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Music Quickie

While poking around the Golden Triangle site for my last entry, I noticed that there will be concerts in Farragut Square at noon on Thursdays starting June 9. Since I work across the street from there, I may have to check this out.

When I worked in downtown Pittsburgh, my favorite thing about Fridays was the noon concerts at PPG Place. I’m looking forward to Sounds in the Square.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

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Here to serve YOU!

Has anyone noticed the people standing around downtown, usually near Metro stops, with the red-and-blue jackets and walkie-talkies? They’re called Downtown SAMs (note how that page doesn’t tell you what SAM stands for), and their job is basically to help you figure out how to get where you’re going, or where’s a good place to eat, etc.

Clearly, their services are meant primarily for tourists, however, I’ve found them invaluable in compensating for my complete and utter lack of a sense of direction (my ability to get lost is the stuff of legend). Usually, when I come out of a Metro station, I’m slightly disoriented because my internal compass just can’t deal with being underground. I’ve found them to be extremely polite and helpful, and even if they can’t specifically tell me how to get where I’m going, they’re happy to give me a map of the area and help me orient myself.

The Golden Triangle District, where I work, has their own version of the noble SAM- they wear bright gold jackets and are equally enthusiastic to help you out with directions or recommendations and whatnot.

Often, these local ambassadors know the area they’re standing in pretty intimately, so try asking them for a good place to go for lunch or something. They might be able to give you a great recommendation for something you’d never think to try.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

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Your Photos, In The Post

The Washington Post Sunday Magazine is now accepting photo submissions from its readers:

Photography’s history can be traced through the evolution of cameras — large-view cameras, hand-held box cameras, the Leica, the Polaroid, the Instamatic. Today’s photography is ruled by picture phones and pocket-friendly digital cameras, and the pairing of them with the Internet has given us the “photoblog,” an online version of the photo album.

Photoblogs provide us with a glimpse of the digital photographers’ world — the parties they attend, the places they work, the neighborhoods they live in, their families and their friends. This new feature, Blog City, will be about all that, too, showing you the best shots from your photo-blogging neighbors.

This weekend’s Post Magazine included photos from local photobloggers Matthew Bradley, Matt Billings, Chris Chen, Kevin Davis, and Loun-Loun Chua.

To submit your photos, they must be 8×10 at 300dpi (so, roughly 3 megapixels), and you may send three per month to blogcity@washpost.com

You can bet that I’ll be sending on some of mine.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

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bang bang!

With all the posturing over the DC Personal Protection Act, Lisa and I think it might be time to get some training at a local shooting range.

We’ve selected the Blue Ridge Arsenal, partially for its location but also because, hey, what’s not to love about a firing range with “Arsenal” in its name?

We’ll be booking a class for sometime after Lisa gets back from Punta Cana, where she is currently lying on the beach, drinking a fruity rum-based beverage with a paper umbrella in it. (We hate her.)

Watch for pictures.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

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Got Water?

There’s a break in a 36″ Water Main at 13th and Florida streets this morning, causing much of the Northwest/Northeast section of DC to be without water today. The break happened around 4am this morning and has made a real mess of the roads in the area as well. The following neighborhoods are reported to be without water:

Brookland, Adams Morgan, parts of Dupont and Columbia Heights

Five medical facilities serving those areas are also short of water at this point. DC EMA says they’re hoping to have outlying areas restored shortly, but they’ll have to work through the weekend to get the areas near the main break.

The Post has more.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

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The Scoop on Dremo

There’s a rumor on the streets that Dr. Dremo’s is going to be shutting its doors due to the land being sold out from under it. As always, Dr. Dremo is on the offensive trying to prevent misinformation. Sadly, some of that rumor is true:

he owner of the Dr Dremo (and Taco Bell) property has a buyer. Development plans call for a 10 story building with 170 residential units and 36,000 sq ft of commercial space on the bottom floor

However,

Of course we are hoping that the county will not approve the plans, the land will not be purchased, and Dr Dremo’s will continue at the present location. We are hoping that the county will think the density is too great for one block on Wilson/Clarendon Blvd and deny the plans.

Now, Arlington County has rarely met a development deal they didn’t like (well, excepting one involving a baseball stadium), but I’m hoping they spare Dr. Dremo’s, as it’s the only place that I can get a good pint of Fuller’s ESB on tap. Of course, if you’ve got an idea to help save Dr. Dremo’s, feel free to drop them a line.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

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Tourist Photos!

You guys are gonna love this. I can’t remember where I found it, maybe BoingBoing, but I am pleased to share… Tourist Photos! A blogger in New York and one here in DC have created a photoblog full of photos of tourons tourists, or, “people taking photos of people taking photos of people.”

How do the site’s creators know who is and is not a tourist?

We try to ensure that all photos on this site clearly indicate the individual’s tourist state. This is slightly more involved than simply snapping the out-of-town onlooker. Suitcases, fanny packs, city guides, cameras, video-cameras, and stupid t-shirts are often employed in our photos to help certify our pictures as 100% tourist.

And as a random side note, I love the Ludicorp people. When I went to visit the Flickr photostream of the DC contributor, I was greeted with the system maintenance message, “Flickr is having a massage.”

Lucky Flickr.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

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Mayor Williams Gets a Fragrance?

I was on my way home tonight, listening to the traffic report on WTOP, when I heard the oddest story. Estée Lauder is creating a fragrance for Mayor Williams. The report said it was made with jasmine and citrus oils. The box will, of course, feature a bow tie.

No word on why they’ve chosen our mayor. No word on why they even chose DC. Except, of course, that politics hear stinks, perhaps?

I got nothin’.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

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Farmer’s Market

Strawberries

One of my favorite weekend stress relievers to hit the Courthouse Farmer’s Market on Saturday morning for fresh produce, and due to a Friday night poker addiction, I haven’t made it out this season yet. I managed to make it this past Saturday, picking up some strawberries (pictured) and some basil seedlings for my garden, as well as some great pictures.

If you haven’t been out to the Farmer’s Market lately, do yourself a favor this weekend and go. Get some fresh tomatoes from Toigo Orchards, or some of their amazing sauces, get some local mozzarella or ricotta from Blue Ridge Dairy, some homemade soap from Mount Harmony Soaps, or something for your garden from any of the garden vendors. You’re supporting local businesses, local people, and you get some sunshine.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

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No photo!


No photo!

Originally uploaded by tbridge.

That’s right, photography is not permitted at the Pentagon Metro station.

I broke the rules. Bad Tom. Bad. No donut.

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Byrd Comes Up Big

So the Nats dealt emotionally sensitive Endy Chavez to the Phillies in exchange for outfielder Marlon Byrd, who arrived in time to start in last night’s game over the Brewers. He ended up going 3-3 with three RBI to make the difference in last night’s 5-2 victory over the Brew Crew.

The Nats are 3-1 on this homestand, and with three games to go, it looks like they’ll meet Capitol Punishment‘s 5-2 goal for the homestand. The Nats will send Vargas, Loaiza and Livan to the mound, hoping to pick up 2 of 3. 2 games back of the first place Braves, and just a half game back of the Marlins. The Nats are 4 games over .500, on pace to win 89 games for the season, some 22 more than they won last season in Montreal. Not so shabby for a team with no ownership, limited funds, and a brand new fanbase.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

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Metro Karma

I knew it was too good to be true.

Every once in a while I take the Metro home. Either my ride is going somewhere else that night, or I’m in a hurry, something that prevents me from making it home my normal way. So I walk down the escalator at Metro Center, slide the gates behind the tourists, weave my way around the slow-moving people down to the lower platform.

Tonight, I got there as a blue line train was pulling in, perfect timing. Sadly it was a short 4 car train, but I slid right into the last door of the last car, a perfect spot for my Pentagon exit to the bus.

The train filled up as we cruised through McPherson and Farragut, and we hit Foggy Bottom with a full load. I stepped off at Foggy Bottom to let passengers on, and retrieved my place as the doors shut. We rode the beneath the Potomac, an experience that always scares me a bit, but not nearly as much as the Trans-Bay Tunnel in San Francisco does. Stopping Rosslyn, it seemed everybody wanted off the train. Being close to the door, I filed off as well. But, it seemed, that my place on the train ended up going to a pair of Japanese tourists.

Right as the Metro system hit a major delay at Metro Center.

It was 20 minutes before I saw another Blue line train.

I knew it was too good to be true.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

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Open Letters

I’m actually spending the night in Atlanta for some business travel, but wanted to share some of my experiences during the trip today.

Dear M&M Mars:

Don’t get me wrong, I love the free M-Azing bar promotions going on at Metro stops. Who doesn’t love free chocolate? But you are clearly giving your product away because you can’t sell it, so allow me to provide you some free feedback to save you the cost of the focus group.
– Chocolate candies in chocolate bars is not that unique in the candy bar market. Come up with a distinctly cravable bar, and watch your sales rise!
– The chocolate is far too melty, particularly for a bar which begs to be broken apart with the fingers like a Hershey bar. Give me something that stands up to the warmth of my fingertips for the length of time it takes me to break off a piece and put it in my mouth.
– Use better chocolate. This cheap-ass stuff isn’t exactly flying off the shelves.

Love, Tiff

Dear Wall Street Deli in National Airport:

“Cash only” my ass. Here’s a clue: When the closest ATM is on the OTHER side of the security line, maybe accepting credit cards as a payment option for your wildly overpriced sandwiches would be a good business move. What would also be a good business move, if you refuse to leap into the 20th century, would be to post this policy, oh, ANYWHERE along your counter. Perhaps back by the sandwich ordering area would be nice. That way you can avoid what happened today when I unsucessfully tried to buy lunch from your establishment- when I discovered that my profferred debit card wouldn’t be accepted, I put the sandwich that had just been made back onto the counter and walked away. A lost sale, and a wasted sandwich. Screw you too.

Love,
Tiff

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

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Buy Wine Online in Virginia and Maryland

Today, our lovely Supreme Court delivered a 5-4 verdict that will allow for wine sales online in Maryland and Virginia. Before today, state laws in 24 states prohibited the sale of wine from out of state vineyards and required a wholesaler to take part in the process. Now, thanks to Justices Scalia, Souter, Bader Ginsburg, Breyer and Kennedy, you may feel free to order that extra case from Napa or the Finger Lakes.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

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Cooking for the modern lifestyle

Tom’s sister alerted me to Let’s Dish, which is a part grocery store, part cooking class sort of store that has locations in Minnesota, Washington state, and the DC/Baltimore area. There’s also a location in Ashburn coming this summer.

The basic premise is this: You register for a class time, you pay $155, and then you show up and make 8 different dishes, each of which will feed 6 adults. Then you take them home and stick them in the freezer until you need them. The cost per serving is $3.23- cheap!

The store/service/whatever is designed for people who don’t want to spend a lot of time cooking every night and don’t always have the ingredients on hand to make a full meal. It seems to me that this is the perfect kind of business to appeal to the modern urbanite- we know we shouldn’t keep eating out or ordering pizza, but we’re having trouble finding the time to shop for and cook decent meals regularly, so Let’s Dish tries to make it as convenient as possible.

I’ll probably check this out once the Ashburn store opens- I love to cook, but rarely have the time and energy to keep it up steadily for any length of time. This has got to be a better alternative to frozen dinners and endless nights of sandwiches.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

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Super Cells and the Storm Chasers That Love Them

Picture 1.jpg As we drove into the city yesterday, the skies rent themselves asunder and poured down a torrent of rain that I’ve seen just a few times in the years that I’ve lived here, but right before that, as we drove by the Pentagon and over the 14th St. Bridge, the sky turned that eerie green color usually indicative of an approaching tornado. I’ve seen that green precisely once, as I drove across Nebraska through a driving storm, eventually stopping under an overpass when dime-sized hail dropped from the sky. But really, the storm that ebbed around quarter to seven last night wasn’t the main event. Like a good undercard, it excited the crowd, warmed them up and prepared them for the brutality to come.

The super cell that passed over the district yesterday around 8pm was spectacular to watch. The first sign of the impending “the end is nigh” storm was a fluffy black cloud that trailed in from the southeast, and that’s when you realized the wind wasn’t a light breeze anymore. The flags in center began to whip out of the stadium, desperate to escape their lanyards, the pennants that ring RFK snapped in the wind. The rain began as many small drops, but within a minute those drops had become a deluge, sheets of water rippling in the stadium light over the diamond.

As the wind grew, those of us near the top of the second deck began to get soaked from in front and behind, as the rain began to blow through the gap in the side of the stadium. The corrugated metal tube used to roll up the tarp began to roll around the outfield, propelled by the gusts coming into the stadium. That’s right about when the fireworks began. Booming thunder, bright, forking lighting, each announcing their presence with mind bending intensity. Several bolts of lightning struck nearby causing the crowd to roar and scream in response. Some rowdy fans behind us shouted, in the height of the storm, “Let’s Play Ball! Let’s Play Ball!”

The swirling winds soaked section after section with their changing tide of water, the worst of it going to left field, which seemed to be the rock that the wave of rain broke upon. The storm began to abate after about 20 minutes. It felt longer, but wow, what a ride.

The Nats went on to win last night 4-3, despite a Cubs-fan-heavy crowd. Man, I thought Yankees fans were obnoxious in Baltimore, but they’ve got a lot to “learn” from the Cubs fans. Special props to the Cubs fan behind me who decided that he needed to boo and taunt his own pitcher in the 8th. Nice show of class.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

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O Say Can You See…

I’ve attended several Nationals games in this, their inaugural season, and have enjoyed the obvious enthusiasm this city has for this brand new team, as well as the apparent enjoyment the players are getting out of having an actual home crowd come to cheer for them. I’m also smug, as I look around at the 25,000 to 40,000 people in attendance and remember Peter Angelos’ assertion that there are no real baseball fans in DC.

That being the case, I’m a little confused about a practice that DC fans seemed to have imported from Baltimore. During the singing of the National Anthem, at the line “O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave…” the fans in attendance are still yelling “O” along with the vocalist.

People. This was already inappropriate and disrespectful at an O’s game, but it could at least be understood as an expression of enthusiasm for the home team. At a Nats game, not only is it inappropriate and disrespectful to the singing of the anthem, it’s also ridiculous and out of context.

So cut it out, because it makes you look dumb. And rude. And, um, stuff.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

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Walter Reed Army Medical Center to Close?

The Base Closing Committee has announced their decision for recommendations of closures, and Walter Reed Army Medical Center is on the list for realignment, moving many jobs out of the District and into suburban Maryland, around 5600, all told. 26,000 jobs currently inside the Beltway will be lost as part of this round of closures, with all but 3,000 or so remaining in the greater metropolitan area.

The Mayor and Del. Holmes Norton are both promising to fight the action, but neither have what anyone could remotely consider “power.”

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs