Ready to Open in Georgetown: Jonathan Adler and the Ice Skating Rink

THE WRAPPING IS OFF THE JONATHAN ADLER STORE AT WISCONSIN AND N STREETS

THE LAST LAYERS OF ICE ARE DONE AND THE RINK IS NEARLY READY

During a little Georgetown walkabout during the late morning I noticed the wrapping is off the Jonathan Adler store at Wisconsin and M and inside it is packed with merchandise. The store was not open, but it looked very ready to open. I went online to find out the opening date, but all that came up were stories proclaiming Adler "plans to open in May," or "to open in July." On the actual Jonathan Adler website it says "coming soon." I'll go with that.

A LOOK INSIDE THE ADLER STORE

I wandered down to the waterfront to check on the Georgetown ice skating rink and it looks almost ready to go. Recently, when I talked to the owners of the rink, they said it would open tomorrow night, November 19. There's some industrial stuff around the edges that needs to be packed away or hidden but the ice itself looks lovely. I particularly like the view of the ice with the Potomac in the background. I wonder if, when the river freezes, someone will try to skate at both the rink and on the river? Probably. The bars better have idiot insurance.

LOOKING AT THE RINK FROM THE RIVER

Speaking of those bars - yesterday, after seeing "Lincoln," some friends and I walked over to the waterfront to sit in the sun, admire the view and have some drinks. It was 3 o'clock and there were many empty talbes at the Riverside Grill. When we asked the hostess for one of the tables she said we had to eat a meal to score a table and that to drink we had to sit on chairs -- no table -- inside a roped pen. She pointed to the pen, where there were in fact some men sitting, holding their drinks. It looked like an unpleasant way to have a drink by the water (or the ice, or anywhere). It was just strange. A good lesson in the restaurant business is that sometimes if people say they just want to have drinks, particularly at a bar, and you give them a table, they end up ordering food.

THE RINK WITH WASHINGTON HARBOR OFFICE BUILDING IN THE BACKGROUND

We walked the short distance to the Ritz Carlton Hotel, settled on the sofas by the fire, ordered our drinks and eventually also ordered some food. So, I would say skate and then after walk up to the Ritz and warm up by the fire with a glass of bourbon or hot buttered rum and some grilled cheese sandwiches, which they call "toasties." I emphasize after skating. Not sure if I would drink before skating. That's one way to end up skating on the river.