Clouded Leopard
Originally uploaded by Smithsonian’s National Zoo
I know. You’re distraught over the end of Screen on the Green. You need a pick-me-up. Well, the National Zoo has put up more photos of the clouded leopard cubs for your enjoyment. Dull the pain with some mind-numbing cuteness.
By bstanfield
Courtesy IgniteDC
The Innaugural IgniteDC goes down this Thursday. It’s an event where all evening long speakers take the stage for five minutes at a time with 20 slides that automatically advance every few seconds. The speaker lineup this year looks great, covering everything from modern dance to military robots to radiohead featuring people like Clay Johnson, Amanda Hirsch, and Peter Corbett.
If you don’t have a ticket yet, don’t fret. The Ignite gang sent out an email today with details on how to get in with and without a ticket:
If You DON’T Have a Ticket. We’ll have a wait list line, first come first serve. At 6:45 we’ll let in people until we hit 400. If it’s raining, we’ll have a tent. You won’t be able to buy a drink, but there’ll be plenty of cool people to talk to. If we fill up, people will still be leaving and we’ll do the whole one-out, one-in thing that you all love so much.
By Katie
‘Hotel Palomar Rosslyn’
courtesy of ‘NCinDC’
Bad news for Rosslyn – Domasoteca Wine Store, located in the Palomar Hotel, will be closing its doors on May 30. Also, effective immediately, Domaso restaurant will be closed for lunch and dinner service on weekends.
Sounds like Domaso is going to get a bit of a face lift to focus more on the folks who work in the neighborhood – “Based on the increasing success of its lounge and in response to clientele for a more casual dining experience, the lunch and dinner menus will be updated significantly, and the bar will serve an expanded selection of signature cocktails and lounge menu items.” Spokeswoman for Kimpton restaurants, Charissa Benjamin, confirms, “The restaurant is very busy during the weeks with the work crowd but it did get slower over the weekend.” Stay tuned for more coverage of the new revamped menu and bar experience, I’ll have the scoop for you when it happens.
As for Domasoteca Wine Store, you can snag some good deals. Starting May 11, Domasoteca will have a closing sale, with 20% off all bottles, 30% off mixed half cases and 40% off mixed full cases.
By Katie
‘porch seedlings’
courtesy of ‘HDC Photography’
My friend, who will remain nameless, works in a DC office that will also remain nameless. She works at said office, and shares cube space with a guy who grows an herb garden on his desk. Using one of those gardens only seen in in-flight catalogs, he grows mint, basil and other assorted herbs right in his cube.
Said friend has shared with me that the area surrounding their desk space smells like Panera Bread, and that people will walk by their desk space and sniff the air, making comments about salads and pasta. In fact, my friend goes home smelling of basil. Now, to some this would be wonderful, and fun. To others this would be annoying and quirky. I personally think it is hilarious.
This desk-herb garden is certainly the weirdest DC office habit I’ve heard of so far. But it makes me wonder – what is the weirdest co-habitation workplace situation you’ve ever heard of, or experienced?
PRE_2117
Originally uploaded by MissChatter
Have you seen those spots running on MASN where some random Nats fan waxes poetic about some memorable moment at a game? (My personal favorite is the one where the guy talks about a player getting “a walk-off walk.” Seriously. His most memorable Nats moment was when the Nats won a game by the other team’s crap pitching.)
MASN is holding a casting call for a new round of spots- head to the game on May 23rd early, because the auditions will start about 90 minutes before the first pitch.
Oh, and try to come up with a better story than the one about getting walked. Gawd.
By Jenn Larsen
This past Sunday when I arrived for my Oriental bellydance class at Saffron Dance in Clarendon, the studio was a frenzied hive of activity. Costumes fluttering, dancers rehearsing in every available space, everyone giving their all in that wonderful energy that takes over the week before performances. Every glimpse I catch inspires me to try harder in class so that one day I might be able to shimmy around a stage. But until then, I’m content with enjoying not one but two performances this weekend at Rosslyn Spectrum – and I highly encourage you to do the same.
First up, Saffron Dance Company performs “Shimmy” on Saturday May 16 at 8pm, highlighting classical Egyptian inspired bellydance as part of the Planet Arlington World Music Festival. What makes this performance really exciting is that they will be accompanied by live music. Moroccan vocalist Hatim Idar (whom I’m told is rockstar incredible) and the El Anmari Ensemble will perform original musical compositions on traditional Arabic instruments including the oud, nay, qanum, violin, tabla, riq and frame drum. It’s a rare treat to be able to watch the interplay between dancer and musician, and will no doubt make for a captivating evening. Tickets are $25.
By bstanfield
Courtesy of NASA.
HacDC announces the return of Nerd Movie Night tomorrow with a showing of rare NASA footage from the Apollo years. The 16mm film snippets, part of a collection from one of our members, feature all sorts of archived NASA footage rarely seen, including clips from moon landings and other Apollo missions.
If you’re interested in space, tomorrow’s movie night starts at 8. You can find HacDC in Columbia Heights at 1525 Newton Street NW, at the intersection of 16th Street and Newton.
By Donna C.
‘_’
courtesy of ‘Roebot’
I always love shopping the farmers’ markets, seeing the colorful veggies and the plump fruits that hours before were sunning in fields, sampling the wares and roaming around while someone plays the guitar. And then there’s biting into those juicy berries and crisp cucumbers. Yum.
This afternoon, a brand new farmers’ market opens at Crystal City. It’ll be held every Tuesday from 3-7 p.m. from now through October, along Crystal Drive between 18th and 20th streets.
Come and take your pick from more than 20 vendors selling fruits and vegetables, cheese, flowers and potted herbs, meats, eggs, baked goods, specialty foods and more. Eat local, eat fresh and eat mmm, mmm good.
By AcaciaO
‘Green Tea?’
courtesy of ‘Ben+Sam’
Häagen-Dazs loves Honey Bees, apparently. I guess that’s only fair, since the little guys pollinate one-third of the foods we eat. In honor of those hard-working little deliciousness enablers, H-D is offering a free scoop of any “bee-built” ice cream flavor today from 4-8 p.m. You will find these noms at the following locations: Continue reading
By Don
‘Screen on the Green – Movies Under the Sky – 7-14-08’
courtesy of ‘mosley.brian’
HBO has cancelled the long-running Screen on the Green program for 2009, according to a representative from HBO’s consumer affairs department.
Reader TJ tipped us that we should look into this; someone at the National Mall permits desk told him HBO was no longer sponsoring the event. A call to the hotline at 877-262-5866 still yielded the old 2008 schedule, but if you stay on the line all the way through you can get connected to consumer affairs. Representative Melana confirmed for me that the program had been cancelled. No word on if it will return.
UPDATE: If you’re looking for a replacement outdoor screening option Katie wrote about two happening just across the river in Crystal City and Rosslyn, both metro-accessible.
By jasmine
Jukebox the Ghost, courtesy of This Side Up Sounds
Indie pop/rockers Jukebox the Ghost formed in DC, but didn’t stick around long. After a few years in the area, they headed up to Philadelphia but still have love in their hearts for Ben’s Chili Bowl, among other things.
Admist their non-stop touring, I was able to grab guitarist/vocalist Tommy Siegel for some quick questions about the band, their kooky name, and their favorite things about DC. Continue reading
By Tom Bridge
‘Momentos de tensão na Wenetus [3]’
courtesy of ‘Rodrigo Muniz’
Well, it’s that time again: time to mock the terrible geography skills of the people responsible for 24. My friend Mike suggested the other day that perhaps what we really need is a hitman who’ll just run a tab after we get past the actors listed in the opening credits. I couldn’t agree more.
Recap time: They should recruit Jibraan’s little brother for CTU, after the way he MacGuyvered a knife out of that broken mirror.
They’re retrofitting canisters and maximizing dispersion to release the bioweapon at “Washington Central Station,” because apparently Union Station is just TOO DAMN CONVENIENT. Meanwhile, Tony is telling Jibraan to get on the Red Line and head to Washington Center. JUST CALL IT UNION STATION YOU JACKASSES. Oh, and “Red Line, Westbound?” Good lord, people. Continue reading
By Don
DSC_0345
courtesy of Streyeder
Reader Streveder dropped us a note to share some picture links last week and I just got around to looking at some of them. I should have been more on the ball! The shot above is my fave but there’s a number of good ones amongst his set of shots of the DC Rollergirls from the 2009 Championships.
By Rebecca
‘Tux, what happened to you?’
courtesy of ‘scjody’
In an effort to 1) jinx the Penguins tonight, 2) give the Caps some extra karma and 3) fill our bellies with deliciousness, I hereby decree Monday, May 11 as Cook A Bird, Save The Caps Day. While yes, a chicken is not the same as a penguin, it’s the closest avian relative that we DCers have access to, so it will have to suffice. Suggestions for commemorating this day after the jump. Continue reading
By Don
‘Lost in a good book’
courtesy of ‘InspirationDC’
WTOP has a funny little tidbit about a book returned to the Arlington library after 25 years, but it looks like the cataloging department hasn’t caught up with the return – a check of AcornWeb doesn’t show any holdings of The Patriot Chiefs. Maybe they’ll use her $25 to buy a copy of the 1993 reissue.
By Ben H. Rome
”
courtesy of ‘Spodie Odie’
Rain or shine, we know how to enjoy weekends around here. So take a moment from your Monday blahs and let’s see what y’all were up to this weekend past…
By jasmine
‘Lavender Moon Cupcakes’
courtesy of ‘dcjasmine’
Cupcakes are all the rage these days, but this weekend I stumbled upon a new one to me: the Lavender Moon Cupcakery in Old Town Alexandria. I’m not usually a food blogger, but I do know my baked goods, and these were pretty freaking fantastic. That chocolate-dipped coconut one (on the right) is the stuff of food dreams, with a super-light frosting the consistency of marshmallow, and the flourless chocolate one was like a combo brownie-cupcake. Yum.
Lavender Moon Cupcakery
116 S. Royal St.
Alexandria, VA
By Katie
‘Gravelly Point – Competing Transportation – 12-29-08’
courtesy of ‘mosley.brian’
Travel + Leisure Magazine recently named the runway at Regan National Airport the third scariest in the world. Calling our airspace “fraught with peril” and taking-off “a white-knuckle event”, Travel + Leisure apparently shudders at flying into and out of DC. I too have heard people express fright at our airport, I’ve even heard a pilot call the landing at DCA one of the toughest, “makes sure you’re awake” he said.
But the third scariest? I was terrified flying into Charleston, West Virginia in heavy winds on a prop plane earlier this year, and would call that much more scary than the decent into NoVa. I’ve also had a crazy landing on a dirt runway at the airport in the Bahamas, and my boss tells a story about an airport in the South Pacific that had a wrecked plane wing as the rain shelter, with a cow pasture serving as the runway.
So, what do you think? Is DC really the third scariest runway in the world, or is Travel + Leisure just being a drama queen?
‘farewell to a president’
courtesy of ‘philliefan99’
According to AlertDC, there will be a flyover of 8 helicopters belonging to local law enforcement agencies today between 11:15 and 12:00. The flight is part of the 2009 Washington Area Fallen Officers Memorial Ceremony.
It’s National Police Week, so expect to see a large number of squad cars and motorcycles belonging to non-local police jurisdictions hanging around. There will be a Candlelight Vigil on Wednesday evening at Judiciary Square that is open to the public.
With any luck, the visiting officers will behave themselves afterwards, rather than acting like jackasses out of a sense of entitlement. (Yeah yeah, I know, it’s not ALL, or even MOST visiting officers who behave badly, but guess what? A drunken jackass in a police uniform on a Segway in the middle of the street is a lot more visible than a police officer quietly having a few drinks in his hotel with some friends.)
By Tom Bridge
‘Rock the Red’
courtesy of ‘afagen’
Capitals
2nd Round: 2-3, facing Game 6 on Monday night in Pittsburgh.
It’s down to the raggedy edge again for the Caps. After starting 2-0 against the Penguins, the Pens have picked up 3 running, two of them in Overtime. The Caps are short on momentum right now, and that may well be their undoing. Ovechkin has been en fuego, and leads the NHL in post-season goals, but a pair of costly mistakes have cost the Caps their lead on the series.
Tonight, they’ll face elimination in Pittsburgh, much as they faced it two weeks ago in New York. Varlamov will need to be superlative, and the Caps will have to play aggressive & razor-sharp hockey. The good news is, Brashear’s coming off the bench after the end of his suspension, so that’ll return some hard-hitting power to the Caps’ side. The puck drops at 7pm, and can be seen on Versus. C-A-P-S CAPS CAPS CAPS! Endanger the Penguins!
Nationals
Record: 10-19
Last Two Weeks: 6-6
Place: Last in the NL East
Well, we’re still the worst team in major league baseball. But, in the last two weeks, the Nats have played a lot better than their opening two weeks. Shairon Martis has been pretty much amazing, his last outing with a 5-hit complete game over the Cardinals last week. Jordan Zimmermann’s still 2-1, and though his ERA is over 5, he’s still got a 3:1 strikeout to walk ratio. And, of course, mid-season number-one-draft-pick-to-be Stephen Strasburg threw a no-hitter last week against Air Force. If the Nats can get together with a decent deal with Scott Boras, he’ll be up and pitching in DC by the end of the summer. Ryan Zimmerman’s got a 28-game hitting streak as it stands right now, as well. Get that up to 30 games and maybe he’ll get the credit he’s due. The Nats have three more games on the road against the Giants before coming home for a long homestand. Just think, 9 more wins and they’re at .500.
Continue reading
By