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With new Pinea restaurant, W Hotel rethinks luxury, aims local

By WTOP Staff

It certainly wasn’t the plan for two of the W Hotel Washington D.C.’s food and beverage spaces to be closed for renovation at the same time, said hotel general manager Olivier Servat.

“I was not that ambitious when I started thinking about renovations and what would change at the hotel,” said Servat, who joined W on 15th Street NW from the W Hotel in Paris just under a year ago.

The rooftop POV lounge was already preparing to close for a refresh when the hotel’s owners, Dubai-based Istithmar Hotels Washington LLC, decided to close its main restaurant, J & G Steakhouse from celebrity chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, as well.

Click through the gallery for a look at what’s in store for the POV lounge.

When both projects are complete, hotel guests and locals alike can look forward to both a rooftop and a restaurant that are a little more in line with the hotel brand’s chic style, Servat said.

Pinea, the new restaurant, aims to be a destination for local diners as much as it caters to hotel guests.

“We decided to embark on a new destination which is not to have a celebrity chef telling us what to do in D.C.,” said Servat. “But instead finding the right chef locally and build a concept around him.”

Enter Barry Koslow. The chef’s move from fine dining — at 2941 and Citronelle, among others — to the offbeat DGS Delicatessen in Dupont Circle provided the mix the hotel was looking for.

“He was known for doing something unusual and stylish, which goes to the spirit and the values of the W,” Servat said.

So is the W shedding the white tablecloth, fine dining aesthetic with this shift? Not exactly. It’s more an attempt to provide a luxury experience that doesn’t feel stuffy, Servat said.

“All these major hotels that are providing a great luxury experience, they are known for that quality of service, but they are not necessarily known for being cool and engaging,” Servat said. “So we want it to be chic, sophisticated fine dining that feels elegant but where you don’t have to feel obliged to speak low because of the next table.”

When it opens, Pinea’s menu will pull from the Mediterranean elements of the cuisines of Spain, France and Italy, rather than focusing on one particular country’s cuisine. Until then, W Hotel guests will have to settle for meals served in a makeshift dining room that the hotel has added to its main lobby area — or for special deals Servat has negotiated with other top restaurants and hotels in the area.

It has been a struggle to do both projects at once, but Servat looks forward to the day when both new spaces are up and running, probably by late September.

“I think the market is ready as well,” he said. “There’s no better option for us to open for the very busy fall that Washington, D.C., has.”

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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