A thirty-year staple of Dupont Circle, Kramerbooks has it all. It's an excellent bookstore, low on mainstream trash and high on alternative, substantial, subversive, and political reading. I freely admit to being a major book lover, so the biggest drawback to my entering Kramer's is that I really cannot afford to spend money on anything other than rent and food (DC is expensive!). Oh, well--the mind needs to be fed too, right? Right.

While I would be happy to praise Kramer's just for being the first good bookstore I've seen in Washington this summer, there's much, much more. At the back of the bookstore is the Afterwords Café, which opens starting at 7:30 a.m. for breakfast, and serves a fabulous late-night brunch after 10:30 p.m. Sunday through Thursday (and an equally scrumptious a.m. brunch on the weekends). Prices are mostly reasonable, with some great deals mixed in--go with a group and get Sharezies, an $18 trio of appetizers, for the table, and add a pitcher of draft for just another $10. And, try as you might, there's no missing the display of tantalizing cakes and pies, ice-cream specialties, and smoothies, served in very large portions. This is obviously not the place be on a diet.

I stopped by Kramer's on a Monday night, so I was saddened to miss out on part of the experience--live music. Every Wednesday through Saturday, you can add tunes to your food, drinks, and reading; the scene is dominated by folk, blues, and jazz, and starts at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, 9 p.m. on Thursdays, and 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. This week's lineup features Mark Sylvester, Jumpin' Joe, Dave Mosic, and Mike Mulvaney (all four performers will play again during August as well).

Kramersbooks and Afterwords Café is fun and funky, tripping gaily along the fine line verging on sketchiness, but not quite cross over. This just adds to its flavor, especially making it an excellent break from some of the more typical popular bars and clubs DC has in plenty. And, while of course you have to be 21 to drink, the venue itself is open to all ages, gaining it major points with this 18-year-old intern.

So if you're a fan of food, music, drinks, or books, plan on spending at least one relaxing evening at Kramer's this summer.

--Alexandra DiBranco