Out On the Town

HERB & DOROTHY
Megumi Sasaki's documentary tells the story of Herbert Vogel, a postal clerk, and Dorothy Vogel, a librarian, who managed to build one of the most important contemporary art collections in history with very modest means. Among the artists whose works these visionaries bought for their collection before becoming famous: Christo and Jeanne-Claude, Richard Tuttle, Robert Mangold and Sylvia Mangold. Opens Friday, July 3. Landmark's E Street Cinema, 555 11th St. NW. Call 202-452-7672 or visit www.landmarktheatres.com.

ICE AGE: DAWN OF THE DINOSAURS
The latest animated Ice Age centers around the herd rescuing Sid, who, in seeking a family of his own, steals some dinosaur eggs and ends up in a strange underground realm dodging dinosaurs and danger left and right. John Leguizamo, Queen Latifah and Denis Leary lend their vocal gifts. Now playing at area theaters. Visit www.fandango.com.

MY SISTER'S KEEPER
Abigail Breslin plays a girl whose parents specifically conceived her as a marrow donor for her gravely ill sister, subjecting her to countless surgeries and medical procedures. When Breslin's character decides to sue her parents for emancipation, the court case naturally threatens to destroy the family for good. Cameron Diaz, Alec Baldwin and Jason Patric also star in this drama from Nick Cassavetes. Now playing at area theaters, including Regal Gallery Place Stadium 14, 707 Seventh St. NW. Call 202-393-2121 or visit www.fandango.com.

NOMA SUMMER SCREEN
The NoMa (North of Massachusetts Avenue) Business Improvement District presents its second season of this outdoor film series offering a film every Wednesday night through July 29. All films this season focus on films about musicians and bands, and are preceded by live DJs, special guests and a barbecue. Next week's offering is I Am Trying To Break Your Heart, a documentary about the conflicts involved in the making of the rock band Wilco's fourth studio album, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. Wednesday, July 8, from 7 to 11 p.m. Lot on L Street, between Second and Third Streets NE. Free. Visit www.nomasummerscreen.com.

THE COUNTRY TEACHER

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Petr (Pavel Liska) has left Prague behind to teach at a small country school, working for a principal who doubts that he will make it outside the big city. But rather than miss the life he left behind, Petr quickly falls into the rural routine, sleeping in piles of hay and befriending the simple, hard-working locals. Whether Petr is running away from something or towards something is not immediately known. What is clear is his incredible loneliness. When Petr's loud and crass former boyfriend (Marek Daniel) unexpectedly shows up unannounced, he brings with him the past that Petr left behind. Director Bohdan Sláma has perfected the single-shot scene, allowing for the audience to slowly be drawn into intimate, natural dialogue between the characters or to heighten the mounting tension. It's a technique that allows for the actors to remain at the heart of the story and increases the emotional investment made in each of them. Now playing at Landmark's E Street Cinema, 555 11th St. NW. Call 202-452-7672 or visit www.landmarktheatres.com/. (Tim Plant)

THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY
Through a Faustian-like bargain, a corrupt man keeps his youthful beauty, but a special painting gradually reveals his inner ugliness in this 1945 film shot mostly in black and white by director Albert Lewin, with a cast that includes Donna Reed and Angela Lansbury. It is of course based on Oscar Wilde's only published novel, considered a classic of Western literature. Thursday, July 9, at 6:30 p.m. The Phillips Collection, 1600 21st St. NW. $12 as part of admission to the museum's special exhibition Paint Made Flesh. Call 202-387-2151 or visit www.phillipscollection.org.

VALENTINO: THE LAST EMPEROR
This documentary of legendary gay Italian designer Valentino Garavani explores his extraordinary life and work over the past half-century, from his founding of the Valentino label to his dramatic exit from the company just last year. But the heart of the film is the unique relationship between Valentino and his longtime partner, in life and work, Giancarlo Giammetti. Avalon Theatre, 5612 Connecticut Ave. NW. Tickets are $10. Call 202-966-6000 or visit www.theavalon.org.

WHATEVER WORKS
Woody Allen returns to New York with an offbeat comedy about a crotchety misanthrope (Larry David from HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm) and a naïve, impressionable young runaway from the south (Evan Rachel Wood). When her uptight parents, played by Patricia Clarkson and Ed Begley Jr., arrive to rescue her, they are quickly drawn into wildly unexpected romantic entanglements. Opens Friday, July 3. Landmark's E Street Cinema, 555 11th St. NW. Call 202-452-7672 or visit www.landmarktheatres.com.

Z
This 40-year-old Academy Award winner as Best Foreign Language Film and Best Film Editing closely parallels the real-life assassination of a Greek doctor, humanist and peace-movement leader whose murder in 1963 by a group of right-wing terrorists led to an abortive public scandal. Costa-Gavras (Missing, State of Siege) directs this intense, suspenseful action thriller, in Greek with English subtitles. Opens Friday, July 3. Landmark's E Street Cinema, 555 11th St. NW. Call 202-452-7672 or visit www.landmarktheatres.com.

MOTHER COURAGE AND HER CHILDREN
Scena Theatre kicks off its new season with German playwright Bertolt Brecht's antiwar classic, written while he was in Swedish exile on the brink of World War II. The play illustrates Brecht's description of war as ''the continuation of business by other means.'' Gabriele Jakobi from Berlin directs this production, featuring multiple Helen Hayes Award-winner Nancy Robinette in the title role. Closes Sunday, July 5. Clark Street Playhouse, 601 S. Clark St., Arlington. Tickets start at $25 to $35. Call 703-683-2824 or visit www.scenatheatre.org.

RADIO GOLF
The last of the late August Wilson's 10-part ''Pittsburgh Cycle'' of plays, each set in a different decade in the city, this drama, set in the 1990s, tackles gentrification and one African American's bid for elected office. Extended through Sunday, July 12. Studio Theatre's Mead Theatre, 1501 14th St. NW. Tickets are $34 to $53. Call 202-332-3300 or visit www.studiotheatre.org.

THE COLOR PURPLE
American Idol Fantasia Barrino reprises the role of Celie for the D.C. engagement of this musical, launching its North American tour at the Kennedy Center. The show, nominated for 11 Tony Awards, is based on Alice Walker's Pultizer Prize-winning novel and subsequent film by Steven Spielberg, and features a libretto by Marsha Norman, music and lyrics by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray and choreography by Donald Byrd. Gary Griffin also reprises his role here as the show's director, as does Oprah Winfrey as the show's lead producer. Now through Aug. 2. Kennedy Center Opera House. Tickets are $25 to $95. Call 202-467-4600 or visit www.kennedy-center.org.

THE MILLIONAIRESS
In George Bernard Shaw's zany comedy about class, sex and power, Epifania Ognisanti di Parerga, the richest woman in the world, vows to honor a pact she made with her late father: that she won't marry until finding a man with money-making expertise. What she comes to learn is that the old truism is only half-right. Money can't buy love -- but it helps. John Going directs this production. Through July 12. Olney Theatre Center, 2001 Olney-Sandy Spring Road, Olney, Md. Tickets are $26 to $44. Call 301-924-3400 or visit olneytheatre.org.

SPRING AWAKENING
Composer Duncan Sheik -- a rock songwriter too -- and lyricist Steven Sater gave Broadway, according to the Washington Post's Peter Marks, "a healthy dose of hip" with this Tony Award-winning musical that ran for more than two years on Broadway. The rock-steeped musical focuses on restless teenagers in a restrictive society, in this case 19th century Germany. It's all an adaptation of Frank Wedekind's 1891 play. Opens Tuesday, July 7, at 7:30 p.m. Through Aug. 2. Kennedy Center Eisenhower Theater. Tickets are $25 to $90. Call 202-467-4600 or visit www.kennedy-center.org.

WELSH WORDS: THEATRE FROM WALES
As part of this year's Smithsonian Folklife Festival, Studio Theatre presents reading of seven plays from this part of the United Kingdom. Among them is Cardiff East by noted and openly gay Welsh writer Peter Gill. This play takes place in the Welsh capital of Cardiff over the course of one day and follows three storylines, each of a different generation from the same gritty neighborhood. One storyline follows two young men in a burgeoning romantic relationship. Now through Sunday, July 5. Studio Theatre, 14th & P Streets NW. Admission is free to all readings. Call 202-332-3300 or visit www.studiotheatre.org/wales.

THE YEAR OF MAGICAL THINKING
{ { 1/2 There's nothing magical about this one-woman play, which is too cerebral to pack much power, mysterious or otherwise. Based on the award-winning memoir and adapted for the stage by author Joan Didion, Magical Thinking focuses on the death of Didion's husband, fellow novelist John Dunne, as well as on her daughter's serious, repeated hospitalizations. As a coping mechanism, Didion engages in magical thinking, an anthropological concept akin to superstition about willing good things to happen, or averting unavoidable events by hoping for or doing the right things. Actress Helen Hedman does her best to bring to life the script, which floods the brain with mind-numbing verbosity but only rare jolts of emotion. The play is too focused on the minutiae and neuroses of Didion's circumstances and character to really resonate -- at least, with one who has not yet suffered such a traumatic loss. It doesn't make the case as persuasively as it might have that the debilitating depression Didion suffers is universal -- that it's not just particular to Didion, the uber-serious intellectual writer who overanalyzes everything. Year also doesn't resolve what happens after Didion's magical-thinking period. Instead, it leaves everything in a state of despair. Extended through Sunday, July 12. Studio Theatre, 14th & P Streets NW. Tickets are $41 to $61. Call 202-332-3300 or visit www.studiotheatre.org. (Doug Rule)

YOU'RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN
Adventure Theatre, a company geared toward children and families, presents the 10-year-old Broadway revival version of this musical as its last production of the season. Directed by Signature Theatre's Michael Baron, the production features an onstage band and stars several prominent D.C. actors, including Andrew Sonntag, Lauren Williams, Kurt Boehm and Emily Levey. Now through Aug. 8. Adventure Theater, 7300 MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echo, Md. Tickets are $15. Call 301-634-2261 or visit www.adventuretheatre.org.

FROZEN
A 2004 Tony Award nominee for Best Play, this psychological thriller by Bryony Lavery connects an unlikely trio: a tattooed serial killer, a grieving mother and a psychiatrist studying the criminal mind. Michael Spellman directs this production, which contains such strong language and adult subject matter, no one under 16 will be admitted without an accompanying adult. Ends Sunday, July 5. Spotlighters Theatre, 817 Saint Paul St., Baltimore. Tickets are $18, or $15 for students, seniors and members. Call 410-752-1225 or visit www.spotlighters.org.

ANI DIFRANCO
Last fall DiFranco released Red Letter Year, which ranks as one of the prolific artist's best. The set is happier, brighter and lighter than her previous output, which was more commonly angry, blistering and bruising. She's still got fire inside her, but where this folk-rocker once stormed, on Red Letter Year she's more apt to swing. Thursday, July 9, at 9 p.m. Rams Head Live!, 20 Market Place, Baltimore. Tickets are $40. Call 410-244-1131 or visit www.ramsheadlive.com.

BALTIMORE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
The orchestra kicks off its summer season this weekend with ''Star-Spangled Spectacular,'' a patriotic salute featuring Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture and Sousa's Stars and Stripes Forever. Each performance, conducted by Damon Gupton, begins with the national anthem, as sung by the child winner or winners of the BSO's second annual ''O, Say Can You Sing Contest,'' and ends with fireworks. Friday, July 3, and Saturday, July 4, at 8 p.m. Oregon Ridge Park, 13555 Beaver Dam Road, Cockeysville, Md. Tickets are $20. Call 877-BSO-1444 or visit BSOmusic.org.

BALTIMORE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA'S PSYCHO
Guest conductor Constantine Kitsopoulos will lead the Orchestra in Bernard Herrmann's score to Alfred Hitchcock's classic 1960 film, which will be screened in its entirety, and with original voice track, during the performance. Thursday, July 9, at 8 p.m. Music Center at Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda. Also Friday, July 10, at 7:30 p.m. Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, 1212 Cathedral St., Baltimore. Tickets are $25 to $55. Call 410-783-8000 or visit www.bsomusic.org.

ELTON JOHN & BILLY JOEL
These two pop piano men reunite for their "Face 2 Face" tour, continuing what is billed as the most successful and longest-running concert pairing in pop history. Saturday, July 11, at 7:30 p.m. Nationals Park, 1500 S. Capitol St. NE. Tickets are $102 to $182. Call 888-632-6287 or visit www.tickets.com.

GLADYS KNIGHT
The Motown legend will perform from her roster of hits, including ''I Heard It Through the Grapevine'' and ''Midnight Train to Georgia.'' Sunday, July 5, at 8 p.m. Wolf Trap, 1645 Trap Road, Vienna. Tickets are $25 to $45. Call 703-255-1900 or visit www.wolf-trap.org.

JAY BRANNAN
The quintessential troubled artist, Brannan first gained attention getting naked in the film Shortbus, but the gay singer deserves attention now for his music, nearly as naked as he was on film. It's sparse, stripped down to acoustic guitar, occasional bass and occasional piano, keeping you focused on the lyrics and his sweet Paul Simon-esque tenor. His audacious and compelling debut album goddamned was one of last year's best releases, and In Living Color, out Tuesday, July 7, is a fetching set of seven covers of songs, from the likes of Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell and the Cranberries, plus two originals that are every bit as strong. He covers Ani DiFranco's ''Both Hands'' on the new set. The same night DiFranco performs in Baltimore, he'll be downstate. We argue for heading to the state capital, because Brannan is captivating live. Thursday, July 9, at 8 p.m. Rams Head On Stage, 33 West St., Annapolis. Tickets are $13.50. Call 410-268-4545 or visit www.ramsheadonstage.com.

NORTHWEST BOYCHOIR
The Grammy-nominated Northwest Boychoir from Seattle presents a public concert July 6 in D.C. as part of its two-week Summer 2009 East Coast Concert Tour. The concert features the 40-member choir performing a program of classical choral works by Vivaldi, Mozart, Mendelssohn, Casals as well as traditional American folk songs. Monday, July 6, at 7:30 p.m. Christ Church, Washington Parish, 620 G St. SE. Free. Call 202-547-9300 or visit www.washingtonparish.org.

SHERYL CROW
Crow got her start in the music business nearly two decades ago as lead backing vocalist for Michael Jackson, but she released the strongest and best album of her solo career just last year. Detours draws on an exceptional range of subject matter and emotion, both the personal -- Crow's bout with breast cancer, her breakup with Lance Armstrong, her adoption of son Wyatt -- and especially the political -- troubled times with the economy, the environment and world diplomacy. The album includes four eminently catchy, straightforward bluesy pop anthems, Crow's stock in trade. Friday, July 3, at 8 p.m. Wolf Trap, 1645 Trap Road, Vienna. Tickets are $30 to $48. Call 703-255-1900 or visit www.wolf-trap.org.

SIZZLIN' SUMMER CABARET SERIES
The newest Tony Award winner as Outstanding Regional Theatre, Signature presents its annual summer cabaret series, featuring three weeks of live music and performances, including two brand new musicals in a program called ''21/24 Signature Lab.'' The series launches on Tuesday, July 7, with the clever Revenge of the Understudies II, featuring performances from the understudies of the past season's productions, including Ace, Les Miserables and See What I Wanna See. Also on tap during the series' first week: cabaret shows from Helen Hayes Award winner Natascia Diaz, star of Kiss of the Spider Woman on Wednesday, July 8, and Thursday, July 9; a performance from Washington-area chanteuse Judy Simmons as well as the Washington Improv Theatre's iMusical: The Improvised Musical, on Friday, July 10; and Helen Hayes-winner Will Gartshore performing his pop/theater cabaret Perfect/Finite on Saturday, July 11. At Signature Theatre, 4200 Campbell Ave., Arlington. Shows are $20 each, or $75 for an all-access pass. Call 703-820-9771 or visit www.signature-theatre.org for full details and show times.

WHO'S BAD: MICHAEL JACKSON TRIBUTE BAND
After last week's sold-out shows at the 9:30 Club, organizers have planned another edition of this tribute show to capitalize on the King of Pop's untimely passing. This group, founded in North Carolina in 2004, is an infectious party production that takes audiences on a musical expedition spanning three decades of music -- as well as recreating Jackson's precise synchronized dance routines, in full regalia, from glitzy jackets to glittering gloves. Wednesday, July 8, at 8 p.m. Rams Head Live! 20 Market Place, Baltimore. Tickets are $15. Call 410-244-1131 or visit www.ramsheadlive.com.

ELTON JOHN AIDS FOUNDATION
Fans of Elton John can make a full day of it Saturday, July 11. Before he takes to the stage in the evening with Billy Joel, John's charity presents its fourth annual ''Washington/Baltimore Lunch around the World'' fundraiser. A buffet will be included, along with John-focused trivia games. And John memorabilia will be auctioned off and raffled. John himself, unfortunately, will not be on hand. Saturday, July 11, from 1 to 4 p.m. Banana Café, 500 Eighth St. SE. Tickets are $25. To register, email your name and the number of people in your party to 2009LATWDC@cox.net.

1708 GALLERY
This Richmond gallery is presenting ''FEED2009: A Juried Biennial,'' with five artists from across the country selected out of 311 submissions seeking to provide them with a springboard for their contemporary-art careers. Jurors for the show are Ashley Kistler of Virginia Commonwealth University and Mark Sloan of the College of Charleston. Through July 11. 1708 Gallery, 319 W. Broad St. Richmond. Call 804-643-1708 or visit www.1708gallery.org.

ARTOMATIC
The 10th annual edition of this popular, un-juried, all-artists-welcome extravaganza features hundreds of artists working in all media, with numerous events and performances to take in, too. Every year, Artomatic transforms an unfinished indoor space into an arts exhibit and trade show -- this year, it all happens near Nationals Park in the Capitol Waterfront neighborhood. The show runs until this Sunday, July 5. 55 M St. SE. Free. Visit www.artomatic.org for more details and a full schedule.

DENNIS & PHILLIP RATNER MUSEUM
This museum is featuring 14 artists from the Washington Printmakers Gallery, including Barbara Bickley, Deron DeCesare, Mike Hagan and Victoria Vogl. Now through July 29. An artist reception takes place Sunday, July 12, at 1:30 p.m. Dennis & Phillip Ratner Museum, 10001 Old Georgetown Road, Bethesda. Call 310-897-1518 or visit www.washingtonprintmakers.com.

LONG VIEW GALLERY
Victor Ekpuk is inspired by the ancient tradition of ideographic writing systems in Africa. In a new exhibit here, Ekpuk combines arcane symbols with his own invented pseudo-script to tell a story through beautiful compositions. On view through July 18. Long View Gallery, 1302 Ninth St. NW. Call 202-232-4788 or visit www.longviewgallery.com.

NEVIN KELLY GALLERY
This Columbia Heights gallery presents ''Stimulus,'' a group exhibition of works by local artists designed to stimulate the mind and the local economy. Now through July 11. Nevin Kelly Gallery, 1400 Irving St. NW, No. 132. Call 202-232-3464 or visit www.nevinkellygallery.com.

STONEWALL: FORTIETH ANNIVERSARY
While you may think the "ruby" slippers Judy Garland wore as Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz would be an ample Smithsonian artifact to mark the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, there's plenty more. Step into the National Museum of American History and make your way to the entrance of the Archives Center. Adjacent the entrance you'll find a collection of GLBT memorabilia -- artifacts? -- marking the anniversary. There's the chilling 1981 copy of New York Native bearing the headline, "Cancer in the Gay Community." Or, for a happier note, take a gander at the cover of the brochure from the 1987 Gay Men's Chorus of Washington concert, "Let Freedom Ring," with the Denver Women's Chorus and Lesbian and Gay Bands of America. In all, a tiny rainbow of treasures. On display through Aug. 2. At 14th Street & Constitution Avenue NW. Visit americanhistory.si.ed or call 202-633-1000.

TOUCHSTONE GALLERY
This gallery presents a new exhibit ''Seven Takes,'' featuring work from seven new artist members covering a wide range of subjects and media, including Charlie Dale, Anthony Dortch, Leslie Johnston and Michelle Rogers. Opens Wednesday, July 8. Through Aug. 7. Opening reception takes place Friday, July 10, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Touchstone Gallery, 406 Seventh St. NW. Call 202-347-2787 or visit www.touchstonegallery.com.

WAVERLY STREET GALLERY
''Body Language'' represents a broad selection of Paula Stern's work in bronze, terra cotta and resin, ranging from mostly serious sculptures and smaller studies to whimsical wall and ceiling pieces, all focused on the human form. Now through this Friday, July 3. Waverly Street Gallery, 4600 East-West Highway, Bethesda. Call 301-951-9441 or visit www.waverlystreetgallery.com.

A CAPITOL FOURTH
It's not something you want to do every year -- too many tourists -- but everybody should, at least once, head down to the U.S. Capitol to hear the National Symphony Orchestra's annual A Capitol Fourth concert. This year, Erich Kunzel conducts the orchestra in a performance of patriotic favorites and classical masterworks, most notably Tchaikvosky's 1812 Overture, during which a cannon is usually fired, shortly before the fireworks display at 9:10 p.m. Also performing this year: Barry Manilow, Aretha Franklin, Natasha Bedingfield, Michael Feinstein and the Jersey Boys cast. Saturday, July 4, at 8 p.m. West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol. Free. Call 202-467-4600 or visit www.kennedy-center.org/nso/ for more information.

BASTILLE DAY CELEBRATION
The Alliance Française presents this celebration of the French national holiday commemorating the storming of the Bastille prison in 1789, which sparked the French revolution. The funky band Dimestore will perform, and DJ Hervé will spin traditional French music and off-beat tunes at this party, which will also offer crêpes and Champagne, plus a chance to win roundtrip airfare for two to Paris. Friday, July 10, from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Alliance Française de Washington, 2142 Wyoming Ave. NW. Tickets are $45 and must be purchased by July 8. Call 202-234-7911 or visit www.francedc.org.

SMITHSONIAN FOLKLIFE FESTIVAL
The culture of Wales, the music of Latin America and African-American oral traditions are the topics to be explored at this year's festival on the Mall. Through Sunday, July 5. The National Mall, Madison Drive & 14th Street NW. Free. Call 202-633-1000 or www.festival.si.edu for event details and schedule.

18TH & U DUPLEX DINER

2004 18th St. NW
 Washington 
202-265-9599 Cost: $$ Perched on the border of the Adams Morgan and Dupont Circle neighborhoods, Duplex Diner has long served as a lively and casual gathering spot for D.C.'s gay movers and shakers. The dining room is as social as the bar, with much table hopping and hobnobbing. The food is classic American comfort -- a generous meatloaf, a terrific mac and cheese, unbeatable pork chops, a savory rib eye and a new wedge salad comprised of iceberg lettuce and thick chunks of bacon, bathed in blue-cheese dressing -- that adds to the at-home-with-friends feel.

ALBERTO'S
2010 P St. NW 2438 18th St. NW Washington 202-986-2121 Cost: $ Quality can be found at any price. On the low-end of the financial spectrum, Alberto's definitely delivers quality. Alberto De Souza, who owns the two-outlet Alberto's with his wife, Jillian, combines his Chicago-trained sensibility and French influences -- by way of serving as Sofitel Washington's executive chef -- in a stone oven. The result? ''Go Bears!,'' if you go Chicago style, or c'est magnifique! for a, say, thin crust with goat cheese and capers. By the pie, it's the perfect rustic dinner in, or the soothing nightcap slice as you stumble home. Free delivery around Dupont and Adams Morgan.

ANNIE'S PARAMOUNT STEAKHOUSE
1609 17th St. NW Washington 202-232-0395 Cost: $$ After six decades, there are very few of us who are not showing our age. But for Annie's Paramount Steakhouse, a gay icon through good times and bad, defying convention is part of the routine. Following a thorough renovation, the reliable restaurant now showcases contemporary flair with a mix of modern meets comfortable with nary a lick of pretension. For the late-night crowd, a quiet couple, or the solo tourist looking for the best dish, whatever the definition, the revamped Annie's will fill the bill with the best of its past and a fresh, new edge.

BEACON BAR & GRILL
1615 Rhode Island Ave. NW Washington 202-872-1126 Cost: $$ If some may consider the Human Rights Campaign building at 17th and Rhode Island a sort of heart of the gay community, perhaps the Beacon Bar & Grill across the street is its stomach. Really, nothing says gay venue like a great happy-hour bar menu -- $5 apiece for mini burgers, crab quesadillas and plenty more. Then there's the elaborate Sunday buffet brunch, with unlimited mimosas, champagne or Bloody Marys; the Saturday night prix fixe wine dinners; or Tuesday's three-course pasta dinners. From bar fare to eggs Benedict, Beacon Bar & Grill hits every appetite. Sneak up to the rooftop Beacon Sky-Bar, when open, for one the best views around.

D.C. NOODLES
1410 U St. NW Washington 202-232-8424 Cost: $$ D.C. Noodles is focused on churning out delectable dishes of fresh ingredients in unexpected combinations. Asian pumpkin factors into at least two standouts on the menu: Crispy, dense pumpkin empanadas and the Red Curry Chicken with pumpkin and spinach linguini. There are several enticing noodle salads, featuring bean sprouts and string beans. Go with the fish and crab meatballs salad -- the chewy, mild-flavored meat is nicely set off by the crisp, flavorful vegetables. Wash it all down with an earthy saketini or a heavenly Kaffir Lime Martini. Whatever you do, don't skip the dessert course of cold, coconut ice cream and warm, sticky rice. It's an match made in carb heaven.

FLORIANA
1602 17th St. NW Washington 202-667-5937 Cost: $$ Floriana's offers Old World charm for a New World clientele. From its romantic dining area to its chipper service, the effect is to make you feel at home, part of one big happy family. Whatever you do, don't come here while on a diet, because the rich sauces and delicious pasta made by hand are not to be missed, especially Floriana's classic lasagna. The restaurant also turns out a nice rack of lamb, while shrimp and scallops are served with a decadent cheese risotto that actually melts in your mouth. This 17th Street spot also offers abundant outdoor dining on the patio in season, so you can watch the still plenty-gay neighbors go by.

FREDDIE'S BEACH BAR & RESTAURANT
555 South 23rd St. Crystal City 703-685-0555 Cost: $$ Perched atop Crystal City's restaurant row for over seven years, Freddie's is a beachside oasis that'll warm you up and take you to the shore no matter what the weather. The extensive menu features an array of hearty appetizers, burgers and entrées. The crab cakes are some of the best we've had and the roasted half-chicken with au gratin potatoes is flat-out delicious. And don't miss Wednesday night's $6 burger special or Sunday's brunch buffet, offering everything from eggs Benedict to General Tso's chicken.

JACK'S
1527 17th St. NW Washington 202-332-6767 Cost: $$ With a mix of European flair and American simplicity -- peppered with a dash of Turkish exoticism -- Jack's draws festive crowds to both the bar and bistro. Half-price bottles of wine/champagne on Tuesdays and Thursdays doesn't hurt, especially when paired with fare that ranges from burgers to pork loin al balsamico. Bon vivants will certainly appreciate the ambitious cocktail menu and Jack's unique birthday celebrations.

LACE
2214 Rhode Island Ave. NE Washington 202-832-3888 Cost: $$ Sure, "every night is ladies night" at Lace, as the new venue's tagline promises. But every night is also dinnertime. Share the calamari with its refreshing sun-dried tomato and pesto dip to start. Or, if you're looking for something a little meatier, try the spicy, honey-glazed drummettes. You won't miss anything by making a meal of the orange-glazed salmon salad, with Lace's homemade tequila-lime vinaigrette, or the Asian shrimp and spinach salad, with homemade sesame-soy-ginger dressing. Let the competition between Lace the bar and Lace the restaurant work to your advantage, adding one of Lace's signature cocktails to the experience.

LEVEL ONE
1639 R St. NW Washington 202-745-0025 Cost: $$ You may have bad memories of the restaurant that used to be here, but Level One is taking dining to a whole new level from the old Food Bar. This time a completely in-house operation -- not outsourced to a slumming gay diner from New York -- management is determined to make Level One as much of a destination as the upstairs venues Cobalt and 30 Degrees. And with a tasteful, inviting décor, and just as tasteful, inviting food, in the hands of chef Michael Holdcraft, they're definitely on to something. Though the menu is diverse, 21st century-style American, Holdcraft exhibits a real passion for seafood. On a recent visit, he served up a succulent salmon contrasted with a gazpacho-style lentil salad, and a satisfying crabcake with a special sauce. The charming and amicable servers guide you to the best things on the menu, from the best glass or bottle of wine to the best way to top a popular Level One burger -- the Southern way, with bacon, BBQ sauce and cheddar. At half-price on Sundays, your Southern burger will come to just over $5. With the average entrée priced at just $15, in fact, chances are, you'll leave with fond memories all around, and plans to make more, at least come springtime, when you can imbibe a refreshing pomegranate martini and dine on the outdoor patio.

M STREET BAR & GRILL
2033 M St. NW Washington 202-530-3621 Cost: $$ Sundays at the M Street Bar & Grill are becoming an institution, where table-service brunch and endless mimosas/Bloody Marys are the rule. Yvonne Johnson's jazz accompaniment is the perfect aural digestif with brunch or Thursday dinner. All menus offer solidly American fare with hints of the Middle East and soul cooking at the edges. The two-course dinner for two for $40 makes for a great date -- especially so considering the rooms and suites of the St. Gregory Hotel fill the floors above the restaurant, for those wishing to add their own spice.

NELLIE'S SPORTS BAR
900 U St. NW Washington 202-332-6355 Cost: $$ Now a year old, Nellie's is popular for its big-screen TVs and huge rooftop patio overlooking U Street. But when you want to eat, you don't have to stick to the typical sports-bar staples of burgers, hot dogs and fries. In fact, the real draws on the menu are the Latin-derived dishes, reflecting the restaurant's ties to Cubanos restaurant in Silver Spring. For pub grub, try one of Chef Maria's empanadas or an arepa, a Venezuelan corn muffin puffier and heartier than a pita, stuffed with either delicious chicken salad and avocado or shredded criollo chicken. For a fancier feast, go with the Chicken Marsala or the Ropa Vieja, shredded beef marinated in a Cuban tomato sauce. Go for the goal!