Someone, a while back, told me that unless you go before Congress and talk about every shitty thing that’s broken about even the best thing in the world, you’re going to come away with less money. So, that must be the strategy that Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton participated in yesterday when she suggested we should be ashamed of the National Mall, or when John Ackridge called the Mall a “disgrace” in front of Congress.

I know there’s worn grass on the Mall, the result of tourists wearing convenient paths across the Nation’s Front Lawn, and that perhaps some trees aren’t in the best shape, but to call it a disgrace?

I think that’s an insult to this town, honestly.

Washington DC Mall from Capitol Hill — Originally uploaded by looking_for_a_cause

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I haven’t written up our whole Hunt experience, but hopefully I’ll find time while it’s still semi-fresh in my mind; I think it would be interesting for those of you thinking of going (if there is a) next time to hear what it’s like in context, rather than just read the amazingly intimidating puzzles in the sample.

I did want to share with you, however, a quick (blurry) picture from one of the puzzle sites when we went to see it. This puzzle was a variant on the usual President’s Race from a National’s game, with the addition of a “surprise contestant” who the announcer refers to as a “male hoofed ruminant.” In the parlance of the race that’s “a buck,” by the way.

What I didn’t realize till later when speaking to a Hunt staffer is that they actually had arranged for the big-headed racers from the games to participate, as seen in the video here. We just happened to come by when they had let the actual runners go on break and some volunteers stepped in to run for a few races. For my money (hah!) the fake presidents were better, though it would have been fun if Nixon had gotten a conspirator to interfere with one of the other racers. While off to a strong start here, Jimmy unfortunately didn’t place in the top three…

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Words of wisdom from a bar owner? I’m probably not the first to feel this way about a guy promoting mood-enhancing libations. But if you’re looking for an interesting and possibly mind-expanding conversation, try Commy at the Saloon on U Street. He’s something else—and you’ll enjoy good beer at the same time.

Oh, turns out the City Paper featured him when they put out their “best of DC” issue last month. Photo and all.

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I’ve been meaning to write about my Artomatic experience for a few days now. I biked over there this past weekend, not sure how long I’d stay but hoping I’d find it as laid back and welcoming as I did a couple of years ago, the last time I went.

I wasn’t disappointed. What I love the most about Artomatic, which no one else has mentioned, is that it’s a big public space where hanging out is totally ok. Unlike a gallery or a mall, no one owns it or is territorially hoping to make money off of you. And unlike one of our Grand National Museums, you can just be there, without feeling like people are looking at you askance for not moving along.

So my friends and I engaged in some quality hanging out—we meandered about, asked strangers random questions, burst into impromtu dance sequences. Whatever.

The art? Right, the art. It was also pretty great. I remember a lot of it seeming pretty awful last time, but this time I was quite impressed. A couple of the ceramic exhibits on the 10th floor (I think) genuinely looked like they could’ve been in some chichi gallery somewhere.

The On the Fly guy was parked out front—the actual guy I met last week and blogged about—in case folks get hungry. Oh, and be prepared to run into lots of people you know. Including neighbors and ex-boyfriends. Just so you’re ready.

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Every year around this time, I get the wanderlust. Part of me thinks about moving off to another city, part of me thinks about moving into the District to become a formal “city mouse”. Not that I don’t love my current neighborhood, but part of me thinks that the District is where it’s at. So, if that’s the case, where do I look? I know Wayan’s high on Petworth, but I don’t think I want a half million dollar mortgage right now. Where’s good these days? I hear good thinks about the new North of Massachusetts neighborhood that’s getting developed, or maybe something over near the new ballpark, given my love for the Nationals.

My budget? Well, it’s kinda variable, and a lot of things depend on what we sell our current place for. Let’s just say it’s around $400k. Pluses: within a mile of a metro station (line doesn’t matter) or on a bus-line straight to a metro. Parking for a single car that’s feasible. Minuses: nowhere near public transit, high condo/HOA fees.

What’s the word on the street DC?

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Apparently President Bush may have actually lost money during his tenure in the white house. According to the Washington Post, his “financial fortunes appear to have declined over the past seven years, with his family assets dropping as low as $6.5 million”. So let’s see, he “won” two elections but then lost a bunch of money, lost nearly everyone’s respect, and is in the process of losing a war.

I guess that proves that he really is a loser?

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17 officers fired from the Metropolitan Police Department for misconduct were rehired by the department, because of bureaucratic failures within the internal affairs department. They missed a deadline or two, and as a result, arbitrators and the courts have forced Chief Lanier to rehire 17 officers not fit for duty. They were fired initially for reasons including lying about their hours, and accessing private citizens’ information and making it public with suggestions to investigate the individuals, on internet sites not associated with the police department.

Wait. We’re rehiring 17 bad cops because the department can’t get their shit together to file some papers? Epic fail, Chief Lanier. Epic fail.

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What can I tell you about The Shakespeare Theater Company‘s productions of Julius Caesar and Antony and Cleopatra? You don’t come here for Shakespeare criticism and I’m not up to the challenge. There’s some things to say about the players on stage – Suzanne Bertish is spot-on, Andrew Long, Aubrey K. Deeker, Dan Kremer and all the other locals are good as well – but so what? We know STC isn’t going to put any stinkers up on stage and truth be told, if you’re inclined to go see either of these plays you’re probably not going to see any one person. These are not the avenues to catch a tour de force blow-the-doors-off piece of acting – the roles don’t lend themselves to it and they’re both huge ensembles – I stopped counting during the Julius Caesar curtain call when I got to the thirtieth performer.

So then, what can I tell you? Odds are good you read one or both of these in your high school careers, and they haven’t changed. Nor has STC altered their placement in time or location: these are the Roman plays as they were written; no movement to World War I or modern day New York City. Both have the same problem for us as modern audiences as they did for us then – it’s hard to find someone to root for in Julius Caesar, as full of connivers and killers as it is, or Antony and Cleopatra, with person after person making foolish and impulsive decisions.

You either are or are not the kind of person interested in seeing one of these plays, so what I say won’t sway you on the merits of the text. What I can tell you is that if you’re inclined to go, you’re going to be satisfied. If you’re not inclined, there’s not going to be something new or unusual there to overcome your reluctance. Somewhere in the world someone is going to stage Julius Caesar in a way to draw the parallel to American preemptive Middle-Eastern intervention, with Brutus and most of his cohorts being prodded into making a well-meaning decision by an arrogant and petty Cassius who’s been spending too much time on the New American Century website. Once they go down that bloody road they’ll discover that the aftermath isn’t as easy and painless as they expected and not everyone is convinced that their reasons were sound or sufficient.

This is not that production of Julius Caesar.

Neither is this Antony and Cleopatra evocative of a modern married government leader who thinks with parts south of the border and makes decisions that endanger his position to the point where he finds himself at odds with his peers and fighting to hold on to his power.

What these are, instead, are faithful classic productions set in the Harman’s lovely spaces with fairly minimal but highly effective staging. Caesar goes little beyond tapestries and hangings, where Antony and Cleopatra add some tables and pieces that more evoke a ship than represent it. The costuming is stunning and the music near perfect. There’s only two quibbles I’d make, both with the production of Julius Caesar, but they’re minor.

The boxes at the back of the Harman’s stage are a nice location for semi-hidden participants like percussionist Martin Desjardins normally, but during parts where performers are on the upper level he’s a little too prominent. If you’re not an actor I don’t feel like I should be able to discern your facial expressions during the production – it’s distracting. More bothersome but come and gone more rapidly is the bit of foolishness that someone felt they needed to pop into the scene where Brutus and Cassius face off across the battlefield from Octavius and Antony. While Antony is supposed to be a bit cavalier and light-hearted, it’s jarring to see him good around while eating and apple while Brutus and Cassius determine if they’re going to enter into a bloody battle. Having him wordlessly and goofilly offer the man who they’ve just determined to fight a bite before walking back to his own camp is just grating, particularly so short a time after we’ve seen him deliver an impassioned speech about his friend who was murdered by the very person he’s trying to share his snack with.

These are little things, however, and won’t ruin your experience if it’s one you want to have.

Julius Caesar and Antony and Cleopatra
Sidney Harman Hall 610 F Street NW, Washington, DC 20004
through July 6th, 2008.

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Have we really reached that point, DC, where we’re closer to LA than we’d like to admit? Has the purse-dog revolution finally reached its apex that the little creatures are now welcome inside various business establishments?

I always thought we were more of a golden-lab or maybe a basset hound or beagle kind of town, myself. Or, maybe this place is more interested in your Pirate’s Companionâ„¢ parrot? Or maybe the Iguana on a leash?

I just hope that we don’t see more silly purse-riding chihuahuas in this town. That would offend.

Your purse dog is welcome. — Originally uploaded by tbridge

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Last night, we went up to Charm City to catch The Swell Season (Warning, Plays Music) at Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, nominally the home of the BSO. Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova, fresh off their win of the Oscar for Best Original Song from Once.

Hansard & Irglova brought three instrumentalists from The Frames, making for a sextet of considerable talent. Colm Mac Con Iomaire joined the group on violin, as well. I was incredibly impressed by the balance in the Meyerhoff. I’ve seen amplified shows in concerts halls go horribly awry, but last night’s sound was nothing short of incredible.

I’m excited to pick up the show when it ends up on Played Last Night later this week, as it featured multiple new songs, and a killer cover of Van Morrison.

If you missed the show on Saturday night at the Meyerhoff, don’t fret, they’re playing V Fest at Pimlico in August. And, of course, if you just want to see the great space at the Meyerhoff, the BSO is playing all summer.

Swell Season — Originally uploaded by girlzone41

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As we were coming home from the Lewis Black show on Friday night, this was the ad on the Orange Line train back to Clarendon. I appreciate that being vegan will allow you to play with chickens, or something. Those folks I know who participate in farmers’ markets and CSA will frequently be able to go observe the chickens in their habitat.

So, I’m not sure that going vegan will really help the chickens anymore than, say, buying your eggs and chicken from a local farm who treat their chickens right.

But really, this whole entry is an excuse for the headline. Put your alternate headlines in the comments.

Stroke that cock, Vegan! — Originally uploaded by tbridge

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The storm that soaked us all last weekend, brought down limbs all over town, and gave us a good 6″ of much-needed rain and some very wet English Basement apartments in the District also gave us some amazing pictures out at Bethany Beach just over in Delaware.

Check out the May 2008 set, which seems to show a survey ship absolutely wrecked by some very unstable seas and caused some major erosion out at the shore. Yikes!

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Although there’s a number of people in this town who could do with a good case of lockjaw, I personally think the frothing at the mouth could get distracting, not to mention a little worrisome for the tourists. So you should keep that in mind when you interact with our wildlife and when you ponder if you should keep Fido and Fluffy’s vaccinations up-to-date.

Just over the river in Arlington, a woman was bitten by a fox which turned out to be rabid. Apparently the shots you have to get now are less horrific than the traditional dozen in the belly, but personally I’d just as soon not experiment. The location where she got the bite is pretty densely populated and close enough to the District that we can be pretty confident that if there’s rabies in one place it’s also in the other.

The linked press release has some good information, though some of the advice strikes me funny.

Prevent bats from entering living quarters or occupied spaces in homes, churches, schools and other similar areas where they might come in contact with people or pets.

Personally bats don’t scare me and I’m glad to have them around eating insects, but still – nobody had to remind me to keep them out of my house.

Red fox pup ( wild ), courtesy of ericbegin2000

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While I’m not really a proponent of fast food intake on a regular basis (and am all for a fast food tax), I do love me some Taco Bell.

It’s been a huge part of my life since I was, oh I dunno, 10 years old? My best friend and I would ride our bikes to the Border after a long day of fishing for Bluegill in Denver. He always got the pintos and cheese which I thought was a disgusting choice. I much preferred the Taco Bell Grande, minus the tomatoes. In high school my friends and I would hit up the Bell after a crazy night on the town and laugh hysterically about the gas that ensued. One friend purposely tried to maximize the amount of refried beans he consumed, purely for the fire power. As a poor college student, my friends and I would walk across campus in our pajamas to feast on a twelve pack of tacos. I guess you could say that it’s been a staple part of my diet for a long time now.

But now living in DC I am deprived of the grade F meaty goodness. Please don’t tell me to eat at the Taco Bell/KFC combo at 14th & U. That place is a disgrace to the Taco Bell establishment. “Yes, I’d like a burrito supreme with a side order of hepatitis. Oh, and a Mountain Dew with extra mildew in my ice cubes.” Luckily we are fortunate to have a nearby state called Virginia that is full of strip malls and fast food restaurants, enabling me to treat myself to a Mexican Pizza now and then, and for that I thank you*. My stomach thanks you.

If you’re listening, Taco Bell, hear my plea. We have McDonald’s, Burger King, Wendy’s, and entirely too many Subways. All I’m asking for is one good Taco Bell. Trust me, my friends and I will keep you in business.

* – I also thank Virginia for the hot women who seem to migrate into the city during the night and vanish when the sun comes up.

Photo by Porky Jupp.

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If you’re looking for an eating treat this weekend, The Brewers Association has an option for you tonight or in one of two time-slots tomorrow: “SAVOR: An American craft beer & food experience.” They have a lot of verbiage to describe and promote it, but I’d boil it down to this: Why should the wine drinkers have all the fun?

This is an event for people, like me, who think that beer & food go together every bit as well and with just as much potential subtlety as wine & food. To that end, there’s sub-sessions – which they call their salons – that will examine beer & cheese pairings, beer & dips, beer & the offerings of the Chesapeake bay (seeing a trend here?). You might want to check the schedule of salons before you commit to a certain session, since they’re different and not repeated. I’ll be there tonight and hope I can fit into the beer & cheese session. Dips interests me less – I get enough of them in my professional life. [insert high-hat ba-dum-DUM here]

Even if you don’t join the salons the selection of food and beer that is promised to be on hand to sample is prodigious. The participating brewery list is mouth-watering, with a range from locals Starr Hill Brewing Company and Williamsburg AleWerks to semi-locals like Dogfish Head Craft Brewery and crossing all the way to California with stops along the way. Excitingly I don’t recognize about a third of the names, meaning new beer to try.

At $85 it’s not the cheapest food and beverage event ever, but with close to 100 beers to sample it compares very favorably with the kind of wine events I’ve told you about from the Giramondo company, for example, where you sample 4-9 wines at a cost of around $60, and is well in line with the tasting menus at a lot of restaurants.

Photo by Souders Studios as seen in The Best of American Beer and Food

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My First Rose of the Year! We’re usually 7-10 days behind the beautiful exploding vine of roses that my neighbors, two doors down, have planted along their walkway. The aphids stayed away this year, mostly distracted by the wild rose vine that sprung up last summer. There’s something about this year, I think I’m in for a good garden.

My tomatoes went in on Monday, and my Tomato Ladders came via fedex this morning. The dill is starting to take root, and my lavender pot is overflowing. Excellent.

First Rose — Originally uploaded by tbridge

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So last night me and the missus went to look at a couple of townhomes, one of which we’re considering purchasing. We’d both had a really long mental day at our dayjobs, so I suggested we make the trip out to the Cold Stone Creamery on US 1, near the I-495 interchange. There’s not really a good place for ice cream near our current home and we both like the taste of CSC’s ice cream. So it’s worth the drive for us.

Read the rest of our adventure after the jump.

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If you didn’t read the chat I linked in yesterday’s post, you might have missed my old cow-orker Andy shamelessly attempting to shill his archive site.

D.C. Here I Come, FL: How ironic would it be if someone from South Florida placed in the Hunt, knowing what the prizes are?

Is there a Webs ite with more information?

“Not Andy the tropichunt.com guy¿”

Really.

Okay, maybe it is.

washingtonpost.com: Post Hunt

Gene Weingarten: True fact: One team has won three times. They’ll be coming in. From Seattle.

Although the chat coor-dinators did take kind of a swipe at him by reposting the Post Tropic Hunt website url rather than the link to the Tropic/Herald Hunt Archives, as he was angling for, they did not have the knowledge to point out to him that he’s never won the Hunt once. Or been close. Even a little. Maybe because he’d imply that it would be ironic for someone from South Florida to win a trip to South Florida rather than simply unfortunate.

I can’t believe I agreed to team with someone who takes his vocabulary lessons from Alanis.

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Yesterday morning bright and early, the Park Service closed the park at Fort Reno citing massive arsenic toxicity in the soil on the site. The soil samples reported to the press were between 500 and 1,100 parts per million, or roughly 10 to 25 times the legal “safe” limit.

If you’re wondering what’s to become of the awesome concert series at Fort Reno, you’re not alone. The organizing group is looking for an alternate site if the park can’t be decontaminated quickly, as well as donations to cover the sound system and stage personnel for the concert series. If you can chip in, please do so. The Fort Reno concert series is definitely one of those awesome local events that makes DC such a great place to live.

The causes of the arsenic levels is unclear, but the Post posits a theory that it may have to do with the Civil War dead buried on the Park’s grounds, as they were likely embalmed with an arsenic-based embalming method.

If you’re concerned about arsenic poisoning, please contact poison control or go to the ER, pronto.

Arsenic — Originally uploaded by Dave Ward Photography

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Just as I predicted, Smart cars are beginning to infiltrate DC. Not that I’m Nostradamus or something, I mean these cars are cheap and built for city living so it’s no surprise that they’re starting to zoom around like giant mosquitoes.

But are they safe? Yes they are. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has given it top crash scores, however their president Adrian Lund says, “All things being equal in safety, bigger and heavier is always better. But among the smallest cars, the engineers of the Smart did their homework and designed a high level of safety into a very small package.”

I’m half tempted to buy one for myself, but I’m not sure how well I’d fit into one and plus, do chicks dig them?

Photo by kazze.

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