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Washington DC Coffee House JourneyPermaTransientsRebecca and I are both Washington PermaTransients. We grew up in the same Massachusetts town, were in the same high school class, and settled down in the Washington D.C. area after graduating college. Rebecca is now pursuing a Ph.D, while I recently left a government job for a tech-based job out in the Virginia 'burbs. Even after a few years have gone by, neither of us is inclined to answer "Washington" when asked where we are from, but we have both lived here awhile, and neither of us plans on leaving anytime soon. We are two of the many PermaTransient Washingtonians who come from all around the U.S. and, for an indefinite time, hang out hats in Greater D.C. It's been a good while since we last got together, and we agree to meet at "Lower Xando", one of two Xando cafés that flank the north and south sides of Dupont Circle. The opening of the north side café proved to be highly necessary in light of the popularity of the original location. The two venues attract different crowds, and some patrons who live nearby gravitate strongly toward one or the other, seeming to believe that each is miles apart. Tonight is a rare night when a prime patio seat is readily available. Xando probably tries a bit too hard, and it is nearly impossible not to think of its latent trendiness when reading its menu, which includes roast-your-own-marshmallow s'mores. But the bottom line for most of us is the quality of the drinks, and like Starbucks, the bottom line at Xando is that the coffee is damn good. Rebecca and I both give our drinks enthusiastic thumbs-up. The atmosphere is good tonight, too. Rebecca and I remain there for a couple of hours, and a spectrum of Washingtonians pass us by. A movie finishes at a nearby artsy cinema, and many of the patrons begin to fill the tables around us. A homeless man comes by and asks us for some; sadly, we tell him no a few times before he moves on. Our server is a funny, quirky guy who gives us a few laughs, brings our coffee, and doesn't bother us again until it's time to pay the check. It is a nice atmosphere for a pair of Inside-the-Beltway PermaTransients to catch up and enjoy good coffee.
A Capable, if Not Capital, Coffee CityA coffee-loving friend of mine has long been underwhelmed by the coffee options in the D.C. Metro area. "The coffee shops offer more 'scene' than substance," she said, "and almost all have really bad service." While there is an inescapably trendy vibe at many of the more social coffee spots, I know of too many exceptions to agree with this friend. Washington, D.C. is the capital of the United States, and arguably the capital of the free world, even if it is not the North American coffee capital. Coffee lovers who wind up here may have to do a bit of homework, but no matter what their preferences, I am confident they will eventually find a café to their liking. Even if it is a bit reluctantly, D.C. has little choice but to offer good coffee options to its residents and suburbanites. After all, Washington State has federal representation like all the other 49 states, and there are thousands of workaholic lobbyists, lawyers, and congressional staffers who need their caffeine. Like the most adept legislator, savvy Washingtonians often have ways to get what they want, and I am here to assure them that their search for a satisfactory coffee spot will ultimately prove fruitful. Tags: washington dc |
