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

By Lavanya Ramanathan
Thursday, October 18, 2007

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.

The District

Today

ON STAGE: "Feed Me" The newest production at the District of Columbia Arts Center's black box theater is "Feed Me," Shaun Raviv's play chronicling a world in which war and plague have struck simultaneously. In it, two scientists seeking a cure for the plague test a tiger's blood for anything that might help. But when the scientists, as well as a soldier, find what they're looking for and more, their allegiance to humankind is tested. Matty Griffiths, former managing director of the Actors Theatre of Washington, directs the dark drama. $20; students, $15. (Go Friday, when it's pay-what-you-can.) Thursday-Saturday at 7:30 p.m., matinees on various days through Nov. 11. 2438 18th St. NW. 800-838-3006 or get tickets at the door (cash only).

Tomorrow

THE SCENE: Howard Homecoming With Erykah Badu There are plenty of parties (Diddy, again?), sold-out fashion shows and comedy programs affiliated with HU's homecoming week, but how many with Erykah Badu? She hosts the '80s- and '90s-themed True School party (think DJs spinning Wu-Tang, Biggie, Tribe) at Liv Nightclub tomorrow night. Hint: Get there way early, because with thousands of people in town for homecoming, lines will be long. $25 in advance; prices at the door may climb. 9 p.m.-3 a.m. 2001 11th St. Get tickets at http://www.instantseats.com/events/Liv.

ON STAGE: "The Women of Brewster Place" Arena Stage's musical production of Gloria Naylor's novel follows 10 African American women as they manage their lives in a housing project in the 1970s. (If the story sounds familiar, it's probably because the book was made into a 1989 miniseries starring Oprah Winfrey.) $55-74, with discounts available, including $10 tickets for ages 30 and younger (call for details). Various times, tomorrow--Dec. 9. Kreeger Theater, 1101 Sixth St. SW. 202-488-3300.

CONCERT: Funk for Peace Popular (and large, with more than a dozen musicians) Afro-funk outfit Chopteeth headlines this showcase at the Rock & Roll Hotel to raise money for the local chapter of Iraq Veterans Against the War. Vets will be at the show to talk about their experiences in Iraq. $12. 8:30 p.m. 1353 H St. NE. 202-388-7625.

Maryland

Today

CLOSING: "The Wind That Shakes the Barley" Though Ken Loach's period film swept past more than a dozen competitors to snare the top prize at Cannes last year, it kind of snuck into the region, playing at a couple of art-house theaters this spring and this week at the AFI as part of the DC Labor FilmFest. The film, set in 1920s Ireland, captures the ragtag armies -- early IRA -- forming in response to Britain's brutal "black and tan" squads. Today is the last chance to catch it in Silver Spring. $6.75-$9.75. 4:30, 7, 9:25 p.m. today. AFI Silver Theatre, 8633 Colesville Rd., Silver Spring. 301-495-6720.

ON STAGE: Bob Saget The "Full House" patriarch is likely to shake the kiddies at U-Md. of all their illusions about the world when he performs his completely surreal dirty material at the campus's Cole Field House tonight as part of the university's homecoming week. And he's on a pretty good bill, with "Scream" actor and former TV star Jamie Kennedy and insult comic/chronic roaster Jeff Ross. Get tickets at the door; $15-$35; U-Md. students, $5-$20. Doors open at 7 p.m. Cole Field House, College Park. 301-314-8498.

Saturday

FESTIVALS: Fine Arts, Spread Over Four Blocks The Bethesda Row Arts Festival, a juried crafts and fine arts fair, features 180 artists (specialties include ceramics, drawings, fabrics and graphics) who will set up in the streets, alongside music and food vendors. Some proceeds benefit NIH Children's Charities. Free. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. Woodmont and Bethesda avenues. 301-816-6958.

Northern Virginia

Today

ON STAGE: "Will You Know It's Me?" Natural Theatricals' latest production is a new musical, with hints of storytelling tradition, about a woman who is surprised late at night by a stranger who may be from medieval England. $22. Tuesdays and Thursdays-Sundays at 8 p.m., also Saturday and Oct. 27 at 2 p.m. Through Nov. 2. George Washington Masonic National Memorial, 101 Callahan Dr., Alexandria. 703-739-9338.

Saturday

FOR FAMILIES: Autumn Adventure in Reston Raise money for homeless services and catch a horse-drawn hayride, visit the ice-skating pavilion, participate in a costume parade and get your face painted, etc., during this activity-driven family festival at Reston Town Center on Saturday. Kids can even trick-or-treat at merchants in the area. $5 per child; $20 per family. Noon-4 p.m. 11900 Market St., Reston. For a schedule, visit http://www.restontowncenter.com.