RSS FeedAlliance Française Hosts French Language Testing In PQ
As we alluded to in our last DC link roundup, Alliance Française has begun to use its annex on the lower-level floor of 421 7th St NW, otherwise known as the American Institute of Architects (AIA) space. The sign reads: Placement Test Tonight, November 17 from 5:00-8:00pm.
Twice-Baked Amore
The search is over, you can call off the dogs. In our years-long quest to find good biscotti, we finally found a cooked good just like Grandma used to make. Grandma Columbo came from the old world, her biscotti weren’t the soft, foot long, chocolate dipped (yet somehow tasteless) cookies you find in most stores. The sad excuse of a biscotti sold at Whole Foods would dissolve like a sugar cube if you dunked it in a steaming cup of coffee. No, with Grandma Columbo’s biscotti you either dunked it in your coffee to soften it up or you broke a tooth.
While potential dental visits may not sound like the makings of a delicious cookie, if you’ve had a good biscotti you won’t soon forget it. Enter the “Authentic Cantuccini Biscotti di Prato” we discovered a few weeks ago at Pitango Gelato. Sold in 5 oz bags (at about $1 per ounce), these are not the cheapest on the market, but they are the best we’ve had in years.
- This bag now only contains .7 oz
We purchased our first bag on a recent chilly Friday night intending to try them the next morning with our coffee. But when we got home we decided to open the bag and dip a few in our glass of red wine. It wasn’t long before both the bag of biscotti and the bottle of wine were empty, and we were left the next morning attempting to explain to Mrs Columbo what had happened to the promised coffee and biscotti breakfast.
Since that initial experience we’ve never made the same mistake. Each time we’ve been back to Pitango for a bag of biscotti, we’ve bought two.
Women and Wine
As any fellow oenophile or Francophile knows, November 17, the third Thursday in November, signals the release of this year’s Beaujolais Nouveau. By no means an incredible wine, the release of this wine has sparked quite a remarkable following with raging parties and sophisticated tasting events competing for attention.
Here in DC, Bistrot du Coin’s Release Party is legendary. Several other options are available this year at 1905, the Embassy of France and Alliance Francaise.
Interestingly, November 17 is also going to be a busy night in DC for some interesting women out promoting their new books.
Diane Keaton, Then Again 7:30pm @ Sixth & I Historic Synagogue (600 I St., NW)
Martha Stewart, Martha’s Entertaining: A Year of Celebrations, 7pm @ DAR (1776 D St., NW)
Annie Leibovitz, Pilgrimage, 7pm @ Politics and Prose (5015 Connecticut Ave., NW)
So many options for just one night!
DC Link Roundup: Heard In The ‘Hood
Photo: DC’s annual Tweed Ride makes its way through Penn Quarter at 7th and E St NW.
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Here’s what we were reading recently about neighborhood news in DC. Have something to add? Leave it in the comments!
Penn Quarter – The TEDx Penn Quarter videos from October have been posted. [YouTube TEDx Penn Quarter]
Penn Quarter – The former Artifactory on Indiana Ave between 6th and 7th Streets is closed and a new restaurant that will take over the space, Grand Trunk, papers over the windows to announce itself. [Prince of Petworth]
Downtown – The Old Post Office Pavilion attracts a bid from Hilton to turn it into a Waldorf Astoria hotel with fancy retail shops. [WaPo]
Penn Quarter – Fuel Pizza at 6th and F St NW looks to open in January in the old OBA (Oriental Building Association) Bank building. [Washington Business Journal]
Downtown – Another great historical installment narrating the history behind The Evening Star building at 11th and Pennsylvania Ave NW. All you native Washingtonians will remember the Star as DC’s afternoon daily when such a thing was a viable business. [Streets of Washington]
Penn Quarter – Le Pain Quotidien, the chain bakery, opens at 10th and F St NW. [Prince of Petworth]
Penn Quarter – The American Institute of Architects (AIA) opens the District Architecture Center at 421 7th St NW. The Alliance Francaise has an annex at this address also where they will deliver French classes. [WaPo] & [AIA DAC website] & [Alliance Francaise]
Downtown – Filene’s Basement files for bankruptcy. What will become of the F Street location? We shop there often for fashion deals. [WaPo]
Mount Vernon Triangle – Word of a possible second air rights project over I-395. [The (Mount Vernon) Triangle]
Downtown – Jack Evans kicks off his Ward 2 Councilmember reelection campaign tonight. [Jack Evans Ward 2 website]
Penn Quarter – We normally don’t mention all these deal websites which seem to be a dime a dozen but ScoutMob’s business model doesn’t require an upfront purchase like the other two big outfits. We really like that and there is a good deal running for PS7 (777 7th St NW) until December 1. You’ll need an iPhone, Android phone, or Blackberry to get the deal. [ScoutMob PS7 deal]
Shaw – Construction kicks off at the City Market at O which will change the character of that area. Check the project’s blog for updates. Woo-hoo! [City Market at O]