Monthly Archives: May 2009

The Daily Feed
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DC Rollergirl Tickets: And the Winners Are…

Photo courtesy of
”
courtesy of ‘erin m’

Last week, we offered up two tickets to the May 9th DC Rollergirls Roller Derby Championships (courtesy of DC Rollergirls) to the reader who could come up with the best roller derby name. 

I’m happy to announce the winners: 

Maester_LUke: “Hellinor Rollsevelt” 

and

akaRuthie: “Ruthless Bader Ginsberg”

Hellinor and Ruthless, I will be contacting you shortly so we can get those tickets over to you. Thanks to everyone for participating – there were so many hilarious names to choose from. Be sure to check out the roller girls either way — bring a friend, bring a date, go see the hardcore girls on skates. Oh dear, I rhymed…

The Features, Weekend Flashback
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Weekend Flashback: 5/1 – 5/3/2009

Photo courtesy of
‘Swings #9’
courtesy of ‘andertho’

Happy Monday, DC. This weekend was mostly grey, and a little soggy. Had I not had guests in town, I would have been happy to snuggle up with our cat and watch a Sex and the City marathon.  It was just one of those.  But happy for us,  you all resisted the lethargy and still got out there with your cameras, bless your hearts! From the wedding that closed down the streets, early Cinco de Mayo celebrations, to the Embassy open houses, our flickrattzi captured the weekend in a fantastic fashion. Continue reading →

The Daily Feed
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Architecture of Authority=DC

Photo courtesy of
‘Supreme Columns’
courtesy of ‘Gen Jones (Gen-esis Photography)’

When I think of places that ooze power and authority, I think of DC. Just think of all the buildings around here designed to intimidate, both inside and out. From giant columns to bare-bones Homeland Security interrogation rooms, we have got you covered in that area.

The National Building Museum has a photography exhibition up right now called Architecture of Authority that explores exactly those kinds of “powerful spaces,” but even better than that: after you’ve been inspired by the exhibition, you can submit your own photos to their Flickr group. Pro photographer Richard Ross peruses the group and comments on some of the photos, too!

Food and Drink, The Daily Feed
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New Chop’t Rewards!

Photo courtesy of
‘Chop’t’
courtesy of ‘SWP Moblog’

When I worked close by, I used to eat Chop’t once a week or so. I banged through my “Frequent Chop’r” card with reckless abandon, and reaped free salad right and left. I was also subsequently disgusted myself that I so easily spent $100 on salad in a month. But that is neither here nor there. I recently got word that the free “Frequent Chop’r” card rewards just got EVEN BETTER and now I’m jealous.

Users used to get the 10th salad or sandwich free, and now cardholders can reap more rewards. 1) a free fountain soda with the purchase of their third salad or salad sandwich; 2) a free dessert with a purchase of their sixth; and 3) their tenth salad or salad sandwich is FREE (this is a $10 maximum value).

You can snag your “Frequent Chop’r” card at the cash register at the Chop’t near you.I’ll be over here, salad-less and jealous of your yummy free Chop’t brownie.

The Daily Feed
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First Couple Date Night

_MG_0727 by dbking

Between tackling the swine flu pandemic, appointing a new Supreme Court justice, saving the faltering economy, and walking the family dog, the first couple found some time to spend together away from the pressures of the White House.  Barack and Michelle Obama reportedly had an early dinner at Citronelle in Georgetown Saturday night, followed up by a private, hand-in-hand stroll around the White House grounds.  When was the last time you heard of a president and his wife going on a date together?  Did anyone witness the big crowd of onlookers outside of the restaurant?

Judging by the apparent love between POTUS and FLOTUS, this is surely not their last romantic excursion into DC’s restaurant scene.  We’d love to hear about some of our readers’ most memorable dates and recommendations for the Obamas’ next night out on the town.  Barack if you’re listening, I highly recommend taking Michelle to Lauriol Plaza for a refreshing pitcher of margaritas and queso dip some time.  You don’t always have to take her to a five star restaurant you know.

The Daily Feed
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Renew Your Library Card Once In a While


Reading Room Desks
Originally uploaded by tbridge

Imagine my surprise this morning at the Library of Congress when I found out my reader card had expired. Sure enough, you need a new one every few years. So, if you got one in 2007, make sure to stop by the Madison Building to renew your reader card and get one with a different barcode and a new “not valid after” date.

What, you don’t have the Ultimate Library Card?! Oh, dude, that’s a real shame. If you ever do any kind of research, it’s a fantastic resource that’s free and at your beck & call. Plus, the reading room is probably one of DC’s most awesomest places.

Food and Drink, The DC 100, The Features
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DC Omnivore 100: #4, Steak Tartare

Kitfo at Dukem

If the idea of marauding hordes of Tartars riding with raw meat under their saddles to tenderize it just in time for a nice snack after some pillaging sounds appetizing to you, then you’ve probably tried steak tartare. Ok, we don’t really know if that’s the origin of the dish, but that’s the historical rumor. As most cultures have their own version, who can say for sure?

So, in our continuing quest to conquer the Omnivore 100 list, we’ll explore a couple of variations.

The usual definition of a traditional steak tartare is finely chopped or diced (not sliced) raw beef marinated in wine, and served with accompaniments like capers, onions and a raw egg on top. But this classic version has long been left behind by adventurous chefs putting their own stamp on it, so that now it’s common to see steak tartare listed on menus with the only similarity across the board being the raw beef itself. Continue reading →

The Features
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Congratulations Don & Darling Wife!

Don & Susan Whiteside

It is my distinct pleasure to introduce for the first time on the Internets, or at a bare minimum, this blog: Don & Susan Whiteside. It was a real delight to see them married on the beach in Ocean City yesterday, and though we’re all fighting a bit of a party hangover today, I had to get this up for everyone to see.

Congratulations Don & Darling Wife, we’re so happy for you both.

Special Events, The Daily Feed, The District
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Namaste DC

Photo courtesy of
‘Yoga Time!’
courtesy of ‘lululemon athletica’

Get your Lululemon gear in action as DC Yoga Week 2009 kicks off tomorrow.  Multiple yoga studios across the metro area are offering either free or $5 classes starting May 2.  Whether you’re Gumby himself or a first timer, your yoga teacher will guide you through these various poses and will encourage everyone to work at their own level in a non- competitive environment.  Expect to leave your class stretched and strengthened with your body & mind tranformed through this meditative exercise.  Also, don’t be surprised if you’re sore–in that good sore way–for a few days after.  It all cumulates with Yoga On The Mall on Saturday, May 9 from 2-5pm.

The Daily Feed
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That’s What I Call A Sad Panda

Photo courtesy of
‘A Log Full of Fun’
courtesy of ‘Daniel ‘

Poor Butterstick. First, he comes down with a case of eosinophilic colitis, which is basically a rare irritable bowel syndrome. But then, just to be absolutely SURE he has finished healing from it (because apparently the return of normal, er, intestinal habits wasn’t evidence enough), he had to have a colonoscopy. That’s a pretty bad day, right there.

Being cute and endangered doesn’t protect you from technical difficulties, apparently.

Downtown, Entertainment, Foggy Bottom, Night Life, The Daily Feed
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New Bar Food: The Ritz-Carlton

Blackberry Caipiroska

I’ve written recently about bar eats, and where the best of the best are. But last night I was invited to an event at the Ritz in Georgetown that redefined some of my favorite bar food. Ritz-Carlton hotels across the nation have redone their bar menu, and I was lucky enough to be one of the first in line to taste. I’m letting you know now: it’s phenomenal. How did the bar food get this good? Well, that’s the fun part. Continue reading →

Sports Fix, The Features
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Eastern Conference Semifinals: Caps vs Penguins

Photo courtesy of
‘Ovechkin and Malkin, Friends at Last, Friends at Last’ courtesy of ‘clydeorama’

I’m in hockey nirvana.

When the NHL playoffs were finally set, one of the first things many fans here and in Pennsylvania did was figure out when and if the Capitals would actually face the Pittsburgh Penguins during hockey’s “second season.” It was a bit convoluted to work around, since both teams were highly seeded, and it looked – for about a week – that this year wouldn’t see the match-up we all secretly wanted (and dreaded). But then the Caps figured out they were actually in the playoffs and executed a very stressful and tense comeback from a 3-1 series deficit to stuff the Rangers.

And when Carolina shocked New Jersey with two quick goals in the last two minutes of their own Game 7, it was as if the hockey planets aligned. The match-up the NHL slobbered for had arrived.

Penguins. Capitals. Eastern Conference Semifinals.

And it promises to be one extremely wild, crazy, emotional ride for both cities. Find out why after the jump. Continue reading →

The Features
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Gettin’ Hitched

Photo courtesy of
‘happy birthday, Amanda!’
courtesy of ‘staceyviera’

I’m going to be [even more] scarce around these parts for the next week, as my darling fiancée and I are tying the knot tomorrow afternoon. Any of you with magical anti-rain powers can consider this your official last-minute invitation to the wedding. The rest of you, I’m afraid, will have to settle for being in our thoughts. If you want to feel like a part of the event, you can head over to Georgetown Cupcake and get yourself a chocolate&vanilla or a vanilla&chocolate, which are what we’re serving in lieu of cake. Watch this space for a review about how well the cupcakes handle a three hour drive to Ocean City.

If anyone expresses an interest I may write a little about our venue searching from last year and some of our experiences making this happen, but before our big day I wanted to take a minute and write a little about the situation and options for same-sex couples looking to partner up in our area, or for straight couples who, for whatever reason, need to protect themselves without marrying.

And if you’re a long-term partnership, gay or straight, you do need to protect yourself. I won’t belabor the point beyond saying that last year I saw two different people lose their young and otherwise healthy partners to a fatal aneurysm. Loss can come unexpectedly and ignoring the possibility doesn’t make the inevitable consequences go away.

Continue reading →

Food and Drink, Foodie Roundup, The Daily Feed
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Foodie Round-Up (April 27-May 1)

Photo courtesy of
‘bistro burger’
courtesy of ‘vee*’

It’s been a slow food news week, because everyone is gearing up for Mother’s Day brunch (I’m starting to stretch my stomach already) but there are a few things bopping about in the food news world. We’ve got Sunday dinner, Preakness parties, and the emergence of the “middle plate”. So read on, reader, for all the news fit to eat in the District this week. Continue reading →

The Daily Feed
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PostSecret Exhibition Opens Today

Photo courtesy of
‘Hillyer Art Space’
courtesy of ‘Joe in DC’

PostSecret: Confessions on Life, Death, and God opens today at the Hillyer Art Space in DC. The exhibition takes its name from the upcoming PostSecret book, which is focused on secrets about spirituality, religion, and faith. If you make it to the opening, Frank Warren will be there signing books, but not to worry if you don’t– the exhibition will be open through June 26.

The Daily Feed, WTF?!
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14th Street Bridge Construction Coming

Photo courtesy of
’14th Street Bridge’
courtesy of ‘tbridge’

If you’re coming into the District from Virginia, life’s about to get a whole lot worse. There are those who advocate just blowing all the bridges and making everyone come in via a magically-enhanced metro, but they lost this round. A $27M rehabilitation project will start in the middle of May, with most work coming between 9:30a and 3p and overnight. The Northbound lanes will be the ones under heaviest construction, going down to 4 skinny lanes with no shoulders at all, so one accident on the span, and it’s all over but the waiting.

Monumental, The Features
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Monumental: National Japanese American Memorial To Patriotism During World War II

Crane and Barbed Wire 2
Crane and Barbed Wire 2 by tbridge

The National Japanese American Memorial to Patriotism During World War II stands on a small triangle of land just north of the Capitol between D St NW, New Jersey Ave and Louisiana Ave. The beautiful bronze crane in barbed wire rises above the low cement landscape, a 14-foot statue designed by Nina Akamu, in demonstration of the Japanese-American’s plight during the second world war. While you might be more familiar with the larger World War II Memorial on the Mall, this monument stands in admittance of the difficult situation that Japanese Americans were placed at the start of hostilities against the Empire of Japan in 1941.

By 1942, many Japanese Americans were placed in Internment camps throughout the Western United States, often in the midst of deserts and other wastelands. Their names, like Manzanar, Topaz and Jerome, are inscribed into the western retaining wall, along with the number of American citizens contained therein. Over 110,000 people, three quarters American citizens, were detained by the United States Government during World War II in these camps. The blanket actions were meant to discourage espionage by those who could be loyal to the Japanese Empire inside the United States. In 1988, President Reagan signed into law an apology on the behalf of the American Government to those who were interned in those camps, and paid out a $1.6B reparation to the families and survivors. Continue reading →