample tastes of Mexico, head to Mama Chuy. There are a lot of things I like about El Chucho, though they're not exactly authentic -- they do have a pozole, and a torta, and tacos. Check out this gallery of taquerias and the chefs behind them here.
If your friend is in town, it's absolutely necessary to eat the local cuisine: Ethiopian, and Salvadoran. For Ethiopian, I'm obsessed with the traditional breakfast at Dukem (right down to the epically slow service), which my boyfriend and I find to be the city's best hangover cure; and Habesha market for its amazing, cheap veggie platter. For Salvadoran, we just got a few nods in the GOG pod for the Salvadoran sandwich at the Eastern Market stalwart Canales Delicatessen, then head to their cafe next door, Tortilla Cafe for pupusas.
As for Vietnamese, I know a lot of people love Pho 14, but I've never been a huge fan. I'd much rather dine at Pho Viet. Better: Hop the train to Virginia and go to Pho 75, where everyone around here goes for the real deal. If you were up for renting a Zipcar, you could head to the amazing Eden Center, and grab a banh mi at Song Que - a place so good Anthony Bourdain is among its fans. It's one of my favorite places to eat in the city, hands-down. Ack, one more -- Fast Gourmet! In a gas station. Order the Chivito.
There are so many options here. Let's try to break it down. For museums, our critic Stephanie (who likes to go out by herself, too) says: Shock of the News at the National Gallery is really good, and I haven't been able to see the Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition 2013 yet, but it should have some really interesting/fun portraits.
The Super Bowl preview party mentioned about at Union Market on Sunday should be great -- grilling tips, an oyster tasting, a lesson on making beer cocktails. And maybe that 1K/38 romp through Crystal City, too. You'll be walking around and looking at things, not staring at a Kindle Screen.
Meridian Pint has a bunch of local beer tastings coming up. Tonight it's a takeover with Mad Fox and Baltimore's Union Craft Brewing beers; next Wednesday, it's Brewer's Alley and Monocacy Brewing Company from Frederick County.
Music-wise, you've got the great Roy Ayers at Blues Alley this weekend, Ty Segall at the Black Cat next week, the buzzed-about Vaccines coming from the UK to the 9:30 Club ... Heck, you could make a night out of going to see Robert Earl Keen at the Rams Head in Annapolis next week. Get dinner (a bowl of crab soup or something) at Federal House, a pint at Galway Bay, and see the show.
Try something similar to Masa 14: Head to El Centro. It's an all-you-eat, all-you-can drink affair, and that's always a people-pleaser, and perfect for a birthday. Here's the menu. PS I kinda loved the Mexican French toast. Here's the menu.
Poplar Springs Spa in Casanova Va is about an hour from Washington. We've been going there for the last few years. They have an outdoor hot tub, steam shower, and very good spa treatments. Plus can get lunch brought to you in the resting room. Not cheap, but lovely surroundings.
Another suggestion for the spa-seeker. I love the road trip element here -- there's nothing like getting away from smog. It's great for the pores.
I've heard this about the Mandarin - thanks for the suggestion. All this spa talk is killing me, you guys.
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