Taco night

If it's chilly on a Friday night and I'm hungry, you're likely to find me on the top floor of the National Press Building with my fellow journo pals downing some free tacos. It's a tradition I started in the dark days of writing my thesis and the early months of my official D.C. residence. In the past few months, as this bitterly cold winter sucked all the joy out of me, I felt obliged to return to this tradition, and how sweet it is!

I've been wanting to write about it for some time. I actually had my camera on hand Friday so I thought I could get some great photos of our group, but apparently there's a no-photo rule in the Press Club bar, so I was only able to snag a few candid shots.

Basically, every Friday night the Press Club bar offers up free all-you-can-eat tacos with the price of a drink. The catch is you have to be a member of the Press Club to get in. I was a member myself last February, giving me the privilege of inviting friends along for the fun. Basically, if you're a good friend of mine in D.C., you've likely been along yourself or you've gotten an invite.

I'll admit, on the surface it seems kind of lame. When I first heard about taco night, I instantly declined and went home Friday night to begin tackling my thesis or something. I don't even like Mexican food that much and my first tour of the Press Club was less than stellar. Unfortunately, you're not exactly rubbing elbows with famous journalists like Christiane Amanpour or Bob Woodward. A lot of the Friday night attendees are people you've never heard of. But there's something about the place that just charms you.

For one, it's incredibly classy. It's got a great view of the White House and the Washington monument. And the fact that you need a Press Club membership just to be there feels kind of cool. Drinks are fairly reasonable (Coronas are just less than $3 a piece, although they did raise the price of long island iced teas by a $1 from last year). If you've got good company, the experience is truely sublime. Unlike other enclosed happy hour spaces around the District, you can actually hear the dinner conversation. There's a good mix of older and younger professionals, so it's a great place to mix and have fun.

I've been on a taco night kick big time since I've resolved to kick my winter blues. I did my bit for our succeeding Washington Program class and introduced them the joys of cheap drinks and tacos, but I've also got a great group of people going that include my most favorite DC journo friends. Getting everyone together after a long week is a great way to kick off the weekend.

Taco night used to be the one and only fun thing I had time for when I was in the midst of testing and writing my thesis. I stubbornly clung to it as the one acceptable social engagement I could accomodate between regression tests and marathon writing sessions at the Library of Congress. A year later, I still stubbornly cling, mostly to keep our tight-knit group of Missouri journalism grads together and socializing. We've lost some great taco night regulars to the ebb and flow of life. But they should all know for a few hours on Friday night, there's always a mountain of tacos at a place a journalist can sit back and enjoy the company of good friends.

If last year is any indication, in a few months I'll shed my frequent taco night trips for patio happy hours and late summer nights. As is life, but for now I can't get away. You just won't understand until you see for yourself.