Nightlife

Party On

The Hot List: 2011 Holiday Parties

Hold your holiday fete here, and keep your company’s copy machine clean.

FOR THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

The Private Cellar at the Jefferson

You’re Trying to Impress: The exec who’s buying your company.
You Deliver With: A secluded wine room lined with hardwood and wine bottles. While you order veal medallions and rack of lamb, a dumbwaiter in the corner raises bottles from their 1,000-strong cellar. It also raises your esteem.

FOR THE BLUE BLOODS

Smith Point 2.0

You’re Trying to Impress: A senator’s daughter.
You Deliver With: Smith Point, the former nighttime haunt of the Bush twins, now recast as a private events space with a brick dining room, two patios and two bars. You know, like twins.

FOR ONETIME RAVERS

The Upstairs Room at Blackbyrd

You’re Trying to Impress: Your record label.
You Deliver With: The vaulted ceiling upstairs at the Hilton brothers’ ode to live music and oysters. You’ll get towers of shellfish, silent French noir movies from the projector, copious gin drinks and a DJ for the night.

FOR TWO DOZEN BEER GEEKS

The Upstairs Bar at Granville Moore’s

You’re Trying to Impress: Your heavily tattooed barista.
You Deliver With: A whole bar at H Street’s hipster bastion of Belgian beer. It’s cozy up there, but that means you’re always nice and close to the dozens of beers and the mussels. There’s nothing like an open mussel bar.

FOR THE UNEMPLOYED SPEECHWRITER

The Rooftop at the Hay-Adams

You’re Trying to Impress: Newt Gingrich.
You Deliver With: Perhaps the most impressive view of the White House and monuments in all of downtown, in two newly renovated rooftop dining rooms. Also: food items like chestnut soup and hazelnut crème brûlée. It’s what all the statesmen are having for dessert.