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NOTE: The Improv show is now SOLD OUT. For those going to the Improv comedy show, meet outside on the street level at 730pm. We will go in as a group soon after so be on time and we can sit together. The address is 1140 Connecticut Ave NW. Call 831-224-7838 if you need directions.

All Others will meet at the Mayflower Hotel Lounge called the Town and Country. The Improv group should arrive around 945.

Farragut North is a small section of downtown without an identity. Essentially, the neighborhood is a metro stop situated between Dupont and Metro Center. Farragut North is the K Street power broker stop in DC. The neighborhood caters to a work crowd, which is evident with the clouser of one of the metro exits/entrances on weekends. Besides the walls being a glimmering white, note the low, flat ceiling at the west end. It was built to accommodate a proposed freeway ramp to interstate 66 which was never built. The station itself was named after the famed naval officer, David Farragut. He is known for his remark, "Damn the Torpedoes, Full Speed Ahead!" at the Battle of Mobile Bay during the American Civil War. Particulars of the metro station aside Farragut North represents one section of DC that hasn’t been affected by the economic downturn. In good times the money flows in from government contracts, in bad times the money flows from government stimulus.

The post-Improv party will start at one of the most famous historic hotels in the city. The Town and Country Lounge located in The Mayflower Hotel is a very chique lounge. The hotel is so chique that many of the staff have been told the hotel contains the most gold trim of any U.S. building aside from the Library of Congress. The hotel is also where Franklin D. Roosevelt worked on his famous, "We have nothing to fear but fear itself" speech as a guest. Roosevelt was a guest here while his home, the White House, was under renovation. Consider this though: former President Clinton supposedly conducted many of his “private meetings” with Monica Lewinsky in the hotel. Additionally, former New York Governor Elliot Spitzer stayed at the hotel with his $1000/hour escort last year (February 13, 2008, and room 871 for those into DC scandals). Ladies are advised to dress to impress, and keep in mind Ashley Alexandra Dupre.

Our last stop will be Bravo Bravo!. This club is well known for its size and pumping sound system that fills the space with Latin beats. After going rounds with management, a half-price $5 cover was finally secured for our group. We know we’ll all be looking good for this outing, but ladies please wear comfortable shoes since salsa dancing will beckon you to the dance floor.

Public Transit: The Red line is practically next door. Additionally, parking isn’t too bad and there are a plethora of taxi’s available.

Reminder: Due to the limited number of RSVP's available, 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 (or at the very least reduced) 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.

Disclaimer: 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. 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.

Update 1: Its Saturday Night! Last chance to let loose this week. "Somnus Ut Nos Es Mortuus" That is the motto for our first stop. It means "We'll sleep when we're dead!" We just wanted to remind folks that H street is not Dupont/K Street. Pardon the cliche, but think Rock'n'Roll. Tonight's event is rain or shine and it looks like there might be some precipitation.... nothing an umbrella wont take care of. For the directionally challenged give Stephen a call at 831-224-7838. Calls after 9pm may be hard to answer so please don't expect an instant response. In fact, texting may be a better option. Arrive reasonably on time and have the addresses you need on you...the first venue is worth it. See you in the Christmas Room!

The H Street Corridor in North East Washington DC has been in the middle of a revitalization effort over the past 7 years. It started in 2002 when the DC planning office decided to revitalize the once thriving commercial strip. Spearheading the effort was the renovation of the Atlas Theater, the once grand theater left in poor condition following the 1968 riots. The theater is now a dance studio and performance space, and the basis for the name of the district. One of the final pieces of the city’s efforts will be to install a new streetcar system. In terms of zoning the DC Public Works dept divided the 1.5 mile stretch of road into 3 zones; the Urban Living district (between 2nd and 7th Streets NE), the Central Retail District (7th and 12th), and the Arts and Entertainment District (12th and 15th Streets NE). We will be exploring the Entertainment District.

In terms of private investment in the Atlas District, no one has contributed more to the spirit and vitality of this burgeoning section of town then local nightlife guru and bar owner Joe Englert. In the late 1990’s he announced plans to transform the Entertainment District with various bars and music venues including the Pug-a boxing themed sports bar, The Red and Black-a rock club, the Rock N Roll Hotel-live music with private rock-themed rooms, the Bee Hive-Mexican restaurant; the Olympic, a sports bar with pool tables; Dr. Granville Moore's Brickyard, a more traditional tavern with a variety of European beers; and the Palace of Wonders, where Englert showcases burlesque dancers, sword-swallowers and other nontraditional live entertainment. We will end the night at the Rock’n’Roll hotel where you can check out the private rooms and the game room (includes a photo booth!).

Our first stop is a relatively new venue determined to remain anonymous with darkened windows and no signs (be sure to keep the address handy!). This theme arose from the owner’s other more established bar, Jimmy Valentines, on Bladensburg Road in NE DC. This is one of the more interesting venues stumbled upon. The décor is “gaudy vampire den,” complete with a purple lit courtyard, and Christmas Room upstairs. Look for us upstairs.

Our second stop is yet another new comer to the district, The H Street Country Club (and no it’s not an actual country club). It certainly has become the place to be in the Atlas District. The lower level is filled with games such as shuffle board, skeet ball, and billiards. The upper level is comprised of a smaller bar, restaurant, and a 9-hole mini-golf course.

Our final venue with be a tribute to the man who essentially revitalized the Atlas District entertainment district over the past 10 years, Joe Englert. He owns at least 7 venues in the district and we’ll be visiting the crown jewel, the Rock-N-Roll Hotel (and no it’s not an actual hotel). The main stage on the lobby level has a capacity of 400, but we’ll be heading upstairs to the hotel bar level to beat the post concert crowd. Here you’ll see a piano room, private Victorian style rock and roll rooms, a game room (photo booth included), and a large area to dance the night away. As always, we have the cover waived!

Travel to and from H Street:
It is highly recommended to take a cab, the H Street Shuttle, or drive. For those looking at taking the metro, followed by a cab, the closest metro stops are on the red line, Union Station and Gallaudet University. They are about 1.25 mile away from our area. This neighborhood is a former “demilitarized zone” 10 years ago, and is still a bit dodgy. Stick to the main street and you’ll be fine. The H Street Shuttle is a free shuttle service paid by the H Street Business Cooperative. It runs from the Gallery Place/Chinatown metro (yellow & green lines) along the H Street Atlas District, ending at the Minnesota Avenue metro station (orange line). Service starts at 5 p.m. daily and runs until the metro closes (midnight on weeknights, 3 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights). For more details, visit www.atlasarts.org/plan_shuttle.php

Reminder: Due to the limited number of RSVP's available (we’re caping the number of possible RSVP’s lower than normal for 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.

Disclaimer: 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. 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.

UPDATE 2

The first spot is quite a large venue. If you get lost just give me a call. 831-224-7838.

Thanks! Stephen.

UPDATE 1
Hey everyone! Looks like this will be our largest gathering yet! The weather will be perfect...mid 80's and sunny with a 15% chance of rain. Although none of our venues are exclusive, the Georgetown Waterfront is a nice place. Dress codes are selectively enforced so that means no shorts or open sandles for the guys. Ladies can keep it casual. As always, there is no cover charge for our group. Since we have a waiting list and are actually slightly beyond capacity, all those who rsvp'ed maybe will be moved to no's tomorrow morning. Please remember to update your RSVP's. If you rsvp'ed yes and don't show, keep in mind you probably took a spot for someone who wanted to go but was waitlisted. You'll also impact your current or potential fun certification level. :-) Keep in mind parking is an absolute horror near the waterfront so allow ample time to find or spot. Consider a parking garage, or better yet take the circulator or taxi. Please do your best to arrive between 8:30-9 so you can mingle before we move onto spot location number 2. This will be a GREAT night!!

Your organizer,

Jeremy

The Georgetown waterfront is a destination for tourists and natives alike. It is a place to stroll, dine, boat, lounge, people watch, and of course party. Now that summer is in full swing, the waterfront is the place to be.

Several of our previous nights out have highlighted the ever shifting demographics and infrastructure of the DC area. The Georgetown waterfront is no different. One of the most notable landmarks running through Georgetown is the Chesapeake And Ohio (C & O) Canal. It was built with the promise of shuttling goods from the Georgetown area up to Harpers Ferry, avoiding the un-navigable falls with a system of locks. This method of moving goods quickly lost profit with the advent of the Baltimore And Ohio (B & O) Railroad. Another element that stands out is the raised portion of roadway above K Street called the Whitehurst Freeway. This freeway was built in the late 1940s, and its original design speed was only 30 mph. This piece of highway was to be the first leg of a major system that was to criss-cross the district. Fortunately, this approach was scrapped in order to keep the district surface roads only. The construction of a raised roadway allowed for minimal demolition of buildings and homes. Interesting enough, the home of Francis Scott Key, whose 1814 poem would eventually become the National Anthem, was demolished.

Given the industrious beginning of the waterfront, we can be thankful today the area is now a place of recreation. In fact, the waterfront is still going through transition as sections of the new Georgetown National Waterfront Park are still under construction. A former 10 acre unkept parking lot, the restoration of the waterfront space is nothing short of fantastic. The architectural elements of indirect lighting, rolling grass fields, panoramic views, shade trees, interactive water fountains, and "river stairs" makes this a true destination for a lazy Sunday afternoon.

So….finally on to the plan for the night:

Our first stop highlights the best of the waterfront; being outside with a great view in a relaxed atmosphere. You will be able to watch the boats coming, watch the sunlight fading over Roosevelt Island, and certainly people watch. Be sure to note the Sweedish Embassy just adjacent to our location. It is one of the more open Embassy’s in the city, often hosting rooftop parties with DJs open to the public.

Our next stop will detail the chic element of the waterfront area. Mate
(www.matelounge.com), situated under the Whitehurst Freeway, is known for its posh setting and fine sushi. We are timing our arrival with that of the DJ and should expect to hear some “loungy house” music.

Our last stop is Cabanas. Cabanas (www.dcseafood.com/cabanas) opens up to the large fountains in the heart of the waterfront development. We have a reserved area in the lounge for our group. There also will be a DJ, who will be spinning a mix of Latin and Dance music, and catering to our requests.

As always, all locations are cover free. See everyone out!

Public Transit: Street parking is almost impossible in Georgetown on summer weekend nights. If you drive, be prepared to shell out at least $10 for a parking garage. There are frequent Circulator buses to the main strip in Georgetown, M Street. The nearest metro for the buses is Foggy Bottom (blue and orange lines), and the buses run until 2am on weekends.

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.

Disclaimer: 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. An Additional 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.

Update 1: Reminder to all that this Pub Crawl is tomorrow, FRIDAY. Keep your RSVP updated as it looks like a full house. We are going to a great area of Washington for those who have not been. If you get a little lost give me a buzz at 831-224-7838 Stephen. I can not promise that after 930 or so that i will hear my cell so get there on time!. Oh, and if you are reading this past midnight on Thursday....GO TO BED. you will want to conserve you energy for this night!...

We have come full circle. In one year’s time we will have covered 13 different areas of DC. Just think about where we have been:

Cleveland park
Clarendon
U Street
DuPont
Chinatown
9th Street (Little Ethiopia)
Old Town
Georgetown
P Street (Embassy Row)
Ballston
K Street
Adams Morgan
Capitol Hill

I think you would agree that we have accomplished what we set out to do. Our idea was to not only have fun on Saturday nights but to infuse a sense of exploration while doing so. An added bonus was that we have all had a chance to meet so many interesting people. So with that we decided that we would celebrate where we started one year ago, Cleveland Park.

Cleveland Park is named after President Grover Cleveland who bought an estate here in 1886. He, like many, chose Cleveland Park as a summer escape....from downtown (a mere 3 miles away). It is the topography that separates this area from the basin of Foggy Bottom to the Capitol. Its elevation captures a steady breeze in the summer months; a plus in the pre-air conditioning era.

Today the area is known for its art deco apartment buildings, the Uptown Theater, great restaurants, and overall awesomeness (including people who live here (in particular those a little north of the metro:)). We will sample three of the areas best bars, including my favorite, Atomic. The first bar is well known for its quality drinks and 50s style appointments. It also features work from a new local artist every month...most for sale. For the smokers out there, this is one of 2 bars in DC that applied, and received, an exemption to the no-smoking law that passed a couple years back. Fear not non-smokers, the back lounge is smoke free.

From there we will visit Atomic (http://www.atomicbilliards.com/). Atomic keeps with the 50s theme and will seem familiar to those that have been to Rocket Bar in Chinatown or Bedrock Billiards in Adams Morgan. They, along with several other locations, are owned by the same purveyors who capitalized on low rents in basement properties in prime locations (to include Buffalo Billiards). The guys working are my friends so be nice :).

Our last stop is a bit of a newbie on the scene in Cleveland Park. The Uptown Tavern caters to one of the more diverse crowds in the area. Don’t let the name fool you. This is far from a tavern. Depending on the night and can be a hip hop club, Latin club and even at times features live music.

We are looking into new ways to keep each experience interesting so don’t be afraid to plug your area if we have not been there yet or you know of different places off the beaten path.

So here is hoping you will join us in our big One Year Anniversary.

As always, check back in for updates.

We'll be kicking off the first official day of spring with an outing to one of DC's most revered and diverse neighborhoods, Adams Morgan. Most would have assume Adams Morgan would have been one of the first neighborhoods ventured too. However, it gets fairly hectic in the summer so we decided spring is the way too go.

The name Adams Morgan is derived from the names of two, formerly segregated area elementary schools—the older, all-black Thomas P. Morgan Elementary School (now defunct) and the all-white John Quincy Adams Elementary School. As part of the desegregation effort, the Adams Morgan neighborhood was created in 1958. Adams Morgan has long been known as DC's most culturally diverse neighborhood, although gentrication has reduced the influx of immigrants. Adams Morgan also has become a thriving spot for night life, with a number of bars and clubs featuring live music. Over 90 establishments possess liquor licenses.

In the spirit of Adams Morgan three venues were chosen that show the diversity and character of the neighborhood. The first venue will be familiar to many as it is a prime stomping ground for the Adams Morgan faithful. It represents the best of what Adams Morgan has to offer: a fun rustic dive bar with cheap drinks. Be sure to keep an eye out for the skeleton dancing...that’s the signal for $1 jello shots. Go easy though...we have a good night planned.

The second venue is another favorite, The Reef (www.thereefdc.com). We'll hope the weather is nice for a visit to the roof top deck. If not we’ll hang in the Reef themed 2nd floor. In addition to live fish, plenty of space, and a Reef theme (it is afterall called The Reef), there will be a plethra of Belgium beers. The charismatic owner actually travels to Belgium annually to select a new line of beers.

The last stop is practically next door, but again presents the rustic dive bar theme in this outing. 18th and Red (www.18thandred.com) is a well known haunt with great DJs, and will be a great place to close down the night. Our group will have $1 off all beer, mixed drinks, and shots! And, as usual, the cover will be waived for our group.

There will be a special photographer joining us to document the night. He is visiting and vacationing from Estonia and agreed to photo pro-bono in exchange for a fun night and a couple of drinks. You can see his work here: antonipildid.net

On a side note...pub crawls are prohibited in Adams Morgan. Seriously. So if anyone asks, just tell them it was a coincidence that 60 of your friends just happened to come out! ;-)

The nearest metro is Woodley Park (red line). It's a bit removed from Adams Morgan (8 blocks), but is not a bad walk along Calvert and Adams Mill Roads to 18th Street. There's bus service from Woodley Park red line (bus #L2), Faragut West orange/blue line (bus #42), and the U Street green line (bus #90) . Street parking is nearly impossible, but there is an expensive parking garage in the middle of Adams Morgan along 18th Street.

Disclaimer: 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.