NATIONAL HARBOR
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ell, it is almost 70 degrees outside as I sit here in the last weeks of February writing my March column. I have moved my outdoor plants back out on the balcony and am tempted to start sprucing up my teak table and chairs. What is up with this weather? Last year at this time I was trying to figure out how to get a snow drift away from my glass doors without shoveling it off the balcony onto the heads of people going into the coffee shop that I live above. Looking at the extended forecast on my Weather Channel app, it appears that we aren’t going to get any below freezing weather in the next 15 days, either. I’m not complaining. While the weather is great for being outside, the Harbor is a little boring during the month of March unless you are into “March Madness” basketball — the finals are projected on the big screen on the Plaza. For a game
NATIONAL HARBOR DINING GUIDE AC LOUNGE 156 Waterfront Street 301-749-2299 BOND 45 149 Waterfront Street 301-839-1445 BREWS & BITES Capitol Wheel Pier 301-749-1300 OldTownCrier
LANI GERING
schedule, log on to nationalharbor. com/screen. We don’t officially celebrate St. Patrick’s Day here as yet, other than maybe a few food and beverage specials being served at The Irish Whisper on Fleet Street! It really is a great little place for the locals. There aren’t any festivals or events taking place other than what the conventioneers have going on at the Gaylord Resort and the concerts/ acts taking place at the MGM Grand. This makes it a good time to just put together an impromptu visit and take in the sites. Come check out the sculptures that adorn American Way and the other beautiful artwork that is on display throughout the harbor. Also, many of the restaurants that have outdoor dining may just be set up thanks to the aforementioned weather. The water taxi between Old Town and the Harbor is up and running now as well. This is the perfect way to start your trek. You might want to end your
day by taking a spin on the Capital Wheel and get the “birds eye view” of our Nations river. On a totally unrelated note, I have had many inquiries from those that live on the Old Town Alexandria side of the Potomac River ask me what is happening to the Riverview Terrace at the Gaylord. For those of you unfamiliar with what the terrace is I offer the following: If anyone has taken a drive around the Harbor in the last year (almost) you may have wondered what the construction was all about that covers up the former beautiful Riverview Terrace at the Gaylord. At first, many pontificated that it was going to be a permanent structure for the annual ICE display that takes place during the Christmas holidays. While I hated to see the terrace go away, I can see why the decision was made to convert that space into the Riverview Ballroom. This space will provide a year-round
BROTHER JIMMY’S BBQ 177 Fleet Street 301-909-8860
ELEVATION BURGER 108 Waterfront Street 301-749-4014
McCORMICK & SCHMICK 145 National Plaza 301-567-6224
CADILLAC RANCH 186 Fleet Street 301-839-1100 cadillacranchgroup.com
FIORELLA PIZZERIA E CAFFE 152 National Plaza 301-839-1811
McLOONES PIER HOUSE 141 National Harbor Plaza 301-839-0815 mcloonespierhousenh.com
CHIPOTLE MEXICAN GRILL 158 National Plaza 301-749-2016 CRAB CAKE CAFE 140 National Plaza 240-766-2063
GRACES MANDARIN 188 Waterfront Street 301-839-3788 GRANITE CITY FOOD & BREWERY 200 American Way 240-493-3900
NANDO’S PERI-PERI 191 American Way 301-567-8900
NATIONAL PAST TIME SPORTS BAR & GRILLE Gaylord Resort 301-965-4000 gaylordnational.com OLD HICKORY STEAKHOUSE Gaylord Resort 301-965-4000 gaylordnational.com PIENZA ITALIAN MARKET Gaylord Resort 301-965-4000 gaylordnational.com
venue that has the feel of being outside without the concerns that inclement weather brings to an event. The Ballroom remains on track to open June 2017 at the Resort. The dramatic, freestanding 16,000-squarefoot ballroom is now fully enclosed with 270 degrees of floor-to-ceiling glass. Construction continues on the interior of the building and installation of metal panels for its roof have been being put in place. This will be a spectacular place for a wedding or a corporate event that feels like being outside during a thunderstorm or a heat wave! Keep an eye out in this space for updates as construction progresses. The rendering shown here is pretty impressive but I have a distinct feeling that it doesn’t do justice to what the end result is going to be.
POTBELLY SANDWICH WORKS 146 National Plaza 301-686-1160
SAUCIETY AMERICAN GRILL 171 Waterfront Street 240-766-3640
PUBLIC HOUSE 199 Fleet Street 240-493-6120 publichousenationalharbor.com
SUCCOTASH 168 Waterfront Street 301-567-8900
REDSTONE AMERICAN GRILL 155 National Plaza 301-839-3330 ROSA MEXICANA 135 Waterfront Street 301-567-1005
THAI PAVILLION 151 American Way 301-749-2022 WALRUS OYSTER & ALE HOUSE 152 Waterfront Street 301-567-6100
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