By Tom Bridge
UConn. Albany. Kentucky. UAB. Washington. Utah State. Illinois. Air Force. Michigan State. George Mason. UNC. Murray State. Wichita State. Seton Hall. Tennessee. Winthrop.
What do these names mean to you?
This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs Continue reading
By Tom Bridge
Due to a major water main break on Chain Bridge, most of Arlington appears to be without water:
“The whole…valve blew,” said Kerry Payne, from the D.C. Emergency Management Association. “There was water everywhere.”
“It looks like most of Arlington does not have water,” said Diana Sun, an Arlington County spokeswoman.
I would image that in the original version of Kerry’s quote, a gerund version of a tetragrammaton is found where the ellipsis is. No word on when water will be restored.
This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs
By Tom Bridge
.flickr-photo { border: solid 2px #000000; }
.flickr-yourcomment { }
.flickr-frame { text-align: left; padding: 3px; }
.flickr-caption { font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px; }
I left DC to catch a few Spring Training games in sunny Arizona. I figured, hey, sweet, sunshine and baseball, how can I go wrong?
Well, the weather gods have some twisted souls, that’s what’s going on. While it’s lovely in DC today (high of 70, get on outside, seriously.), it’s freezing cold here in Arizona where it’s 34 degrees outside here in Black Canyon City, and snowing.
Yes. Snowing. In Central Arizona (2000 feet above sea level) in March. When it’s supposed to be 70 or so.
Oh do I have weather karma…
This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs
By Wayan
To continue today’s transit theme, I have a flight update: we’ve made it to the runway.
And now we wait.
For an hour +
In the plane!
This is the reason people hate airlines and we have air rage. Instead of telling us of the delay in the terminal, where we could wait in line for breakfast, they corraled us in the plane and parked us on the runway to fume and bitch.
Why would US Airways do this to its customers, piss us off to no end? Because it cares more about its precious gate space than its customers.
We don’t matter even though we pay. Thanks US Airways!
This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs
By Wayan
While I zipped thru security at DCA, this is no place for breakfast. Lines are 20 minutes deep and filled with line-slowing Super Size It folks.
My advice: be sure to hit Hellers Bakery if you Saturday morning fly from DCA.
This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs
By Wayan
As I head off to Costa Rica, I have a travel tip for those with early morning flights on the weekend: the Metro doesn’t open till 7am.
This means that the first train thru town isn’t till 7:15 and you have plenty of time for a Hellers Bakery breakfast pre-Metro.
This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs
Why is it that whenever I go digging in my bag on Prospect Street in Georgetown to get a photo of the “Houka Bar/Smoothies” sign, the light changes just as I find the camera?
Every. Single. Time.
And searching Flickr, I find tons of photos of that dome, but not a single one of the Prince Cafe. You can find what is apparently the only photo of it here.
This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs
By Tom Bridge
Apparently, in Washington DC, you can evade taxes for six years, rack up a quarter of a million dollars in debt to the federal government, and get off with three years probation, all the while testing positive for cocaine and marijuana. What’s worse? In the hearing, Barry quoted the Bible, citing his belief in forgiveness:
He described himself as a Christian who believes in forgiveness, and reminded the court of the verses in the Book of Matthew, chapter 18, when Paul asks how many times a person should be forgiven, and Jesus answers “70 times seven.”
I’m sorry, Marion, but this is like murdering your parents and begging for mercy because you’re an orphan.
You knew that you were violating the law when you failed to file your tax returns. You knew that you were violating the law when you smoked that weed and snorted that coke. And yet, somehow, in the Court’s perversity, the sought to grant you probation for three years. Even after flaunting the court by not bringing your documents in well before hand.
DC ought to be appalled today that instead of applying justice, we let it slide because he’s old.
This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs
By Don
I’d heard rumblings of the possibility but this is the first hard date I have read. Jason of DC Foodies buries the lead in his writing on Ray’s The Steaks and mentions towards the bottom “I’ve read that Ray’s in Arlington will be closing March 26th until further notice.” This is confirmed in the Tom Sietsema chat on WaPo where a questioner mentions the outgoing message on the Ray’s answering machine indicating that there will be no more parties over 6 seated and no new reservations, though existing ones will be honored.
I still haven’t gotten around to going so I guess I’ll have to wait for the fabled Silver Spring location to open. This is usually the point in my food blogging when Tom comes in and goes on about how wonderful the thing I have missed is….
This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs
By Tom Bridge
The hearing on the hill yesterday about taxation took a major turn for me. If it’s optional, and folks want to try out the Flat Tax option, is that so bad?
Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kan.), chairman of the Senate Appropriations subcommittee on the District, held a hearing to talk about implementing a flat tax on city residents, which would be voluntary. D.C. residents could opt to remain under the current federal tax system.”
Sure, it still makes DC an experimentation zone, but this would, at least, offer informed consent to the patients.
This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs
By Jenn Larsen
A month ago I touched on the upcoming metamorphosis of Source Theater from bankrupt blight to beer hall. It appeared the deal between Source’s management and the Bedrock owners to sell the space was brokered, full stop. Then an outcry of support from the arts community to keep the space as a theater and rising questions from the city on Source’s usage of funding began to emerge.
The city has a vested interest in Source’s fate due to the considerable financial support it has given them over the years to save the theater from ruin. This is why it isn’t as simple as Source just deciding to sell the space, and sayonara baby.
This all came to a head last Thursday at the ANC 1B meeting, replete with parading protestors from the theater community (in costume, no less) and television crews. As always the ever-reliable TheaterBoy has an excellent run-down of the Source Saga. In addition, a neighborhood friend attended the meeting and gave me some scoop…
This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs Continue reading
By Wayan
Now while the Post gets all snarky with Metro for catering lunches, I’m non-pulsed about the $15,000 a year tab for 15 people for 50 lunches. That’s about $20 per person per day, a deal in catering-land. Just ask Tiff about Ridgewells Catering.
No, what really incenses me, and is my very key annoyance with the entire Metro Board, is encapsulated in this short last-paragraph quote:
“If they would serve that lunch somewhere outside the Beltway and tell the board members to get there by bus on their own, it would be a great expenditure of public money,” said Ben Ross, head of Action Committee for Transit. None of the board members is a regular Metrobus rider.
Ah, there is nothing like the Board of a company not using its products daily. Good luck with those kinda bosses, Dan Tangherlini. You’re We’re gonna need it!
This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs
By Tom Bridge
While, Yes, I am at Spring Training this week, I’m in Arizona and not in sunny Florida with the Nationals, the spirit of Baseball is alive and well within me today. I’m rejoicing in the new stadium deal that cements the Nationals in Washington for years to come. I’m rejoicing in the impending announcement of new ownership for the Nationals, owners that don’t have vested interests in the other teams, or pinching pennies to an absurd level, and the return of a pocketbook for the team.
Spring Training hasn’t been injury free for the Nats as Jose Guillen looks like a giant question mark due to his wrist injury which is either season ending, or he’ll be out just a couple days. One of the starting five pitchers, Brian Lawrence who was part of the trade deal with San Diego, tore his labrum pretty good, so he’ll be questionable for some time to come, possibly out the better part of the 2006 season. At this pace, we’ll have a starting lineup composed of entirely AA players. But they’ll be OUR AA/Major League team…
The Stadium design, made by master stadium architects HOK, may be unveiled as soon as next week.
Of course, this doesn’t do anyone any good unless they start to win some games…right now? They’re 1 and 6 in Spring Training games. Get to it, boys.
This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs
By Wayan
Take a look at this crosswalk sign from in front of the International Trade Building. Note anything strange about it?
How about that the large, highlighted, first-read words are “You Must” and then “To Call For”. You must – that would be a direct order, but “to call for” what?
Any random graphic artist professional, and common sense, will tell you that you should highlight what matters, and in this case it would be: “Push Button” and “Walk Signal“, the exact words de-emphasized.
As it stands now, the emphasis is on the direct order “You Must”, not on what you must do or why. Kinda seems like the whole atmosphere of today’s government, eh? Then again, this crosswalk’s users would be government workers going between the International Trade and Department of Commerce buildings.
A non-linear bunch all, I’m sure.
This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs
By Tom Bridge
I didn’t want to cook tonight, I’ve felt like chiseled spam all day long and dammit, I just wanted someone else to take care of the dishes. I cajoled Tiffany into coming with me out to one of our semi-favorite restaurants: The Boulevard Woodgrill in Clarendon. We’ve been going since they opened a few years back (it used to be a MicroCenter!) and its good tastes and good prices became our weeknight out, and frequently our Sunday brunch, to boot.
Things started going downhill about a year ago, as our favorite manager Ryan Duncan was replaced by the fairly tepid Josh. Service times went up. Waits became an ever-present part of our meals. One of our favorite servers confided in us that Josh had reduced the waitstaff causing high turnover and slow service. Then they double-booked the Fillmore Room downstairs and kicked one of our friends’ Holiday parties to the curb, despite having paid the deposit, set the menu and notified their membership. That was the last straw. We stopped going.
We had heard that the new year had brought new management, so we started to go once in a while, a Sunday here, a Wednesday there. Tonight, as we walked in, there stood Ryan Duncan, smiling and welcoming us in the door. What a sight for sore eyes! We chatted while they bussed the booth, they’re opening a new location in Old Town this summer, and he’ll be at the Clarendon location three or four days a week.
Ryan’s reappearance showed. Our food was delivered quickly, our sodas and waters never empty, and the waitress was polite and happy to be there. I love the idea of being a regular at a restaurant, where everyone knows you, where you have a relationship with the people that feed you. Since it opened, that’s been the Boulevard for us. I remember one night, we arrived with about 10 minutes left before the kitchen closed, and we walked in, Ryan almost wasn’t going to seat us, it was too late. “But we just want the key lime pie!” And sure enough, there came four delectable slices of the best key lime pie in town for us and our friends.
I cannot tell you how glad I am to have Ryan back at the helm of the Boulevard, as going to Whitlow’s on a Sunday was just killing me inside. Welcome back Ryan, we’re so very very glad to have you.
This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs
By Wayan
Oddly, its called a Snorkel, not a ‘cherry picker’ which is what construction guys in the South call it.
It is living in Metro these days so maintenance can be done on the Metro roof. Without regular patching of roof leaks, groundwater would pour into the underground tunnels and we’d be swimming as much as riding to work.
This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs
By Wayan
Think you can capture DC in pixels? Know the rule of thirds or contrast vs. brightness? Have photos that friends ask for? Then be cool, be free, be one of us!
Add your images to the The DC Metroblogging Photo Blog!
Fame, glory, maybe even a date will come your way if you add the images you think are damn cool to our little group. Um, just be sure that they are really, totally cool or else will have to shame you, here, in this forum if you get sloppy or cheeky.
Now gawk and enjoy!
This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs
By Don
Daffodils? Tulips? Forget it! The real sign of spring is snow shovels for sale at 70% off. Oh yeah baby, I can taste that beer&lime minus ice already….
This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs
By Wayan
This is not 9am or 5pm. This is 11pm and time for the late night rush. I am not here at the bus stop with office drones or government workers. I am here with the night shift.
This is when those that clean the offices or prepare the food head home. Them and night owls like me.
And this is our late night bus.
This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs
By Tom Bridge
So, let’s theorize for the moment. Assume that tomorrow, DC becomes the 51st state in Union. We’re not going to fiat who, and why, or even the hows, just that DC suddenly was granted statehood.
Who would be DC’s first congressperson? And its two senators?
Would the battle look like the mayoral race?
Here’s my bets: Eleanor Holmes Norton would take the slot as the first congresswoman from DC and Linda Cropp and (surprise!) Bill Clinton would be the first two senators from the District. Would Mayor for Life Barry run? Who knows, especially with his tax situation still in limbo.
Your thoughts?
This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs
By 
