advice for an out of towner?

[Bags]

I've got plenty of ideas...when do you get in to town, and when are you planning to get to the club?   And where (generally) are you staying in the city?  I ask so that I dont' send you all over town in a nonsensical way...
 
 I'd start at a hip hotel lounge (Red Room or Helix) and have some expensive drinks in big glasses, go to the club and go crazy rocking out to the man we all love, then stay around U Street and head to DC9 (just a block away) for dancing upstairs after the show.  Oh yeah, guess you could grab a bit of food at the hotel bars, then have a very late night experience at Ben's Chili Bowl (only way to eat there is with a belly almost full of booze!)

[kosmo vinyl]

Originally posted by kosmo vinyl:
  if you are here Sat and enjoy visiting late Victorian House Museums, stop by the Heurich House near Dupont Circle. I need to confirm the Saturday tour time as it's not currently listed on the website.
 
  http://www.brewmasterscastle.com/

1:15pm for Sat tours

[bryronic]

I've got plenty of ideas...when do you get in to town, and when are you planning to get to the club? And where (generally) are you staying in the city? I ask so that I dont' send you all over town in a nonsensical way...
 
 
 we arrive lunchtime fri, stay thru sun & are staying in direct access to metro. familiar w/ town but haven't been just for fun since carnival of light & sound show in 02.

Ben'sChiliBowl

[Sir HC]

Ben's Chili Bowl is on par with the SNL "No Coke Pepsi" restaurant from days of old.  Great food, but if you are veg, probably not a good first choice.
 
 Hey the club xmas party was there one year!

[Julian, Alleged Computer F**kface]

You all do realize Ben's Chili Bowl has their own  legitimate website, right?

[godsshoeshine]

Originally posted by Sir HC:
  Ben's Chili Bowl is on par with the SNL "No Coke Pepsi" restaurant from days of old.  Great food, but if you are veg, probably not a good first choice.
 
 Hey the club xmas party was there one year!

they have veggie chilli, veggie burgers, veggie dogs, dont they? my girlfriend loves bcb, and while not a veggie, she does not eat red meat or the swine

[amnesiac]

Make sure you take advantage of 9:30's great drink specials:  $6 Yeunglings and rail drinks!!

[Bags]

Originally posted by bryronic:
 we arrive lunchtime fri, stay thru sun & are staying in direct access to metro. familiar w/ town but haven't been just for fun since carnival of light & sound show in 02.

Okay, then what I would do is dedicate Friday night to rockin' fun -- U street, DC9, 9:30 Club (even the Back Bar downstairs at the 9:30 Club is cool, and it's where Mould does his monthly Blowoff DJ nights, so as a fan it may be a great place to hang!).  Birck-oven pizza at Coppi's is great (on U between 14th and 15th Streets, so about 6 blocks from 9:30 --straight shot over on U).
 
 Saturday night I recommend hitting a few hotel bars -- very cool these days around these parts, generally newer places and they're largely within a few blocks of each other, so if you feel the need, move on.  Not stuffy, but not the grungy diversity of U Street either.
 
 Some Saturday night suggestions:  
 - I'd eat at Zaytinya's (mediterranean tapas --  info ) or Logan Tavern (Logan is close to all these other places, on P Street -- info)
 
 - Bar Rouge -- I might start after dinner drinks here (info).
 
 - Helix is the best, has a great patio, is a couple blocks from Rouge (info)
 
 - End with dancing at Halo, a mixed club on P Street (info )

[bryronic]

oh my, but thanks for the input all. we are on our way to one of the best roadtrips of our lives.
      hope you have as much fun as we will.
 i'll be the one spinning out of control at the    show.
 i will attempt to be a little more subdued at some of your suggested venues.

[brennser]

you mean  the Billy Goat Tavern which is about to open a branch in DC?
 
 

Originally posted by Sir HC:
  Ben's Chili Bowl is on par with the SNL "No Coke Pepsi" restaurant from days of old.  

[Sir HC]

Wow, I knew they had the non-meat options, but I thought they would be like getting fish at Ruth's Chris.

[bryronic]

i can see we must go to bcb, if only for a late breakfast. that is the way i was introduced to cincinati style chile. love variations on that theme.

[smakawhat]

Originally posted by kosmo vinyl:
   

Originally posted by bryronic:
  so, will someone elaborate on BEN"S CHILI BOWL. looks like good eats, character & value. is there anything else i should know?

it's primarily an inside joke on the forum... it became almost the first recommendation anytime anyone asked  for dining establishments recommendations near the club.  it then became a catch phrase of sorts here until it became stale.
 
 ben's is a greasy spoon on U street, either you love or hate it [/b]

It is truly so... 5 minutes ago    :cool:

[bryronic]

many thanks to all for the input, i'm still reeling from my fab weekend, a silly smile on my face and a spring in my step.
 we did, in fact, all wake up giggling, with ears ringing.
 heavens, hope those cameras did not capture my animation, as i am hopeless when i dance.