I was invited to an event at The Gathering Spot, and while the event itself was wonderful, The…read moreGathering Spot truly felt like the perfect place to host it. It was a happy hour and learning-style event, and the space worked incredibly well for both. There was a great balance between areas that encouraged socializing and connecting, while also having comfortable spaces where everyone could sit down and focus during the learning portion. The staff was phenomenal. They were attentive and proactive in a way that stood out. They seemed to anticipate questions before we even had them and made sure everyone knew where things were and felt taken care of throughout the evening. I also ordered the spinach artichoke dip during the class portion of the event and I need to take a moment for that because it was, without exaggeration, the best spinach artichoke dip I have ever had in my life. I'm still thinking about it. A few others at the event also commented on how incredible their dishes were, so kudos to the kitchen because clearly this was not a one-off experience. I'll probably be dreaming about that spinach artichoke dip for a while.

If you're looking for a great place to hold a meeting or a gathering. The gathering spot is your…read moreanswer it has all the chic pizazz of a lounge but the sophistication of an office setting. The happy hour menu is the best in the city and the staff is amazing. If you're looking for a membership hit them up and as for Mr. McCraw tell him Donica sent you.

Imagine combining Studio 54 with a highbrow book club and that's what you get with this…read more tremendous, one of a kind spot. Tired of seeing those "Cove" meeting spots all throughout DC that pop up every 4 days and that you're mostly sure no one is ever in? Well then the Avodah Social Club is the place to be. You can find books as eclectic as Jennifer Weiner's "Good in Bed" to Jeffrey Toobin's "The Nine." What's more is that it's even an architectural gem! Stare in awe as you look at 16th street through a huge crack in the wall. Don't miss out!

What Jonathan says is true. I'm the hottie he's talking about so I know first hand how awesome the…read moreAvodah house is. We're comparable to the real world, only there are no cameras, we're mostly vegetarians and we're trying to save the world...or at least we started the year that way. But we're also a great group of people to hang out with if you like to have a good time!! Go vaseline sabotage!

This review is long overdue. I was invited to dinner here and this has to go in the Top Ten places…read moreI've ever dined at. Of course my friend is a member and if I'm lucky, someday I will be too. It started off as I walked up the sidewalk and approached the club, the doorman was standing on the sidewalk. As I got closer, the doorman greeted me by name! I was taken a back for a minute wondering how could he possibly know my name! I was escorted in and asked to wait in the main reception while they went to get my friend. I went into what they refer to as the "Correspondence Lounge" which is sort of a small library with some incredibly old literary works. They have very strict rules and one of surprise is no use of cell phones... period. How refreshing! You can go into the Correspondence Lounge if you need to use your phone but otherwise you cannot use while in the dining room or other public areas. So make sure you "check-in" on Yelp when you are outside. Naturally they have a dress code, but really, if you have to ask what the dress code is, you probably aren't going to this place. Another rule I was surprised is they try to keep business limited so you cannot bring out a bunch of papers, laptop, etc... The only papers you can hold would have to be a newspaper or a book. Once seated, the service is impeccable. Extremely polite and not overbearing. They knew when we were engrossed in conversation and didn't interrupt. I had the lump crab cake for dinner and it was without a doubt the BEST! I lived in Virginia for five years and went to college at George Washington so I'm quite familiar with East Coast seafood and I can honestly say the lump crab at the Metropolitan Club is the BEST! I could go on about this place but simply put, if you have the opportunity to go, don't pass that opportunity up for what will end up being one of the greatest dining experiences of your life.

This is a wonderful spot nestled across from the White House. The building and members have more…read morehistory in Washington, than just about any place in the capitol, or the nation for that matter. I have been fortunate enough to dine, party, and converse with some of Washington's behind the scene's power players. You can learn a lot, if you ever get past the door man, or Lily.

I enjoyed my first time at Pyramid Atlantic Art Center to see their current exhibition, Offline:…read moreTracing the Source by Hadiya Williams and curated by Anika Hobbs. The exhibition displayed hand-pulled prints, ceramics, and textiles. The exhibition is on view til March 3, 2026.

I visited the Pyramid Atlantic Art Center for a political fundraiser recently, and I'm so glad I…read morehad a reason to go inside and learn about it. It's amazing. The Pyramid Atlantic Art Center is a nonprofit center specializing in papermaking, printmaking, and book arts. It was founded in 1981, but more recently it moved into the historic Arcade building in the Hyattsville Gateway Arts District. They offer artist residencies, studios for artists, workshops, instruction, artist talks, and other events, including classes for the public. They sell pieces - large and small - and they have a small shop where they sell prints, cards, and other items. If I lived nearby and had the slightest artistic talent, I'd want to spend time at Pyramid. What a great resource for people who make art and love art in the Hyattsville area! I'm sure I'll be back, but if you live in the area, learn more about it and check it out!

NEB was wonderful at the door. He took great care of us--such a pleasant experience! he made sure…read morewe had a great experience as well.

I recently went to Focus Social Club for a Galentine's brunch with a large group of like-minded…read morewomen. First off... the website definitely had me thinking there was valet parking. That was a bold print LIE. Be prepared to find your own parking and do a little circling. The spot itself is in one of those older DC buildings and you can kinda tell. It felt a little dingy in some areas, but I mean... it's a neighborhood brunch spot, not the Four Seasons, so I adjusted my expectations. Service was just okay. Nobody was rude, but it wasn't anything memorable either. Just basic. Well, we were a large party, and we had to keep calling her over :( Now the food? Pretty good. Typical brunch food: waffles, wings, mac & cheese, eggs, bacon etc...no concerns there, so they did their thing in the kitchen. The music was LOUD loud though. Like club loud. But since it was a Galentine's event and people were in party mode, it made sense for the vibe. Overall, it's cool if you're linking up with friends for a fun brunch and a little turn up. Just don't pull up expecting valet like I did. DC will humble you real quick.

We're new to the club and enjoying and learning a lot about this place…read more Events are great and the building is gorgeous. Food is excellent! Especially their famous pop-over! Almost a decade in dc, but never had this before! It's not open to public and members only. I love that phone is not allowed in majority of the place. And strict dress code is enforced.

The food was delicious! The service was friendly and…read moreefficient! The club members were among the most interesting people I've ever met. The club itself had museum quality rooms and furnishings creating a delightful ambiance!

This organization is serious about rescuing dogs and kitties. The community of fosters and adoption…read morealums is warm and generous with their support of fosters and adopters alike. Had a very positive experience with CDCK!

I give one star because there is no zero to choose from. I haven't seen a rescue or shelter so…read moredifficult to deal with. I am 100% sure they kidnapped my cat from my community and hostage her for donation and selling as a business rather than a non profit organization. Pure intention matters! I have donated to multiple organizations monthly base, raising fund for good purpose, money is not a problem for me. However, I don't want to reward bad behaviors. The missing time for my cat and the one they posted online matches and the very detailed stripes pattern matches. It's questionable that one employee said she from North Carolina, another one said she from West Virginia. I have my cat since she was born, I can recognize this cat from eye contact. Well, if you know your children, you know them by the spirit, right? I sent them many details to JUST take a look, they refused. It's not built to help ppl or animals at all. I will show how my cat look like and how sick she is now in their foster home. I'm deeply saddened and worried about her. She is territorial as a cat does. She has been a happy cat in her own home, wtf they think this is a rescue. Now I have to either kiss their ass or be assertive to fight against this negativity just to get her rescued from these horrible ppl. F that! If they don't practice as ethical as it should be, this is a big big issue! I put the photos of how my cat looked before and how she looks now in their foster homes(one with name caption) I am seriously furious and frustrated about this. If they couldn't give me an explanation why they made it so difficult to meet the cat. I have to say I will use my popularity and influence to the extreme to make things right!!!

On January 1, 2021, at 830 pm it was pouring down rain in Oxon HIll, Md. Normally I love when it is…read morepouring rain and I can hear it hitting the window. I was sending out emails last one being sent at 802 pm, I thought to myself I am going to develop good sleep habits for the New Year, so I will get ready for bed. I was about to take my sleep medicine but was too lazy to get up so I just sit in the chair listening to the rain. Little did I know my laziness would someday pay off lol. Had I taken my medication and gone to bed, I literally would have lost my life in my sleep (from smoke inhalation). I had no idea that the building next to me was ablaze, and the apartment over me was completely engulfed in flames! As I was folding my computer and deciding to get in bed, I hear get out of the building there is a fire! My recliner was near the door I jump up with flip flops on and run to the door felt it wasn't hot so I opened it, and when I did I was hit in the face with thick black, smelly smoke! I closed the door and ran in the opposite direction toward my bedroom with my computer still in hand. I thought I would follow my fire plane and jump out the window! when I get in my bedroom I remember everything looking blurry I thought it was my sight without my glasses, but that was not the case it was smoke. I grab my coat jumped in my uniform pant backward and ran to the living room looking for another exit, my balcony was part of my fire plan, but I just didn't plan on jumping with gray smoke and fire falling. I could still hear my neighbor yelling get out!! I ran to the door again, and if I have ever heard the voice of God I heard it on Jan 1, 2021 when I was about to go out the door I heard put your shoes on, which allowed me to stop! and calm myself (not a grand voice just a whisper put your shoes on) holding on to the wall to put my shoes on finally made me realize I still had the computer in my hands so I dropped the computer put my shoes and open the door! That was a miracle #1. I know I can hold my breath for 47 seconds I swim:), so I still hear my neighbor so I thought I will just have to follow her voice, but in all the black smoke I look up at a window over the exit door and I see a gray hand waving to me to come out!! so I followed my neighbor's voice, jumped down the few steps! had I not seen what I thought was her hand I would have been frozen stiff! turns out she was outside of the exit door yelling but she was much to short for it to be her hand Miracle # 2, makes me shiver just to think about it!! had I not had on shoes, I might have had 2 broken ankles or landed on the wet pavement, had I not seen the hand I would have been frozen stiff! it was such an awful fire it looked like a red cross commercial you know the one (pouring rain raging fire) and the red cross there in the midst of it all. The fire raged from 830 pm until close to 11 pm even in the pouring rain. 63 to 65 off use lost our apartment homes that night, but there was not one life lost! There was a terrible accident, I believe a person had a heart attack and hit another car during all of this. At 11 the fire was still going on but under control thanks to the Oxon Hill fire department, Andrews Airbase fire department, and Alexandria Va fire department!, I was told that over 100 fire persons were working to put it out and I am thankful! without them, it would have been worse. At around 11 pm that night we all met in the recreation room and the red cross was there just like in the commercial. They handed out water and snacks and blankets. They interviewed us and made sure we had lodging for the next three nights although I have insurance that night I was so exhausted it was so nice not having to find a hotel, especially on a rainy night. We stayed at the Comfort Inn on Oxon Hill rd, check-in was so easy (remember everyone did not have time to get their wallet ie., Id or car keys and we were not allowed to go into the apartment that night to unsafe. So having the Red Cross pave the way was Miracle #3 I truly felt wounded. The lead Red Cross coordinator met us at the hotel, and arrange breakfast for the next morning! The next day we got a call telling us, lunch was ready for pick up and dinner was a very nice hot meal. Surprising how much you take for granted, I lost my very expensive progressives and was having a hard time seeing at night the Red Cross sent me a voucher to get glasses! All they did was without asking for anything in return. Readers we are living during a pandemic and all other types of emergencies and the one thing that is consistent in this world is that the Red Cross will always rise to the occasion! I depended on them in the Army to keep me connected to my family. That was in the 80s' and now in 2021, they are still a very relevant part of our society! If you want to make sure your donated dollars are put to good use you can not go wrong with the Red Cross, until next review; glad to be alive, to review, VJ