IT SEEMS ONLY fitting that the chef, restaurant manager and owners of the new Columbia Heights restaurant Social have been friends for years. Owners Scott Hammons, Tim Korzep and AJ Guy; restaurant manager Joseph Norton and chef Michael Clements met while working at Kimpton Hotels Helix, Rouge and Topaz, before deciding to open their own spot.
Social features small plates, and everything is designed for sharing, so there are three plate sizes — intimate, social and gala. The space is furnished with cozy couches, and there's an intimate bar perfect for catching up with friends. The dining room is designed like a family room, and photographs on the wall of are of the owners' friends.
"We also put a TV up here to add to the family room aspect," Norton said. "We're going to show old or silent movies, since we want it to be unobtrusive."
Continue Reading "Hang Out With the Social Set: Columbia Heights Hosts an Intimate New Spot" »
IN THE MIDST of Adams Morgan, Mt. Pleasant and Columbia Heights, a new taco shop opened in July. But does an area already packed with nachos, fajitas and pupusas really need Pica Taco? The answer is found in the tender chicken torta and the wallet-pleasing prices.
"Pica" is owner Maria Villalta's slang for the Spanish word "picante," which means hot. Pica Taco is tiny, with just a few tables inside and outside. The menu is equally limited in size, although it's still difficult to chose among the tacos ($2.25), served open-face with sliced radishes; burritos ($4.95-$6.50) stuffed with a choice of braised beef, chicken pastor (pig) and beans; or enchiladas ($7.50), sitting next to a side of rice and beans.
For a non-tortilla experience, try Mexico's equivalent of a sandwich, the torta. Imagine all of your favorite burrito fillings — fried pinto beans, ranchero-sauced chicken, sliced avocado and queso fresco — spread in between a white sub roll.
IT'S A WARM, end-of-summer evening at Room 11. Afro-Cuban music provides a relaxing soundtrack as the sun goes down. At the bar, co-owner Dan Searing muddles ginger in the bottom of a glass, almost, it seems, to the beat of the congas.
That's the mellow vibe Searing and the other three owners of Room 11 are trying to cultivate as they settle into their new Columbia Heights home. It's not what many expect from a wine bar, but these owners want their new baby to be the Cheers of D.C. wine bars.
The team knew, says co-owner Paul Ruppert, that Columbia Heights would be the perfect location for such an endeavor. Not only was the area lacking a wine-focused bar, but it seemed a good place to create a casual atmosphere for wine and cocktail lovers.
"We didn't want to have a fancy, high-end, slick place," said Ruppert. "We wanted it to have a comfortable feel. ... We love being in this neighborhood with its strong residential community."
Continue Reading "Pouring on the Charm: Room 11 Proves Good Wine Doesn't Have to Be Expensive" »
D.C. HAS LONG offered a wide selection of destinations at both ends of the drinking-formality spectrum, but there haven't always been good options if your taste has evolved beyond PBR cans but your wardrobe hasn't quite caught up.
Fortunately, the past year has brought the District two new venues that offer sophisticated environments and drinks, without requiring the same aesthetic from their patrons. Both Room 11 and The Gibson certainly attract well-heeled clientele, but I also felt more than welcome in my 15-year-old Vans.
Continue Reading "Quaffing in Comfort: The Gibson and Room 11" »
PERU DECLARED independence from Spain 188 years ago Tuesday. This would seem a lot more momentous if we hadn't already celebrated what feels like a billion international independence days this month.
As it is, what with all the French champagne, Belgian beer and good old American red, white and blue food we've consumed in the past three weeks, Peruvian independence seems like overkill. But, hey, we'll take any excuse for a highbrow party in this town, especially if there's cheap alcohol involved.
But back to Peruvian independence. The pisco sour is the official drink of Peru -- and of Chile, a fact that's caused more than a few fights between the two nations. But you don't have to worry about that when you're knocking back $5 pisco sours at Poste's independence day party.
The Peruvian Embassy sponsors the shindig, which takes place on Poste's patio and carries a $5 cover charge, which will benefit Coprodeli, an organization that funds education, health care and disaster relief services in Peru. There will be a jewelry and fashion show from local salons and boutiques, along with a raffle to round out the night.
Continue Reading "Pisco in Our Time: Peruvian Independence Deals" »
WEDNESDAY: It's weird to imagine acoustic punk, but Chris Johnston and Hannah Jones of Ghost Mice have done more: They play it.
The duo — whose music includes a healthy dose of folk — sounds a lot like, say the Moldy Peaches or the Mountain Goats, but rawer. Their songs aren't as lyrically intellectual or sophisticated, but they retain a scratchy punk edge and a childish simplicity that's appealing in its own way. Catch them tonight at La Casa.
» La Casa, 3166 Mount Pleasant St. NW; Wed., June 10, 8 p.m., $5. (Columbia Heights)
LOGAN CIRCLE
Condo: Citta 50
1450 Church St. NW, #504
» $425,000: This 711-square-foot one-bedroom, one-bathroom condo is in a new 27-unit building tucked just behind brisk 14th and P streets on a (relatively) calm street lined with warehouses-turned-condos. The kitchen comes stocked with granite counter tops, stainless steel appliances and a breakfast bar, but serious cooks need not apply, due to limited counter space. Nearly floor-to-ceiling windows in both the bedroom and main room invite natural light and views of Church Street — not to mention the terrace of the neighbors a level below. The main room lends itself to separate-but-snug living and dining spaces; the bedroom offers a walk-in closet. (Listed through RE/MAX Realty Services.)
COLUMBIA HEIGHTS
Condo: The Magdaline
1354 Elucid St. NW, #203A
» $438,500: Wedged between the main drags of Columbia Heights and U Street, this 885-square-foot two-bedroom, two-bathroom condo begs for small get-togethers, with a wide-open living room that merges into an L-shaped kitchen complete with wine fridge. Recessed lighting, stone counter tops and solid cherry floors and cabinets richen the aesthetic; garish gray-and-white-striped marble bathrooms cheapen it a notch. Both bathrooms feature Jacuzzi tubs and windows. The large master bedroom has floor-to-ceiling windows — which jut a little uncomfortably close to the sidewalk out front — as well as a small side balcony and a closet. (Listed through Long & Foster Real Estate Inc.)
Written by Express contributor Katie Knorovsky
Photos courtesy Citta 50, The Magdaline
WE STOOD AT the Home Depot paint-mixing counter in an exasperated stalemate, paper samples of "Village Square" and "Toffee Crunch" shades clenched in our fists.
Then she said it. "I ... hate ... you." Her voice was flat and even, as frustration culminated in those three words. Then, to the horror of the salesman helping us, Tracey burst into tears.
Uh-oh. Maybe living with my sister wasn't such an inspired idea.
It was May 2008 and we were two weeks away from moving into the two-bedroom condo we'd bought together in Clarendon. How was I going to survive living with my younger sibling of three and a half years if we couldn't agree on how many gallons of paint we needed for our pad? But the contracts were signed, the mortgage loan ratified — I looked at Tracey and knew there was no turning back.
Of course, if I'd consulted roommate and sibling relationship experts before signing the lease, they would've predicted potential disaster.
"Our relationships with our siblings are very passionate ones," says Dorothy Rowe, a psychologist whose book, "My Dearest Enemy, My Dangerous Friend" ($18, Routledge), focuses on the dynamics of sibling relationships. "We care enormously about what our siblings think of us: their praise, their approval," Rowe says. "At the same time, we're scared of their criticism. If you've grown up together, your sibling knows just what to say to upset you, tease you or really hurt you. It's a very complicated relationship that doesn't get simpler as you get older."
Continue Reading "Roomies? Oh, Brother: Why Some Siblings Are Opting to Live Together" »
INSIDE THE BELTWAY, lobbying can be an art form.
Inside District condominiums, the lobbies can be artwork.
Without a front yard to make a first impression, condo lobbies become the landscaping and signal the value of what's inside to potential buyers.
A swanky lobby can be a status symbol and a selling point. It can add to a pad's property value — and its price tag. In the same way your wardrobe can reflect your personality, a grand entrance can make a fashion statement for your home.
"When you put on a nice suit versus a pair of jeans, does it change the way you feel?" asks Eric Inman of Hickok Cole Architects (1023 31st St. NW; Hickokcole.com), which has designed dozens of housing developments in the District, including the Kenyon Square condos in Columbia Heights. "Design is the same way."
We scoped out four winning entries in Washington condos.
Continue Reading "Lobbying for Attention: Luxurious Condo Lobbies" »
IF YOU HAPPENED upon 35-year-old Ricardo Evans stomping on the floor, you might think he's a grown man throwing a tantrum. The scene becomes even more peculiar if you spot Nora Spellane, 15, looking on and taking notes.
But this is no maturity mix-up. Evans was just loosening imaginary jammed doors in Spellane's play, "The Elevator."
Spellane, a Woodrow Wilson Senior High School freshman, is one of eight writers, ranging from elementary school students to teenagers, participating in the Young Playwrights' Theater's New Play Festival (April 6-8, 7 p.m.). The free two-hour show at the GALA Hispanic Theatre (3333 14th St. NW, 202-387-9173) includes plays such as Spellane's, in which two men with diverging worldviews get stuck in the confined space between floors, and "A Dedicated Gardner," a whimsical tale written by Israel Nunez — a ninth-grader — in which a tulip-loving bag lady is pushed to frightening limits.
Continue Reading "Change of Direction: Young Playwrights' Theater" »
Addison Road