Vive La France; Vive La République
Sure, the French might have a reputation for being lazy, but French people in DC have somehow managed to overcome this cultural shortcoming to host quite a few events in celebration of Bastille Day, the French copy of July 4. If you have any desire to congratulate them for doing a heck of a job storming the Bastille back in 1789, or if watching people run around inebriated in French-maid costumes is your thing, you have many options for celebrating tonight.
The French don't storm things anymore; they just protest. Celebrate the one time they actually exerted themselves physically by:
Running around half-naked: Nothing screams "we're free" like people prancing around in French maid costumes.L'Enfant Cafe hosts their annual French Maid Relay Race tonight at 8PM. There will be food and drink specials all night long and, if you actually participate, you'll get free cake! This is a really popular event (oh, the things that get DCers excited), so we recommend arriving early and of course in costume. If you're lucky, you may even catch intern Riley all dressed up ....
Playing esoteric sports: If you desire to celebrate by playing the French sportPetanque -- which is similar to Bocce Ball, as if that helps explain what the hell the game is about -- head to the Marie Reed Recreation Center in Adams Morgan today from 4PM-6PM. Or, if you mark important dates in history by running, the DC Road Runners Club has organized a four-mile run on the Capital Crescent Trail. The run starts at 7PM and costs $5 for non-members.
Eating snails and other fancy French food: The restaurantBastille in Alexandria is the perfect destination for a meal on Bastille Day. Their "Celebrate the Revolution" is a three-course prix-fixe menu of American and French food for $35 per person. Cafe La Ruche in Georgetown is also offering food and drink specials.
Drinking copious amounts of alcohol: The best way to commemorate any holiday, really, is by drinking, andNapoleon Bistro in Adams Morgan is offering free champagne to anyone dressed in red, white AND blue, the French version of the American colors red, white AND blue. Select appetizers will also be buy-one, get-one-free.
Dancing with ex-pats and other naughty French folk: Having attended other French themed parties atBistro du Coin , we can pretty much guarantee that its Bastille Day celebration promises a very good time. The party starts at 11PM. Expect a long line, techno music, and lots of drunk French people wearing wigs dancing and on the counters. They may be lazy people, but they do well when it comes to celebrating that one time they had a riot at this prison where the Marquis de Sade was writing porn, in French.