Technology, The Daily Feed, WMATA

More on Google/WMATA


Metro Sign by tbridge

Two interesting things from the last 24 hours or so on WMATA and Google Transit that are worth another look. Yesterday morning, I got an email from Emeka Moneme, the Chief Administrative Officer of WMATA. It’s likely that I was on their list due to my signing the GGW petition encouraging Google Transit and WMATA to work together. There wasn’t much new in the email, but I found it interesting the way they concluded it: Continue reading

Downtown, The District, We Love Food

We Love Food: Little Fountain Cafe

little fountain cafe

I believe I’ve already shared with everyone that I’m a regular reader of the local dc foodie blog Metrocurean. Matt and I were looking for a good date spot to celebrate Christmas together before I head home for the holidays, so I turned to Metrocurean’s “date spot” recommendations. Metrocurean author Amanda suggested a bunch of places I’ve been before, but one I’d never even heard of, Little Fountain Cafe. It’s getting pretty hard to stump me when it comes to good eats in this city. Between writing for WLDC and spending lots of time researching this town, most of the time I’ve at least HEARD of a place if it’s worth anything. But this one was new. A little googling, and an online reservation later, Matt and I were booked, and I was super excited. Everything I had read about said we were in for a treat.

Little Fountain Cafe is located on 18th street, right in the bustle of Adam’s Morgan. In the english basement below Angles Bar, Little Fountain is a hidden gem.

Continue reading

Life in the Capital, News

Not a list we want to be on.

Photo courtesy of Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com

Start the Economic Recovery while President Bush is Out of Town
courtesy of Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com

If you’re at your computer to read this, then odds are you’ve already seen that Fortune magazine has put us as number ten in the 10 Worst Real-estate Markets of 2009. What you probably haven’t seen is anything resembling some informed analysis – everyone is just bandying about that “experts say.” What experts? Based on what? What the hell does that mean, anyway?

Let’s try to take a slightly more detailed look, shall we? Continue reading

The Daily Feed

Top Chef Carla’s Catering Biz

seated by the kitchen @ central by flickr user twobitme

seated by the kitchen @ central by flickr user twobitme

I am a die-hard Bravo TV fan. I love Project Runway, and when that’s not in season I adore Top Chef. The foodie in me gets giddy when I hear that knife-sharpening sound during the opening credits. So this whole season, I’ve been stalking local DC chef-turned-contestant Carla.

In addition to our other Top Chef resident, Chef Spike of Good Stuff Eatery (which I have yet to try) I’m thrilled to have Carla in town. Carla runs Alchemy Caterers, which, if you click the link, is in the midst of a Web site redesign. I’m assuming they’re anticipating some good traffic to the site in the coming months… hopefully that means Carla sticks around on the show a while. Caterers tend to have a good background for the Top Chef competitions, and Carla is holding her own.

Carla comes off as warm, caring and exactly the type of person I would want to cater my wedding. So I ask you, reader, do you like Carla? Have you ever tried Alchemy Caterers? Do tell. Tune into Bravo at 10 p.m. Wednesdays to catch Carla in action.

Special Events, Weekend Flashback

Weekend Flashback: 12/19 – 12/21

Photo courtesy of erinhime
courtesy of Erin Hime

There’s a little over ten days left in our first Holiday Photo Contest; have you submitted an entry yet? I’ve seen several great photos – but I have to say that if you want your photo to be eligible you have to follow all the rules, not just putting in the “WLDC holiday 2008” tags. We’d hate to disqualify someone’s photo simply because it didn’t follow all the guidelines. And believe me, there are some great shots so far. I know you have some as well, so why not enter?

It’s a free entry, you can submit up to five, and the prizes are top-notch. What are you waiting for?

Meanwhile, here’s a taste of what everyone did this past weekend. Are we ready for the holidays yet?

Continue reading

Sports Fix

Sports Fix: Redskins, Wizards, Caps and Mark Teixeira

Santa's Helpers.jpg
Santa’s Helpers by M.V. Jantzen

Redskins
Record: 8-7
Last Two Weeks: 1-1
Place: Last in the NFC East

With just a week left in the regular season, it’s good to know that, at least, Jim Zorn’s first season will be .500 or better. With a 10-3 victory, that came down to the very last play, the Redskins sewed up a dead-even season at a bare minimum. The playoffs? Let’s not hold our breath, shall we? The losing streak in the middle of the season made that impossible, I’m afraid.

Next week, the Skins play a pretty meaningless game against the fairly meaningless 49ers. It should be a pretty good time, so long as you like seeing the sixth and seventh string guys in. Sorry, Skins fans. It’s been a tough season to endure. A win next week ties us with last season’s record. The losses to the Rams and the Cowboys at home, though, will be all we can imagine for a while.

Continue reading

The Daily Feed, WTF?!

Oh baby it’s cold outside.

Oh Baby it's Cold: 17F

Oh Baby it's Cold: 17F

Yeah, it’s not warm out there. With wind chill around -5°F this morning, winter has broken down the gates and established its cruel authority over the DC area. As Jenn pointed out below, though, the days are getting longer here in DC, and the march toward 70 and sunny at the Tidal Basin has begun. I know that’s not much comfort when the mercury’s well below the water-freezing point, but just think, today’s sunlight duration was 2 seconds longer than yesterday. And tomorrow’s will be 6 seconds longer than today’s.

Bundle up, this is something to endure.

The Daily Feed

The Return of the Sun

"Untitled" by Theremina on Flickr

"Untitled" by Theremina, on Flickr

Man, people are depressed these days – hard times economically and almost everyone seems to have the blues, or at least a sinus infection.

But I have some good news for you. Today is the Winter Solstice. Last night was the longest night of the year, and today the shortest day. That means it’s only uphill from now on – an extra minute of sunlight each day will eventually bring us to Spring. 

So shake off those blues, mull some wine tonight and sigh in relief. Watch the webcast of the solstice at Newgrange. Everything’s going to be all right. The sun is coming back…

Talkin' Transit, The Daily Feed, The District

WMATA’s balancing act

Photo courtesy of nantekoto
Crowded Subway
courtesy of nantekoto

Tom seems to think it’s a new announcement; I’m not sure. However WMATA’s inauguration website does indicate that in addition to running rush hour schedules all day they’ll be charging peak rates all day.  Parking will be $4 at all locations.

It’s tough to know what the right thing is for WMATA to do. If they’re running the rush hour schedules does that immediately mean they should charge rush rates? Are they charging those rates to reflect their costs or in an effort to encourage people who can to walk? If the latter, is it right for public transport to try – even in a limited way – to discourage the public from using it?

As someone who has in the past wondered if public transport should all be completely free I’m not sure how I feel about WMATA basing price on scarcity and demand. On the other hand it’s clear there’s a limit to how many people they can accommodate, so perhaps this is the most effective – if not the most fair – way to try to limit demand.

Share your thoughts in the comments.

Food and Drink, The DC 100

DC Omnivore 100: #34 Sauerkraut

Photo courtesy of bucklava
Swine in Swine, courtesy of bucklava

Our continuing coverage of the 100 foods a DC omnivore must try looks at sauerkraut.

My love affair with sauerkraut probably dates back to the decade I lived in Chicago. Heaping piles of this wonderfully shredded cabbage onto my foot-long hot dogs was a guilty pleasure of my high school and college years – much to the detriment of my friends’ noses, I’m sure.

Funny thing is, at the time I always thought kraut was just a condiment. Yes, yes, sheltered food upbringing here. I could bore you with stories of the oft-boring foods I devoured growing up, but I’m sure you don’t really care.

So when I moved to Pittsburgh and got married, I truly found out the wonders of this simple sour-tasting cabbage.

Continue reading

Business and Money, Technology, The Daily Feed, The District

Camera Adventures in DC

Light-up Reindeer

Light-up Reindeer

I’ve been in the market for a new camera for about 3 months. I’m a Canon guy (sorry Ben Rome, I know your love of Nikon is holy and chaste), and I’d been vacillating between an XSi and a 40D or a 50D. That is, until I came to hold a 5D Mark II. See, this isn’t just a camera, it’s an extension of God’s own eyes. Anyhow, enough hyperbole.

The problem with new cameras is that, chances are, for everyone who’s come to a decision about one, there are a dozen more who are rabidly awaiting the new body like some people wait for Christmas, or concert tickets or the second coming of Christ. When I’d made up my mind, I was behind each and every one of them. When I called Penn Camera to ask about availability, the guy did his very best not to laugh at me. He also failed. He told me it would be February or March before they’d have one for me. While chortling, just a little.

Fortunately, though, I found Dominion Camera in Falls Church. They had one last 5D that was unclaimed, as the person who’d asked for it hadn’t ever showed, and hadn’t left a deposit. After a quick drive over, their staff was amazing. They were actually busy, with several people in the shop asking all kinds of camera questions, from inexpensive point-and-shoot to expensive-DSLR, they were very knowledgeable. So, thanks Dominion, both for not laughing, and also for selling me my sweet new camera. Click on that photo above, then click Original resolution and you can see just how sweet this is going to be.

Tourism

Tourism: Mount Vernon Trail

my bike alongside the mt. vernon trail

I am the proud owner of a Suede by Giant Coasting bike (pictured above, sitting along the trail). It’s delicious. It’s Carolina blue (yay!), and has a pretty little wicker basket on the front, and a tiny bell on the handles so I don’t have to yell “on your left!” constantly. Coasting bikes have automatic bike gear shifts made by Shimano, and the coasting gears are kind of like an automatic transmission for your car. Three gears, and the bike will shift for you, according to your speed. Pretty back-to-basics, re-learning how to ride, type bike. And let’s be real, I’m not a super cyclist, I’m just a coaster (see, it works doesn’t it! Coasting bike, coaster, you get it.) and I just piddle around on my pretty blue bike and take pictures.

So obviously, living in Arlington, I was naturally drawn to the Mount Vernon Trail. With three gears, I can’t be climbing up the Custis Trail to the W&OD, so I head on down to the Mount Vernon Trail for all my off-road riding. It’s one of the things I miss the most about spring and summer, and even fall, is going on my bike down the trail.

The Mount Vernon Trail is a must-see for any DC resident or tourist. It travels through some pretty crucial DC tourism spots. Continue reading

The Daily Feed, WTF?!

Justice Served?

Photo courtesy of FreaksAnon

Bay Bridge, courtesy of FreaksAnon

According to WTOP, the young woman who caused the fatal wreck on the Bay Bridge this past summer will not be facing charges. Candy Baldwin, 19, received three traffic citations but won’t be prosecuted for the wreck that sent a truck plunging off the bridge into the Chesapeake, killing John Short Sr, the driver.

Baldwin claims she fell asleep at the wheel; the county prosecutor stated her Blood Alcohol Concentration was .03, well under the .07 legal limit for impairment. She was instead cited for a license restriction, failing to drive right of center and negligent driving.

Let’s convienently forget she’s underage and was drinking.

The Daily Feed

Hey, you! With the feed reader!

Stars
Stars, Originally uploaded by Julie LG

If you read WLDC in your RSS reader, you don’t see the handy division between our features (the long stuff we post 2-3 times a day) vs. our Daily Feed stuff (the drive-by, short form insta-blogging) that we post whenever we darn well feel like it. Some of you have mentioned that you find it confusing and overwhelming to have it all in one feed.

Well! Did you know that we have all manner of feeds for your DC-loving enjoyment? Oh yes. We’ve got one for just the Daily Feed. We’ve got another one that captures just our features. Each category and author has their own feed as well. It’s a bounty for the picky and the information-overloaded.

Food and Drink, Night Life, We Love Drinks

We Love Drinks: The Gibson

"Etouffer un Perroquet" cocktail at The Gibson

"Etouffer un Perroquet cocktail at The Gibson" by Jenn Larsen on Flickr

On a dreary rain-soaked night in the heart of U Street, I was buzzed into The Gibson. Well, as befits a speakeasy or “secret bar,” first I was let into a ratty little foyer where my reservation and legality were confirmed with brisk efficiency by a tweedy doorman. Then he smiled broadly.

“Welcome to The Gibson,” he said, opening the inner door and ushering me into a jewel-box of a bar.

Deep blue walls, mirrored panels set off by ebony wood, red velvet banquettes, and really funky ceiling fixtures are highlights of the interior. Yet the overall effect is simple, with room for maybe no more than fifty people all together, at the long bar or side booths or tables in a back room. Reservations are highly encouraged – if there isn’t space, you can’t stand around at the bar and there won’t be a line at the door. 

As far as speakeasies go, The Gibson isn’t really that difficult to find, but it does want to maintain a degree of mystery. I’m fine with that, as it encourages a quiet, romantic (dare I say adult?) evening in the company of people who love cocktails with a passion unrivaled.

The cocktail menu at The Gibson, designed by ace mixologist Derek Brown, is neatly divided by main liquor element and features a mix of imaginative drinks and variations on the classics. Or order your usual cocktail from the bar and see how they put their own twist on it.

Continue reading

The Daily Feed

One Thing That Might Make Me Go To the Inaugural


Yo-Yo Ma – World Economic Forum Annual Meeting Davos 2008

Originally uploaded by World Economic Forum

From the order of worship Inauguration program:

Musical Selection, John Williams, composer/arranger
Itzhak Perlman, Violin
Yo-Yo Ma, Cello
Gabriela Montero, Piano
Anthony McGill, Clarinet

I don’t think it gets better than that, folks. Well, it could, but it would involve resurrecting John Philips Sousa. And no one wants zombies at the inaugural.

The Daily Feed, WMATA, WTF?!

Doors Opening – Step Back if You Don’t Want to be Shocked?

Here’s a video I took Tuesday night on the Metro of an electrical locker swinging open and shut as the train moved. Looks like someone didn’t close the doors properly, and I was wondering just how dangerous it was to have all these sensitive electronics and switches and leads exposed. This was on Blue Line train #3262AC. I’ve read enough about WMATA rolling stock to know that this is one of the Alstom-rehabilitated Breda cars, but I need a WMATA engineer or some other DC transit railfan to tell me what kind of systems are in this locker, specifically. Anyone know?

(And should I have hit the emergency call button? I don’t know if it was safe, but no one was touching it, and I was already at my stop and didn’t want to put the train out of service and cause cascading delays up and down the Blue and Orange Lines.)

Arlington, Downtown, Life in the Capital, The Features

Thrifty District: Cheap, but Chic

Flappers

"French Flappers, Parisian Cafe 1920's" by Vintage Lulu on Flickr

In one of my many other lives, I’m a theater costume designer. However, I’m not really a costumer (someone who actually makes clothes), though I sew on occasion, I’m always disappointing my friends by not making them exquisite clothes from scratch. But what I can do is shop with them! Costume designers have to realize a director’s expansive and expensive vision on a sometimes depressingly tight budget in a small amount of time. So in our continuing series on the Thrifty District and how to maximize your fast-depleting funds, I thought I’d give you a little taste of my favorite shops to get cheap yet chic fashion.

Let’s start with the basic rules (getting them out of the way fast so we can have fun with shops!):

Know Yourself and Support Yourself
No, this isn’t some New Age mantra. It means don’t buy anything that doesn’t fit. If it’s too tight or too loose just don’t do it. Don’t get distracted by sizes, they don’t mean anything anyway. If you knew your actual dressmaker size you’d freak out the number is so high – even you superskinny misses! Continue reading