Photo by Jazz Guy
By DCist Contributor Elizabeth Packer
Drink of the Week: Mint Julep
Where: Round Robin Bar, Acadiana, Eatonville, Jack Rose, Vidalia
It’s time to dust off your biggest hat and break out the seersucker. Tomorrow is the Kentucky Derby. You may not care one whit about horse-racing, and the actual race itself lasts all of two minutes. But you can still make a day of the festivities by indulging in rounds of mint juleps, the Derby’s definitive cocktail.
An icy, refreshing combination of bourbon, mint, sugar, and water, the mint julep has been a staple at Churchill Downs for over a century. An estimated 120,000 juleps will be served this weekend over the two day Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby race period—a liquid feat that requires more than 10,000 bottles of Early Times Kentucky Whisky and 1,000 pounds of fresh mint.
There are plenty of options to sample mint juleps around D.C. for those wishing to get into the spirit. For a taste of tradition, head to the Round Robin bar at the Willard Hotel (1401 Pennsylvania Ave NW), where Senator Henry Clay supposedly first introduced the classic cocktail to D.C.
Many of the city’s Southern-tinged restaurants, like Vidalia (1990 M Street NW), Eatonville (2121 14th Street NW), and Acadiana (901 New York Avenue NW), are also prime choices for julep sipping. And on Saturday from 4 to 7 p.m., you can head to Jack Rose (2007 18th Street NW) for a Derby party hosted by the most Southern of magazines, Garden & Gun. In addition to copious amounts of mint juleps, the event will feature live music, a cigar lounge, and a best dressed contest. Tickets are going for $125, though you can also just enjoy juleps and Derby Punch a la carte at the downstairs bar.
And if crowds dressed in bowties and pastels aren’t your cup of tea, try making your own juleps—with only four ingredients, even a cocktail novice should have no trouble mixing up a batch at home.
Small Bites
Turn up the funk
D.C.’s Funk Parade, after months of negotiations, will take over U Street this Saturday. The day fair kicks off at noon, and the actual parade, which will go from the Howard Theater to the Lincoln Theater, begins at 5 p.m. You’ll need to fuel up to take in all the musical performances, so look for food vendors from Union Kitchen and beers from DC Brau and Atlas Brew Works. The Funk Parade’s full schedule of performers and events is here.
Hail Mary
If your brunch cocktail of choice skews tomato juice over O.J., and the idea of limitless booze samples before 5 p.m. sounds like a good time, then The Bloody Mary Fest is for you. Twelve D.C. bars and restaurants will vie for the title of “Best Bloody Mary in Washington D.C.” this Sunday, May 3rd, at Blind Whino (700 Delaware Avenue NW) from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. A $50 ticket gets you unlimited bloody mary tastes, lunch from Rocklands Barbeque, live music and a vote in the contest.
Got Crabs?
Beginning this Sunday, Pop’s Sea Bar (1817 Columbia Rd NW) will host “Crab Hours,” starring buckets of beer and steamed Maryland crabs, on the patio. They’re taking reservations on their website, where you can reserve a time slot for your group of 6 to 10 crab loving friends, for any Sunday between now and the end of July.
& more personal pizza shops for the city!
If you thought D.C.’s fast-casual, personalized pizza scene couldn’t possibly accommodate another shop, you were wrong. Veloce (1828 L Street NW), a spin-off of Pizzeria Paradiso, will open its doors on Monday, May 4, slinging customized personal pies near Farragut Square. The menu features both breakfast and lunch pizzas, as well as an array of salads and calzones, with an emphasis on local ingredients. If you’re feeling dedicated, the first 100 guests in line beginning at 11:30 a.m. on Monday will score a complimentary pizza.
