This past weekend, Jiyan and I took to Morven Park in Leesburg, VA to take part in the festivities of The Land Rover America’s Polo Cup. It was a little bit of a departure from the urban nightlife scene we usually write about but I think we were both excited to get outside of the city limits and enjoy the beautiful scenery, local wine, and scores of people looking to let loose while witnessing one of the oldest team sports in the world.

Unfortunately, we couldn’t make it out for the kickoff on Friday evening to see the U.S. vs. Italy Culinary Competition, Virginia Wine Competition & International Fashion Show titled “Rockin the Runway.” We did get the rundown from a number of attendees and from all accounts, the libations were flowing and it was quite a show.

Prior to the match on Saturday, there were a slew of performances including U.S. and Italian National Anthems, Air Parachute Team Show by BlackWater USA, a U.S. Navy F-18 Fly Over and Air Show and a small contingent of your friendly neighborhood protesters.

We spent a fair amount of time talking to attendees at the event including Jan Du Plain, representing Cultural Tourism DC, and Kristine, Anne and Valeria who were over at the Modern Luxury DC booth. You can check these and other conversations out on our feature video below.

By the time the match started, we were a good six or seven glasses of wine in and feeling pretty nice which helped make the match a little more interesting.

The night capped off with a performance by none other that Huey Lewis and the News. Huey apparently had the crowd singing along complete with kids on stage. To sum it up, The Land Rover America’s Polo Cup aspiration to expose polo to a wider audience, and bring international cultures together was a big success.

The American Polo Team faces off with the Australian Polo Team in May 2009 so be sure to mark your calendars and come join us for the next episode. Special thanks to Deanna H. for getting tipsy and talking to everyone in attendance :D.

Cafe Japone has been a favorite of mine for a while now so this review is long overdue. The venue is a bit of a hidden gem in DC - a two-story establishment it really is somewhat of the Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde of sushi places in the DC area. The top floor offers a fairly laid-back sushi restaurant and bar complete with a karaoke stage. Walking into the downstairs bar however is sort of like entering a strange post-modern planetarium / lounge replete with billowy curtains, plush couches and a DJ booth.

Cost - $$

Service - B-
Cafe Japone doesn’t stake their claim on service. Actually their service can seem downright apathetic at times, as if to say, “This place is so cool we don’t even have to try very hard.” It is pretty cool though so I guess they don’t have to try that hard.

Food - B+
The sushi is pretty good. The sushi chefs are actually Japanese (as is the ownership) so they are really forced to represent appropriately. Actually in Dupont proper, I think the sushi is as good as it gets although it isn’t enough of a draw to bring people from all over the city in and of itself.

Decor - A-
As I mentioned in the preface to this review, Cafe Japone is a pretty funkified venue. Upstairs and downstairs are like night and day. The upstairs portion is not much different than any other sushi bar in the city - the downstairs portion is completely unique. I think the ownership decided to make the upstairs area the cash cow while making the downstairs portion more of a vanity project.

Feel - A-
It is one of my favorite venues in the Dupont Circle area. It is a good place for dinner or happy hour on weekdays, and a bit of a tucked-away gem for a weekend evening with friends. The lounge isn’t really so much of a social venue but offers intimacy and privacy for groups or couples.

Cafe Japone is located at 2032 P Street, NW. They can be reached at 202-223-1573.

What’s the Buzz:

May 6, 2007 - Cafe Japone (Clubhouse Lawyer) - I just have a few more weeks in DC, so I’m trying to do as much as I can as time permits. One of my co-workers is also leaving DC soon and this past Friday was her last day in the office. We had a sort of going away at Cafe Japone Saturday night. Full article…

Circa at Dupont is a relatively new establishment located right in the heart of Dupont Circle. With a good menu, an indoor bar area, and outdoor seating it figures to be a solid addition to the Dupont Circle nightlife. Dean and I hit Circa on a whim after running a few games at Balance Gym.  It was a beautiful night (a shade over 80 degrees) and instead of heading home we decided to grab a quick bit to eat outside.  It turned out to be the perfect venue for the evening.

Cost - $$

Service - B+
The service was extremely good and didn’t seem to mind that I was wearing flip-flops and basketball shorts.  Not that I can think of that many restaurants in DC that actually would make a big fuss about it but it was definitely nice to receive good service straight out of the gym.

Food - B
The food was solid but not spectacular.  In all honesty I can’t speak to the quality of the main entrées - just this pizzas.  The white pizza was good but not the best in DC (that award belongs to the white pizza at Pines of Rome in Bethesda).

Decor - B+
I like the location of Circa and from the patio, you have a great vantage point to people-watch in Dupont.  Inside, Circa creates a comfortable yet slightly upscale atmosphere with its general decor.  It is a place you can dress down to (which is important in DC) but also a place you could grab a pre-evening drink on a Friday or Saturday.

Feel - A-
For an informal dinner on a beautiful Wednesday evening, Circa was the perfect choice.  I also would certainly go back to pre-game on a weekend evening.

Circa is located at 601 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20009.  

What’s the Buzz:

September 20, 2007 - Circa at Dupont (The 42) - On a whim we decided to pay a visit to one of Dupont’s newest restaurants, Circa. Its on the 42 bus route on Connecticut Ave at Q Street; right across the street from the northern Metro entrance. Wrap Works was there previously. This place is a liiiiiiiittle bit more swank.  Full article…

April 18, 2007 - Circa du Soso (Washington, DC Metblogs) - Located at Connecticut and Q, directly opposite the Dupont Circle Metro station, Circa is one of the best new neighborhood restaurants I’ve been to in quite some time. Some of my favorite restaurants in the area are Bistro du Coin, Hank’s Oyster Bar, and Urbana, but Circa may soon be added to that list. It has every quality that I look for in a restaurant: tasty food, a nice selection of wine (and other drinks), a beautiful decor, and a great location.  Full Article…

October 30, 2006 - What’s New on the Circa (Going out Gurus) - “We really want to make ourselves part of the community.” Those are the high aspirations Matthew Carlin has for Circa at Dupont, the new restaurant moving into the WrapWorks space as early as next March. Carlin is the chief financial officer and chief operations officer for the MHG Group, which manages the Greenberry’s coffee shops in the Virginia suburbs. With Circa, the group is trying something a little different.  Full Article…

Local 16 - The deck at Local 16 can get pretty packed on warm evenings.  Once a popular destination for DC residents living in the U Street area, Local 16 has grown in popularity and now attracts people from all over the city.

The Space - A newcomer to the DC night life, The Space offers a great second-floor deck that is still a relatively unknown commodity in the DC scene.  The Space has a more laid-back, intimate experience.

Lima - Lima’s popularity may have been waning during the cold months but it should experience a resurgence with people coming to take advantage of the patio (one of the only club venues on K Street that offers an outdoor lounge).  The crowd is one of the most internationally diverse in the DC area and each section of the club offers a slightly unique, but fun time.

Eighteenth Street Lounge - The patio at Eighteenth Street Lounge has long been recognized as a favorite destination for DC residents and newcomers alike.  It tends to offer a heterogeneous mix of people who all come to enjoy the great music and friendly experience.

Georgetown Waterfront - Nick’s Riverside Grill, Sequoia and Tony & Joe’s collectively offer the most popular outdoor nighttime destination in Washington, DC.  It can definitely get a little congested at times but it is definitely worth the trip.  The crowd here definitely skews a little bit younger here.

ACKC, short for Artfully Chocolate and Kingsbury Confections - is the product of a collaboration of the two Alexandria stores. A welcomed addition to the local scene in Logan Circle, the shop is a combination of cafe, chocolate shop and art gallery for the most part but they also offer a number of novelty items such as greeting cards and dog treats. In addition, the rear of the space is outfitted with a showcase kitchen so visitors can watch the confections being made. If warm mugs of hot chocolate and delicious desserts is your thing, ACKC is definitely worth a try.

Cost - $

Service - A-
The gentleman working behind the chocolate counter was extremely helpful in giving me background and guidance on the various pieces to choose from. The staff at the cocoa bar were also very nice but making designer chocolate drinks is a bit of a process so I had a little bit of wait but it was worth it.

Food - A-
I haven’t frequented a number of chocolate bars so I don’t have a very good handle on how ACKC stacks up against other places but the drinks in my opinion were surprisingly more delicious and complex than I had expected. I also had a number of the chocolate pieces and they were quite good as well. In addition, it was impressive to see the community theme of offering goods from other local confectioners and artisans.

Decor - A-
Before my first visit, the simple name on the red awning coupled with the bright colors on the inside made the shop look a little intimidating and exclusive from the outside. I know that sounds like a contradiction but that was my impression. I think my feelings were a compliment and a testimony to the little details that make spending time there a treat. From the exposed kitchen to the art on the wall, ACKC is well-executed which gives the place a warm, rich feel. I think it all boils down to me thinking that the prices would be more on the expensive side which tuns out, not the case at all.

Feel - A
Cozy, friendly and hip. Like I said above, a welcomed addition to the neighborhood that reflects some of the best of Logan Circle.

ACKC is located at 1529 14th Street NW. They can be reached at (202) 387-2626.

What’s the Buzz:

April 22, 2008 - ACKC Bringing Sidewalk Cafe to 14th Street? (14th and You) - Everyone’s favorite purveyors of awesome hot chocolate beverages (and some darn good chocolate bars–has anyone tried the chocolate bacon bar? Yummmmm…). Full Article…

February 19, 2008 - ACKC Cocoa Bar Offers Real-Deal Hot Chocolate (The Washingtonian) - If you worship at the altar of chocolate, you might want to make a pilgrimage to the ACKC Cocoa Bar. This arty cafe/gallery conjures up a Euro-style espresso bar, but with the cocoa bean front and center. Full Article…