It's SNO big deal!
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It’s beginning to feel a bit like spring but it was just a few weeks ago we were buried up to our knees in snow! The weekend of February 6, 2010 is not one anyone at Gala will soon forget. With record breaking amounts of snow, closed roads, freezing temperatures and some fabulous vendors we all survived the ‘snowpocalypse’ of 2010 and our bride and groom JoAnn and Daniel were still able to have their wedding. Knowing early in the week what Mother Nature might have in store, we set off for Annapolis not knowing quite what to expect except that the show must go on!
Despite the harsh reality check we all awoke to on Saturday morning JoAnn and Daniel proved to everyone that there was nothing that could stand in the way of their wedding. We were having a wedding, minus about 300 guests. What we faced that weekend is truly a testament to who we are in this business and what we can do when faced with adversity- even if a tree falls through the roof of the tent! When you have a team of exceptional vendors who all are truly invested in making this the best event possible-regardless of the conditions. We definitely gave this couple an experience they will never forget.
Special thanks to all of the vendors who helped us all keep everything together-
Blue Sky Films, Occasions Caterers, MBK and Associates, Frost Lighting, and Crow Entertainment DJs.
*Special thanks to Blue Sky films for the above video.
I recently got around to posting a few more galleries on my site and wanted to share with you this collection from a night with Pete Tong at Glow.
Have you ever gone into a bar or club and had just a horrible night, only to return a few months later and have a completely different experience? Or what if your original experience wasn't terrible, but it wasn't worth another visit for...oh, a few months. Well this is what happened to me this past week in DC.
Photos by Doug Van Sant
Construction begins this week on the Lumber Shed, an adaptive reuse component that will become the retail centerpiece of the Yards, a Forest City project. The Shed is set to be completed in the third quarter of 2013, according to a press release.
The Lumber Shed - formerly owning up to its name - is located on the edge of the Yards park overlooking the Anacostia River. The Shed will be a 30,000 s.f., two-level, retail, glass pavilion, which will temporarily house Forest City’s offices on the second floor and include five restaurants. 
Today, Home Properties of New York, owner of the Falkand Apartments, finds itself once again in front of the Montgomery County Planning Department concerning the site plan for a multi-building, mixed-use development at the northeast quadrant of the intersection of 16th Street and East-West Highway near the Silver Spring CBD. The 9.7-acre site, split into three parcels, is within walking distance of the Silver Spring Metro and the MARC station.
That particular restriction called for the removal of the north parcel from the Atlas upon approval of the site plan.
Douglas Development announced its first tenant in the historic Wonder Bread building at 641 S St NW: WorkSpaces, LLC. The company will take residence immediately following the completion of construction, which is planned for January 2013.
Douglas leased 20,817 s.f. to WorkSpaces, a “strategic furniture solutions consulting agency,” according to a press release, which will be the property’s first tenant since 1988, occupying the entire third floor.
The Wonder Bread building sits next door to Progression Place, also under construction. Progression Place will have 100,000 s.f. office space and 205 apartments above the Metro entrance.
McCullough Construction, LLC, will soon complete construction of one of the more colorful apartment buildings in Washington D.C. Bailey Park, located at 625 Rhode Island Avenue in Shaw, was designed by Suzane Reatig Architecture, and includes an unusual color scheme and Trespa panels, rare in American architecture.
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Halle, Gabriel & Nahla During Happier Times
Old Picture of Darcy & his family
When I used to write my weekly nightlife column Nocturnal Vibe in Tampa, Florida, I tried to keep things positive. My motto was, if it's great, I'll tell you about it. If it sucks, I just won't recommend it. But then over time I've learned the power of prose. I've learned that sometimes you just have to speak your mind and make others aware of unsavory situations you may have experienced. Such is the case of a recent visit to DC restaurant Oya in Chinatown.
75 Bars DC made a triumphant return to the streets of the District last week with 14th Street as our target. The neighborhood is known simply as U Street, but it could be argued that it's also the northern borders of Logan Circle. Whatever you call it, the 14th and U area of DC has become one of the hottest neighborhoods in our city. It's chocked full of trendy restaurants, galleries, theaters, Whole Foods and of course, bars.
The place was crowded as usual and as Rob said in his follow-up report to me, it's vibe was "a little on the emo/counterculture side." I got the impression the crowd was a combination of neighborhood residents and local activists. Simply stated, it was a diverse group of grazers who don't want to spend a fortune but want some variety with their cocktails. Either way, we settled into a spot at the bar, took off our coats and began exploring the drink menu. Pilar serves a whole assortment of beverages and hard-to-find beers, but their specialty cocktail list is what they're known for. I order a Bee's Knees which is an excellent blend of Plymouth Gin, lemon juice and honey syrup. It's like a slightly sweet and sour version of a gin and tonic, taking a rather bitter drink and giving it a full-body of life. In a city where specialty cocktails are pushing towards the $20 range, paying $10 for this drink is a steal.
It's going on 9 p.m. on a recent Thursday night. Myself, Dan, Rick and Rob are all enjoying libations at Bar Pilar, part of our 75 Bars DC experiment. I look at my watch and realize we need to get going. We have a reservation waiting and we can't be late. We slug our drinks down as quickly as possible, settle our tab and exit Bar Pilar to the vibrant 14th and U Street corridor. We don't go very far...just two blocks to our final destination of the evening. We stop in front of what looks like an abandoned building. No signage, no lights, not even a hint of activity. The windows and doors are closed and covered with steel garage security doors. The only sign of life comes from the DC socialites gathering out in front of Marvin directly next door.
On this evening, the four of us planned ahead and were walked straight in to our table. The bar is made of lush appointments with intricately embossed black leather and warm unfinished wood on the bar and cozy booths. There's a patio out back, and the back room sports an absinthe fountain. A chalkboard is updated with the list of drinks to give imbibers a quick view of the menu. The Gibson isn't a place to be seen. It's a bar dedicated to the drink and allows you to settle into your own little world and forget all of that narcissistic showboating that goes on at most nightlife establishments. If anything, the trendy side of The Gibson is simply being able to tell people you've been there.
