Where: All over D.C. (and even a trip to Northern Virginia)
Carded: “Your hair’s a different color.”
Cover: Nada because I’m cheap
Dress: My favorite pair of jeans, a black T-shirt and heels
Specials: Requested shout-outs

There is a time when all good things must come to an end. Luckily, this just applies to my college career, not my drinking career. I really didn’t know what to expect when I took the duty of being this year’s Bar Belle. I had some big shoes to fill, not to mention the ability to be loved or loathed by the readers of The Hatchet (and even those few people out there who don’t read the paper).

This year has taken me to a lot of bars. Some were good, some were bad, but a majority were just middle-of-the-road. That’s fine by me, though, because it mirrors my nights out this year. There have been nights when I get all glammed-up and the bar is a disappointment, while there were other times I went out without even a shower and it was a blast. It’s really a give-and-take situation.

However, as the school year ends, the celebrations seem to be never-ending. Maybe it’s because I am graduating, or maybe it’s the fact that spring is finally in bloom, but the D.C. bar scene has been treating this belle very well recently. So as I bid adieu, I present two positive reviews:

Back in August, I made a list of places I wanted to review. I made it to most of the bars on the list, but there were a few that I never wrote about (sorry, Caf? St. Ex). Two weeks ago, I finally made it to one of my must-see spots, Red. It’s not your typical, D.C. dance club with pretentious bouncers, scantily-clad women, skeezy men and a big-name promoter hosting the night’s festivities. Instead, Red is an insanely chill sub-level club located off of Connecticut Avenue at 1802 Jefferson Place N.W. It features some of the best drum and bass DJs in the area and the country. There were only about 30 people there on the Wednesday I went, but the place didn’t seem empty. Whether you want to show off your moves on the dance floor or order a round of drinks or Vitamin Water while listening to the mixed beats, Red is worth a visit.

I am a big fan of happy hour, especially in the spring and summer when it just seems right to end the day hanging out with friends over a pitcher of beer. Because there are so many great happy hours in D.C., I tend to rotate. However, there seems to be one I keep going back to: Tequila Grill. While I prefer Thursdays for the $2 Coronas, the idea of being able to start drinking right after a class ends at 3:15 p.m. has always made me kind of giddy. Yes, I know Tequila Grill is the same place where I (and many of you) used to frequent on Saturday nights. For some, it may have been a safe haven for fake IDs or the place of a first arrest, but I will always remember it for inauguration night 2001.

It’s been a great year writing about my nights out. Thanks to my drinking buddies (you know who you are) and many of my special guests – cheers!