THE EXQUISITE ROOT BEER FLOAT might just be the Michelangelo's David among sweets: a mountain of creamy froth billowing out of a frosted mug atop slowly fizzing dark soda. It's dessert porn.
But let's revisit our casting: What if, alongside your float, you could get a triple-decker Angus beef burger and a choice of Old Bay fries or onion rings? At a swanky restaurant. For only $6. Could it be the Jenna Jameson of meal deals?
The Key Bridge Marriott in Rosslyn is offering just that in its Mighty Mo Monday Combo every Monday at the upscale Revival Restaurant -- part of a celebration of the hotel's 50th anniversary.
The deal, on offer through Dec. 31, comes with a tasty splash of nostalgia, too -- it pays homage to Marriott's former Hot Shoppe restaurants, fountain shops known for their cheap eats.
AU BON PAIN? POTBELLY? Subway? D.C.'s lunch options are sounding tired. But there's a new kid in town. Organic to Go, opening in the spots of lunchtime standby High Noon, is spreading the anti-pesticides gospel.
Between the soups, sandwiches and salad bar, Organic to Go looks like any other Golden Triangle cafeteria, but through its commitment to avoiding trans fats, partnering with family farms and using hybrid delivery vehicles, this "fast-casual café" operates on a different model. The menu has its quirks as well, with salad-bar options of curry chicken salad, Italian-dressing-spiked quinoa and wild salmon chunks.
Breakfast is served all day, featuring the naughty bacon, egg and salsa burrito to the nice spinach and egg white sandwich. For the true to-go crowd, international pre-made options abound: Thai-style veggie wrap, Greek orzo pasta and Mediterranean salad. The coffee is organic and free-trade certified. And environmentally speaking, the drink cups, containers and bags are made from corn and are biodegradable, sustainable and compostable.
If you can make full use of your lunch hour, there are seats outside while the weather is still accommodating, as well as couches and tables in the mock living room.
With locations in California and Washington State, Organic to Go looked to D.C. as its shining city upon a hill on this side of the country.
Michael Johnson, vice president of regional development, explains D.C.'s attractiveness: "The density and demographics are ideal: D.C. is a highly educated population who cares a lot about responsible, organic eating [and its] transient population from all over the world, [is] are more likely to embrace new concepts." (Feel free to interpret that marketing talk as, "Downtown workers have demonstrated a willingness to pay $8 for a sandwich.")
The organic paradigm can include additional tenets regarding sustainability. But fitting that philosophy into a bicoastal, multi-store front company can be a challenge. Organic to Go is "in the process of reaching out locally," explains Johnson, "specifically around produce. ... With local co-ops. I would love to say that we could get as focused as becoming completely seasonal and local, but the reality is that our customers are not there yet. They will still want tomatoes in the winter."
Johnson believes that in the spring and summer, more items will "help tell the story of organic and sustainability while putting some awesome farm fresh products out there."
» Organic to Go, 1311 F St. NW (Metro Center); 927 15th St. NW (McPherson Square); 1100 Wilson Blvd, Arlington; 800-304-4550, (Rosslyn)
Written by Stefanie Gans for Express
Photo by Freddie Lieberman for Express
SYNETIC THEATER is unique in Washington — or, indeed, anywhere. Its willingness to reinvent the classics through an amalgam of dance and theater is unmatched, and they've been very successful with stories everyone knows, like "Hamlet" and "Frankenstein."
But the best (and first) Synetic show I ever saw was "Host and Guest," a retelling of a Georgian legend about war, humanity, and the importance of hospitality to strangers. And it's back! Man, are you lucky they're revived it. Otherwise this just would have been me going on and on about this great show that was over and that you'd never have a chance to experience, but now everything's gonna be fine.
»Rosslyn Spectrum, 1611 N. Kent St., Arlington; 8 p.m. Thurs-Sat., 2 p.m. Sunday through Nov. 9, $15-$40; 703-824-8060. (Rosslyn)
Photo by Raymond Gniewek
THIS ONE MIGHT be rained out, folks, but just in case the weather guys have it wrong (as usual), we'll let you know about it anyway. Gateway Park will be the setting for the 18th Annual Rosslyn Jazz Festival this Saturday — a great way to get outside, relax and enjoy the dwindling days of summer (unless there's a tropical storm hanging around, that is).
If the show does go on, you can expect performances from Holly Cole, Frederic Yonnet, Lafayette Gilchrist and the Spanish Harlem Orchestra. Do your best sun dance, grab your lawn chair and enjoy the music.
» Gateway Park, 1300 Lee Hwy., Arlington; Sat., Sept. 6, 12:30-7 p.m., free; 703-228-1850. (Rosslyn)
Photo by Gerald Martineau for the Washington Post
IT'S GETTING COLDER, as I'm sure you've noticed. Yes, yes, hallelujah, we know. Summer in D.C. sucks. However, this weekend is supposed to be gorgeous, so spend it outside listening to music at the Planet Arlington World Music Festival.
Personally, I'm looking forward to Celtic band Solas and Lebanese singer Talia Saleh, but there are acts for every taste as long as you're not expecting to hear Americana.
» Netherlands Carillon, Arlington Boulevard and Meade Street, Arlington; Sat., Aug. 30, 4 p.m., free; 703-228-1850. (Rosslyn)
Photo courtesy Planetarlington.com
UNFORTUNATELY FOR Pierce Brosnan, the ascent of Daniel Craig has rendered him the third-best James Bond.
And there are no bronze medals in this business, folks.
Still, Brosnan did his time as the tuxedo-ed killing machine, and he did it well. Finish up one of the myriad summer Bond festival with Friday's screening of "Die Another Day."
» Gateway Park, 1300 Lee Hwy., Arlington; Fri., Aug. 22, 8 p.m., free; 703-522-6638. (Rosslyn)
Photo courtesy MGM
THERE'S NO SIGN OUTSIDE Ray's Hell-Burger. And no advertisements that I've seen. And no French fries on the menu. So judging by the crowd gathered outside the place when I wandered past, it's clear that Ray must have one hell of a hamburger.
There's nothing fancy about this spin off of Ray's the Steaks. It's burgers, plain and simple. Well, sort of.
You can get a classic 10-oz. burger for just under $7 sans cheese, although there are variations like burger au poivre for the adventurous. Since the meat Ray's uses is so high-grade, I decided to stick to a simple Muenster cheese on my burger, but brie and Chimay (only $4 extra!) cheeses are just a few options.
I noticed many burgers came out with bacon, just in case you needed extra meat products on your ginormous meal. They'll cook the burger any way you like, but the recommended temperature is pink-going-on-red, which is slightly rarer than what I normally shoot for at home. That being said, the burger had an excellent texture and my friend and I scarfed down our patties with delight.
BEFORE MTV — in fact, before music videos, before Madonna even — there was the Scopitone. Scopitone players look like video jukeboxes, or maybe robots in a hypothetical Pixar movie.
You can take a look at this forgotten craze — including a glitzy Broadway version of "If I Had a Hammer" — during Arlington's Arts Al Fresco on Friday. Or you could dig up your backyard in search of a time capsule, but that's so messy.
» Lubber Run Amphitheatre, 200 N. Columbus St, Arlington; Friday, 8:30 p.m., free; 703-228-1850. (Rosslyn)
WHO IS THIS bowler-hatted little tramp? No, not Charlie Chaplin! You lose! In fact, it is Larry Semon, a lost genius of the silent era.
But he not entirely forgotten: the folks behind Slapsticon 2008, the annual silent comedy festival, are featuring his film "The Barnyard" this Saturday at 8 p.m., along with the intriguingly titled "Ladies Night in a Turkish Bath." These guys didn't need words. They had faces. They also had falling down in puddles and running away from bears in a comical fashion.
» Rosslyn Spectrum, 1611 N. Kent Street, Arlington; Sat., 8 p.m., $30 for a full-day registration, which includes several films; 703-228-1850. (Rosslyn)
Photo courtesy Slapsticon
THE FOLKS over at Slapsticon 2008 are trying to showcase the lesser-known talents of the silent screen. Meaning they offer no Chaplin. However, one of the most famous silent comedians is represented — Buster Keaton.
His face is made of stone and his legs are made of rubber. Catch two of his movies (and though they're silent, they're unbelievably funny) at 2 p.m. on Saturday.
» Rosslyn Spectrum, 1611 N. Kent Street, Arlington; Sat., 2 p.m., $30 for a full-day registration, which includes several films; 703-228-1850. (Rosslyn)
Photo courtesy AFI
Addison Road