Hotel Rouge Paint me sexy!

1315 16th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036, 202.232.8000 www.rougehotel.com

Amidst majestic monuments, stately town homes, and city dwellers swathed in fall cashmere sweaters and wingtip loafers, the streets of Washington DC can feel a bit tame. But nestled amidst embassies and row homes is an eccentric hotel ready to embrace your wild side.

Examine the facade of the Hotel Rouge and you'll catch a glimpse of its former incarnation as an apartment complex.  You may even doubt that a stylish hotel exists within. As you push open the bold red leather doors studded with metal rivets you may feel as though you're entering a dive bar instead of the sexy-chic experience awaiting you.

The sultry interior is brought to life with a nightclub-like ambiance and a unique mix of furniture including a classically designed console carved entirely out of mirrors, a stark white leather couch swathed with a zebra-print throw and a fluffy shag rug straight from the set of Austin Powers. 

If you arrive after work, your eyes will be lured to the adjoining Bar Rouge where an eye-pleasing crowd of fashionable Washingtonians and savvy travelers sip on tantalizing martinis and devour delectable nibbles while seductive house music blends into the background.

After the drunken debauchery ends at the bar, the elevator whisks you up to your spacious guestroom where the eclectic style continues with floor-to-ceiling red faux leather headboards crowning plush beds, pop art adorned walls, oversized mirrors, and lush crimson drapery.

Unwind by donning one of the leopard-print robes. Relax on the purple velvet chaise lounge while listening to relaxing music. Concoct a nightcap from the mini bar housed in a 50's style orange-lacquered dresser. Additional goodies in the mini bar include hangover relief, yoga CDs and an intimacy kit complete with lube and condoms.

At the Hotel Rouge, rooms deliver more than just a bed for the evening. Opt for the Chat Room with a computer and complimentary high speed internet.  The Chill Rooms will release your inner gamer with Sony PlayStations, a library of video games, a flat screen television, and lounge chairs. The Chow Rooms feature a kitchenette and bistro dining table for those wanting to indulge in organic fare from the nearby Whole Foods Market.

Whether you think it's kitschy, retro or modern, the Hotel Rouge will show you another view of DC.

-Shayan Rayani

KEEPING SCORE George S. Clinton

Whether you know George S. Clinton as the soul of Zalman King's sensual Red Shoe Diaries, the pathos of HBO's epic Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee or the quirkiness in John Waters' A Dirty Shame, one thing's for certain, the Grammy nominated and six time BMI Film Music Awards winner is a versatile composer. 

Inspired by a Joe Cocker performance, the Nashville musician headed for Los Angeles where he became a staff writer for Warner Brothers Music and worked with legends like Johnny Mathis, Michael Jackson and yes, Joe Cocker. Since then, Clinton has scored for features as diverse as the rib-tickling Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, the thrilling The Astronaut's Wife and the martial arts fantasy Mortal Kombat.

Clinton's unforgettable compositions for Zalman King in which he masterfully blends melancholia with eroticism, have created a legion of fans and remain some of the most sought-after music scores.  His favorite Zalman King score is Delta of Venus in which he blended jazz with world music to set the screen ablaze.  A testament to his genius is that his music for the King anthologies continue to provide listening pleasure long after the features have been forgotten because to listen to Clinton's music is to be taken on a passionate journey.

When writing music, Clinton lives with the movie.  "I watch it over and over until I'm excited and then I let it come out creatively.  I let the images dictate the music and let my imagination paint with these sonic colors."  Most recently, Clinton got the opportunity to work with Yves Simoneau, the director of Burry My Heart at Wounded Knee with whom he's worked on eight other pictures.  This was especially exciting for Clinton because it was a break from the comedy scores he's famous for and it gave him a chance to work with John Two-Hawks, a Lakota Indian flutist.  The end result is a moving, panoramic ode to American history and once again, Clinton manages to disappear behind his music in a way that only the most gifted can.  We're all ears! 

Ghalib Dhalla