Thing 118: Dr. Granville Moore's

I swear, even before the 'sphere was blowing up with mentions of Granville Moore's, I had made a reservation to go there. Then next thing I knew, everyone was buzzing about Teddy Folkman's solid ass-whupping of Bobby Flay on the food network. And I was scheduled to try those prize winning moules that week! Lucky, lucky me!


Lucky is right. This place is amazing. In fact, if you can arrive at the place (I recommend the 90 or X2), you will be so so glad you ventured to Northeast.

First of all, there are seven dipping sauces for the frites.


Seven. Dipping. Sauces.


I'm gonna let that sink in.



Are you still there? Or are you running not walking to H St, NE? My favorites were the truffle aioli, the horseradish cream and the mango curry. But that is not to say the pesto mayonnaise, mustard seed, garlic ranch and smokey BBQ sauces were bad. They were all very, very good. Our party of six demolished two very large baskets of frites-as-vehicles for sauces in an embarrassingly short amount of time.

Truffle aioli, I dream about you still.

Anyway, all the food was really good. I had the prize-winning bleu cheese, shallots, bacon and spinach mussels. All those things are basically my favorite things in the world, in one big bowl. The best part was when bacon and blue cheese made it into the shell with the mussel, and I could take a bite that was all of them at once. I also got to try my companions' pesto mussels and beer mussels. I think I might have liked the beer broth even better than my own, and I sopped as much up as I could with bread, while still maintaining my signature lady-like restraint and decorum.

Moving on from the food, the beer selection at this place was amazing, too. I think all the beers we sampled were great, but the real hero here was our waitress. Although technically not what you might call a 'good' waitress (she forgot stuff, dropped stuff, and put in at least one order wrong), she was so very friendly and helpful, she nailed every single beer recommendation we asked of her. And we really put her to the test. From the generic ("I like lager") to the specific ("Not hoppy, but bitter and dark") to the apple/oranges variety ("If I tell you I like bold and spicy wines, what kind of beer will I like?"), our waitress was able to recommend a suitable beer for every request. And she doesn't even like beer! She was amazing.

They even have a section of lambic beers, which is what we ended up ordering for dessert. I got a peach one and a couple other people got cherry flavors. Sour and sweet at once, these beers were the perfect cap to a Belgian evening.

The restaurant itself is located on block that is a hipster-island off the coast of Trinidad, on H St, NE, which historically had been a vibrant commercial center back in the days that DC was segregated. It was one of the areas of the city that burned in '68, and while 14th Street and U Street are well on their way now to bouncing back and becoming fully gentrified, H Street has been a bit slower to come around. For whatever reason though, that block is home to such hipster hangout favorites as the Rock n' Roll Hotel, the Red and the Black and the Palace of Wonders.

Granville Moore's is a converted townhouse, which used to be the offices of a local Doctor...Dr. Granville Moore (aha!). It's still homey feeling, with this really neat turret coming off the top floor, and lots of unfinished wood and stone. It was pretty lively when we arrived (still at happy hour), but had calmed down by the time we left (several courses and rounds later).

I still haven't seen the official 'throwdown' episode with Bobby Flay, but I think it's fair to say -- believe the hype. This place is delicious, the staff is friendly and knowledgeable, and I'd like to bathe in the mango curry sauce. If that can't win a throwdown, I don't know what could.

Thing 99: Vapiano

I need to write about Vapiano ASAP, while it is still a unique-to-DC thing to do. At the moment, aside from going to various cities in Germany, or perhaps Stockholm, the DC metro area is the only place to enjoy this trendy, cafeteria-style lounge, where the food is Italian and the cooks are Aryan imports from Germany. According to Tommy, our blond and blue-eyed pasta cooker, over the next five years the corporation plans to open over 100 locations across the country.

But for right now, this is a fun, unique and uniquely DC thing to do!

The place is part food court, part drinks lounge, part German beer garden, part herb garden, and part dormitory cafeteria. I must admit, at first I was skeptical. Generally, when a restaurant tries to do so much, it does most of it poorly. But we chose it because we were meeting a large group of people coming and going, and in that case it is an ideal set up -- each person is handed an individual gift card when entering -- as you order at the various stations throughout the restaurant, your food and drink gets charged to your own card. At the end of the evening, you settle your tab at the cashier. No waiters, no split or separate checks, if you're still hungry you keep eating, if you're not hungry you have a cocktail and don't worry about it. For a crowd, it is ideal.

It turns out the scene isn't bad, either. The main decoration of the place, aside from red lamps and cushions, are small potted herbs. Truthfully, I kind of love it. It is chic, unique, attractive, and functional! Pots of thyme, rosemary and basil as your centerpiece trumps a boring old salt and pepper shaker set. They're accompanied by decorative bottles of dark golden olive oil, lamplight shining through them. If you're not pleased with your pizza or your pasta you can liven it up yourself with some freshly picked thyme or basil.

The food is made ready to order in front of you, to your specifications, at different stations -- one for salad, one for pasta, one for pizza -- like a college student center's cafeteria. The food is better than at my college dorm, but it also tastes like it's from an upscale cafeteria -- my pasta comes undercooked and with a sweet, industrial orange sauce. One of my friend's fares better with a prosciutto, fig and honey pizza. Prosciutto and fig are the German/Italian's answer to the Hawaiian pizza, and it works really nicely.

There's one on M Street (dangerously close to Camelot, as it turns out), and one out at Dulles, and one set to open in Chinatown. And soon enough, one in a city near you. But for now, enjoy a martini and a slice of pizza in this sleek and stylish cafeteria.

Thing 92: Hank's Oyster Bar

Did I have a meal last night at Hank's! Oh, my. I had eaten there once before, a long time ago, but after last night I'm not sure why I don't eat there every day. Everything was delicious!

From the small bowl of goldfish crackers we were offered as we looked over the menu, to the small nuggets of dark German chocolate given to us at the end of the meal, everything we ate at Hank's was wonderful. The menu is divided into four parts -- appetizers, small plates, large plates and sides. From this, you can piece together a meal that will satisfy exactly what you want and how hungry you are.

We started with an appetizer of Old Bay peel 'n eat shrimp, which were sweet and meaty, sprinkled liberally with Old Bay seasoning and served with a great cocktail sauce made spicy with horseradish. Then, seduced by all the side dishes that looked so good I couldn't pick one, or even two, I ordered a small plate of crab cake with sides of macaroni and cheese, caramelized onion bread pudding, and collards. The crab cake was lightly fried with an awesome aioli, the bread pudding was silky and savory, the collards made sweet and sour by a healthy dose of cider vinegar and sauteed shallots. Oh, and that macaroni and cheese, with pungent Gruyere, toasted breadcrumbs and a small dice of smokey ham scattered throughout. Oh, how I would like to eat that every day, all day, for the rest of my life!

The Boyfriend had the lobster roll, full of sweet lobster, lightly dressed and served in a toasted, buttered brioche bun with thin, crispy fries.

Hank's doesn't have a dessert menu, which is just as well because I would have ordered dessert even though I don't know where it would have fit in my mac and crab cake filled stomach. Instead, we got just a small bowl with a bit of high quality dark chocolate, just enough to whet that after dinner sweet tooth.

Hank's is a neighborhood joint, a classy and higher quality answer to the mediocre restaurants along 17th Street. I'm not sure why it took me this long to sit down at its long banquette and enjoy some shrimp, but rest assured, I will be back shortly. And for those of you in Ye Olde Towne, they just opened a second location there, too. Lucky us!

The Real Thing 90: Carafe Wine Makers

Did you read about the Shenandoah Brewing Company and think "that sounds pretty good, but I don't really like beer."? Well, boy do I have good news for you! There's a new shop in Old Town Alexandria that does what SBC does, but with wine!


The Boyfriend and I were doing a little window shopping down King Street after work, when a chalkboard sign announcing Carafe Wine Makers' grand opening caught our fancy. We entered the shop where an enthusiastic salesman told us the process for wine making. First, you get to drink wine (woo!). You try several different kinds of their finished products until you find the one you like best, then you go into the back and cook up your batch with the "juice" and some yeast and something or other. The whole process only takes 20 minutes. Then you return in four to six weeks and you have 30 bottles of your very own homemade wine! Depending on the type of wine you make, the price shakes out to between $8 and $25 a bottle.

The shop is also a wine store, with rows of bottles made on the premises and assorted wine paraphernalia -- glasses, wine openers, gift bags for bottles. The bottles are moderately priced, between $11 and $13 a bottle, but perhaps the best part is that you can taste the different types of wine at the small wine bar before you buy. That way you can be fairly sure you're going to like what you bring home.

The Boyfriend and I decided to stick around and get a post-work drink at the bar. They have a special deal that gets you one three ounce flight of three wines for $10, and you get to keep the small, branded wine glass. We veered a bit from the three ounces of three wines, and instead tried an ounce or two of six wines. A pinot grisio, a blend of Gewurztraminer and Riesling from Washington state, an Australian shiraz, a pinot noir, a Tuscan-style red, and a Cabernet. I don't know a whole lot about wine, but they all seemed quite good. I especially liked the pinot grisio and the pinot noir, and could definitely see myself brewing up a batch and having it on hand in the closet for anytime in the future I'm invited over for dinner, a party, cocktails, or if I was hosting a party of my own.

The staff is very friendly, and the space is homey and still so clean and polished you can tell they opened but three weeks ago. There are large leather chairs by a fireplace, and a high black marble bar with cheese shaped candles. The only thing missing are snacks. Nine ounces of wine requires a cheese plate, or else I start to get a little silly.

This is great gift idea for the oenophile in your life, and much like SBC, would be a fun and different place for a date (just be sure you like the person enough that they'll be around in a couple months to help bottle and enjoy!). Carafe Wine Makers is a great and fun addition to Old Town.

Thing 87: Matchbox

I had never been to Matchbox before, in part because every time I tried to go, I was informed that the wait would be 60 to 90 minutes. And while that was just too long to wait when I was hungry now, it sure seemed to speak well for the restaurant.

So I went back on the day before Thanksgiving, when DC is practically a ghost town, and sure enough the wait for lunch was only five to ten minutes.

Matchbox is made up of two narrow townhouses in Chinatown, reconverted into open and bright dining rooms. Every spare inch of wall space at Matchbox is covered in framed magazine covers or news articles lauding the place. The Washington Post, the Washingtonian, Esquire, the RAMMY's, it seems like everyone is crazy about Matchbox.

Does this place live up to the hype, the long waits, the many raves and awards? In a word: yes. This place is good. Really, really good. Delicious food, affordable prices, lively atmosphere, and attentive service. I think we have a winner.

I went with my cousin, before we hit up the National Gallery. We were seated in the newly annexed part of the restaurant, which is bright with natural light, with deep booths on one side of the room and a high banquette along the other, ending in a busy kitchen with a brick pizza oven. As we were led to our table, I checked out what was on other peoples' plates -- looked like the crab cake sandwich was popular, the pizzas, and plates of mini burgers heaped over with thin onion rings.

Once seated, our waiter, Parker, assured us he would be right with us. It was still a few minutes before he was actually able to pay attention to us, but as he hurried back and forth with gorgeous plates of food he kept assuring us he hadn't forgotten, which was a nice touch. When he finally come over to our table, he mentioned that the place was famous for its pizza and its mini-burgers, went over the specials and any questions we had and left us to decide.

In the end, we split the "mini-trio," which is two scallops, two crab cakes and two mini-burgers. We really wanted to try the burgers, plus I wanted to see what those giant crab cake sandwiches were all about. All three were perfectly cooked -- the scallop firm with a thick seared crust and rich buttery sauce, the crab cake was sweet and meaty, and the burgers were perfect little patties, pink on the inside, topped with a crumble of blue cheese and crispy fried onions. Sadly, our mini-trio burgers didn't come with the little brioche bun. Next time, as good as that crab cake was, we order only mini-burgers!

Then we split the flatiron pizza and the iceberg wedge. The flatiron pizza was awesome -- an overused word, and yet completely applicable here. The crust was so thin, crispy and a bit charred on the bottom. The pizza itself was sweet and rich and spicy, with toppings of meaty mushrooms and steak, a rich and cheesy Gruyere sauce, sweet caramelized onions and neon yellow banana peppers providing a vinegar-laced heat at the end. I ate a lot, and looked forward to eating more later, cold, out of the refrigerator, except that I totally caved when the coat check guy at the National Gallery asked me if he could eat it, and so he got my creamy spicy leftover pizza.

The iceberg wedge was good too. I do believe that a wedge of iceberg will always taste delicious with bacon, red onion, blue cheese and hard boiled egg, but get this -- the iceberg lettuce had flavor. I didn't know that was possible! I always thought iceberg was there for texture, not flavor -- but this iceberg tasted like crunchy sweet lettuce.

As we were slowing down on the meal, Parker came over and got my hopes up by saying "is it time for..." Then he ended the question with "a box?" rather than "dessert?" Matchbox doesn't serve desserts. Matchbox, that is a shame. I want pizza and mini-burgers and ice cream, dammit. Matchbox, let's work out a deal. I make the ice cream cream sandwiches (3/6/9?) and you keep the thin crusts coming.

Matchbox is always packed, almost always a long wait, and all I can tell you is yes, it's worth it. Plan ahead, arrive before you are so hungry you'll settle for Hooters, and maybe hit RFD while you wait. But however you finagle it, go go go!

Thing 85: Regional Food and Drink (RFD)

Continuing on with the exotic beers theme, after boiling wort and drinking chocolate donut stout, we rendez-vous'ed at Regional Food and Drink, or RFD, for some dinner. Located in the heart of Chinatown, this lively restaurant and bar has a beer list as thick as a comic book and a bar staff that will ruthlessly make fun of you if you attempt to order anything 'lite' or with the words 'silver' or 'bullet' in them.

RFD, owned by the same beer nuts that brought us the Brickskeller, boasts over 300 kinds of bottled beers from all over the world and the largest list of beers on tap in the city. I mean, take a look at this beer list! It's so long it's a bit overwhelming, and quite often I just have to close my eyes and point. The staff is remarkably knowledgeable though, and if you describe what you're looking for, they can often point you towards a new and interesting take on it. This time, I stuck with Jever, a German pilsener I've had before, and it was light and quite tasty until -- ahem -- the bulk of it ended up in my lap.

The crowd is the usual hip, well-dressed, mostly white mix of hipsters and frat guys that fills Chinatowns most nights. We were there fairly early in the evening and already it was full and loud; we had to shout over the music and noise to be heard. It seems a good place to go before going out for the night, or a good place to watch a game, with their ample TVs and a few couches to make it feel a bit more like home.

As I've mentioned before, Chinatown is now so replete with national chains and boring fast food joints, that RFD and its epic beer list are a welcome change of pace.

Thing 84: The Shenandoah Brewing Company

As sprite correctly guessed yesterday, the big spoon was used to stir a large kettle of soon-to-be-beer at the Shenandoah Brewing Company!

I learned of SBC a while back from a friend who had mentioned in passing that it would be a great place for a second or third date. And I'm here to report back that yes, it would! Back in my dating life, this would have been a different and creative date. The whole process takes about two and half hours, during which there is ample time to talk and get to know each other. There are fabulous SBC beers on tap, food and munchies, sodas brewed on the premises, and even board games to play while you wort is simmering away. And -- and here's why you'd want it to be a second or third date, because you'd have to be sure you want to see that person again -- you go back in three to twelve weeks and bottle five cases of your very own microbrew. How cool is this place? It's even metro accessible! A short stroll from Van Dorn Street.


The process goes something like this: you show up and pick out which beer you want to make. They have about 80 recipes there, any of which you can modify to your liking, or you can even just describe a beer you like, or bring in a sample, and the friendly professionals at SBC will work with you on the recipe to achieve your goal.


Then you measure out your grains and hops according to the recipe, and head over to the giant kettles, where your wort is boiling away. You follow the steps of the recipe, stirring with your giant spoon, adding and timing things and whatnot, maybe drinking a pint or two of chocolate donut stout. Then the helpful brewing masters put it in a big giant vat, add some magical yeast that will make the beer become, well, beer, and then you kick the vat back and forth to ensure it's probably agitate and aerate your brew.

You can even design your own labels, if you are brewing for a special event or holiday party.

This is such a fun and friendly place, and for any beer aficionado or home brewer in your life...well, a gift certificate from SBC and your Christmas shopping can be done before Black Friday.

Thing 71: Oyster Happy Hour at Old Ebbitt

Just between you, me and the Internet, today is my birthday. And I can not think of a more perfect way to ring in a whole new year of my life than with this:

Champagne and oysters? How luxe!

And not just oysters. That picture, my friends, is of the two-tiered raw bar beast knows as the "Orca Platter" at Old Ebbitt Grill. This bad boy consists of one dozen oysters, one dozen clams, one dozen crab claws, one dozen jumbo shrimp and a one pound lobster. It'll set you back $95. Unless you know the secret.

I hesitate to even divulge it. But just between you, me and the Internet, Ebbitt does an oyster happy hour, Monday through Thursday, from 11PM to 1AM when the raw bar goes half price.

Half price.

Oysters are a dollar a pop, and that beautiful display of iced pink and white goodness is only $50. $50 to drown my fears of old age in sweet lobster, meaty crab claws and creamy, briny oysters? Yes, please.

Our bartender, Jason, was just as nice and attentive as you could ever hope for in a bartending professional. No glass sat empty for long, free cake and singing followed our orca platter, and GFD got a good natured ribbing after knocking over my champagne glass when he single-mindedly reached out for sweet, sweet lobster. Jason introduced himself to our party and then felt like part of the party, as though he were a friend we'd known a long time, guests in his house to celebrate my birthday.

Ebbitt is one of those power lunch institutions, adjacent to the White House and full of the martini-and-cigar lobbyist set. Tourists frequent it in the hope spying powerful deals getting done in a corner. But between you, me and the Internet, I've never been particularly taken with the food. It's never bad, but it's never great either. Not particularly adventurous but good for what it does.

Ebbitt's raw bar on the other hand is another matter entirely. It is magnificent. Glorious, even. It is six different kinds of raw oysters from a little bit of everywhere, whatever is fresh and in season. Big, small, salty, creamy, Pacific or Atlantic, they are always fantastic. And the jumbo shrimp are actually jumbo, huge hunks of shrimp, lightly steamed until bright pink and begging for a dip in the horseradish-laced cocktail sauce.

Yes, please.

So here is to a happy birthday, another year rung in in style, with an orca and champagne and dear, great friends. May you find yourself demolishing a midnight orca soon, too.

Thing 45: Vermilion, Revisited

I feel it is my duty to inform you that Vermilion's special strawberry cocktails in the month of June have morphed into special melon cocktails for the month of July. There will, presumably, be some other summer-fruited cocktails in the month of August (and I am hoping against hope for peach).

The melon cocktails I tried are amazing.

The "champagne supernova" was a flute of prosecco garnished with three small balls of honeydew melon which had been soaked in rosemary and just a touch of ginger. I was so excited I don't have a picture of it. I was too preoccupied with the sweet, rosemary-tinted champagne and the exquisitely flavored melon balls at the bottom of the glass.

Then I tried a martini with vodka, watermelon, and garnished with basil. The watermelon took away the bite of the vodka, leaving sweet pinkness instead, and the basil, soaked with watermelon and spicy with its own licorice taste was pungent and delicious.


Cocktails are $9. And order some hush puppies with house made blue cheese dressing while you're there.

Thing 45: Strawberry Cocktails at Vermilion

I feel like I haven't blogged in a long time...I know it's only been a week, but I usually don't go for so long without filling in the Internet public on my various be-boppings around this town. But there was a brief business trip earlier this week, and then also, have you looked outside? It's summer, people, and I'm really preoccupied with re-reading Harry Potter 6 by the pool and making every flavor of ice cream I can think of (I'm looking at you next, blueberries).

But I have been out and about, and last week I be-bopped down to Old Town to enjoy a round of seasonal strawberry cocktails, on special in the month of June at Vermilion.

The truly avid DC365 fan may recall that the idea for this came up back at Thing 39, when Jessica, inspired by my trek out to Delaplane to eat strawberry sundaes, invited me to Vermilion for a strawberry flavored cocktail or two. How could I resist?

I've been to Vermilion several times before, although never to eat. Tom Sietsema recently raved about the new chef there, and I would like to have a meal there someday. But generally, when I've been it's been to the bar, as it is one of the Boyfriend's friends' favorite venues. It is swank and dimly lit, with exposed brick walls, a long bar, a couple tall tables, and four booths tucked into the back, best suited for quiet conversation and a relaxed cocktail.

I was there with Jessica, who had suggested the strawberry cocktails in the first place, and to catch up with an old friend who'd moved to Texas sometime ago and was visiting. On the menu were three strawberry cocktails, along with their usual beer, wine and a rainbow of martinis. There was a strawberry mojito, a strawberry-rhubarb-vodka number, and a strawberry champagne cocktail, which I immediately ordered. I love champagne cocktails, and this one was wonderful! Sweetened with a strawberry syrup that gave it a beautiful deep pink hue, the flavor of the cocktail was rounded out by the addition of bitters. It gave the drink a spiced flavor of clove and cinnamon that was unexpected but really delicious.


Would that I had stuck to champagne cocktails though! I ordered next the strawberry rhubarb cocktail. It came served in a pint glass, heavily watered down with ice, crystal clear but with some stewed strawberries floating within (have you tried to drink stewed strawberries through a straw?...not so much). The problem though was that the drink was sweet. So sweet, I tasted sweet at the back of my mouth even after I was through with dinner. I think they were trying to balance out the sour rhubarb but went totally overboard. Stick with spicy champagne strawberry cocktails instead.

And after a couple cocktails, it was time to back up and make the rather long journey back to my place in DC (I'd hang out in Old Town more if the train ride back weren't quite so disheartening). I highly recommend Vermilion for a fun happy hour, good house wines, and tasty snacks. And perhaps someday, I'll even have a meal to report back on...

Top 5 DC Things To Do This Summer

Is it summer yet? I know, I know. It's only May and frankly, once the humidity really gets going, I'm going to kick myself for saying this but -- I just can't wait for summer in DC! The sun has finally come out after our long, strange winter (sun in January? snow in March?), and now all I can think about are the wonderful outdoor activities that DC holds in the summer time. In the spirit of sunny weather, high humidity, and this friendly contest over at Problogger, I've assembled my Top 5 things to do in DC this summer:

#5 Hotel Washington's Sky Terrace Restaurant: The weather gets warm, and I start itching for cold beers on roof decks and patios. There are few finer places for an outdoor happy hour than the rooftop at the Hotel Washington. The drinks are expensive and the food is only ok, but you just can't beat it for the view. Located next to the White House at 15th and Pennsylvania, you can relax over a mango mojito and shrimp cocktail, and watch the sun set over the White House, the Treasury, the Washington Monument, and Georgetown. I enjoy it as a local, but it's also a wonderful and impressive place to bring your out of town visitors.

#4 Larry's Homemade Ice Cream: The great foods of summer: tomatoes, corn, grilled steaks (I'm lookin' at you, Lee), watermelon and of course, ICE CREAM. Although this is highly debatable, I'm convinced that the best ice cream in the city can be found at the little underground shop on Connecticut Ave in Dupont, Larry's Homemade. The shop is nearly as old as I am, and as the name implies, all of the creative and fabulously flavored ice creams are homemade. Along with the normal flavors, they've created more exotic ones, including Key West, ecstasy, Fred and Ginger, rum raisin (with real booze) or haluah (named for the Syrian candy of honey and sesame paste). I keep meaning to try something different, but I absolutely cannot resist their oatmeal cookie dough flavor, with big chunks of oatmeal cookie dough and chocolate chips in a cinnamon flavored ice cream.

#3 E Street Cinema: DC gets mighty sticky in August and sometimes you just need to retreat to an air conditioned room for a couple of hours. I'd recommend the E Street Cinema, which specializes in independent and foreign films. You might even learn a thing or two from that new documentary or get some culture out of the latest film from Italy. The concession stand serves beers and gourmet treats along with the usual popcorn and sodas.

#2 Wolftrap: I adore Wolftrap in the summertime. The beauty of the outdoor venue in the middle of a national park, the wooden stage and majestic seating structure, the camaraderie of my fellow concert goers seated together on the lawn. There is something for everyone to see over the summer - something on their schedule will appeal to all people from all age groups. There is opera, comedy, folk music, Broadway musicals, rock bands way past their prime, crooners and disco bands and guitarists who don't wash their hair. Over the years I've seen Ben Folds, Garrison Keillor, Rent, Eddie From Ohio, the Louisiana Swamp Ramp (an all day festival of jazz and Cajun music), Ani DiFranco and Joss Stone. Few things are as pleasurable as packing a really fabulous picnic dinner of tomato salad, brie cheese, babaganoush, sandwiches from the Italian Store and a bottle of cold white wine and picnicking on the lawn of the Wolftrap before your show. Then, once the sun goes down, lie back on your blanket, surrounded by the humidity and the mosquitoes (bring your bug spray) and enjoy the show.

#1 Screen on the Green: If you know me, you know that this is my most favorite thing to do in DC all summer. Ok, let's be honest -- all year. Yes, I know that it is hotter than damnation, and I know that the movies generally suck (though check out the schedule; this year they're pretty good). But I'm up to a rotating group of around 30 people who join each Monday night, we put together really spectacular pot luck picnics (Peruvian chicken, pasta salad, charcuterie, blue cupcakes, grilled sausages, homemade cookies, cheez-its), and every color of box wine you could want. Or not want, but it's there. The party gets started around 7:00, and the movie gets started around 9:00, once it's dark. Then, after the cartoon and before the movie comes the HBO dance. If you've been to SotG, then you know what I'm talking about. I know that other cities do free outdoor movies in the summer, but only DC can they be on the National Mall, with the Capitol Dome illuminated behind the movie screen. It is my favorite DC summer activity.

So now it's your turn. What are your "can't misses" for the summer? What should I add to my list of things to look forward to? Leave a comment, let me know what to put on my summer to do list.

Thing 24: Trusty's

I strolled down Pennsylvania Avenue early Thursday evening, leaving work and heading Southeast towards the Anacostia. Past 8th Street and Eastern Market, watching the houses get a little smaller and a little shabbier, past the local shops and corner bodegas, past parents strolling with their children on bicycles. Around 12th Street I crossed the street and started strolling on the wide median that was covered in new, bright green grass and lined with trees blooming small pink and white buds. The air was fresh and cool from the afternoon's April shower. I continued under this blooming canopy down past Potomac Ave and then another block until I reached Trusty's. It's just a small storefront, with four small tables on the sidewalk and a large orange sign announcing "Trusty's" and "Full Service."

Brought to you by the people who own the Pourhouse, Trusty's Full Serve Bar is a small neighborhood joint designed to invoke a service station. A large road map of the United States lines the wall in front of the bar and vintage license plates and road signs fill the walls. The bar itself consists of one room, with a couple tall tables in the front window, a bar lined with stools, and about ten larger tables in the back. A large chalkboard on the back wall wishes luck to the Nats in large letters and decorated with pastel fireworks. TVs on the walls broadcast the Nats. Located walking distance from RFK, this bar roots for the home team and serves game day drink specials before, after and during Nats games.

But the best part, oh the very best part, is that each table in the back area is stacked high with games! Connect Four, Parcheesi, Candy Land, Chutes and Ladders, chess, cards, Jenga, backgammon, Jeopardy. They're all there and they're all free, yours to choose and play at your leisure.


I went there on Thursday, with GFL and the Boyfriend. We ordered beers, which arrived in mason jars, and looked over the brief menu. The "kitchen" consists of a deep fryer and a small griddle, each about a foot and a half across, and both located behind the bar. The two guys working that night do everything -- serve the drinks, fry the food and clear the tables. The menu reflects the limited cooking space. Sausages and hot dogs, burgers and grilled cheese, nachos and chili are about the only choices. My party each orders a hot dog or sausage and they come to our table greasy and delicious, with a heap of potato chips.


And now it's time to get down to business. Or rather, get down to playing. It's game time.

We start with Chutes and Ladders, which is much preachier than I remember it being. GFL gets caught up in the initial series of chutes, and stays towards the bottom of the board for the majority of the game. The Boyfriend starts out hot on my heels, but a couple of chutes at the end trip him up Chutes. I emerge the triumphant winner.

Tired of getting lectured at about eating too many apples or pulling the cat's tail, we put away Chutes and Ladders and break out the Parcheesi. Trouble is, none of us know how to play. But I used to play when I was seven, so how hard could it be? GFL reads us the rules and we begin to muddle along, moving our elephants and camels slowly across the brightly colored board. About midway through, when it is taking forever, I remember that GFL had said something about moving 20 extra spaces each time you land on and "kill" an opponent's piece. Ah ha! Once we begin employing this rule, the game moves at a more rapid clip.

This also led to one of the funnier incidents of the night. Hoping to win a bonus and move ahead, GFL says, "I really need to kill someone soon!" The uniformed police officer sitting at the bar turns to us and says "I didn't hear that." GFL immediately starts back-tracking, "I mean, I, um, I really need to kill someone in the game. This game...right here...Parcheesi...oh dear." The Boyfriend and I are in stitches.

I won Parcheesi too, by the way.

While we are playing our games, a random man with a laptop sits in a corner and plays some tunes. He wasn't really a DJ, or a least didn't look it and didn't seem to be taking requests. He appeared to be just some guy from the neighborhood, selecting Tribe Called Quest, Ben Folds, Green Day and Bon Jovi from his personal I-tunes play list, whenever he felt like it. GFL, who lives in the neighborhood and frequents the place, assures me that there is always some guy with a laptop playing tunes. Not always that same guy, but always some guy. We then go back to singing along to Ben Folds.

Finally, we order one last beer and break out the Jenga. The Jenga set has already been abused by various drunken parties over the course of its history - the pieces are written on with everything from 'yo mama' jokes to chemical formulas to very dirty commands. I decidedly lose at Jenga, knocking over the tower into GFL's lap.

Trusty's is working hard to be a place for the neighborhood, from its cheap eats to its low frills setting, support for the home team and friendly setting. Thursdays they offer a 15% discount to people from the neighborhood, but it's not all that expensive to start with (the three of us drank and ate well for $40). To the naysayers who think they absolutely cannot travel that far, I say that it is one block from the Potomac Ave metro stop -- closer than a trip to RFK stadium. Trusty's is a great place to relax with a jar of beer, a board game, and some friendly people from the neighborhood.

Thing 13: Po' Boy Happy Hour

No less than seven Washingtonian “Cheap Eats” covers adorn the wall of Southside 815 in Old Town Alexandria. They are well deserved. For if you care to make the journey across the river into that commonwealth of Virginia, you are rewarded with cheap food, cheap beer, friendly service, multiple TVs and live music on Tuesdays.

I seem to be going through some sort of Southern comfort food phase, between a trip to rural Virginia last weekend (fantastic BBQ!), Georgia Brown’s on Monday and now Southside's happy hour, which features plentiful and outrageously cheap oyster po’ boys and pulled pork sandwiches. Mini oyster po’ boys, mini pork sandwiches and mini pork nachos are all $1.50 during happy hour (Monday - Friday, 4-7). Thinking “mini,” I ordered two of everything. Turns out, it was a TON of food. All the food in this picture cost me a whopping $9:




Wash this feast down with a $2 draught of Miller Lite, and it’s a very happy hour.

Not only is the food cheap, but it's actually pretty good. The pulled pork is sweet and tender, the oysters in the po' boys are gigantic, deep fried with a crispy outside and soft, briny flesh. The rolls for the mini sandwiches are slightly sweet and incredibly dense. The sandwiches may be mini but they are filling and satisfying and we couldn't come close to finishing them all. The nachos became soggy very quickly, but fresh from the kitchen they are crispy and covered with melted cheese, more sweet pulled pork and a generous dollop of sour cream.

Southside 815 is half restaurant, half sports bar. My friends and I stayed strictly in the sports bar section, surrounded by TVs broadcasting March Madness. We arrived around 6, grabbed a table near the bar, ordered a round of Miller Lites and that accidental orgy of food from the bar, and got to work talking and laughing. Our bartender, Darrel, saw to it that we were well taken care of.

Around 8 the band, Smalltown, set up. The band -- one guy with a guitar, one guy on a keyboard -- began playing covers of crowd pleasers. Jimmy Buffet, U2, Eric Clapton (including the excerpt of Lola, below). They were good but unobtrusive. When we paid attention to them, we enjoyed them. When we were caught up in conversation, they didn't distract.

And so it was that 10pm rolled around, and it being Tuesday and us being working stiffs, we packed it in and got our check. After four solid hours of snacking, sipping and chatting, we each owed $23. Including a generous tip. I challenge anyone to come up with a better deal for their dollar. Seriously. If you know a happy hour that can top this, leave a comment and I'll check it out. Until then, Southside 815 has moved into my permanent rotation.

Thing 11: Sonoma

From what I have heard and tasted, there are very few good places to eat on the Hill. (I love the Hawk & Dove and the Cap Lounge for many reasons; fine dining is not one of them). Which is why whenever there is any kind of lunch or drinks with the purpose of impressing prospective or current clients, I head to Sonoma.

Today I was put in charge of meeting with and entertaining a delegation from the Green Party of Austria. It seemed a fitting occasion for impressing and demonstrating that us po-dunk Americans know good food too, not just those silly Europeans over there on their continent. Then again, serving California cuisine to people from the land of schnitzel may not have been the best game plan.

Named after the county in California made famous for its wine, Sonoma is, at its heart, a wine bar. The establishment boasts over 30 wines by the taste or glass, and 50 or so more by the bottle. Sadly, none of our Austrians ordered any wine. Austria may not have the same sense of bon vivant as their neighbors, the French.

Sonoma also excels at putting together a gorgeous cheese plate and/or charcuterie platter. Their cheeses come from around the world, a dozen varieties and animal origins. I also love any of the preserved meats available on their charcuterie platters, in particular their paper thin slices of prosciutto, and serve with big hunks of grilled bread. The "accents" are all made in house, including red wine and white wine jellies that I am determined to recreate at home. Beware of those things that look like olives though -- they are actually pickled baby peaches, and you will be quite surprised by their hardness and tanginess when you where expecting an olive.

But alas, none of our Austrians wanted platters of meat or cheese either. Such austere living.

Instead, we went straight into lunch with no silly precursors. I ordered the citrus salad and the black risotto. The citrus salad was a wonderful combination of bitter grapefruits, sweet oranges, salty feta cheese wedges, and a salty, bitter black olive vinaigrette, all on a bed of water cress and radicchio. The dressing was a bit overpowering, but the salty/bitter/sweet combination was unique and satisfying, and I don't even like feta! The black risotto was a bit bland but very black. It oozed squid ink, which doesn't really add much other than the color. The risotto fillings -- squid and what the menu says is prosciutto but I swear is pancetta -- punch up the rice some, but its not my favorite dish there. No, my favorite dish is the incredibly rich and completely satisfying linguine carbonara. The sauce is composed entirely of butter, heavy cream, pancetta and wild mushrooms, and is served with a raw egg yoke nestled within the noodles. When you break the yoke, it melts into the pasta, adding to the overall decadence of the dish. It is a treat.

At least our Austrians had the good sense to order dessert, and I joined them in a vanilla panna cotta with fresh orange sauce. The consistency of the panna cotta, like a very thick flan, was good, with a sprinkle of vanilla bean on top and paired quite well with the orange sauce.

A word of warning: I realized today that Sonoma is loud. I suppose I already knew this about the place, but it never bothered me in a group of two or four. This time, with ten of us seated around the wide table, the bulk of whom were not native English speakers, the ambient noise was overwhelming and stilted the conversation. The room is spacious and angular, the walls bare. Soundproofing is not its strong suit.

I'm afraid I don't have any pictures of the experience, as I thought it might be weird to pull out a camera during lunch and snap pictures of my salad while entertaining foreign parliamentarians. It would have been a lot easier had they ordered wine.

Thing 10: Science Club

“I think they could do more with the ‘science’ theme,” I overheard one woman say to another in the ladies room. “You know, like you could drink out of beakers or test tubes, or wear goggles or something.”

Ah, but that way lies tackiness, and the beauty of Science Club is its unassuming lounge setting and laid back vibe. The only nod to its science theme is a couple of book cases with science texts and some antique scientific instruments. For the most part, it is meant to imitate the small intellectual clubs where you can sip a cognac and discuss the issues of the day.

As I walked up to the unassuming building – you could pass Science Club every day walking down 19th Street and never notice it – I was hoping that my friends had already snagged one of the four tables outside in the front “yard” of the townhouse. Spring fever has taken over DC, what with two days of nice weather in a row, and all anyone can talk about is roof decks, backyards and al fresco dining. My two friends were outside and already one drink in. They work nearby and had popped over at the stroke of 5pm.

I ordered a champagne cocktail, a kir royal, that arrived pink and sparkling with a lemon garnish and slightly acidic bite. With the time change it stayed light until just past seven. Plenty of time for another champagne cocktail (a belini this time, sweet with peach juice and a cherry at the bottom) and a snack off the cheese plate. The cheese plate comes with three cheeses – a soft and mild cow’s cheese, a hard cheese reminiscent of Spanish manchego and a crumbling blue. Garnished with grapes, apples, a strawberry and some thick pieces of toast it was the perfect snack before dinner.

The Science Club hosts DJs seven nights a week, and holds happy hours during the week from 5 till 8, with $3 yeunglings and $4 rail drinks. If you can’t snag a table outside in the spring weather, the three floors of lounges offer plenty of nooks and tables to while away a couple of hours, listen to some music, and mull global warming or evolution over a cocktail or two.

Thing 3: The Hawk 'N' Dove

The Hawk ‘N’ Dove is so close to my office that I think of it practically as our company cafeteria, but remembering that it is a DC treasure and an institution for anyone who lives or works on Capitol Hill, I will add it to the list.

A good friend of mine from college called me at work yesterday morning to let me know he’d be on the Hill for a hearing, and could we have lunch? So around noon we walked the block and half to the venerable Hawk ‘N’ Dove and took a seat in the pub’s dimly lit back room.

The Hawk ‘N’ Dove seems to have only three wait staff, institutions in and of themselves. They are weathered and gruff men and women that get the job done with an efficiency and boredom that comes with having been subjected to low lighting and smoke-filled rooms for years. (The Hawk is now, like all bars in DC, smoke free). I ordered “Susie’s Supreme”, which is what I get nearly ever time and which I highly recommend – a grilled turkey, cheese and broccoli sandwich. It sounds weird, but the broccoli adds a delicious crunch, and you can also nearly fool yourself into thinking the sandwich is healthy. Broccoli fights cancer, right?

The Hawk caters to poor Hill staffers and interns, with their nightly happy hour specials. My favorite is Wednesday’s -- $2 Miller Lites come in red solo cups, and a dozen chicken wings cost a dollar. Throw $10 down, and you’ve had a meal, a couple beers and a decent tip. They also have a weird “Club Hawk ‘N’ Dove” that come alive upstairs on the weekends. This is when the grimy, dark pub pretends it is a hip dance club. I don’t recommend it unless you are an underage Hill intern.

But the Hawk is truly best enjoyed in the spring and summer, if you can manage to snag one of the tables outdoors on the sidewalk. There you can enjoy a Guinness and a cheap cigar, catch up with old friends, eavesdrop on the latest political gossip and enjoy the sticky night air.