The Boulevardier View

Portraits After 5: The First Night

2010-10-12T11:13:00.000-07:00

A look at "Portraits After 5" at The National Portrait Gallery, where good food and drink meet great art and music!

Portraits After 5 : The First Night from The Art Of Vince Brown on Vimeo.

The Boulevardier View: Fall Picks

2010-10-06T06:43:00.000-07:00

I consulted my "beer guy", Al, for some sound advice as to what I should be drinking this season.

The Boulevardier View: Fall Picks from The Art Of Vince Brown on Vimeo.

Potty Trained At Gunpoint

2010-10-06T06:26:00.000-07:00

Only 4 more days to catch this incredible show!!

Potty-Trained At Gunpoint from The Art Of Vince Brown on Vimeo.

Souk Moroccan Tapas and Bar

2010-08-11T09:31:00.000-07:00

My lady and had a simple plan this past Friday night: Ignore the construction on H Street, grab some sushi and breeze through Temporium. Alas, our plans were foiled by the micro-management of the supervisor on duty at Sticky Rice, our intended destination. Lucky for us, Souk Tapas and Bar (1201 H St. N.E.), located a few doors away, saved our evening. Self described as "pan-Mediterranean", Souk is wonderfully cozy and unassuming. Upon entering and being seated, you really do feel as though you've been invited into someone's home and are about to be treated to a gracious meal. We began with hummus and pita and then sampled the delicious variety of tapas, including merquez(grilled lamb sausage) and arayes(ground beef and tzaziki sauce). We shared the dejaj entree, a plate of grilled chicken breast garnished with tomatoes, garlic and onion. Reasonable prices and good service saved what might have been a crappy night out! For more info visit souk-dc.com

Interview With Alfred Gragg

2010-07-30T11:41:00.000-07:00

Award winning director Alfred Gragg discusses his 2008 election documentary " Manifest Hope DC ", which had a successful screening at The Fridge on Capitol Hill.

Interview With Alfred Gragg from The Art Of Vince Brown on Vimeo.

Sushi Go Round and Tapas

2010-07-30T08:57:00.000-07:00

Beautiful and stylish fashionista Kayla Kelly and I decided to finally see what all the fuss was with the movie, Inception. So, we headed down to Gallery Place, which gave us the opportunity to revisit one of our favorite spots to get a quick bite; Sushi Go-Round and Tapas (705 7th Street NW). While most sushi joints seem the same after awhile, Go-Round, as it's name implies, has the distinction of having a conveyor belt which brings the sushi to you to choose. There's the standard California and avocado rolls, along with tempura styles but I go for the exotic fishes, like smelt, horse mackerel and sea urchin. My lady always enjoys the smoked salmon and any variety of the tuna. The prices range from $2.99 to $6.99 per plate on the belt and there is conventional seating and a full menu available. Plus, two of my favorite beers, Sapporo and Ichiban, are always on tap. Great spot to stop into before or after a game at the Verizon center or catching a movie. And speaking of, Inception was pretty good, just as many critics and numerous friends have told me. All said, we had a great Thursday night out!

For more info visit www.sushigoroundatverizon.com

History of The Underground Soul Solution : The Red Years on Vimeo

2010-07-25T15:10:00.000-07:00

A brief talk with DC based house music pioneer Sam "The Man" Burns on the subject of his long running dance party The Underground Soul Solution.

History of The Underground Soul Solution : The Red Years from The Art Of Vince Brown on Vimeo.

Puma 917 SU-PA

2010-07-20T15:12:00.000-07:00

Ahhh, the joy of a new pair of kicks arriving at your door! And what a special pair these are, the Puma 917 Mid SU-PA. The super nasty looking Lake Blue Online Lime model with a grid design inspired by 80's video games. I was first amazed to find out that Puma named these driving shoes after the Porsche 917 racing car, immortalized by Steve McQueen in his 1971 movie LeMans. What knocked me out my seat was the fact that Adidas and Puma were founded by Barvarian brothers Adi and Rudolf Dassler; one a shoemaker and the other a salesman. In the mid 1940's, the siblings grew apart and formed rival companies. They not only failed to see eye-to-eye business wise, they even hated each others choice in women. That's deep! But, together and separately, we have both to thank for decades of quality footwear and other sporting goods. -VB

DECOY: INK

2010-07-16T17:09:00.000-07:00

I had the pleasure of meeting Washington,D.C. based artist DECOY on the final night of her exhibit at The Fridge.

DECOY: INK from The Art Of Vince Brown on Vimeo.

Photo of The Week

2010-07-14T13:14:00.000-07:00

Jordan's 8 On Barracks Row

2010-07-08T19:30:00.000-07:00

Looking for a great steak on Capitol Hill? How about sushi prepared right in front of you? You can find both, at Jordan's 8, located on hip Barracks Row (523 8th Street SE). Named for Jordan Cappolla, who also owns the cocktail lounge Tapatinis, a few doors down. Jordan's 8 offers American fare including chicken and seafood dishes. I recently took family there and was pleased with both the food and the friendly service. My wife and I started with the Jordan's 8 salad (mixed greens, candied walnuts, blue cheese and a raspberry vinaigrette dressing). Our son went straight for the boneless Ribeye steak ($18) which had a little more fat than he liked, but he enjoyed it just the same. I ate lighter, opting for their renowned Bison burger ($10) which was cooked to order and DELICIOUS! My wife was likewise very satisfied with her choice of salmon and asparagus ($14). As mentioned, the restaurant also has a sushi bar on the second floor, which we will check out on our next visit. And we do plan to return! - VB

New Adidas Sambas

2010-07-01T19:13:00.000-07:00

My fresh new pair of Adidas Sambas! I can't wait to rock them!

On The Stroll Again

2010-06-30T08:47:00.000-07:00

" Just When the caterpillar thought the world was over, it became a butterfly." - Anonymous

Here I go, resurrecting a defunct blog which I first I created in the Fall of 2009. While reading the obituary and tribute to RISD professor and NYC man about town Richard Merkin, I came across the term "boulevardier". Mr. Merkin was a schooled, cultivated and dapper man seen all over The Big Apple and often traveled abroad. When not teaching, he might be at a charity event, art opening, taking in a play, concert or having a drink in a bar. But, he was always well dressed and cut an impressive figure wherever he went, hence his title of boulevardier. A search of the word and it's usage revealed to me that others had picked up on this word and ran with it. But, alas, the term is often confused with "dandy", "fop" or "playboy" and used in the wrong context. A boulevardier is not necessarily a "man of leisure" or a clothes horse who prances around in the latest fashion to draw attention. My definition, and thus mission statement as it were, is a man who, first and foremost, enjoys the adventure that everyday life can offer. He explores, he reads, he listens and he has a taste. And whenever possible, he travels, be it cross town or across the globe. He lives for discovery and the chance to get lost. Meeting people is the cherry on top. From the aristocrat to the alley cat, everyone's a star in the eyes of a true boulevardier. Life is unpredictable, tedious and even harsh. But a man of style (and substance) puts on his best face and outfit, and boldly faces the day. -VB

What's Important Now?: The Boulevardier Episode Three

2009-12-02T03:54:00.000-08:00

In this third installment of The Boulevardier View, I attend the opening of Zeitgeist II: What's Important Now @ Nevin Kelly Gallery in Columbia Heights. Check it out soon, it won't be around much longer!!

Delights of the Garden: The Boulevardier View Episode Two

2009-11-17T05:27:00.000-08:00

On Saturday, November 14, I decided to seek refuge from a rather dreary day and stumbled upon the United States Botanic Gardens, which is on the National Mall just west of the Capitol. What color! What foliage! What inspiration! Sit back and enjoy....

The Boulevardier View Episode One: Phillips After 5 Nov. 5th, 2009

2009-11-08T21:30:00.000-08:00

What happens when great music, good art and party people come together? Click play and find out!

Classic Kangol: The 504 and The Wool Player

2009-10-06T14:57:00.000-07:00

Kangol: A Brief History

2009-10-06T14:36:00.000-07:00

The Kangol clothing company, best known for it's sporty hats, was founded in England in 1938, and originally produced head wear for workers. The company then began to mass produce the iconic beret for Allied troops during World War Two and the cap continued to be fashionable well after the war.

The brand name is derived from the materials commonly used in the manufacturing of quality hats: K (silk), ANG (angora), and OL (wool). The hat is easily identified by it's trademark kangaroo on the side.

Once associated with soldiers, and later, golfers, Kangol has stood the test of time and can be seen on the heads of the "hip" young and the "cool" old. The company has even branched out into other areas of clothing, but will forever be known as the King of Crowns.

Dedicated to Richard Merkin 1938-2009

2009-10-06T13:54:00.000-07:00

A painter, illustrator, writer, and educator, Mr. Merkin serves as the inspiration for this blog. He was intelligent, generous, bold, humorous and above all, stylish. Let us tip our hats to one of the greatest (but not the last) connoisseurs of life, from the common and everyday to the spectacular and worldly.