By Katie
‘Mr. Washington 310/365’
courtesy of ‘Crashmaster007’
Our fine city is currently rocking two out of the ten trending topics on Twitter, as the Washington D.C. council voted to legalize gay marriage today (WIN!). #DC4M (DC For Marriage) and DC City Council became trending topics. I, for one, am glad to see we’re getting attention for more than just Real Housewives and Real World.
By Donna C.
‘Cozy window’
courtesy of ‘Aine D’
As the year is winding down, the green community is going strong. In the second half of the month, there are workshops to keep you warm this winter and cut your energy bills, to make your holiday both green and serene, to let you hear firsthand what happened at Copenhagen, and to share DC’s cleaner transportation options.
Want the full story? Here are the details — plus some bonus green holiday party reminders at the end.
Snug Up Your Home
Wednesday, Dec. 16
6:30 p.m.
Georgetown
2nd District Police Station, 3320 Idaho Ave., NW
At Weatherizing: Healthy, Wealthy And Wise, learn how to keep your home warm this winter — so you stay more comfortable and lower your energy bill. Experts will cover energy basics, health and safety, and hands-on repair, including how to do your own air sealing, caulking, weatherstripping, and more. (It’s easy!) Whether you live in an apartment or a house, you can block out drafts and make your home more energy efficient. CarbonfreeDC and Weatherize DC will show you how. Of course, you’ll also be burning less fossil fuel, for fewer greenhouse gases and a cleaner atmosphere. Good for you, and good for the planet.
Continue reading
By Tom Bridge
One of the things I love about Foursquare is that it gives you the ability to show that you’re a regular. In fact, you can show that you’re the regular. The guy who’s on that stool day after day, because you love the place, and they love you. It’s about belonging, it’s about loyalty, and it’s about culture. Those are the things I love about the places where I’m a regular. If you look at my Foursquare Profile you can see I spend time at Boulevard and Overwood, and that I recently lost the mayorship of Chinatown Coffee (darn you, Peter Corbett! Darn you all to heck!) but that I go a lot.
San Francisco’s known for all the promos that their Foursquare venues do for their mayors, and I’m glad to see that DC’s following suit. CommonWealth Gastropub is rewarding their mayor with a free beer (16oz) with purchase of an entree. Better look out, David C., you’re going to have some competition for Mayor, I’d bet. Better get there while you’re still mayor!
By Jenn Larsen
The Neo-Futurists in "Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind" at Woolly Mammoth. Photo credit: Colin Hovde
Thirty plays in sixty minutes. That’s the goal, anyway – a race against the onstage clock for five performers to present pieces based on their own life experiences. The catch? They have no idea what order the mini-plays will be performed. A long clothesline of hanging numbers lines the stage, and it’s up to the audience to determine the order by calling out the number on the spot. Frantically running into place, the actors launch into piece after piece as the clock ticks on. Some nights they make it, some they don’t. And at the end of every night, an audience member rolls a die to see how many plays get subbed out for new ones the next night.
A recipe for chaos? That’s the Neo-Futurists. Continue reading
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courtesy of ‘Chris Rief aka Spodie Odie’
I ran across this Post article today about the DC Department of Corrections’ program that involves printing cold case information on the faces of playing cards and distributing them to inmates in hopes of generating a tip.
So far the cards, which cost about $1/deck when DC bought them in bulk and which cost about $2/deck if you buy them retail, haven’t actually led to any arrests in the 16 months they’ve been in use. According to the manufacturer, the 1 million decks in use across various law enforcement jurisdictions in the US have led to 20 solved homicides. Some Googling didn’t turn up any “average cost of a homicide investigation” type numbers, but the few articles that cited cost of any type of investigation vs. a result indicates that a million to help clear 20 murders is within reason for investigative costs. The DC decks are funded out of prison commissary profits, which I also thought was interesting.
By Don
‘Supreme Court Pediment’
courtesy of ‘Kevin H.’
If you’d like to watch the proceedings you can tune in on the web on dc.gov. UPDATE: If you’re not a Windows user you can snag the free player, VLC, and open the direct link at mms://dcgov.ecstreams.com/DC_CH-13
If you’d like to watch people tweet about if you can look for hashtag #dc4m.
Or you could just wait and read about it, because it’s pretty much a foregone conclusion that the council will pass it.
By Katie
‘Pizza at Pete’s Apizza’
courtesy of ‘Mr. T in DC’
The grand opening of Flippin’ Pizza in Silver Spring is cause for celebration – they’re giving away free pizza from 4-7 p.m. tonight. Stop by the new location and grab two free slices (cheese or peperoni) and a complimentary drink.
The new joint is located at 8517 Colesville Road across from Discovery building.
‘Artomatic 2009 DC Obama’
courtesy of ‘Mr. T in DC’
The 2008 Presidential Election is considered — by many — to be one of the most historical in all of American history. So when I read that 6-year-old Anna Matsui (who was an elf at Sunday’s Christmas in Washington) had no idea who the President was, my heart fluttered and I proceeded to let out a giant “awwwwwww!!!!”
Yeah … he won a Nobel Peace Prize. Sure … he’s inspired millions. But there’s just something so sweet and so innocent about a little girl introducing herself to the most powerful man in the country only to say, “I’ve never seen you before!”
At least Obama chuckled along with her and said, “I’ve never seen YOU before!”
Way to go Anna! You should get huge karma points for being so kind to a complete stranger!
By Rebecca
‘Georgetown’
courtesy of ‘David Paul Ohmer’
It’s been over a year since an early morning October 20th fire gutted Georgetown’s romantic, date night hot spot Ristorante Piccolo. Damages to the Italian restaurant were estimated at 1M, and the location has been out of service for the last 15 months, leaving carb and chunky tomato sauce lovers hungry.
However, according to a recently displayed banner on the restaurant;s door, the eatery is scheduled to reopen in early 2010. No word yet on final opening date, or on what changes have/will take place to the menu, staff, or decor. Personally, after a one dining experience, I was a fan of the food and service, so hopefully the new edition will not depart too far from the original.
By Max
Kent 03 by Yospyn
As much as we try to fight it every year, winter has finally settled in upon us. The days of patio dining and trips to the shore are over, replaced by more home cooked meals and vacations to warm destinations. The time has come when we must find where we stored our winter hats, heavy coats, and the mental strength to make it through to spring. I don’t know about you, but my mind switches gears when it realizes that there are months of dismal weather to come. The world slows down, giving me time to reflect, rejuvenate, and renew.
The photo above by local photographer, Joshua Yospyn, depicts a man who has been through many winters of reflection. You can see the accrued wisdom in his eyes and peace in his soul. The dark shades of his coat, hat, and umbrella accentuate the intense color of his eyes, the ghostly paleness of his skin, and the frosty red tip of his nose. What appears to be a window reflection in the lower right is an enigma according to the photographer – he has no idea what it is or how it got there. This leads me to wonder, does Old Man Winter actually exist or is he an apparition? I’ll ponder that as I sip on an Irish coffee under the comfort of my warm blanket. Wake me up when the cherry blossoms start blooming.
By Max
cash by TheTruthAbout…
Unless you’ve been living in a cave, or possibly in a mansion, you’ve probably heard of the economic downturn we’re in the middle of. No? Apparently our city officials are living in your dream world too.
According to a recent article by the Washington Examiner, $15 million in bonuses have been handed out to city officials since Mayor Fenty took office in January of 2007. Granted, many of these bonuses were written into contracts in the good old days when our economy was believed to be strong, but bonus money keeps flowing despite the recession.
By Donna C.
‘Cotton-top Tamarin’
courtesy of ‘suneko’
If there’s anything more so-ugly-it’s-cute than a cotton-top tamarin, with its dark little face and long white mohawk, I’ve not seen it. And tomorrow night, you can help save these critters at the Supporting Conservation Through Art Eco-Mochilas Exhibit, presented by the Cotton Top Tamarin Project, from 5:30 – 9 p.m. at Studio Gallery near Dupont Circle.
Just in time for holiday shopping, there you can buy hand-woven bags called eco-mochilas. All proceeds will be sent directly to the communities in Colombia that make the bags, which serve as an alternate source of income to replace hunting endangered wildlife like the tamarins.
Still not sure? Just listen to these guys chatter. It’ll melt your heart.
It wasn’t enough to name Georgetown University #7 on the list of top 10 colleges and universities with the priciest dorms. Nope, not by a long shot.
Apparently almost half of the students attending secondary education institutions in DC graduate with debt. Not only that, but they have the highest debt in the country.
Washington Business Journal announced today that the average debt upon graduation from a DC institution in 2008 was $29,793. When compared to the national average ($23,200), there appears to be quite a discrepancy in price.
American University topped the list with an average of $34,213, with George Washington University in second, and Georgetown in third. Visit Jeff Clabaugh’s article at the business journal for more on the numbers.
When I told the folks at Chevy Chase Wine & Spirits I was there for the Balvenie scotch tasting, they didn’t believe me. I think it was the combined fact that I was 1 – a woman and 2 – actually knew what a single malt scotch was. (I blame my father for both of those things by the way.)
“I don’t meet too many women who are into scotch,” event artist Dave Walz told me. Well guess what bud, you just did.
Before Saturday, I had never heard of Balvenie — let alone Chevy Chase Wine & Spirits. So I killed two alcohol induced birds with one stone while taking up the offer to visit for a free tasting. The event’s menu included two of the store’s top-shelf single malts: 12 year Doublewood and 15 year single barrel.
By Katie
‘Skeeball at H Street Country Club’
courtesy of ‘InspirationDC’
While I’m a bocce girl myself, I’m also a big fan of skeeball. (I’m good at sports that involve standing in one place, drinking, and rolling balls.) So when H Street Country Club announced their skeeball league, I immediately notified my bocce team. We could use some winter practice…
The press release from H Street says, “Beginning Janurary 10, teams of eight will battle the best D.C. has to offer for a chance at glory, skee-ball greatness and prizes. This season, H Street Country Club has joined United Skeeball Association, which hosts games in several cities along the East Coast, to offer D.C. adults a competitive, social league that offers a fun way to connect with people. Skee-ball games will be held at H Street Country Club every Sunday and Tuesday night for eight weeks. Once a week, each team will play two games to determine final rankings. The season will culminate with a one-day playoff and championship challenge.”
Registration for season two at H Street Country Club is officially open. Players can start a team or join individually and find a team at www.unitedskeeball.com/leagues/h-st-country-club. The deadline to sign up for season two is January 10, 2010.
‘band in a tuba’
courtesy of ‘philliefan99’
TUBACHRISTMAS is back for its 35th season led by Harvey Phillips. Play the tuba, sousaphone, or euphonium? Get to The Kennedy Center by 3 p.m. for rehearsal and you can be a part of this holiday tradition dating back to 1974.
The event is tonight and will feature Christmas favorites. But note — there will not be any seating. It is standing room only and all individuals headed for the audience should know that they are able to sit on the floor if need be.
Tonight’s show starts at 6 p.m. and will be held in the Grand Foyer of the Kennedy Center’s Millenium Stage.
For more information visit: http://www.tubachristmas.com/readtcloc.php?TCState=DC
Can’t make the show? Check out a live broadcast here!
By Rebecca
‘Bellini’
courtesy of ‘quinn.anya’
It’s time for another item from the DC Omnivore 100 list of the top one hundred foods every good omnivore should try at least once in their lives.
As a huge fan of champagne based drinks, I was super pumped to take on the Bellini for this week’s DC Omni 100. Invented by Giuseppe Cipriani in Venice Italy, the Bellini is a refined take on the brunch staple Mimosa (orange juice and champagne) whose main difference is swapping out the OJ for peach puree/juice. This sweet, but slightly acidic cocktail can be both a fantastic addition to brunch (and can help ease Friday night’s hangover) or can be a great night/dinner starter.
Originally the Bellini was a seasonal beverage of puréed white peaches and Prosecco, an Italian sparkling wine similar to France’s Champagne or Spain’s Cava. According to Cipriani sources, the original version could also include bits of raspberry or cherry in replacement of the seasonal peaches giving the drink a pink glow and making it a year round favorite.
When ordering a Bellini at a restaurant, it’s important to ask your server about the ingredients available behind the bar. If they have both Prosecco and peach puree, amazing! Order away. However, it can be a little difficult to find both ingredients at your local DC neighborhood bar. If you’re looking to enjoy a quality Bellini with the proper ingredients, then I suggest you try the bars at Urbana in Dupont, or Sonoma on Capitol Hill or Two Amy’s near the Washington Cathedral. At all these locations, they serve a fantastic Bellini made from top notch peaches and a high quality sparkling wine. Continue reading
By Tom Bridge
Congratulations go out to the DC Hornets, a DPR Pop Warner Football team from the Watkins Rec Center, on their victory in Saturday’s Pop Warner Super Bowl! They defeated the Florida City Razorbacks 22-8 and earned a heroes’ welcome yesterday, with a salute from the Mayor. Coach Delante Williams will be given the key to the city at a future city council meeting. You can see a post-game interview with Coach Williams courtesy of Pop Warner. “They played a very physical game,” he said, and attributed their success to hard work. The Hornets only gave up one touchdown, and it was on the very first play, with the Razorbacks returning the kickoff for a touchdown. After that, it was lights-out defense and strong offense that lead to a win for the Hornets.
Congratulations, boys, you’ve done your city proud!
By Tom Bridge
‘Party Animals on First Street, SE’
courtesy of ‘kimberlyfaye’
You might’ve caught the Post’s correction last week that dealt with Public Enemy’s 911 is a Joke in Your Town. The resulting edits to Akeya Dickson’s piece has lead to no small amount of derision from the internet.
As it turns out, it’s not her fault. It was the fault of a copy editor, Maria Henriques, who made the change not knowing the song. Chanda Washington, Akeya’s editor, allowed the change without reviewing it with Akeya, and encouraged the correction be made without without revealing the source of the error.
Two “own goals” as Rob Pegoraro put it on his Twitter this morning. I couldn’t agree more. Very sorry, Ms. Dickson, you deserved better from your publication, and I’m glad the Ombudsman recognized that much.
By Katie
‘Wine at Veritas’
courtesy of ‘InspirationDC’
I’ve been eagerly anticipating a proper wine bar opening in Arlington, and the day is finally here! Screwtop is opening in Clarendon, on Filmore Avenue – one block down from the Clarendon Gold’s and in the same building as American Flatbread. Offering a long list of wines by the glass, mainly from boutique wine dealers, as well as delicious sounding food like baked brie, and bacon-wrapped dates. Not a wine lover? Screwtop is offering beer and cocktails, even with beers on draft. Daily Candy reports that they’re offering free popcorn (dusted with truffle salt), and Screwtop will also be offering special flavors of Arlington’s own Boccato Gelato.
Hours will be:
Tuesday-Thursday: 11am – 10pm
Friday-Saturday: 11am – 11pm
Sunday: 11am – 6pm
Monday: closed
Cheers!
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