Live Q&As

Since you will be in the area, why not visit the Spy Museum?

I'm a big fan of Fire Works Pizza in Clarendon. I've taken my parents, friends and toddlers all in a big group, and its been a blast every time. I would also consider the Liberty Tavern, which is a fun/lively place without being inappropriate for kids. A bit outside of Arlington you could try Pizzeria Orso in Falls Church, which is challenging for the crown of area's best pizza.

If you're in Dupont then you'll be near two of my favorite museums -- The Phillips Collection (where there's a fantastic photography exhibit right now) and the Textile Museum, which I think is totally underappreciated. You'll also be relatively close to the National Geographic Museum (Geckos!) and the Corcoran where you can see the cool cloud-themed exhibition by Spencer Finch.

Oh, this is totally true, though it sounds like some Snopes-worthy tall tale. When I wrote about my annual sabbatical from drinking last year (as part of a story about bars serving non-alcoholic cocktails), I spoke to the head of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism at NIH. Basically, your liver is an amazingly resilient organ, and if you don't drink for a couple of weeks, it will completely heal itself. Well, to an extent -- if you're a bottle-of-Jack a day drinker who has already irreparably damaged portions of your liver, those don't magically regenerate. But for most people, quitting drinking temporarily -- and not drinking so much in the first place, obviously -- can do wonders for your health.

Barbados, when he was a young man -- I believe that's where he caught smallpox. (You can still see scars on his face in some of the portraits of him.)

Hey, did I mention my high school/college quiz team specialty was presidents and U.S. history? Something to keep in mind for trivia night on Dec. 5.

Ignoring for a moment the logistical nightmare of being anywhere near FedEx Field on event days, why not send them to National Harbor for the Ice! exhibition? That's really all I can come up with in the rough vicinity of the stadium.

Is Downtown D.C. an option? There are surely a ton of different kid-friendly opportunities at, say, the Natural History museum, and the Smithsonian stop links up with the Blue Line that runs out to FedEx. That would be my vote.

You're not too far from the new P.J. Clarke's, and they can handle a crowd.

Okay, I don't want to turn this into an anti-Ticketmaster chat, because everyone knows it's annoying. But here's an alternative (though, admittedly less convenient): Go to the Ford's Theater box office. Or call them at (202) 347-4833. It's not as easy as clicking a mouse, but at least it will save you from the stroke you're about to have.

Artisphere in Arlington has been offering dance nights a few times a week, not ballroom, but salsa and rock dance nights with live music, which is a huge bonus, and they've turned out to be pretty impressive, fun nights.  They're really hoping to become a home to dance, so I think it's worth keeping an eye on. Those nights are mostly on weekdays, however; there are also late-night parties on Saturdays that skew 20/30/slinky but this weekend's may be a departure from that, since it's a big band/bhangra mashup band, Red Baraat.

Stick to one of the big sports bars with NFL Sunday Ticket. My pick would be Buffalo Billiards: Enough TV's there that even a game as mediocre as Chiefs-Cardinals will be shown. That's right -- I'm a Redskins fan hating on Chiefs-Cardinals. I have a lot of nerve.

Great suggestion! More information here.

I can think of a few places that might take the wool coat, depending on the condition -- if the outer layer is in good shape, a women's shelter or charity resale shop is a good place to start. I'd call around to places like N Street Village, Joseph's Coat and Martha's Table to see if they'll accept the coat in its current condition. If it's something simple that a little hand-stitching could make wearable, they'll most likely take it. If it's too shredded, Id say take it to Goodwill (or put it on Craigslist) and let some budding seamstress buy it for a few bucks, put in a new lining and make it look great.

Ouch, sorry to hear this.

I've had friends in similar situations, so I can tell you to expect almost step-free access at a lot of bars, and also that people seem to be *very* accomodating for folks on crutches at crowded bars and restaurants.

On U, try Bar Pilar (where we've seen staff help secure a seat), Solly's U Street Tavern, Stetson's, Chi-Cha Lounge (with couches so you can rest your leg), Nellie's for sporting events. And the Gibson if you need a cocktail.

We also need to spend a special shout to the Black Cat, who've let some friends -- and Lavanya! -- use the band elevator to get upstairs to see a show when they were on crutches, and offered a barstool on the side of the stage so they could see without being jostled.

Around Dupont, Veritas is a street level wine bar. Kramerbooks has maybe one step, though the bar is a little narrow. Current for sushi happy hour. Pizzeria Paradiso is another good one if you don't go at peak times, like Thu-Fri happy hour.

(As an aside, shout out to the dude on crutches down front of the DJ booth at Simian Mobile Disco last night at U Street Music Hall.)

Second the Black Cat -- they let me and my boo sit stage-side to watch Grizzly Bear. It almost made being on crutches bearable.

I don't know of a single bar that sells the stuff, so I'll throw this out to the crowd. (For the record, I do enjoy the occasional Mickey's, Colt 45 or other malt beverage at Little Miss Whiskey's or Jimmy Valentine's.)

We've spotted little ones at Cafe Green. And even though he told me not to tell you because he's tired of all the damn kids, David confirms the family-friendliness of the Georgetown Pizzeria Paradiso. If you are out in the Virginia burbs check out Counter in Reston, where Lavanya is a big fan of the veggie burger.

It's the so-called Slurpee Summit. It's from 4 to 8 today. Free Slurpees and a concert by Blues Traveler.

The answer's Fort Reno, and I'm pretty sure I've asked this question at a previous trivia night that I've hosted. (Ooh, let me tell you about the time I wrote an entire round of questions about Metro. Everyone said it was kind of hard.)

That's right. I went there. Probably just a defense mechanism.

I'm sorry about the job. That's a bummer. But I think it's awesome you're getting out there and trying to make the most of your free time. First, are you reading our Free and Easy posts on the blog? We publish them every Monday with a different event for each day of the week. Or you can check out this search return for all the free events in the Going Out Guide. Since I don't know what your interests are, it's hard to give specific advice, but DC is the capital of free entertainment -- we've got all the Smithsonian Museums, the National Gallery, Botanic Garden, Arboretum, Library of Congress, Archives ... I could go on and on.

I like Piola for this -- good pizzas and pastas, cheap drinks at happy hour, and the Rosslyn location means it's not as crowded as the usual Clarendon/Ballston hotspots.

Well, the Redskins aren't playing the Ravens on Sunday, so your smack-talk is ill-informed. But you're probably right in a hypothetical sense.

Live jazz at Quill, the swish cocktail bar at the Jefferson Hotel, would be high on my list -- love the drinks and the ambiance. Againn has canned music, but we've been digging the cocktails lately (which you can read more about in tomorrow's Weekend section). I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the large window booths at the Passenger -- you can escape the LOUD BAR NOISE if you can snag a seat near the door.

Where are you coming from? I would take Metro, or at least park your car at a Metro garage in one of the burbs. There's your most budget-conscious option.

For convenience, you could park at Union Station, but that'll cost you.

Hi, I'm working on a story about this right now (it'll be out next week), and besides the obvious holiday celebration at the White House Ellipse  (which won't be officially lighted till Dec. 9),the most over-the-top  holiday show I know of is at  National Harbor, where the Gaylord National hotel goes a little holiday crazy. They launch the exhibit Ice! this week, but there's also a massive tree, a huge light/fountain show three times a night and, oh, yes,  they make it snow indoors twice daily. Most of it is free (Ice! being the exception).

Yes! Take her to Thai Square. It doesn't look like much from the outside, but the food is phenomenal. If it's atmosphere you're going for, you can check out the new Teak Wood near Logan Circle. It's really beautiful inside, but I'm less keen on the food.

That's a great suggestion....

Referencing Ed Hardy, Jersey Shore and Juicy tracksuits all in one question ... wow. The answer to this question is pretty simple -- the "right" clothes for you are the clothes that fit and flatter your figure and make you feel good. Whatever the "new tracksuit" is, it won't last nearly as long as a great-fitting pair of jeans and the perfect white shirt. Embrace the preppy spirit of Izod and Esprit; just update it with J Crew, Tommy Hilfiger and Club Monaco.

And that is a MUCH tastier alternative.

I'm not actually sure that's enough caffeine or alcohol to properly simulate the experience.

Fruit Bat on H Street will add caffeine powder to any cocktail, which I thought was brilliant, until I learned I should feel guilty and bad.

Hmmm. This is a tough one, since most bars are content to just stick on football all day Sunday and run with that. I would check Public Bar, maybe the Bottom Line, maybe the Grand Slam Sports Bar in the Grand Hyatt?

Open to suggestions, NASCAR fans. Most of the places where I've watched NASCAR in the past -- Grevey's, Summers, Velocity Five -- are out in Virginia.

I've had good luck with Corrective Shoe Repair in Dupont for leather bags ... depending on the severity of the tear, it's worth a shot.

Justin penned this handy little blog post this week with some options for places open on Thanksgiving, though most are serving special meals. (I'm partial to the Life Affirming veggie feast, but that's just me.) Add to this list Art & Soul in Capitol Hill, while Cork is doing take-out, as is the National Museum of the American Indian. And I'm pretty sure plenty of your favorite Indian and Chinese restaurants will be open, thank goodness.

Adding traction to the sole is great for extending the life of your boots, as is protecting the heel (avoiding sidewalk grates is crucial too). Cobbler's Bench is pretty reliable, along with the afore-mentioned Corrective Shoe Repair ... I'm picking up a pair of resoled boots from a new place today, and will report back next week if it's worth a visit.

Chef Geoff's is one of my favorites in that area, and a it's pretty great value, but I think you and the significant other should expand your search parameters a little wider. In the name of love!

There ain't much karaoke around Jaleo, even though I've seen some in Chinatown. Your friend would be advised to take a cab to Dupont for Cafe Japone or Adams Morgan for Peyote Cafe or Muzette.

I don't think people that drink Four Loko are actually looking for a decent beverage so much as a "blackout in a can."

Maybe my friends who had torn tendons/busted kneecaps were just well-coordinated?

Well, you should obviously call ahead to any place you are expecting to bring a group of that size, even if you don't know the exact numbers. Try Carmine's downtown. It specializes in serving groups large, family style portions of Italian food, so it works especially well for large, unpredictably sized crowds.

Yes, these are very popular. Thanks for the additional suggestion.

We're talking about a bunch of different things, but in the meantime, not sure you saw in the chat intro, but we're hosting trivia night at Bedrock Billiards on Sunday, Dec. 5. We think you'll like that. Five rounds of questions concocted by us, while you have a chance to win cool swag, like, say, The Six Million Dollar Man box set that I have sitting on my desk. We hope that you'll join us!

You are not going to find very many places at all that will give you a room for 50 with no minimum or room fee, ever. Especially during holiday season. Sorry.

Also a nice idea as long as she is visiting after Dec. 9.

Hail!

If you want to take the DIY approach, you can buy shoe stretchers (usually Bed Bath & Beyond has them),  but it's probably best to take them to a cobbler and have them stretched. Any of the ones I mentioned already can help you out.

The gurus are fascinated by the fact that I'm the only one on staff that has tried the stuff (they're always trying to pigeonhole me. Lame.), and I've seen it at 7-11 in Arlington, too. Also, I've tried three flavors and they're all seriously nasty, but fruit punch was the least revolting of the bunch.

The Willard's amazingly festive lobby and bar never fail to put friends of mine into the holiday spirit -- especially if you relax at the Round Robin bar with a warm cocktail.

Martin's Tavern in Georgetown is a personal favorite. It's dark and cozy and pubby, and they hang greenery and ribbons everywhere.

David's an old man. It's Amy and Alex you need to watch out for....crazy kids.

I wanted to answer this in part because other folks may not know that lots of high-end restaurants are really accommodating of vegetarians and vegans. I heard from Todd Thrasher last year that Restaurant Eve once cooked up a nine-course meal for a vegan, and it sounded like they dug the challenge! (Nora even has a vegetarian tasting menu.) But you definitely want to call ahead and let a restaurant know well in advance about your restrictions/ethical choices. As for bars, the one at the Ritz-Carlton, Degrees, should keep the sophisticated vibe going.

I haven't been there since just before Mike Isabella left, but I haven't heard anything to lead me to believe its slipped.  In fact, I need to make plans to revisit it -- I expect its still well worth cheking out. Any chatters have more recent experience?

My favorite free dance night in the city is Fatback at Liv, and it's coming around again this weekend. DJs spinning soul, funk, R&B and disco while a hip, good-looking crowd just gets down and get funky all night. The Fatback boys tore the roof off of the Swedish embassy last Saturday....

Thanks, I feel special now! I'm not sure if you're male or female, so I'll throw out one idea for each. Since you're going to wear it a lot in the coming months, a great camel coat is a good investment and right on trend for the season -- just check out the Chloe fall collection for coats that will literally make you swoon. A structured cocktail dress is another good buy (the Lanvin for H&M collection is loaded with them and it hits the Metro Center store on Saturday!). For the fellas, get a good-quality shawl collar sweater or a pair of desert boots. But really, unless you're in dire need of clothes, I'd say take that money you're saving up for a single purchase and spread it out among accessories (a great leather satchel, some killer necklaces, a few big cocktail rings, a couple cozy scarves) to freshen up what you already have.

Well, Carolina's rocking a -111 point differential this year, compared with Buffalo's -81. Plus, the Panthers are starting someone named Brian St. Pierre on Sunday, who I could have sworn was on my fantasy hockey team until I Googled him. So yes, you heard it here first in the Going Out Guide chat: the Panthers are the worst team in the NFL.

To bring this all home: If you ever want to see your last-place NFL team play on Sunday when the Redskins are or are not playing the Ravens, your best bet is either Buffalo Billiards or Public Bar, at least downtown.

I don't know the answer to this, but I avoid them like the plague for several reasons: I'm kind of always expecting them to cave in beneath me; they're extremely slippery when it's raining; and I've walked right out of a stuck high heel one too many times. Never a good idea to be hopping around barefoot on K Street.

I remember Crystal City Sports Pub being a Black Knights bar in the past, but would love to hear from some West Point alumni about whether it's still a game-watching spot.

Hmm. Big sporting events? Really good tickets to a Caps game, the BB&T Classic (Dec. 5, Verizon Center) or the Military Bowl (Dec. 29 RFK). Of course UMD is also bowl eligible so if you want to splurge, how about traveling to see them? And I know you said DC, but if you are a really (and I mean REALLY) loving girlfriend and your boyfriend really loves hockey, then splurge and get some Winter Classic tickets.  

Yeah, the directions maybe sound easier than the reality, and until the ICC is done, getting to Prince George's County isn't exactly a 10-minute drive.  201 Waterfront Street, National Harbor is the Gaylord address you can pop into your GPS or whatever you use. Just go slow when you get close and pay attention to the signage -- the signs pointing to National Harbor have gotten better at over the past few years, but it helps to follow them very closely.

So we've discussed this in the office and can't think of anywhere west of Ocean City or Rehoboth. Anybody else have ideas?

Thanks for the tip -- just make sure you wear them or stuff them really tightly. Otherwise, if you wet the leather and let it dry on its own, it could actually end up shrinking.

I second this idea and would add that volunteering isn't just for the holidays!

I know there are tons I don't know about, but I have a friend who helps serves food at S.O.M.E. (So Others May Eat) every Thanksgiving.

Where to  begin? For starters, I'd be sure to hit up the seasonal display at the Botanic Garden -- model trains weaving their way through DC landmarks made of plants. It's totally adorable, and kids love it. The American Art Museum is opening its Norman Rockwell exhibition early, at 10 am, Friday-Sunday. The Building Museum is always popular with the little ones, and they have a Lego exhibit right now that's pretty sweet. In the theater realm, you've got Junie B. at Imagination Stage and Annie at Olney.

Good idea. I'd also put the French onion soup at Bistro La Bonne and the to-die-for cassoulet at Bistrot du Coin on your list.

Great idea! Cultural Tourism DC's walking tours are a great way to learn about the city. I am partial to the U Street tour, which comes with audio.

If you're doing mid-week at 5:30, I think you could do Oya without too many problems. Same with the Passenger, where the off-the-beaten-path location usually means crowds don't build until 6:30 or later. I'd suggest Bar Louie, too, for the happy hour and acres of space.

From the Air Force mention, I got the impression that they were asking specifically about watching with other Army fans, even though Notre Dame games get shown everywhere.

Depends on the kind of music you want. Jin (14th and U) is a cool spot for R&B and hip-hop, and less hectic than some other U Street spots. Cafe Saint-Ex and Marvin play more of a mix -- everything from old-school soul and funk to old-school hip-hop and '80s, depending on which Friday night you're there, and they have people-watching galore. U Street Music Hall is the spot for popular electronic/house DJs, but there aren't many seats or much else to do besides dance. Patty Boom Boom is the spot for reggae. You'll find people dancing at Local 16 and Chi-Cha , too, although not as many.

A couple of options, taking the size of the group into account -- Eden (which has a newly heated rooftop deck) and  the Park at 14th would be standbys. The new Bar Code is mixing up hip-hop and electronic music on weekends, though their schedule is still in flux, so no telling what will be there in December.

For something with a bigger dance floor, there's Ultrabar, which has a central downtown location.