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5 D.C. restaurants you might actually be able to get into this weekend

By WTOP Staff

Those of us not heading to a lake or beach destination this weekend might be getting jealous, but we have one silver lining: Some of the city’s most sought after tables are likely to be a tad easier to procure, given the mass exodus of city residents for the three-day holiday weekend. Here are some to try for:

Rose’s Luxury: This darling of the D.C. restaurant scene on Barracks Row (at 717 8th St. SE) regularly boasts multi-hour waits for its 54 seats, although those don’t include the patio, bar seats and a new rooftop dining experience. The restaurant from Chef Aaron Silverman doesn’t take reservations — except for the pricey all-you-can-eat rooftop dining space — so it’s not uncommon to see people lining up for tables before the restaurant opens at 5 p.m. If you want to get your mitts (and your mouth) on some of the restaurant’s uni scrambled eggs or fall-apart-tender smoked brisket platter, you should still expect a wait, but maybe one that’s shorter than usual.

Barcelona Wine Bar: This Spanish restaurant and bar with its loungy outdoor patio at 1622 14th Street NW has become one of *the* places to see and be seen along the 14th Street corridor. Unfortunately, most of the time, many can be seen longingly looking at that patio from inside, given that it fills up quickly and people tend to linger. For this weekend, try going early and lingering into dinner, or hitting up Barcelona after some of the dinner crowd has cleared out. The restaurant doesn’t take reservations, so settle in with a sangria while you seek out that patio seat.

Little Serow: Though it’s been open for more than two years, the 28-seat Thai restaurant from the team behind neighboring Komi still proves to be one of the city’s most difficult tables to procure. Heralded for its prix-fixe multi-course menu of authentic, spicy Southern Thai food, the restaurant at 1511 17th St. NW turns tables two to three times per night, starting at 5:30 p.m. The best bet is to get there around opening and secure a seating, and head to one of Dupont’s many watering holes to wait it out. With any luck, the line won’t be forming too long before 5 p.m. this weekend.

Le Diplomate: This uber-popular French bistro at 1601 14th St. NW from Philadelphia restaurateur Stephen Starr does take reservations, and it looks from OpenTable.com that they are pretty booked up for the weekend — there are tables of four available at 7:45 p.m. on Sunday, but I couldn’t find anything for Saturday night until after 10 or for Sunday brunch. It’s been my experience however, that holiday weekends are a great time to get into Le Diplomate without a reservation: You may end up waiting at the bar, but not for hours.

Bluejacket: Two factors combine this weekend that may make craft beer haven Bluejacket and its restaurant, The Arsenal, at 300 Tingey St. SE in Capitol Riverfront easier to get into: the holiday weekend and the fact that the Washington Nationals aren’t in town. The restaurant’s bar and breezy outdoor patio fill up on game days, both for pre-game brews and afterwards for celebrations or, perhaps, consolations. If it’s dinner you’re after, there are still a few reservations available for the dining room as well: 5:45, 6:15 and 9:30 on Friday and 9:30 and 9:45 on Saturday.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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