LUPEC GOES TO WASHINGTON

LUPEC GOES TO WASHINGTON:
Review of the Round Robin Bar at the Willard Hotel, Washington DC

Please Note: This review was written two weeks before the terrorists attacks on NYC and DC, back when having fun was still possible. LUPEC has chosen to edit out several snarky anti-Bush jokes. It's a small show of support but, hopefully, all such small shows will add up. VIVA DC! VIVA NYC!

The Lobby Is it safe to say that everyone, everywhere needs a drink about now? The Willard Hotel, at 1401 Pennsylvania Avenue in DC is an historic and elegant establishment that can offers fine drinks, classy ambiance, and a history lesson all in the same snifter.

There has been a Hotel Willard since before the Civil War and the current building is a Second French Empire Beaux Arts extravaganza, designed by architect Henry Janeway Hardenbergh in 1901. The Willard—both the current building and the ones before it—has been a lightning rod for the type of history no one teaches. Did you know President Lincoln used his first Presidential paycheck to pay his family’s bill at the Willard? Did you know the first delegation of Japanese ambassadors to ever come to America stayed at the Willard? Guess where “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” was written? It's that type of place.

A LUPEC delegation—Black Monday, True Trixie, and 2 other lady archivists—recently had the appointed mission to visit the historic Round Robin Bar in the Willard. However quickly we like to get to a bar, the lobby cannot be walked through; it must be gawked at.

The Poinsetta An extensive 1986 renovation, directed by the Oliver Carr Company, has re-invoked the Robber Baron era of molded plaster ceilings, terrazzo floors, dark wood, and apricot velvet tufted settees. We had to sit on all the fancy chairs and make sure the flowers in the HUGE floral arrangements were real (they were). The Sidecar Then and only then could we proceed to our appointed locale.

The Round Robin Bar has the hunter’s-green and cigar-heavy air of an upscale gentleman’s club. The drink menu was heavy on wines and beers but featured 2 pages dedicated to “The Classic Cocktails.”

Monday and Sarah had The Poinsetta (Domaine Chandon, Framboise, Cranberry Juice)while Bernadette had a Sidecar (Hennessy Cognac, Cointreau, Lime Slice)and Trixie tried the Clover Club Cocktail (Tanqueray Gin, Framboise, Lemon Juice). Trixie, Monday and their guests placed their orderswith Abdullah,one of the gentlemen working the bar that evening. Closed off section

Monday had presented her LUPEC business card to Abdullah and we were allowed to -1- take photos (with a flash) -2- sit in an actually closed section of the bar to escape the cigar smoke and -3- appropriate a (nice and fresh) silver bowl of nuts from an empty table despite the fact our own bowl came with our drinks. Lovely silver bowl of nutes

While we were enjoying the first round, Shawn, the other gentleman tending bar that evening, came out to greet us and inquire about LUPEC. He then presented us with Kentucky Derby glasses! With the names of the winning horses from the first race all the way up to 2000! People! The man gave us PARTY FAVORS! Then he gave us brochures with all sorts of great stories and facts about the Bar and the Hotel! It was obvious that another round was in order. Stinger

Sarah was quite content to have another Poinsetta and Bernadette demurred. Monday, however, ordered a Stinger (Hennessy Cognac, White Crème de Menthe) based on the strength of the name alone. Trixie ordered a Ramos Gin Fizz (Tanqueray Gin, Triple Sec, Lemon, Cream), immediately making everyone wish that that was what they had been drinking all night—if not all week. All of the cocktails were of the best quality, in ingredients, creation, and presentation. Each cocktail on the menu was $8.00 and worth every damn penny. Abdullah and Shawn

When we finally decided to leave it was just getting dark. Maybe it was the Stinger, but the lobby looked even more anachronistic and twinkley with twilight coming thru the windows. Monday was rude enough to ask Shawn and Abdullah to pose for a photo and they were kind enough to oblige. A note to their manager/s: Please give these gentlemen a raise. Whatever you are paying them, it can’t possibly be enough.

Note: Monday wrote this review in her hotel room watching the Late Night Movie, “Shaft in Africa.” To the ladies in Room 4168: Sorry about all the gunfire and funk basslines

The Willard is one of those historical lightning rods, attracting moments in time ranging from sublime to ridiculous. Taken from the brochures The History of The Willard Inter Continental Washington and Historic Anecdotes: The Round Robin Bar of the Willard Inter-Continental Hotel are the following moments in women’s history:

The Ladies of the Grand Army of the Republic beat the Ladies of the Grand Army of LUPEC in getting a plaque up on The Willard for Julia Ward Howe ulia Ward Howe wrote the words to “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” to the tune of “John Brown’s Body,” a song that some raucous Union Soldiers sang as they marched underneath her window.

lice Roosevelt Longworth, The Round Robin Bar bypassed the usual gentleman’s club Fox Hunt art in favor of portraits of famous patrons. Mrs. Longworth is one of two ladies who made the cut saucy daughter of Teddy, scandalized the country by smoking in public in the Willard dining room.

n 1904, The Round Robin Bar responded to hatchet wielding abolitionist Carrie Nation by hanging a sign stating “All Nations Welcome Except Carrie”

he Willard seems to attract LUPECesque Ladies: among the other classy broads who have stayed at the Willard are Mae West, Gloria Swanson, Gypsy Rose Lee, and Lillian Russell. And while Flo Zeigfield was a guy, he was the mastermind behind The Ziegfield Girls--Va Va Voom! Lillian Russell was considered the most beautiful woman in the world back in the late 1800s so its no surprise she made The Wall of Fame. By the way—she’s buried in PITTSBURGH!