Monthly Archives: August 2009

The Daily Feed, WTF?!
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Fortune Telling is Illegal in Bethesda?!

Photo courtesy of
‘Waarzegster’
courtesy of ‘Nationaal Archief’

I had no idea that predicting the future for money was illegal in Montgomery County. And yet, here we are, with an economy ripe with the desperation and listlessness necessary to need the presence of palm readers. The case, found by the Post, is that of a local man who tried to get a business license to read palms in Montgomery County, but was denied, based on the aforementioned law, and has already lost at least one lawsuit in 2008 trying to open his fortune teller business. He’s now requested the help of the ACLU, and they’re listing some strong precedent for the story.

Still, not allowed to predict the future for money in MoCo? How are Investor Place, which sell investment advice and services along those lines, allowed to do business here?

The Daily Feed
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Zombies Vs. Real World DC


Zombies!
Originally uploaded by spiggycat

Oh this is just silly. Turns out that our previous entry wasn’t the end of the story. Apparently, despite playing along with the zombie shamble, there was an altercation at Palace of Wonders with a few of the RWDCers and some of the zombies:

An update from the Real World situation. Three of us zombies were at Palace of Wonders afterwards. All of a sudden, two male RW cast members and a camera approached us. (neither were the ones we zombiefied) One of the guys came up to a (female) zombie and said something like, “so i heard you did something to one of my roommates” and “well, you slapped him and he took offense to that”. Then he started saying something similar to “well if that was me, I would’ve slapped you back. You [women] want equal rights so… you know…” He was really all up in my friend’s face as if he was going to hit her. I swear to you this came out of nowhere and felt really forced and random.

You have got to be kidding me. This is ridiculous and silly and so amazingly poor form on the part of the Real Worlders. And people wondered why we didn’t want these guys in town?

The Daily Feed
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Zombie Shamble Nets Real World Victims


Real World DC cast joins in!
Originally uploaded by spiggycat

Many thanks to Paivi who sent us these amazing shots taken at the Zombie Shamble yesterday. The shamble seems to have picked up two very special victims, though, members of the Real World cast: “Two of the male cast members got insta-zombified. They were pretty good sports as the zombie crowd was cheering “one of us, one of us”.”

Kudos for the RWDC guys for playing along in some good, wholesome, blood-drenched, brain-eating fun. Check out the awesome photoset with all the fun thanks to Paivi.

UPDATE: Apparently the Real World zombie involvement devolved into threats of violence.

Music, The Features
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We Love Music: Quest for Glory Tour

Photo courtesy of
‘The ladies of the Quest for Glory Tour knight someone’
courtesy of ‘dcjasmine’

Let’s be honest with each other, DC. I love concerts, and sometimes there’s nothing better than being smashed up against other screaming people that love a band as much as you do. But sometimes I find myself thinking, I wish I could feel the A/C in this joint. And sit. And be able to set my beer on a table. And have the concert be free. There aren’t many music venues like this in the DC area, but Wednesday night Fireflies in Del Ray hosted three ladies on the Quest For Glory Tour: Bess Rogers, Lelia Broussard, and Allison Weiss. Continue reading →

Alexandria, The Daily Feed
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Former Police Chief Going to Jail

Photo courtesy of
‘Alexandria St. Patrick’s Day Parade’
courtesy of ‘_rockinfree’

If you recall, just over two weeks ago, the Chief of Police for Alexandria resigned following his arrest for drunk driving, which involved a minor accident. Today David Baker plead guilty to a DWI, which gives him 5 days in jail, a minor fine and the loss of his license. It’s terrible that Chief Baker made the decision to drive drunk in the first place and it obviously sets a very bad example. But I for one applaud his following of the law, after being caught, and doing the time for his crime. Not to mention giving up the career that he had devoted his life to.

The Daily Feed
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Put on Your Dancing Shoes

Photo courtesy of
‘Passion, lower section’
courtesy of ‘lepiaf.geo’

Looking for something new and different to do tonight?

Head to the French embassy starting at 6:45 for a Midsummer Night’s Parisian Dance Soiree, where you can learn to tango (yep, it takes two, but you don’t need to bring a partner) and dance the merengue and Viennese waltz. And of course they’ll have French wine, to make that dancing thing a little easier.

Advance tickets are required.

Adventures, Food and Drink, The Features
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Pedestrian Eats: Food Carts in DC

Photo courtesy of
‘taco and popcorn cart’
courtesy of ‘staceyviera’
Running out for lunch is a perfect excuse to leave your desk for a while, and forget the ringing phone and incoming email. There are plenty of lunch options around the city, but after a while, the Quiznos gets boring and there are only so many Chop’t salads one can eat. Enter: the food carts. Some of our city’s food carts are dependable – always on the same corner, same time, every day. Other carts are slightly less predictable, and use the marvels of modern technology to alert fans where they are headed for the day. But no matter the style, the food remains the focus, and the best part of all. So, I’ve got a totally subjective, not-at-all comprehensive guide to some of the most popular and well-loved food carts in DC.

Continue reading →

The Daily Feed, We Green DC
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Fish Stories

Photo courtesy of
‘Say Hello to My Little Fren”
courtesy of ‘marciadc’

If you still have an appetite for food movies, there’s a new one in town — but only for a limited time.

The End of the Line, which has been called “the Inconvenient Truth of the oceans,” is a fascinating movie that lays out why seafood may soon be off the menu and what you can do to save it.

Originally screened at National Geographic in June, it’s now playing for one week, starting today, at Landmark E Street Cinema.

Check out the trailer for a taste.

Downtown, Fun & Games, People, Special Events, The Daily Feed, The Great Outdoors
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Braaaainnnssss

Photo courtesy of
‘On our way to Zombie Prom’
courtesy of ‘spiggycat’

Have you ever wanted to make like a zombie and chase tourists around Chinatown?  Well, tomorrow, you may just get that chance.  A group called “DC Defenstrators ” is hosting a massive Zombie Raid on Saturday afternoon.  The idea is to get a bunch of Washingtonians together and then have them proceed around the city staggering like zombies and moaning about brains.  The raid will begin tomorrow at 4:30 in Franklin Park.  Participants are encouraged to wear realistic, zombie clothing, although makeup and fake blood are strictly optional.  The Zombie thespians will be given directions as to where to proceed and the fun will begin.  According to the Facebook invite, over 500 people are supposed to participate, giving this the potential for epic status.  I think I’m in.

All Politics is Local, The Daily Feed
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Conservative “Activists” at Metro Stations

Some activity around Union Station and Foggy Bottom Metro stations today; protestors with signs and petition clipboards calling for an end to “Rxationed Health Care” and protecting “Worker’s Rights.” Not your typical Greenpeace minimum wage clipboarders or LaRouchie card table shriners, though; the attire was a bit too far over this side of smart casual, the protestors’ poise a bit disengaged from the normal DC crowd, and the messages just a bit…teabaggy.

Some Twitter mention of this from radical conservative activist @bradtidwell, who is at Foggy Bottom this morning protesting “socialized” health care. I think I got a feel for the general tenor of the protest when one of the Union Station guys shouted “PROTECT WORKERS! DEATH TO UNION THUGS!”

The Daily Feed
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Ford’s Theatre Closing for Maintenance

Photo courtesy of
‘DSC_3450’
courtesy of ‘Ghost_Bear’

The National Park Service has let us know that the Ford’s Theatre National Historic Site will be closed for facility maintenance on September 22 and 23. Also closed during that time will be the Petersen House; both sites will reopen for timed entry visits on September 24.

Tickets are free but limited each day; you can get your timed-entry same-day tickets beginning at 8:30 a.m. at the Box Office.

If you’ve not gone to see the newly redesigned museum in the basement of the theatre, I highly suggest you do. Except, of course, on those days I just mentioned…

Foodie Roundup, The Daily Feed
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Foodie Round-Up (August 10th-14th)

Photo courtesy of
‘Pete’s Apizza Caesar Salad’
courtesy of ‘Mr. T in DC’

Ay! Friday, we meet again. How I missed you. My mailbox was a tid slow this week, but no worries, August is supposed to be more relaxed, right? Foodie Round-Up is a bit heavy with coffee news this week, as Mid City Caffe opens, and Restaurant Eve is doing tableside siphon brewing. But we’ve got street cart menus and knife sharpening to boot, so read on, foodie, read on. Continue reading →

The Daily Feed, The Mall
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Smithsonian’s Carousel

Photo courtesy of
‘Carousel Dragon’
courtesy of ‘Kevin H.’

No, the staff of the Smithsonian isn’t performing the famous Rogers & Hammerstein musical on the Mall (though, that would, honestly, kick more ass than Chuck Norris in a room full of hippies), but they are writing about the history of the carousel on the Mall. If you’ve ever been down to see this wonderful delight in the midst of the city, you owe it to yourself to know a bit more about how it got there.

Dupont Circle, Food and Drink, People, The Daily Feed, WTF?!
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Real World Infiltrates WLDC Hangout

 Photo courtesy of
‘Science Club’
courtesy of ‘needlessspaces’

According to @RealWorldDCNewz, our favorite group of “real” co-eds has discovered the host of WLDC staff meetings and happy hours, the Science Club. The Real Worlders stopped in at the establishment for drinks last night, but it is unclear how long they stayed.  The long term effects, mostly “will they be back, and if so, when?” have yet to be seen.

The Daily Feed
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Free Food Alert: TACO BELL!

Photo courtesy of
‘IMG_6932’
courtesy of ‘mahfrot’

Okay so get this, people – there will be FREE TACO BELL in Rosslyn on August 31st. Let me repeat that for those of you in shock, as you should be. FREE TACO BELL. In Rosslyn. On August 31st.

The Taco Bell Truck, a twitter wonder, will cruise into the DC metro area and hand out free tacos and burritos to all that can handle them. It’s like people delivering free happiness, if you ask me. Read an article all about the Taco Bell Truck here. And then get amped.

Downtown, Penn Quarter, The Features, Where We Live
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Where We Live: Penn Quarter

Photo courtesy of
‘Penn Quarter’
courtesy of ‘M.V. Jantzen’

Another two weeks, another neighborhood!  This week we’ll be looking at the neighborhood at the center of it all: Penn Quarter. This neighborhood encompasses much of the downtown/Chinatown area north of Pennsylvania between 5th Street NW and 9th Street NW.  It’s a neighborhood that changed a lot in the past decade, seeing as it didn’t really exist before the 1990s.

History: This neighborhood is once again the heart of downtown DC, but up until recently it went through a pretty rough patch.  Because of its central location, the area was the hub of activity in the city up through the mid-twentieth century. Theaters, department stores, streetcar lines, restaurants, offices– this was the heart of the city (check out Washington Kaleidoscope’s Lost Washington series for historic photographs of the area).  But the streetcar lines were torn out, theaters were shuttered, and department stores closed their doors when the population base of the city escaped to the suburbs in the 1950s and 1960s.  Apparently President Kennedy commented on the sad state of this part of Pennsylvania Avenue during his inauguration, and in 1962 the President’s Council on Pennsylvania Avenue was established.

The President’s Council proposed a number of redevelopment projects in the area (including plans for a Freedom Plaza that would have rivaled the size of Moscow’s Red Square), and in 1972 the Pennsylvania Avenue Development Corporation (PADC) was founded to guide the redevelopment.  The PADC got a lot of things done: the Federal Triangle area was redeveloped and the Ronald Reagan Building was completed, the Canadian embassy was built, and a bunch of new mixed-use projects were undertaken in the Penn Quarter area.  The MCI Center (now Verizon Center) was a crowning achievement for the area when it opened in 1997.  With its sports events and concerts, it attracted restaurants and stores to locate in the area.  After the first stage of retail development, new downtown housing was built throughout the area, thus creating the neighborhood of Penn Quarter.  Today, the area is the most vibrant and active of the District’s neighborhoods– it’s hard to believe that fifteen years ago, it was considered to be an abandoned and dangerous part of town.

Continue reading →

Sports Fix, The Daily Feed
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Redskins Pre-Season Game Tonight!


Redskins Band courtesy of Littlerottenrobin

The Redskins start off their pre-season run tonight against the Baltimore Ravens up at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore. While the game doesn’t start until after 7pm, pre-game coverage is alive and well on Comcast Sportsnet. It’ll be fun to see how the Skins recover from their off-season experiences, and more so to see how the critical offensive line behaves under fire for the first time this season.

My bet? Ravens by a TD. We’ll see.

The Daily Feed
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Subway gratitude

carmen_lucia_ruby_side

The Carmen Lucia Ruby at the Smithsonian, Photo by Chip Clark

Karl mentioned the Subway franchisees’ conference going on over at the Gaylord and we’re happy to have them spending their dollars in the area. However there’s another reason to be happy about them: they helped the Smithsonian get some great items, albeit indirectly.

Today’s WaPo has a neat article about Subway co-founder Peter Buck and his donations to the Museum of Natural History and the Museum of America History. It’s a neat read and he sounds like a nice guy, as billionaires go. The Washington letter he donated isn’t on display till next year but you can stop by the gems gallery and take a look at the stone that a million tuna subs bought.