Of all the venerable hotel bars that this city offers, the one that never really spoke to me was the St. Regis Library Lounge. With an air that screamed lobbyist power broker, it just never provided the quirky elegance that I find essential in a grand old hotel. That changed for me this past autumn when I popped in for a look before the most scrumptious Thanksgiving meal ever (if you have a serious special occasion coming up, go to Adour, it’s incredible). I knew the hotel had been renovated but I assumed it would be more of the same. Wrong.

The Bar at the St. Regis (its official name) is soothingly decorated now in shades of violet and grey, adding Art Deco touches like crazy 1960’s biomorphic light fixtures to a 40-seat room dominated by an intensely elaborate Italianate ceiling. Lacquered, metallic, mirrored surfaces abound. It’s simply gorgeous, but not overwhelming. You can easily tuck into a soft corner and broker your deal or impress your date. As for the drinks, they’ve undergone a change too. Sure, there’s the high-end madness one might expect (Remy Martin’s Black Pearl Magnum, anyone? $1,926 – the year the hotel opened – for a two ounce pour out of the only bottle in DC…).

But you can also have a little luxury for less, and enjoy some wacky molecular mixology too!

‘Adour 10′
courtesy of ‘maxedaperture’

Molecular mixology? Oh yes. The Bar’s signature cocktail is the Adour Bubbles & Pearls, made with Prosecco and “Cointreau Caviar.” Cointreau has supplied about 20 bars in the country with tool kits that within about an hour processing time transform the liquid into a solid state. Basically, it’s a calcium bath that results in pearl shapes. They can be infused with additional flavors as well. WLDC author Max and I tried this cocktail after admiring the delicate dance of the bubbles and the “pearls” as they floated to the top.

“They taste like jelly bellies,” Max quipped, and he’s right – I thought they might burst in your mouth like fish roe, but instead they are completely solid, like tapioca balls. So if you love bubble tea, this is the cocktail for you! It’s frizzy and fun.

‘Adour 7′
courtesy of ‘maxedaperture’

We also got to preview The Bar’s limited edition cocktail for the Cherry Blossom Festival. It’s called Acai of Spring (Acai = a-sigh) and will be available starting March 30. Composed of a vodka and Cointreau base infused with black cherries, spices and acai, the Cointreau Pearls are infused with acai and added here topped by a champagne float. The garnish is sugared black cherries. It’s a very pretty and aromatic drink that made me long for that festival and spring to get started.

So who’s responsible for these drinks? It’s mixologist Mia Baila, who moved from Florida to DC in 2008 to join the St. Regis team. She’s a painter as well, and that artistic background is evident in her drinks style.

“Painting and mixology are just two avenues that lead to the same thing,” she explained, “an exploration of the senses… sense of sight and taste. My paintings are comprised of layers and layers of paint and those layers make up the image, while the drinks that I design have layers of flavors and those layers make up the final taste. Of course, a drink is visual too… it has to look good!”

Moving from Florida to DC was a no-brainer for Mia, who loves living downtown and being in the center of cultural activity. “There is such a wealth of culture in this city, and it’s all so available to everyone,” she asid, echoing many others. When I ask her where she likes to go on nights off, she says, “there are so many great mixologists and chefs here that it’s difficult to decide sometimes… so many people doing wonderfully creative things make for an incredibly stimulating environment!”

‘Adour 3′
courtesy of ‘maxedaperture’

I’m always interested in finding out what the most popular drink is at any given bar, and here Mia says it’s the Trial by Berry, featuring fresh blackberries, house infused vanilla vodka, fresh lime, spices and a champagne float. “It has the added bonus of being good for you with the berries, and the color is just beautiful,” she said.

Mixing drinks that are good for you as well as pretty is Mia’s specialty – as she said, ”Drinks can and should be good for you as well as delivering a buzz!” On the spot she rustled up a “greens martini” for me with green superfood powder, fresh pressed apple juice, blueberries, Ketel Citroen and lemon with a champagne float and garnished with mint. It’s not on the menu – she just happened to have some green superfood in her purse – but this off-the-cuff concoction surprisingly did taste good, in a fun childhood way it reminded me of Pez. She’s whipped up wheatgrass cocktails as well! The Bar features its famous Red Snapper Bloody Mary and a variety of the original “good for you” tomato-based drink, so I suppose it’s all part of the same tradition.

‘Adour 4′
courtesy of ‘maxedaperture’

Cocktails at The Bar at St. Regis are on par with other luxury spots – $16 each (the hotel graciously comped our first round). I can easily see relaxing here with a drink before a dinner date – it’s also definitely one for the parents or a high-end client. Whichever occasion brings you here, Mia is a treasure and will make sure you are well taken care of, with both booze and vitamins in balanced proportion.

Reader Meredith Peruzzi, a lifelong area resident and a current Gallaudet student, approached We Love DC eager to share her perspective on the city. Here she explains why she loves DC…

I always thought that people who weren’t native to a place didn’t really identify with it – that if you asked somebody where they were from, they’d name their hometown.  I grew up in the DC area, so whenever someone asked where I was from, I’d always say “here” – this has always been my home, and I can’t consider myself “from” anywhere else.  I’m a Washingtonian because I’ve always been one.

So I assumed that DC was “my city” and that people who moved here didn’t necessarily feel that they were Washingtonians.  Until I started reading We Love DC, and realized that even transplants love this town and feel a connection to it.  People who like to move from city to city may not identify with DC, but anyone who makes their home here is a Washingtonian.

So DC is my city, but it’s also your city, our city, and everyone’s city.  Tourists flock to DC every spring and summer because they want to see where their tax dollars are going, where their senators and representatives live, and all the famous monuments and buildings that grace their money and their history books.  Across the nation, civic pride is personal – the Statue of Liberty belongs to New Yorkers, and the Golden Gate Bridge belongs to San Franciscans.  But the Washington Monument and the White House belong to all Americans, and I love that they come to experience DC because America means something to them.  It’s not so much “welcome to my home” as it is “welcome home.”

And I love that what those tourists are coming to see is part of my daily landscape.  Not everybody in Los Angeles drives past Disneyland every day, but as part of my commute I drive past the White House, the Washington Monument, the Jefferson and Lincoln Memorials, and the United States Capitol (I used to drive past the Pentagon, too).  I’ve been driving this route for years now, and I am totally serious when I say that these landmarks touch me every time I see them.

I love it when out-of-towners come to DC to protest, too.  Sometimes it causes traffic delays, but I’m okay with that because it’s part of the joy of living here.  DC is home base for protests and rallies of every stripe, and it’s precisely because of the unique political nature of the city.  Nobody holds a “March on Chicago” when they have an important cause – they come here.  This is where you can capture the nation’s attention, this is where you can make a difference.  DC is about effecting change, we are ground zero for making your world better.

We’re also ground zero for honoring people.  I love the lead-up to Memorial Day weekend, when motorcycles start appearing on our highways and streets.  I have absolutely nothing in common with the people who come to remember our POWs and MIAs, but I love when Rolling Thunder comes to town – they have a conviction, a sense of duty, and they bring it to DC every year.  And despite the fuss over the Tom Hanks-endorsed WWII memorial changing the landscape of the National Mall, we find room to honor everyone.  The Air Force memorial might be just across the Potomac, but it’s still part of the celebration of men and women who have done something for America.

There’s so much to love about DC: I love the Truth Truck, the Easter Egg Roll on the White House Lawn, the motorcades, the swarms of students in matching shirts, the cabs in every color of the rainbow, Braddock’s Rock, the Old Stone House, the Canal House, the friezes on EPA-East, softball games on the west end of the Mall, and that a little panda could melt the heart of everyone.

And I love how we’re growing.  I’m a student at Gallaudet University, which is adjacent to Trinidad and just north of the Atlas District.  I curse the construction on H Street every time my car hits another steel plate, but the H Street Trolley is going to make a big difference to a neighborhood that’s been struggling nonstop since the 1968 riots.  Eastern Market is growing too: it’s better than ever after the renovations following the fire in 2007.

When friends from elsewhere mock the District, I tell them not to make fun of my city, my hometown.  I got especially defensive when I saw the New York Times write about our nightlife, saying it had “finally come of age” – as if my city was only about politics and didn’t know how to have a good time!  But when it comes down to it, it’s not my city, it’s America’s city.  A recent study says DC is the fourth most liberal city in the nation, but by nature we have conservatives and liberals here.  We’re everybody, and that’s why I love DC.

Want to share why you love DC? Tell us in Suggest-a-Story.

Remnants of Beer vs. Wine, by Jenn Larsen on Flickr

Thor Cheston is the beer director for Brasserie Beck, while Leah Dedmon is the wine director for BRABO. They may both work for Robert Wiedmaier (Rammy’s Chef of the Year last June), but they are passionate rivals on the merits of beer vs. wine, especially when it comes to which will pair best with food.

Oh, they’re also engaged.

Fellow WLDC author Kirk and I aren’t engaged. We aren’t even really rivals, he just happens to be partial to beer while I prefer cocktails. But we are committed to bringing you the very best in drinks! So when we learned Thor and Leah would be going head-to-head in a battle to prove whether beer or wine would win as best for food pairings, we jumped. Four courses crafted by Robert Wiedmaier, paired by Leah and Thor with both wine and beer? There was even a tie-breaker course! It’s a rough life, but we suffered for you.

Most importantly, the loser of this ancient struggle has to do the other’s laundry for a month (that would be Thor or Leah, not Kirk or I!). Along the way we learned a lot about interesting ways to do food pairings with different types of beer and wine. All took place Wednesday night over at Wiedmaier’s ”foodie trifecta” partnership with Kimpton’s Lorien Hotel & Spa in Old Town, Alexandria – BRABO, the Tasting Room, and the Butcher’s Block.

It was a tough crowd of fervent wine and beer lovers. So let’s kick this battle off with some oysters, a strong golden ale, and a chablis….

Malheur 10 vs. Domaine des Malandes Chablis, by Jenn Larsen on Flickr

First Course
Hama Hama Oyster Gratin, with Champagne and Rocca Cheese
Wine: Domaine des Malandes “Cuvee Tour du Roy” 2007 Chablis, France
Beer: Malheur 10, Buggenhout, Belgium

After a coin toss (which almost ended the battle right there, as no one seems to carry coins around anymore), Thor was lucky to begin the opening arguments, introducing us to his pick for the first course and giving a little tutorial on Belgium, his favorite beer-producing country (it’s no accident he was recently knighted by the Belgian Brewers Guild last August). With some 120 breweries producing over 700 beers annually, Belgians take beer as seriously as the French take wine. They have a well-deserved pride in their ancient beer culture. For the first course pairing, Thor chose Malheur, a strong golden ale with fruity yeastiness. Entirely bottle-conditioned, it continues to ferment in the bottle. “This beer is still very much active and very much alive,” Thor says as the bottles popped, “I wanted a light beer with enough ‘oompf’ to not overwhelm the cheese, but light enough not to overwhelm the oysters.”

Leah rebuffed with Chablis, a wine which is 100% Chardonnay from Burgundy. This particular wine was from Domaine des Malandes, a small producer fittingly featuring a husband-and-wife team (“the wife does most of the work,” she quips. Clearly the battle lines are being drawn!). This Chablis was fermented in new oak barrels, so it keeps all of its acidity to stand up to the richness of the oyster gratin, but has a little more richness itself to complement the dish. “I think you’re going to find it has more minerality than the beer,” Leah says with a twinkle.

We dove in, sipping first, then tasting, then sipping again as instructed. The oyster gratin was indeed rich and creamy, just ridiculously good. But I knew I’d already lost this round to Kirk; Chablis is not one of my favorite wines and the pairing seemed conventional. The beer however, was superb. Our table was in agreement – only one vote for wine – we all thought the wine would be excellent had it been raw oysters, but the beer perfectly stood up to the richness of the dish.

(19 for Beer, 4 for Wine…)

To Kirk’s credit, he’s not gloating over my betrayal of wine. “Since you like wine, Belgian beer is a good place to start, there’s a lot of art that goes into its craft, and history. I just had a beer from a brewery that started in 700.”
“700? Like Charlemagne.”
“Yep.”

Hama Hama Oyster Gratin, by Jenn Larsen on Flickr

Second Course
Roasted Medallions of Monk Fish, with Nicoise Olives and Pancetta
Wine: Benito Ferrar 2008 Greco di Tufo, Italy
Beer: Brooklyn Local 1, Brooklyn, New York

“Do you know what wine has that beer doesn’t have?” Leah asks as we start the second course, “Place.” She paints a picture of a seaside meal in Italy with the fresh ingredients playing off the local wine. Sigh. The Greco di Tufo she chose is from Campania near Naples, and it’s a rich wine with beautiful acidity to play off the salty olives and ham in the dish. I’m already salivating.

Thor showcases Brooklyn Local 1, an American effort at a farmhouse ale style. Farmhouse ales evolved at end of brewing season as a way to keep beer throughout the summer, by brewing strong and hop heavy with lots of spices to keep it from going sour. “I’d like to bring up what beer has that wine doesn’t,” Thor says wryly, “and that’s pretty much everything.” The room erupts in laughter, but he’s got a point – beer consists of the base of water, malt, hops and yeast – but from that base can be added other ingredients like sugar, fruit, or spices, which doesn’t happen with wine. Does that make it superior with food pairings? That’s what he’s trying to prove.

The beer pairs well with the mildness of the monkfish, but the wine stands up to the olives and ham. I really liked the beer on its own, which was surprising to me as I’m not usually a hoppy beer drinker, but this has an elegant smoothness. I’m shocked when Kirk, who’s been waffling, goes with the wine. “The pairing just excited me more,” he says. Through the table is torn for a moment, soon we all agree for wine, as does most of the room.

(2 for Beer, 21 for Wine…)

Schneider Aventinus vs. Domaine Zind-Humbrecht Pinot Gris, by Jenn Larsen on Flickr

Third Course
Roasted Pork Tenderloin, with Potato Gallette and Honey Apple Sauce
Wine: Domaine Zind-Humbrecht Pinot Gris “Calcaire” 2006 Alsace
Beer: Schneider Aventinus, Kelheim, Germany

Thor chose a strong dark wheat beer from a grand old brewery, made entirely within the German purity law that strictly regulates ingredients (water, barley, hops, yeast only). I’m shocked at the variety of flavors evident – cloves and bananas! It’s unbelievably delicious. He tries to seduce our vote by showing the preferred pouring method, straight upside down into a glass. But there’s no need for show – this beer is incredible. I can’t believe the banana note. Our table is convinced it would be perfect with apple or pumpkin pie.

“When you have a sweet dish, the sweetness of the wine should be equal or greater than the sweetness in the food,” Leah says as the Alsatian Pinot Gris is poured. Noble rot is obviously present, there’s a beautiful golden color and sweetness to it without losing the acidity, with some apple notes and a long finish. “It’s like drinking velvet,” a tablemate sighs.

The ante has been upped – both are amazing choices. “Both have very similar characteristics,” Kirk says, as we are momentarily distracted by how divinely tender the pork is, the buttery carrots, the potato gallette – the whole table is sighing contently. But choice has to happen, and though I’m surprised at how much I love the beer, I have to go with my favorite wine varietal. I try to convince Kirk that the wine takes on the dish as a whole, whereas the beer is best solo. But, he goes with the beer.

(10 for Beer, 13 for Wine…)

Cheese Course
Epoisse Cheese, with Roasted Yellow Beets, Carmelized Walnuts and Red Onion
Wine: Cossart Gordon Bual 15 Years Madeira, Portugal
Beer: La Choulette sans Culottes, Hordain, France

Ah, fortified wine. Leah explains that its beginnings were an accident, when neutral grape spirits were added to wine to keep it on long ship voyages. A barrel was left in the sun, and they liked the taste so much a whole industry was born. She’s picked Madeira, a fortified wine with a balance of sweet earthiness to cut through the Epoisse cheese, which is a bit stinky, and complement the beets and walnuts.

Thor counters with a French beer that’s a lovely delicate froth, and asks us to taste it first with just a shaving off of the cheese. “Take a big swig of that beer and it turns the cheese into ice cream,” he says, and remarkably, it does!

Kirk sways me towards the beer, as it’s so lovely and light with the richness of the cheese, but in the end I can’t resist the complexity of the Madeira. The vote count is identical to the last course, but flipped for beer.

(13 for Beer, 10 for Wine…)

It’s close, 44 to 48, so we go to a tie-breaker course!

Tie-Breaker Course!
Chocolate Truffles
Wine: Domaine Medeloc 2004 Banyuls, France
Beer: Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout, Brooklyn, New York

Thor pours an imperial stout, and I get nervous. Imperial stout was the first beer I actually fell in love with – the roasted malt taste, the chocolate espresso flavor! As a coffee drinker, I love the idea of pairing it with dessert. “This is an advanced beer,” Kirk says. Maybe he’s buttering me up. Banyuls is Leah’s response, a fortified wine from Southern France made from grenache, with a rich sweet fruit taste to complement the truffles, one of which is raspberry. “That’s phenomenal, transcendent,” Kirk says upon sipping it, just as Robert Wiedmaier enters to applause. Chef ex machina? He gives us a little talk on the rise of beer pairings and how both wine and beer can be successful with food, teasing both Thor and Leah equally. I don’t sense any bias!

But since I prefer to end my meals with espresso, I go with the stout. Shockingly, Kirk goes with the wine. We’ve switched! Chef Wiedmaier announces the results of the tie-breaker and notes, “it was a very divided room.”

(11 for Beer, 12 for Wine…)

The grand total for the evening? 55 for Beer, 60 for Wine. The room goes wild! Thor has to go buy Tide to do all that laundry for a month. But, he’s gracious about the loss and Leah doesn’t gloat. I think everyone left the tasting more intrigued about pairing beer with food. I certainly did; maybe that’s why Kirk seems non-plussed by beer’s loss. He knows a potential convert has been made. Salut!

Thor Cheston & Leah Dedmon, by Jenn Larsen on Flickr

Many thanks to Charissa Benjamin at Kimpton for allowing us to attend at a discount.

Clementine Thomas and Brian Sutow in No Rules Theatre Company's production of "Some Girl(s)" Photo Credit: C. Stanley Photography

It’s Neil LaBute’s birthday next week, so it seems fitting that relative newcomers No Rules Theatre Co. are performing his play Some Girl(s) now through March 21st. Many have called him a psychologist of the dark side of the human soul, others a misogynist (personally, I think he’s an equal opportunity misanthrope). LaBute was responsible for one of my favorite films, Your Friends and Neighbors, scenes of which still sting sharp in my mind. Fellow WLDC author Don and I ventured out to H Street Playhouse convinced we would be at each other’s throats at the end of the play, in fitting tribute to LaBute with a raucous “He Said, She Said” review.

Our bottom line? This is a tight production featuring great performances, guaranteed to cause debate afterwards. The play’s age is showing, and a key character seems miscast, but that shouldn’t stop you from heading out to H Street and laughing cruelly as LaBute holds the mirror up to our blighted interpersonal relationships. It seems a pretty simple plot – watch as a man revisits his most memorable flings and exes before his impending marriage. Fun times! Who hasn’t wanted to gloat a little over the ones you left behind? But it’s not that simple, of course.

Don: I felt pretty certain I was going to like Some Girl(s) within a few minutes of Clementine Thomas’ entrance as Sam, the main character’s high school ex. She so perfectly wore the movements and facial expressions of someone feeling and thinking much more than she was saying that I thought to myself “a production that casts this person and gets this performance? I’m betting on good.”

Jenn: The best thing about this production is the acting of the four female leads, without a doubt. I may not completely buy the stereotypes LaBute rubber stamps here (from the pot-smoking wild child to the hot older professor, really? has every guy tried every flavor?) but they are beautifully etched by an ensemble cast. Moments are perfectly paced and tightly directed by Joshua Morgan.

Don: Sure enough, I got to the end of Some Girl(s) happy to have seen it. No Rules Theatre Co. follows up their positive buzz from last year over their production of Hedwig with an admirable sophomore effort. They make nice use of the H Street Playhouse space, which is a small achievement in itself. It’s a big, dark low-ceiling (as theaters go) space without a raised stage that can yield some really ugly sound and appearance, but the set and lighting are attractive and I’ve been in million-dollar theaters where I didn’t hear the dialogue as crisply as I did there.

That’s not to say it’s a perfect production. While Jenn had a more negative reaction to the casting of Brian Sutow in the lead, I similarly questioned that the man who looks and acts like this would be such a lightning rod for female passion. I’m willing to suspend disbelief and accept that the somewhat awkward and average-looking fellow can attract lots of women – certainly I tried to convince myself of that idea through all my single years – but the combination of looks, how he plays the character, and occasionally casual meanness didn’t quite jibe for me.

Jenn: Co-Artistic Director Brian Sutow plays Guy, whose exploration of his past women forms the basic plot. Sutow is a fine actor but personally I kept longing for a different physical type. For me the perfect LaBute man is Jason Patric, a blank muscular psychopath exuding emotional unavailability. My reason isn’t eye candy, seriously. The character of Guy, a writer sifting through his life in an attempt to find the next hot story, needs to be believable as an “emotional terrorist,” as he’s described. We have to believe he’s the sort of man that a woman would be enthralled enough to remember after years, would still throw herself at him after rejection, would come to a strange hotel room, etc.

I just don’t see it here, where he comes across as a rather petulant and callow narcissist, more in the Ben Stiller vein. It works nicely at the end when he’s unmasked but left me bemused in other scenes. When he battled against his character’s match in narcissism, the brilliantly cold Lindsay played by Lisa Hodsoll as iron-clad as her abs, it just didn’t ring true that she would’ve risked her reputation for a fling with him.

Don: It’s less of an issue for me than LaBute’s script, which I didn’t think really delivered in the final act. When we discussed it after the fact, Jenn and I discovered that a pivotal reveal made us each certain we’d hit the secret truth of the play… and we were both wrong about where we thought it was going. Instead it was more banal, which might have been fine if the play and the players had earned it. Instead I ended up with a bit of a “well, so?” kind of reaction to the thread that supposedly tied it all together.

Honestly though, I didn’t much care. If you forced me to pick a favorite out of the four female performances I could use the highly respected EMMM randomization algorithm and be perfectly happy with any of the results. Every one of them brings something excellent. Thomas’ command of the silent moments, Morgan Reis’ slightly hurt wild child, Lisa Hodsoll’s steel hand in a velvet glove, Emily Simoness’ sharp anger… all good performances and enough reason to see the show by themselves.

Jenn: LaBute wrote the play in 2005, and though it’s only been five years, it’s already seeming a bit dated. Guy’s whole ruse is to get material for a piece in Esquire (whose name he intones like it’s the gold standard), the women are impressed with his being published in the New Yorker, and he’s supposedly in his late twenties. The relevancy of such markers are being cast aside. Would the Guys of this world actually care? Wouldn’t they rather have blogs to publish their escapades and philosophies in? Of course, and they already do.

Despite this, there are some sadly truthful moments in the play, capably pulled forward by director Joshua Morgan. When Morgan Reis quietly states, “it’s never easy being second,” she speaks for all who know they are just placeholders until something better comes along. It’s a delicate glimpse of deeper layers in her turn as the free-spirited, sexually voracious Tyler. Equally multi-dimensional is Emily Simoness as Bobbi, the past love still completely out of Guy’s league.

Don: While I’d have liked to have seen more locals in the cast, I can’t argue with the end result. I’m looking forward to seeing what No Rules does next.

Jenn: Agreed. This is a young and exciting company finding a home here in DC. And any play that makes an audience laugh in both shock and sympathy is a great night out!

Some Girl(s) by Neil LaBute
No Rules Theatre Co. at the H Street Playhouse
1365 H Street Northeast
Washington, DC 20002
Tickets online or 866.811.4111

The talented folks over at DC Theatre Scene have asked a panel of ardent Shakespeare admirers (including your most humble author) to choose their top three favorite speeches.

It’s a fascinating list that’s been assembled, from the usual suspects to a few passages you may not be as familiar with – and even better, they’re asking readers to vote! Since we’ve had such an intense conversation about Shakespeare ourselves recently, I’m very interested to see how it pans out. As they are friends of passionate theater-goers and We Love DC alike, let them know what you think.

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Michael Hayden as King Henry V in the Shakespeare Theatre Company’s production of William Shakespeare’s Henry V, directed by David Muse. Photo by Scott Suchman.

Now this is more like it.

From the first moments of Shakespeare Theatre Company’s Henry V, there’s a feeling of power and potency that I found lacking in Richard II, playing in repertory at Sidney Harman Hall. This is a company in command, helmed by David Muse’s tight, almost economical direction which sets the play firmly on course.

Productions of Henry V can veer from pro-war to anti-war (most famously, see the contrast of two films – Laurence Olivier vs. Kenneth Branagh). Here, war is certainly horrible, but it’s simply what kings must do to reign. This exploration of duty is the key to Muse’s production, in my opinion, and to the performance that leads it – Michael Hayden’s superb Henry. He embodies not just Henry’s description of himself as “plain soldier” but also of a man whose study of humanity in his wild days serves him well as king.

He’s also a scrappy fighter and a man whose bad side you want to avoid. No matter how close or safe you think you are, cross him at your peril.

From the beginning, when Muse chooses to split the Chorus into three characters (wonderfully played by Larry Paulsen, Robynn Rodriguez and Ted van Griethuysen), we’re on alert that there’s something different in store. With enthusiasm, sadness and humor they guide us through the history play by connecting directly with the audience, controlling lights and sound as if performing a lecture. It’s a conceit already inherent in the play itself, and here it lends a sense of the magic of theater that is echoed in key brilliant choices – stirring singing, unfurling maps, ghostly helmets hanging in air, a bright red laser pointer.

The action of the play centers around Henry’s campaign for the French throne and leads up to the famous battle of Agincourt. There’s never any doubt that Henry is going engage in a war between England and France – the preamble to that decision is swiftly and humorously dealt with here. It’s driven by the doubt in the minds of his followers and opponents – does Henry have the balls (Shakespeare’s joke, honest, just watch) to rise above his drunken youth and be a king? Knowledge of that doubt spurs Henry to keep a strong separation between personal and public personas. The first time that wall is breached, when he’s called upon to deal with three traitors close to him, there’s a shiver through the audience as Hayden unleashes that inner brawler. We don’t doubt he will be able to lead his troops afterwards, though the odds of defeat are high.

Todd Quick as Duke of Gloucester and Michael Hayden as King Henry V in the Shakespeare Theatre Company’s production of William Shakespeare’s Henry V, directed by David Muse. Photo by Scott Suchman.

Muse chooses to have that threat always present.  It’s never a given that England will win – the soldiers are bloodied and battered, downright pissed about being away from home - and it raises the stakes for the king. Henry must keep any personal feelings in check or risk the fate suffered by Richard. His night alone incognito with his troops is a master acting class – just watch Hayden’s expressions as he listens to the disgruntled men. There’s an emotional journey of great subtlety, simple and pure acting at its best. Afterwards, his heartfelt appeal to God not to blame him for Richard’s murder is wrenching – this Henry knows he might lose the war because of his father’s fault, which he recognizes as grave sin.

But it’s only over the dead body of his old friend Bardolph (a vacant sad clown beautifully played by Floyd King) that he fully lets go of the inner anguish of duty and disappointment. To be a king is to be utterly alone. The sadness of that brief moment brought me to tears.

He gets his reward in the end though, with a delightful courtship scene with Rachael Holmes’ Katherine. After all the blood and heavy weight of duty, this tender love match between the plain-spoken soldier and the exquisite princess is made realistic by both understanding the meaning of duty. I loved that Hayden plays the scene awkwardly, as a man who really believes he’s no great catch (for example, neither Olivier nor Branagh could quite let go of their need to be a player here!) and it’s his honest modesty that wins Katherine over.

Michael Hayden as King Henry V in foreground, with the cast of the Shakespeare Theatre Company’s production of William Shakespeare’s Henry V, directed by David Muse. Photo by Scott Suchman.

It’s not all Hayden, of course. Stephen Paul Johnson as the Welsh Captain Fluellen is moving throughout, the scholarly soldier whose gruffness hides a deep paternal love for the king. Darren Matthias grasps the many layers of scoundrel Pistol, from his first comic entrance, hamming it up in a seeming homage to Robert Newton (those rolling eyes right out of the Olivier film) to his last realization of a sordid, solitary future. The grudge match between these two is somehow both hysterical and full of pathos.

My absolute favorite part of this production is the choice to make the battle of Agincourt an aural one. This results in riveting sequences when the lights are cut to black and the audience is bombarded with the deadly sounds of war. Sound designer Martin Desjardins should get a Helen Hayes for this work, no question – it’s heartbreaking, and an excellent choice by Muse to forgo the usual choreogaphed fight scenes.

It’s a pity that I don’t feel I can recommend both of the “leadership repertory” plays, but if you can see both, by all means do it to get the contrast in kings and directorial styles. But if you can only see one, I’d urge you to make it Henry V. If this is the future of STC, I’m looking forward to more.

Henry V
Now thru April 10, 2010
Shakespeare Theatre Company at Sidney Harman Hall
610 F Street NW
Washington, DC 20004
Tickets 877.487.8849

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Michael Hayden as King Richard II in the Shakespeare Theatre Company’s production of Richard II, directed by Michael Kahn. Photo by Scott Suchman.

I don’t normally write the kind of review that I’m writing today. But to be blunt, I’ve had enough. What is going on at Shakespeare Theatre Company? Inconsistent vocality, acting styles ranging all over from natural to downright hammy, condescending directorial choices, flubbed lines. With so much talent at its disposal, I can only attribute it to growing pains with the Harman Center. But even that excuse is not going to last much longer with me. I love theater and I love Shakespeare. I want everyone to succeed. But if you don’t start bringing it, STC, I’m going to lose faith.

My first hint something was not right with Richard II, now playing in repertory with Henry V as part of an exploration on leadership themes, was in reading Michael Kahn’s directorial notes. He had decided to add a prologue from an anonymously penned Elizabethean play called Thomas of Woodstock because “I’ve always been aware of how mystified the audience is for the first four scenes.” Um, what? The audience has to piece together what happens at the first scene of Hamlet too, but I don’t see anyone advocating giving the ghost’s secret away right off the bat. So this is a choice to enlighten the audience? Why, we’re too dumb to catch up on our own? The patched together prologue is interminable and unnecessary, giving us our first glimpse of Richard’s neurosis and paranoia far too soon, not to mention solidifying in my mind -

Ok, deep breaths. Let’s jump back for a minute.

Richard II is a play about power and authority at a time when the divine right of kings was still a common belief. People in Shakespeare’s time could still remember civil wars fought for kingship, and harkening back to an earlier era of strife made the topic a little safer to explore. Richard, once a boy king whose bloom is now fading, is an arrogant man but a lion nonetheless. His vanity blinds him to the dangers surrounding him, namely his seemingly straightforward cousin Henry Bolingbroke, who starts out as a macho hothead but is really more Machiavellian than anyone else. Ghosts of the great past king Edward flicker in Richard’s uncles, whose advice he ignores to the loss of his kingdom.

It’s a sad meditation on the follies of glory. Which I find a little ironic, given the folly on display here.

Charles Borland as Henry Bolingbroke and Michael Hayden as King Richard II in the Shakespeare Theatre Company’s production of Richard II, directed by Michael Kahn. Photo by Scott Suchman.

There are missed opportunities all over the place, and I can’t fault the actors for the missteps. These are truly talented professionals not being served well by their director, and especially not by their vocal coaches. I haven’t winced so much at bad verse-speaking since… well, let’s just say it went into William Shatner-land. When two of the most beautiful monologues in the canon are ruined by actors of this caliber, that’s a bad sign. Again, what is going on? Great Edward’s brothers, uncles to Richard, are played like whiny old women. Yes, the characters are past their prime but there’s no excuse for that kind of lazy choice.

The true tragedy here is that there’s no transition for Richard from lion to rose. Instead he starts out as a high neurotic and therefore has no place to go. I spent most of the night feeling sorry for Michael Hayden in the title role, obviously a notable actor of great sensitivity. But by the time he smashes the mirror in one of the great Shakespearean moments of self-revelation, we hardly care that he’s broken – because he’s been broken all along. He’s been pushed out with no character arc, no journey to take. Hints of what could’ve been gleam in his scenes with Ted van Griethuysen as the Duke of York – in a few short strokes these two create a powerful and tender history between uncle and nephew that made me long for more such realized moments.

Surprisingly, Charles Borland’s Henry Bolingbroke actually has a journey, from eager warrior to uneasy king. His very subtle and natural performance was easily the highlight of the production for me. And my god, when Naomi Jacobson entered with a strong clear voice and a firm grasp of humor as the Duchess of York, the audience’s relief to see her was intense, released in almost nervous laughter.

What else is good? Well, the plot and family relationships are clearly rendered and easy to follow, which is definitely an accomplishment with such a complex history. The set design by Lee Savage is gorgeously simple, a golden throne rightly the focal point. But the less said about an anachronistic wheelchair, the better.

I’m seeing Henry V on Saturday and I don’t want to see this same kind of production. I want to be proven wrong. Please, STC, prove me wrong.

Richard II
Now thru April 10, 2010
Shakespeare Theatre Company at Sidney Harman Hall
610 F Street NW
Washington, DC 20004

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Chantal Tseng at Tabard Inn. Photo courtesy Chantal Tseng/Tabard Inn.

We Love Drinks continues our series where we look behind the bar, profiling the many people – from mixologists to bartenders, sommeliers to publicans – who make your drinks experience happen.

It’s no secret that one of my favorite bars in the city is Tabard Inn. The creaky lounge – a Victorian Medievalist’s fantasy, with its eccentric patrons circling the fireplace – seems somehow out of time and place, a bit dreamy really. Thankfully its mixologist’s first reaction to the bar’s collection of quirky old ingredients wasn’t to throw them all away, but to find a way to incorporate and celebrate them. It makes perfect sense.

Because Chantal Tseng sees stories everywhere. Stories for cocktails, that is.

As she describes for me her foray into the great old stock of the hotel, I have a vision of her browsing through dusty bottles in search of new worlds to uncover – like some cocktail archeologist. “Wait, what’s that? Don’t get rid of it, that could be fun to play with…” Her enthusiasm pulls me along, for mixing drinks is obviously Chantal’s love, an artistic outlet fueled by the history behind a drink and the stories it weaves afterwards.

Take the tale she spins for Odette’s Curse. It begins with her standing in front of a painting of a man ice-skating. “In a silly pose,” she says, “like a dandy on ice.” The image sets her off on an imaginative journey, like a jazz improvisation, riffing on an ice-inspired drink. She’ll go on to create Dandy on Ice as well, but a co-worker’s mention of the ballet Swan Lake sets her off on another tangent to Odette’s Curse. Its finish is a journey from citrus to spice – Maachu Pisco, St. Germain Elderflower liqueur, and St. Elizabeth’s Allspice Dram with fresh lime juice and fresh ginger juice, served up with a thin lime peel boat and charred piece of star anise – the doomed swan queen’s ending curse mimicked by “the dark element of the spice.”

‘The Curse’
courtesy of ‘Samer Farha’

Chantal’s the head mixologist at Tabard, whose able team also includes bar manager Paul Michel and bartenders Chaim Rubenstein and Shannon MacDonald. She’s originally from Buffalo, NY but left the frozen north for sunny California to study studio art at Pomona. After a summer in DC, she liked it so much she decided to come back to stay and has been here since 2000. “It’s a livable, walkable city,” she says. She’s always worked in the restaurant industry, learning on the ground by reading and experimenting constantly. She’s also achieved the second level at the Court of Master Sommeliers.

“At the time when I started, there were all these sweet, gross concoctions,” she recalls, “I used everyone as guinea pigs, trying out recipes. What am I making for you today?” With both an artistic and a culinary background, she’s got a unique ability to create drinks with both elements in harmony. I noticed this first with the signature cocktail at Tabard, which combines all the senses so beautifully.

“I wanted to evoke the signature drinks of other grand old hotels,” she explains, “It’s classic and savory and sweet, inspired by the food and the people in the kitchen.” It also incorporates some of those old ingredients she found lying about, with Milagro Reposado tequila, Lustau “Los Arcos” Amontillado Sherry, Drambuie, Regan’s Orange Bitters, served up garnished with an orange peel float and fresh thyme. I’ve had this again and again; it never gets tiresome, that note of thyme is just right.

‘The Tabard Cocktail’
courtesy of ‘Samer Farha’

Patrons are right on board with this philosophy of rediscovering old liquors. And in addition to cocktails, the wines are very popular, with “a really nice affordable wine list without too much markup.” I’ve already raved about my favorite, Bruno Porro Dolcetto, and a friend was ecstatic to get Errazuriz chardonnay there as well. Bar manager Paul Michel is working on making the beer list just as popular. The bar itself is a real community, a healthy mix of regulars, hotel guests – many of whom return or even live-ins. It’s full of good, friendly people, with constant collaboration and communication between the kitchen and bar. “It wouldn’t work without awesome people,” Chantal points out, “like pastry chef Huw making the spice mix for the Horse Collar.”

Oh yes, that addictive spice mix almost mysteriously disappeared from the bar the last time a certain author was there, if the container had been just a little smaller…

‘Horse Collar’
courtesy of ‘Samer Farha’

The Horse Collar features 8 Yr. Barbencourt rum, Huw Griffiths’s Buttered Rum Mix of butter, brown sugar and spices, boiling water and a long clove studded orange twist float. “Tabard loves their winter drinks,” she says, and I could really sip that delicious one all afternoon in front of the fireplace. Or the Wassail she created for the Christmas season, which warmed my Danish heart. Or the Amber Toddy, inspired by the story of Russia’s lost Amber Room, using rooibos tea as the base. Or those crazily named but historically accurate Corpse Revivers and Phlegm Cutters (did you know this was the actual term for your first drink of the day? that’s the sort of thing you learn talking to Chantal. brilliant fun).

We can’t have hot toddies forever, though. “I’m seasonal in my moods,” she says, though sherry will always be a strong love. Though she likes wine with food, she’s excited by the current movement to also pair beer and cocktails with food. “Why just wine with food? Why not cocktails? It’s a spell cast by the French,” she jokes with a grin, “The rules aren’t the rules anymore. It’s ok to play with temperatures, serve a traditional hot drink cold or vice versa. Break the rules, don’t worry, just give it a try!”

When Chantal’s not thinking up drinks (though I’m not sure that ever happens!), she’s at “my pool hall, Bedrock Billiards.” The way she says it I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s also a total pool shark… disarming opponents with a faraway look.

Many thanks to Chantal Tseng, Paul Michel and Chaim Rubenstein at Tabard Inn, and a special thanks to Samer Farha for joining in the fun.

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Details Magazine has included our own venerable Tabard Inn in its list of the Top Ten Hotel Bars, joining such illustrious lounges like London’s Connaught (though not the Algonquin in NYC? that’s an omission shocking to this lover of creaky cosy hotel bars).

They may get the clientele a little wrong (“policy wonks”? come on, that’s just lazy, there’s more to it than that) but they get the atmosphere right. And it’s fantastic to see one of my favorite places get well-deserved props.

Later today I’m continuing the love with a profile of Tabard’s mixologist Chantal Tseng. No better time to relax in that well-worn lounge in front of the fire than in this neverending winter…

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Worn out by the constant snow? Yeah, me too. And I’m a blizzard-baby, February’s child, I’ve got ice running through my veins. So they say, anyway. But winter’s got me beat. During the past several days stuck at home I’ve been browsing spring fashion and fantasizing about the day when summer kisses my cheek.

But then it hit me – all this hibernating comes with a price tag, and it isn’t the one they keep touting the Fed’s closing. Oh no, it’s the extra poundage we pack on during winter to keep us from freezing (or at least, that’s my justification). So guess what? It’s time to start getting motivated and work it off. I mean, we here at WLDC yo-yo for you! You think all those cocktails don’t add up? That’s a lot of sugar, baby!

But, I admit, regular conventional gyms bore the hell out of me. Judging from the masses who influx in the late winter only to disappear after a month, I’m not the only one. People sweating away on an elliptical for hours with no life-changing results… sigh. So I and my fellow WLDC authors are on a mission to find some of the best outside-the-box fitness solutions and preview them for you as we hone in on the perfect spring and summer body.

Yes, it can be done! And we’re willing to completely humiliate ourselves for you in the process! Well, maybe. Read on for a sample of what we’re going to be testing out, and please leave more suggestions in the comments. And oh yes, this experiment will include some swinging around a pole…

Pilates

I know many of you go to Pilates mat classes, but how many have subjected yourselves to such medieval torture devices like The Reformer and The Cadillac? I have, and I’m going to tell you all about it soon. Joe Pilates developed a system of physical therapy that develops long, lean musculature – basically, the much-coveted ballet body. Here in DC we’ve got two great studios, Pure Joe and Quantam – that offer one-on-one training sessions with certified instructors using the machines that make your glutes look glamtastic. We’ll find out what it takes to conquer The Electric Chair.

Aerial Arts

I’m terrified of falling from a great height. But I also love the illusion of flying. Aerial work combines balletic artistry and physical strength while learning technique on static trapeze, the hoop, and fabric. It also just looks breathtakingly beautiful and seriously bad-ass. Acrobatics were never my forte, but it’s necessary to challenge your body to get results. Arachne Aerial Arts (love the name) offers classes at Joe’s Movement Emporium in Mount Rainier, where I’m be heading to conquer my fears. WLDC author Donna has flown before so I hope to get some tips from her!

World Dance

Tiff shakes Bollywood booty, I shimmy with Bellydance, Sam gets Barre graceful. Dance is an amazingly effective way to get your body out of a rut. It’s also just plain fun. With DC’s melting pot of cultures, there are countless dance studios to explore and we’ll sample some of the best. That will include the one you’ve all been waiting for, a chance to totally humiliate ourselves with a pole dancing class. Or, will we discover our true calling? Not likely, but we’ll still do it.

That’s just a sampling of what we’re brewing to get fit and challenge our assumptions about what our bodies can do.

Please shout out on your favorite trainers, studios, classes, or techniques – from isometrics to acro-yoga, from boxing to rowing, and hey how about some capoeira? Yes, we’re willing to explore it all!

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Maybe you don’t live in the city proper and it looks like you may get stuck in DC tonight. Or you just can’t take the sight of those four walls anymore and need a change of scene. If your tastes tend to the luxurious, The Jefferson is offering a Winter Storm Special rate of $195 a night tonight and tomorrow.

These are for the Deluxe Rooms which have a usual rate of about $380 a night, and judging from my visit last year post-renovation I’m actually debating checking in for a long hot soak in a soothingly beautiful bathtub. The rooms are truly gorgeous and serene.

Though restaurant Plume will be closed, never fear – Quill bar is open, and you can cuddle up in a cushy chair and read by the light of the glowing glass bar. The staff is gracious and you can pretend all this insanity doesn’t exist. Book by calling the hotel directly at (202) 448-2300. I’ll at least trudge on over for a drink!

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Evolve at the Pierce School. Photo courtesy Eric Hope.

Arts organizations tend to get hit the hardest in times of economic distress or, let’s face it, the current weather crisis. When galleries and theaters have to shutter their doors for even one night, it can be devastating. So consider this your PSA for Arts today: once we’re out of this mess, hit a play, see an exhibit, get out there and help the arts as much as you can. They’re really going to need it.

And there are so many worthy arts centers here in DC that go beyond the typical; we are truly lucky! One such unassuming place is Evolve Urban Arts Project in the H Street Arts District, with a special mission to promote local artists. Basically, says curator Eric Hope, “I’m trying to take some chances and give exposure to up-and-coming artists.” The recent exhibit by Dana Ellyn in December was one of the best I’ve seen in a long time, and upcoming shows look to match that intensity. Let’s take a closer look at one of DC’s pioneering galleries.

Evolve Urban Arts Project came about when Chris Swanson and Jeff Printz bought the Pierce School in 2000 and renovated it to include a home for themselves and several loft units. A few years later, they started arts exhibits in the main foyer and throughout the public spaces of the building. Curator Eric Hope came on board in April 2009 and saw the potential to expand their profile in the DC arts community. The only steadfast rule, strongly encouraged by Swanson, is the promotion of local talent, and the exhibition space is free to the artists.

“Lowkey really describes us,” Eric explains, “I’m happy to have the freedom to work with artists who push boundaries and take chances.”

Evolve Interior, with Dana Ellyn installation. Photo courtesy Eric Hope.

Eric meets artists by going on studio visits, attending Artomatic, and other venues. He’s drawn to an artist’s work when “it causes me to stop, stare and say “hmm…..”  I’d say from what I’ve seen he has an excellent eye for the evocative and the innovative. Witness Dana Ellyn’s Divinely Irreverent show, whose frank explorations I absolutely loved. Now showing through March 27 is Erica Riccardelli’s Observed Misbehavior, with a opening reception Saturday, February 13th from 4-7pm. Riccardelli’s photographs create a deeply imaginative world fueled by her migratory childhood as an army brat.

In April, the architecturally inspired cross-hatched drawings of Matthew Carucci will be on display from April 10 through May 22 – Eric describes his work as detailing how “urban societies are continually striving to build higher and at the same time alienating us from nature.” Newly relocated to DC from California, Jerome Pouwels will also collaborate on several works relating to Carucci’s series on cranes.

Taking over on June 5 will be a group show with painter Jessica van Brakle, photographer Wess Brown and installation artist Alexandra Zealand, which will continue the architecture theme in an as-yet untitled show that sounds pretty ambitious – an exploration of “what an urban landscape might look like if nature reasserted and claimed predominance over the land” – hmm… sounds familiar to our current snoverkill, no?

Evolve has an admirable mission and is a friendly environment to visit and view art. Please take a look.

Evolve Urban Arts Project
Gallery Hours Monday-Friday 1-4pm and by appointment
1375 Maryland Avenue NE
Washington, DC 20003
202.489.8160

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It’s time for another item on the DC Omnivore 100 list of the top one hundred foods every good omnivore should try at least once in their lives.

Let’s see, everyone’s a bit chilly and in need of some rib-sticking stew to belly up before digging yourself out of all this snow, and hey didn’t someone tell me a certain football team from New Orleans won some big deal game last night? So yes, I think it’s time for some gumbo!

Gumbo’s one of those culinary dishes that gives literal meaning to the phrase “America’s melting pot.” A wide variety of influences – Cajun, Creole, Indian, African, French – all come together in a substantial and delicious stew. There are as many different versions of gumbo as there are cooks; even the name’s origins are varied. Is “gumbo” from the Angolan word for okra, or the Choctaw word for sassafras? Should the predominant color be red or green?

There are a few key ingredients that everyone seems to agree have to be present – beyond that, it’s a dish you can have fun experimenting with! And if you aren’t culinarily inclined, there are several restaurants in DC that you can snuggle up in with a pot of gumbo and pretend you’re in New Orleans… so let’s dive in.

Most agree that gumbo as we know it originated in the grand city of New Orleans, my favorite American city after beloved DC, and its ingredients mirror the city’s merging cultures. You’ve got the French soup style of bouillabaisse marrying the Spanish “holy trinity” of onion, celery and bell pepper with the Choctaw sassafras or file powder spicing it all up – or instead of the file powder, the African vegetable okra, especially in the winter. I personally prefer the distinctive richness that okra gives gumbo.

‘dinner3101′
courtesy of ‘carol.baby’

Besides the base of a roux, the trinity, and spice or okra, then you have the various protein combinations. Typically it’s an assortment of shellfish (mainly shrimp), chicken, and pork (mostly sausage like andouille). There’s even a version with just greens for the Lenten season (Gumbo Z’Herbes), though I’ve never seen that outside of New Orleans, it would be fun to try for the vegetarian chef. Gumbo is usually served over plain white rice – the proportions being left up to the cook. Crusty French bread completes the meal. Did I mention it’s substantial?

There are some great recipes out there, but let’s say you just aren’t in the mood to whip up a roux yourself. I have to sheepishly admit that my favorite place to get gumbo is actually downtown lunchtime spot Lawson’s, which features gumbo practically year-round as one of its three soup options at the salad bar. There are some hardcore lovers of this gumbo always lining up for the replacement pot, and I’m one of them as Lawson’s uses lots of okra, chicken and andouille sausage. In the mid-range, Bardia’s New Orleans Cafe serves it up (and you get the added benefit of being able to order gut-busting beignets afterwards), whereas for something more upscale hit Acadiana. And you can even get the file powder version at Johnny Half Shell.

So there you have it, the perfect stew for a wintery day. Please share your favorite places to get gumbo too!

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Welcome to the Friday Happy Hour, your single drink primer for the weekend.

I admit freely that when it comes to liquor, I can easily be seduced by bottle imagery. Shallow, I know, but when beautiful imagery is actually matched by flavor, well, that’s it. Done.

The first night Tom Brown showed me a bottle of The Kraken black spiced rum, it was Christmas Eve at The Passenger, and I was in a magical mood. The vintage image of the beast from the deep hit all my old Mystic Seaport memories from being a kid peeping at exotic (and often erotic) scrimshaw. The color, dark as the night sea, was also pretty evocative. But let’s be honest, it could’ve tasted like bilgewater.

Only it didn’t.

Distilled in Trinidad & Tabago, The Kraken’s got a rich taste redolent of molasses, and with some 13 secret spices at about 94 proof this is definitely a rum to sip slowly and enjoy. Lately, I just can’t get enough of the stuff and was back this week to ask for more. It just makes me happy. Luckily The Passenger is open through this weekend’s storm – like an old sailor that won’t be kept down – so stomp the snow off your boots and ask for a taste of my favorite winter rum.

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David Fritzler burns up a Blue Blazer. Photo credit: Samer Farha.

For many people I know, Tryst is “The Office.” Well, now they can drink on the job in style!

Last week the Adams Morgan coffeehouse pioneer rolled out a new cocktail menu, and fellow WLDC author Samer and I were treated to some fine libation as they branch away from the bean. And as we all await the impending snowflakes of doom, it’s nice to note that Tryst will be open throughout the storm!

In operation since 1998, Tryst has always aimed to be a neighborhood gathering place true to its fun motto, “No Corporate Coffee, No Matching Silverware.” Of course they opened the year after I’d already left Adams Morgan for Logan Circle, so I’ve never been one to hang out there – but several friends really do treat it as their office, setting up with laptops and getting social over the screens, fueled by lots and lots of coffee. Just as the java isn’t corporate, when it came time to debut a new cocktail menu, Tryst wanted to do the same for drinks. With David Fritzler at the helm, Tryst’s beverage director for the past ten years, and two new bartenders – J.P. Cacares and Lana Labermeier – the new menu is billed as “quality cafe cocktails” ranging in price from $6-10.

As David told us, “I want to bring pre-Prohibition cocktail knowledge, quality liquors and fresh ingredients out of the speakeasy and expensive hotel bars and to the general public.” As a member of the DC Craft Bartenders Guild, he’s already dedicated to a high standard of cocktail culture. We parked ourselves at the bar and knocked back a few to see whether the drinks would succeed.

‘JP Explains It All’
courtesy of ‘Samer Farha’

I went right for the least accessible taste first. My love of the bitter spectrum of flavor has been developing pretty strongly, and the Bitter Ex did not disappoint (ha! really, that’s a genius name. billed as “helps one forget past regrets.” mmm… more regrets please!). Beefeater gin, Campari, Cynar, grapefruit juice and bitters – this may sound terrifying to those not accustomed to such hard-hitting flavors, but it’s a well-balanced cocktail that’s a good introduction to the beauty of bitter.

Another good cocktail to introduce different flavors is the Winona Ryeder, which tempers the distinctive taste of rye whiskey with Averna Amaro and sassafras bitters. Amaro being both bitter and sweet, it’s a sneaky way to get your less-adventurous friend to fall in love with complex flavors. An easy drink to sip and admire, I heard it ordered quite a bit that night.

‘A Bitter Pill’
courtesy of ‘Samer Farha’

J.P. then convinced me to try the Smoke & Mirrors, a mix of Mezcal and Anejo tequila with grapefruit juice, honey, and Aztec chocolate bitters. I loved the citrus match to the tequila and the kick of the chocolate was just enough to keep things lively. At this point we began to deviate from the menu, with J.P. delivering intentionally comic lines like, “My English, it’s not so good-looking but my drinks are delicious” while torching sugared apple slices to make a kind of cotton candy drink. Apple vodka, Averna, apple simple syrup, and egg whites topped with the carmelized apple slice – oh you know the girls will love this one! He made a “not-so-feminine” version for Samer with a carmelized strawberry. It went over very well, so well Samer was soon convincing David to make the afore-pictured Blue Blazer…

‘Feather Light’
courtesy of ‘Samer Farha’

At this point the bar was hopping. The actual bar area is small, but that allows for a good degree of interaction with your bartender, and of course you can get the drink menu while sitting at one of Tryst’s many quirky corners. In addition to the craft cocktails (divided into liquor type for easy decisions), there’s also a “Day Drinkin’ Favorites” list including a John Daly with vodka, tea, and lemonade, plus an extensive selection of champagne cocktails like the Pomme Rose (lemon vodka, grenadine, rose water and cava? I think I’ll be back for that one). And of course there are coffeehouse cocktails using tea and coffee, like the Tryst Toddy – bourbon, Punt e Mes, honey and Sambuca with a flamed star anise in spiced black tea.

Actually, that last one sounds just about perfect as the wet snow is coming down and I’m getting a bit numb with cabin fever. I’m not even snowed in yet. Time for a toddy. Stop in, they’ll be open.

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We Love Drinks continues our series where we look behind the bar, profiling the many people – from mixologists to bartenders, sommeliers to publicans – who make your drinks experience happen.

When Ivan Iricanin first tells me his favorite drink is tequila, I don’t quite believe him. After all, as beverage manager for Masa 14 with its 100+ tequila collection, doesn’t he have to say that? But the care is evident as he lines up a flight showcasing some exquisite ultra-aged tequila. And once I sample his simple margarita, I definitely believe him.

Ivan’s originally from Serbia, spending the past five years in DC and previously working with Richard Sandoval at Zengo. When I ask how a Serbian came to love a Mexican liquor, he mentions rakija, a fruit brandy usually made with plums. The best varieties are homemade and difficult to get. Traveling to Mexico as part of his stint with Washington Wholesale, he was reminded of his national liquor when trying the micro-tequilas – and of course Sandoval’s Mexican heritage was a huge influence as well.

Most Americans never get past mixto tequila, artificially colored and only 50% or so of it actual agave – the remainder coming from other sugar sources. “You’ll get a headache if it’s mixto,” Ivan says strongly, “all our tequilas served here are 100% agave.” This is serious stuff, with a regulatory council and bottle identifiers similiar to wine regulation. Ivan suggests starting your exploration with a flight – and what better way to completely wipe all memory of previous bad tequila choices than to go with a micro-tequila flight. Masa has six on the menu, and you won’t find them anywhere else.

As he lines up the gorgeous bottles with a card explaining each one, I’m thinking this could be dangerous, even though Ivan says the quality is flawless. I’m still relieved that fellow WLDC author Max is also along for the ride to help me with the tasting!

‘Masa 14 – 9′
courtesy of ‘maxedaperture’

The first thing I notice sipping the micro-tequilas – El Caudillo, El Llano, and Don Celso – is their similarity to whisky. Incredibly complex, these tequilas are aged in bourbon barrels from anywhere to a few months to several years, and the oak is definitely present. The finish is beautifully smooth. There’s a distinctive yet barely perceptible quality of sweetness from the agave. It completely changed my mind about drinking tequila, which was never a favorite. I’m hooked.

The flights, both micro and otherwise, are the perfect way to get educated about the varieties of tequila – terms like blanco, reposado, anejo refer to the length of aging – and Ivan’s staff is trained to make it accessible and non-threatening. He recommends trying the reposado (meaning “rested”) as a way to branch out, which is tequila aged for a minimum of two months but less than a year (most people are used to blanco, which is aged the least). Apparently this open friendliness is working – he says the flights are increasing in popularity and allowing patrons to branch out into more exclusive tequilas without having to commit to the expense of a full bottle. Judging from the constant crowds at that long bar, the tequila education of DC will be a success.

But we know they aren’t all drinking tequila straight! So Ivan rustles up the signature tequila cocktail for Max and I to try – the margarita.

Ivan Iricanin at Masa 14. Photo credit: Max Cook

As Ivan’s expertly crafting the drink, I ask him what he likes about living in DC. After all it’s been five years since he came here from Serbia, and I’m curious as always about what makes people stay. “It’s the perfect size,” he says, “you can go to New York City in three hours but you can come back the same day.” He’s proud of the vibe that he, Kaz and Sandoval have created for Masa – “cosy, not pretentious” – and eager for the rollout of Monday jazz nights to continue that sexy ambiance. Like so many who’ve come to the city, he’s helped create something that he might not have been able to elsewhere.

‘Masa 14 – 3′
courtesy of ‘maxedaperture’

The Margarita Traditional (or “Margarita Naturale” as Ivan says with a wink) is on the bar. It’s a beautiful shade of delicate lime. There are only three ingredients – tequila, agave simple syrup, and fresh lime juice. The simplicity pays off – it’s delectably smooth, with the almost honey taste of the agave coming through. “I hate sweet drinks,” Ivan says, “and no triple sec! Too much sugar is bad for you.” We’re nodding in agreement, sip after sip proving that using the agave syrup is definitely the way to go. Clean, crisp and deliciously citrus-y, it makes us long for spring to hurry up and get here already!

It’s obvious Ivan’s dedicated to get people to be more adventurous, to enlighten patrons that there’s more to this complex liquor than they may think. He’s a consummate professional with a true passion – spreading the word about agave’s harvest.

“Slowly but surely, people are getting into tequila,” Ivan sums up. I wasn’t a believer before, but now, I’m eager to dive in and try more.

Many thanks to Ivan Iricanin for letting us sample his beverage program for our sixth We Love Drinks profile, and to Lindley Thornburg for making the introduction. A special thanks to Max Cook for joining in the fun.

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Ben Cunis and Irina Tsikurishvili in Synetic Theater's "Antony & Cleopatra." Photo credit: Graeme B. Shaw.

If you want to know why Synetic Theater has been nominated for 13 Helen Hayes awards for its productions last year, go see Antony & Cleopatra. Now. Everything this robust and vibrant company is beloved for is here on stage at the Lansburgh’s beautiful proscenium, as part of an alliance with Shakespeare Theatre that I hope means more Synetic productions at the Penn Quarter space. Their glorious athleticism, sensual energy and biting humor are all here, framed by what founding artistic director Paata Tsikurishvili calls their “art of silence.”

The characters of Antony and Cleopatra are full of lust – for life, for power, for each other. It’s a play highlighting the contradictory battle between masculine and feminine desires inherent in both sexes, and at its heart is the human ambition to seize the moment even at the risk of total loss.

Stakes are pretty high here, as director Paata Tsikurishvili makes clear by adding a prologue to the actual Shakespearean plot – the meeting of Caesar and Cleopatra, their ambition no less than to rule the entire known world together, uniting East and West. As they stand together, a map of the world splits up and swirls about them in an orgy of power. This is the ultimate gamble, player beware.

Irina Tsikurishvili and Irakli Kavsadze in Synetic Theater's "Antony & Cleopatra." Photo credit: Graeme B. Shaw.

As the basic plot of ancient Rome and Egypt should be well familiar to audiences, this may be the most accessible of Synetic’s wordless Shakespeare productions to date (and if all you know is HBO’s Rome, you’ll do fine as well). Characterizations are strongly defined, starting with Ben Cunis as Antony and choreographer Irina Tsikurishvili as Cleopatra – each powerfully present and switching effortlessly between sinewy sexuality and forceful physicality. Tsikurishvili embodies Cleopatra in a definitive way for me, from her youthful power-grab to her jealous rage to the riveting moment she realizes all is lost. Cunis clearly marks Antony’s journey from second-in-command, his rising ambition at war with his loyalty to Rome. As fight choreographer Cunis also does an amazing job – the battle scenes are brutal, with actual sparks flying off swords as actors propel themselves through the air with frightening intensity.

Ben Cunis and company in Synetic Theater's "Antony & Cleopatra." Photo credit: Graeme B. Shaw.

A match for him is Philip Fletcher’s Octavian, both amusing and devious, whose vulgar duet with a Cleo effigy is a hilarious showstopper well contrasted with his cold grimness as he also gambles to win the world. And the remarkable flexibility of Alex Mills is again on display as a character perhaps best described as the serpentine spirit of Egypt itself, a golden demi-god or demonic familiar to Cleopatra, whose motivations are unclear and potentially malevolent.

Alex Mills in Synetic Theater's "Antony & Cleopatra." Photo credit: Graeme B. Shaw.

So many gorgeous images are on display here – red gloved assassins stamping Caesar to death, dead soldiers floating underwater at the battle of Actium, a shower of grain released from Egypt’s death to Rome’s renewal. The production design may be the best for Synetic yet – Anastasia Rurikov Simes has set, costume and props strongly defined in an almost Art Deco world (I really want Cleopatra’s red and black dress, a perfect illustration of her lust for power and sorrow at its loss. ok, it’s just plain stunning as well!). Colin K. Bills’ lighting design creates clear separation between Rome’s harsh militarism and Egypt’s mysterious danger. And the sound design of Irakli Kavsadze and Konstantine Lortkipanidze (also original music composer) seamlessly supports the action.

I raved about last year’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, one of the multi-nominated productions, and I’ll continue to rave - this is a company bringing a high level of innovation and daring to the DC theatre scene, and we’re truly lucky to have them. Prepare to be transported to the ancient world for a night of wonder.

Synetic Theater’s Antony & Cleopatra
Now thru February 28
Harman Center for the Arts: Lansburgh Theater
450 7th Street NW
Washington DC 20004
Tickets 202.547.1122 or online

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When I profiled Elli Benchimol at AGAINN a few weeks ago, she mentioned a barley wine dinner was in the works. It’s now set for Monday, February 22 at 7pm. Reservations are required at $75 per person, which will get you four courses paired to this storied ale. The food alone sounds pretty tempting – Shallow Poached Loch Duart Salmon, Braised Hereford Beef Cheeks, Lincolnshire Poacher Cheddar Cheese, and Gianduja Chocolate Tart. Um, yes to rich deliciousness on a chilly night.

But wait, barley wine = ale? Indeed, this is one of those confusing situations like when vegetables are really fruit. Barley wine, also sometimes known as old ale, originated in nineteenth century England and can reach an alcohol strength of 8 to 12%. So it can be as strong as wine, but because it’s made from grain instead of fruit, it’s really an ale.

But don’t worry, Jeff Wells from DOPS Distributors (DC’s beer guru) will be on hand that night to help explain the pairings and the history of barley wine. Call AGAINN for reservations at 202.639.9830.

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Nanna Ingvarsson, Amy Quiggins and Catherine Deadman in Constellation Theatre Company's "Three Sisters." Photo credit: Daniel Schwartz

It’s been over 100 years since Russian playwright Anton Chekhov’s death. We’re still struggling against a traditional view of how to perform, and indeed experience, a genius that straddled two very different centuries. Last year, Theater J attacked some sacred cows with a lively production of The Seagull. I expected a young company like Constellation Theatre to be able to blow away some of the same cobwebs with their take on Three Sisters. I certainly loved the gusto with which they attacked Feydeau’s A Flea in Her Ear.

However, this is a very respectful production, full of talented actors making safe choices. The love of the play is evident, but with a few notable exceptions, no one seems willing to break their established view of how Chekhov should be done. If you’re new to Chekhov’s work, then this is a fine place to start. But if you’re looking for any risk-taking, you won’t really find it here. There’s just too much reverence for that.

Director Allison Arkell Stockman makes two great choices from the start. She uses the Lanford Wilson translation, nicely accessible while retaining some lovely poetic phrases. She also has the play performed in the round, which gives the illusion of our eavesdropping on the lives of the Prozorov family – three sisters Olga, Masha and Irina and their brother Andrei. Her direction highlights the trap closing around the family as one by one their dreams of a meaningful, rewarding life are trampled on. Pretty depressing stuff, thankfully lightened by humor (Chekhov billed it as a comedy, after all).

The plot is a journey through several years with the Prozorov family, who live in a provincial garrison town with their daily routines enlivened by the soldiers. All they have is a dream of moving to Moscow and finding meaningful work (both metaphors would be humorous to an audience at the time, now they are symbols for any childhood dream held dear). Little by little, they lose their illusions, and become adults in a drab world.

The actors, as talented a group as they are, are mostly staying safe, with a lot of playing to emotion and not action. Taken up one more ironic notch, it would be funny – these well-off folks’ constant protestations that work is the answer is after all meant to be a hard slap, highlighting their class’s inability to see their world crumbling about them. But here it can come across as tiresome – sadly, I found myself unable to empathize with the three sisters themselves until the second half, when all three actors come alive as they face reality and disillusionment. But until that point, I was more drawn to others.

There are some risk-takers who raise the temperature on every entrance. Mark Krawczyk’s Solyony has a rising psychosis that provides a badly-needed element of danger. “If that child were mine I’d fry it in a skillet and eat it,” he says in easily the funniest, scariest moment of the production. Michael John Casey bears both a striking resemblance to Tsar Nicholas II and the weight of self-deprecation as the lovesick yet practical Vershinin, As the rapacious social climber Natasha, Katy Carkuff practically stifles the air of her rivals. And Joe Brack’s Andrei nails the sad heart of the play, his wild Pushkin hair slowly being slicked down, the very breath being sucked out of him as he watches his dreams shrivel.

Again, this is a fine production with clarity and focus to the text and its metaphors. I just found myself, like the characters, longing for more daring.

Three Sisters
Now thru February 21st
Constellation Theatre Company
at Source Theatre
1835 14th Street NW
Washington DC 20001

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Welcome to the Friday Happy Hour, your single drink primer for the weekend.

Stormy weather for the weekend. Sigh. With all the gloominess looming, I think I’ll tuck myself away in a corner at Tabard Inn and indulge in some serious wine. Not only do I adore this quirky inn but they also happen to have one of my favorite wines by the glass – Bruno Porro Dolcetto di Dogliani.

Whenever I order this rich dense red, my friends roll their eyes. “You and your funky wine!” they laugh, wrinkling their noses. “It’s not funky, it’s earthy!” I protest back. Semantics. A smattering of plums and cherries? Maybe some coffee, chocolate? A log of mushrooms, damp from the forest floor? See, it’s this last scent that really drives me crazy and keeps me ordering it again and again. It’s like when you used to jump into a pile of leaves as a kid, you didn’t care that it was wet and maybe a little moldy, it was fun! The winery is in Piedmont near Alba, and that’s where my grandfather’s family is from, so maybe my love of earthy wines is in the blood.

Tabard Inn has a very sweet framed letter from Bruno Porro thanking them for importing their dolcetto (look for it in the restroom). I feel like thanking him myself for this red velvet delight. I’ll just wrap myself up in a glass and nap before the fireplace.

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