A/C and Shelter During D.C. Summer
As glad as I am that we’re into June, let’s be honest, a D.C. summer can schvitz like a pig in wool and now, apparently, it rains a lot too. In D.C.’s whimsical climate, outdoor dining experiences are subject to the hazards of nature with Derechos and heat waves ever threatening pleasant picnics, beer gardens and rooftop fun. Fortunately, D.C. also has a lot of climate controlled, covered space that is just as enjoyable and amusing as the great outdoors. Here are some venues with indoor dining and entertainment to find refuge in during the stickier dog days ahead.
A dark, cool movie theater is the perfect summer escape. (venueguru.blogspot.com)
E Street Cinema
E Street Cinema in Chinatown features independent films, foreign films and documentaries as well as a gourmet snack bar and 16 ounce pourings of micro-brew. But not to worry, no beret necessary at this art house nickelodeon. The movie selection is engaging but also as accessible as E Street’s location, which is within walking distance of five metro stops.
Why play quarters when your quarters could be playing classic arcade games? (www.dcatlasarcade.com)
Atlas Arcade
Remember when your mom made you stop playing video games to go outside and enjoy the day? Well, at Atlas Arcade the only time you have to stop playing video games is when you have to enjoy your beer. This H Street hole-in-the-wall has all your classics from Ms. Pac Man to Buck Hunter with odd ball rarities like the Simpson’s Arcade Game and Aerosmith’s Revolution X thrown in the mix. Enjoy a can of DC Brau or a pitcher of Lost Rhino Ale at the bar while working your way through Super Mario Brothers. Be sure to stop by on Tuesdays for Rock Band showdown.
Smart Art-Portrait Gallery Trivia Night (http://www.npg.si.edu)
Portrait Gallery Trivia
D.C. has enough air conditioned museums to live in for the summer, but all of the crowds and walking can make this indoor experience as exhausting as an August jog around the Mall. Once a month, though, the National Portrait Gallery in Chinatown hosts a trivia night in their enclosed but airy and expansive Kogod courtyard. Visitors enjoy the intellectual stimulation of the Smithsonian within a relaxing happy hour atmosphere. Questions are collection-inspired so art buffs have the inside track. The upcoming trivia night will be held on June 26 with the theme Shake It Up: History Makers and Convention Breakers.
Hope these ideas spark some ideas for indoor summer alternatives. Stay cool, D.C.!
