I was recently informed that this humble column’s format has expanded, and it is now my purview to ensure not only that you are appraised of upcoming musical experiences, but that yo’ asses are getting off campus and getting your D.C. on. After all, that’s why you’re here.
Although there is a veritable plethora of great shows coming up (Spiritualized, the Strokes, Death Cab For Cutie and the Pharcyde among them), I thought I’d devote some time to areas of the city you may or may not be aware of. This edition: Get yosef’ out of Armani and Abercrombie and hit 18th Street. That is, from Dupont, hike up Connecticut to 18th, bang a left, and you’ll soon arrive in my favorite little cultural Mecca, Adams Morgan. This may be a primer directed at new D.C.-ites, but, as I am learning, a bunch of you sophs and juniors have scarcely ventured beyond M Street. So listen up.
I’ve heard Adams Morgan called a mini-Village or a barrio or a “cultural center” or the closest to any of those things that D.C. can muster. These are all correct appellations, as you will find an eclectic and communal feel in Adams, a strong Latino and African neighborhood, stretching roughly from U Street to Columbia, and 20th to 14th Streets. Adams Morgan is where I would feel comfortable lounge-hopping on the weekend, or sitting on a stoop, talkin’ it up with the crackheads on a Wednesday. Whether you’re bar-hopping, or just looking for a good meal, the main strip is the place, as it boasts bookshops, indie music stores, restaurants, lounges, clubs and urban art at its finest.
The food is also a significant draw. Anything you can get on M Street you can get in Adams Morgan in higher quantities, lower prices and invariably higher quality. Meskarem, one of the best Ethiopian joints around, is right off 18th Street, and some of the best Indian food I’ve had can be found at Jyoti. Live jazz can be heard nightly at Columbia Station and Tryst, a favorite late night coffee house, and clubs and deep-house lounges from Phocus to Felix and Hell all provide ambiance and a nice vibe. You can even finish up or get a late snack at The Diner, open 24-7, or even McDonald’s, for those of you so inclined.
To complete the experience, the 19th Street walk is littered with quirky shops, peddling everything from Indian fabrics and Hindi icons to incense, jewelry and antiques. That said, you have no excuse, any day of the week, not to check it out?and it’s not even that far from Dupont. You could end up on a date with the love of your life or, as in my case, passing out drunk in a rat-infested alley. It’s your call.
Hey, Adams Morgan is even a hop, skip and jump away from 14th and U Street, the heart of the U Street-Cardozo district, another must see. That’s another issue altogether. In the meantime, tell Mill and Plato to suck it, and treat yourselves to an adventure, true D.C. style.
