Monthly Archives: November 2009

News, The Daily Feed
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Streetcars En Route

streetcar.jpg

The Streetcars that will ride the rails in Anacostia in 2011 or 2012 left Ostrava, Czech Republic today first via flatbed truck, and then they’re bound for a cross-Atlantic ship to get here to the District in about 4-6 weeks. The three cars cost $10M to procure and have been in storage at the manufacturer for the last two and a half years. In addition, we’ve had to extend their warranty, despite being kept in storage since manufacture. They’re a fairly hefty investment in the new streetcar system, and hopefully we’ll one day see them on our streets! No word where they’ll be stored while we wait for the rails to be built.

News, The Daily Feed, The District, WTF?!
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We’re Number 1!

Photo courtesy of
‘Cabbages and Condoms’
courtesy of ‘wharman’

I shouldn’t have to write this. I really shouldn’t. Folks, if you’re not grown up enough to cover your willie when you go to have sex, maybe you shouldn’t be at home with the Astroglide, okay? The CDC has released a study that shows that DC is #1 for per capita syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia infection. I’m gonna let that sink in for a second.

You’re three times as likely to get gonorrhea in DC than you are in VA or MD. That’s outrageous. That number goes up even higher for the other diseases. So really, folks, if you’re having sex and you don’t know the other person’s status (or, if you for any reason don’t trust it) then please for the love of god use a condom? This is just embarrassing.

Usual disclaimers about DC being an entirely urban “state” for demographics purposes, and I don’t believe the CDC breaks it out by metropolitan areas, where, I hope, Baltimore still has us beat.

News, The Daily Feed
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Ex-Maryland Police Chief Sells Stolen Gun To Civilian

Photo courtesy of
‘Guarding Justice’
courtesy of ‘Photos by Chip Py’

You know the economy’s bad when you’ve got local officials selling off their “office supplies” to make an extra buck.

Former Morningside, MD Police Chief David Eichelberger was indicted on five counts after allegedly stealing a gun from the Morningside Police Department. To make matters worse, Eichelberger sold the Glock handgun from the back of a police cruiser to a civilian back in July — a month before Eichelberger was named chief of police.

“The person that the former chief sold the gun to eventually notified the mayor of the town of the sale,” Attorney Glenn Ivey said.

Maryland State Police are still investigating the case, but as of now Eichelberger is facing a five year prison sentence.

Crime & Punishment, The District, The Features, WTF?!
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Learning About St. Elizabeth’s Hospital

Photo courtesy of


‘St Elisabeth’s Hospital – Autopsy is also a spectator sport’
courtesy of ‘spiggycat’

While poking around through the We Love DC Flickr pool this morning, I ran across spiggycat’s set of photos from a recent tour of St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Anacostia. Since that was the second time in the space of a week someone mentioned touring St. Elizabeth’s, and since I know pretty much nothing about it, AND since my day job is into its 2nd straight day of technical issues that are preventing me from accomplishing anything, it seemed like a good time for self-education-by-Google.

St. Elizabeth’s was founded in 1855 as the Government Hospital for the Insane, headed by Dorthea Dix, and intended to care for patients from the Army, Navy, and District of Columbia. But the Civil War soldiers in treatment there didn’t like telling people they were in a hospital for the insane, so they referred to it by the old colonial name of the land the hospital sat on, St. Elizabeth’s. It wasn’t until 1916 that Congress got with the program and renamed the hospital officially.

Continue reading →
News, The Daily Feed, WTF?!
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10 Years Later & People Are Still Talking About “The Blair Witch Project” — Really? Really!

Photo courtesy of
‘Blair Witch Project’
courtesy of ‘Catchpenny’

The appeal behind The Blair Witch Project never made any sense to me. In fact, I’m jealous that someone thought of such a simple idea and made a decent profit off of it.

With that said, Burkittsville, MD officials announced today that the small western Maryland town will be replacing the four “Welcome to Burkittsville” signs stolen throughout the area over the past decade due to Blair Witch fans.

“You really can’t imagine how crazy it was during the whole Blair Witch saga,” Mayor Debby Burgoyne said.

The black on white “older-style”  signs will be replaced by blue ones with white letters and red stars, according to  Burgoyne.

Officials are saying that a local history society has obtained one of the old signs. The rest are set to be auctioned a later date.

The Daily Feed, We Green DC
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Bag It

Photo courtesy of
‘String grocery bag’
courtesy of ‘bradipo’

Starting Jan. 1, if you want to tote your vittles or booze home from the store in a disposable bag, it’ll cost you 5 cents. All monies collected will go to the Anacostia River Cleanup and Protection Fund to clean up the river.

Yesterday, DC announced the Skip the Bag, Save the River education campaign and, in a sign that someone’s thinking, that it would give free reusable bags to 122,000 low-income residents and senior citizens.

I am all for this. In addition to keeping the river clean, it could save DC residents money. Money spent on trash removal now is passed along in water bills and taken away from programs that help people. And it will lower the environmental costs of producing one-use bags from oil or trees, transporting them, and disposing of them.

One tip: Come Jan. 1, keep your empty bags by your door or in your car where they’re easy to see and grab.

The Features, We Love Arts
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We Love Arts: Disco Pigs

Madeleine Carr and Rex Daugherty in Solas Nua's "Disco Pigs." Photo credit: Dan Brick

Madeleine Carr and Rex Daugherty in Solas Nua's "Disco Pigs." Photo credit: Dan Brick

The joy of being so entwined you can finish each other’s thoughts… the pain when those thoughts become dissonant.

For one hour in a small black box theater, Madeleine Carr and Rex Daugherty command your attention with these extreme emotions, in Solas Nua‘s production of “Disco Pigs.” It’s rare that I cry at the theater – having a drama background sadly numbs your reactions sometimes – but this was such a visceral experience I found myself deeply moved. Or perhaps it hit me on a profoundly personal level. Whatever the case, I urge you to spend the hour with them.

Enda Walsh’s play is densely verbal and the Irish accents are thick. This means for the first five minutes or so your brain is processing fast and wild, just like the characters. Pig and Runt are born at the same time at the same hospital and connected by the strong bond of outcasts. They celebrate their seventeenth birthday by terrorizing Cork (which they call “Pork,” snorting and eating like little pigs), their parents, pub denizens and disco dancers – until slowly they become terrorized themselves, by new emotions and challenges to their bond. Continue reading →

The Daily Feed
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Bambi isn’t so cute when he’s destroying your park.

Photo courtesy of
‘buck up!’
courtesy of ‘philliefan99’

Fairfax County’s deer population is so out of control that they’re actually permitting hunting in Colvin Run and Laurel Mill parks. Experienced hunters who are members of Suburban Whitetail Deer Management of Northern Virginia will be able to enter the parks in early morning hours to hunt deer using compound bows (not firearms), and meat will be donated to local homeless shelters.

I don’t have the same problem with this that Chris Needham of NBCWashington seems to have. While deer are indeed beautiful, majestic animals, and Bambi was an adorable fawn, they are also basically pests. Big, pretty, pests that can defoliate acres and acres of land. And as someone trying to constantly examine the ethics of meat production and her own consumption, I can’t help pointing out a clean shot from an experienced hunter (after a few years of frolicking in natural habitat, I might add) is a relatively humane way for a mammal to meet its end, certainly no worse than getting ambushed by a mountain lion, and rather a lot better than dying of starvation because of overpopulation.  And finally, venison is a cheap, readily-available source of lean protein, making it a perfect thing to donate to food-related charities that are already feeling the pinch of reduced donations and increased demand for services.

So bring on the deer hunt, y’all.

Adventures, Entertainment, Fun & Games, The Daily Feed
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It’s Here! It’s Here! It’s Almost Here!

Photo courtesy of
‘Twilight candy’
courtesy of ‘Joe in DC’

I didn’t see the 2008 blockbuster Twilight in the theater. In fact, like many non-tweens, I pretty much missed all the hype/hubbub surrounding its release. I figured it was one of those Miley Cyrus/Hanana Montana movies, and lord knows I’d never go anywhere near that crap. But then one wintry Saturday night, when I had had a little too much to drink the night before, and my roommates were headed out for the evening, and I’d have the place all to myself I ordered it On Demand and, to my embarrassment, got hooked. To redeem myself a bit, I’ll note that all I did was watch the film (albeit 2-3 times), but I have not purchased any of the books or paraphernalia.

However, I will be seeing the sequel New Moon in theaters this Friday. Yes, I’m actually willing to pay the $12, so I’m expecting an angst-filled, action-packed, highly entertaining movie that will leave me dying to see the next film Eclipse.

Like most blockbusters, local theaters are showing the new movie from The Twilight Saga starting at 12:01am Friday morning (Thursday night), of note is AMC’s Georgetown Theater which will show the movie in all of it 6 theaters.  At least, I’m not SO desperate to see it that I’ll lose hours of my precious sleep.

News, Special Events, The Daily Feed
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American Red Cross Auctions Off History To Close Defecit

Photo courtesy of
‘Hospital’
courtesy of ‘saturnism’

Rose Percy’s long stint with the American Red Cross comes to close today. The 23-inch, Tiffany jewelry wearing,wax doll is being auctioned off  in an effort to expunge the $33 million budget deficit the Red Cross has amassed over time.

Rose isn’t the only treasure being sold. Nurse uniforms from World War I in addition to the numerous other historical items from the Civil War era and before will be the hot items to spot in the auction.

Roger Lowe, Red Cross spokesman, said, “It’s a chance to buy a piece of history.”

All proceeds from today’s auction will benefit Red Cross general fund, which aids in the effort to execute their humanitarian mission.

To see a complete list of auction items, click here.

Essential DC, Featured Photo, Life in the Capital, The District
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Feature Photo


I’d Very Much Enjoy a Cup of Tea by M.V. Jantzen

It was difficult to decide which photo to write about this week, but in the end I decided to go with one that captures an amazing event that is still fresh in my mind, the DC Tweed Ride.  I don’t think anyone expected DC’s first tweed ride to be such a phenomenal success, yielding hundreds of dandy bicyclists in every imaginable form of old timey garb.  On a perfect sunny day in DC, in a small alley at 8th & H street NE, I was transported to a time when people actually knew how to dress well and behave in a courteous manner.  In fact people were even smoking tobacco in their pipes, not the usual pipe-smoking material DC is known for!  As I rode through the city alongside the last group of cyclists, everyone was full of cheer and good spirit, smiling from ear to ear.

While there were many great tweed ride photos in our pool and elsewhere on Flickr, M.V. Jantzen’s photo really caught my eye.  I love the angle from which this shot was taken, the sophisticated and content look beaming from his subject, and the great use of fill flash to balance the exposure of the dark foreground with the bright background.

I say, old chap, is it possible to do another tweed ride again sometime soon?

Food and Drink, The Daily Feed
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The Passenger Embarks

Photo courtesy of
‘Peychaud Rinse’
courtesy of ‘Samer Farha’

The long-awaited new venture of the brothers Brown is set to open this Thursday. Yes, The Passenger is ready for embarkation on 7th Street, in the old bar space of the Warehouse Theater complex. It sounds rather rock-n-roll to me, with Tom Brown (formerly of Cork) slinging up made-to-taste cocktails, including seasonal pitchers, along with what will no doubt be a phenom wine list and beer – canned or draft.

Derek Brown’s internal combustion engine, the Columbia Room, won’t open til early 2010 – this is a smaller bar-inside-a-bar modeled after tiny Japanese bars with high personal interaction between bartender and guest.

Back over the summer, purely by chance, I ended up sitting next to their concept meeting outside at Room 11 and really struggled with writing about anything I’d heard that evening. I could’ve started a whole slew of rumors about what Tom and Derek were planning, but honestly, they don’t need the buzz, already being cocktail legends with a loyal following in the city.

Bottom line? I think it’s fantastic the two brothers are finally getting to work together, highlighting their different styles in one place.  You can expect a funky interior that still stays true to the surrounding historic architecture, complete with a “dining car” in the back, but nothing incredibly high-end or elaborate – there’s a dedication to building a low-key neighborhood bar feel as well. Will it become a total scene because everyone and their mother wants a hand-crafted cocktail from these guys now? Will this finally revitalize that rather raggedy stretch of street? We’ll find out.

The Daily Feed
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DC Foodies, Listen In

Photo courtesy of
‘On a Stick’
courtesy of ‘lorigoldberg’

The American Marketing Association is hosting one of its speaker series this Wednesday, November 18 on Food and Beverage Marketing. Learn about the attention you’re not giving to the industry that devotes itself to providing quality food and drink as we experience life. Meet local industry leaders, restaurant marketing executives, and food industry experts and learn how our Washington, DC area restaurants and specialty food stores market their products and services.

From 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Liaison Capitol Hill hotel you can hear and learn from:

Lamar Brown, Owner, Carafe Wines, Alexandria
Anthony Hesselius, Senior Publicist, Linda Roth PR
Stephanie James, Marketing Manager, Red Hot and Blue
Elizabeth Scott, Corporate Sales and Marketing Manager, Capital Restaurant Concepts
Jose Poblador, General Manager, Art and Soul Restaurant, Washington, DC

The conversation will be moderated by Kassandra Robinson, Senior Director of Marketing and PR for the Capital Area Food Bank.

The cost is $60 for non-members and $30 for students. It’s an additional $10 on site, so get your tickets in advance! Pre-registration closes today at 5:00 p.m.

Essential DC, Food and Drink, Life in the Capital, News, The Daily Feed, The District
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Five Guys Makes Ad Age’s “America’s Hottest Brands” List

Photo courtesy of
‘Five Guys’
courtesy of ‘SWP Moblog’

Well, lookie here, Lorton-Baltimorebased chain Five Guys has made it on to Advertising Age’s “America’s Hottest Brands” List. Long heralded by DCites for its juicy, meaty burgers and specially spiced cajun fries, the Five Guys chain is exploding, opening shops along the Northeast corridor and infiltrating the Midwest.

The secret to Five Guys success, apart from their menu offerings, is good old fashioned customer service. You really can’t beat a good burger, some spicy fries and a smile.

*Rob C and Billy are correct. Five Guys is currently headquatered in Lorton, VA. The first Five Guys location, now closed, opened in 1986 at South Glebe Road and Columbia Pike in Arlington, VA.

Music, News, The Daily Feed
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Library of Congress Announces McCartney To Receive 3rd Annual Gershwin Prize

Photo courtesy of
‘Paul on the Jumbotron’
courtesy of ‘ameschen’

The Library of Congress has “come together” to honor former Beatle, Sir Paul McCartney, with their 3rd annual Gershwin Prize for Popular Song that “celebrates the work of an artist whose career reflects lifetime achievement in promoting song as a vehicle of musical expression and cultural understanding.” The prize commemorates American composers and brothers George and Ira Gershwin who complete catalogs are managed by the Library of Congress.

“It’s hard to think of another performer and composer who has had a more indelible and transformative effect on popular song and music of several different genres than Paul McCartney,” said James H. Billington, librarian of Congress.

McCartney will return to DC to accept the award next spring and is honored to accept the prize due to his admiration of the Gershwin songbook.

An all-star line-up of a tribute concert in his honor is scheduled to take place. No further details have been made public yet.

Previous winners of the Gershwin Prize include Paul Simon and Stevie Wonder.

The Daily Feed
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Free? Yes. Fast? Not so much.


Snail_Macro by Dave & Karin

Here I sit in Steam Cafe at 17th & R Street NW, working from home, or rather a garden home office.  I’m here because my Verizon DSL, while reasonably fast, keeps dropping out about every five minutes or so.  While I appreciate the fact that Steam offers free wireless to their customers, the speed leaves a lot to be desired at between 30-80Kb/second.  That’s fine for sending e-mail and a bit of web browsing, but downloading big files is downright painful.

So now, I’m looking into internet options in my area and found Eatel. Glad that I changed my connection since it’s now stable and I don’t have to go out just to get fast internet.

The Features, The Great Outdoors
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Fall in DC: Foliage Proves It’s More Than An Urban Legend

use

I’m more productive on the weekends than I should be. My weekly personal promise of “taking the weekend to be lazy and sleep in past my alarm” never happens. This is a direct cause of the DC fall — or lack thereof.

Fall in DC is a myth. An urban legend. One that this once Chicago-resident finds hard to believe exists. Why, you might ask? Because it’s not cold yet. And when I say cold, I mean it hasn’t reached below 40 more than a handful of times yet this season — maybe even less than that handful. But DC does have one thing that Chicago fall doesn’t — fantastic fall foliage that lasts longer than a few days — proving that fall in DC is, in fact, a reality.

This stuff is gorgeous and covers the entire palate of possible colors. Some trees are still green and continue to maintain their springtime youthfulness. But it’s the mature yet stoic beauty of the leaf that appears to be on fire who strikes my fancy. Just one dying leaf has the ability to shout, “Look at me! Look at me!” We’ve got Mother Nature to thank for this one. Well — her and the DC National Park Trail Service. Continue reading →

The Daily Feed
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Black Rooster Pub Saved! Reopens Today

Photo courtesy of
‘Open!’
courtesy of ‘Pianoman75’

Just when we thought all was lost, the Black Rooster Pub conquers “peace.”

Tom reported in late September on the Black Rooster Pub losing its leased space that it had held since 1970 because the landlord rented out their space to the adjacent Peace Corps headquarters. This move would have ousted a longstanding neighborhood stronghold, and we would have been stuck with even less retail space along the office-building-crowded L street corridor.

Well, your cries were heard, and the landlord has reversed its decision to close down the pub. The Black Rooster officially reopens for business today, so stop by on your way home for a pint and celebrate the revival.

News, Special Events, The Daily Feed
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The Sky is Falling!

Photo courtesy of
‘227 Images Perseid Meteor Shower’
courtesy of ‘aresauburnâ�¢’

The sky is falling! Or at least … it will be.

At around 4 a.m. Tuesday, the Leonid meteor shower will blaze across the sky at an average speed of 20-30 meteors per hour.

Back in the day, c.1833, the Leonids’ “were seen to ‘fall like snowflakes in a blizzard,’ with estimated rates of several dozen per second,” according to Sky & Telescope Magazine.

What’s your best chance of seeing this stellar light display? City dwellers might find the meteors a bit more difficult to see but the stargazers further out from the orange glow of the urban sky have the best chance of catching the show.

Skies will be partly cloudy in the early Tuesday hours, according to NBC4 meteorologist Tom Kierien. So be on the look out for a few random streaks of light running through the sky. Is it a bird? Probably not. Is it a plane? There’s a chance, but at that hour in the morning your best bet is that it’s the Leonid meteor shower giving you a show.