My personal favorite Hughes poem is "Theme For English B," especially the following:

It's not easy to know what is true for you or me
at twenty-two, my age. But I guess I'm what
I feel and see and hear, Harlem, I hear you:
hear you, hear me—we two—you, me, talk on this page.
(I hear New York too.) Me—who?
Well, I like to eat, sleep, drink, and be in love.
I like to work, read, learn, and understand life.
I guess being colored doesn't make me NOT like
the same things other folks like who are other races.
So will my page be colored that I write?
Being me, it will not be white.
But it will be
a part of you, instructor.

Photo via the Library of Congress

So what the hell is actually open right now? Plenty. The District still loves to eat brunch even in these conditions. Here is a list of places currently open for business. We will update throughout the day:

3:10 p.m. Update:

The Diner: The Adams Morgan restaurant is open. It has no plans on shutting down its 24-hour service.

Angles: The 18th Street NW watering hole plans on opening at 4 p.m. per usual.

2: 50 p.m. Update:

Comet Ping Pong: No answer.

Second Story Books: The Dupont Circle location is open. But will be closing "when it gets dark. Probably about 5-ish," an employee says.

Soho Tea & Coffee: The P Street hangout is open. They plan on closing at around midnight.

Som Records: The 14th Street vinyl shop isn't answering its phone. A bad sign.

Red Onion Records & Books: The 18th Street shop isn't answering its phone. I wouldn't take a chance on going over there.

2:36 Update:

The Raven: The Mount Pleasant bar says they plan to open in one hour!

Commonwealth: The gastropub is open and has no plans to close early. "We are pretty packed right now," an employee tells me.

Yes! Organic Market: The Adams Morgan grocery is closing right now.

Melody Record Shop: The Dupont store is open. They are undecided on whether they will close early. "We have a constant customer traffic coming in," says an employee.

2:16 p.m. update:

The Heights Life says Target and Bed Bath and Beyond in Columbia Heights have closed.

DC Fire/EMS is reporting that Safeway at 40th Street NE is reporting smoke in bakery section, light blast, possibly electrical.

Banana Cafe: The Cap. Hill restaurant and piano bar is open. "Maybe we close early, depends on the weather," says an employee.

Denny's: the Benning Road NE outpost is open and plans to be open all day.

Java House: The 17th and Q Street NW coffee shop is closed.

Open City is open and packed.

1 p.m. Update:

Crooked Beat Records: Yes. You can still buy vinyl. The Adams Morgan store is open all day unless, an employee tells me, "it gets ugly." No customers have come in yet. "I don't know if you've been outside but...some of us made it here because we're idiots...We're here," the employee says.

Cafe Saint-Ex: It's open–as of now the restaurant is not closing early. "We're fairly busy right now," an employee tells me.

City Lights of China: The Dupont Circle restaurant reports that they are open and have no plans to close early just yet.

Lauriol Plaza: It's open. No decision has been made on whether the Mexican restaurant will close early. "We're probably going to be regular hours," a manager says, adding that they are still waiting on the owners to arrive. She says there are plenty of tables available.

The Black Squirrel: This institution will be open at 2 p.m.

Red Rocks: It's open and an employee tells me they will not be closing early. "It's pretty crowded," the employee says.

The Tune Inn: The Cap. Hill institution is open. An employee says: "We're open all day long, buddy."

12: 30 p.m. Update:

Columbia Heights Coffee: Not answering their phone.

Sticky Fingers Bakery: It's open but will be closing at 3 or 4 p.m. "We have some pretty decent business," an employee tells me. "We're probably about half full in our seating area."

Kramerbooks & Afterwords: It's open unless they lose power. "We should be running normal hours," says an employee. "We don't plan to be closing....We're starting to fill up our dining room."

Politics & Prose: It's open until 4 p.m. and opening late tomorrow at noon. Still, it's busy. "We've been getting a steady stream of people," an employee says.

ORIGINAL POST:

Ben's Chili Bowl: It's open. There are currently 20 people inside the U Street institution.

Target: It's open. An employee says that the big box may close early.

Tryst: It's open. An employee says that they currently have a "full house."

Busboys and Poets: The 14th Street location is open and has no current plans for modified hours. An employee tells me they are currently serving between 60 and 70 people. "I believe we're the only restaurant open on the block," she says. "At least that's what customers have told us."

IHOP: The Alabama Avenue SE outpost is open and may close early. An employee tells me they restaurant is fairly empty. But there's a reason for that: She says that Alabama Avenue has not been plowed.

*photo by Darrow Montgomery.