Celebrate Cinco de Mayo in DC

When May 5th rolls around on the calendar, do you think of it as just another day, or as Cinco de Mayo? Whether you're of Mexican descent or just love a good margarita, living in a city as diverse as Washington DC allows us to celebrate many different cultural holidays. Whether you seek a large, national festival or a bar scene celebration, there are events close to The Louis at 14 apartment homes for you!

National Cinco de Mayo Festival
The National Cinco de Mayo Festival takes place this Sunday, May 3 at the Sylvan Theater on the National Mall.  The fiesta will be held rain or shine from noon to 6 PM. This will be the 23rd annual event held by the Maru Montero Dance Company. The event, also known as "Latin America's Family Reunion," is free to the public to attend!

Here's what you can look forward to: music, dance, arts and crafts for the kids, art exhibits, a mercado (market) and more! So whether you love to dance salsa or consume salsa, your cravings will be satisfied! For more information on this event, visit the Maru Montero Dance Company website, About.com or Party Earth. To get to this event from The Louis, take the Green or Yellow Line Metro from U Street to Archives.

El Centro D.F.
If you're seeking something a little more "fiesta-like," El Centro D.F. has become known throughout the district for its authentic Mexican cuisine and its fun Cinco de Mayo atmosphere. This year's celebration includes an all you can eat taco buffet, $5 drink specials and a DJ! The celebration will last almost the entire day, running from noon through 11 PM. The first 250 attendees will receive a gift. Please note, tickets are only available at the door and must be paid for in cash. Tickets are $20. For more information, visit El Centro D.F.'s website. Guess what? This event is just a 2-minute walk away from your home at The Louis!

Have you gone out for Cinco de Mayo in Washington DC in year's past? Where are your favorite spots to celebrate? Share you thoughts and comments with us on The Louis at 14 Facebook and Twitter pages. Feliz Cinco de Mayo!

Hank's 8th Annual Oyster Fest

Are you ready for a taste of summer vacation? Bring back those memories of spending summers on the shore this Saturday! Join other seafood lovers as they converge on Hank's Oyster Bar in Dupont Circle for the 8th Annual Oyster Fest! This event is a "must attend" if you consider yourself a DC foodie!

What will you feast on at Hank's? The menu includes all-you-can-eat fresh oysters on the half-shell, fried oysters, BBQ oysters, popcorn shrimp, Old Bay fries and onion rings! In addition to all these fabulous eats, the event also entails all-you-can drink draft beers, including Elysian Brewery, 21st Amendment, Lagunitas, and Flying Dog Brewery.

Now that your mouth is watering, here's the essential information. The event takes place this Saturday, April 25 from 11 AM to 3 PM. Tickets are $80 per person and can be purchased here. Please note, to attend the event, you must be age 21 or over. Oyster Fest will be held rain or shine.

Hank's Oyster Bar was founded in 2005. It was nominated for "Best New Restaurant" in 2006 and "Best Neighborhood Restaurant" in 2007. Chef Jamie Leeds is one of Washington DC's most well-known chefs, mainly due to Hank's successes.

Interested in attending the all-you-can-eat oyster extravaganza? Hank's Oyster Bar is located at 1624 Q Street, NW, which is about a 15-minute walk away from The Louis at 14 apartment homes. Enjoy a fun afternoon of oysters, fried food and craft beer, then you can simply walk home to The Louis and enjoy a beautiful evening on the rooftop with friends! Sounds like a fantastic way to spend a Saturday in Washington DC, doesn't it?

Have you attended any of Hank's past Oyster Fests? What are your favorite dishes on their menu? Share your thoughts with other residents at The Louis!

For more information about Hank's Oyster Bar, click here. For more updates on The Louis at 14 apartment homes, visit our website and follow us on Facebook or Twitter.

Sources consulted:
Hank's Oyster Bar
Party Earth
Washingtonian Magazine

Explore the Softer Side of Red Wine at Vinoteca

The Louis at 14 apartment homes are close to a number of Washington DC's finest restaurants, which is one of the reasons we love our location at 14th and U Streets. If you're looking for a night out on the town or a happy hour to stop at on your way home from work, there is always more than one option available to you.

One of our neighborhood favorites, Vinoteca, periodically hosts wine tasting events on Tuesdays. This coming Tuesday, April 21, you can experience "The Softer Side of Red Wine." The class will feature 5 to 6 new wines from New Zealand, France and the United States, accompanied by small bites. You don't need to be a "wino" to attend these classes! They're lead by local sommeliers and questions and conversation are encouraged throughout the class. If you love to drink red wine, this is a wonderful opportunity to learn more about it!

The tasting takes place from 7-9 PM in Vinoteca's upstairs lounge. Reservations for the event are required as the class is limited to 20 participants, and a 48-hour cancellation policy also applies. The class costs $45 plus tax. If you are interested in making a reservation for this event, click here.

Thrillist features this event on its list of "13 Things to do in DC this April," so why not give it a try if you're looking for a fun date night idea or a night out with your friends? The best part? Vinoteca is only a 5-minute walk away from The Louis at 14, so you don't have to worry about driving home or finding a taxi!

If you are unable to attend this tasting, but are interested in future events at Vinoteca, you can view the full schedule on their website.

Have you previously attended a wine tasting at Vinoteca or another local restaurant? What did you think? Share your thoughts and comments with us! Cheers!

U Street Funk

U Street is known for Ben’s Chili Bowl, eclectic cultural spots and fun shopping. But on May 2, it will be known for one thing and one thing only - funk! After receiving approval from the city on April 3, the Funk Parade will officially return! The day long festival is parts parade, street fair and music festival.

The day includes a fair from noon- 5 PM followed by the parade from 5-7 PM and culminates with the music festival from 7-10 PM! The parade route will run from Howard Theatre to Lincoln Theater and will shut down the U Street corridor for the day. Last year, the first year of the event, drew 25,000 visitors to U Street. While local officials were very supportive of a second year, a response from the city took longer to receive. From WAMU:

(Mayor) Bowser spokesman Michael Czin told Bandwidth in January that Funk Parade was on the mayor’s radar, but it needed to work its way through the “normal process” of approving street closures. “We are a pro-funk administration,” Czin said.

The Funk Parade was started by Justin Rood and Chris Naoum, who share a mutual love for community, music and U Street. If you are interested in volunteer opportunities with the parade, fill out this form. If you would like to contribute to the parade, you can donate to their Indiegogo campaign.

The Louis at 14 apartment homes are just a 4-minute walk away from the Lincoln Theatre. Our rooftop offers an excellent bird’s-eye view of the parade route! Invite your friends over to enjoy the parade then head downstairs to enjoy the live music on the street!

Will you be joining in on the U Street Funk Parade? Hope to see you there! It’s going to be an exciting day to be on U Street!

Easter Weekend Brunch

Washington DC is most definitely a brunch town. Snow Day? Brunch. Holiday? Brunch. If brunch were offered every day of the week, we would probably go every day of the week. If you have family visiting for the Easter or Passover holidays this weekend, where should you take them? You guessed it...brunch! Washington DC Eater lists the 30 best Eater brunch spots to impress your visitors:

1. 1789 Restaurant
1226 36th St NW
Washington, D.C. 20007
Visit website
(202) 965-1789
The dish: Cassoulet
1789 lets customers choose from dishes like pork belly with pea puree, mushroom veloute, duck cassoulet and more (a la carte).

2. 1905 Restaurant
1905 9th St NW
Washington, D.C. 20001
Visit website
(202) 332-1905
The dish: Country-fried steak.
Easter brunch at 1905 means three special dishes, including country fried steak with eggs, smoked lamb benedict and a poached salmon frittata. They’ll also have mint juleps featuring — wait for it — lamb-washed bourbon.

3. 701 Restaurant
701 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Washington, D.C. 20004
Visit website
(202) 393-0701
The dish: Carrot pasta.
701’s brunch choices include Skuna bay salmon with spatzle, a roasted lamb leg, carrot pasta and more ($45 for three courses).

4. America Eats Tavern
1700 Tysons Blvd
McLean, VA 22102
Visit website
(703) 744-3999
The dish: Jambalaya
America Eats’ brunch buffet has fresh doughnuts, a ham carving and biscuit station, fresh seafood, a jambalaya station and a cake table, among its offerings. ($45 adult).

5. Anthem
901 Massachusetts Ave NW
Washington, D.C. 20001
Visit website
The dish: Caviar
Anthem’s Easter brunch is a smorgasbord of spring dishes ranging from American caviar and crab claws to Belgian waffles and omelets. There are also entrees, bottomless mimosas and carving stations ($75 adults).

6. Belga Cafe
514 8th St SE
Washington, D.C. 20003
Visit website
(202) 544-0100
The dish: Waffles with duck.
Belga Cafe’s Easter brunch leans Belgian, with dishes like eggs with salmon, a rosemary waffle with duck confit, lunch items like mussel pots and more (a la carte).

7. Bibiana Osteria & Enoteca
1100 New York Ave NW
Washington, D.C. 20005
Visit website
(202) 216-9550
The dish: Easter pie
Bibiana’s three course brunch menu lets diners try bur rata, torts pasquale (a kale and egg stuffed Easter pie) and ricotta cavatelli.

8. Blue Duck Tavern
1201 24th St NW
Washington, D.C. 20037
Visit website
(202) 419-6755
The dish: Prime Rib.
Blue Duck is doing a three course option with duck confit hash, prime rib, poached eggs and more ($95 for adults).

9. Bombay Club
815 Connecticut Ave NW
Washington, D.C. 20006
Visit website
(202) 659-3727
The dish: Saag gosht
For an Indian twist on Easter Brunch, head to Bombay for saag gosht, shrimp pepper masala and bottomless champagne ($28 or $40 bottomless).

10. Cafe Deluxe
3228 Wisconsin Ave NW
Washington, D.C. 20016
Visit website
(202) 686-2233
The dish: Crab and fried green tomatoes benedict.
All Cafe Deluxe locations will be serving traditional brunch, plus a special crab cakes with fried green tomatoes Benedict dish.

11. Daikaya
705 6th St NW
Washington, D.C. 20001
Visit website
(202) 589-1600
The dish: Miso carrots with rabbit sausage
Daikaya’s Easter brunch is a tribute to the egg, with new small plates like a fried Jidori egg with caviar or miso-honey glazed carrots with rabbit sausage (a la carte).

12. Et Voila!
5120 MacArthur Blvd NW
Washington, D.C. 20016
Visit website
(202) 237-2300
The dish: Skate wing
Et Viola has expanded options like skate wing meuniere, chocolate easter eggs and lobster salad (a la carte).

13. Iron Gate
1734 N St NW
Washington, D.C. 20036
Visit website
(202) 737-1371
The dish: Porchetta
Iron Gate’s Italian Easter menu will be available April 4 and 5, with dishes including salumi pie, risotto fritters, marinated octopus and entree choices like porchetta or mushroom lasagna. Price is $65 per person.

14. J. Paul's
3218 M St NW
Washington, D.C. 20007
Visit website
(202) 333-3450
The dish: Green eggs and lamb
Brunch specials at J. Paul's (a la carte) range from the egg and lamb dish to chicken and waffles.

15. Lincoln
1110 Vermont Ave NW
Washington, D.C. 20005
Visit website
(202) 386-9200
The dish: Short rib hash
Lincoln’s three course Easter bunch has choices like short rib hash, Maryland crab benedict and butter popcorn soup ($55 for adults).

16. Lupo Verde
1401 T St NW
Washington, D.C. 20009
Visit website
(202) 827-4726
The dish: Spinach and anchovy pizza. Lupo Verde’s “Little Easter” celebration leans Italian, with dishes like roasted pork and porchetta panini, a spinach and anchovy pizza and a panzanella salad ($25).

17. Masa 14
1825 14th St NW
Washington, D.C. 20009
Visit website
(202) 328-1414
The dish: Chilaques
Masa 14 has a Latin brunch menu with pork belly benedict, chilaques, smoked chicken hash and more ($39 per person).

18. Mio
1110 Vermont Ave NW
Washington, D.C. 20005
Visit website
(202) 955-0075
The dish; Rabbit fricasse
Mio’s Sunday brunch (a la carte) has dishes like local fish ceviche, a rabbit fricassee, a suckling pig and more.

19. NoPa Kitchen + Bar
800 F St NW
Washington, D.C. 20004
Visit website
(202) 347-4667
The dish: Red beet tagliatelle.
Nopa’s offerings are a la carte, like beef tenderloin and eggs and red beet tagliatelle.

20. Ripple
3417 Connecticut Ave NW
Washington, D.C. 20008
Visit website
(202) 244-7995
The dish: Carbonara
Ripple is serving a breakfast buffet, plus an entree, pastry basket and more. Dishes range from roasted lamb shoulder and honey ham to spaghetti carbonara and savory bread pudding ($35).

21. Roof Terrace Restaurant & Bar
2700 F St NW
Washington, D.C. 20566
Visit website
The dish: King crab legs
Roof Terrace offers a view with its brunch, which features Alaskan crab cakes, oysters, French toast and more ($45 per person).

22. Society Fair
277 S Washington St
Alexandria, VA 22314
Visit website
(703) 683-3247
The dish: Quiche to go
Pick up a brunch bag from Society Fair that includes a quiche, bacon, fruit salad, scones, coffee beans and wine ($55, serves four).

23. Teddy & The Bully Bar
1200 19th St NW
Washington, D.C. 20036
Visit website
(202) 872-8700
The dish: Chicken and waffles
Teddy’s three course brunch has such choices as chilled spring pea and lobster soup, chicken and waffles and Challah French toast ($59 for adults).

24. The Fainting Goat
1330 U St NW
Washington, D.C. 20009
Visit website
(202) 735-0344
The dish: Goat cheese fondue.
Fainting Goat’s brunch selections range from goat cheese fondue to avocado toast.

25. The Hamilton
600 14th St NW
Washington, D.C. 20005
Visit website
(202) 787-1000
The dish: Breakfast sliders
Hamilton has a full brunch menu available with everything from bangers and mash to breakfast sliders and a breakfast burrito (a la carte).

26. The Oval Room
800 Connecticut Ave NW
Washington, D.C. 20006
Visit website
(202) 463-8700
The dish: Organic chicken and grits
Oval Room’s multi-course menu ($55) lets diners choose from roasted organic chicken, rabbit pappardelle and hamachi crudo.

27. Trio Grill
8100 Lee Highway
Fairfax, VA 22042
Visit website
(703) 992-9200
The dish: Deviled eggs with foie gras.
Trio’s Easter brunch buffet has crab cakes benedict, baked apple French toast, deviled eggs with foie gras, leg of lamb and more. Price is $55 for adults.

28. Trummer's On Main
7134 Main St
Clifton, VA 20124
Visit website
(703) 266-1623
The dish: Bacon-wrapped rabbit loin
Trummer's menu includes the aforementioned bunny dish, plus carbonara pasta, lamb and more ($66 adults).

29. Vinifera Wine Bar & Bistro
11750 Sunrise Valley Dr
Reston, VA 20191
Visit website
(703) 234-3550
The dish: Rack of lamb
Vinifera’s three course menu has choices like rack of lamb, vegetable frittata and pastries. There’s also a petting zoo with goats, ducks and bunnies for the kids ($55).

30. Vinoteca Wine Bar & Bistro
1940 11th St NW
Washington, D.C. 20001
Visit website
(202) 332-9463
The dish: Pork and squash frittatas
Vinoteca is serving up a la carte dishes like the frittata, duck confit benedict and more.