Zach and I toiled furiously adding restaurants to the site.  We worked up an appetite by adding dishes from Biergarten Haus, TruOrleans, Tel Veh, etc., so we decided to grab a bite to eat.  We rode our pedicab down Pennsylvania Ave until we stumbled upon an ole college tavern.

“My classmates highly recommended this pub,” Zach stated. “It’s down-to-earth and priced just right.”

There were a couple of diners sitting under Bud Light umbrellas in their raised patio, enjoying every last bit of the fall weather.  After parking our bike, we walked across the dilapidated wooden planks which creaked and groaned with every step

The interior was warm and inviting — weathered dark wood booths, distressed brick walls and dim lighting. We were immediately greeted by the bartender and waited on promptly. 

“Hi I’m Heather, welcome to 51st State. We have 16 taps and $2 off all drafts until 7.”

“Pleasure to meet you. My friend and protégé Zach and I just rode from campus — been staring at pictures of food all day, so we’re utterly famished.  What do you recommend?”

“The bison burger is very popular and is only $5 today. Also recommend the chili, the Buffalo hot wings, and the chicken quesadilla.”

Zach and I ordered the bison burgers and shared a bowl of  of bison chili washed down with the 51st State Amber Ale. Heather recommended the patties be grilled medium rare since the meat is leaner than ground beef.

And when we wolfed down our burgers, we were not disappointed.  Pink in the middle, juicy and bursting with flavors.  The Amber ale was rich and medium bodied and for $3.50 each we were more than satisfied.

“Hey Heather, what’s in the mystery beer — Yuengling?”

“That’s a state secret — that’s why we call it the State Special.”

“We’re not complaining, but it would be nice if you could put the Redskins game on.”

“We may be called the 51st State, but we’re actually a New York bar — the Jets, Giants and Bills all get prime viewing here.”

“It’s a clever name. Are you a fan of DC statehood?” I asked Heather

“Without a doubt. We have over 600,000 residents here now and rapidly booming. The Feds are happy to take our tax money, but they don’t want to give us a voice in Congress.”

“Yeah we’re bigger than Wyoming and Vermont and pay more in federal taxes than 22 states,” Zach added.

“Agree, it’s way overdue. But the only way this will happen is with a Democratic majority in the House and Senate.  Unfortunately many members of Congress still want to keep a tight rein over our local autonomy,” I added.

“Well hopefully in due time the name of this bar will no longer be a pipe dream but the ground truth,” Heather responded.

“So is this joint popular with GW students?” I asked.

“Absolutely, on Tuesday, we have 20 cent wing nights and 50 cent tacos every day for happy hour.”

“It’s absolutely no-frills. That’s why you should come back on College Night and give in to your inner-undergraduate student alter ego,” Zach said.

Heather introduced us to Kurtis Ceppetelli, the general manager, who gave us a tour of the two-level bar, the pool table, the jukebox and all its decorations.

There was a built-in bookcase on the brick wall which was also adorned by figurative paintings, drawings and sketches.

“This work is exceptional. The artists are really talented,” I stated. “Are they local?”

“Why thank you. The paintings are a collaboration between me and my friend Matthew Malone. Our artwork is derived from our shared experiences and travel.”

“How do you decide who paints what?” I asked.

“We don’t adhere to a set formula dictating who does what. We’re like jazz musicians — sometimes we work together simultaneously — other times we step back to observe, until inspired to take action.”

“There is dramatic changes of mood, color and feeling within each piece and leads to surprising and often unexpected results.”

“Whether hidden or exposed, everything left for the viewer to see contains bits and pieces from each of us.”

The composition by the Duly Noted Painters — two painters painting as one is dramatic, colorful and resonated well with me. I was touched beyond measure and thankful that our benign search for a college bar led us to thought provoking conversations and a thorough viewing of the transformative artistry displayed inside the 51st.