Washington DC after Dark is a wonderful place. While the city is shaking with nightlife, 14th street is the absolute epicenter of entertainment. From taking in live comedy at the source theater, or getting your bro and bratwurst on at franklin hall, you can find it all right here in one place. Our first stop is this clandestine unmarked door which after a knock and a pause in a stairwell will gain you entry to The Gibson (2009 14th st www.thegibsondc.com) where the eclectic mix of people and absolutely masterful bartenders will start your night off on a very high note and very green drink. If the weather is nice, then a stop at The Garden District (1801 14th st NW www.gardendistrictdc.com) is mandatory, with their festive patio brimming with a jaunty crowd as the feast on BBQ sammies and cold pitchers of beer. Dialing it back a bit swing just around the corner to the Left Door (1345s St NW www.left-door.com) which is located, well, through the left door of the dry cleaners next door. A mellow and friendly speakeasy it's a perfect place to get to know someone, or plan your attack on the night. The next place isn't hard to find and makes no beef of what they're all about. Chicken+Whiskey (1738 14th st nw www.chickenandwhiskey.com) is a rare jewel in the nightlife mine. Up front is a positively delicious roast chicken joint, but if you venture in the back and slide past the fridge door, you'll enter a full-fledged disco. This place was bouncing from wall to wall at 8pm so if you go, go early. I had to do a double take on the way out because I honestly thought it was a dream. Next we pitstop at Jane Jane (1705 14th st. NW www.janejanedc.com) which offers not just an amazing craft cocktail scene, but savory snacks to keep you rocking.
Giving our livers a breath of air, we popped into DC's legendary Miss Pixies, which while labeled as a thrift store is really more of a emporium of epic tchotchke. from rare corning ware, to radioactive stemware, to not suitable for lunch dinnerware, this place is a palace to quirk, where you can easily spend a moment finding that perfect thing you didn't know you needed.
Now, having built up quite an appetite, we slid into Barcelona Wine Bar (1622 14th St NW www.barcelonawinebar.com) which was positively humming with excitement. Here the line between lounge and restaurant is beautifully blurred in typical Castilian style, where you can either drink and nibble the night away, or dive a bit deeper and rock an authentic paella. Next we were told to roll the dice and take a chance on Players Club, which delivers as a subterranean pleasure palace that lets your nostalgia run wild. If you can't have a good time here, you might have a problem. Now that Jackie was devoid of inhibition I told her to go down this dark stairwell in an alley and knock on the door. What would seem like a murder scene, turns out to be maybe the best speakeasy yet simply called, The Mirror (1413 K St NW www.themirrordc.com ) There's no camera's allowed so you best just see for yourself. Last, to put a nail in the night's coffin, we washed up on the shore of Sax (734 11th st NW www.saxdc.com) which you don't need directions to, just follow the faint thumping sound permeating the city. Inside Sax you are transported to a divinely confused mix of St. Petersburg and Cabo, where the dancefloor is full of convulsing revelers fueled by sparkler topped drinks. To be honest, I am not entirely sure I would recall anything past The Gibson, if not for my camera and a few lovely souvenirs. Thanks DC, you're the best time I don't remember having.