Fashionable DC: Nick Verreos at the Corcoran

11Dec09

The contest?  “All you have to do is tell me who the biggest reality TV show trainwreck is and why.”  The winningest reply?  “Dustin “Screech” Diamond couldn’t even gain the public’s irrational sympathy on Celebrity Fit Club.”  And that’s how I went to my first after-hours lecture in DC and saw Project Runway’s Nick Verreos.

Partly a museum and partly a school, the Corcoran Gallery of Art hosts occasional educational programs and performances.  I won tickets for Nick Verreos’ lecture via local arts website Brightest Young Things a.k.a. the cool artsy kids.

Verreos was a contestant on Season 2 of Project Runway, before it moved to Lifetime and when I still watched the show, and now manages his own clothing line.  During his talk, a slideshow projected images of Hollywood starlets he has dressed including Heidi Klum and Marlee Matlin.

Many DCers can relate to his pre-reality TV celebrity experiences.  Verreos’ father was a diplomat, so his family split their time internationally and in the District, and Verreos studied political science in college before pursuing design.  On the other hand, I cannot relate to the fact that he was invited to Inauguration this year.  “I raved to friends about how I was going to attend the Inauguration ball.  That was the word I used, ‘ball,’ to make myself feel better because seriously what kind of event starts at 10:30 in the morning!”

Verreos listed some of his fashion pet peeves, such as pleated pants, leggings, and those notorious crocs.  He expressed excitement that Washington is now inviting fashion in and being influenced by fashion.  Michelle Obama is an example of a woman with strong fashion sense, he said.  While the streets of DC can be both trendy and original, fashion is still functional in my government office.  Women match their beaded ID lanyards as accessories to outfits, which means that red and green dominate around this season.  The worst is the lanyard with bells.

Verreos conveyed how people have offered him sympathy since he arrived in the city due to the sloppy weather.  He exclaimed, “Are you kidding me?!  I love it!  I get to wear all the winter fashions here.  In California it’s flip-flops and board shorts everyday, and some of it ain’t pretty.”  The audience groaned in that be-careful-what-you-wish-for way.

The lecture was thinly veiled as a two-hour advertising event by the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising (FIDM) in California.  School representatives were on hand to meet interested students and call out alumni in the audience, introduce Verreos as he took stage, and pass out literature at the front door.  True, Verreos credits the school with his success because he was a graduate of FIDM and currently is an instructor there.  I would have preferred more anecdotes about the fashion world (and what Project Runway mentor, Tim Gunn, is really like in person) rather than why he chose to attend FIDM.  His lecture and Q&A time were interrupted to play the school’s marketing video of FIDM’s Debut 2009, the equivalent of a senior thesis as interpreted through a highly produced fashion show.

A wine and appetizer reception followed the lecture in the grand foyer of the museum.  Verreos displayed a few of his evening gowns (shielded from touch behind a velvet rope) and autographed and posed for photos.  I skipped the long meet-and-greet line and focused on the olive tapenade instead.

With Verreos’ upcoming QVC business deal, I’m sure we will see more of him in general.  In DC in particular, I hope we’ll see more lectures and events from figures in the fashion world.

Filed under: Lecture, Museums   |  3 Comments

Perry’s Drag Queen Brunch

08Dec09

All you can eat brunch with a side of humiliation is served every Sunday at Perry’s in Adams Morgan.

The Perry’s drag queen brunch experience is one of those events that I’ve heard about and been urged to attend for years, but never found the motivation to go.  Perry’s is located at 1811 Columbia Road, near Calvert Street.  The restaurant’s name isn’t visible from the street; instead, 1811 on the awning and a line down the sidewalk are the indicators.  It’s a considerable time commitment with time spent walking across Duke Ellington bridge from the Woodley Park metro, waiting to be seated, and then enduring a long brunch and show.

Perry’s doesn’t accept reservations for brunch because they clearly don’t need to.  The line usually forms at 9:45 am for a 10:30 am seating.  Sunday when I went – the day after DC’s first snowfall – was brisk and windy.  Thankfully, I was with a group determined to have brunch so they arrived extra early to wait in line. Perry’s would make so much extra money if they allowed guests to wait inside at the bar and defrost.

Brunch runs from 10:30 am – 2:30 pm, with two seatings and two shows. If you’re unable to arrive that early, wait for the second showing at 1:00 pm.  The line for the next group was fortunately permitted to wait indoors on the stairwell.  Perry’s doesn’t seat incomplete parties so be certain that you don’t wait in vain and instead use the 45 minutes until doors open to assemble your party.

I haven’t been to many drag queen events (in fact, I reported about my second experience ever on this blog), but Perry’s was by far the most interactive and amusing.

Come hungry – pre fixe brunch is steep at $23 for two underwhelming buffet-sized tables.  A pitcher of mimosas sets you back $30.  In addition, the performers remind you to tip them well “so we don’t have to resort to prostitution.”

The eclectic buffet goes from breakfast, lunch, and dinner with granola, home fries, various breakfast meats, and fruits then switching to sushi, dumplings, meat soups, and macaroni.  The scrambled eggs – usually the worst pick at buffets – and blueberry muffins were my favorites. Getting promptly through the buffet line for warm food is another reason to get in line early.  Since my group was the second in line to be seated, we had the best choices from the buffet.  By the time we were done eating and contemplating the next round, some people were still in line awaiting their chance at a first plate.

But Perry’s isn’t special to DC for the food, it’s special for the show.

Three queens make a stage out of narrow space between tables, becoming characters and kissing, mocking, groping, dancing on, or serenading guests.  I knew that someone’s hand had been shockingly guided south by the shrieks and nervous laughter.  One of the drag queens removed a straight guy’s shirt and sweater and waved them around the restaurant like a victorious flag (He retrieved it at the end of the song wearing a woman’s fleece jacket).

Their costumes were outrageous in size, either oversized skirts and teased wigs or skimpy beaded skirts and bandage-sized nipple pasties.  The ladies strutted in 5” heels and lip-synched to pop music, eliciting gasps with each grand entrance.  Lady Gaga – aptly rumored to be a sexually confused – was worthy of imitation twice.  Jennifer Lopez’s infamous green Versace dress made an appearance.  Some of the boobs were “real,” some were fake, all the legs were enviously toned.

Like DC, the crowd’s demographic was mixed: gay men, straight men, college students, middle-aged women, Hispanics and South Asians.  My table of five, nicely dressed, nondescript women must have been too boring for the DQ’s because we barely got any attention.  Instead, they swarmed toward the long table of attractive young men, the attractive straight men in groups of all women, and the loudest table of spunky women.  We schemed practical jokes of bringing trusting friends here for brunch and withholding details of the scheduled drag show.

What is it about a drag queen brunch that draws birthday celebrations?  About nine people, all women, came to the front when the queen bee called out for all the celebrants.  She asked each person for their birthday wishes, telling those who wanted cars/jewelry/money to get herself a rich boyfriend fast and suggesting that an embarrassed birthday girl who said that she was just happy to be visiting from Canada should instead wish for a boob enhancement like her own.

One dimension of authentic DC might be in line here at Perry’s in Adams Morgan.  Locals and visitors, standing in line outside in the cold weather sipping coffee to stay warm before getting inside to drink more coffee, in an effort to eat an overpriced breakfast and see one of the most entertaining local acts.  Is DC home to any other drag brunches?

Filed under: Adams Morgan, Brunch   |  1 Comment

Imogen Heap at Sixth & I Historic Synagogue

03Dec09

I went to the Sixth & I Historic Synagogue this week for the first time to see an Imogen Heap concert, also for the first time.

I didn’t know that a beautiful site like the Synagogue existed in such an improbable location between Wok and Roll Restaurant and the Chinatown bus depot, only a block from the Gallery Place/Chinatown metro.  From the outside it does not appear to be a music venue.  I’m curious whether any other holy sites in DC or elsewhere also host public performances.

It was one of the most comfortable and intimate music venues that I have ever been to.   The seats are the wood-backed padded pews of a place of worship and seating capacity is less than 450 people.  Seating is General Admission and I arrived 20 minutes after doors opened to find open pews only in the side balconies.  The stage is quite small and limits distractions from the music such as dancing and stage sets.  Imogen walked through the audience to reach the stage because I don’t think there is a rear entrance.  The venue is lit by electric candelabras and chandeliers, further adding to the cozy feel.  There is not a concession stand or bar, so no food or beverages are permitted.

I became a fan of the musician when I first discovered the band Frou Frou, which gained recognition because of the song “Let Go” on the Garden State movie soundtrack.  I later learned that Imogen was the lead singer of that group and did some research into her solo albums.  She performed one of my favorites, Just For Now, without any instrumental accompaniments and instructed the entire audience to sing along with her.  The effect of her direction was a orchestrated fading in and out of sound, and it highlighted her strong vocal talent.

Ticket prices were reasonable at $25 each excluding the standard 40% Ticketmaster tariff.

Imogen is practically a one-woman show: she plays the piano; constructs instruments from unlikely objects such as a pastry brush, saw, and plastic cord; manages the sound board; and leads with her ethereal vocals.  The show opened with her dipping a finger into a water-filled crystal wine glass and rubbing it along the rim, then repeating and adding to that one sound.  She used a technique that I’ve never seen before of taping microphones to her wrists to capture all of the sounds created and then loop them on a sound board.  It’s fascinating to see how music produced by layers of improbable sounds comes together.  This is probably why I enjoy seeing DC-based Thievery Corporation- another group that layers sounds – perform live.

In order to personally interact with every city on the tour schedule, she held web auditions for a cellist to accompany a couple of her songs.  The cellist for this performance lived about 20 minutes away.  This is great approach to personally connect with the audience base, even though I lack all musical talent.

Imogen explained how earlier in the day she toured the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center with one of her DC friends and that the visit inspired her set list.  She said, “We visited NASA today, how cool is that?  Sort of a spacey place, so it will be a spacey set tonight.”

Imogen Heap originates from the UK and it shows.  British English is ostensibly the same as American English, except for some curious spelling customs, but I had such difficulty understanding her comments in between songs.  It didn’t help that she had an idiosyncratic tendency to mumble and talk to herself about what she was or wasn’t doing.  She has a bubbly, eccentric personality, evidenced by her excited rants and childlike stage outfit of a ballet tutu and birds nest hair piece.  While I really like her music overall, the individual songs blend together and I can’t identify songs by name.  Perhaps Imogen feels the same way because she asked what the next song was on her set list and started a song with the wrong lyrics and admitted to the error more than once.

Sixth & I Historic Synagogue has a full calendar of events, from music performances to lectures.  Actress Mayim Bialik from the TV show Blossom will be discussing Jewish women and Hollywood stardom on December 7th.  Imogen Heap returns to DC in April next year.

Filed under: Music, Penn Quarter   |  3 Comments

Convince Me DC Visits the U.S. Capitol

01Dec09

For the one-month birthday of Convince Me DC, I checked “Tour the U.S. Capitol” off my project to-do list.

My public school took us on many field trips, including Gettysburg and the very educational Kings Dominion several times, yet oddly never arranged an excursion to some of the most recognizable landmarks of the city such as the Capitol and Library of Congress (or Supreme Court or White House).  My parents have lived in the DC area for over 30 years and they had also never toured the Capitol.  To rectify this, I scheduled a Saturday afternoon tour for all eight of my family members who were in town to celebrate Thanksgiving.

Free tour tickets can be reserved through the office of your representative or senator, and you will need to implement this method should you wish to visit either the House or Senate, but tours can also be arranged directly through the U.S. Capitol Visitor Services using their online reservation system.  Tours run every ten minutes beginning at 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, from Monday through Saturday except for Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, New Year’s Day, and Inauguration Day.  It’s also possible to pick up same-day passes from the Visitor’s kiosk when available.

Taking metro is certainly the easiest way to reach the Capitol.  The Capitol South and Union Station stops are only a few blocks away.  Instead of metro, however, we unwisely drove to Capitol Hill and spent a significant amount of time searching for parking.

Like a true out-of-towner, I went to the front of the Capitol by the reflecting pool and futilely looked for the visitor’s entrance.  I approached one of the security guards to ask where to pick up my visitor tickets and he pointed to the rear of the building (I’m confident that I was the first person to have ever asked him this question).  I eventually did see the couple signs with arrows pointing to the visitor’s entrance, but I was annoyed by the inconspicuous signage.

The new Visitor Center extension manages to simultaneously mimic the look of the original legislative branch while appearing modern, but the security screening remains inefficient.  Two lines form on either side of the entrance to process groups in waves.  We waited outside in line for about 30 minutes which is why they recommend that you arrive well in advance of your scheduled tour.

Thankfully, it was a pleasantly temperate day to be standing around.

I feel sorry for tourists who confine their visit to the National Mall because of the dearth of food options in sight.  The Capitol has a cafeteria restaurant with different stations; I paid $2.50 for a decent cup of Dunkin Donuts drip coffee.

I was a real tourist!  The informative guided group tour lasts approximately 40 minutes and includes a short film.

The Capitol is both a museum and a seat of government.  There is one statue donated by every state, as well as statues and paintings of historic figures significant to the birth of the country.

Freedom, the statue crowning the Capitol dome, is visible through some window angles along the tour (to the left).

The plaster model of Freedom has been restored and is displayed inside the Vistor Center.

The diamond of the rotunda marks the geographical center of the Capitol and divides the city into four quadrants.  Further, the crypt below this space was intended to house George Washington’s tomb rather than his current resting place at Mount Vernon.

Sixth President John Q. Adams’ desk used to sit here.

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi’s desk currently sits inside here.

The frescos inside both the Capitol and Library of Congress reminded me of the opulent art inside many historical European landmarks.  The marble architecture and painted ceilings are beautiful.

We walked through the underground tunnel connecting the Capitol and the Library of the Congress.

More elaborate architecture and art inside the Library.

Soon after walking around the main visitor area of the Library without actually having peered into a stocked library yet, I started to wonder, where do they keep all the books?  There is one wide window where you can look into the reading rooms and rows of bookshelves, but can’t take photos.  To use the library, anyone can apply for a free reader ID card by showing a valid state ID.

Later, we crossed the street to the Supreme Court, another building that I have never toured.  I hope to see the Justices in session there someday soon.

Paired with a beautiful fall day and clear view of the National Mall, I found myself lingering on the Hill and taking “mental photographs”.

Could it be possible – this clichéd and classic DC day convincing me?  Maybe, maybe not, but I certainly appreciate the art and history of this city a little more.

Filed under: Landmarks, Seasons   |  5 Comments

P.O.V. Bar at the W Hotel

29Nov09

DC streets are deserted the night before Thanksgiving with most Washingtonians traveling to their home states.  For locals like me and those who have chosen to stay behind for the holiday, it’s the perfect evening to explore normally congested destinations.  To take advantage of the quiet social scene, I visited the W Hotel’s Point of View (P.O.V.) Bar and Rooftop Terrace for the first time.

P.O.V. is located at 515 15th Street NW across the street from the White House.  It has stunning views of the Capital skyline, from a unique mid-height perspective of the Washington Monument to the roof of the White House East Wing.  The Lincoln and Jefferson memorials are clearly visible and airplanes regularly circle through Arlington’s horizon as they descend into National Airport.

P.O.V. strives for an exclusive air, and I understand that – it’s part of the appeal.  I had heard rumors about the interminable lines and offensive prices, but that the views are incredible.  I figured Thanksgiving was the right occasion to celebrate at this swanky location.  I called ahead to check whether the bar would be open and gauge if I needed a reservation.  The person who took my reservation lived up to the snobby reputation with her patronizing way of extending “yessss” in response to my questions and informing me that reservations are always required for the terrace.

As you enter the hotel, you follow a velvet-roped carpet to the one elevator that reaches the bar.  The staff is called “The Talent”. A clipboard wielding staff/Talent member checks for your name on the list, radios to a receiving staff member upstairs, and then escorts you on the elevator.  As hoped, the bar was not very crowded and many tables with Reserved table cards were never filled.

White stencil patterned screens divide the reserved sections of plush couches and side tables.  The standing area of the bar does not require reservations and there were several cabaret tables available.  There is another indoor bar area that also has a great view and had a DJ spinning.  During winter when heat lamps warm the terrace and clear plastic window attachments further shield the cold, I don’t see much difference between the indoor area and terrace except for the expansive view.  The terrace is likely more pleasant during summertime when it becomes a true open-air bar.  It’s a very dark bar with red lights and white candles, but I wonder if the dim lighting was aesthetic as well as functional: you can’t see the prices so you can’t object to how egregious they are.  P.O.V. designer cocktails are $15 and warming cocktails are a steal at $10 each.

I considered ordering a wine cocktail and asked the waitress if she recommended it.  She replied, “Well, do you like the ingredients?”  Not encouraging.  I hesitated and she said that I could return it if I didn’t like it, so I went ahead with the order.  The drink was practically just sparkling water with lemon, so I gladly took her up on her offer and ordered a Hot Spiced Pear warming cocktail instead.  She kept the drink on our table anyway without charging us for it and JP used it to cleanse his palate between scotches.  The pear cocktail was such an extreme and better option: pear cider, bourbon, and cinnamon spice blended together in a steaming mug.  It tasted like a warm pear tart – delicious!  We shared a molten chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream for dessert that was a little dry, but went well with the pear flavor.

P.O.V. did not change my point of view of living in DC.  A bar of that caliber could only be found in a cosmopolitan metropolis, though there wasn’t anything else special about it except for the view.  As a non-native to DC, JP was enthralled with the skyline.  In contrast, all I could think about was how many iterations of it I had already seen from different vantage points.  There is no question that the city’s skyline is a beautiful sight, but that alone won’t convince me, DC.

Filed under: Bars   |  6 Comments

14 Reasons to be Thankful for Living in DC

25Nov09

Let’s acknowledge the truths: DC is full of smart people (yes, quite a lot of them are lawyers); free attractions and events; and is a powerhouse of the democratic world.  But if you live, have lived, or yearn to live in DC, many other reasons convinced you to love this multifaceted city.

Photo by ccperkdog

1. Beyond the Smithsonian Kite and Folklife festivals, annual street festivals such as the DC Caribbean Carnival, Annual Capital Pride Street Festival, and Latino Fiesta DC attract locals and visitors alike.  These parties celebrate the many enclaves that compose the city’s diverse population.
2. While President Obama might not forsake Chicago (or Hawaii or New York while we’re at it) for DC during his residency in the White House, his daughters will have a profound connection to the city.  Growing up in the city during their formative years and being influenced by their parents’ efforts to engage in the city, there is a good chance that the First Daughters will think of DC fondly and stay connected.
3. Anyone can be elected to political office – even elected multiple times – despite a record of drug convictions and tax fraud.  Add to Marion Barry’s resume not only “mayor for life,” but also the role of reality TV star (filming for his series is underway).  Seriously, though, current DC Mayor Adrian Fenty is a Mount Pleasant native and evidence of an unlikely but impassioned young resident rising to power.
4. Though no one will admit to seriously watching either one, there is some relief that MTV’s Real World and Bravo’s Real Housewives finally selected Washington as the backdrop of their salacious series.  I’m curious to learn which places I will have to avoid due to tourist over-exposure after they appear on the shows.
5. It’s taken for granted, but the Lincoln Memorial is stunning and serves as the site of many engagements and subsequent wedding portraits.  I admit to posing at the predictable romantic spot for my pre-wedding photos.
6. We can always get tickets for our local baseball teams.  Whether a Nationals or Orioles fan, games are rarely sold out.  Anyway, sometimes it’s more fun to go for the sporting event experience rather than investing in whether your team actually wins. Take that Yankees and Red Sox!
7. Three contestants from this past season of Top Chef hail from the Baltimore/Washington region.  Several others contestants from past seasons have come from DC, such as Carla Hall, or set up new businesses in DC, such as Spike Mendelsohn.  They prove that DC is a culinary hub of talent.
8. There are at least 18 weekly farmers markets that bring organic and local produce and baked goods to DC.  In addition, we have a selection of grocery store chains and independent or ethnic shops in which to find just what you’re craving.
9. The Going Out Guide reveals that there are exactly 50 coffeehouses within the District alone.  I appreciate the availability of caffeine and pastries every few blocks.
10. To work off all those pastries, we have parks.  According to Forbes, 19.4% of city land has been purposed for recreation.
11. We don’t just have parks, we also take time to enjoy the parks.  At any time on the National Mall and throughout city neighborhoods, DC is a recognizable haven for joggers.  There is a culture of running here that makes us both a healthy city and a logical site of many road races, such as the Army Ten Miler and Marine Corps Marathon.
12. Architecture keeps the eye entertained.  From marble buildings to colorful row houses, you won’t find a building development of identical single-family suburban homes here.
13. Washington was the first major American city to require LEED compliance for private projects.  91 buildings here are LEED(Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)-certified, leading the way for responsible and sustainable construction.
14. DC is great and all, but sometimes you need to get out of town.  With three local airports, Union Station, and new bus depots emerging regularly, you don’t need to plan far in advance for your travels (unless, of course, you’re traveling on Thanksgiving weekend).

Why are you thankful to live in DC?  Leave a note in the comments.  Wishing you a happy Thanksgiving!

Filed under: Why Love DC?   |  10 Comments