***Update To - New Meetup: Neighborhood Nightlife #15: Lower Dupont

Announcing a new Meetup for DC Neighborhood Pub Crawl!

What: Neighborhood Nightlife #15: Lower Dupont

When: June 20, 2009 8:30 PM

Where: (A location has not been chosen yet.)

Update 1:
One day away! That means take it easy tonight.. and yes, that is directed at some of you. We have a slight change to the agenda. We will be meeting at the second level lounge at the first bar. Were were out bid for the roof top and in the spirit of keeping this free at all stops were moving in side. However, with potential for storms and high heat that may work to our advantage. And as a reminder, there are strict dress codes for tomorrows venues. Also, please keep your RSVP updated. With that, we will see you all tomorrow at 830 sharp :) !

We’re back after a 5 week hiatus!

We’ll be hitting up a neighborhood that has been requested numerous times. Geographically, this area is hard to pin down. Some refer to it as Lower Dupont Circle, The Golden Triangle, Midtown or simply Downtown. It sits at the intersection of 4 major thoroughfares, Connecticut Avenue, Rhode Island Avenue, 18th Street, and M Street and certainly is considered one of DC’s top nightlife destinations. This area is located in the "Old City" of D.C. — the area planned by architect Pierre Charles L'Enfant — but remained largely undeveloped until after the American Civil War, when there was a large influx of new residents. The initial development was that of a brickyard and slaughterhouse, the latter of which may have had a hand in naming Dupont’s creek, Slash Run (sounds like a horror movie title). Don’t go looking for the creek though; it has been completely encased in sewer lines for decades.

Dupont was also a major hub for DC’s now defunct streetcar system. The streetcar tunnel in Dupont dates back to 1949, but ceased operation along with the streetcars in 1962. Near the site of our pub crawl is the former streetcar station, which sits directly under Dupont Circle but above the metro. It has been considered for a variety of uses and was actually developed into food court in 1995 called Dupont Down Under. After protracted litigation, the District terminated its developer's lease the next year. Prior to the food court, the space was considered for a columbarium — a storage place for ashes of the dead. After the food court, and as of 2007, a member of the DC City Council is considering allowing adult-theme clubs to move into the space. Apparently many adult venues were displaced by the development and subsequent opening of Washington Nationals stadium and are looking for a new home. Ashes of the dead, a food court, or strippers…be sure to cast your vote for best use of the space.

Now that your history lesson of the area is complete, here’s our calendar of events. Our first venue reopened recently under a different name and theme. It’s the only sports themed bar in lower Dupont, and the second floor (main floor) looks like a scene from the Matrix with 24 LCD TV’s. We’ll be heading to the newly renovated rooftop patio, however, and enjoying the first official night of summer!

Our next venue is the Fly Lounge (theflylounge.com/dc). It’s a small basement venue made to look like the inside of an airplane. The female staff is even dressed in flight attendant outfits, but more like a cross between American and defunct Hooters Airlines. Like many airlines, the Fly Lounge likes to pamper its first class or VIP passengers, which is evident from the overly large VIP area. We’ll be arriving ahead of the regular passengers and will get the coach class rock‘in.

Our final venue is semi-new to the DC scene), Midtown (midtown-dc.com). Formerly known as Play, the venue shut down and reopened with a different name and renovation late last fall. Midtown mixes the lounge and club feel with efficient bartender service and a top 40 dance floor. Guys tend to enjoy the urinal room, but the rest of the bathroom scene is actually unisex. (the attendant monitors who goes where, so don’t get any ideas). Dress to impress at Midtown…the bouncers and doorman can be strict and pretentious.

Reminder: Due to the limited number of RSVP's available and the expected popularity of this outing, please RSVP only if you plan to come out (likewise, if things change, please un-RSVP). Also, while we love meeting new faces, everyone is strongly encouraged to RSVP through the web site or be a guest of a member. The cover is almost always waived for our groups and the first thing most venues want is our RSVP list. Please remember to get to the first venue early enough to mingle, and certainly early enough to join us as we move on to the second venue.

If taking the metro to the Dupont station (red line) be sure to take the Connecticut Ave./19th Street exit. The Farragut North (red line) station is an equally good option; be sure to take the NE corner Connecticut Ave./L Street exit.

Learn more here:
http://www.meetup.com...