Discussions / Live Q&A’s

Yes, love the Sweet Lobby - the lemon macaron is so bright and delicious. But Ted's PopTarts seriously bring tears to my eyes. One of the best desserts in town, hands-down. But tell us more... If you have a favorite flavor for either, write back!

I did a roundup of brass bands, parties and parades on our blog earlier this week. The parades are all on Tuesday. Adams Morgan is hosting a rotating party that will call in at Jack Rose, Bossa and other bars throughout the neighborhood; the idea is that bands and dance troupes will play at one establishment, then march up 18th Street or Columbia Road to the next place, where they'll perform again.

I'm more intrigued about the party at Bayou: The brass section of New Orleans-style brass band Yamomanem is planning to march from the Dupont Circle fountain to the Foggy Bottom bar, beginning at 4 p.m. (The bar itself is offering live music from noon to midnight, with an all-you-can-eat buffet.)

If you're in the mood, Columbia Station in Adam's Morgan has a jazz jam every Saturday from 4pm to 8pm. If need an early pick-me-up, Green Spring Gardens is hosting a Chinese tea tasting at 10:30am on Saturday. If strings are your thing, a trio of Russian classical players (cello, violin, and piano) will be performing for free at the Millennium Stage at 6pm on Saturday.

This is a great idea. The downstairs Birreria Paradiso looks fantastic after a recent makeover. (I'm disappointed that you can no longer sit directly in front of the fireplace, though.)

Get there before 11:30 to avoid the massive line. (Actually, it's less of a line and more like a massive crush of people around the velvet rope.) You can sign up for the guest list on the Josephine site for free admission before midnight; I'd definitely try to take advantage of that.

The vibe? It's a bottle service club, though probably one of the best for dancing. Good DJs spinning house music. The crowd strikes me as a little older than Shadow Room, and more fun than, say, Lotus. (It's also more spacious than Heist or Current.)

You're right - both productions, Constellation's small-scale but highly ambitious take from May, and the  Arena Stage incarnation that begins its run tomorrow   are based on a script by Lookinglass Theatre's Mary Zimmerman, based on the Ovid tale. The version at Arena, however, will be directed by Zimmerman herself. It's not the first time we've seen this before in the theater world -- in 2011, we even saw two versions of "Othello" literally running at the same time, one from Synetic, and one from Folger. Both were outstanding!   Personally, I think it's a cool opportunity to see both productions, and compare what a small scrappy theater can do, with what can be done with a lot of resources. 

Side note - if you love water on stage (and I know I do), Synetic's "Tempest" will be performed on a water stage, and if it's anything like "King Arthur," it'll be amazing. They take full advantage of that water.

I love this.  But I'm going have to argue with the humble-ness of  this particular spinach dish. Because this appetizer costs somewhere in the neighborhood of $12. Other than that -- diversity, promise, good citzenship -- I'm totally with you.

Which pizza at Pupatella? Which one are you always ordering? We're geeking out here.

Oh, they're very good. More like this!

First, you're in for a treat at Bourbon: There's a new cocktail menu debuting tomorrow night, and as of today, the bar will have 20 draft beers. I'll be blogging about that this afternoon. 

As for dinner: Yeesh. You're leaving this one until the last minute, especially with six people. (There's nothing wrong with dining in Adams Morgan, btw. Cashions, Mintwood Place, Smoke and Barrel are all great right now. But the first two are already booked.) Lavanya's suggeting the new and hot Table, which doesn't take advance reservations; you just call them and tell them you're coming and they'll put your name on the waitlist. You could try New Heights, which isn't far from Adams Morgan, and is a great place to meet a group of friends for dinner. (Only caution: They have a new chef.) Or you could hit Smoke and Barrel for barbecue, great beers and whiskey.

We are GIANT fans of Stoney's grilled cheese.  Yes, any high-schooler can make a decent one, but Stoney's -- it's exactly what you want it to be.

The Human Rights Watch is sponsoring a film fest in town, and they'll be screening Brother Number One, about Cambodia's Khmer Rouge regime, at West End Cinema at 7pm that day. At Silver Spring Stage, they'll be performing The Real Thing at 8pm that night, which concerns a wife supporting a political prisoner and the impact that has on her marriage. The Newseum has plenty of political history on display, and in March, there will be a special exhibition dedicated to women's suffrage.

If you want to try swing, you should go to see Eric Felten at Glen Echo's Spanish Ballroom this Saturday night. (I enthusiasticly recommended it in this week's Nightlife Agenda column.) There's a free dance lesson from 8 to 9, followed by Felten's big band. Because it's coming up on Valentine's Day, I'm expecting it to be full of songs perfect for dancing cheek-to-cheek with your sweetie. (I don't know if anyone singer in this area can match Felten as a big band romantic crooner.)

Seriously! No pizza nominations. Are we over pizza or something? Giving up carbs again thanks to the paleo diet?

This is great, thanks! I think we're going to try this Lost Dog pizza out, and I'm totally ordering a beer "that tastes sincere."

Oh, you're good.  Very good. Love our readers!

I'd love to have a party in the upstairs back room -- the one with the pool table and the video games. Thanks for the suggestion.

The Black Fox Lounge is great for this sort of thing: There's a piano in the basement lounge area. You don't say what night you're going; this weekend features a singalong piano night with the Gay Men's Chorus of Washington, and you're bound to hear plenty of Gershwin and Porter. 

My go-to for drinks and piano music is Quill, the classy lounge and bar at the Jefferson Hotel. Great wines, good cocktails, and a pianist from 9 to 11 or midnight Tuesday through Saturday. (He specializes in exactly the tunes you want to hear.) No room for dancing, unfortunately, but great for listening.

Call Jack Rose, tell them when you're coming and what your price range is, and they can set something up for you with one of their resident experts. (They have hundreds of bottles of delicious and rare whiskys, with a ton of Highlands; I'm on a Campbeltown kick at the moment.)

You might also check out the Scotch bar at the Willard, but the hours on that are a little irregular.

Good idea, thanks.

Ah, the wineries are really in clusters these days, and you can find several of the better wines in Purcellville/Hillsborough. I'd put Sunset Hills on your list for the view - they have a lovely estate. At North Gate, you can do your tasting with chocolate pairings (and it's not your average Hershey's bar, but truffles from the Perfect Truffle that are delicious).  Breaux is another in the neighborhood that's far bigger and more jam-packed, but the estate is also beautiful, and in March, you might feel a little less like you're being churned through.  If that's not your bag, try Doukenie. I like their staff quite a bit, and they produce many kinds of wine, so it's an interesting tasting, for sure. Check out photos from my summertime adventures in wine country here. If you go to Purcellville, definitely stop at the Stoneybrook Farm Market for food and locally made snacks. Check out more stops in the neighborhood here.

(Girl who might have gotten engaged at Komi: Did you? Inquiring minds, etc.)

As for Komi itself, I would always go with the drink pairings. Your wine/sherry/whatever is not super-sharable, as in you don't get a full glass pour of everything.

Depends on the pizza. For a deep dish, like at Pi, I would go for the silverware. And for 2 Amys. But at Paradiso, Menomale, Matchbox -- I'm all about the hands.

I remember a time before they started making the chocolate one -- those were dark days, indeed.

Good question--perhaps a restaurant that has a few fancier offerings alongside some more familiar fare? I'd say both Lincoln, which offers high-class mac 'n cheese and chicken pot pie alongside risotto and duck sausage, and Founding Farmers, who have amazing cornbread and Southern fried chicken as well as prosciutto and brie, fit that bill. The presidential names make it all a bit more important-feeling as well.

Afterwards? The theater is always a classy way to end the night, but to keep it fun and light, try something like Zorro, currently playing at Source Theatre.

Hmm. My go-to romantic suggestion for Reston is drinks at Cafe Montmarte, looking over the water at Lake Anne -- but it might be a little chilly for that. How about ice skating at the Town Center, and then warming up with a couple glasses of wine at Vinfera?

Ah, it's not terrible, says this one-time New Yorker. It's just not New York pizza. (And even Grimaldi's isn't even run by Patsy Grimaldi anymore, so what's the point?)

I think Pete's Apizza could give Roberta's a run when it comes to toppings. And you're right, 2 Amys does make a certified DOC Neopolitan that's very good - but there are many others who have gone to the trouble of getting their pizza paperwork, including Menomale and Pupatella.  Which, if you believe this mouthwatering list from the stellar Grub Street, is precisely in line with what's happening in the New York pizza world.

It's the bar in the basement of Pi. It's pretty basic, or seemed that way to me.

I always order that stew, but had no idea you could add an egg! Sardi's is a favorite around here (I think it was on the last Essential Eats list, in fact). So tell me more about this half-smoke.  Who's got the best?

I do love a good cookie. Sticky Fingers has a similarly delicious Sweet & Salty cookie that just happens to be vegan. Pairing savory with sugar gets me every time.

Love it, thanks! I  hear such awesome things about Aurora Cafe - and I love Ethiopian breakfast. I just discovered it last year, and it's definitely an essential D.C. eat.

Uh-oh: Controversy. I like it.

The sev puri is definitely the more traditional dish. But hands-down tastier? Them's fighting words.

They're a little early for the Cherry Blossom Festival, which starts March 20, but there's still plenty to do in D.C. First, check out this killer welcome-to-D.C. guide that Maura put together for inauguration visitors. And take a look at our gallery of cool places to visit off the Mall, because you'll get Smithsonian fatigue at some point. 

In terms of restaurants, we'd probably skip Old Ebbitt (recent visits have been kind of meh), and steer you toward something like Graffiato or ChurchKey/Birch and Barley; there's definitely nothing like them in Scotland. (Jaleo's another good fast/casual idea.) For bars, I'd say the Passenger, Jack Rose, Pizzeria Paradiso, Meridian Pint -- something with a lively atmosphere and good beer and whiskey. (Make them drink bourbon, btw. They can get whisky at home.)

Thanks - I frequently recommend this too. Oh, I should have mentioned: Definitely call ahead if your birthday group will be more than six people. Wineries appreciate the heads-up for big groups because of the amount of business they do, and I've even seen some turn away buses that arrive unannounced. You'll get far better service if you get in touch ahead of time with a big group.

I think people are super over-protective of empty barstools, which they believe they have the right to hold for extended periods of time. It's rude and really ticks me off. (Deep breath.)

This is SO true. I've experienced the same rudeness when I inquire about a barstool. But I don't think the icy stares are because you're single.  I think it's people who have nowhere to put their coats, or their bags, who think they're entitled to two or three or four stools --  as many as it takes to protect their precious J.Crew pea coat. (Some of this -- bar owners who are reading -- would be alleviated by  bar hooks. It will translate into more bodies positioned in front of your bartenders.) If you'll give D.C. another shot in the summer, you'll find it's not as much of an issue, honestly.

Thanks - Hillsborough is a great option, I'd add it to the list, for sure.  And you're right, at Sunset Hills,  you do have to climb up to the second level, or go out on the deck for the view. Doukenie's renovation has opened up windows looking out onto their estate, however. I'd say overall, the views are better in Delaplane, say, on the lawn at Barrel Oak, or from Veritas.  But they're all a little further apart you'll find near Route 9.

It sounds like Everlating Life might be your best bet. They've got the tastiest vegetarian soul food selection in town, along with a juice and smoothie bar, and they're rarely overcrowded. Otherwise, check out our staff's Essential Vegetarian Dishes and Best Restaurants for Vegetarians and Vegans.

I'm going to be honest: You're going to have a really tough time finding a private space for 100 people on a Saturday night that does not have a charge/minimum, especially a cool place with a 20s theme and a dance floor.

Thanks! Ricotta pizza! See, disgruntled New Yorker? It's not all that bad...

Thanks!

Hi, this is one from last week that we held because we had so many questions for our arts critics -- hope you still need ideas. Saturday,  On Sunday, I think you should try El Centro's all you can, all you can drink brunch. It's a lot of fun, great for groups, and after your run, you're probably going to be hungry. On Saturday, you could do a museum or two -- for any visitor, the Portrait Gallery/American Art Museum is always a fun one, and close to all the restaurants and bars on Seventh Street, should you want to grab a bite or drink. (I'd suggest Oyamel, whose food and service were great on a recent visit.) If you want to see something a little trendier - Ai Wei Wei at the Hirshhorn has been a huge hit.

Oops, thank you for the correction.

Thanks!

I actually have had this! Thanks!

The options aren't infinite, but here are a few ideas: Reston Community Center is holding a contradance this Saturday at 8pm for $9; on Sunday, The Hot Society of Washington is hosting dances from the '20s through the '40s (foxtrot, cha cha, etc.) from 3pm to 6pm at Glen Echo; and on Saturday in Silver Spring, the Hollywood Ballroom Dance Center is offering free Rumba lessons at 8pm followed by a social ballroom.