Best of D.C. 2009

It doesn’t matter how long the lines, how remote the parking, or how steep the prices: The beautiful people have been flocking to Love since the days when it was called Dream, and the constant stream of attractive singles shows no sign of slowing. At any Love concert, half the crowd concentrates on the performance while the other half ignores the music in favor of mingling. But a similar scene plays out just a few miles down the road, at a nightspot where the lines are shorter, the parking ample, and the cover charges more reasonable. As meat markets go, Bladensburg’s Crossroads Entertainment Complex puts forth a fine selection of both male and female eye candy every weekend night. And while the playgirls and playboys of Love manage to stockpile quite a few phone numbers during raucous performances by Busta Rhymes and T.I., it’s a lot easier to strike up a conversation when Morgan Heritage and Freddie McGregor are providing the soundtrack.