Around Town: Butterfly Bash @ Union Market — 10/13/17

Posted on 10/17/2017 by Mickey McCarter in Around Town and tagged Butterfly Bash, charity, cocktails, Fair Chance, Union Market.

Amanda Marshall, founder of Fair Chance, addresses the 2017 Butterfly Bash on Oct. 13.

The MusicianShip, a DC nonprofit organization dedicated to changing the lives of youth through music, recently turned to Fair Chance, a nonprofit that acts as a kind of consultant to other nonprofits, to build capacity and reach more young people.

Don’t Miss: Butterfly Bash 2017 @ Union Market, 10/13/17

Posted on 10/10/2017 by Mickey McCarter in Around Town and tagged Butterfly Bash, charity, cocktails, Fair Chance, Union Market.

Enjoy cocktails for a good cause at Union Market on Friday!

Fair Chance, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of impoverished children in DC, will host its annual Fair Chance Butterfly Bash on Friday, Oct. 13 at Dock 5 at Union Station. Tickets are still available to attend this terrific event.

Stars & Bars: National Vodka Day @ Wilson Hardware — 10/3/17

Posted on 10/06/2017 by Mickey McCarter in Stars and Bars and tagged Arlington, bar, Clarendon, cocktail bar, cocktails, Wilson Hardware.

Inside the visually stunning Wilson Hardware

Newly minted Wilson Hardware (2915 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, Va.) in Clarendon held a pregame celebration for National Vodka Day on Tuesday, and Parklife DC took the opportunity to sip a few drinks appropriate for the observance!

Around Town: RAMMY Awards @ Washington Convention Center — 7/30/17

Posted on 07/31/2017 by Mickey McCarter in Around Town, Food Talk and tagged Acme Paper & Supply Co. Inc., Ashok Bajaj, beer program, Bethesda, Black Restaurant Group, Brandon Skall, Bresca, Brett Schulman, Cava Grill, Cava Group Inc., Cedric Maupillier, Charlie Palmer Steak, Chi Ko, cocktails, Compass Rose, Convivial, DC Brau, Hazel, jack rose dining saloon, Jeff Hancock, Jemil Gadea, John Grace, Jose Andres, Joseph Cassis, Kapnos by Mike Isabella, Knightsbridge Restaurant Group, Masseria, Megan Rognrud, Mike Isabella, minibar by Jose Andres, Morgan Fausett, Nadine Brown, Neighborhood Restaurant Group, PassionFish, Pearl Dive Oyster Palace, Penn Quarter, Proof, RAMMY Awards, Rasika, Republic, Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington, Ripple, Rob Rubba, Rose Previte, Ryan Ratino, Scott Drewno, Shaw, Takoma Park, Tarver King, The Hamilton, The Restaurant at Patowmack Farm, The Source by Wolfgang Puck, Washington Convention Center, wine program.

Rose Previte, owner of Compass Rose, accepts the award for Best Casual Restaurant of the Year with her team at the 2017 RAMMY Awards on July 30, 2017.

Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington CEO Kathy Hollinger launched the 35th annual RAMMY Awards with an eloquent description of how DC has become a true dining destination in the past decade, a description that was more than ably demonstrated by 20 award recipients recognized by the association Sunday night at the Washington Convention Center.

Stars and Bars: Grand Opening @ Vieux Carre — 9/14/16

Posted on 09/19/2016 by Mickey McCarter in Live Review and tagged Abita Beer, absinthe, Absinthe Frappe, cocktail bar, cocktails, Fireball, French 75, Hurricane, K Street, New Orleans, Sazerac, slow gin fizz, vieux carre.

Bartender Chris makes a slow gin fizz at the Vieux Carre grand opening party on Sept. 14, 2016.

Cocktails mecca Vieux Carre opened on K Street in July, and last week the bar welcomed guests for a grand opening party.

Creative Director Seth McClelland personally greeted people at the door like a proud father, and he’s got a lot to be proud of. Vieux Carre is a lovely place, recreating the experience of being in an old-school French Quarter bar from New Orleans. You can immediately make yourself comfortable at small tables around the first floor or balcony or pull up to the grand bar that dominates the first floor at the right of the door.

Around Town: Bastille Day @ Central Michel Richard — 7/14/16

Posted on 07/18/2016 by Mickey McCarter in Live Review and tagged Bastille Day, Central Michel Richard, cocktails, France, Metro Center, Penn Quarter, prix-fixe menu, theatre menu.

Central Michel Richard (1001 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, DC) hosted a full house for Bastille Day last week, serving up a $55 three-course menu along with specialty cocktails, wine, and beer for Francophiles and foodies seeking to celebrate French independence day.

As guests filled the restaurant and bar, they enjoyed music from the Blue Room Jazz Band, a quartet that played from the lounge in the restaurant’s entrance.

Stars and Bars: Cherry Blossom Season @ Chaplin’s Restaurant — 3/21/16

Posted on 03/22/2016 by Mickey McCarter in Stars and Bars and tagged Chaplin's Restaurant, cherry blossom cocktails, cherry blossoms, cocktail bar, cocktails, Kirin Ichiban, ramen house, Shaw.

A Kirin beer and a shot of sake (Photo by Joy Asico)

With the assistance of Japanese beer Kirin Ichiban, Chaplin’s Restaurant (1501 9th St. NW, DC) introduced a couple of Japanese-themed cocktails on Monday, March 21, to celebrate the DC cherry blossom season.

Chaplin’s, a popular ramen house in Shaw, is known as a cocktail destination, and the introduction of its two “beertails,” both using Kirin Ichiban as an ingredient, comes as DC cherry blossoms are about to hit peak bloom on Wednesday, March 23, and Thursday, March 24.

MoKi Media co-founder Dannia Hakki and Chaplin’s Restaurant owner Ari Wilder (Photo by Joy Asico)

The two specialty cocktails available at Chaplin’s during cherry blossom season are Bread & Soda, made with Kirin Ichiban and Bulleit Bourbon, and Honzo’s Steel, a mix of Kirin Ichiban orange-blossom honey reduction and Nolet’s Gin. Chaplin’s is also offering pints of Kirin Ichiban and shots of Sakura Emaki Rose sake as a “Cherry Blossom Bomb.”

Chaplin’s offers all three drink specials — $8 Kirin beertails and $5 Kirin pints or pints-and-sake — through April 17.

By the way, we loved the Kill Bill reference, Chaplin’s, as we presume Honzo’s Steel is named for Hattori Hanz?, master swordsmith who outfitted Bill and his Deadly Viper Assassination Squad!

Here are the ingredients for the two cocktails:

Bread & Soda
Bulleit Bourbon
Kirin Ichiban
Maple ginger
Lemon
Ginger beer cake
Cardamom caramel

Honzo’s Steel
Nolet’s Gin
Tozai Plum
Ichiban Orange Blossom Honey
Lemon

For more information on Chaplin’s or to make a reservation, visit http://chaplinrestaurantdc.com.

Chaplin’s barstaff put the finishing touches on Bread & Soda cocktails (Photo by Parklife DC)

Stars and Bars: First Look @ Columbia Room, 2/9/16

Posted on 02/08/2016 by Mickey McCarter in Stars and Bars and tagged Blagden Alley, cocktail bar, cocktails, Columbia Room, Derek Brown, Shaw.

The view from behind the bar in the Tasting Room at the Columbia Room (Photo by Jeff Elkins)

Over the weekend, DC cocktail mogul Derek Brown held a soft launch party for his new flagship spirits destination, the Columbia Room (124 Blagden Alley NW, DC).

Starting tomorrow, Feb. 9, the Columbia Room is open to the public! But before you go, Derek kindly provided pictures of the space so that you can orient yourself to the stylish surroundings, sure to inspire many long, intellectual conversations stimulated by the bar’s sophisticated drinks.

Stars and Bars: Grand Opening @ Columbia Room, 2/9/16

Posted on 01/21/2016 by Mickey McCarter in Stars and Bars and tagged cocktail bar, cocktails, Columbia Room, Derek Brown, Eat the Rich, J.P. Fetherston, Mockingbird Hill, Southern Efficiency, The Passenger.

Columbia Room Owner Derek Brown and Head Bartender J.P. Fetherston. (Photo by Joy Asico)

Our favorite cocktail mogul has announced the return of his signature establishment, which he promises will be bigger and better than ever.

On Feb. 9, enterpreneur Derek Brown will reopen the Columbia Room in its new location in the Shaw neighborhood (124 Blagden Alley NW, DC). The original Columbia Room, once relocated within the Passenger cocktail bar for a five-year run, closed over a year ago after receiving widespread recognition, including two James Beard Award nominations.

“We’re so excited that we get to expand on our original idea,” said Derek in a press release. “It means that we get to add bells and whistles, but it also means that we get to bring a new perspective — a more confident perspective that I think, for guests, will translate into a richer experience with our service, drinks, and food.”

The new Columbia Room covers 2,400-square feet and consists of three areas — The Spirits Library, the Tasting Room, and the Punch Garden. The Spirits Library is the “main room,” which holds only 20 people, serving the specialty cocktails and spirits upon which Derek has crafted his repuation. He’s joined in the enterprise, of course, by Columbia Room head bartender J.P. Fetherston.

Customers will require tickets for the Tasting Room, which holds only 14 people. Inside the Tasting Room, patrons can enjoy three- and five-course tasting menus featuring specialty cocktails, punches, sodas, and light snacks curated by Derek and the team.

The Punch Garden is a seated outdoors terrace with a great view of the city, and it won’t open until later this spring.

For more information on the Columbia Room, visit its website at http://www.columbiaroomdc.com.

Of course, Derek also will continue to be the coproprieter of sister bars Mockingbird Hill (1843 7th St. NW, DC), Eat the Rich (1839 7th St. NW, DC), and Southern Efficiency (1841 7th St. NW, DC).

Below are pictures of a few of the Columbia Room signature cocktails.

Iron Arm Grog: Scotch, brose (oatmeal, hay, faro), myrtle berry liqueur, honey, cranberry bitters, frozen cranberries, juniper sprig (Photo by Joy Asico)

Give Me a Home: Bison grass vodka, fresh pressed apple juice, spiced apple foam, caramel lace (Photo by Joy Asico)

Robert Frost Cocktail: Bourbon, amontillado sherry, white port, orange bitters, sugar maple charcoal filtered (Photo by Joy Asico)

Around Town: Remembering David Bowie, 1/11/16

Posted on 01/11/2016 by Mickey McCarter in Around Town, Live Review and tagged cocktails, David Bowie, DC9, glam, karaoke, Sticky Rice.

If you are in DC mourning the passing of David Bowie, who died last night of cancer at age 69, consider joining one of these events to celebrate the life and legacy of the man.

Events honoring David Bowie in DC tonight, Monday, Jan. 11:

David Bowie (may you rest in peace)
DC9
5pm-2am
Free
21+

We would like to say our hearts are truly saddened by the loss of one of the greatest musicians and entertainers of our era. Our entire day is dedicated to David Bowie. Music will on our speakers will be some of most popular and other deep tracks from his catalogue that spans six decades.

David Bowie cocktails: We have a cocktail for each decade that he made music.

More info: http://dcnine.com/calendar/2016/01/11/david-bowie-2/

David Bowie Karaoke Tribute
Sticky Rice
8-11pm
Free
21+

Come celebrate the life of David Bowie by singing your heart out at Sticky Rice tonight. David Bowie and Ziggy Stardust will be sung throughout the evening. Costumes are welcome and encouraged. Sticky Rice will be providing the face paint but feel free to come come in full make up!!!!!

More info: https://www.facebook.com/events/582016841963426/