WASHINGTON, D.C.— When the newly redesigned Lobby Lounge in The Ritz-Carlton, Washington, DC reopens on Nov. 23, it will “combine the charm of a Viennese sidewalk bistro with the convenience of an Internet café,” according to Paul Westbrook, regional vp of the Ritz-Carlton properties here. Created by interior designer Frank Nicholson, the Lobby Lounge features a wood-burning fireplace, stylish fabrics and window treatments with an “informal elegance,” Westbrook noted. The room has been converted into “a technological retreat” for use of laptops and handheld devices, he added. Guests will be offered an express continental breakfast served Sunday through Friday beginning at 7 a.m. In the afternoon, gourmet specialty coffee drinks will be served in traditional European fashion on small silver trays, accompanied by chocolate covered spoons, lemon twists and crystallized sugar sticks. An array of freshly baked sweets and pastries from strudels to tortes will be also be available. For light lunches, European favorites such as pressed panini sandwiches will be on the menu. In the evening, chefs will create selections in chafing dishes to whet the appetite for dinner. On the weekends, the Lobby Lounge will offer fresh bagels from Brooklyn Bagels, with a toaster on each table along with a selection of in-house made cream cheeses. To add to the Manhattan atmosphere, the menu will also include choices of sliced salmon, gravlax, and cured pastrami, accompanied by garnishes of fresh herbs, lemon, and capers.