Seriously, Toyland? My, how the fledgling have fallen. Since wunderkind managers Erin and Garrick were forced out by their silent partner in a behind-the-scenes powergrab back in December, Toyland has gone from a great neighborhood bar to an overpriced embarrassment. The mysterious new owner decided to make some changes, only one of which was positive. He smartly erased the hubris-induced…
Author: Haley Fults
It's not New York or San Francisco, but DC has some surprising cultural moments to be discovered. And I'm going to tell you about them. Special attention to free, super cool, or just plain strange events.
God Save the Queen (Vic)
One of the latest offerings in H Street’s boozy cavalcade (Pug, Smith Commons, Fruit Bat, Granville Moore) is the Queen Vic, a gastropub named after the famous haunt from BBC’s long-running soap opera EastEnders. Stroll past the eye-catching red facade at 12th and H, NE, sit down at the polished wood bar, and sip on a…
Worth the Investment: POV
It was going to happen sooner or later. Though I hate waiting in line almost as much as being looked up and down appraisingly by bouncers, I knew I would someday get to POV. POV, if you don’t already know, dahling, stands for point of view, and is the rooftop bar at the W Hotel…
Lively Outdoor Seating: Eatonville
The big, colorful sign immediately steals your eyes away from anything else on the block. Open for about two years now, Eatonville serves up fancy low-country Southern cuisine. The open dining room is outfitted with vibrant murals that serves a tribute of sorts to famed African-American writer Zora Neale Hurston. If you’re not feeling all that…
A Time to Kill at Arena Stage: Surprisingly Gripping
“I didn’t know what I was in for.” Famous last words….or just the beginning? My first trip to the newly re-opened Arena Stage just off Waterfront Metro station in Southwest was yet another reminder that DC’s theater scene is most certainly first-tier. A Time to Kill is based on John Grisham’s first and most autobiographical novel…
What Is Swampoodle?
Ever ride the eastern part of the Red Line and wonder about that big arena-looking building right by the NY Ave station? Dear readers, wonder no more. It’s called the Washington Coliseum (formerly the Uline Arena) and has a pretty storied history. The Beatles played their first U.S. concert there in 1964, Bob Dylan played…
Come Down From Your Fences (for a burger)
When you think about the DC burger scene, BGR, Five Guys, Rogue States [currently closed but looking to re-open soon] and Shake Shack seem to get all the press. Enter the underrated and undermentioned Desperados, a New Orleans-inspired burger joint located on U Street NW between 13th and 14th . Taking over for neighborhood stalwart Polly’s, they overhauled the…
Cold Light and Bioluminescence at The Fridge
The current show at The Fridge, located down an alley and behind a dumpster in Eastern Market, is not a normal show. Not that The Fridge shows very much that is normal or expected, but visiting this exhibition gives one the feeling of swimming underwater. Cool, dark and scintillating, walking around the black lighted space…
Tasty and Tangy El Centro D.F.
Restaurateur Richard Sandoval‘s recently opened space at 1819 14th Street serves up fancy tacos, enchiladas, and other standard Mexican fare with aplomb. You may know Sandoval from his other DC hot spots, Masa 14 and Zengo (he has others planted in New York, Las Vegas and all over the west). His philosophy is “old ways, new hands,” which is to…
DC Style Is Real 