All Hallow's Eve

Happy Halloween. Oh, I love this day; an excuse for even the most reserved to live out their costume fantasties. So what are YOU going to be this evening?

[images here and here...oh yeah, and here]

A Beer Lover's Heaven: Birch&Barley/Churchkey

Last week I got an early look at the much anticipated Birch&Barley/Churchkey in Logan Circle. In fact, you could almost hear the neighborhood cheer as the new spot opened its doors.

Check out my full review and Justin's great photo tour at ReadySetDC.

Spotlight: Commonwealth & For The Greater Good

Commonwealth, the gentleman's streetwear/fashion/sportswear boutique on Florida Avenue has sprouted an entire culture right here in DC focusing on changing the shopping experience. The shop seeks to provide progressive designs, blending young up-and-coming and contemporary designers. Along with its big brother, For The Greater Good, Commonwealth has exposed the community to art and ideas through exhibitions and in-store events; working with the likes of NERD, Kenna, the Clipse and artists such as Cody Hudson and Eric Coleman. The shops carry brands such as A.P.C., Ray Ban, Red Wing, Stussy Deluxe, Converse, Cassette, Maiden Noir and many more.

This summer, For the Greater Good played host to Greater Good Mondays at the Donovan House rooftop; which proved to be a go-to location on steamy Monday nights in the city.

All in all, the two shops are transforming the male shopping experience into a more progressive, socially responsible and inventive process.

Just released Comme des Garcons x Converse Chuck Taylor (above)

Check out For the Greater Good and Commonwealth at 1781 Florida Avenue NW or call 202.265.1830

Celebrate: For the Love of It

Saturday, November 7th you are invited the celebrate Redeem's 3rd anniversary, where else but at Redeem (1734 14th Street)

To celebrate Redeem's 3rd anniversary De*Nada designs, Kelly Towles and DJ Cassidy will celebrate pop shop style. Don't miss.

Above: De*Nada warm and cozy designs, perfect for fall.

DURKL Cash'N Carry Sale

"This Halloween, DURKL invites you to come down to EYE st and trick or treat in style for the 1st annual DURKL CASH ‘N CARRY Sale. What the heck is a Cash ‘n Carry Sale you ask? Well, it works like this....We made 2 types of reusable shopping bags, 1 large, and 1 small. For $200 bucks, you get the big one, for $100 bucks you get the smaller one. When you come to the warehouse, you decide what bag size you want, pay, and then get access to Cash ‘n Carry area. Once inside, you are free to stuff your bag to the brim with whatever DURKL you chose."

Daily Inspiration: Take me to Spain

My darling friend Caroline has left me and Washington for Spain for the year.

Ella en Salamanca Plaza y cafe con leche.

Below is a shot from DURKL.

FotoWeekDC: November 7th-14th

FotoWeekDC 2009, the premiere photography event in Washington, is nearly here.

The festival will run through November 7th-14th.

With so many events occurring at once, its essential to prioritize. Check out the full schedule here.

Here are some of my picks:

1. Edward Burtynsky and the Industrial Sublime

The artist himself will give a lecture at the Corcoran Gallery on November 11th at 7pm discussing his current exhibit "Oil" at the gallery and the connectivity of nature and industry.The lecture is $15 for Corcoran members, $20 for the public.

2. Foto Fashion Presents Immortal Style

On Sunday, November 8th at Immortal Beloved Salon (1457 Church Street) in Logan Circle, will host Immortal Style: An Exhibition of Fashion Photography. A special fashion video art installation will be provided by Adrian Loving.

3. Fixation

The eve before Foto Fashion, head to Fixation at Industry Gallery (above Conner Contemporary) from 6-10pm. The event put on by the Pink Line Project and Ten Miles Square will feature 9 Fixation photographers, music by Yoko K, Ayyoko Confidential and Suspicious Package (recently featured in Spin Mag) all seeking to break the stereotypical notion of the DC resident.

Stars Align: Tennis System, US Royalty and Death on Two Wheels

Don't miss of the week: two local DC acts, Tennis System and US Royalty along with Death on Two Wheels at Velvet Lounge. Doors open at 7:30, show begins at 9.

I'll be there with some of the ReadySetDC team.

Retro Glam:High & Low

I enjoy Phillip Lim's creation of a gentlemen flapper if you will.

Both items (ruffled tux blouse and beaded flapper mini skirt) are available through Bergdorf Goodman.

A combination fitting of the times- and one I would like to have in my closet.

**update**

Found this gem on Ebay. I have a feeling I am going to have to fight to the death for this one...

Daily Inspiration: It's Wild Out There

This image caught my attention on Interview's site today.

Max Records and director Spike Jonze (much like a big kid himself) filming Where The Wild Things Are.

The famed ten sentence long book by author Maurice Sendack was brought to life by Spike Jonze and Dave Eggers.

I caught the film last week and was thoroughly blown away by three things;

1.Max Records stellar performance as Max

2. Catherine Keener's compassionate (while short) performance

3. Jim Henson's Character Workshop costume designs.

Vesting in Fall.

I love Garance. I love the fact that Scott Schuman and Garance are together; it's like two supernovas coming together.

Another thing I like? This camel vest.

Fashion in Washington

Above are my two favorite looks from last night's Fashion Washington first anniversary party.

At the very top, Project Beltway's Rachel Cothran found Patricia Harr in this Valentino pantsuit. Then my absolute favorite, Tracy Rosenbaum, The Sartorialist's assistant; a very inspiring one at that.

Check out the full review @ReadySetDC.

Barton Seaver's blue winner, Blue Ridge

Mixed, is a polite way of describing the reviews of famed DC chef Barton Seaver. Restaurateurs Eli Hengst and Jared Rager (Capitol Hill's Sonoma) together with Seaver opened Blue Ridge this summer in the very neighborhood oriented Glover Park. The concept of Blue Ridge is farm-to-table dining, which he will expand upon later with the slated opening of Diamond District on the bustling 14th Street/U Street Corridor. Diamond District takes Seaver's concept of sustainability one step further by installing a fish market with a restaurant. Not one to isolate food lovers with tighter bank accounts, Diamond District's fish market will accept food stamps as payment.

Much controversy has arisen by Seaver's latest praise coming from Esquire Magazine. Esquire recently announced Seaver has been named 2009 Chef of the Year, and named Seaver's restaurant Blue Ridge as one of the best restaurants of 2009. The official spread can be seen in the upcoming November issue of Esquire Magazine. Esquire's critic John Mariani praised, "masterful creations...aged country ham, a perfect chicken potpie with hot rosemary-flecked biscuits, and sweet-potato fritters with honey mustard."

The announcement has come as quite a shock to many. On the one hand, Seaver has a loyal fan base here in our nation's capitol and many have enjoyed watching him grow as a chef, from his tenure at Cafe Saint Ex to Hook and now to his spread of sustainable dining at Blue Ridge. On the other hand, Blue Ridge has been met with an interesting array of reviews; some rave (as was John Mariani from Esquire) and some not so much (Washington Post critic Tom Sietsema gave Blue Ridge an one-and-a-half stars out of four) causing many to rebuke the title of Barton Seaver as chef of the year.

Indeed, many people's palettes are turned off by Seaver's ambitious menu, such as his flagship grilled calamari- a smoky piece of fresh calamari with the skin intact to retain the smoky flavor, accompanied by a shockingly light and fresh basil-walnut frisee. The menu as a whole, drawing inspiration from the mountains to which it is named for. A mix of southern cuisine and mid-Atlantic fare. Blue Ridge is committed to sustainable practices, therefore gathering ingredients from local farmers and fishermen. Blue Ridge's menu-quite appropriately- is heavily seafood oriented; from Rappahanock oysters to fried catfish to smoked bluefish. Above all, Blue Ridge is well priced for the intricacy of the menu (no entree exceeds 21 dollars.) The menu is accompanied by an appealing wine menu, including over 30 organic wines and over 10 local Virginia or Maryland wines. The wines are very well priced, with only a handful over 50 dollars.

My advice; when it comes to Blue Ridge you must make your mind up for yourself. Many have great experiences and find Seaver's touch just right for their dining experiences, while others find that Seaver's concoctions are not for them. No matter if one loathes or loves their dining experience at Blue Ridge, the restaurant is highly conceptual and reflective of the innovative mind of chef Barton Seaver. Seaver is determined to change the way Washingtonians eat, making national headlines along the way.

Personally, I find Seaver's vision for Blue Ridge to be inspired, innovative yet warm and comforting. The menu challenges one's perception of classic favorites while still pleasing both mind and body. I highly, highly recommend Blue Ridge.

Blue Ridge is located at 2340 Wisconsin Avenue NW Washington, D.C.

and is open for lunch; Monday through Friday 11:30-2:30 brunch Saturday&Sunday 11-2:30

dinner; Monday through Thursday 5:30-10 Friday&Saturday 5:30-10:30 and Sunday 5:30-9.

Parties Fit For Fall

Still on a high from being inches away from The Sartorialist and his assistant Tracy, I realize that there is still much in store this week! Here is a run down of some things not to be missed;

Thursday: Dirty Projectors at the Black Cat. 

The show is sold out, but the lucky sort who nabbed tickets are in for a treat. Show begins at 8pm at Black Cat's mainstage.

Friday: Hirshhorn After Hours. 

The quarterly event begins at 8pm Friday. Enjoy drinks and tunes from Fatback whilst perusing the museum's collection. Tickets are still available, much to the surprise of many.

Saturday: The Corcoran Gallery's Fall Fete.

The night is finally here, the Corcoran's annual fall event will begin at 8pm. This glamorous gala would make John Singer Sargeant himself proud, with the appropriate theme: A Nautical Affair. Something must be in the air, because like After Hours, you can still nab tickets for Saturday's fete.

The man, the myth, the legend: The Sartorialist

The night is finally here!
The first anniversary of Fashion.Washington. at Masa 14 and Mr. Sartorialist himself, Scott Schuman will be in attendance promoting his book.

I'm sure there are dozens of lovely ladies-and gentlemen-who are having near panick attacks as to what to wear tonight.

The public book signing at Masa 14 begins at 9pm.

Dreary Drizzle Does a Movie Weekend Make

This dreadfully dreary weather in Washington is terribly terrible.

However, it is a perfect movie weekend.

At E Street Cinema you can check out these flicks among others; 

New York, I Love You (trailer below)

Coco Before Chanel

A Serious Man 

Paris 

and of course Where the Wild Things Are

*Note: Wild Things is not at E Street, but can be found at local AMC and Loews theaters*

What movie will you see this weekend?

Sir Gucci Does Film

The genius Tom Ford tries his hand at directing in A Single Man. Starring Colin Firth, Julianne Moore and Matthew Goode. The trailer alone is genius; suspense, beauty and intrigue.

Rest in Peace Cursive

Perhaps you have heard the news?

Cursive is dead.

Maybe you could care less. Perhaps even loathed having to trudge through cursive lessons in grade school.

Well, I care. A lot.

I make it a point to write in cursive, in fact I actually never thought twice about it until recently when I learned through Time Magazine that youngsters are no longer taught cursive in school.

Chalk it up to the Internet, of which I have a love/hate thing going on. 

The Internet has single handily killed our ability to spell (thanks a lot spell check) and has created a new (and catastrophic) language for a new generation. Soon our elders will need dictionaries just to decode Internet speak and text messaging...

So here is one last plea for the life of cursive. 

Cursive is a beautiful, romantic reminder to who we are, where we have come and how charming writing REAL letters can be.

For as long as I'm around I will make it a point to keep cursive around.

Rest in peace my friend. 

Alright, I will step off my soapbox. Goodnight folks.

Edward Burtynsky: Oil

Edward Burtynsky's Oil recently opened at the Corcoran Gallery here in Washington and will run until December 13th. The photographer has chronicled the life cycle of oil; from production to distribution in this beautiful depiction of a hotly debated subject.

Be sure to check out this exhibit.

Edward Burtynsky: Oil from Corcoran Gallery of Art on Vimeo.

Floux De Fafa

Today was one of those beautiful fall days here in Washington. The first fallen leaves bustling at your feet, still warm enough for casual strolls around the city with solely a scarf as armor.

This video completely captures the day- I wanted nothing more than to bike around with a croissant. 

Contemporary Minds

"Black Like Me No.2," Glenn Ligon

"Berkeley, No.52," by Richard Diebenkorn

"I Think I'll..." Ed Ruscha

"Sky Light," by Alma Thomas

The New York Times recently featured several works of art of which currently hang in the Obama White House. And, as to be expected, the art world went wild.

Fine choices Mr. President (or shall I refer to the First Lady)

It is quite fitting that this  rather contemporary administration has such a contemporary selection of art, I suppose I am not surprised about the selection, but pleased all the same.

It's Fall...Supposedly

Here is what I am really drooling over: 

Vince Paper Leather Drape Neck Jacket.

Love you.

F.W. First Anniversary

Simply cannot wait for Monday, October 19th.

Fashion.Washington will hold it's first anniversary party at Masa 14. 

The event will feature Mr. Sartorialist himself, Scott Schuman and will also honor brother and sister environmentalists, Alexandra and Philippe Cousteau.

Seeing as I work with Alexandra at Blue Legacy and love Fashion.Washington- I think this just maybe my perfect night in Washington.

Que Sera

It is so easy to forget just how beautiful this life is.

Check out this video from Wax Tailor titled "Que Sera" You can also listen to it in the movie Paris

Hiatus, enter DURKL

I am sorry for my hiatus. It was needed. Enjoy this little gem from DURKL.

VIMBY - Durkl 2047