Lebodome’s Football Spots: My Friend’s Apartment on Willard Street
Sunday football on Willard Street NW. (Scott Leibowitz)
From Scott Leibowitz. Find Scott on Twitter @Lebodome. Email him at [email protected]
There are some weekends when perfect weather sets the stage for non-stop catching up with friends and long evenings in loud bars. My original plan last Sunday was to enjoy my team’s game on U street – the game wasn’t available on regular cable. However, upon waking up Sunday morning around 11:30, that seemed like an impossible feat.
Luckily, I had a back-up plan in my pocket the whole time. A friend of mine, whom I met through a close college friend, has a very nice and well furbished Dupont apartment, including a full subscription to NFL Countdown (the service that lets you watch any football game, whenever). So, instead of the ambiance of U Street, this week’s bar review is more domestic. Though my friend’s apartment didn’t lend itself to normal bar things – kegs, random people – his place hits the spot.
My Swiss Friend’s Apartment in North Dupont, Willard St
General Description: Heart of Borderstan – with an amazing roof deck and spacious kitchen. Pretty much the ideal place for a handful of middle-20s intelligent, gainfully employed/grad school gentlemen.
Why I Went There: The thought of drinking (more) in a crowded public space didn’t appeal to me. Why go to a crowded bar when I can kick my shoes off in a large living room den? This seemed like a no brainer.
Atmosphere: Six guys checking their smart phones and/or laptops intermittently for their fantasy scores with the game(s) on in the background. On one TV, my football team streamed through a Playstation3. A second TV showed the local Redskins game (because this scene was inevitable) and a third TV ran NFL Redzone (the 21st century response to shortened attention spans). What a scene – does it get any better?
There was plenty of space and couches for everyone to kick back and yell obscenities. And with an incredible roof deck, we got some halftime rays. Access to the roof deck made the guilt of spending the better part of Sunday afternoon a little bit better.
Food and Beverage: If I was too tired to make it to a bar, clearly I was too tired to really make a good breakfast/brunch, so I did the next best thing and picked up some comfort lunch food at THE BEST deli in the neighborhood, So’s Your Mom at 1831 Columbia Road NW. Little beats the timeless tradition of lox, cream cheese, tomato, onions and scallions on an everything bagel. Throw in a “revive” Vitamin Water and a bag of chips, this lunch brought me back.
Actual Game Viewing: Anytime I can watch a football game and feel like I am sitting in my childhood home, I feel good. The luxury of my friend’s apartment has this too. And between the hours of 1 and 5 pm, I didn’t miss a single exciting play from my game or any others in the league.
Overall: We all need friends like this, who save us from our weekend hangovers and provide safe havens to enjoy our football teams. Big thanks to Stephan, Eric, and John.
Total Pigskins: The lazy in me says 5, but the practical says 2, so lets go with 3.5
