By Tom Bridge
txt msg
Originally uploaded by Andrew Huff
Okay, okay, typing that headline made MY eyes bleed. But the Metropolitan Police Department is now accepting tips about crimes via text message. In the vein of “If you see something, say something,” you can now text the police at 50411.
The best in all of this?
I woulda thought it was the other way around, putting the 411 (Information) to the 5-0 (Police)…
By MJ
Pastries at the Lincoln Memorial by cakespy
I don’t always go through the paper as thoroughly as I’d like — okay, I usually don’t — but I was glad I picked up the Food section a Wednesday or two ago. After reading the article on Pastry Xpo, I knew I had to try the place. The herb mixture described in the thyme herb croissants sounded a lot like za’atar, a delicious concoction I’d first discovered years ago in Israel. Hot, freshly baked breads covered with this dark spice mix, available from bakeries open to the streets like stalls, made for an unforgettable snack or breakfast experience not generally available around here.
This storefront coffee/pastry shop is located in a block long strip of recently-opened shops off of Gallows Road and Lee Highway, not far from the Dunn Loring Metro. The Post article refers to this as the Merrifield Town Center; I must be missing something.
The savory aroma as I came into the store, which I soon confirmed was the thyme-herb croissants in the oven, had me feeling right at home. Though I glanced at the cases of tantalizing house made chocolates, cakes and cookies, that smell was unmistakably what I was there for.
Continue reading
By Wayan
Photo by furcafe in the WeLoveDC Flickr Pool
WMATA is having one hell of a bad day, nay, bad month, that just happens to be capped by a really bad day. We’ve had multiple Metrorail outages today, on the Red, Yellow, Orange, and now all Metrorail lines. And who knows how many escalators are out.
You can blame the high heat. You can blame the creaking system. You can even blame power companies, both Pepco and Dominion. But don’t blame the record high ridership. In fact, wonder why Metrorail has such problems with such low ridership.
First, listen to Metrorail croon about its fiscal 2008 ridership:
For the third consecutive year, more than 200 million people rode the Metrorail system during a fiscal year, and for the 12th consecutive year ridership increased on the rail system.
In fiscal year 2008 (July 1, 2007, through June 30, 2008), 215,314,956 customers went through the faregates, a 3.6 percent increase, or 7 million more customers than fiscal year 2007
Sounds impressive, eh? Like you might be more crowded on the trains when they do run. That’s until you realize that back in the 1970’s, the system was designed for 323 million annual riders.
So, rather than being grossly overcrowded, Metrorail is actually grossly under ridden – 108 million riders short of its expected volume – or only 2/3 of the capacity it was supposedly designed for. And yet, even with 1/3 more design capacity WMATA can barely keep trains running at all, much less on time.
As you imagine a third more passengers crammed in against you on an overcrowded car, all I can say is: thank god those projections were so off, else we’d all be going to hell on Metrorail.
Hat tip to DC City Desk to keep Metrorail in perspective.
By Tom Bridge
Somewhere, deep within the bowels of the Metro tunnels lives the supercomputer that runs the trains. It keeps them running without (often) hitting other trains, it keeps the schedule on pace, and it powers those fancy clocks on each platform.
Unfortunately, it took a shit in the middle of Rush Hour.
Meaning that all the signals for the entirety of the Metro system are currently offline. Meaning it’s tough to move trains.
Did I mention that it gets kinda hot down in those stations? And the platforms get kinda full? Take a cab, if you haven’t left work yet.
By brownpau
Adding on to today’s series of epic Metro multifails (1,2) WMATA kindly informs us that a Dominion Virginia Power problem will be causing Orange Line delays through the evening rush. Power is out at Dunn Loring station, meaning no elevators or escalators, and Orange Line trains will alternate termination points between West Falls Church and Vienna.
Plan accordingly. Me, I’m walking the literal extra mile to the Red Line.
By Max
CNN is reporting that a spa in Alexandria is offering a “fish pedicure”. It’s easy really. Just stick your feet in a tub of water and watch a whole bunch of tiny fish swarm all over your feet, eating off the dead skin. Sound like fun?
One customer describes it as “the best pedicure I ever had”, adding “I’d been an athlete all my life, so I’ve always had calluses on my feet. This was the first time somebody got rid of my calluses completely.”
Another customer “admitted she was nervous as she prepared for her first fish pedicure. But her apprehension dissolved into laughter after she put her feet in the tank and the fish swarmed to her toes.”
How about you DC? Does this sound fishy to you, or have you made the trek out to Arlington to have your dead skin eaten off? Please let us know how your experience was. This could very well be the next big thing.
By brownpau
At Union Station, the south escalator down into the Metro station is broken. I walk slowly down the steps behind a man with a cane having some trouble. A MARC train appears to have arrived and the Metro station platform is full, but Red Line trains to Shady Grove are running seven minutes apart — at rush hour. A voice on the PA system fuzzily announces a delay, and that trains are moving. I am unable to squeeze into the first train that arrives, but manage to get into the one after it. At Metro Center, a 6-car Blue Line train is waiting, but one car is dark and closed. Then at Foggy Bottom, one of the two escalators going up from platform to mezzanine is broken, forming a huge bottleneck. Again, another up-escalator is broken from mezzanine to street level, causing yet more traffic. Finally I emerge into the hot, hot sun. Not a good Metro day.
Those of you who are fans of Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog (and if you aren’t, I don’t know what’s wrong with you) will be interested to know that Joss “I done lost my mind during the writers’ strike” Whedon will be doing a chat with our very own Washington Post today at noon to discuss the show. Those of you who haven’t seen it have just enough time to download the online-only show from iTunes and catch up on it as the chat starts. It has everything you could want: Neil Patrick Harris as Dr. Horrible, Nathan Fillion as Captain Hammer, and catchy tunes.
By Tom Bridge
When the Child & Family Services Agency in DC dismissed its director on Friday, and appointed Roque Gerald as interm director, they knew about his record. In 1989, Gerald was sued by a former patient that he’d had sex with while she was under Gerald’s care. The case was settled out of court for an undisclosed sum of money. Now, of course, city officials looks like they have egg on their face, despite the fact that AG-nominee Peter Nickles says that Gerald came to them with this information during the selection process, according to WAMU.
Here’s the question: Since this happened almost two decades ago, and since no criminal charges were brought against Gerald, does this make any difference about his administrative role at CFSA?
By Tom Bridge
Virginia saw a major uptick in voter registration in the 18-25 age bracket for this fall’s election, with a 10% increase over last year. Is this an Obama-related uptick? It seems that his message, and his marketing, and his appearance, may be having an effect on the younger crowd.
Voter registration is up 5% across the board in Virginia, but up 10% in the 18-25 bracket, year over year.
By Max
Sacha Jones by Max Cook
While the Washington Kastles lost their match yesterday (23-19) against the Philadelphia Freedoms, they played their hearts out until the bitter end. Thanks to an intense women’s singles effort by Sacha Jones, the game went into overtime where she was quickly defeated by Audra Cohen, 1-0.
By Tom Bridge
It’s hard to say good things about the Nationals. Last in the NL East, and 15 games back of the Mets. 23 games under .500.
But, hey, we won 2 of 3 from the Braves in Atlanta. And, Sunday’s win, much like Saturday’s, was proof that the Nationals do, in fact, have an offense that can produce some serious runs when the stars align. Unfortunately, most of the time, we’re in discord.
By Wayan
Hot tip for those hoping to cross the Potomac River on Metrorail’s Yellow Line.
Due to an emergency at L’Enfant Station, Yellow Line trains are not crossing the river after Crystal City.
Better to catch a Blue Line train and pray.
Friend-of-We Love DC Andy Myers is profiled in the Post Magazine this week as part of their “Washington Originals” series. Andy was chosen because he’s the sommelier at CityZen, and also a total metalhead who spends his free time playing in a metal band. The accompanying video, presenting each of Andy’s passions as alter egos of each other, was pretty entertaining, but I have to say that having met Andy… it’s not as incongruous as you think. Read the story, watch the video… and throw the goat the next time you have an especially tasty glass of wine.
By Tom Bridge
I’d lived here easily a year before I ever ventured down to the Mall and saw something at the Smithsonian. As many of said in our entries on why we love this town, the free museums in Washington are replete with options for the local tourist. As “Staycations” become more popular with gas prices on the rise, go out and see some of your own city and enjoy it.
This first column will focus on a few of the open exhibitions that are happening in the Smithsonian Museums on the Mall. But, as we explore the District’s Tourist options, we’ll be heading far afield from the Mall. Feel free to drop us hints in the comments about where your favorite local spots are.
For now, though, let’s take a look at what’s going on at the Smithsonian this weekend!
By Tom Bridge
I was in a daze when I heard the story the first time. I hadn’t had my coffee yet. I was still kinda asleep after a night of tossing and turning. But then, I heard it again. The story was real.
Let’s get some stuff straight before I launch into what I suspect will be a tirade. I like guns. While I don’t own one myself, I think that the general population should be allowed to own firearms, especially for home protection. No, I’m not one of those “Hey, let’s all Open Carry!” guys, and it’s unlikely that I’d stand up and argue for a Concealed Carry Permit in the District. But I am for the individual’s right to bear arms for self-preservation, and that’s my belief no matter where you are in the United States.
So, along comes the new District gun law, which seems designed to be one-way ticket right back to the Supreme Court. Despite having been reviewed by actual lawyers, some of whom I believe may have failed basic reading comprehension tests, the law seems to fail the tests set up by Heller, which means the lawsuit’s coming just about any second now.
Of course, responding to City Council is Congressman Mark Souder (R-IN. Of course.) who wants to cram a law down the throats of the District at-large to override the law that is being proposed by the DC City Council. Specifically, he’s against the prohibition of Semi-Automatic Weapons, the provision for licensure of the weapons, and the only provision he should even open his mouth about, the storage requirements in the home.
Continue reading
By Brittany
Reader Shannon wrote in another suggestion for your weekend. In addition to the Whartscape festival featured earlier, Baltimore does have another, bigger festival competing for your attention: Artscape 2008.
Artscape claims to be the country’s largest free public arts festival. The event includes visual arts as well as just about every kind of performance you can think of – fashion shows, music, theatre, film… There is even a category of “Exotic-Hypnotic” which has several events each day. Charm City Craft Mafia and other indie crafters will be selling their work at DIY @ Artscape.
These activities and much more will take place in numerous venues around the city, Friday and Saturday noon to 10, and Sunday noon to 8.
By brownpau
On the ground floor of GWU HOVA there is this checkerboard-tiled establishment which sits sadly empty and unused. It looks like it might have once been a 1950s diner; could some enterprising restaurant management grad make it one again?
By Carl Weaver
I had never seen beer this expensive before going to a Nationals game. Sure I had a good time, but that $7.50 beer stuck in my craw a little. I just got invited to go to another game and will likely go but will likely not buy a beer or even a bottle of water, since the water costs what a beer should cost.
What do you do to enjoy a cool drink at the ball game? Do you bend over and pay the $7.50? Drain a 12-pack on Metro on the way over? Smuggle a flask into the ballpark? I’d love to hear your solutions to this.
By Brittany
“X in DC: March” courtesy of irrezolut
Thursday, July 17: I discovered We Were Pirates when he (Great Falls, VA resident Mike Boggs + laptop) was a winner of a This American Life remix contest. The pop confection break-up song produced for the radio show was a representative introduction to We Were Pirates’ oeuvre – if less polished-sounding than official releases. Besides, everybody loves Fort Reno.
Friday, July 18: I am not going to be telling you about a lot of music that gets played at Irish “pubs” in places like Sterling, VA. But, then, Ned Devines’ stage probably does not often have acts like Virginia Beach rappers the Clipse. Is there something I am missing that makes this seem less awkward than I think?
By 
