Living
Best of Gay D.C.: Dining
Favorite food spots in the District and beyond

Best Ethnic: Rice
1608 14th Street, NW
202-234-2400
Best Brunch: Level One
1639 R Street, NW
202-745-0025
Best Wine Bar: Cork
1720 14th Street, NW
202-265-CORK
Best Late Night: Annie’s Paramount Steakhouse
1609 17th Street, NW
202-232-0395
Best New Restaurant: The Pig
Logan Tavern, Commissary, The Heights and Grillfish are all neighborhood favorites operated by EatWellDC, which is run by gay business partners, David Winer, Winer’s nephew Josh Hahn and Antonio Oquendo. Now their newest addition, The Pig, joins the list of favorites as the Best New Restaurant in D.C. This pork-centric restaurant focuses on snout-to-tail dishes from locally sourced ingredients and ethically raised animals.
The Pig is still a socially conscious neighborhood restaurant but it is not an American Tavern, “meat-and-potatoes”-type venue. Instead the restaurant specializes in small plates.
“The coursing and rhythm of the meal is different and it is a more service-oriented type of establishment,” Hahn says. This 72-seat establishment has quickly become a favorite in Logan Circle and hopes to become a mainstay like other EatWell restaurants. (JH)
The Pig
1320 14th Street NW
202-290-2821
Best Dessert: Sticky Fingers’ Red Velvet Cupcake
Sticky Fingers was born in 1999 in Doran Petersan’s Kitchen. Now her creations are available in her Park Road location and dozens of wholesale locations up and down the East Coast. Petersan, who dubbed herself a “junk-foodie genius”-turned vegan, was determined to create animal-free counterparts of some of her favorite guilt-laden items.
This cupcake is a completely vegan classic Red Velvet cupcake coupled with cream cheese-style frosting. And when Petersan and her team aren’t busy winning Best of Awards, they are competing to win Cupcake Wars on the Food Network for the third time. (JH)
Sticky Fingers Bakery
1370 Park Road, NW
202-299-9700
Best Chef: Jamie Leeds — Hank’s Oyster Bar
Jamie Leeds has been having a good couple of months — opening Hank’s on the Hill, winning her fight to expand her patio in Dupont and winning Best Chef. Hank’s Oyster Bar came to fruition in the spring of 2005. In 2007, she opened a second Hank’s in Old Town Alexandria. This year, Leeds expanded the Alexandria location and opened a third Hank’s on the Hill. Leeds, a lesbian, says opening Hank’s on the Hill while expanding the Alexandria location is her “most exciting accomplishment.”
It is hard to dispute this honor if you have ever had the fried oysters at Hank’s, one of the best things I’ve eaten all year. Leeds serves up fresh and delicious seafood every day at all of her locations, making this a well-deserved honor. (JH)
Hank’s Oyster Bar
1624 Q Street NW
633 Pennsylvania Ave SE
1026 King Street Alexandria
202-462-HANK (Q Street)
202-733-9171 (Penn)
703-739-HANK (Alexandria)
Best Date Restaurant: Logan Tavern
Logan Tavern is located right in the middle of the Logan Circle neighborhood and is a great location for a date. After all, you can hit the gym before the date and if the date goes well, you can even hit up a bar to extend the date. If it goes poorly, it’s not because of the restaurant but you can hit the bar anyway.
Logan Tavern is owned and operated by EatWell DC and combines friendly prices with a hip, laid-back atmosphere. Logan is a great go-to place for delicious, un-fussy food. It’s a place where you recognize the ingredients, the flavors and the dishes you are being served. There is no need to worry about what the wait staff delivers. The drinks are affordable and the service is excellent with friendly and accommodating staff. Plan ahead so that you can get one of the cozy booths to cuddle up in. The only thing you will need to worry about is connecting with the guy or girl at the table with you. (JH)
Logan Tavern
1423 P Street NW
202-332-3710
Best Coffee Shop: Tryst
Tryst has been a part of the Adams Morgan community since 1998 and gives Washingtonians the opportunity to get together over a cup of great coffee, a sweet treat or two or even a cocktail. David Fritzier, beverage manager, says, “Combining coffee and booze comes from a place of inclusion and community.” Tryst aims to be your “third place” — that place that you go after your home and work, the place that balances out your life. (JH)
Tryst
2459 18th Street
202-232-5500
Best Restaurant Outside of DC: Hard Times Café in Old Town Alexandria
Founders and brothers Jim and Fred Parker opened Hard Times Café in 1980, not really knowing what they were getting into. Now, 30-plus years later they are a successful regional chain, cooking award-winning chili, and winning Best of Awards (in 2005 USA Today named Hard Times as one of the top 10 places to get chili and now they are Best Restaurant Outside of D.C.). The chili has a story all its own that dates back all the way to 1874, to a recipe that comes from their grandfather Ira.
Jim and Fred refer to their food as “all the food you love to eat” like chili, wings, char-grilled burgers, nachos and ribs. There is even a chili taster in case you can’t decide which of the four chilies they offer you want to order. (JH)
Hard Times Café
1404 King Street, Alexandria VA
703-837-0050
Best Caterer: Q Caterers
Q Caterers has been serving the Washington area for five years, but its owners have 15 years of experience in the catering industry. They offer traditional as well as creative and innovative cuisine for their clients. Q Caterers, co-owned by Paul Herndon, offers catering for a wide variety of events and does all its baking on site.
Clients rave about the food from Q Caterers and guests are always looking for more. (JH)
Q Caterers
2144 California Street
202-640-4828
Best Food Truck: Curbside Cupcake
Food Trucks have been all the rage for several years in D.C. and this year, the best food truck of them all is Curbside Cupcake. It started with one truck in November of 2009 and was D.C.’s first mobile cupcakery. It operates weekdays from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. and some weekends in the spring and summer.
Today Sam and Kristi Whitfield have three trucks bringing “cupcake bliss” to D.C., Arlington and Montgomery County. When Sam was working as a lawyer in 2009 some co-workers wanted cupcakes, but nobody wanted to go out and pick them up. That got Sam thinking that cupcakes should come to people, people shouldn’t have to come to cupcakes. When he got home that night he asked his wife Kristi, and that set the wheels in motion and just a few years later they own and operate D.C.’s favorite food truck. (JH)
Best Local Dish: Half Smokes at Ben’s Chili Bowl
The Half Smokes are famous in D.C. and are the most popular item on the menu at Ben’s Chili Bowl. Ben’s widow Virginia Ali, who has retired from the restaurant business, happened to be working the floor of the restaurant the afternoon I stopped in to enjoy a Half Smoke. She “is thrilled to be chosen as the winner of Best Local Dish,” and is “so excited that people still love all the food that they serve everyday.”
The “original chili half smokes” are the signature dish of Ben’s Chili Bowl. It’s a one-quarter pound half-pork and half-beef smoked sausage on a warm bun topped with mustard, onions and spicy homemade chili sauce. It’s served up in a basket with some fries and plenty of napkins. Famous fans include Bill Cosby and the Obamas. (JH)
Ben’s Chili Bowl
1213 U Street NW
202-667-0909
Advice
I make more money than my partner and getting resentful
She’s taking advantage of a joint credit card

Hi Michael,
I make a fair amount more money than my girlfriend does and I’m happy to contribute more to our life (we are both in our 20s and living together).
But Meg doesn’t seem to care how much money she spends and then asks me to front her when she’s running low. She seldom pays me back.
Last week she had a big night on the town with her best friend (formerly her girlfriend) for the friend’s 30th birthday. She hired a limo and spent a lot on drinks and dinner. She put the entire night on our joint card which we are only supposed to use for shared household expenses, because she had maxed out her own card. Of course I will wind up paying for it. (And I am slightly jealous. Why am I paying for her evening out with her former GF?)
I pay for all sorts of stuff all the time because her credit card gets too big for her budget.
And somehow I almost never end up getting her share of the rent, which is already prorated according to our incomes.
She always tells me she’ll pay me back but her tab pretty much just keeps getting bigger.
If I bring this up with her, she tells me I am cheap because I make a lot and we’re a couple; and if she made more, she’d have no problem sharing everything with me.
Am I just being ungenerous? I don’t know. Sometimes I think she’s an ingrate, but then I think if you’re in love, you shouldn’t be thinking of money, just taking care of the person you love.
Also, although I make more than she does, I’m by no means rich. I have my own student loans, and paying for the bulk of our lifestyle stretches me thin some months.
Michael replies:
For starters: Most couples must contend with some version of your struggle with Meg, because most couples have some income disparity.
Do you maintain a lifestyle that both of you can afford? That works for some relationships where the lower earner may not want to feel indebted to the partner who makes more. Other couples work out a system where they pay for expenses in proportion to their income. And in some instances, the higher earner may have a “what’s mine is yours” philosophy and the lower earner is OK with that.
What matters is that both partners come to a mutual agreement and are comfortable with the arrangement. In other words, they collaborate.
That’s not the case with you and Meg. You sound resentful, angry, and feeling like Meg is taking advantage of you.
It’s great to be generous in your relationship, but it’s also important to have a boundary when you think it’s important to have a boundary. Yet you’re continuing to subsidize Meg even when you have trouble making your own ends meet.
Important question: Have you told Meg that you’re stretched thin some months? If not, I’d be curious as to how you’ve made that decision. If so, I’d be curious as to Meg’s response.
If you don’t want to keep serving as Meg’s piggy bank, what is stopping you?
There’s a great saying in psychotherapy: If it’s hysterical, it’s historical. Meaning, our “big” actions and reactions have their roots in our history.
Think about your life history: How does it make sense that you are acting like a powerless victim?
Is not having a boundary an old and familiar dynamic for you? Were there important players in your life—for example, your parents—who insisted it was their way or the highway? Or perhaps you learned as a kid that if you ever said “no” to your friends, there’d be negative consequences?
Now ask yourself what might be keeping you stuck in a relationship of resentment. Are you re-creating an old and familiar dynamic? Sometimes we keep putting ourselves in the same miserable situation, over and over again. What’s familiar can be comfortable, even if it’s miserable; and we may be trying to get some understanding of the dynamic and some power over it, to finally get it right.
I’m just speculating here, to encourage you to think for yourself why you are staying in the dynamic you describe. You haven’t mentioned anything positive about your relationship, or about Meg.
Another possibility: I wonder if you might be so fearful of being alone that you’re willing to tolerate all sorts of treatment in order to stay in your relationship. Or perhaps you don’t think you deserve to be treated any better than this.
Again, if this is the case, where might this belief be coming from? Understanding why we are stuck in behaviors that keep us miserable can help us to get unstuck.
You have an opportunity to do something different here: Set a boundary and take power over your life. Perhaps if you did so, Meg would surprise you by shifting her stance, which would be good news if you have some good reasons to stay. Or perhaps she would not. Your challenge now is to get some sense of what’s holding you back, if you want something different for yourself. And unless you act on your own behalf, you will stay in this position.
One more point to consider, regarding Meg’s dinner date with her ex: Whether or not anything is going on, I take your jealousy as a sign that you don’t trust Meg. And without trust, you can’t have a decent relationship.
Michael Radkowsky, Psy.D. is a licensed psychologist who works with couples and individuals in D.C. He can be found online at michaelradkowsky.com. All identifying information has been changed for reasons of confidentiality. Have a question? Send it to [email protected].
Real Estate
April showers bring May flowers in life — and in real estate
Third time’s the charm for buyer plagued with problems

Working in the real estate sector in D.C. can be as uniquely “D.C.” as the residents feel about their own city. On any given day, someone could be selling a home that their grandmother bought, passed on to the relatives, and the transfer of generational wealth continues. In that same transaction, the beginning steps of building of generational wealth could be taking place.
Across town, an international buyer could be looking for a condo with very specific characteristics that remind them of the way things are “back home.” Maybe they want to live in a building with a pool because they grew up by the sea. Maybe they want a large kitchen so they can cook grandma’s recipes. Maybe they will be on MSNBC once a month and need to have a home office fit for those Zoom sessions where they will be live on air, or recording their podcast. Perhaps they play the saxophone and want a building with thick walls so they can make a joyful noise without causing their neighbors to file a cease-and-desist order.
What I found fascinating was getting to know my buyers. Why were they purchasing their property? What did they want to do with it? Was this their grandmother’s dream that they would have a place of their own someday? Did they finally think they would write that award-winning play in the home office? What dreams were going to be fulfilled while taking part in this transaction?
Somedays, the muck and paperwork slog of navigating home inspection items and financing checklists could get to be distracting at best, and almost downright disheartening at worst.
One of my clients was under contract on THREE places before we finally closed on a home. One building was discovered to have financing issues, and the residents were not keeping up with their condo fees. Another building had an issue with the title to the unit, which meant the seller could not sell the home for at least another year until that legal snag was resolved. As the months rolled by, she was losing heart and feeling defeated. When we finally found the third home, everything seemed great – and then about two weeks before the settlement, the rains came down and the windows leaked into the bedrooms.
Another delay. (Our THIRD). This time, for several more weeks.
I think she wanted to pack a suitcase, go to the airport, get on a plane somewhere and never come back. What ultimately happened? The building repaired the windows, the seller’s insurance replaced the hardwood floors, and she bought her first condo, which she still enjoys to this day.
As Dolly Parton says, “If you want the rainbow, you’ve got to put up with a little rain.” And finally, after months of looking, waiting, and overcoming obstacles, the rainbow peeked out from behind the clouds.
Joseph Hudson is a referral agent with Metro Referrals. He can be reached at 703-587-0597 or [email protected].
Autos
Sporty sedans: BMW 530i xDrive, Mercedes AMG CLA 3
Tariffs are here and the result is financial chaos

It’s official: Tariffs are here, and the result is financial chaos.
So, what to do when purchasing a new vehicle? If you need one in the not-so-distant future, buy sooner (like yesterday) rather than later. Expect prices to rise quickly, as inventory dwindles, demand soars, and automaker incentives evaporate. Of course, if a new ride isn’t a priority for at least a year or three, then hold off until the dust settles.
But for those of you looking for new wheels now, I recently drove two sport sedans that were a pleasant reprieve from the usual plethora of pickups, minivans, and SUVs.
BMW 530i xDRIVE
$63,000
MPG: 28 city/35 highway
0 to 60 mph: 5.5 seconds
Cargo space: 18.4 cu. ft.
PROS: Rakish looks. Race-car vibe. Rock-star amenities.
CONS: Rad-but-quirky infotainment system. Rich price.
IN A NUTSHELL: Classic good looks, from the iconic grille and swept-back headlights to chiseled side panels and a tasteful tush. For a gearhead like me, the BMW 530i xDrive — completely redesigned last year — is as rapturous as Michelangelo’s David. Everything here is in proportion, from the design to the drivetrain, which — along with a gutsy 255-hp turbo and all-wheel drive — helps deliver a divine experience behind the wheel. Even better, my test car came equipped with the heavenly M-Sport Package: 21-inch wheels, athletic suspension, and assorted styling upgrades.
A tech-laden cabin is outfitted with a sparkly 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and 14.9-inch touchscreen infotainment system. With the windshield head-up display and a slew of knobs and toggle switches in the center console and on the steering wheel, I wondered if this is how it feels to pilot the Space Shuttle. There is even a back-lit interaction bar with touch-sensitive controls to adjust vent direction and other climate control settings.
All this gadgetry takes some getting used to, but the overall effect is dazzling. While a 12-speaker Harman Kardon stereo comes standard, I was jammin’ to the 16-speaker Bowers & Wilkins premium audio. Of course, such options add up quickly (on my test car, the extras totaled $13,000).
Just how fun is this car? In my favorite episode of “Hacks,” sassy Jean Smart drives a rockin’ Rolls Royce Wraith. Trust me, this four-door BMW is every bit the badass as that $300,000 super coupe.
MERCEDES AMG CLA 35

$58,000
MPG: 22 city/29 highway
0 to 60 mph: 4.8 seconds
Cargo space: 11.6 cu. ft.
PROS: Slick styling. Spiffy cabin. Sublime seats.
CONS: Smallish trunk. So-so rear headroom and legroom.
IN A NUTSHELL: Need a smaller sedan that’s just as marvy as the midsize BMW i530? Look no further than the compact Mercedes CLA-Class, which is 14 inches shorter. That’s a benefit when jockeying for parking or navigating rush hour.
Another plus: This is Mercedes’s least expensive sedan, available in three trim levels. All come with the same potent turbo but in varying power levels. The base model starts at $46,000, but I tested the first of two high-performance versions: the AMG CLA 35, which costs $12,000 more. You can open your wallet even further to snag the $67,000 AMG CLA 45.
But why bother? The AMG CLA 35 is plenty quick — faster than the BMW i530 — and boasts sport-tuned brakes, deft handling and a gritty-sounding exhaust system. The laundry list of standard features includes all-wheel drive, automated parking, gobs of the latest safety gizmos and even something called “safe-exit assist,” which prevents passengers from opening a door into traffic or speeding cyclists.
The interior is pure Mercedes, with top-notch materials, customizable ambient lighting and Burmester surround-sound audio. The overall layout—sleek and modern, but with elegant stitching in the seats and on the door panels and dashboard—is comfortable and user-friendly. Digital displays and touchscreens are similar to what’s in the BMW i530, just smaller.
Size matters, of course, which is why this vehicle’s shorter length can be a blessing but also a curse, especially when trying to squeeze passengers with longer legs into the backseats. And the dramatically sloped roofline, attractive from the outside, limits the amount of rear headroom and cargo space. Thank the automotive gods for panoramic sunroofs, which—at least for anyone in the front seats—makes this cabin feel surprisingly spacious.