DCMud and DCRE's New Neighbors

Though we cover real estate and development all over DC and inside the Beltway, at the start of this new year we'd like to introduce a few of our new retail neighbors who joined us in the Logan Circle area in 2009. Welcome to Logan from DCMud and DCRE.

• Cork Market & Tasting Room (1805 14th Street NW; 202-265-2674): The retail side of our neighborhood wine bar opened its doors in the first week of December 2009, offering small-batch and hard to find wines in addition to a plethora of gourmet goodies. And there is truly something for all our indulgences--a morning espresso with a bacon and cheddar scone, rustic sandwiches (think salami, arugula, roasted peppers & fresh mozzarella) & homemade salads for lunch. And of course, the perfect Burgundy to start the evening. Not sure you even like Burgundy? No problem, the shop hosts wine tastings between 5-7pm every evening.

• LuLu Lemon (1461 P Street NW; 202-518-4075) That's right Dupont, we've got one too! LuLu Lemon's store on P Street lets neighbors get their fix of lots of great athletic gear for men and women, as well as a complimentary yoga class Sunday mornings at 10am and a Run Club Mondays at 6:30pm. However, if the last time you bought workout wear was when you got your striped leotard and matching headband to sweat along with Jane Fonda, be prepared that this is the upscale workout gear--yoga pants run from $74-98 a pair. The deep breathing you'll learn at the yoga classes will help when you're checking out at the register.

• Fathom Creative (1333 14th Street NW; 202-588-8100): The creative corridor continues to expand as we welcomed our new neighbor Fathom Creative to the 14th street corridor over the summer. Not only do we LOVE what they did with their building, but we are also happy to have a few more design-oriented thinkers in our neck of the woods. Aside from the typical branding, design & development, Fathom offers: content migration, search engine optimization, social media, interactive presentations--and that's just the start. And the owners, Drew & Bill, are two of the nicest guys we've met in quite some time.

Restaurants/Cafe's

• Churchkey and Birch&Barley (1337 14th Street NW; 202-567-2576): Talk about a transformation. In the space that previously housed very kitschy Dakota Cowgirl, a new bar (Churchkey) & restaurant (Birch & Barley) have opened that appears to be the Holy Grail for beer consumption. A welcome addition to the neighborhood, and just catty corner to our office, we've determined we could spend an awful lot of time working our way through their extensive collections--50 different drafts broken into categories such as: Crisp, Roast, Fruit & Spice and our personal favorite, Tart & Funky. And don't get us started on the 550+ beers they have by the bottle. For the ultimate beer enthusiast, they also break down the Brewer, Style, Alcohol by Volume, Serving Temp and Serving Vessel. Word of warning, Churchkey, opens at 4 and by 5:30 almost every seat is taken.

• Downstairs Birch & Barley is the more Zen space with its exposed brick walls, "trees" growing in the walls, stunning reclaimed hardwood floors and soft pendant lights floating around the room. While Churchkey offers more pub-like fare such as Truffled Grilled Cheese Panino and Mac & Cheese Sticks, B&B offers the heartier fare. And don't miss the Fig & Prosciutto Flatbread (which is also available in a Gluten Fee version no less). Reservations strongly recommended.

• Masa 14 (1825 14th Street NW; 202-328-1414): Our writer ran into a few of our agents here one night by coincidence, but that's not such a surprise; who wouldn't love the location, atmosphere and $4 happy hour prices that go from 5 until 7? Mmm mojitos and spicy edamame! Masa 14 is a Latin Asian fusion concept specializing in small plates--like the very yummy Crispy Crab Won Ton Rolls & the Crunchy Shrimp. And for those of you looking for the perfect bar to stretch out at (65 feet long that is) and drink until the wee hours, you'll be happy to discover that Sunday - Thursday the restaurant is open until 2am and Friday and Saturday night until 3am. And at 1:30am, what could be a better night cap than trying out a flight from their vast array of tequilas?

• MidCity Caffe (1626 14th Street NW; 202-234-1515): MidCity opened as the local cafe above Miss Pixie's in August of this year. It's funky interior is always filled with writers, students and lovers of good coffee- they serve the ultimate hipster coffee- Counter Culture Coffee. And apparently all their baked goods come from a collection of "DC-based pastry gurus." Drop by every other Tuesday to hear live music from local artists.

• Pitango Gelato (1451 P Street NW; 202-332-8877): Not just the source of a summertime treat, this neighborhood Gelato Cafe also offers fresh espresso and AMAZING hot chocolate. They also don't skimp on the quality: they don't just use "milk," they use "grass-fed organic milk". Pistachios and hazelnut paste are imported from Italy. This self-indulgence in a cup is not a cheap treat; small cups are just over $5. However, after trying the hazelnut gelato and coconut sorbet, we realized why all those people have been patiently standing in line out onto the sidewalk since they opened.

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