DC BwB

[Mr. X]

[quote name='S John' post='1518367' date='Sep 15 2008, 09.50']That's Washington RFD, I believe its owned by the same people as Brickskeller and its basically the same thing.[/quote]
I totally want to try that place out next time I'm down there. Been to Brickskeller a number of times and thought it was pretty cool.

[S John]

[quote name='Mr. X' post='1519414' date='Sep 15 2008, 23.02']I totally want to try that place out next time I'm down there. Been to Brickskeller a number of times and thought it was pretty cool.[/quote]

Yea its not bad. I've been there several times. Each time I emerge several hours later with a belly full of La Fin du Monde. Usually I go there if I've got Caps tickets as the Verizon center is right there. Might as well put down a few $6-7 dollar beers that arent Miller Light before I head on in to the game. Can't really vouch for what it's like on a Saturday night, though. I've actually only been to Brickskellers once and it was a while back at the tail end of a long day, don't remember much about it. It's closer to where I live now that RFD though so I should get on that.

[Jaime L]

Nice AG! Be cool to have someone from Norcal paying a visit to us humble DCers.

[quote name='Raidne' post='1518754' date='Sep 15 2008, 14.33']Ah yes, that's is. It looks to have more space than the Brickskeller, although less grungy charm.[/quote]

Think grungy charm is a great way to put it. RFD is a more modern feeling place like McFaddens whereas Brickskeller is more of a beer drinker's cellar. Even though I've been to RFD more than Brickskeller I prefer Brickskeller's ambiance. RFD just feels like any sports bar built in the 90s whereas Brickskeller is more distinctive. But yeah certainly grungier. Think if we're looking for something closer to Nanny O'Brien's experience, it's Brickskeller. RFD is more chaotic. But either place we'd want it to get there earlier in the evening to make sure to get enough space.

Both are easily reached from the Metro Red line. RFD is right at the Chinatown stop; Brickskeller is two blocks from the Dupont South stop.

[Guest Raidne]

OK, so we've narrowed it down to Brickskeller or RFD - as noted, both are on the Red Line. Brickskeller is about two blocks west of the Dupont metro stop, and RFD is literally a stone's throw north of the Chinatown stop. Both are walkable for me, so I'm down with either choice.

Brickskeller was [i]packed[/i] when I was there on a Friday at about 6 pm, so I'm a little worried about whether it can accommodate the group, but maybe it would be a lot better on a Saturday when there's no happy hour crowd. I'll scope both of them out this weekend. Happy to serve. :)

[makotohanabi]

Brickskeller is packed on Saturday nights. Went a while back for a friend's going away party, we arrived around 7pm and lucked out finding a table. It took a long time to get drinks, and had to yell in someone's ear to be heard. This was in 2005 so it may be different now.

[angie]

I haven't been to either Brickskeller or RFD, but I'm more inclined to Brickskeller, based on the comments so far.

To put out another suggestion, though, I'll offer up [url="http://www.whitlows.com/"]Whitlow's[/url] in Clarendon. My friend and I went there for brunch the other day and the food was very good. They also have a couple of close metro stops and some private areas available for reservations. :)

[Arbor Gold]

Any hotel recs nearby?

I'm turning this into an "AG goes to DC" weekend, which I'm pretty excited about. I've been to the area for work, but I have never done any of the touristy stuff. I'll fly in Saturday, party with you all, then have Sunday to sleep in and go see the sights (the Mall?). Monday is a "travel day", so I'm going to hang out in DC for a while (museums?) and then drive to PA for work stuff on Tuesday. :)

[angie]

I've heard good things about the [url="http://grandwashington.hyatt.com/hyatt/hotels/index.jsp"]Grand Hyatt[/url]. Never stayed there myself, though. :)

[S John]

Depends on whether you want to stay close to the airport, close to the monuments, close to night life, etc.. The only hotel I've stayed in in DC is the [url="http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/wasdt-marriott-wardman-park-hotel/"]Marriot Wardman Park Hotel[/url] in Woodley Park.

Before I lived in DC, I was here for work... they gave away my room at some other Marriot in DC so they sent me to that one and compensated me by giving me the presidential suite! There was a freakin piano in there! Anyway, that particular hotel is literally right next to a metro stop and walking distance to the bars, restaurants, and cafe's in Adams Morgan. But you wouldnt be able to walk to the museums, monuments, and other touristy stuff in DC from there (except the Zoo). And I have no idea how expensive it is becuase I didn't pay for it. :)

[Guest Raidne]

[quote name='Angie' post='1521104' date='Sep 16 2008, 22.25']To put out another suggestion, though, I'll offer up [url="http://www.whitlows.com/"]Whitlow's[/url] in Clarendon. My friend and I went there for brunch the other day and the food was very good. They also have a couple of close metro stops and some private areas available for reservations. :)[/quote]

You can [i]probably[/i] get me out of the District if I can smoke there, but I'm thinking a lot of other people would bail...

[angie]

[quote name='Raidne' post='1523579' date='Sep 18 2008, 16.51']You can [i]probably[/i] get me out of the District if I can smoke there, but I'm thinking a lot of other people would bail...[/quote]

We can smoke there!! Of course it could always be something we keep in mind for a future BWB meet too. :)

Either way it's about a $25 cab ride for me to DC or Clarendon, though, so I'm cool with anything.

[Guest Raidne]

[quote name='Angie' post='1523645' date='Sep 18 2008, 17.48']We can smoke there!! Of course it could always be something we keep in mind for a future BWB meet too. :)

Either way it's about a $25 cab ride for me to DC or Clarendon, though, so I'm cool with anything.[/quote]

Let's definitely do that in the future, and keep it easy for AG this time. I'm totally enthralled by this idea of smoking inside - they even banned it back in Houston, of all places.

[Arbor Gold]

[quote name='Arbor Gold' post='1521239' date='Sep 16 2008, 22.58']Any hotel recs nearby?[/quote]
What a dumbass. Nearby [i]what[/i], indeed. What I meant, of course, was "near the proposed meetup location," only because I'll probably be tired and lazy and not feeling like figuring out a new Metro system upon arrival.

Ultimately I don't really care, as long as I'm not out in the boonies. :)

[Inigima]

Yeah, I'd prefer to avoid going all the way to Virginia. DC is already quite a hike for me -- a 1/4 tank of gas just to get to and from the Silver Spring metro station north of the city, with a combined travel time of well over an hour each way -- and I don't much like the idea of a longer trip.

[angie]

[quote name='Arbor Gold' post='1525092' date='Sep 19 2008, 19.35']What a dumbass. Nearby [i]what[/i], indeed. What I meant, of course, was "near the proposed meetup location," only because I'll probably be tired and lazy and not feeling like figuring out a new Metro system upon arrival.[/quote]

Grand Hyatt is 1 metro stop or a few blocks from the Chinatown place if that becomes the place of choice. I'm not sure about hotels in the Dupont area if the other place becomes the one of choice. :)

[Guest Raidne]

AG - really, by Capitol Hill and Dupont, you can't throw a stone without hitting some hotel or another, and they will all probably be fairly close to wherever we end up. I tell people coming to visit me to stay at either Residence Inn on Vermont three doors down from my apartment, and a Embassy Row Courtyard on Rhode Island for under $150/night (around $110, I think) closer to Dupont, but there are more restaurants and retail in Dupont Circle further west. OTOH, my neighborhood, Logan Circle, is pretty equidistant to everything and we'd be happy to grab you on our way out so you wouldn't have to think about where you were going.

[WarGalley]

Btw Raidne, I find the message by the National Weather Service in your sig, hilarious. Where did you see that? It reminds me of a Daily Show segment where they showed a CNN news headline that said "Experts Agree: Osama Bin Laden is Dead or Alive."

[Guest Raidne]

[quote name='WarGalley' post='1526983' date='Sep 22 2008, 11.11']Btw Raidne, I find the message by the National Weather Service in your sig, hilarious. Where did you see that? It reminds me of a Daily Show segment where they showed a CNN news headline that said "Experts Agree: Osama Bin Laden is Dead or Alive."[/quote]

It was all over the news before Ike, particularly in the Houston Chronicle - the official alert from the NOAA's National Weather Service bulletin. And I saw that Daily Show. :lol:

ETA: Also, after two weeks I finally walked the half mile to the White House, and also saw the Treasury building on the way, and the World Bank building on the way back. Today I'm going to check out some of the museums. This all took a back seat last week to finding bars we like in our neighborhood.

[ambyr]

Alas, the 8th is our post-Halloween party, but if it moves back to the 24th/25th, I could probably make it out.

[Guest Raidne]

OK, people, miracle of miracles, Brickskeller takes reservations, so I booked a table for 10 for 7:00 PM on Nov. 8th.

I did a rough count based on the interest in this thread, so if you're planning on coming and haven't posted and/or bringing a spouse/date, let me know. Also, is 7:00 OK for everyone? I don't want to be that person with 4 people at the table for 10 on Saturday night and feel like a jackass and all that. Good stuff - very much looking forward to seeing all of you.