DC's New Playground

The restaurant at The Georgetown Inn, renamed 1310 Kitchen & Bar, is the sort of place that understands its ZIP code and has slipped into a new role: A Georgetown living room. It has quietly reinvented itself as one of the most fun rooms in Washington. The dining space has leaned into a rotating calendar of cheeky pop-ups, themed promotions that feel less like marketing and more like a social life.

The room now hums with intention—seasonal moments engineered for discovery, Instagram-friendly flourishes that don’t take themselves too seriously, and events that invite Georgetown’s mix of locals, diplomats, Hill staffers and weekend flâneurs to linger just a little longer. It’s the rare D.C. restaurant that understands that ambiance is currency, and that a good pop-up—amusing, slightly theatrical and impeccably timed—can turn a hotel restaurant into a destination.

In a neighborhood steeped in tradition, the Georgetown Inn’s restaurant honors its roots while embracing the theater of modern hospitality. The result? A space that feels current without chasing trends, clever without being coy—and suddenly, unmistakably, where people are meeting before dinner elsewhere… and staying put.

It’s social, but not loud; buzzy, but not breathless. Very Georgetown, in other words.

On a recent crisp and evening, Govinda Gallery bought ts impeccable eye (and impeccable timing) to 1310 Kitchen & Bar for a one-night-only cultural moment that felt both intimate and historic. Black Is Beautiful: JET Beauties of the Week, the iconic book by legendary photographer LaMonte McLemore, took center stage for an evening that is equal parts art salon and cocktail gathering. Published by powerHouse Books, the volume is more than a book—it’s a visual manifesto, a reclamation and a celebration that helped redefine how Black beauty was seen, photographed, and understood. It’s a compilation of McLemore’s iconic “Beauty of the Week” photographs from JET Magazine, seen for the first time—including never-before-viewed images paying tribute to Black women, beauty and culture influences compiled over four decades. McLemore made history twice: As a founding member of the Grammy-winning 5th Dimension and as JET’s pioneering photographer, capturing 50,000+ photographs that turned “Beauty of the Week”into a cultural phenomenon.

For two hours, the Georgetown favorite transformed into a gallery-meets-lounge, where McLemore’s images—bold, elegant and unapologetically proud—set the tone. Guests siped, mingled and lingered beneath photographs that once shifted a cultural lens and now feel as urgent and resonant as ever.

It’s the kind of evening Govinda Gallery does best: Thoughtful without being solemn, glamorous without trying too hard. A gathering of art lovers, tastemakers and the culturally curious, all drawn together by images that didn’t just capture a moment—they changed one. The presentation was given by Chris Murray – the book’s editor, Govinda Gallery founder, and the curator of the Govinda Gallery Live Series – who shared stories behind his favorite photographs from the collection. Murray has organized more than 250 exhibitions in museums and galleries featuring the leading artists and music photographers of our time and brings unparalleled insight to these powerful images.

Special guest speaker Jayne Kennedy joined the evening—an award-winning actress, trailblazing national sports broadcaster and close friend of McLemore—she shared intimate stories from their lifelong collaboration. Kennedy, newly released book, “Plain Jayne: A Memoir”also shares a personal perspective to McLemore’s extraordinary gift of music and photography.

For one night, 1310 Kitchen become more than a restaurant. It became a room where beauty, history and style took a well-deserved bow.