History, it seems, is doomed to repeat itself. Eater reported yesterday there’s a new “speakeasy” called Le Fée Verte (The Green Fairy) coming to the rooftop of Mova Lounge on 14th Street NW. The absinthe-focused bar has an unpublished phone number (not even Eater obtained it) that guests will have to text to make a reservation.
This system hasn’t fared so well in the past. When PX opened in 2006, it had an unpublished number for nine months, but no one was showing up. Owner Todd Thrasher previously told Y&H the bar saw only 10 to 15 people on an average night—”not economically viable for any business.” So he switched to an online reservation system.
More recently, there was Harold Black, located above Aqua Al 2 in Eastern market. Like Le Fée Verte, the bar required guests to text a secret number to get a seat. The process was irksome and needlessly pretentious, so Y&H published the number. The subsequent volume of reservations apparently overwhelmed Harold Black, and it shortly switched to online reservations through CityEats.
Mova manager Rolando Ravelo, who transferred here from Mova’s Miami location three weeks ago, says the idea is for Le Fée Verte’s number to spread through word of mouth. (Sounds familiar.) “Instead of being overcrowded like a lot of the bars here in D.C. we wanted to be more of an experience,” he says.
Ravelo told Y&H that he was unaware of Harold Black and PX. When we told him how both had given up on their secret numbers, he said he was devoted to making it work. “It’s going to be very disappointing if it doesn’t work out, but I don’t think that’s going to happen,” he said.
So far, Ravelo says the phone number has only been given out to about 15 to 20 people. The bar, which officially opens July 1, will have three seatings per night for 20 to 30 people. Read more about Le Fée Verte in the press release below.
Going Green Takes On a Whole New Meaning
MOVA launches an exclusive experience to heat up 14th Street
When battling the DC crowds, one might think there is something to the idea of exclusivity. There is also something to the idea of experience. Couple these and add a rooftop locale, signature décor including live grass walls, a very special menu of food and Absenthe cocktails and you have La Fée Verte—a private contemporary speakeasy style club within a club.
Located atop MOVA on 14th Street, guests wishing to experience La Fée Verte will have a private text number through which they can reserve theor space at seatings either 8-10 pm, 10 pm-midnight or midnight -2 am every Wednesday through Saturday. Once on the very limited guest list, patrons will enter La Fée Verte by ascending through the curtained stairs of MOVA, where they will be transported to an emerald embodied world of live green grass walls; a forest of leafy plants, stylish cushy furniture, signature glass and serviceware and personal service.
La Fée Verte will offer an Absenthe cocktail based menu from which guests may make their selection of avariety of libations showcasing 6-8 different Absenthes in varying flavor profiles. A savory farm to table snack menu created by Chef Jerry Hollinger of The Daily Dish will be offered for those wishing to pair their cocktail with the appropriate small dish.
Reservations will be taken beginning July 1. It’s all enough to make anyone not in attendance green with envy.
La Fée Verte is located n the rooftop at MOVA, 2204 14th Street, NW, Washington, DC. For further information on MOVA and La Fée Verte, phone (202) 629-3958
Or log into www.movalounge.com.