Thanks to Sean C for sending the scene from City Center to honor the Chinese/Lunar New Year coming tomorrow.

953 Palmer Alley, NW. Photo by Stephanie Arbetter

Thanks to Stephanie for sharing: “looks like Caudalie quietly closed its doors at CityCenterDC over the last week. Shelves are emptied and the windows are papered over.” Read More

14th and P Street, NW

On Friday we broke the sad news that Dolcezza’s logan location was closing. Four more are unfortunately closing too. From DOLCEZZA:

“For the past few weeks, we have been thinking a lot about what the last 16 years has meant to us as a family and the impact this business has had on our lives.

In 2004, we opened a small kitchen in Georgetown with the goal of bringing the amazing gelato from the parlors of Buenos Aires to our home here in Washington, DC.

Since then, our lives have centered around our family business. We have grown so tremendously over these past 16 years with Dolcezza.

We learned the importance of local farming and being guided by the seasons. We became parents of three beautiful little girls. We had family members married from chance encounters in our shops. We hosted dinners at our factory with our chef friends. We officiated weddings and threw concerts. Our little girl’s first job was selling pints with her grandmother at the Dupont Circle farmer’s market.

None of this is unique to Dolcezza — we are all crafting indelible stories in the many ways we interact with each other every day. But that takes nothing away from the overwhelming honor and appreciation we have for everyone who has been a part of our simple Dolcezza dream: our amazing employees, customers, farmers, chefs, makers, neighbors and city. You have made this an unforgettable ride and we only hope we have affected you in the same incredible way you have affected us.

So it is with these beautiful thoughts in mind and the sobering effect that COVID-19 has had on our industry that we are announcing the closing of five of our store locations: Logan Circle, City Center, Wharf, Dupont Circle, and Bethesda. These shops will be closing during the month of October. Read More

1090 I Street, NW

Thanks to John for sending from Momofuku:

“To our Momofuku teams,

I want to start by saying that I hope you and your families are safe. This crisis has been the hardest time in Momofuku’s history, and I’m writing today to share more hard news and to discuss what comes next. As I mentioned in my last note, I started here as an intern straight out of college and never left. Like many of you, I stuck around because of the people who work here. You are the heart of our company, and you deserve a clear explanation of the changes that we’re making, why we’re making them, and what our vision for the future is.

After significant deliberation, we have had to make the extremely difficult decision to permanently close Nishi and CCDC. Read More

courtesy CityCenterDC

From a press release:

“Joy is in the air this holiday season and CityCenterDC is thrilled to once again present a delightful experience for the entire community. After the success of the life-sized igloo in 2017 and the Winter in Washington exhibit in 2018, which featured ice replicas of iconic national monuments up to 12 feet tall, CityCenterDC continues its tradition of immersive large-scale ice installations by creating the largest clear ice maze in the United States. From December 13th-15th guests will have the opportunity to get lost in a frozen labyrinth with towering 7-feet-tall walls, constructed with more than 110,000 pounds of clear ice. Read More

950 New York Ave, NW. Photo by Albert Ting

From an email:

“For the cooler months, the Conrad Washington, DC will bring a taste of the French and Italian Alps to CityCenterDC. Launching this Friday, November 22nd in collaboration with Moncler, the Conrad’s third floor terrace will transform into a luxurious Après Ski experience complete with mountain lodge décor and European-inspired specialty cocktails and shareable dishes. Read More

963 Palmer Alley, NW

Back in December we learned that neighborhing Centrolina’s Chef Amy Brandwein would be opening Piccolina, a “fast-casual, all-day establishment” in the former RareSweets space in CityCenter. A liquor license placard has now been posted: Read More

Inside 1090 I Street, NW courtesy Momofuku CCDC

From an email:

“Momofuku CCDC announces the opening of a dedicated to-go counter just inside the front door of the CityCenterDC restaurant. Executive chef Tae Strain’s lunch and dinner menus will be available to order from the counter, with dishes prepared and packaged with carryout in mind.

The new to-go counter is launching alongside a revamped lunch menu that’s packed with mobile-friendly items like scallion bing wraps — Chinese flatbreads filled with cumin-spiced lamb, rotisserie pork shoulder or edamame falafel. Read More

Last year courtesy of CityCenterDC

From an email:

“After welcoming 8,000 visitors in 2018, we are delighted to announce the return of Bloomia’s Field of Tulips to the District.

For one weekend, The Park at CityCenter [1098 New York Ave, NW] will be transformed into an interactive, urban garden covered in more than 40,000 tulips. Guests are welcome to visit the Field of Tulips April 26 – April 28 from 10:00 am – 6:00 pm.

Roaming the garden is free to all and tulips may be taken home for $1 a stem with a portion of all proceeds benefitting DC Central Kitchen.”

inside 9th and I Street, NW courtesy Conrad Washington, DC

From an email:

“I am thrilled to announce the official opening of Conrad Washington, DC, marking the first property for the Conrad brand to debut in the nation’s capital.

some key facts that are of note:

· The 360-room, 10-floor hotel features 30,000 square feet of luxury retail space on its ground floor and 32,000 square feet of purpose-built meeting space, all above ground level

· The property’s signature restaurant, Estuary, features a menu helmed by James Beard Award recipients and “Top Chef” finalists, Bryan and Michael Voltaggio

· Summit The Rooftop at Conrad and associated event terrace deliver panoramic views of Washington’s most notable landmarks

· A first for the Conrad brand, the exclusive, full-service Sakura Club on the 10th floor is designed for the most-discerning hotel guests with offerings including an exquisite Japanese whisky collection and a traditional afternoon tea”

Press release: Read More