The occasional romp outside Capitol Hill (where I live) or DuPont area (where I work) yields many a cool discovery when I’m exploring the city. Just as CityCenterDC makes seasonal changes to their skyline aesthetic, the northwest neighborhood of Shaw boasts fresh wall murals as we slip into April showers.

Historically African-American, Shaw is home to Howard Theater (where Ella Fitzgerald and DC local Duke Ellington once performed), this gritty and artsy neighborhood still houses not only multiple music venues but also several beer gardens, cocktail hideaways, indie retailers and a diverse range of global cuisine.

A few months ago I joined a group for a bar golf outing here, and frequented the following bars worth checking out:

801 (This one features our not-so-little rubber duckies!)

Wet Dog

Nellie’s Sports Bar

Hawthorne

Nothing makes us rowdier than clambering to get outside as soon as the weather warms up. Lookin’ like 80 degrees tomorrow (April 23rd)!

Dress: Current Boutique

Shoes: Dolce Vita

Earrings: Madewell

Shoot Locations: 801, Lee’s Flower Shop, and El Techo