Drink Like Gatsby

By Rebecca Thorsen Many of us feel a deep affection for the Jazz Age. Every aspect of the resplendent era is gleaming, glistening, glittering and dripping in champagne. It represents an exciting time of transition where old perceptions and social norms were crushed by the booming of loud jazz and trampled on by the quick... read more »

Hip Grocery Stores: Not Your Mama's Market Anymore

Grocery shopping doesn’t have to feel like a chore. Bars, dining areas, wine tasting kiosks and even a beer garden are popping up at local grocery stores, creating a unique outing for customers instead of just a regular shopping trip. D.C. area grocers are revamping their image by bringing the bar/dining experience directly to their... read more »

Sam Adams: Brewing the American Dream

Which is more American: microbrews, or small businesses? The correct answer is that they’re probably tied (along with mom and her apple pie), and the Boston Beer Company, which brews Sam Adams, proves it with its “Brewing the American Dream” (BTAD) microloan fund for small business owners. The fund is run in partnership with Accion,... read more »

Mike Isabella OFF TO THE RACES

We hear “the Preakness,” and think “horses.” Mike Isabella hears “the Preakness,” and thinks “crabs.” The former Top Chef star is billed as the celebrity chef for the famous horse race this May. With the event’s emphasis on farm-to-table food, it makes sense that the DC-based toque has Maryland’s fresh seafood on his mind. “I’ll... read more »

Planting his Pirate Flag: Kenny Chesney comes to DC

The No Shoes Nation is rolling into the DC area and planting its “Pirate Flag” for the May 25th show at FedEx Field. Kenny Chesney, one of the world’s most loved and successful touring and recording artists will be bringing his island country caravan to town for one night only, with openers Eric Church, the... read more »

Fourplay

Fourplay: Artists that should be on your radar, calendar, and Ipod. By Monica Boland, Mike Coleman and Marcus Dowling On Tap takes a look at four local and touring bands each month. If you are interested in being featured, please send your contact information, including your website, a list of upcoming shows, and at least... read more »

DJ Stacks

When you hear the word “DJ” a certain connotation comes to mind – a loud club with dance parties, bass, and bright neon lights. But Nick Caracciolo, also known as DJ Stacks, brings variety to the DJ scene. He sees an opportunity in any event, from clubs to cookouts, to make it memorable. Stacks, or... read more »

Alyson Cambridge Comes Home for Washington National Opera’s Show Boat

Opera star Alyson Cambridge returns to the D.C. area for her role as Julie in the Washington National Opera’s production of Show Boat. The Arlington, VA native will perform in Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II’s musical masterpiece from May 4 to 26 on the Kennedy Center Opera House stage. Cambridge, who performed in the... read more »

Beer Hunter

One man’s quest for good beer…a pint at a time! I’m a big kid at heart, but this month I don’t have to grow up, I get to GROWL UP! That’s right the DC government has changed the law to permit bars, grocery stores, brewpubs, or liquor stores to fill up jugs to 64 ounces... read more »

Seasonal Collaborations

Today, just as in days of old, beer is brewed in winter for summer drinking. Folklore corresponds to science with the simple fact that summer weather was too hot to brew beer the way it could be brewed in winter. Summer styles that we understand today like “saison,” the French word for season, simply meant... read more »

New, Notable, No Longer

NEW, NOTABLE, NO LONGER, On Tap scouts out the restaurants, bars and clubs that are new to the scene or shaking things up. Compiled and written by Adrianne Morris NEW Azur Nestled in the Penn Quarter neighborhood, Chef Frederik De Pue recently opened his second new classy chic restaurant, Azur. This contemporary east meets west... read more »

Behind the Bar | Q & A With Local Bartenders

TJ Pluck of Wolf Trap TJ Pluck is a music enthusiast from Ohio who transplanted himself to Wolf Trap where he is a well known fixture. With the help of his assistant Mark McElroy, he is experienced not only in bartending, but also in the selection of menu items and the management of hundreds of... read more »

Fleet of Foot - Prepare to Run for Wine Half Marathon

There are tons of races for people to choose from in the  running-crazed Mid-Atlantic region. So why are enthusiasts coming from several states away to participate in this year’s Virginia Wine Country Half Marathon. “The scenic course – with views of the Blue Ridge Mountains, historic farms and fields of grapevines – as well as... read more »

Run or Dye

If this race doesn’t motivate you to get in shape, nothing will! Run or Dye is a 5k where, throughout the race, runners’ clothes (and most likely their entire bodies) slowly change from clean to a colorful piece of art which will take runners back to their tie-dye days. Keep in mind the word “race”... read more »

The Winter's Tale

The Shakespeare Theatre Company is tackling one of Shakespeare’s most complex plays this spring, with a plotline spanning 16 years and at least three genres: romance, comedy and tragedy. The Winter’s Tale will play at the Lansburgh Theatre from May 9 to June 23 under the direction of STC Affiliated Artist Rebecca Bayla Taichman, who... read more »

Spank

Ladies, looking to change up your usual girls night out itinerary of drinks and dancing at the newest club?  Round up your crew and head to the Fillmore between May 22 - 25 to see SPANK, the hilariously racy new musical which has quickly become a hit in theaters across the nation. A parody of... read more »

Film: Disconnect

Chances are you’re reading this article online, perhaps on a smart phone in your living room while your significant other is sitting next to you on their MacBook Pro typing away. Your Internet connection is strong, but what about your connection to one another? Oscar-nominated director  Henry Alex-Rubin (Murderball 2005) explores this interconnectedness in the... read more »