Is there anything more satisfying than knocking off work a few minutes early and heading to your local pub of choice to soak in a couple rays while downing an ice cold beverage? (Answer: no.) Now you can add the Red Palace to your outdoor drinking itinerary: the H Street bar/concert venue/burlesque joint opened an outdoor space yesterday.

The Washington Post confirms today what I feared last night, as I watched the friendly bartender on the roofdeck at DC9 spend a sizable amount of time wiping tree sperm from the counters which wind around the space — it’s pollen season, alright. Pollen levels have hit “very high” levels this week in the Washington region, meaning everyone who’s allergic to the stuff is really suffering.