About Us - Beauty, Wine Bar, Bottle Shop, Bistro & Boutique

Zena  Polin is the co-owner of Beauty Champagne & Sugar Boutique and co-founder of two award-winning restaurants in Maryland, The Dish & Dram and The Daily Dish, a restaurant and catering company.

She has traveled to more than 75 countries and is a trilingual author who has written about food and wine for local and international publications. She was the managing editor of Visitor St. Kitts & Nevis and Discover St. Kitts for six years. Her first book, The Pub, Club & Grub Guide to Washington, DC, was a reflection of her early love for food and drink.

From 1999 to 2009, she owned The Winning Ticket, a hospitality PR and Marketing firm with clients in Puerto Rico, Washington, DC and St. Kitts. 

After she appeared on Planet Green with Emeril Lagasse on "Craving the Caribbean" she decided she was ready for a  career change. She opened her first restaurant, The Daily Dish in 2009 serving comfort food with a twist — food that was seasonally inspired, locally  sourced and farm fresh. In 2016 she opened The Dish & Dram, which reflected her love of food, drink and travel. 

In January 2021, she posed for  #nakedchefs to raise money for the Lee Initiative. 

In September, 2021, she opened Beauty Champagne & Sugar Boutique in National Landing, Crystal City, VA. In 2021, she also began "Dishes & Drams" to document her love of food, travel, wine and booze! www.thedailydishdc.com

When Covid began Zena decided she wanted to focus on restaurants that had a lifestyle component. She was looking for a more intimate space where she could return to two of her loves, wine and baking. 

In May 2022, Beauty Champagne and Sugar Boutique was born, Located in the little Blue House on the corner of Fern and 23rd Streets in National Landing, Beauty is a feast for all the senses. In October 2022, Polin partnered with Gregg Thompson, founder of Moonboy Films.  They have a shared love of wine and cake and a history of working in the hospitality industry together

The Wine Bar, Bottle Shop, Bistro & Boutique  is fast becoming the hot spot for people looking to sip bottles of wine while nibbling on light bites in their cozy bistro and who love unique finds, whether it’s a bottle of wine, housemade desserts, custom baskets for any occasion or lifestyle products. Polin is also known as the “Holiday Wine Concierge.” Guests join her for a glass of sparkling while she innovatively curates mixed cases of wine at a 10 percent discount.

During season, tables are set up outside under large black and white umbrellas. This is where their Saturday wine tasting is held. Guests then walk up the steps into the Victorian house.

The former Victorian home, known as “The Little Blue House,” is divided into three rooms. The main entrance is filled with homemade cakes, cookies, bars and dog treats, as well as chocolates, candy and eclectic gifts. To the right is the Bottle Shop with a wide selection of wines, from everyday sippers to elegant champagnes that are displayed in the Wine Closet. The “Belleza Wine Club” will begin monthly subscriptions in December and will offer special bottles, tastings, classes and discounts to members. 

To the left is the Bistro, Pantry and Boutique. Polin and Thompson collaborate on the menu. Most of the baked goods are made by Polin, including the coconut and chocolate cakes, the signature Knock You Naked bars (peanut butter and caramel in a chocolate chip brookie) and the Guilty Pleasure Cookies (potato chip, marshmallow fluff and chocolate chip), as well as some savory items, such as the Pimento Cheese for the Meat & Cheese Board, the Focaccia for the Trio of Dips and the Caramelized Onion Dip.  Thompson is in charge of the Slow Roasted BBQ Pulled Pork Sliders and Retro Chicken Salad with apples and cranberries. 

Wines served by the glass are curated by the pair and promote wines made by and inspired by women and black-owned wineries. There is an appealing and surprising selection of wines, including a malbec from Spain, a pinot noir from Bulgaria, and a sauvignon blanc from South Africa, as well as the featured drink, “Bizzarro Love Triangle.” Their selection of “Beautiful Surprises” includes a trio of local vermouths and port and sherry from Missouri.

Beauty collaborates with local, woman entrepreneurs, including Blissburg candles for their signature Sexy Thyme scent, Southeastern Roastery for coffee and Blue Basset Barkery for dog treats. 

Join Gregg and Zena from Tuesday to Sunday, 12 to 9pm! 

Gregg is the co-owner of Beauty. In 2019, he founded Moonboy Films, LLC - an independent production company that develops and produces feature films, TV programming, and content for the web. Moonboy Films intends to produce a diverse slate of projects that showcase a variety of themes, creating stories that are both entertaining and provocative.

Gregg Thompson, founder and principal of Moonboy Films, is excited to share his creative vision with audiences. Gregg is an active writer, and intends to write and direct his own original material in addition to material developed by others. Moonboy Films will be driven by Gregg’s passion and commitment, as well as strong collaborative relationships with storytellers and industry professionals. 

Gregg intends to strategically surround himself with creative voices from a range of backgrounds, in order to tap into a full range of perspectives and experiences. For Moonboy Films to become known for unique and innovative stories, diversity and inclusion must be intentional. 

Moonboy Films is proudly located just outside of Washington, DC, in Silver Spring, Maryland. Gregg is committed to shooting in the MD/DC/VA area and employing local talent and production professionals whenever possible.  www.moonboyfilmsllc.com