Our own dear Paula and I were talking today and she mentioned that Sylver, yes
our SYLVER will be taking part in this event.
Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door. It sounds like it is right up
our alley. So go and support your sisters. Here are the specifics. The
website is www.PlayDateDCMetro.eventbrite.com-
Recess: Not Just For Kids Anymore
By Fritz Hahn
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, August 21, 2009

Looking for something different on the D.C. night-life scene? You might want to
start by acting like a kid again.

Recess has just about everything you need for a memorable night out with
friends: dancing, drinks and Hungry Hungry Hippos.

Also, it's a wonderland for singles who are trying to meet new people. Asking
someone "Do you want to play Uno?" is one of the biggest gimmies in the history
of opening lines.

The event is the brainchild of four friends from across the area who got their
start on the nightclub scene. Jayson Ford knew some acquaintances were hosting
game nights with classic board games and Nintendo Wiis at their homes and
figured that the idea might work on a larger scale. The first Recess party was
held at Rosslyn's Continental Modern Pool Lounge.

In June, Recess moved to the lobby bar and lounge at Aloft, a boutique hotel at
National Harbor, and it has been drawing hundreds to the monthly events.

"We'd been hosting events and happy hours at places like Posh, Cabanas and
Lounge 201, and we noticed not all of our crowd was into going clubs and the
D.C. night-life scene," Ford explains. "It could be because we're a little older
[in their 30s] and our crowd's a little older. They were looking for something
different."

Dave Crockett, a hip-hop musician from Southwest Washington loves the idea.
"It's ideal for adults, especially after a long week of work. It's fun and
brings us all together; it brings back youth and keeps the spirit young. And
it's cheaper than a club."

"It's a lot of fun because it's so different," said Jennifer Rogers, a
30-year-old teacher from Norfolk. "It's very social" -- perhaps, she said,
because "everybody's had a little bit to drink."

The biggest drawback about Recess is that no tickets are sold at the door. The
hotel "doesn't want to turn into a nightclub" with long lines outside, Ford
explains, so it's limited to 275 advance passes, sold through the event's Web
site, http://host-dc.com, which Ford acknowledges is "a drawback to some
people." (And yes, the last two events have sold out.)

The hotel itself, full of bright colors, blocky modern furniture and high-tech
lights, feels (and sounds) like an oversize game room.

A section of large banquettes and tables in the middle of the room was
commandeered by eight women for a round of the word game Taboo, and judging by
the laughter and high-fives after every round, you'd assume they were all old
friends. You'd be wrong.

Ajeenah Haynes, 31, and Kichelle Green, 32, planned to make a big night of
Recess: They booked a room at the hotel so they wouldn't have to drive home.
"We're just hanging out, enjoying friends and each other's company," says
Haynes, a sociologist.

This was their first visit to Recess, and their first impressions were
overwhelmingly positive. "Everyone is really friendly and outgoing," Haynes
said. "We met new people right away. We just came over here and asked if they
wanted to play Taboo."

"And a whole other group of people joined in," Green added.

It's different from bars, because "you have something to do together. You see
how they play games; you can talk to them," said Kimberly Stubbs, a 26-year-old
from Suitland who works at the National Institutes of Health and joined the
Taboo game.

Unlike a club, Recess isn't a spot for people who want to look good and engage
in a bout of people-watching. Everyone in the room is engaged: The
kitchen-counter-size tables across from the bar are full of a group playing
Monopoly. Five people on a group of couches are chatting before restarting a
game of Uno. Out on the patio, where some people have snuck out to make a phone
call or smoke, there's a trio playing Trouble.

And even though the DJ's mix of new-school R&B and old-school hip-hop is loud
enough to set the atmosphere and get some folks up and dancing, it's never so
loud that you feel like you have to raise your voice to the other players across
the table or shout at the person next to you at the bar.

"It's definitely an indoor recess day for sure," laughed Tanaira Carrington, 27,
a beauty professional from Temple Hills, who was taking a break from playing
Pictionary on a large white easel. She had already played Uno and pool, and
after Pictionary, she hoped to get in some cards. "I want to play Spades, but I
have to wait -- everyone's in the middle of a game."

That's one of the few drawbacks to Recess: There are a couple of boxes of each
game floating around, but it isn't easy to jump into Monopoly or Clue once it's
underway. Thankfully, there are all kinds of other distractions, such as fruity
cocktails and rip-roaring games of Twister, which takes up most of the floor
space outside the elevators.

The festive atmosphere, with laughter and shouts punctuating victories from
various corners of the room, feels more like a reunion than like a night out,
and for some people, that's especially true. "I'm running into people I knew at
Bowie High School," said Dee-Dee Shipman, a 26-year-old nurse, after wiping the
floor with the competition at Twister. Her favorite part of the night? "Learning
how to play Spades."