By Tom Bridge
Congratulations, Amy & Wayan Vota!
In a lovely ceremony at the Tabard Inn on Saturday night, our very own Wayan was married to his Amy in a gathering of family and friends. It was a delightfully irreverent and joy-filled event for all who attended. So, ladies of DC, take a deep sigh of relief today, you’re safe once again.
This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs
By Tom Bridge
Hope everyone had a nice weekend. I saw one of our own get married on Saturday night, watched some football, and relaxed. I thought about hitting up the Corcoran for the end of the Leibowitz exhibit, but I decided that the crowds weren’t worth it. Maybe next weekend, I’ll hit the Hopper…but in the meantime here’s what’s going on. It’s all about change and overhauls.
The Hearings Begin
The Chancellor and Mayor are advocating for 23 of DC’s schools to be shuttered in ordered to “rightsize” the school system. Of course the hearings appear to be fairly diverse and complex. Instead of one big hearing, or a group of a few hearings, there will be 23 simultaneous hearings on the sites of the schools to be closed. I have no idea why this makes sense as the Chancellor and Mayor can really only be at 1 or 2 at a time, but I do imagine this will diffuse the frustration to more places, so I can understand that being used as a justification.
Streetcars!
The NVTA has voted for some funding to support a line of streetcars along the Columbia Pike corridor from Pentagon City to Skyline in Fairfax. The organization raised $37M for the trolley project, putting it about $100M short of their goal to build the experimental line from Pentagon City to Skyline. Will Arlington pony up to help? Who knows. Check out the developer’s pitch video, though.
Social Service Gap
Last week’s horrific discovery of 4 girls dead since May in their mother’s home has lead for a push for overhaul of the social services safety net in the District. The Mayor will announce several firings of failed bureaucrats today, followed by a task force to fix the problems in the social services agency.
Overhauling Your Kitchen, By Mandate
Soon, using dishwasher detergents bought at area stores may well be illegal. Councilwoman Mary Cheh has brought a bill to the Council that would remove the dishwasher detergent exemption from the phosphates ban. So, either eat out more, or get ready to hand wash while the majors reassess and reformulate.
This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs
By Don
I normally feel some urge to be more balanced than that, but that’s the only conclusion I could come to as I read the story in today’s WaPo about the possible new “high-tech” cars. I’d admit to being somewhat torqued at the onset to read about plans for upgraded cars when they can’t manage to handle rail maintenance without killing workers or get trains to at least hold the line as far as timeliness, but I tried to keep an open mind. A design feature to allow for simpler maintenance of windows by standardizing sizes certainly sounded good. Then I got to this line.
Several aspects of the new design are supposed to give passengers better information and a more comfortable ride. They include ergonomic, cloth-covered seats; overh-
Wait, what?
cloth-covered seats
I mean this in the least-possibly nice way WMATA: You’re off your goddamned head, and if we didn’t have such a shambles of a mental-health system I’d suggest you be committed.
It’s been less than a year since we had discussion of ditching carpets – and these new train designs are non-carpeted designs – because they pick up stains and moisture and are difficult to keep clean and clean-smelling. So your new design includes seats that will pick up rain, snow, spills, and sweat in the summer months from every person who passes through.
Cleaning these cloth-covered seats will be done… how? Certainly not with a quick spray and swab that vinyl or solid plastic seats would take.
I’m now out of remotely restrained words and am going to go froth [more] incoherently for a while.
This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs
By Don
It’s that time of year again, when you get the chance to go to eat at places that normally wouldn’t give you the time of day, or at least not for a price you could afford.
I kid, which I point out to you because that was simply not funny. But how many ways can a man shill a week-long fixed-price event? Here you see my darling girlfriend’s fried chicken over mashed potato with greens and a mustard sauce, from our December visit to Michel Richard’s Citronelle, one of the many fine local establishments not participating in the Winter 2008 Restaurant Week.
Actually no, I have no idea who peed in my Wheaties this morning. Why do you ask? Oh, right.
There’s actually a number of fantastic Restaurant Week choices to be had, all of them being listed here on the official website and all of the OpenTable participating ones listed here (for those of you loathe to spend time on the phone with a reservation agent). Not all of them are on Open Table, though most are, so be sure to check the main list if the place you are dying to go to isn’t on the second.
In terms of quality I highly recommend Acadiana (their gumbo is the best I’ve had outside of New Orleans), Ceiba (even if they didn’t know what a cafe con leche was), Oyamel, Ruth’s Chris (which I have largely replaced in my life with Ray’s The Steaks, but it’s a bargain at RW prices), and last but current top of my list, Willow.
On the flip side, I think you’d have to be off your rocker to make a RW visit to Jaleo or La Tasca. McD’s has the dollar menu all the time if you just want a bargain.
In the middle are places I’ve eaten but been less than bowled over by, such as Mie N Yu and Smith & Wollensky but which are good deals at the price.
We’re down to one scheduled run this year from our usual two, though my darling girlfriend sometimes also makes a lunch outing without me. We’re trying Posh this year, where I have never been before and which I know little about.
As usual the lunches will be approximately $20 and the dinners $30 and seats will have filled up fast, so prepare yourself to eat at 4:45pm or 9:30 and get your reservations in now.
This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs
By Tom Bridge
While this story is set in Newport News, VA, I can certainly see this happening in Arlington or Fairfax, and the uproar would be significant. Here’s what happened. Kajuan Cornish was riding his bicycle across Warwick Boulevard in Newport News. Think Glebe Road. Think Route 7. That’s the kind of road this was. Here’s the details:
Officer George Evans said drivers had to slow down to avoid hitting Cornish when he crossed the intersection and that he would have written a warning if not the ticket.
“If he gets hit, then we have a mess,” Evans said, adding that as a citizen, he thinks the abusive driver fees are too high, but also out of his control.
Now, here’s where it get absolutely fucking crazy. Cornish was convicted of reckless driving, which comes with a $1,050 civil penalty in accordance with the David Albo Employment Act.
This is an absolute mess. Repeal the damn act already, VA legislature.
This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs
By Tom Bridge
It’s pretty garbagey out there today. Fog this morning, thunderstorms later. Our last day above 60°F for a while. Enjoy it while you can.
Housing Market in Recovery?
The Examiner thinks that housing market is stabilizing, maybe even recovering, at least in NoVA and DC. The median sale for a house in December was $425,000, up 4% over November, but we’re still down 2% year-over-year. So, relax just a bit, home-owners, it may be okay, after all. No need to freak.
Bank Robbery Turns Into Major Mystery
This is really pretty bizarre. Usually, when a bank’s robbed, they know right away. However, yesterday’s heist at the Wachovia near the FBI HQ took place at 9:30am, but wasn’t noticed until after 3:00pm. A man dressed as a Brinks security guard walked right into the vault, packed up $370,000, and walked right up. Proof that when you look like you belong, you can get away with, well, $370,000. They figured it out when the real guard showed up that afternoon.
Oops.
New Metro Cars? Maybe…
Metro’s looking at a brand new design for their rail cars, a drastic change from their current design. So much of a break, even, that the new cars wouldn’t link up with the older cars. It’s likely that these cars won’t go into service until 2013 at the earliest, and would likely run along the Orange Line extension out toward Dulles Airport. Metro is waiting to hear about how the Federal funding for the extension will work, but will then be ordering 128 new cars across the two phases, if things work out monetarily.
Two Healthcare Bits
The Whitman-Walker Clinic will be expanding services in the DC area, as well as doing a major overhaul on its social service programs. It will also be launching a public awareness campaign to the socio-economic groups hardest hit by the HIV/AIDS pandemic.
The former chief pharmacist for St. Elizabeth’s somehow managed to steal $95,000 in drugs from the hospital. The husband/wife thief team sold about $236,000 worth of stolen medication in combination form St. Elizabeth’s and Kaiser Permanente. Interestingly enough, his wife was sentences to six months in prison, while he faces generally between 24 and 30 months. No idea why the sentences are so different.
This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs
By Tom Bridge
Tired of seeing fares go up and up? Want to strip down to your skivvies to protest? Well, this Saturday might be just your chance. You could join the 204 confirmed Facebook attendees for a Pantsless Metro Ride. So, DCist blew the “cover” (it’s not a cover if it’s public on Facebook, dudes. It’s like Twittering about it. It’s not even remotely private.), and the Express talked to the Metro people about it, who threatened to get people arrested for disorderly conduct or indecent exposure.
Courtesy of DCist commenter keb points out the regulations for DC:
DC Statute § 22-1312. Lewd, indecent, or obscene acts.
(a) It shall not be lawful for any person or persons to make any obscene or indecent exposure of his or her person, or to make any lewd, obscene, or indecent sexual proposal in the District of Columbia under penalty of not more than $300 fine, or imprisonment of not more than 90 days, or both, for each and every such offense.
§ 22-1321. Disorderly conduct.
Whoever, with intent to provoke a breach of the peace, or under circumstances such that a breach of the peace may be occasioned thereby: (1) acts in such a manner as to annoy, disturb, interfere with, obstruct, or be offensive to others; (2) congregates with others on a public street and refuses to move on when ordered by the police; (3) shouts or makes a noise either outside or inside a building during the nighttime to the annoyance or disturbance of any considerable number of persons; (4) interferes with any person in any place by jostling against such person or unnecessarily crowding such person or by placing a hand in the proximity of such person’s pocketbook, or handbag; or (5) causes a disturbance in any streetcar, railroad car, omnibus, or other public conveyance, by running through it, climbing through windows or upon the seats, or otherwise annoying passengers or employees, shall be fined not more than $250 or imprisoned not more than 90 days, or both.
Even still, if you end up getting booked for it, don’t worry, you probably won’t end up on the sex offender registry in the District. MD and VA are probably also safe, provided, again, you’re not being a jackass.
Sounds like you’re pretty well safe in DC, SO LONG AS YOU WEAR UNDERWEAR. Don’t let your hoo-ha or schlong hang out and you should be just fine, so long as you aren’t being provocative or a jackass. So ride in silence, you brave souls, and you should be fine. Please be reminded I am not now, nor ever have I been, a lawyer. If you want to read the regs for MD or VA, they’re contained in the extended entry.
This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs Continue reading
By Don
The Penn Quarter Living blog has taken some pictures and noticed that the Newseum looks to be ready to start putting up a selection of the day’s front pages again. The Express story includes a picture of the old Clarendon Rosslyn location display but gpliving’s post at PQL has shots of the new and different appearance. Looks like the over & under is gone and it’ll be a longer series of one-ups, hopefully reducing crowd density when there’s a lot of tourists in the area.
If you just can’t wait for the physical display you can still see a selection of papers on the Newseum’s website, a feature that has continued through construction. Their about page, um, about the feature, includes an artist’s rendering of that the completed display will supposedly look like, though it certainly looks indoor and the ones in PQL’s post seem to be staying outdoors, so perhaps the layout changed.
Update: As Tom points out, the old Newseum was in Rosslyn, not Clarendon. He did not point out that I am dain bramaged and simply cannot learn to keep the two locations distinct.
This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs
By Tom Bridge
As I drove back from the client with the Epic Fail problem, I passed the Hotel Washington and noticed the story-tall SALE signs that were in every exterior window. NBC 4 has all the details of the sale, which runs through Friday. What I didn’t realize is that the 15th Street location will be the home of DC’s first chic-chic W Hotel. No, not after the president, but after the chain of Starwood Luxury Hotels that feature extra nice rooms and giant suites. So yeah, hit up the Hotel Washington Sale. It’s not quite the Watergate, but it’s not the Quality Inn, either.
This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs
By Tom Bridge
Just a reminder for all you Pogues fans who got shut out of the first show, the second show is now available for purchase. It’s at 7pm on the 10th of March. Thanks much to commenter Ed The Red who made sure I knew where to get tickets. He is, as they say, The Man.
This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs
By Tom Bridge
In my travels today, I came across this new sign outside the suite of my client’s neighbor. It was newly printed, made to appear as if it’s metal, but they get a nice dose of EPIC FAIL for printing the Braille Dots on the page, but failing to properly raise them in relief from the rest of the sign.
It’s not that they can’t read. It’s that they can’t fucking see, you morons.
This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs
By Don
This Saturday the Shakespeare Theater is going to join the distinguished crowd of local theaters offering material for families interested in taking their kids out for some something a little different than Alvin and the Chimpmunks Get Neutered 7: Totally Nuts. On the Eve of Friday Morning is a play written by local Norman Allen that’s meant for audiences 8 and up. It sounds like a good story regardless of your age, in fact, and I’m sorry that getting Wayan married off is going to keep me from going to see it.
In Iran, Nassrin’s father has been imprisoned for teaching banned books. While Nassrin waits for word of his release, her mother tells the ancient Persian tale of Mushkil Gusha, one customarily told before the Friday holy day. Through the magic of storytelling, Nassrin steps into the story, where she meets Bahad, a boy from a thousand years ago. Together they meet unusual characters, visit worlds beyond the clouds, and learn the ways of the mysterious Mushkil Gusha. On her adventure, Nassrin discovers the importance of passing on good fortune to those in need.
The show’s going to run from the 12th through the 19th with school performances during the week. The shows for the public will be on January 12 at 11 a.m and January 13 and 19 at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. and tickets will be $15.
If you’d like to go a little above and beyond, there’ll be an opening celebration at 1:30pm this Saturday for $75 which will “include a performance of On the Eve of Friday Morning and a special post-performance reception featuring food and activities that celebrate Persian culture.”
Sidney Harman Hall
610 F Street NW (at the corner of Sixth and F Streets NW)
Interested individuals should call the box office at 202.547.1122. Interested school groups should contact Group Sales at 202.547.1122, option 5.
This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs
By Tom Bridge
Metro’s On Time? Not So Much.
It is said that the Italians tolerated Mussolini because the trains ran on time. Maybe Metro needs to look into that sort of customer mollification? According to the Post, Metro’s been in a 17-month performance slide in terms of their on-time record. Not once in those 17 months have they met their 95% benchmark for on-time trains. Meanwhile, dissatisfaction with Metrorail is growing, with 30% more service disruptions this year over last.
Capital Police Officer Convicted on Kiddie Porn
15 years in jail goes to Sergeant Michael Malloy formerly of the U.S. Capitol Police for soliciting an underage girl to produce child pornography. That’s pretty classy, Sergeant. He’s also facing sexual assault charges in the District. Queue up Rilo Kiley’s “15” for the sentencing hearing of that one…
Could DC Child Welfare Have Prevented Four Homicides?
The four sisters who were found in an advanced state of decomposition in their Southeast DC home by the US Marshals who were serving an eviction notice were “Lost” by the Child Welfare System in DC. Asked to investigate truancy charges, the Child Welfare System just assumed they had left the area when no one answered the door, and left it at that. Sounds like some seriously piss-poor “investigative” skills over there. But that could just be me.
Kaine pushes for repeal of Abusive Driver Fees
Citing no reduction in traffic infractions, accidents and fatalities on the roads of Virginia, Governor Kaine has recommended the fees be repealed. Of course, they’re not on pace to meet their $60M in fundraising for the state, either, but I bet that’s got nothing to do with it. Wonder how much it made Del. David Albo in legal fees, though?
This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs
By Tom Bridge
As I left Clarendon at the end of the day, I got lucky with my iPhone camera and took this gem. It was an absolutely beautiful day today, this is the kind of weather I want to be my winter time, and if that means packing up and moving to California, I think I could handle that.
Though, if this is global warming? Sign me up.
This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs
By Jenn Larsen
Thanks to lunch last Friday at Bistro d’Oc (not to mention watching Anthony Bourdain suck marrow Monday night), I’m obsessing about offal.
This is all new for me, but apparently offal was all the rage in NYC a few years back, and is cropping up on more menus in DC. I think my first experience was veal tongue at Palena. Odd mouth feel, but rather good. Then various bits of lamb organs – heart, kidneys, liver – surreal to look at, but again, rather good. Followed by fried sweetbreads at PS7, orgasmically rich. That was where the tastebuds got addicted! And now last week’s unbelievably delectable lamb brains sauteed in lemon caper sauce at Bistro d’Oc…
I stumbled across former DC chef Chris Cosentino’s offal site (from Red Sage and Kinkead’s before we lost him to San Francisco) – check it out if you are at all curious about this facet of food. It’s very informative, with some squeamish pics.
Previously skeptical when people claimed that offal can be the best, I’m now wondering if my constant mental refrain “need more lamb brains more brains more” proves it.
Either that or I’ve become a zombie.
This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs
… and I hope you did too. Enjoy this rare January gift while it lasts, kids, because it’s supposed to start raining tomorrow afternoon, and while Friday is still supposed to be warm, the forecast calls for rain.
So get out and enjoy the (relative) warmth and sunshine this afternoon before it all goes to crap again.
This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs
By Jenn Larsen
This morning in the office I discovered that several co-workers have opted to switch to Metrobus rather than Metrorail due to the recent fare increase. Though it wasn’t remotely a scientific poll, not only was it directly discussed in coffee break conversations but also randomly overheard in the hallways. For the most part, these were my twentysomething colleagues for whom the increase really does add up.
What struck me most was the surprise in their voices about their new experiences, that riding the bus could actually be comfortable and convenient. Now, I’ve been riding the 66/68 for the past seven years, and I’ve seen the demographic change dramatically. The bus is far more diverse now in the past two years, in both age and race, than it was in the first five years I rode it. But for most of that time, I was consistently struck by how many people were surprised, even shocked, when I said I rode the bus. I really had no idea that many people consider it a bad thing to do – and that they considered it not just dangerous bad, but class bad.
So, what’s the word? Are you a bus-hater? Do you think it says something negative about your socio-economic status to ride? Or are you positive? Are you changing your transportation habits from rail to bus because of the increase? From car to bus because of the environment? I’m curious…
This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs
By Tom Bridge
I was hoping we’d have had more intervening entries between yesterday’s roundup and today’s, but that’s just not how things worked out today. We’re going to be announcing an open call for writers in the next week or so, but if you want to get a head start on that, feel free to email me at tom at metroblogging dot com and we’ll get the ball rolling. But, in the meantime, here’s some news.
DC’s Schools rank 51st in Nation, VA, MD have strong showing
The Post has a piece up today on the rankings from Editorial Projects in Education (publisher of Education Week, one of the big rags in the Edu-industry) that place the District dead last among the states based on a formula that makes the BCS look like something you learned in Grade School. Yeah, DC got a D-. Virginia got a B- and Maryland brought home a B. Maryland was actually #3 in the poll, which is pretty impressive. Looks like DC’s got work to do.
Speaking of the Schoools…
The City Council has approved the plan that gives Chancellor Rhee the ability to fire non-union employees in the central office without cause. The plan reclassifies 70% of the Central Office employees into the kind that Rhee can send packing. Maybe this’ll help?
25 Years for Tonya Bell
Monday’s News update spoke of the victims testifying at Tonya Bell’s sentencing hearing. It worked. She’s spending 25 years behind bars. Bell “apologized” to the victims, but I think her apology can’t cover the damage she brought to so many lives.
Lyme Disease on the rise in MD
As I know someone who caught Lyme Disease in 2007, this one hits close to home. Lyme Disease cases doubled in Maryland last year to over 2,200. So, watch yourself when the weather warms up. If you’re spending time out and about in the world, watch it, and spend some time learning about what causes it.
This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs
It’s a religiously fraught day in DC sports, with Coach Joe “Messiah” Gibbs resigning and the Pope planning a mass in the new Nationals Park. And what would a morning in the greater DC area be without a public official behaving poorly and construction on a major commuter route?
Gibbs Resigns From Redskins
Coach Joe Gibbs will announce his resignation this afternoon, according to the AP. He made a valiant effort, but some teams are beyond saving. I remember a coworker of mine being convinced that the Skins were going to win the Superbowl in Coach Gibbs’ first season back after years of abysmal performances. “Dude, his name is Joe, not Jesus.”
Pope Benedict to hold Mass at Nationals Park
Who knew Pope Benedict was a fan of the diamond? His Holiness will be saying Mass in center field on April 17th, his only public event when he visits Washington in the spring. Personally, I want to see if he can catch a pop-up fly.
Anne Arundel County Exec Rejects Children’s Artwork
County Executive John Leopold is reneging on a promise to display a mural created by a local artist and some schoolchildren because it’s “too busy to the eye.” I was not aware that we were engaging in artistic criticism of school art projects now… my mom always put my artwork up on the refrigerator, after all.
Lane Closures on 66
Expect to see delays during the late morning all week on I-66, as a couple of the westbound lanes will be closed to start drilling holes for a retailing wall near Exit 68.
This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs
By Tom Bridge
This afternoon, Capital Weather announced via Marc Fisher that they’ll be joining the gang in the Post’s blogging arena. Capital Weather will become the Capital Weather Gang and be featured in the Post’s ever-burgeoning stable of blogs as part of the WPNI section of the Paper.
Congratulations to Jason Samenow and his crafty gang of intrepid meteorologists!
This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs
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