You could have gone to that hippie school in the middle of Iowa, where they promise you’ll have breakfast, lunch and dinner with your professors seven days a week. You know the real reason they promise that?there isn’t a damn thing to do within 80 miles. So rest assured, you made the right choice. But just because you’re in the big city doesn’t mean you’ll use it, as the Georgetown campus can become quite an insular community, with any number of leisure opportunities all to itself. Hopefully, though, sooner or later you will tire of sampling the fine array of brew at campus keggers (we have both Busch and Busch Lite here). True, it may take seven semesters or more, but the time will soon come when flip cup just isn’t going to be as entertaining as that first mind-blowing experience. That said, we at Voice Leisure would like to introduce you to a few of our favorite off-campus activities?some more obscure than a greased camera lens, and a few more played than your mom.
RESTAURANTS
BEN’S CHILI BOWL
Friday night, 1:00 a.m. You’re coming out of a U Street nightclub and suddenly feel a craving for grease, meat and milkshakes. Salvation is mere blocks away.
At Ben’s Chili Bowl, the signature dish is the chili half-smoke, a half-smoke being a sausage somewhat bigger and spicier than a hot dog. Smother that in chili, onion and mustard, add a complimentary handful of potato chips (better yet, go for the wonderfully artery-hardening cheese fries), and you’ve got yourself a taste of the real Washington. If that particular type of meat doesn’t do it for you, try a chili dog or a chili cheeseburger. Vegetarians (surprise!) have a number of options as well, starting with the excellent vegetarian chili?though chances are, your chili soy burger was still fried in whatever’s in that coffee can labeled “LARD.”
The jukebox on the back wall is an institution itself: whether it’s the sweet sounds of Marvin Gaye, the funk of ‘70s-era James Brown, or the indigenous syncopations of go-go, bring a quarter or two and dance to three decades of the finest in black music while you wait. 1213 U St., N.W., Metro: U Street/Cardozo
CAF? LA RUCHE
Seldom do restaurants that we can afford inspire us to make the hand-kissing-fingertips gesture with fervor and gusto. But Caf? La Ruche inspires us to such gesticulation, and a good deal more. The menu successfully hits many of French cuisine’s high points; duck ? l’orange, moules ni?oise, chicken cordon bleu and quiche lorraine are just a few of the fine entrees, mostly available for $10-$20. However, this restaurant’s raison d’?tre is its dessert list. If you can’t decide, get the huge chocolate thing with the bananas.
The interior d?cor has a passably innocuous pan-Europeanist look, so you might prefer the outdoor patio. But if you make it there on a Monday or a Tuesday, be sure to sit inside so you can catch the guitarist. Depending upon how many drinks he’s had, you might hear charming versions of “Michelle” or “Stand By Me.” Or you might hear “Say My Name.” Rain or shine, La Ruche is an excellent call when you’re sick of looking at your fellow Hoyas; despite its accessible location, the joint is all but devoid of students. 1039 31st St., N.W., just south of M Street
PEPPERS
Slightly off the beaten path Dupont Circle, just east on the 17th Street strip of trendy and eclectic restaurants, bars and clubs, lies Peppers, an excellent spot to sit back, watch the world go by and enjoy some tasty food. By far the best part of Peppers is the outside patio, where on a nice day you can take in one of few parts of the District that has a true neighborhood feel. Residents are constantly passing by, walking dogs, going to the grocery store or just enjoying a stroll when the weather is nice; across the street are brownstone and row houses that will make you jealous of those who are lucky enough to live near all the activity without the hustle and bustle of city. The entire atmosphere is relaxing and carefree.
Once you’re hungry from all the people watching, you’ll want to enjoy Peppers standard American fare, with such worldly influences as Tex-Mex and Thai cuisine. The vegetarian dumplings, steamed or fried, and the homemade hummus are excellent starters. The highlight of the entr?e menu is the pretzel-crusted chicken; with its unique shell of crushed pretzels and a light mustard cream sauce it is a delicious dish that we haven’t found anywhere else. The side of garlic mashed potatoes complements it well, although adding salt and pepper will make it better. For a lighter fare, try the California sandwich, which blends the aforementioned hummus with fresh avocados and other vegetables. Fortunately, once you’re full from the generous portions, you can hop on the G2 bus for a quick ride back to campus. 1527 17th St. N.W., GUTS/G2 Metrobus to Dupont Circle
NIGHTCLUBS
BUZZ & VELVET NATION
Before New York City’s Twilo shut down, people kind of argued whether it or D.C.’s Buzz was the biggest club night on the East Coast. But then Twilo went out of business, leaving us to carry the torch. Every Friday night at Nation, a club in the oft-maligned Southeast quadrant, Buzz hosts DJs from around the planet throwing down the jams in two rooms and on the back patio. All reports indicate that their booking continues to be top-notch, bringing us a nice mix of huge name acts?The Crystal Method headlines tomorrow night?with lesser-known DJs for the hardcore among you. Residents include Dieselboy and Buzz owner Scott Henry. On Saturdays, Buzz’s gay neighbor Velvet Nation takes over the venue for the same bag of tricks. The DJs aren’t as big-name, but the party is just as wild. Maybe more so.
This venue specializes in crazy stunts to keep partygoers interested, so if the huge sound system isn’t enough, just stare at the huge spasm-inducing lights. Be sure to duck when the gigantic strobe chandelier gets lowered to within a few feet of the dance floor. And if that isn’t sufficiently bizarre, check out the next foam party on Aug. 30. They fill the whole place with foam, so that’s cool. One thing to remember: With tickets ranging from $15 to $20, plus some extra cash to get your crunk self home, these nights can be an expensive habit. Friday and Saturday nights respectively at Nation, 1015 Half St., S.E., Metro: Navy Yard
9:30 CLUB
It’s the granddaddy of D.C. rock clubs ? whatever the hell that means. Honestly, 9:30 is the premier name in the D.C. rock scene. Over the past 20 years, it’s gone from nurturing the great bands of the D.C. hardcore movement to featuring big, national rock acts in a relatively intimate setting. The past few years have seen the club attracting bigger and bigger acts, which is probably a good thing, leaving Black Cat and others to handle the less-known acts. With the quick wane of the swing craze, tickets should be readily available for Big Bad Voodoo Daddy tonight, Andrew W.K. will shed any number of bodily fluids Sept. 13 and on Sept. 18, George Clinton brings the P-Funk All Stars around for (yet another) Chocolate City homecoming. Stay afterwards for the Geritol-chugging contest!
Word to the wise: Leave the fake ID’s at home. You don’t want Josh, the 400-pound bouncer with the piercings and the big plastic expanders in his ear telling you your business. After all, when you’re paying $20 to see your favorite band, that giant splotch of ink on your left hand is small insurance against getting thrown out before you even get in. 815 V St., N.W., Metro: U Street/Cardozo
BLACK CAT
Indie snobs tend to use some strange criteria when judging their venues: Cramped is better than spacious, smoky is better than not, and the more black horn-rimmed glasses, the better. On each count, Black Cat fares well indeed, despite moving last year two blocks from an even more cramped and smoky location to its present two story edifice on 14th Street. Now, Black Cat can hold more pairs of black horn-rimmed glasses than ever.
Beware: Out front, there’s a vegetarian caf?. We carnivores at Voice Leisure find this highly suspicious. So, bear right into the Red Room for some low-key relaxation and a game of pool, go to the backstage for or head right upstairs to the Main Stage.
Plus, the music is usually good too. Though the club will be closed for repairs next week, big names are on their way. Hometown favorites Q and Not U play Sept. 6, while later in the month, check out Spoon, Girls Against Boys and Velocity Girl on their reunion tour. October should be even bigger, with Built to Spill’s Doug Martsch playing a solo set, and visits from favorites Neko Case and Low. Also popular are the monthly dance parties. Check out Bliss, featuring the sweetest sounds in indie pop courtesy of DJ Will Eastman this Saturday, and Mousetrap, the renowned Britpop dance-a-thon in the main room Sept. 14. 1811 14th St., N.W., Metro: U Street/Cardozo
CINEMA & THEATER
VISIONS CINEMA
The District of Columbia is generally not known for its film scene, as multiplexes dominate the city’s landscape and drain its creativity. There are however, a couple of options for those who deem themselves cinemaniacs. Visions Cinema and Bistro Lounge, nestled on a side street off Dupont Circle, is Washington’s premier (uh, make that only) independent cinema. Specializing in offbeat, foreign and art-house fare, Visions screens the films unavailable elsewhere. Currently showing are two rock documentaries, while the upcoming calendar promises shorts, an African Film Festival and the first ever Inuit movie. The complex also provides a Mediterranean bistro and a lounge bar area seating hipsters and film geeks alike. Visions is cool, it’s hip, it’s with it. More importantly, however, are the $5 weekend Midnight Movie special and $6.50 student discount that guarantee a surplus of cash for the budget-minded moviegoer. 1927 Florida Ave., N.W., GUTS/G2 Metrobus to Dupont Circle
UPTOWN THEATRE
The very opposite of Visions, the Uptown charges a 10-spot for the hot, mainstream Hollywood movie of the moment. Moving outside to inside, one first encounters a massive marquis harking back to days of cinematic yore and a gold inlaid, mirrored lobby offering up an Art Deco lover’s wet dream. With one curved screen measuring huge by large, there is the option of perching oneself in a balcony that allows patrons to sit eye to eye with their favorite movie hunk and/or goddess. Every so often, the Uptown screens a selection of classics. The past few years have seen Raiders of the Lost Ark, A Clockwork Orange, and Casablanca. One of the few remaining throwbacks to the beautiful and gaudy days of movie palaces, it is mandatory to go here at least once a year. 3426 Connecticut Ave., N.W., Metro: Cleveland Park
ARENA STAGE
Nestled along the waterfront of the lonely Southwest Quadrant is one of the country’s best theaters. Despite its unlikely locale, however, Arena Stage has had no trouble leaving its mark on the development of American regional theater. Among other achievements, Arena was the first regional theater to transfer a production to Broadway, the first to tour in Cold-War Eastern Europe and the first to receive a Tony Award.
As the largest non-profit theater in Washington, Arena Stage has time and again proven its commitment to fostering artistic life in the community. With a focus on “theater of the Americas,” Arena lends a voice to many up-and-coming American playwrights in addition to producing American classics. Offerings last year ranged from On the Jump, a fresh and quirky romantic comedy, to Blues in the Night, a soulful musical revue, to Of Mice and Men, a keystone of American theatrical tradition.
The upcoming season promises an even more enticing variety. First up is Anthems: Culture Clash in the District, a collection of diverse personal stories in a post-9/11 Washington. After that, Arena will round out the fall with Moliere’s witty comedy The Misanthrope, August Wilson’s solemn and reflective drama about “the lies behind the American dream,” Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, and Rogers and Hammerstein’s enduring musical South Pacific. A more interesting grab bag of theatrical endeavors is not to be found here in Northwest. 1101 Sixth St., S.W., Metro: Waterfront/SEU
DAY TRIPS
NATIONAL BUILDING MUSEUM
Stuck amidst a campus of office buildings and courthouses is one of Washington’s best museums. Since the National Building Museum is not located along the mall or associated with the Smithsonian system, it is often forgotten. But the museum, dedicated to exploring architecture, engineering and urban planning, offers some of the most interesting exhibits in the city.
After last year’s terrorist attacks, the museum featured a retrospective on the World Trade Center, its construction, and its place in the New York skyline. Currently, On Track: Transit and the American City expertly explores issues of public transportation in American cities past, present and future, including how such systems are proposed, planned, funded and built, and Washington’s own Metro is featured prominently.
Furthermore, though Georgetown has sadly few educational opportunities for those of us interested in architecture or urban planning, the museum offers weekly lectures, mostly free of charge. Even if you aren’t the least bit interested in the exhibits, the building itself, built in 1881, is spectacular (even if it is a popular venue for Georgetown formal dances.) 401 F St., N.W., Metro: Judiciary Square
HIRSHHORN MUSEUM
Funny thing about the Hirshhorn Museum is, it looks really cool. Kind of like a spaceship. Inside, the bizarre ride continues?20th-century sculpture, minimalist art and video installations only a wackjob could love abound. Their exhibitions are always good; Ron Mueck’s creepily larger-than-life sculptures will be showing through the end of October, and the Hirshhorn is also exhibiting a collection of urban photography from a variety of artists.
In front of the museum is their sculpture garden, which is excellent, if you like that sort of thing. If you just want something cool to look at, check out the maddeningly perspective-bending Needle Tower. Independence Avenue at Seventh Street, S.W., Metro: L’Enfant Plaza
CAMDEN YARDS
Birds, Boos and Boog. While the Orioles are the most boring team in the majors this side of Tampa Bay, Oriole Park at Camden Yards is a beautiful place to watch a baseball game. To distract you from watching Tony Batista strike out six times, be sure to sample former Oriole great Boog Powell’s palatable pit beef, a gristle-laden shredded beef product. The park’s waterfront view is spectacular and there is not a bad seat in the house. One may think that the warehouses behind the stadium would detract from the baseball experience, instead it adds to the field’s olde-tyme feel. The drive/train ride to Camden Yards is long for a day trip, but if you have not been there yet it is definitely worth it, only if the Orioles happen to be playing a good team that day. 333 W. Camden St., Baltimore, Metro to Union Station, MARC train to Camden
NEIGHBORHOOD SPOTLIGHT
Clarendon
Washington has a number of great neighborhoods, each with its own unique identity; some of these names might be pretty familiar?Adams-Morgan (see box to right), Cleveland Park, U Street, Tenleytown. But don’t forget Washington is merely a (relatively small) part of a greater metropolitan area, and there’s some pretty cool neighborhoods in the ‘burbs too. In Maryland, Takoma Park offers a quiet downtown area with tony restaurants and art galleries. In Virginia, Old Town Alexandria is home to a similar collection of restaurants and cultural attractions, but in a Colonial-era setting. But in Alexandria’s neighbor to the north, Arlington, there are a few cool places to be found among the half-assed high-rises and strip malls.
The prime spot in Arlington is undoubtedly Clarendon, which consists of the area near the intersection of Wilson and Clarendon Boulevards, and is served by the Metro station of the same name, two stops from Rosslyn on the orange line. Centered around the Metro station and a small park are number of excellent and inexpensive ethnic restaurants. Clarendon is host to a plethora of Vietnamese establishments, and Caf? Dalat (3143 Wilson Blvd.) and Nam Viet (1127 N. Hudson St.) are two of the best. If you’re in the mood for North African specialties, try Taste of Morocco (3211 N. Washington Blvd.) or the bizarrely named Kabob Bazaar (3133 Wilson Blvd.) down the street. Though most of the many Salvadorean restaurants are centered down along Columbia Pike, Costa Verde (946 N. Jackson St.) is a fine Metro-accessible option.
For live music, the area offers two of the coolest small venues around. Iota (2832 Wilson Blvd.) hosts a nice blend of crappy singer-songwriters and more sonically progressive acts, as well as a coffee bar. Galaxy Hut (2711 Wilson Blvd.) hosts local bands of varying quality, as well as the occasional band from New York or Boston. There’s also a cool restaurant inside, serving a number of fine vegetarian dishes. And if it’s a day trip, be sure to check out Orpheus Records (3173 Wilson Blvd.), the D.C. area’s best used record store, wall-to-wall with vinyl strange, obscure and otherwise.
NEIGHBORHOOD SPOTLIGHT
Adams Morgan
Following 18th Street as it snakes north from Dupont Circle, Adams Morgan’s core offers everything a twentysomething could want in a suitably insane weekend atmosphere.
At 2423 18th St., N.W. is DCCD, one of the District’s finer record stores. With a good collection of new CDs, a small yet interesting collection of new vinyl and a used CD section that caters to a variety of tastes, the place is pretty hot. Plus, it’s open late, so you can wander in for some impulse shopping when you get out of the bar.
If music isn’t tripping your trigger, try one of the area’s fine trinket shops, located every 20 feet. Far superior to the M Street variety, they still offer an extensive selection of knock-off Georgetown sweatshirts in addition to baubles of all shapes and sizes. It’s everything a Hoya could need.
For dining options, Adams Morgan never fails to excite. Excellent Ethiopian and West African cuisine abound, including the critically-acclaimed Meskerem (2434 18th St., N.W.). Take the would-be hipster in your life to Rumba Caf? (2443 18th St., N.W.) or Tryst (2459 18th St., N.W.), or for breakfast any time day or night, to The Diner (2453 18th St., N.W.). And if you’re feeling gutsy, risk one of the late-night pizza stands. But we don’t recommend it.
