By Max
Scott Oudsema by Max Cook
Contributed by Paula Schumann
Qualifying rounds at the Legg Mason Tennis Classic whet my appetite for what promises to be an exciting tournament. Lots of big names are attending this year, among them Lleyton Hewitt, John Isner, Tommy Robredo, Tommy Haas, Robin Solderling, and of course, Andy Roddick, a Legg Mason favorite. Andy is having an exceptional summer, coming off the astonishing final match with Roger Federer at Wimbledon.
Today’s harvest from the WLDC dirtlab
Originally uploaded by tiffany bridge
We made a little trip out to the We Love DC Dirt Lab this weekend to check on the large garden plot. It took three people to carry the harvest back into the house. What you see there is a pile of chili peppers, 6 heirloom tomatoes, two enormous zucchini, three enormous squash, and not even a tenth of the basil patch. That’s not the first squash we’ve gotten out of it, either.
We cut up one of the tomatoes right away and as we devoured it, we asked ourselves why people continue to subject themselves to gross supermarket tomatoes, especially in winter. If you buy nothing else from your local farmers market, buy your tomatoes there in season. I promise you will not regret it.
By Donna C.
Yoda & the E Street Band solve the yoga clue and found Lululemon Georgetown. Courtesy of GO Urban.
Where is Kilroy? Do you know?
We sure didn’t, my intrepid teammate and I, when we embarked on the GO Urban Adventure Race, a nationwide series that launched Saturday in DC. The way it works is that your two-person team receives a series of text messages with clues to 12 GO Points around town. Once you get to the GO Point, you have to text back the answer to the clue. Then you’ll receive another clue. You have to take a picture of your team at each GO Point, and often you have to find something there that’s specific and elusive — such as Kilroy.
Turns out his cartoon face peeps out from behind a golden service gate at the National World War II Memorial, near the Delaware pillar. He’s not prominent, to say the least. When repeated circling of the monument in the hot summer sun hadn’t disclosed his location, I headed to the information booth while Mark began working the Blackberry. Two attendants sat at the booth. When I asked for Kilroy, one all but stroked his chin while answering slowly, “Kilroy is near water, and gold….” The other caught the look I gave him and cut to the chase with actual directions. When I turned from the booth, Mark was already waving me to the right spot. Clue solved.
Thank goodness. At the starting area, I had felt a little intimidated while watching other teams. Several were wearing backpacks bulging with…what? Laptops? GPS devices? Special equipment to tap databases at the CIA? All we had were a two-year-old cell phone, a half-charged Blackberry and our, uh, wits. Continue reading
By Don
‘new toy’
courtesy of ‘philliefan99’
It’s only barely DC-related but I figure since we talked about the Ritz bankruptcy, fire sales, and restructuring I should at least link the Washington Post article that details what will happen to the company going forward.
There’s not too much new there from when I told you last month that the company was looking for a buyer of its assets. As was widely reported at the end of last month, CEO David Ritz managed to cobble together a group of investors and put in a bid for the entirety of the company’s assets. The Post doesn’t specify that the bankruptcy judge has approved the deal but it’s implied so I’m not going to spend the money pulling the documents from PACER.
WaPo says that Ritz indicated in an interview that the new company plans bring in a more hip crowd, though it sounds to me more like they’re simply planning their activities between now and their next bankruptcy. The best indicator may be Ritz’s quote about how the customer base out there Just Doesn’t Get It.
“They don’t understand that you need to archive your history,” he said, “and if you have everything on a hard drive, it’s subject to being lost at any time.”
In my experience, when a business starts talking about how their target market just doesn’t know what’s good for them, it’s a sign of trouble.
Missing from the article is much mention of what the repercussions are going to be for existing customers. The new company, though it shares some of the name with the existing Ritz Camera, will be a different corporation – one that purchased the old companies assets but may not have all or any of its liabilities. If you’ve been sitting on Ritz gift cards or coupons you shouldn’t take this development as a sign that they’re going to be worth something again – those are with the old corporation and it’s going away, even if the sign looks a lot like the old one.
By Kirk
‘Screen on the Green – 7-14-08’
courtesy of ‘mosley.brian’
For the third movie in its ressurection run, Screen on the Green will feature On the Waterfront this evening. For those of you not in the loop, On the Waterfront is arguably one of the greatest movies of all time. It won 8 Academy Awards and features Marlon Brando in his prime (ladies). The weather is supposed to be beautiful tonight and I highly recommend that you get to the mall to enjoy this film with a thousand of your closest friends. The feature should start around 8:30.
By Tom Bridge
‘Three points taken’
courtesy of ‘BehindTheBadge.com’
D.C. United
Record: 6-4-10 (28 points)
Last Two Weeks: 0-1-2
Place: 3rd in the East
A loss and a draw for United has cost them a place in the East, dropping to third behind Columbus (33 points) and Chicago (32 points). Another draw in the CONCACAF Champions League against L.A. Firpo has brought us a rough patch for the squad. Houston put the screws to United this past Saturday in the high-scoring 4-3 match, despite nearly blowing a 3-goal lead.
What’s next for United? Get out your passports. Tuesday is a CONCACAF rematch against L.A. Firpo, but this time in El Salvador, and then a trip to Toronto next weekend for a run against Toronto F.C. Then, finally, look forward to the return of the LA Galaxy on the 22nd.
By AcaciaO
‘Wiffle ball’
courtesy of ‘DRB62’
When it comes to DC summer sports, you’ve got your kickball, you’ve got your softball, you’ve got your frisbee and you’ve even got your bocce ball. And, I just found out today, apparently you’ve also got your Wiffleball (?!?). Sure, why not. The Potomac Wiffleball league starts up its summer run this weekend and today is the absolute deadline for getting your team registered. If that’s too little time to register all your friends, you can join as a loner and make some new wiffle ball friends. The cost is $30 per player and play takes place at Ft. Reno Park, just north of the Tenleytown Metro Station.
By Katie
Old 701 Interior
Ashok Bajaj, restaurateur extraordinaire announced that 701 will close on August 2 and reopen on August 10th after round-the-clock renovation efforts including a new interior and a new chef. 701 is getting a total facelift featuring a new crystal vinyl bar topped with glass. Another new addition is a semi-private dining area designated with elegant curtain panels that can comfortably seat 24 supplementing the popular 20–seat private dining room.
Guests can anticipate a soothing color scheme of beige, brown and ivory accented by deep azure blue found on the new “Neptune” leather chairs with floral tapestry backs sprinkled throughout the restaurant. Dark rich wood and neutral earth tones provide a welcoming décor against the restaurant’s new backdrop, a striking black and white wall covering.
Bajaj has also tapped Adam Longworth as the new executive chef for 701. Chef Longworth, a 2001 Culinary Institute of America graduate, has worked with Chef Alfred Portale at New York’s acclaimed Gotham Bar and Grill since 2002. After a short stint under Tom Collichio at Gramercy Tavern in 2003, he went to Philadelphia to help Portale open Striped Bass with Chef Christopher Lee, now the executive chef at New York’s Gilt Restaurant.
By Tom Bridge
‘Film! – Canon A-1 – Headlines – 11-5-08’
courtesy of ‘mosley.brian’
Yesterday, the Washington Post published an editorial by Ian Shapira concerning some touchy subjects for those of us who operate blogs. Mr. Shapira penned a piece for the Post last week about a Generation Y consultant, which was then the subject of a Gawker.com story by Hamilton Nolan that made frequent use of the blockquote tag. If you’d like to take a second to read the articles linked herein, that would be fine, but allow me to sum this up in just a few sentences. Continue reading
By Karl Johnson
‘Croquetas de Conpango’
courtesy of ‘jlastras’
If you head out tomorrow night, Tuesday, to La Tasca in Clarendon, a portion of your check will go to support the Younger Women’s Task Force DC Area chapter. Who doesn’t love paella and sangria? Or even croquetas! (kind of like fried balls of mashed potatoes…delicious.) Their full menu is here.
From the YWTF website:
“The Younger Women’s Task Force, a project of the National Council of Women’s Organizations, is a nationwide, diverse and inclusive grassroots movement dedicated to organizing younger women and their allies to take action on issues that matter most to them. “
Make sure to mention to your server that you are there to support the YWTF so you know that while you eat and drink like a Spaniard (well, at least like a Spaniard in the U.S.), you are contributing to a great cause at the same time! Pencil in some tapas and fun on your schedule for tomorrow…it’s a win-win.
By AcaciaO
For those of you who can’t get enough bluegrass in your life, when banjo thursdays at SOVA Wine and Espresso just aren’t enough, there is tonight at Velvet Lounge. SOVA perennial performers Extension Agents will be performing tonight at the Velvet Lounge tonight, preceded by the Hangin’ Rounders and followed by an open jam session. Doors open at 7:30 and there’s a $5 cover charge. If even this is not enough to quench your desire for a tall glass of fiddle, SOVA is hosting West Virginia Fiddle Champion Chance McCoy this Saturday night at 8 p.m. There is also a $5 cover for that show.
By Ben H. Rome
‘National Zoo – Stripes – 8-1-09’
courtesy of ‘mosley.brian’
Welcome to August. One month left of tourists, one month left of ugly summer heat, one month left before the politicos return to the Hill.
And one month before “Black Commute” day in September.
Speaking of which, hope your journey in wasn’t stressful. If it was, well, we’ve got you covered. (Even if it wasn’t, we’re still here for ya.) Check out the weekend through the lenses of several area photogs and start your week off right.
By Karl Johnson
‘The puzzled and the sad.’
courtesy of ‘Gin Fizz’
The Washington Post is reporting that D.C. schools will be losing $30 million in funding in FY2010 and smokers will be paying another 50 cents a pack for cigarettes. Among other tax increases and several other service cuts, these changes will become a reality assuming Mayor Fenty signs the latest revised budget that was just recently approved by the city council. He is expected to sign it, despite his original 2006 campaign promises of not raising taxes. But who campaigns saying they’re going to raise taxes anyway? And who can predict a nasty recession that kills city revenues and causes a $666 million budget gap? (Wait…$666 million? Surely Lucifer had something to do with this…)
The general sales tax is increasing by .25% on the dollar to an even 6% and gas prices will be going up a bit as this revised budget also increases the gas tax by 3.5 cents a gallon. About $350 million worth of service cuts had to be made for this budget, which includes significant funding cuts for social services like Bread for the City.
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