I almost licked a table on Thursday. I pulled back at the last minute, but it was a close call.
To explain the near-licking, the table tops and bar/counter are made of mylar – you know, the aluminum-y stuff those birthday balloons are made of – acrylic, and sprinkles (!! at least on the bar) by one of the proprietors, Eric Nelson. The colors are so deep and shiny that, well, you want to lick them. I think that Edward, the lovely gentleman who spoke to me about the shop, wouldn’t have minded, but for decorum’s sake, I’m glad I came to my senses.
Mr. Nelson’s paintings hang on the walls, and they have the same depth and luminosity as the counter. The pictures of the Hollywood grand dames have a fabulously high kitsch quotient, but I actually think the florals and landscapes could be interesting in a more traditional setting as well.
The red walls, sparkly yellow floor, shimmering surfaces and artwork and, of course, the chocolates combine to make ACKC quite a joyous place. It didn’t hurt that there was a birthday party taking place when we dropped in, but I think I would have felt the same way regardless. Everyone there, beginning with Edward and Eric (neither of whom I’d met before, by the way) and ending with the customers, was warm and cheerful.
It’s the kind of place that makes me proud to live in D.C.
