Josephine; stay classy DC ;-)

Like all monarchs, Napoleon Bonaparte was notorious for having affairs with various mistresses. On a political mission in Warsaw, Napoleon saw a young 18 year old coquette and, immersed in her legendary beauty, remarked to his Foreign Minister Talleyrand, "Who is she?" Their acquaintanceship led to an affair that lasted several years, and in many regards solidified Napoleonic France's political ties with a struggling Polish state vying for indepedence from the sphere of influence of the Russian Empire. Napoleon even divorced his wife Josephine because she could not bear him a child. To replace her, he married an Austrian duchess to whom he attributed his political alliance with the subdued Austrian Empire. Napoleon lived as a king, but as all queens, his wife Josephine lived a life of emotional suffering as her husband practically neglected her every need.

But, alas, DC now honors Empress Josephine with a club named after her. Josephine, arguably the most classy and upscale club in all of DC, is situated along K Street in a block where several other similar clubs make their homes: Lima, Lotus, and Park.

Josephine Main Lobby: http://www.ziogiorgio.com/images/2008/josephine.jpg

Josephine is situated underground. When you first walk in, you will be greeted by a beautiful chandelier overlooking a deep staircase leading you to the basement. Once downstairs, there are two rooms with two separate DJ's. There is a small gold-themed room that plays hip-hop. The main room, however, is where the party is at. The main room has a wide bar serviced by beautiful waitresses clad in outfits reminiscent of French maids, perhaps continuing with the French theme. As though Josephine was an aristocratic ballroom, there are fancily framed mirrors hanging on the walls between and above the private party tables, which is where I've had my best experiences. The best tables are in the Pit. What is the Pit, you say? The Pit, my friends, is where the party truly gets wild.

Now the appeal of Josephine is that such a classy venue caters to an upscale crowd. The bouncers at the door are very particular about dress code, and on several occasions I've seen them turn first-timers away at the entrance for having on the wrong outfit. This stringent code makes Josephine a place for special occasions; when you go inside, you're going to feel like you are part of a DC nightlife aristocracy. Josephine is the place I go to for special occasions, which in turn makes it a venue I don't visit too frequently. In the 1 year and 7 months since my first time there, I have only been back 4 times. Every single time I've gone has been a phenomenal occasion, and a great time.

Another final appeal to Josephine is that in its young career (the club was opened in late 2007), it has garnered a reputation that extends beyond the DC Metropolitan area. There are people across the East Coast, from New Jersey, New York, and a multiplicity of other party cities, that know when they come to DC, Josephine is the place to go for the best experience. On several occasions, I've met girls from out of town, which is always refreshing, as DC natives tend to be a bit stuck up.