Monthly Archives: September 2009

Getaways, The Features
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Getaways: Berkeley Springs

"Berkeley Springs WV" by mcgervery, on Flickr

"Berkeley Springs WV" by mcgervery, on Flickr

Berkeley Springs is the nation’s smallest state park. And I do mean small. It took me two days to figure out that the rather squat buildings in the town center were actually the famous Colonial bathhouses and spring site. By then it was time to leave! This little town in the mountains of West Virginia is an easy getaway, just 90 minutes from DC, with a no-stress vibe that’s, well, kinda hippie.

Upscale spa weekend, it’s not. It’s a sweet, sleepy town probably best suited for a family vacation, teaching the kids how cool George Washington was. You could certainly have a romantic getaway with all the Victorian Bed & Breakfasts, but I find that kind of decor more kitsch than kink. 

Due to the town’s history as a spa destination, and the presence of the spring itself, you have plenty of spa options from the bare-bones Roman Baths right at the center of town with their private 750-gallon walk-in tubs, to the many boutiques. I had a very relaxing massage at The Bath House Day Spa, which had a homey feel perfect for first-timers who might otherwise be intimidated.

There are a few shops dedicated to folksy art, antique stores chock full of finds (I really had to restrain myself from buying up all the feathered velvet 1920’s cloches), and of course – ice cream parlors! Continue reading →

The Daily Feed
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Zinoman announces retirement from Studio Theater

Photo courtesy of
‘shocks’
courtesy of ‘D.C.Atty’

Peter Marks has a story in Today’s WaPo about Joy Zinoman retiring from Studio Theater. As you read this you almost certainly are having one of two responses:

  • Holy cow, really?
  • Who?

There’s really no other ground. As Marks points out in his column, running a theater company is an entrenchment that people seem to more typically leave feet-first. If you’re familiar with Joy in particular it’s even more mind-boggling; you’d just as well expect B.B.King to give up his iconic guitar, Lucille.

News, The Daily Feed, WMATA, WTF?!
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Metro to Rewrite Metrobus Handbook

Photo courtesy of
‘Hazardous Materials by Threaded Thoughts’
courtesy of ‘ThreadedThoughts’

Metro announced this evening that they’re going to rewrite their safety guide to include prohibitions against texting and use of cellphones. The last update to the guide was in 1989. That’s right, 20 years since Metro last updated their bus safety manual. Anti-lock brakes may not have even been on buses yet when the manual was last updated…

News, Sports Fix, The Daily Feed, WTF?!
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The Redskins may End up in the Supreme Court

Photo courtesy of
‘00205691’
courtesy of ‘Keith Allison’

The harried Redskins may have something new to contend with, on top of sucking at football.  Several American Indian activists are attempting to take their long running dispute over the Redskins’ logo to the Supreme Court.  The activists claim that Washington’s trademark is racially offensive and should be changed.  This case has been batted around the lower courts for some time, and rulings have gone back and forth through the appeals process.  Whether or not the case will actually be heard has yet to be seen.  The Supreme Court hears very few cases, despite that thousands are submitted each year.  For the time being, it seems that the Redskins are safe.

The Daily Feed, We Green DC
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Taking Out the Trash

Photo courtesy of
‘ken’s night out’
courtesy of ‘uberculture’

Okay, so I’ve never passed a blitzed Ken on my morning run, but I sure have seen plenty of tossed beer cans, water bottles and Doritos bags. Not to mention the package of chocolate GU glop I picked up the other day that wasn’t empty after all….

The good news is there’s a simple solution — the folks who use the trails can help keep them clean! Hence the DC Trash Runners. This new group will meet for the first time on Sunday at 10 a.m. at Woodley Park Metro and go for a short run or walk, picking up trash along the way in Rock Creek Park.

Yours truly is helping to kick it off, so of course I think it will be fun. Come join us!

All Politics is Local
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Rep. Norton, Residents Discuss Health Care Despite Lack of Vote

Rep. Norton at health care town hall
Photo courtesy of Karl Johnson

DC residents: You have no vote in the House of Representatives. You have no vote in the Senate. You have no official say on how the health care insurance system will be reformed. You are second class citizens, according to Congress, because you live in the home of the federal government. But fortunately your Congresswoman, Eleanor Holmes Norton, doesn’t let that lack of a vote stop her from reaching out to constituents or trying to influence her fellow members on these incredibly important decisions. Last night Norton held a “Fact Check” town hall meeting in the auditorium of the Department of Commerce on 14th and Constitution NW. With between 200-250 people in attendance, about half of the capacity of the venue, the event was focused on answering constituent questions with a panel of medical and insurance experts and did not include long speeches.

Before turning it over for constituent stories and questions, Norton opened up the evening with a 15 minute statement about how the event would be run, which included her saying that DC residents are “The most civil people in the United States.” I initially thought this was simply wishful thinking, but after the next two hours went by without a single person yelling, screaming or insulting anyone, I’ll have to agree with the Congresswoman on this one. At least from the perspective of a town hall meeting on the lightning rod issue that is health care reform; especially after covering the Rep. Moran (D-VA) town hall event a few weeks ago. Now the event was held in a federal building with very tight security and more armed police and federal agents than you could count surrounding the area, only those living in the District were able to attend, and signs were not permitted at all past the door, but it still was a very positive representation of political civility by attendees and should make all DC residents proud.

Continue reading →

All Politics is Local, Downtown, Foggy Bottom, Life in the Capital, The Daily Feed, The District
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Save The Georgetown Circulator

Photo courtesy of
‘Driving, Not Reading!!! :)’
courtesy of ‘Chris Rief aka Spodie Odie’

The Georgetown Monitor reported yesterday that the DDOT is seriously considering a significant cut to the Circulator’s Georgetown service based on budgetary concerns and ridership totals.  Despite Ward 2 DC Councilman Jack Evans’ protests, City Administrator Neil Albert has apparently already signed off on the plan.

The only hope for keeping the service is for DC residents and businesses to appeal to Mayor Fenty directly.  If you’re interested in joining the petition to prevent further Circulator service cuts to this area, GM has a sample letter you can sign.

***For clarification, the DDOT’s proposal would eliminate the Wisconsin Avenue portion of the Georgetown-Union Station Circulator’s route, specifically from M Street to Whitehaven Street.

Essential DC, Food and Drink, Penn Quarter, The Features, We Love Food
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Post-Restaurant Week Deals

Photo courtesy of
‘Indigo Landing Sunset’
courtesy of ‘needlessspaces’

Summer Restaurant Week came and went this year without much fanfare. Some of my friends said they hadn’t even heard about it. I’m usually uber-competitive about it, but this year I barely blinked. I don’t know what it was. Maybe it was the extra five dollars tacked on to the normal price, but mostly, I feel like it was the fact that in the middle of this recession you can get better deals all year round for the same or less than the $35 price tag that comes with Restaurant Week. To prove my point, I checked out a selection of Restaurant Week favorites, and came up with a hefty list of regular all-the-time prixe fixe menus at some of the area’s best eateries. You can eat at some of a DC’s foodies favorites if you’re willing to do a little leg work, or eat a bit on the early side.

Most of my favorite places in Chinatown and Penn Quarter, especially, do pre-theater menus. You usually have to arrive before 7 p.m., but that’s perfect for an after-work dinner date. Or, alternately, head to some of these places for lunch, where you can grab otherwise super pricey food for cheap. The other option is to saunter up to the bar at some of the city’s best, where you snag some of the same dining room meals for less.

When compiling this post, I wanted to stick with full meals here (for happy hours, refer to my fried happy hour food and healthy happy hour food posts) and so I only feature full meals offered at the bar for less than $35. So, foodie, there are ways to eat your way through the city for less all year long, you just have to be smart about it! Continue reading →

The Daily Feed
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DC Architecture: Three Views

Photo courtesy of
‘All Souls Church Columns’
courtesy of ‘Mr. T in DC’

Tonight at the National Building Museum, three prominent DC architects share their views on our great city’s buildings. Colden Florance, FAIA, Amy Weinstein, FAIA, and David Jameson, FAIA, have different opinions about DC’s buildings and will share them at DC Architecture: Three Views, a free program that’s part of the museum’s lecture series DC Builds. You need to register, though, so click that link for a chance to ask those architects what exactly they think about that massive HUD building or whether giant columns are in this season.

The Daily Feed
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Is it Possible? New Italian Restaurant in Del Ray Disappoints

Photo courtesy of
‘Therapy Bear’
courtesy of ‘Tyrannous’

I mean it’s Italian food. How hard is that to screw up? And it’s in Del Ray, which is known for its great, local eats.

After seeing Sapore D’Italia, the new Italian restaurant in Del Ray, absolutely packed on several occasions, AND after reading reviews which claim that this restaurant is amazing, I had to go and check it out for myself. Recommending dinner with friends to this romantic new hot spot, we all left feeling sorely misled and disappointed.

My tortellini was soggy and water-logged. The lasagna was strange, with the largest noodles I’ve ever seen, laid on it’s side, and not yummy. The Chicken Parmigiano, the best of our four dishes, could pass as edible, but I could have made it more freshly at home. And the calzone seemed hastily thrown together, with each of the $1.00 additional-charge ingredients sparsely and randomly spotting the cheese. 

And to make matters worse, Continue reading →

Arlington, Food and Drink, The Daily Feed
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The Waffles Debate + Win Free Dinner For Two!

3ChickenandWaffles
Restaurant 3’s Chicken and Waffles Dish – but with WHAT side?!

I recently had the pleasure of having dinner at Restaurant 3, where I talked with Co-Owner Jonathan Williams about their Chicken and Waffles dish. He was joking around, saying they were trying to settle a debate on whether the chicken and waffles should be served with a side of maple syrup or a side of gravy. The argument has been raging internally at Restaurant 3 with the Owner and Chef on different sides.

You see, I feel very strongly about this, and what the correct answer is, but I promised to remain neutral and open it up to you, We Love DC readers to decide. Vote in the comments – gravy or maple syrup, and I’ll use random.org to pick a winner to get a free dinner for two at Restaurant 3. Also, in addition to offering the dinner for two, Restaurant 3 will actually alter the dish according to customer feedback. If the majority of the group says gravy, the restaurant will adapt the dish. Hurry, voting ends at noon on the 18th! I’ll announce the winner of dinner for two, and what dish will be served at the restaurant later that day.

To give you a little insight into the debate at Restaurant 3 I talked to the opposing sides. “The balance between salty and sweet is the classic twist on flavors that make Chicken n’ Waffles ridiculously delicious. The chicken has a crisp salty flavor, it is the sweet maple syrup that is the contrast. And who wants to eat a fluffy waffle without maple syrup?” says Jonathan Williams, Co-Owner of Restaurant 3. His Executive Chef does NOT agree. “Chicken n’ Waffles is not a light breakfast dish. It is a savory, hearty dinner dish that combines the sweet Belgian waffle with the crispy fried chicken. A hearty, savory gravy poured atop the Chicken n’ Waffles gives it the kick the pushes the dish into dinnertime.” says Brian Robinson.

So the fate of chicken and waffles lies to you, dear reader – so what do you say? Should it be served with maple syrup, or with gravy?

Crime & Punishment, News, The Daily Feed
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DC Sniper to be Executed Nov. 10

Photo courtesy of
‘Snayperskaya Vintovka Dragunova a.k.a Dragunov Sniper Rifle’
courtesy of ‘brian.ch’

MSNBC reports that a Virginia judge has scheduled John Allen Muhammad, the infamous DC sniper, for a November 10 execution date.  Muhammad was convicted of murdering Dean Meyers during a random killing spree in 2002 that left 10 people dead and several others severely injured. Over the course of three weeks, Muhammad and his accomplice, Lee Boyd Malvo, shot 14 innocent people in Virgina, Maryland and DC. The pair concealed themselves and a high powered rifle in the back of a specially modified sedan.  Both were captured in 2002 after a concerted effort by law enforcement and local communities and Muhammad was sentenced to death in Virginia in 2004.

Food and Drink, Night Life, The Daily Feed, The District
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Flight of the Gin

Photo courtesy of
‘Gin&Tonic’
courtesy of ‘hildgrim’

Now I’m a big fan of both gin & tonics and wine flights, but I’m not so sure how I feel about the “gin flights” now being served at New Heights in Woodley Park. This alcoholic adventure of rotating gin & tonic features selections from the restaurant’s 30 different and unique varieties of the historic spirit with flavors that range from juniper to candied licorice to olive and honeysuckle, combined with a variety of tonic waters.   As the weather cools, offerings will shift to heavier and more full-bodied gins and tonic waters to better suit the season. Before you dive right in, may I suggest you also take a gander at their food menu, so as to avoid any possible trouble.

The Daily Feed
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The Mysterious W Express

A few nights ago I was stumbling home from Lauriol Plaza when I noticed that my neighborhood gas station at 18th & S magically transformed itself from a BP to a W Express.  I’m sure we have all seen a BP (short for British Petroleum) station and maybe even seen one of their commercials on TV.  They’re a huge global energy corporation right?  Right.  I’m guessing however that you probably know little to nothing about W Express.  In fact, I tend to think of myself as a pretty good master of using the Google and the Bing, but I can’t find any information on W Express.  None.

So I have to wonder how a gas station changes hands from a global energy giant to what appears to be a local rinky dink company, who I might add has one of the worst logo designs I’ve ever seen.  What does the “W” in W Express even stand for?  Where does their gas come from and how good is the quality?  Now I’m sure most people don’t have a preference of which gas company they use, but what if your local grocery store was a Safeway one day and then a “Q Speedy” the next?  Would you still buy food from a store you knew absolutely nothing about?

If you have any information about W Express or are better at Googling than I am, please share in the comments.

The Daily Feed
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Get Ready for A Disaster: Emergency Preparedness Fair

Photo courtesy of
”
courtesy of ‘Chris Rief aka Spodie Odie’

You don’t have to be a disaster-phobe to appreciate that working near the White House comes with its own toll. So, to prepare you for the worst (while we all hope for the best!), the Golden Triangle BID is hosting an Emergency Preparedness Fair at Farragut Square Park (corner of Connecticut and K, NW) today from noon to 2:00 p.m.

The fair aims to inform and ready the community for the “unexpected,” which ranges from swine flu prevention, to subscribing to local government agencies’ text alerts, to finding alternate routes out of the city in case of an emergency. Free and open to the public, you can walk through 15 “booths” staffed by representatives from various agencies and organizations, picking up useful maps, hand sanitizers, whistles, and more – to help you actually become better prepared.

When’s the last time you got to tour a firetruck up close? And have you ever directly asked a Metro or DDOT employee about the city’s best evacuation routes? Expect to spend anywhere from 5 minutes gathering up brochures to 30 minutes interrogating the various agency representatives…

Essential DC, Life in the Capital, Talkin' Transit, The District, The Features
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Talkin’ Transit: Passed Inspection

Photo courtesy of
‘Going nowhere fast.’
courtesy of ‘jerseygal2009’

In a cost-saving move, the Fenty administration and DC DMV has persuaded the DC Council to end its safety inspection program for private cars. Emissions inspections will still be required every two years, however.

The mayor’s office has said that the city would save $400,000 with the move, which goes into effect on October 1. But is it the right move?

Yesterday, many safety advocates and city mechanics questioned the mayor’s wisdom with the move, saying that thousands of residents already fail to properly maintain their cars. Last year alone, 35 percent of those inspected in the District failed on their first look.

So are our streets about to be flooded with unsafe cars and an increase in wheels on the road? Many residents cite the hassle of the inspection process as one of the reasons they don’t own a car in the District. (Parking is another big one, in case you cared.)

Continue reading →

News, The Daily Feed
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Children’s National Medical Center Gets $150M Donation

Photo courtesy of
‘Children’s National Medical Center’
courtesy of ‘Daquella manera’

Congratulations to Children’s National Medical Center who will receive $150 over five years from the government of Abu Dhabi. The gift will create the Sheik Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation, which will be designed toward pioneering new surgery techniques for childhood conditions. The Institute will have four major foci, including pain management, bioengineering, and immunology. The gift is the largest for pediatric surgery, and one of the largest for a children’s hospital.

Fun & Games, History, Special Events, The Daily Feed
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American Girl Series & Michael’s Craft Store Free Event

Photo courtesy of
‘American Girl Place Los Angeles’
courtesy of ‘Smart Destinations’
Local Michaels’ stores will be hosting FREE crafts event this Saturday, September 19, inspired by the American Girl series.  Participants will create three American Girl® projects that are focused on various periods of American history from the viewpoint of pre-teen girl characters.  It would also be a great time to check out the Halloween supplies they have for costumes.