Neighborhood Nightlife 9: P Street (Embassy Row)

Update 1
Our outing has been modified. Cafe Japone has been replaced by Pasha Lounge and the order of our stops has shuffled a bit (you mean you didn't read the disclaimer about the organizers reserving the right to modify or charge the pub crawl as seen fit!). :-) Check out the new order and details below. Keep in mind the weather will be clear, but it will be cold (around freezing). We'll be walking (not crawling) a total of 5 to 6 blocks so dress accordingly. Complaining about the cold may impact any current or soon to be awarded fun certification levels. :-)

Home to 57 embassies, the Embassy Row area of Dupont was once considered to be DC’s premier residential address for local and political elite in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The onset of the Great Depression shifted the wealthy elsewhere in the city. The neighborhood was revitalized post WWII as nations competed to build or maintain grand residences to represent their nation's significance in the capital of the new superpower. The expansive old estates proved well-suited for use as embassies. The area around the 17th and P Street intersection in Dupont has emerged as the city’s “alternative” neighborhood over the last 15 years. Although Embassy Row is on the opposite side of Dupont Circle, this emergence has sprinkled its way along P Street.

Our first stop will still be the same restaurant and lounge located within the Hotel Palomar. It resembles Ikea’s version of a restaurant and lounge. It has a hip and cozy atmosphere and is a popular happy hour venue with great wine and oddly enough pizza. The lounge is popular enough to be crowded during weekday happy hours, but it shouldn’t be too bad since we’ll be visiting on the weekend.

Our reshuffled second stop with be the Russia House. Most pass by this unmarked mansion on the corner of Connecticut and Florida Avenues in upper Dupont without realizing it’s one of DC’s coolest lounges. The Russian House is decked out like a Russian mafia hangout complete with bad Russian pop music, a huge vodka bar, red velvet, and plenty of guys in blazers. We'll be jump starting the 3rd floor festivities-which opens shortly after our arrival.

Our new venue will be Pasha Lounge. It's located above the Marrakesh Palace restaurant and is most definately overlooked. The design is reminiscent of a Morrocan themed room but much more organized and simple. The music is always befitting to the lounge's multi-level atmosphere and usually catered to the crowd... ranging from both ambiant & minimal house to international music (mostly Arabic and Latin) to top forty. Cover is normally $20, but it's waived for our group!

Keep in mind your organizers reserve the right to omit, change, or substitute venues as seen fit depending on the group dynamics, scheduling, and available space. The pub crawl officially ends at midnight but I'm sure most of us will be out well past that. Disclaimer: Yes, it's perfectly fine if you choose to get intoxicated, drunk, blitzed, plastered, wasted, toasted, smashed, or pissed. However, make sure you have a friend present to take on any applicable baby sitting duties.