Monthly Archives: November 2008

Night Life, The Daily Feed
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It’s not too early: New Year’s Eve


Washington Monument fireworks
Originally uploaded by brianmka

My friends think I’m crazy for talking about New Year’s Eve already, but the Washington Post has proved me sane. They’ve compiled a list of NYE events far more extensive than what I would be able to do, while simultaneously proving me right. It’s not too early to be thinking about the way you’re going to be ringing in the New Year; in fact lots of places are taking early bird prices.

Last year we landed tickets for Shear Madness at the Kennedy Center and went to the after-party gala. Classy, not too high-key or too low-key, and a lot cheaper than the $100+ door prices most places are charging. I’d recommend it.

So will you be headed to one of the big bar events this new year? Is there one in particular that you’ve already scrambled to get tickets for?

Food and Drink, The DC 100, We Love Food
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DC Omnivore 100: #28, Oysters

Oysters at Clyde's

Enjoying a dozen oysters at Clyde's

In our ongoing quest to conquer the Omnivore 100 list, we come to #28, Oysters. It’s hardly a chore for me to kick back several dozen oysters. My love affair with the bivalves began as a child watching my grandfather stir up some homemade oyster stew, mesmerized by the delicate edges curling up in the cream. At some point as a teenager I dared my first raw bar, and the salty brine was instantly addicting. I’ve never strayed, even after a disastrous food poisoning incident in New Orleans (on my birthday, no less). No, there really is nothing like the luscious oyster, and we’re lucky in DC to have plenty of places to enjoy them.

They say eating an oyster is like kissing the sea, or a mermaid. I don’t know about that, but I do know that slurping back a mineraly oyster freshly shucked off the shell is one of those things that divides people – either you can’t stand the thought or the taste of them raw, or you love them passionately. While perfectly fried oysters battered in cornmeal certainly ranks high on my list, it’s the ritual of the dozen (or three!) that I really enjoy. So here are my top DC raw bar experiences…

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The Daily Feed, The Mall
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Rainbow

Rainbow seen from Air and Space Museum

Anyone else catch that lovely rainbow this afternoon around sunset? I was showing a friend around Air and Space at the time, and we spotted this behind the Skylab mockup just as we were on our way to check out the simulators. Just seeing that arc makes the humidity and thunderstorms today worth it.

The Daily Feed
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Metro Figures Out Deal with Belgian Bank


337/365: The Big Money
Originally uploaded by DavidDMuir

If you hadn’t heard, Metro was inches away from having a major loan called in from Belgian Bank KBC Group. It wasn’t anything they specifically had done, or a change in their credit rating, but it was tied to the credit crunch and to the downturn in the economy. The trouble started when AIG, who had insured the deal, had their credit rating dropped significantly. That’s when KBC declared the loan in technical default and sought a court injunction to fix it.

Today, KBC Group and WMATA settled in private with undisclosed terms. Which, well, seems odd for a publicly funded entity. But, they’ve settled, which means for now, Metro can continue to repay the loan over time instead of Right Now.

The Daily Feed
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Winter Escape: Butterflies at the Museum of Natural History


butta-fly
Originally uploaded by NCinDC

I’m ALL ABOUT escaping winter. Days like yesterday and today make me depressed. So I’m forever in search of places that will make me feel all warm and like spring is here. One of those such places is the Butterfly Pavilion at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.

$6 will grant you entrance to a magical atrium full of plants and more than 300 butterflies. Lots of bright flowers, fruit and foliage turn the pavilion into a tropical oasis. And the butterflies are literally everywhere, in all different colors. You pretty much forget it’s winter outside.

$6 sound steep to you? The pavilion is free on Tuesdays! The Butterfly Pavilion is open for first entry at 10:15 a.m. and closes with the final entry at 5:00 p.m. The National Museum of Natural History is located on the National Mall at the Smithsonian Metro Station on the orange and blue lines.

The Daily Feed
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Metro Open Late Sunday


Metro swirls
Originally uploaded by rpongsaj

WMATA said today they’ll be extending Metro train hours on Sunday to 1 AM closure, to give ‘Skins fans attending the game the chance to actually get home.

Keep in mind that if you park at the Metro garage at Morgan Blvd or Largo, you’ll need a SmarTrip card to exit AND they’ll be charging you $25 for the privilege. The paid parking will begin three hours before and ends two hours after the game; parking at all other Metro stations will be free as usual on Sunday.

The Daily Feed
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Speakeasy Breaks DC Connection


Breaking wire rope
Originally uploaded by tanakawho

I know that several of our clients are affected by an area-wide service interruption at Speakeasy, a national ISP that services DC. Several T1s and DSL lines that I support are currently working as well as tin cans and string, thanks to a problem at their network operations center. It’s not exactly clear what’s causing the issue, either, and according to my contact with their support center, no one’s real sure what the ETA is for a solution. Hold tight, Speakeasy crowd, this one will get better. Eventually.

People, We Love Arts
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We Love Art: Mark Eisendrath

Sculpture by Mark Eisendrath, image courtesy of the artist

I find writing about art difficult. Music as well. Both disciplines hit me on a profoundly visceral level, a wild and wordless place that for a writer is disconcerting.

So to encourage you to attend a local artist’s opening (and full disclosure, he’s a friend as well), I think it best to stay clear of attempts to put into words what should be experienced on a tactile emotional plain.

I’ll just say – Mark Eisendrath’s sculptures are fascinating forms, riffs on glyphs, and well worth a drive out to Towson this Saturday.

 (More images and gallery info after the break)

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The Daily Feed
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Norton Calls DC Vote “Inevitable”


DC Ballot Box
Originally uploaded by cainsable

At a Veterans Day rally on Tuesday, Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton called DC voting rights “inevitable” after the results of the most recent election. Due to a higher number of Democrats in the Senate, and the election of Barack Obama to the White House, Norton intends to press for legislation to give DC voting representation in both the House and the Senate as soon as possible. She added that President-elect Obama told her personally that if a DC voting rights bill were passed, he would sign it.

What do you think, DC? Will there be actual representation in Congress after 209 years? Or will the spectre of “Senator Marion Barry” screw it all up?

Downtown, Monumental
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Monumental: Casimir Pulaski

Pulaski in the Snow
Casimir Pulaski in the Snow by tbridge

On the Eastern side of Freedom Plaza stands a horse-mounted General, with one hoof raised. It’s Casimir Pulaski, the Polish-born Father of the American Cavalry, a Revolutionary War Hero. I only mention the one hoof in the air because of the old “How many raised hoofs determines how the historical figure died,” trope. It’s totally not an accurate rule. Sure it works some of the time, but it’s a bad guide more than it is a good one. Sure, it works better at Gettysburg, just up the road, but not in DC.

Casimir Pulaski, a native of Poland, came to the Colonies after his own failed revolution against the Russians failed. His land seized, his army gone, he left in disgrace, but with a brilliant military mind. Pulaski’s arrogance, and lack of command of the English that was common on the battlefield made him a difficult fit in the Continental Army. Through the intervention of General Washington, Pulaski was made Commander of the Horse, and eventually General of an independent horse corps that fought in the Siege of Charleston and the Battle of Savannah.

Pulaski was fatally wounded in an attempt to retake Savannah from British forces, shot in the groin by grapeshot. Thus, his statue, according to the horse code, should have both front hooves raised.

Getaways
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Getaways: Happy Valley

Nittany Lion, courtesy of Ben Stanfield

Nittany Lion, courtesy of Ben Stanfield

Nestled in the hills and valleys of the Allegheney Mountains, just 3 1/2 hours from the hustle and bustle of power brokers, power breakfasts, and newly powerful administrations, lies the scenic centre of Pennsylvania, perfect for a weekend getaway.

State College, home of Penn State University, along with Nittany Lions with their legendary coach Joe Paterno, isn’t always so quiet, though. On a football Saturday, over 200,000 fans from around the region stream into town, filling hotels, Bed and Breakfasts, and RV Parking Lots with boisterous fans. Its possible this could be JoePa’s last season at Penn State, so now is the time to visit Happy Valley.

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The Daily Feed
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Thanksgiving Dinner Ideas


I’m no one’s Thanksgiving dinner!
Originally uploaded by philliefan99

One of my favorite local DC cooking blogs, The Bitten Word, is a great place to peruse for easy, tasty dinner ideas. The two authors, Zach and Clay, take the best of the best from all the cooking magazines they get in the mail and post reviews and recommendations. The salmon dish Matt and I tried a few months ago was divine.

But Clay and Zach have taken it to a whole new level, compiling ALL the Thanksgiving ideas from ALL the food magazines they subscribe to and putting it into a digest, breaking it down into turkey, sides and desserts. They also include plenty of commentary along with the links. I’m sure compiling all of that was quite a feat, but it is very helpful.

So check it out while you’re looking to plan your four course dinner, they might just have the next big family hit hidden in there.

Crime & Punishment, News, The Daily Feed, WTF?!
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Virginia Tech – Pritchard Hall Investigation – “All Clear”

Virginia Tech Logo

[UPDATE] 3:00pm EST

From VT.edu : NO THREAT – Pritchard Hall has been reopened. Police have concluded their search and found no evidence of gunfire. Further details on Virginia Tech News website.

[UPDATE] 2:56pm EST

An e-mail sent from VT Alerts to students stated that, “During the course of the investigation, eyewitnesses reported seeing people, possibly students exploding firecrackers or something else in or near a dumpster near Pritchard.  Police have found no evidence of gunfire from within or outside the building and believe the noises likely came from something other than gunfire.” 

[Original Post]

Virginia Tech’s current web page notes that Pritchard Hall (student dormitory) is on lockdown after shots are supposedly heard around 1pm EST. Virginia Tech spokeswoman says police are searching room by room; currently unknown if there were injuries. No access in or out of the dorm.

CollegiateTimes.com currently has a live blogger covering the events,  WTOP has similar details. AP reports that the sounds may be from a nearby construction site, the campus police are still investigating. We’ll update you as more becomes available.

WSET-TV Reports: “An alert on the university’s website says police are conducting a room by room search in Pritchard Hall on the Blacksburg, Va., campus. “Police have walked the halls and report NO residual smell of gunpowder.”

Continue reading →

All Politics is Local, Special Events, The Daily Feed, The Hill
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A Marriage Equality Protest, this Saturday

There seems to be a sizable across-the-nation protest shaping up for this weekend. In our area it’ll be in front of the Capital, of course, but there are sites listed in Baltimore and Richmond as well. Here’s hoping the 2,500 maybe-attending folks listed on the DC protest’s Facebook page will brave the rain and make some noise.

1:30pm Nov 15th
U.S. Capitol Reflecting Pool:
100 Constitution Ave NE
Washington, DC 20002

Downtown, Food and Drink, Night Life, We Love Drinks
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We Love Drinks: Equinox’s Cider Happy Hour

Equinox Cider Happy Hour by RSchley

Equinox Cider Happy Hour by RSchley

The Oct. 22nd edition of the Dining Out email from Washingtonian had a tip about a happy hour that sounded like a November dream – Fall Cider Happy Hour at Equinox. Yum! I do love me some cider. And my partner in crime for happy hour, Rebecca, loves herself some fall. Fall is well known as her favorite season.  So we decided this would be the perfect treat and headed over last Friday for “hard cider cocktails and complimentary snacks”.

Now, the first thing to note is that these Fall Cider Hours only happen on Fridays. And only between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m., and only until December 19th. (Then, rumor has it, the theme changes to chocolate! YES! Jenn, wanna set a date?) So if you’re looking to get yourself some “fall in a glass” (as Rebecca says), then scoot on over!

So we arrived around 6 p.m.-ish and the place was packed. So packed that we almost turned around again and headed for the door. But we were stopped by a bartender who practically forced us to stay, and took our coats and bags and put them in the check room. Which was fabulous, really, for those of us who hate to tote around all our gear while we drink. He gave us a menu and promised us he’d be back. And then the free food started coming around – we were handed some sort of glorious crispy spring roll type thing. My apologies for not knowing exactly what it was. But it was seriously good food. I was hoping the drinks would live up. Continue reading →

Entertainment, The Daily Feed
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Dreary Weekend Activities

Sunday Afternoon Rain by RSchley

Sunday Afternoon Rain by RSchley

Thursdays always make me think of Fridays, which make me think about my weekend plans. And this weekend is looking like it’s going to be a dreary one.

I don’t know about you, but it’s hard for me to motivate to get out of bed on days like today, when it’s chilly and steadily raining. So here are a list of activities for different levels of motivation this weekend, from “not leaving the house” to “rain? what rain?” Continue reading →

Essential DC, Life in the Capital, Night Life, Special Events, The District
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Friday Night’s Fixation @ Fight Club

This is it, folks.  FotoWeek DC is kicking off in style!  With so many events to choose from over the course of the week, I highly recommend you start things off by paying a visit to the underbelly of DC, aka “Fight Club”.  Brought to you by Ten Miles Square and The Pink Line Project, Fixation is sure to be a photography show (and night) to remember.

If you’ve never heard of Fight Club before, you’re definitely not alone.  If you have heard of Fight Club, you’re incredibly hip to the underground scene and are probably annoyed that a bunch of fancy artists are invading your space.  This exclusive skate park is home to DC’s local skater scene and is sure to be a place you’ll tell your grandkids about.

But enough about the venue, this show is about photography!  Nine amazing local DC photographers will be featuring their work (all of it for sale) Friday night, some familiar names you are sure to recognize.

“These nine photographers each create a narrative with a short series of images, building the viewer a bridge between the image of our Nation’s Capital and the people actually living inside it. Their photographs inspect our city’s subculture and the people who thrive in it, whether it is the pure ecstasy of a public baptism or the discovery of an elusive quiet moment as 18th Street rages nearby. Some create their own scenes, driven by the absurdity or crucial absences in our cityscapes. Others sneak in the backdoor of highly defined alternative lifestyles, finding characters dolled up for primetime, squeezed in the underbelly of the D.C. club scene. What they all have in common is a fixation on the individual in the hands of a much bigger picture.”

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