Falling in love with February is easy with these options in the weeks ahead.
Clockwise from top left: Brian Lanker’s photographs of Maya Angelou, Leontyne Price, Alice Walker and Cicely Tyson
SEE Opening this month at the National Portrait Gallery is the second part of a brilliant photo showcase. I Dream a World: Selections From Brian Lanker’s Portraits of Remarkable Black Women features more than 25 images of women who transformed the arts, literature and politics. The second part of the exhibit—pulling from 75 images the museum acquired—will run through the fall. In 1987, Lanker set out on a two-year quest to photograph these groundbreaking Black women whose lives left an indelible mark on America. This show is a testament not only to their spirit, but also to the award-winning photographer’s unyielding passion for his subjects. Through Sept. 23, Eighth and G streets NW, 202.633.1000, npg.si.edu
Intersect at O residents will enjoy this amenity-filled rooftop
LIVE Roadside Development is bullish on Shaw, and residents of luxury spaces can be thankful. The development company recently teamed with Dantes Partners to unveil the 79-unit Intersect at O, which is Roadside’s third residential building in the neighborhood, joining 880P and City Market at O. Shared amenities among the properties include a full-time concierge, a state-of-the-art demonstration kitchen, a 6,000-square-foot health club with a yoga and cycling studio, and DC’s largest rooftop amenity space with fire pits, a spacious dog park, a community herb garden and a luxe pool. 1338 Eighth St. NW, intersectato.com
Emily Engel, Janet Yellen and Lauren Fredericks
READ In honor of our Money Issue, we thought it’s never too early to get kids interested in how our monetary system works. Authors Emily Engel and Lauren Fredericks share the barrier-breaking story of Janet Yellen—the first woman to chair the Federal Reserve and the current secretary of the treasury, also a first for a woman—in the new children’s book Challenge Accepted (Amazon). The authors, who have more than 40 years of combined work experience in federal banking, credit Yellen as a role model in a field populated by men. In gorgeous illustrations, the book offers an engaging overview of Yellen’s career. amazon.com
Jennifer Kim, owner of Cool Contours, which has a new location in Arlington
CHILL Bring on the Caribbean and bikini season. Jennifer Kim and her team from Cool Contours recently cut the ribbon on a new location in Arlington. Kim, whose other location in Fairfax is ranked first in Virginia for CoolSculpting, helps clients eliminate fat without surgery. The fat-freezing treatment is the only FDA-cleared procedure to use controlled cooling to target and remove fat safely. Mai Dolinh, owner of Design Vice, created the sleek new space and its bright and welcoming treatment rooms. 3600 S. Glebe Road, Ste. 140, Arlington, 703.574.3007, cool-contours.com
The vibrant cans from DC-based Blossom, a ready-to-drink espresso martini
SIP District-based Blossom Beverages just made getting an espresso martini fix a little easier with its first product, Blossom. After seeing a void in the ready-to-drink market, Blossom’s founder, David Jack, along with a team of mixologists, spent 18 months on recipe revisions. Blossom’s packaging is a harbinger of spring: slender, vibrant, pink and blue in 12-ounce cans. Jack says it’s an homage to the glow he experienced when drinking his first espresso martini—a vodka-based cocktail, with hints of vanilla, spice and chocolate, that finishes with a punch of espresso. blossombeverages.com
One of the fully renovation warm springs pools at The Omni Homestead Resort.
STAY Take the plunge this winter. After a 14-month, $4 million renovation, The Omni Homestead Resort recently reopened its warm springs pools. Fed by four natural warm springs, rich in mineral content, the 19th century bathhouses have been sought by travelers for centuries. The stone basin of the Gentlemen’s Bathhouse was constructed in 1761, making it the oldest spa structure in the country. “It has been incredibly gratifying to see these phenomenal structures restored to their former glory,” says Mark Spadoni, managing director of The Omni Homestead Resort. “The bathhouses are a fundamental component of Bath County, and it was vital we dedicate time and effort into their preservation.” 1766 Homestead Drive, Hot Springs, Va., 540.839.1766, omnihotels.com
Pot de creme au chocolat.
TASTE Michelin-starred chef Nick Stefanelli must never sleep. The busy toque has opened another fab restaurant, Le Clou, which is located in the new hotel The Morrow in Northeast. Expect a modern brasserie with Stefanelli’s take on classic French fare. The 75-seat restaurant features a wraparound marble bar, gilded finishes and a private dining room for 10. Early menu favorites include Dover sole meunière; dry-aged Muscovy duck aux griottes; and, for dessert, pot de creme au chocolat. 222 M St. NE, lecloudc.com
The cozy dining room at L’Avant-Garde
IMMERSE Art lovers and fans of exceptional design, take note: The 12-story Gallery 64 is now leasing. This isn’t merely another elevated apartment concept. It’s the first opportunity in the city for Washingtonians to live directly adjacent to a world-class contemporary art space, the new Rubell Museum (rubellmuseum.org) in Southwest. With interior design by Beyer Blinder Belle Architects and Planners and KTGY Simeone Deary Design Group, Gallery 64 showcases a curated collection of commissioned artwork as well as colorful, abstract furniture in the lobby and public spaces resembling an art gallery. Amenities include a 12,000-square-foot rooftop gathering area with a pool, a private kitchen, dining alcoves, cabanas and fire pits. Inside, look for a state-of-the-art fitness center, game rooms and even a podcast production studio. 64 H St., SW, 833.282.8807, gallery64dc.com
Look for lots of glam drinks from the mixolo gy team
DINE Georgetown has a new brasserie, L’Avant-Garde. The concept comes from Fady Saba, known for the eclectic cocktail bar L'Annexe just next door, and chef Gilles Epié, who was the youngest-ever Michelin-starred chef in his native France. Epié’s culinary CV includes Best New Chef by Food & Wine magazine, cooking for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, and overseeing the kitchen at Turtle Bay Resort, a five-star luxury hotel in Oahu. Early menu standouts include bouillabaisse with macaroni and Marseille rouille topped with puff pastry, and chateaubriand with Anna potato, baby vegetables and Foyot black pepper sauce. 2915 M St., NW, 202.652.1855, lavantgardedc.com
Photography by: BRIAN LANKER/COURTESY SMITHSONIAN NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY; COURTESY OF ROADSIDE DEVELOPMENT; COURTESY OF AUTHORS; ANNETTE LEE; COURTESY OF BLOSSOM BEVERAGES; COURTESY OF OMNI HOMESTEAD RESORT; COURTESY OF BRAND; SCOTT SUCHMAN; COURTESY OF BRAND
