D.C.-area nightlife, events and dining

One of the most anticipated renovations on Capitol Hill is finally finished. The Hawk & Dove, closed since October 2011, will reopen to the public Thursday at 5 p.m. If you were a fan of the old Hawk -- the warren of small rooms on two floors, the damp and musty smell, pitchers of beer priced for an intern's budget -- then you won't recognize the place.

The Hawk and Dove's wide-open dining room features a view into the kitchen and a place of pride for the bar's original sign. (Fritz Hahn/The Post)

Xavier Cervera, the owner of six nearby bars, including Molly Malone's, the Chesapeake Room and Boxcar Tavern, has turned the rambling 1967 saloon into a wide-open room with 18-foot ceilings, a 40-foot bar and sets of French windows that open onto Pennsylvania Avenue. A long mezzanine upstairs adds additional seats, another bar, and a raised lounge area with a working fireplace. (It can also be turned into a stage for live music.)

Chef Brenden Tharp of Senart's will be cooking flatbreads and sandwiches in a wood-burning oven, and the bar has 18 beers on tap, including locals Chocolate City, Lost Rhino and Flying Dog.

This sounds like a lot of change, but regulars from the old place will welcome the sight of Hawk & Dove fixture Paul Meagher, who will be behind the bar Monday through Wednesday and also working at Sunday brunch.

Once you've been, be sure to tell us what you think in the comments.

The bar, like at most of Xavier Cervera's joints, is 30-inches wide. Cervera thinks this makes it easier for people to eat at the bar. The Hawk & Dove's collection of duck decoys is displayed on the back bar. (Fritz Hahn/The Post)

Hi, tourists — welcome to Washington. We're glad you're here to see President Obama get sworn in for the second time. Whether you're in town for just a day or two, or for the entire week, we've got you covered. Here's how you should spend your non-inaugural time — and a few tips to make your trip smoother.

[Before you do anything, you'll want to grab a copy of this PDF pocket guide to the 57th inauguration. It's mobile friendly and can be viewed without a data or cellular connection.]

The Old Post Office, foreground, is your best bet for an elevated view of the city while the Washington Monument is closed for repairs.

When you arrive: Coming in on Friday or Saturday? Those will be your best chances for sightseeing before the city is completely enveloped in inaugural frenzy. Take these days to see some of the sights in our Three Days in D.C. guide, such as the National Zoo, the view from the top of the Old Post Office (since the Washington Monument is closed for repairs) and especially the Smithsonian Museums.

While some museums on the Mall will be open the day of the swearing-in, the whole area will be very hectic, and you're more likely to use them as a bathroom pit stop than to get the educational and artistic experience you desire. Go earlier in the weekend, and you'll have more time to check out the exhibits, which range from the ever-popular Hope Diamond to the art of Chinese dissident Ai Weiwei. No matter which museums you see on the Mall, be sure to have lunch at the National Museum of the American Indian's excellent Mitsitam Cafe (though it won't be open on Jan. 21).

If you're staying longer than the weekend and would like to explore further afield, we also have a suggested list of day trips for kids, history buffs, and lovers of the outdoors alike.

Hungry? You don't have to go to the White House to eat like the president in D.C. President Obama has frequented many local restaurants, from upscale bistros to casual sandwich joints. One of the most famous is Ben's Chili Bowl, a D.C. landmark, which has also served Bill Cosby, Martin Luther King, Jr. and Miles Davis since its opening in 1958. It's best late at night, after a drink or two from the many bars that line U Street.

You can also eat Obama-inspired meals: the Obama Burger, a creation of Top Chef contestant Spike Mendelsohn, at his Capitol Hill burger and shake restaurant Good Stuff Eatery, pays homage to Obama's highbrow taste with onion marmalade, roquefort cheese and horseradish mayo.

For fancier fare, there's much more to D.C. dining than Obama-themed dishes — in fact, by coming to inauguration and dining out, you'll be checking off one item on the New York Times's list of 46 places to go in 2013. Since the last time Obama was sworn in, many excellent restaurants have arrived. Our critic Tom Sietsema offers up his picks for the best ones here, and if you're looking for a specific cuisine, check out our best bets lists for a taste of everything from banh mi to gumbo.

Thirsty? Bars in D.C. have special permission to stay open late all weekend, so you'll have more time to take in our city's favorite watering holes. U Street is a vibrant place to start, and since the neighborhood was a hub of activity on election night, the bars there, such as the U Street Music Hall and Marvin will be in a celebratory mood. Adams Morgan is another neighborhood full of nightlife, though the atmosphere there may be more frat party than inaugural soiree. Take a cab to H Street Northeast, and you'll be able to sample some of D.C.'s quirkiest bars: The eclectic Little Miss Whiskey's and Sticky Rice, or the Jewish-Irish pub Star and Shamrock.

A bartender pours beers at ChurchKey. (Leah L. Jones/The Washington Post)

If you're looking for something a little more highbrow, with better odds for spotting one of the many celebrities that will be in town this weekend, head to the hotel bars, like the lobby of the Ritz-Carlton Georgetown, and the rooftop terrace at the W, which boasts an excellent view of the White House.

The main event: If you have tickets to the swearing-in on the Mall on Monday, that will take up most of your time (and you'll want to build some downtime at your hotel into your day afterward — the early wake-up and standing in the cold will make you tired). No ticket? You'll still be able to stand further back on the mall and watch the swearing-in on the big screens. The Inaugural Parade down Pennsylvania Avenue is a ticketed event as well. For any inauguration event, be sure to arrive early, as security checkpoints are often overwhelmed. Don't expect to fit anything else into your day other than inaugural activities.

Get your ball gown and tux ready for Monday night, if you were able to snag a ticket to the many unofficial balls, or the few official ones (and be sure to check out our guide to road closings and public transit, to prevent delays). If not, there are still plenty of low-key ways to celebrate: Local bars and party planners have put together dozens of alternative inaugural parties, from all-night karaoke to a beer brewer's celebration.

Inauguration events on the Going Out Guide.

Want to volunteer for the inauguration weekend's Day of Service? Here's how.

State Society balls: What are they, and which ones are worth the trip?

President Obama's second inauguration is still a big deal -- just not as big.

National Portrait Gallery to display Obama artworks during inauguration weekend.

Reliable Source: Our guide to the official bashes, unofficial parties and too-good-to-be true pitches

Ambar, the District's first Balkan restaurant, opened this week. Unfamiliar with the cuisine of Serbia, Croatia, Macedonia and the other nations that comprise the region? Here's what we suggest you order on your first visit:

Drink: Ambar's cocktail menu may seem strange to Americans: 8 of the 11 drinks feature rakia, a brandy-like liqueur made from fermented fruit. It's not a common taste in Washington. It can be dark and sticky, as in the Sarajevo cocktail, with slivovitz plum brandy, rye whiskey and viscous cane syrup. But the lighter rakias are the gateway: Try the Trycycle 007, which is basically a martini with quince rakia in place of gin. The liqueur is smooth, with a floral scent and a hint of ripe fruit, which is balanced by vermouth and bitters. It's the best aperitif in the house.

The Tricycle 007 cocktail, made with quince rakia and garnished with a slice of quince, at Ambar. (Fritz Hahn/The Post)

Dish: While many of the dishes at Ambar have been adjusted for American tastes, the sarma, or stuffed sour cabbage, is one of the few 100 percent authentic items on the menu. In our preview of the restaurant, owner Ivan Iricanin said that it was a family recipe: "When I eat it, I'm home." It's more sour and salty than its Greek cousin -- dolma, the stuffed grape leaves -- with a hint of bay leaf. Sarma are filled with beef and pork, and topped with a generous dollop of sour cream.

Sarma, a sour cabbage served at Ambar, a new Balkans-cuisine restaurant near Eastern Market.

Dessert: The forest gnocchi doesn't incorporate traditional Balkan flavors at all -- pastry chef Danilo Bucan says that the inventive dish comes straight from his imagination -- but it is a standout nonetheless. Balls of "gnocchi" formed from chocolate mousse, bitter orange cake, orange gelee and tarragon cream lay atop a layer of salted ground chocolate in a heavy stone bowl. When the dish is presented, the server pours a passion fruit espuma with black tea sauce around the globules, and encourages diners to mix multiple gnocchi together to ensure a different and interesting flavor pairing in every bite.

Forest gnocchi, the signature dessert at Ambar.

California taught Rachel Bicknell how to moonwalk. It was the early '80s and he was her dance instructor at the Russell School of Ballet in Fairfax. He didn't go by any other name -- it was just "California" -- but he had the moves, and a way of connecting with his young pupils. At 7 or 8 years old, Bicknell learned the robot and the caterpillar. "Remember that move when you get down on the ground, and spin like a turtle on its back?" she asked. "I was good at that one."

Bicknell liked her class so much that her mother, an artist, took a photo of California that later inspired a painting (she cautions that the photo of the painting below "does not give justice to it" -- the reflection of her flash has slightly altered the image). But after a few months of taking classes once or twice a week, Bicknell says that California stopped coming to class -- and she never saw him again. She never even learned his real name.

A portrait of California by Simone Warren. Photo courtesy of Rachel Bicknell.

"I think as a kid I asked him what his real name was, and he said that he was a cool dude and ‘California' was all I needed to know," she said. "He named himself California because he was born and raised there."

Her mother, Simone Warren, died in 2011, leaving her daughter her entire archive of more than 200 paintings, including the portrait of California. When Bicknell, who now lives in Memphis, saw the painting, she wanted to give it to him -- but she had no idea how to track him down. Via YouTube, she contacted a break dancer with ties to California's former crews, the DC Breakers and the GQ Poppers, but he hadn't heard from him in years. No one at the Russell School had any information about him, either. She also posted photos of the painting and California on Reddit , hoping someone would recognize him. So far, no dice.

Though she only took classes with him for a few months, California made a huge impact on her childhood. "He was, in a weird way, a big part of my life," said Bicknell.

Do you know anyone who has ties to the D.C. breakdancing scene in the 1980s? If so, leave a comment, or e-mail judkism@washpost.com.

California at break dancing class in the 1980s. Photo courtesy of Rachel Bicknell.

California and his break dancing students. Rachel Bicknell is the little girl in red. Photo courtesy of Rachel Bicknell.

William Morris is the incoming chef at Vermilion in Old Town. (Nevin Martell/For The Washington Post)

Ever since Tony Chittum revealed plans to leave Vermilion in Old Town Alexandria so he could reopen the Iron Gate Inn in Dupont Circle, the question in food circles has been: Who will fill the chef's big clogs?

Vermilion's owner, the Neighborhood Restaurant Group, announced its decision this week: William Morris, whose previous experience at the San Francisco-based Michael Mina and
Brasserie Beck in Washington helped him land the role of executive chef at Vermilion. Under Chittum, the Obama-approved, contemporary American restaurant received three stars, an excellent rating, from this customer in the 2012 fall dining guide.

"This is a homecoming for me," says Morris, who grew up in Springfield and served as executive sous chef at Bourbon Steak in Georgetown. In a nod to Chittum, Morris says he wants to "continue what he has started and progress from there." Ultimately, the new hire says, "I want to cook simple food and not 20 ingredients on a plate."

Morris, 39, has been on the NRG payroll about two months now, helping out at the company's Columbia Firehouse in Alexandria and the forthcoming Red Apron. He is expected to take over the reins at Vermilion after one last hurrah from Chittum, who wants to leave on a high: Valentine's Day, one of the restaurant industry's busiest dates.

Iron Gate Inn is tentatively expected to launch in late March or early April, following some out-of-town research and development trips by Chittum to New York and Philadelphia, says a spokeswoman for NRG.