The Lorien for Battery Recharge Through Cocktails, Art, and Conversation
December 16, 2019
Ah the Lorien, it has been a while! Since NPS last visited, IHG has done all it can to change the Kimpton chain it acquired into something we don’t recognize. The good news is that many excellent people remain, like Steph Vogel who we count as a friend.
We were assigned little nicely renovated rooms without plastic showers. Just right for this one night extravaganza. NPS was in 414.
arty bed
The shower is OK, not plastic, but who picked out that shower head?!
Thanks for the Negroni Steph!
Negroni with Watershed by Catoctin Creek
Chef prepared us dinner (we didn’t order, just reveled in what arrived). Delicious.
Must say that all of the cocktails are too sweet at the Lorien now.
We called in the usual set of favors to get the booth at the Colimbia Room. Perfect evening for talking, drinking and figuring out life.
Columbia Room menu
Breakfast the next morning was the highlight of the visit! Great to see Steph and catch up.
Then it was off to a day of art at the Hirshhorn, the Phillips, and the Renwick…oh yeah and Richard’;s house too! Just look.
Make sure to go back to the Hirshhorn. It is vastly improved
Lunch at Bistrôt du coin. Always French as all getout.
The Phillips is a favorite most anytime
Dinner with Richard was followed by an evening of conversation. Anytime.
All in all, an incredible visit. Life affirming on all counts.
Four showerheads for the Lorien. This IHG thing. Harumph.
Back at the Lorien in Alexandria During No Fly July
July 12, 2018
We’ve made quite the habit out of holding an annual data crunching summit at the Lorien. Third year in a row. And third time’s a charm.
Helped out by Kimpton/IHG big shot Steph Vogel, we secured a great working space and a bunch of rooms. My room was 611, the presidential suite. Thanks Steph!
Sparse but interesting porch 611
611 is nicely appointed, with almost too much room to spread out. The decor has been updated and is very nice.
611
An amenity was very nice (needed some crackers and silverware tho). The personal note was a great touch too. Nice to be back.
yup. thanks Lorien peeps.
611 includes a separate bedroom with a closet and many windows.
The bathroom is pretty far away from the bedroom, but it has a two-headed shower that is huge with a bench at the end and room for ten.
Looking in
Looking out
One of the highlights of our trip was a meal specially made for us by chef Sebastien Rondier. Chef Sabastien is from southern France, and his cooking reflects that. Absolutely delicious. Best duck a l’orange I have ever eaten. Thanks chef, for the fantastic meal. And thanks Steph for the great idea.
Chef Sebastien presents his fantastic duck
The menu, designed exclusively for us
Fois gras
Delicious Vichyssoise, very thick and served Dutch style over caviar
Peaches, goat cheese, and pine nuts
Here’s that duck again
The servings were generous, to say the least
Though we were full and very happy, dessert was incredible. The cherry tart was out of this world. But so many other delicious things.
That tart back there looks simple and is just fantastic
caffeine cake, LOL
If you get a chance to have Chef Sebastien create a meal for you, take it. A great evening.
Then there was work.
Everyone loves work
On our second evening we headed into the city, mostly targeting the Columbia Room for another visit. Somewhat by accident, we ended up dining and Kinship, which was world class and excellent. Impeccable design. Great service. Tasty food. Great Wine. Boy was that a good find!
Roast chicken (give it 70 minutes…worth every second)
Pork and beans
Caviar and potato chips
The two block walk to Columbia Room was easy. Shaw is so hopping. Though we had a great time at Columbia Room in the usual booth, we were not blown away by the summer cocktail menu. Much fun was had.
Summer menu.
pretend funnel cakes
Though served in a plastic cup (a keepsake), this cocktail is delicious
the pearl
Maybe we were so blown away by Kinship that we were not properly prepared for the Columbia Room. Love that place, but this visit was not as stellar as usual.
In any case, for a week in “no fly July” this visit to DC/Alexanria was pretty not bad. Five showerheads and 10,000 compliments to chef Sebastien at the Lorien.
Catoctin Creek at the Lorien in Old Town Alexandria
November 15, 2017
“It’s at a Kimpton,” Scott said. And he had our attention. You know how we feel about Kimpton here at NPS. Not only that, the Kimpton was actually the Lorien in Alexandria, a property on the upswing run by our favorite Steph Vogel! Double bonus.
We’re there!
The drive in around the beltway at rush hour was awful as usual, leaving us only three minutes to valet, drop our bags, and head down to the Catoctin Creek event. Rye, Brandy and tasty treats from chef Sebastian Rondier? Yes please.
Becky and Scott make a great product that is almost as much fun to talk about as it is to drink. Cheers Catoctin Creek!
The fois gras bites with popcorn?! Genius.
The highlight of the evening was hanging out with Steph and catching up. It is always fun to introduce good people to each other!
Needless to say, we had a nice buzz and a warm glow after the event, so we headed over to the bar for a bigger snack. And then it was up to 301 (a new room at the Lorien for NPS).
301 is blue. That will (thankfully) change soon. Can’t wait to see what the designers do to this space.
Sitting room with a balcony
Amenity and note are always nice. Of course chef filled us up.
The all important shower is HUGE which also makes it a bit chilly
Bathtub in the shower
Really the only major bug in this room is the way the toilet is situated relative to the bed. That needs some more thought.
Not really
The sparkling water came in more than handy. It was a necessity after all of that rye!
Breakfast with Steph in the morning bright and early capped off a great Kimpton visit. Five showerheads and a rush order on the designer’s work at the Lorien. We’ll be back for sure.
Ink 48: Rocking Hell’s Kitchen in NYC
November 1, 2017
There’s nothing like experiencing a new Kimpton property for the first time. In all of our countless trips up to NY, NPS has never visited Ink 48 (though we have heard tell of it). Hell’s Kitchen is pretty far up there, but sometimes business uptown happens!
Our greeting at the front was warm and welcoming even though it was supposed to be scary. We were assigned the fantastic river-view suite 1416 (for which we thank Steph and Barry). What a great room.
Room 1416 on a gorgeous day overlooking the Hudson
The sitting room section.
The bedroom section.
And the all important huge bathroom with a distinct shower cube in the corner. Plenty of room in here, and no sign of plastic.
Glowing shower cube of 1416.
The “hot and cold” amenity was impressive and delicious.
Dinner at Taboon is not to be missed. Outstanding bread, delicious food, a real cocktail program, a nice wine list. Seek it out. We enjoyed ourselves so much before the play that we returned after the crash.
Spirits Bisbas
1.5 oz hendricks gin
1 oz rhubarb puree
1 oz lemon
.5 oz dry vermouth
shake. serve up in a coup. smoked paprika on top
We tried to see a play at Lincoln Center, but it was not to be. About an hour in to “Junk,” technical things went south and never recovered. Frankly, we expect more out of NY Theater.
The “hot” part of the amenity came in handy late night when we got back from our cocktail run at Taboon.
Five showerheads and a warm glow for ink 48 in NY.
The Lorien Alexandria During No Fly July
July 12, 2017
Though NPS does not fly in July or December, there is still stuff to be done. The solution? A working meeting at the Lorien in Old Town Alexandria. We’ve been to the Lorien a couple of times since Steph Vogel took over as GM. Sadly, Steph is in Switzerland this week. We’ll pretend that the ship runs just as well without Steph at the helm (though it’s really not true).
The Spartan balcony off 619
This visit finds us in 619, which is similar to 615 only slightly smaller and on the other side of the building. There is a very large balcony on this side too. Because it’s 100 degrees this week (with an overnight low in the upper ’70s), the balcony will be ignored due to weather. Strikes us that a remake of these balconies as a garden would make them both more inviting.
Look to the left
Look to the right
Our meeting room was cavernous and highly functional. We spent all day working.
A cocktail was in order after all that work. The bar is still very good, though barman and detail freak Phil Clark is no longer around. Phil has moved to Phoenix. You can tell. Damien is doing his damndest to keep things up.
Whey Sour
.75 cachaça (novo fogo)
.75 rye (copper fox)
1.5 whey
.75 honey
1 lemon
pinch of salt
Shake. Serve up.
Snacks at the bar took forever to arrive. That ended up making them free. Timely is better than free.
Dinner at The Warehouse was a massive disappointment. The crayfish were good. Or was that the crawdads? The wine list?
Unusable. Skip it. In other news from the evening, the bar at Restaurant Eve still holds its own, but Jackson 20 has slipped to skip it level as well. So sad that the old Alexandria Monaco is now a Marriott property.
On return from dinner around 11, we were greeted with a nice amenity. Thanks Stephani. The ice cold San Pelegrino is particularly welcome.
Sitting room 619
Sleeping room 619
The huge glass shower will do just fine.
Shower? Perfect.
Once the work was done, there were museums to see. First stop was the National Building Museum to see Hive. Well worth the visit.
Home of hive. At least for a while.
That was followed by another great lunch at Bistrot du Coin.
And a visit to the Phillips Collection. The old building is under renovation, so only half of the paintings as usual were out. But still fantastic. An NPS introduction to the stunning art of German artist Markus Lüpertz.
German artist Markus Lüpertz
The suit
Detail from Spoon
German artist Markus Lüpertz
A fantastic day. Followed almost immediately on its heels by a fantastic evening.
Roses Luxury is just as stellar as its incredible reputation. Just go. We showed up at 5:10pm and walked right in for a 180 minute dinner extravaganza.
Those poor “other people” had to wait in line
Caviar service
Yes, we took pictures of our food. We also had extensive conversations about it.
The best dish of the evening was a soft shelled crab served with Singapore-style chilli sauce (on the sweet side) over steamed buns with pickles. Delicious.
So really. Go to Roses Luxury as soon as you can.
Then there was the Columbia Room in the back booth (our usual NPS haunt), this time with the geek patrol. Excellent as usual, this time less for the drinks presentation than the company.
Columbia Room
Ice
Seaweed?!
Rum from 1857 always seems like a good idea after the tasting menu is complete.
The moral of the story is: get your work done quickly so you can spend some time being spoiled in DC!
Five showerheads and a real wish that Steph were around. We miss you Steph.
2017: First Blood to the Lorien Alexandria
January 12, 2017
If the Lorien sounds familiar to you, dear reader, that’s because we stayed here just a few short weeks ago in a last minute mad dash to the Kimpton inner circle finish line. We made it across by the skin of our teeth! But we also got a great meal in old town as a fabulous side effect. Read all about that here.
We’re back, this time in the city on a keynote talk gig. Of course the conference is being held at some awful Hilton or other where NPS would not be caught dead staying. So Kimpton it is!
This time we’re in room(s) 611 and 615. I am here first for an evening and then the rest of the posse comes later. Plenty of room in this set of rooms! And a balcony to boot, which on a 68 degree day in January is awesome.
The balcony would be a great place for breakfast!
Sadly, the weather promises to turn to snow by Saturday morning. We might even get stuck here in the mosquito!
Looking in, French doors.
Living room
Living room
The bedroom is tucked away in the corner, but is very nice with doors that open to the outside. It is basically the penthouse corner of the 6th floor.
Bedroom 611
With all of the adjoining rooms, we need a huge shower to fit everyone. Fortunately, that’s all set.
A glass shower big enough for everyone!
The shower barely fits in the mirror.
After settling in, it was time for a drink in the great cocktail bar downstairs with Steph Vogel. NPS recommends highly the practice of having a drink with the big boss. Inner circle karma all around as barman Phil Clark and chef Wiedmaier made cocktail hour special.
The Apples to Apples
1.5 oz appleton VX rum
1 oz laird’s apple brandy
.5 oz cynar
.5 oz demerara syrup
4 dashes bittermen’s tiki bitters
Shake. Serve on large rocks in a whiskey glass.
After driving off for dinner with an actual sibling, we returned for a midnight snack. The charcuterie plate was remarkable.
Wine, notes, meat, cheese, dessert, sparking water? What more is there in an amenity. Thanks you guys.
Those black sesame things, just wow.
Out of this world charcuterie
Five showerheads for the Lorien. Can’t wait to see the style evolve at this hotel. We’ll be back as often as we can.
2016 Last Licks at the Lorien: Alexandria
December 29, 2016
You know that quandry where you’re just below the threshold for Inner Circle status by one night? That. Somehow it happens every year.
Why leave this?
Fortunately, NPS can always make the best of it by visiting Steph Vogel and finding out what he is up to. A little backstory, Steph has run a number of DC-area Kimpton properties, lifting them every time up into excellence: the Palomar, the George, and the Donovan. Now it’s time for the Lorien.
The Lorien’s main problem is competition from the very fabulous Hotel Monaco just down the street (and much closer to the water). The Monaco seems to have sucked up all of the great design resources, leaving the Lorien marooned in the dreamscape ’90s. That is all starting to change now that Steph is in charge.
For example, the bar and restaurant are already going places. Once a scary exclusively white tablecloth space is now a bar buzzing with life and engaged with the street (not to mention soaked in cocktail excellence). Phil Clark runs a very nice bar.
The Lorien bar program is top notch
Get those drinks right! Attention detail, you are now on call.
Just take a look at the glassware. This is top shelf.
Liberty Punch
Bourbon Crusta
The amenity deposited for NPS in 619 highlighted both the bar and the kitchen to great effect. Just gorgeous, very welcoming, and kind.
Fancy a sweet?
How to make a Liberty Punch: Some Assembly Required
Watching the rooms transform from their current stark, almost bland design to something better will be fun. NPS money says that in six months this property will be the hottest ticket in town.
619 Bedroom
Stark
The shower, we are happy to report, is glass shower excellence (and huge). NPS could shoot a movie in there!
Enter the glass door for showering
NPS approved shower
And off the bedroom and sitting room both, is a balcony overlooking Alexandria. Can’t wait to come back and see what that is like in the summer.
View from balcony of 619
Our visit was punctuated by a drink with Phil and Steph at the bar. And then it was off to the always fabulous Restaurant Eve for dinner. Eve did not disappoint. The five course tasting meal was absolutely delicious and worth every penny (that’s lots of pennies for those counting). Three hours of laughter, great flavors, and fun was just what the doctor ordered after this year.
We returned for a nightcap of Liberty Punch.
Four showerheads and massive velocity towards five for the Lorien. Let the transformation begin.
Great food. Great drinks. Great hospitality. 2016, we bid you adieu.
Putting in the Work: The Donovan Hotel in Washington, DC
August 24, 2016
View from the Donovan
The Donovan has become our home away from home in DC mostly due to the fact that Steph Vogel (the GM) rocks. Room 1110 which we discovered on our previous outing here is well configured for a two day offsite.
We put ourselves to work. We got done.
Working in 1110
The multiple amenities and constant supply of sparkling water helped.
NPS has covered the room in previous entries, so here is a video tour instead.
Sadly everything was not perfect night one, but life rarely is. A trip to the top floor bar led us to the not-cut-out-for-bartending Joel. Some people just don’t know when to leave well enough alone! Suffice it to say:
By contrast, our visit to the Columbia Room was just out of this world. A fantastic evening indeed. Alex Levy was holding down the fort while JP and Derek jet set in Charleston.
Five Course summer menu at the Columbia Room
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Perhaps the Fernet shots and the 1938 Old Overholt pours were bad idea? LOL
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Thanks Alex!
Can’t wait to return to both the Donovan and the Columbia Room in the near future. Five showerheads and a well made Negroni to you both!
Maybe it was the late night Negroni that was the bad idea?
It was a perfect weekend in Virginia (if not hot). Lots of time in the river. An evening playing live music for friends. So how do ease back into work mode? Why with the help of the Donovan hotel of course. My home away from home in DC is particularly welcoming this visit!
Yes, ladies and gentlemen, that is the shower pod
You see, my friend Steph Vogel has been holding out on me. But no more! Now we’ve been in 1110. YES!
Welcome
We will pretend that this is a flight of Pappy van Winkle bourbon.
Living room overlooking the circle
This suite is huge.
Bedroom
But the shower is what stands out. A nautilus design with a spiral. Very cool.
The nautilus shower is NPS approved
Without setting foot in an airplane, we’re somehow still pampered beyond belief. Five showerheads for the Donovan. Thanks for ending the weekend on a high note!
That’s How! Palomar DC
March 8, 2016
When Kimpton does it right, it knocks it out of the park. A quick visit to DC to see the astoundingly great Eighth Blackbird at the Kennedy Center was a perfect time to cash in a free reward night at the Palomar in DC. What a treat. More about the performance on apothecaryshed.
Not only were we greeted by the front desk staff and the valet guys who recognized us, we were upgraded to a killer room: 1024.
The new look in 1024 is bright and spacious. Excellent design.
1024 sitting room
And yes, there was sparkling water.
We had a cocktail and some oysters with our friend Steph Vogel who ran this hotel for a few years. Steph specializes in lifting a property to its potential, and his touch can still be seen here at the Palomar.
1024 lounge
The window treatments are SO much better!
Natural light on a bright spring-like day
1024 bedroom
What geometry
And yes, the bathroom is huge, with a great glass cube.
The NPS fantasy shower
A private reception at A Bar + Kitchen after the performance was very nice. Meeting the members of Eighth Blackbird was the highlight of course! The mac and cheese was also delish.
Bartender Alexandria Bianco mixed a mean cocktail or two, including the Potomac Bourbon
1.5 Bourbon
.75 St Germaine
.5 Lemon
.5 Honey/sage simple syrup
Blend in champagne flute. Top with prosecco.
When it comes to hotels, management makes all the difference. Five plus mega showerheads for the Kimpton DC.
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