D.C.'s Newest Reasons to Stay Up Late

Washington's nightlife is about to get a little bit richer.

Swinging open its door on 14th Street NW is M arvin, a luxe -- and brand-new -- Belgian-themed restaurant and lounge from the folks behind Local 16 and Eighteenth Street Lounge.

And tucked near a bus stop and a liquor store across from the Reeves Center (and, so the lore goes, housed in a building that once was occupied by a woman of the night), it's hard for Marvin not to stand out.

The dish: Downstairs will be for dining, but head upstairs and you'll find the French-salon-themed late-night lounge and -- wait for it -- rooftop deck. There you'll find the specialty is Belgian beer (there are more than 30 varieties here). Expect it all to open by Monday.

So what is up with that name? "Marvin" is a nod to D.C.'s own Marvin Gaye, who turned to Belgium to revive his spirits after the hard-lived '70s.

Free. Bar, 5:30 p.m.-2 a.m. Sunday-Thursday (kitchen till 11 p.m.), 5:30 p.m.-3 a.m. Friday-Saturday (kitchen till midnight). 2007 14th St. NW. 202-797-7171.

And for cultural enrichment, the new Art Whino gallery opens in a whopping 22,000-square-foot Alexandria space tomorrow. (It also has a good story: It takes over the building that once housed the Alexandria Gazette.) What does it have to do with your evenings? The gallery, which will feature nearly 200 examples of pop-surrealist, lowbrow and urban contemporary art between its "permanent collection" and rotating monthly solo shows, hopes to bring in DJs or bands sporadically on weekend nights. And the gallery will keep some of the latest hours around: It will be open Monday-Friday 6-10 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m.-midnight and Sunday noon-6 p.m.

The first show (only 9,000 or so square feet will be open, with the rest to open later) will feature the work of Derrick Wolbaum; the reception is from 6 to 11 p.m. Free. 717 N. St. Asaph St., Alexandria. 703-462-4135.

Save the Date

EXHIBIT: "Kate: A Centennial Celebration" Next month, the National Portrait Gallery fills its one-room One Life gallery with a show dedicated to actress Katharine Hepburn, in honor of the 100th anniversary of her 1907 birth. The show will feature 50 items such as caricatures, family photos, film posters, a painted portrait by Everett Raymond Kinstler, and, if you've never seen one up close before, all four of Hepburn's Best Actress Oscars. The show opens Nov. 2. 11:30 a.m.-7 p.m. daily. Through June 1, 2008. Eighth and F streets NW. 202-633-1000.

ON STAGE: Pretty Lights, Fantastic Visions The Phillips Collection and the French American Cultural Foundation at the French Embassy have joined up for programming in conjunction with the museum's upcoming "Impressionists by the Sea" exhibit, and late in the month you can catch 19th-century "magic lantern shows" staged at La Maison Francaise. The Belgian artists in the Laterna Magica Galantee Show mix live music with their lantern show, which uses antique projected slides, light and color to tell the tall tales of the pre-movie days. The shows settle in for a run Oct. 30-Nov. 1 at 7 p.m.; one-hour children's shows are at 10 a.m. each day. $20; 10 a.m. shows, $5. 4101 Reservoir Rd. NW. For information, 202-944-6086. For tickets, visit http://www.instantseats.com.

CONCERT: The Swell Season Frames frontman Glen Hansard and Czech musician Marketa Irglova shot to fame this year after their movie "Once" became an indie hit. Their live shows were already the stuff of lore. So, when they were in town this summer at the 9:30 and filled the place, it wasn't a surprise. If you missed out, you get a chance to see them again (with seats!) in the lovely Lincoln Theatre when they return next month to perform songs from the movie. Martha Wainwright tags along. $40 (general admission). Nov. 18 at 8 p.m. 1215 U St. NW. 202-397-7328 or save processing fees at the Lincoln box office, Monday-Friday 10 a.m.-6 p.m. 202-328-6000.