NIGH T L IFE SP EC I A L GET DOWN TONIGHT!

GET DOWN TONIGHT!WE ASKED THE CITY’S CHIC SET TO SHARE SECRETS

ABOUT UNFORGETTABLE EVENINGS IN DC. THESE NIGHT

RIDERS CALL THE SHOTS AS THEY HIT THE STREETS

FROM DUSK ’TIL DAWN. TAKE A JAUNT FROM HIP H AUN T S

TO LO UNGES THAT FLAUN T, CAFÉS THAT MAT T ER , BARS

THAT FLATTER, SHOWS A GO GO, DJS YOU MUST KNOW

AND INSIDER’S TIPS TO MAKE OCTOBER NIGHTS GLOW.

BY GEORGE W. STONE AND ANDREW NO Y ES

PHO T OGRAPHY BY CARLT ON WOLFE

THE STYLIZER: LAVANYA RAMANATHANThe street’s Lavanya Ramanathan’s beat—and as editor of The Washington Post’s

Style on the Go section, this mile-a-minute culture vulture runs through a lot of

Jimmy Choos. “I don’t walk, I stomp!” she says. Indeed, the 28-year-old writer

dashes from highbrow gallery openings to lowbrow tailgates to nobrow kid-

friendly Rock-n-Romp concerts. It comes as a surprise to find that our peripatetic

reporter is shy. “I’m not a schmoozer, I’m an experiencer,” she says. Experience

she does. Ramanathan’s articles apprise outgoing locals of the people, places and

shows to know. And after work, she heads out again. “I’m the type who wants to

spend Saturday night at divey Pharmacy Bar (above, 2337 18th St., NW,

202.483.1200) wearing a $300 dress from Built by Wendy and then whine when

beer ends up on it,” she says. A small price to pay for living life on the fly.

NIGH T L IFE SP EC I A L

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F ROM KEGS TO EGGSReturn to the scene of the crime! After a night of Ad a m s

Morgan debauch e r y, roll back to Bourbon (2321 18th St.,

N W, 202.332.0801) for brunch. “I’ve seen many people there

on Saturday morning who I also saw the night before in

the bars, at the theater, at the Hirshhorn’s After Hours

p a r t y. And they still look fabulous. Bourbon plays good

music and the food’s awesome,” says Ramanathan.

EX HIBI T IONIST STREAK“WILD CHOIR: CINEMATIC PORTRAITS BY JEREMY BLAKE” OPENS AT

THE CORCORAN GALLERY OF ART (500 17TH ST., NW, 202.639.1700) ON

OCTOBER 27. BLAKE GREW UP IN TAKOMA PARK AND MADE HIS NAME

CREATING LUSH DIGITAL VIDEO ART. “HE WAS TRULY A 21ST-CENTURY

ARTIST, DABBLING IN ALL MEDIA, ATTRACTED TO ART AND MUSIC AND

THE ELECTRONIC AGE ALL AT ONCE,” SAYS RAMANATHAN.

MAKE MONDAY NIGHT RIGH T !Your best bet for a weeknight bender? Head to the rooftop deck or luxe lounge

at Local 16 (1602 U St., NW, 202.265.2828). “It’s a mob scene on weekends, but

after the happy-hour crowd goes home on Monday, it’s an intimate spot, candle-

lit, red-walled and with friendly people behind the bar,” says Ramanathan.

Jazz Standard: HR - 57 (1610 14th St., NW, 20 2 . 667. 3700). “This

BY OB jazz club draws a diverse crowd, everyone from college ki d s

to taxi drivers,” says Ramanathan. “What they have in common is

that they ‘know’ this happening scene. People file in all night with

bottles of wine, to relax and listen to great local bands. By the end

of the night, strangers are sharing their drinks and laughing.”

DOWN ON THE CORNER

Fu n ky philosophers know where to get their fix:

The Sixth & I Historic Synagogue (600 I St., NW ,

20 2 . 408 . 3100) is a Jewish center that mixes

t h i n ky lectures and edgy shows. “I can’t wait to

see indie singer Devendra Banhart on October 1.

It’ll be like seeing Arcade Fire at New Yo r k ’ s

Judson Memorial Church,” says Ramanathan.

Catch Icelandic band Múm on November 7.


W H AT’LL YA HAV E ?Lynn dashes by The Diner in Adams Morgan (2453 18th St.,

N W, 202.232.8800) for 24 hours of breakfast, lunch, dinner

and midnight “d r u n ch” (you know, drunken brunch ! ) .

SPIN THAT BOT T L E !

For the city’s best bottle service, make a pass at

Play Lounge (1219 Connecticut Ave., NW, 20 2 .

466 . 7 529). “I love the people and the buzz of this

club,” says Lynn. “With bottle service you’re not just

paying for the drinks, you’re paying for real estate.

Play is almost like Cheers at a turbo-techno level!”

Across the street is Fly Lounge (1802 Jefferson Pl.,

NW, 20 2 . 828 . 4433). “Fly looks like the inside of an

airplane and draws a hot, ethnically mixed crowd.

DJ Dirty Hands really nails the music!” says Ly n n .

A fter a game at Verizon Center, Jimmy and crew

swing by Tantra Lounge at IndeBleu (707 G St., NW ,

20 2 . 3 3 3 . 2 5 38), a mod and foxy cocktail den.

T HE MAIN SQUEEZE

“Café Citron (1343 Connecticut Ave., NW, 202.530.8844) is

loud, crowded, sweaty and a riot. It’s an eclectic, international

Latino scene. You’ll see people dancing on the bar,” says Lynn.

CHILL BEFORE THE THRILLWHERE TO HANG BEFORE HI TT ING THE CLUBS? “MATÉ (3101 K ST. ,

NW, 202 . 3 3 3 . 20 06) HAS A HOT VIBE AND DRA WS THE CI TY’S SCENE

MAK ERS. SUPER - HIP DEGREES LOUNGE AT THE RI TZ - CARLT ON (310 0

SOUTH ST., NW, 202 . 912 . 4100) IS FULL OF COOL PEOPLE,” SAYS LY NN.


DC’s next hot ’hood? “Clarendon, in north Arlington, has

the most accessible range of cool bars anywhere in town!”

THE NET-WORKER: JIMMY LYNNIf you’re a Mystic, Wizard, lobbyist, lounge lizard, developer,

player or marketer of almost anything, Jimmy Lynn is on

your speed dial. Major league execs call this AOL Sports

vice president the Mayor, because he knows everyone in

town. To Georgetown sports marketing students he’s the

Professor. To DC powerbroker Ted Leonsis, Lynn’s mentor,

he’s the Connector: “Ted said, ‘Everywhere I go someone

mentions your name!’” A pro at blending business with

pleasure, Lynn helps friends and colleagues turn their

passions into philanthropy through the Hoop Dre a m s

Scholarship Fund and other charities. “Both professionally

and philanthropically my goal in life is to help create a level

playing field and to treat people with respect,” Lynn says.

Between powwows at Play Lounge (photographed here) and

bottle service at Blue Gin (1206 Wisconsin Ave., NW,

202.965.5555), Lynn—a lifelong Washingtonian whose posh

Palisades Park bachelor pad overlooks the Potomac from

Rosslyn—keeps tabs on everything. “My secret is being a

people person, and trust me, it makes a difference in life

when you enjoy people,” says Lynn, who honed his social

skills by amping up “YMCA” at more than 500 weddings as

a DJ before slam dunking the night with DC’s heavy hitters.


THE ACTION STAR: ERIC MOSSEric Moss is a man with a plan. He’s a music curator, event producer and marketer

whose clients include Sean “Diddy” Combs and Russell Simmons. With the heart of a

haberdasher and the mind of Isaac Mizrahi, impeccably dressed Moss flits from the

Hamptons to H Street without missing a beat. When this 27-year-old trendsetter

returned to DC after a sojourn in New York City, he came with a mission: To make the

nation’s capital a hip hypocenter. To Moss, the glossy VIP bottle-service culture

dampens the city’s rootsy vibe. Why get smashed when such nocturnal remedies as

Temperance Hall (above, 3634 Georgia Ave., NW, 202.722.7669) and the chic Meat

Market Gallery (1636 17th St., NW, 202.328.6328) beckon? Moss’s new project is his

Soul Glow podcast. “It’s a personal ‘B-side’ catalog that brings out the refined ear in

all of us,” says the entrepreneur whose most innovative product might just be himself.


W H AT THE SWELLS SWIL LSavor the subtly sweet sidecar cocktail at Capital Grille

( 601 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, 202.737.6200). The cognac-

Cointreau-lemon-juice treat is a romantic flashback to

the speakeasy era. “This classic cocktail is perfection

with a dash of love,” says the always-gentlemanly Moss.

MAKE A DATE IN DUPONT A night spent uncorking bottles at upscale Urbana (2121 P St., NW, 202.956.6650)

can’t be beat. “The décor is almost as impeccable as the flagship Hermès store!”

gushes Moss. “The atmosphere at this subterranean lounge is modern, clean and

makes you feel glamorous. It’s the perfect place to bring a date.”

Two-for-one happy hour at Halo (1435 P St., NW, 20 2 . 7 97. 97 30 )

is a Moss-must. “This Logan Circle bar is like Miami meets

P Street, with its open, stark white atmosphere and completely

unpredictable soundtrack that ranges from Madonna to Anita

Baker to techno,” says Moss. “Sample the angel food cake

m a rtini and kick back with an international jet set in a setting

that has none of the pretension of other trendy bars.”

CAUGHT IN A TRAP!

“Punk music and electroclash were born in DC , ”

says Moss, who twirls around town from DJ

lounge to dance party. On the second Saturday

of every month there’s only one place to find

him: At DJ Mark Zimin’s “dance-’til-you-drop”

Britpop bash Mousetrap, at Black Cat (181 1

14th St. NW, 20 2 . 667. 7 960). Old school and

new wave British pop tunes are re-tooled and

s u p e r - s tyled to melt the minds of the city’s most

boogalicious bumpers and grinders.

BLAME IT ON THE BOSSA NOVAWHERE DOES MOSS GET HIS FUNKY BEAT? AT UTOPIA (1418 U ST. ,

NW, 202 . 48 3 . 7 669), WHERE JAZZ MAS T ER WAY NE WILEN TZ DRIVES

HIS LAT IN -T INGED TRIO INTO A SONIC SALSA ON THURSDAY NIGH TS .


IT’S CHILI OUT HERE !Chili cheese dogs, chili cheese fries, chili burgers…sense a

theme? “Ben’s Chili Bowl (1213 U St., NW, 202.667. 0909) is

an institution,” says Shirazi. “It’s been there through the

best of times and worst of times in Washington and has

always been an amazing neighborhood place to eat. An d

now with the U Street renaissance Ben’s is thriving again.”

A ROOM WITH A BRE W

Pick your pleasure: Grey Goose on the rocks or a

rare chai from the Himalaya! Head to the city ’ s

s p l a s h i e s t, glassiest lounge for cocktails or haute

tea. “Ambiance is quite essential,” says Shirazi.

“The Tea Cellar at the Park Hyatt (1201 24th St. ,

NW, 20 2 . 41 9 . 6755) has fabulous lighting and is

a perfect backdrop for intimate gatherings.”

“Most steak houses are staid, but BLT Steak (1625 I St., NW ,

20 2 . 689 . 8999) represents a new generation of steakh o u s e s , ”

says Shirazi. “It’s casual, chic, vibrant and the food is simply

fantastic, from the cocktails to the Kobe steak.” The downtown

brasserie, part of Manhattan restaurateur Laurent To u r o n d e l ’ s

c u l i n a ry empire, caters to heavy hitters who crave a touch of

continental class (not just masculine brass) with their beef.

KICK BACK IN THE BURBS?! FORGET STARBUCKS! SHIRAZI SOAKS UP CLASSICAL CAFFEINAT ED

CUPS AT QUAR T ERMAINE COFFEE ROAS T ERS (4817 BET HESDA AVE . ,

BET HESDA, 301. 71 8 . 2853). “THEY MAKE THE BEST ESPRESSO EAST OF

I TALY AND BY FAR THE BEST IN THIS CI TY,” HE SAYS. FOR HAPPY HOUR ?

TRY BLACK’S BAR AND KITCHEN (7750 WOODMONT AVE., BET HESDA ,

301. 65 2 . 55 25). “THE SPACE REMINDS ME OF NOBU IN LONDON, THE

DRINKS ARE SUPERB AND THE BAR MENU IS DELICIOUS ! ”


“Georgetown’s Hook nails it on food and atmosphere!”

THE GLOBETROTTER: ARASH SHIRAZIA rash Shirazi’s passport is full. Amsterdam, Dubai, Johannesburg, London, Montreal, Pa ri s — a n d

that’s just a partial list of hot spots this DC music mogul has visited recently. The Rockville native

and founder of Bullitt Bookings logs 150,000 miles a year to promote his big-time artists, including

Deep Dish and DJs Nic Fanciulli, Danny Howells and Cedric Gervais. But when the jetsetting 32-

year-old isn’t ra cking up frequent flyer miles he ch a rges up the nightlife in the nation’s capital. It

s tands to reason that the legendary 9:30 Club (815 V St., NW, 202 . 265 . 09 30) has always been his

f a v o rite venue, but in a city more bustling than ever with new bars and lounges Shirazi has no

t rouble keeping busy. “Now is the most exciting time to live here,” says the man-about-town

B l a ckberry-addict. “I gra v i tate to any place with energy. I’ll drive miles for a meal, coffee, to see

a great show, to hear a new DJ. It’s my business to spot tastes,” he says. Great tastes, it seems.


THE DANCING QUEENS: HEJ HEJ DJSWhat do Röyksopp, Sigur Rós and ABBA have in common?

Blonde hair? Crazy hooks? A debt to Leif Ericson? All true.

Plus they appear in sonic glory at Hej Hej, DC’s only dance

night dedicated to Nordic tunes. DJs Natalya Minkovsky and

Melissa Gilmore are the spinmasters behind this new Viking

quest, which returns to Café Saint-Ex on October 23. So how

did this pair of Björk-o-philes, who met while working at a

DC Fortune 500 company and who don’t speak any Nordic

languages, become the city’s Scando-ambassadors? “We

started playing indie pop, but soon narrowed our list to

Scandinavian music. To us, it has an ethereal feel, it’s more

fun and catchy,” says Gilmore. Minkovsky, born in Ukraine,

discovered ABBA the Old World way. “Growing up, we had to

hear a lot of Russian music,” explains the DJ. The Swedish

supergroup was a natural antidote. “We’re all about fun,”

says Minkovsky. “And we get a lot of blondes at our shows!”


SH A KE IT LO O SE !The Hej Hej girls go wild for iPod Juke b ox Night at Café

Saint-Ex (1847 14th St., NW, 202.265.78 39). “Bring your

MP3 player and spin your favorite 12 minutes of music,

anything from Kanye West to Pixies to Lily Al l e n ,” the DJ s

s a y. The city’s hottest weekly dance party is Liberation,

held each Friday night at gritty-chic DC9 (1940 9th St.,

N W, 202.48 3 . 5000). Rock, hip hop and electronica burn

the house down. On other nights this small club

showcases local and national bands and hosts smokin’

after-parties for groups playing at nearby 9:30 Club.

STOCKHOLM SY NDROME

For concerts, art exhibits and other cultural

events with a Nordic twist, visit the House of

Sweden (2900 K St., NW, houseofsweden.com).

“This is an amazingly beautiful building on the

Georgetown waterfront,” say the Hej Hej DJs,

who frequent the Swedish Embassy to fill up on

schnapps and mingle with the Scandophiles.

GET YOUR ROCKS OFF !“The winged guitars hanging from the upstairs bar ceiling of Rock & Roll Hotel

(1353 H St., NE, 202.388.7625) set the tone for this fantastic venue for live music

and DJ nights. Check out a band on the first floor or lounge in one of the themed

rooms upstairs,” say the DJ duo. Want to spin a record of your own? Make your

DJ dreams come true at Crooked Beat (2318 18th St., NW, 202.483.2328) and

SOM Records (1843 14th St., NW, 202.328.3345). “Vinyl is getting harder to find

in DC. These shops sell rare and new albums and Crooked Beat hosts shows.”

DC’S BUBBLE THEOR Y“THE METROPOLITAN CHAMPAGNE BAR—ON THE BASEMENT LEVEL

OF NAPOLEON (1847 COLUMBIA RD., NW, 202.299.9630)—IS A FUN

LOUNGE WITH SLEEK DÉCOR AND A FABULOUS SET OF HOUSE DJS.

DEPENDING ON THE NIGHT, DAVE NADA OR WILL EASTMAN SPIN

HIP-HOP, R&B, CLUB AND DISCO,” SAY THE HEJ HEJ TWOSOME.

ADAMS MORGAN’S HIPPEST CHAMPAGNE BAR IS JUST A FLIGHT OF

STEPS DOWN FROM THE BISTRO THAT FUELS THOSE LATE NIGHTS.

“SWEET AND SAVORY CRÊPES AND STEAKS ARE GREAT!” THEY SAY.


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NIGH T L IFE SP EC I A L GET DOWN TONIGHT!