#FlyWashington Magazine Winter 2017 | Page 62

DISCOVER DISTRICT WHARF Washington, D.C.’s newest and buzziest development, The Wharf, is making a splash on the city’s Southwest waterfront. The October debut of the 25-acre project attracted streams of visitors eager to sample restaurants, bars and concert halls in the neighborhood just south of L’Enfant Plaza. Just as the revitalization of the Navy Yard and Georgetown’s Washington Harbour connected visitors with previously neglected parts of D.C.’s waterfront, The Wharf is expected to open an underused riverside area once known for a fish market and the well-regarded Arena HOLY CROSS ABBEY RETREAT HOUSE CLARKE COUNTY VIRGINIA FLYWASHINGTON.COM 60 WINTER 2017/18 The Wharf Credit: Photos Courtesy of Hoffman-Madison Waterfront (HMW) Stage. Developer Madison Marquette’s plan, years in the making, delivers all the elements for a lively nightlife corridor. Central to that vision are the three live music venues. Anthem, a 6,000-seat concert hall that dwarfs the city’s other clubs and auditoriums, features a multi- million-dollar sound system for everything from heavy metal to intimate acoustics. Union Stage, a downstairs club with a rock-and-roll vibe, seats 450 for a variety of touring acts. Pearl Street Warehouse rounds out the trio of new spaces with roots, newgrass and blues headliners. Holy Cross Abbey is a Roman Catholic monastery of the Cistercian (Trappist) Order. The monastery is located near Berryville in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. If the hectic pressure of life has you feeling detached from your soul then consider a stay at the Retreat House to incorporate silence, solitude and spiritualism in your life. The beautiful monastery offers peaceful (and silent) retreats with simple accommodations surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains and meadows. Guests of the retreat are The Wharf’s food scene is equally impressive. Offerings from some of the District’s top chefs include a French brasserie, Requin; Spanish seafood at Del Mar; Afro-Caribbean at Kith and Kin, and other casual options. Cantina Bambina, offspring of the now- departed Cantina Marina, has morphed into a new waterfront bar. More dining and entertainment choices will roll out during Phase Two of The Wharf in 2018. www.wharfdc.com - Carol Denny invited to experience the Trappist way of life, including early morning prayers and simple meals paired with religious readings. The staff are kind and the food served is plentiful and delicious. The Retreat House is the perfect antidote if you need time to reflect, pray and feel spiritually refreshed. There are sixteen rooms available at the Retreat House. All genders are welcome and they ask each guest to leave an offering to defray the expenses of your visit. For a Monday through Friday retreat, they suggest an offering of $350 to $600.