Yearly Archives: 2009

The Daily Feed
By

Extra bad for your teeth

mervis_diamond_cupcake

Photo by:Labor of Love Photography.

Now, my darling industry shill fiancée says “sugar isn’t more likely to cause cavities than any other fermentable carbohydrate, including bread,” but I suspect even she would acknowledge that a cupcake can do some serious harm to your teeth if you bite down into the two carat diamond Mervis has stuck into the middle.

They don’t really intend for you to eat it; the cupcake, created by Classic Bakery, is to promote their wedding ring trunk show. I’m going to have to pass, what with spending the 2nd actually getting married, but since we’re serving cupcakes from Georgetown Cupcake at our event I called dibs on this item.

When I did another of our authors asserted that a different cupcake bakery was a superior choice. I’ll let her share herself, but what’s your go-to location for diamond encrusted pastry?

Food and Drink
By

Spring Fever: Rooftop Bar Guide

Photo courtesy of
‘Dinner at Perry’s’
courtesy of ‘starbuck77’

DC is an al fresco city. I live for the few weeks of the year like this one that are warm, yet humidity-free. I adore waking up on a sunny Saturday and knowing that most of my day will be spent outside, and hoping that the warmth will last into the night so I can stay outside as long as possible. I’ll spend mornings running or on my bike, lunches on the patio, afternoons lazing in the park and then dinner seated street-side along Wilson Boulevard or out in Dupont. So by the time it gets to be night, I’m ready for something beyond a patio.

In fact, tons and tons of places in DC have a patio, what I crave is a rooftop. I want to look out over my city, and risking the cliche, I want feel on top of the world as I drink or dance the night away with friends. So in my quest for the ultimate rooftop bar, I’ve rounded up some possibilities for you. Continue reading →

Fun & Games, Life in the Capital, The Daily Feed
By

National Childrens’ Museum Opens Demo Space This Weekend

Photo courtesy of
‘Gaylord at Night’
courtesy of ‘rgb48’
The National Childrens’ Museum (due to open at National Harbor in 2013) is opening up a 2,700 square-foot Launch Zone at National Harbor this weekend. They’re doing some big events this weekend, running from 11 to 4 both days this weekend. Saturday will feature a recycling-related theme, with performances of Willy the Water Bottle, and Sunday will feature the Washington Revels in a special performance of Sea Revels. All events are free and open to the public!

Downtown, Life in the Capital, Monumental, News, The Daily Feed, The Mall
By

$78M for Mall Monument Renewal

Photo courtesy of
‘DC WWI Memorial Inscription’
courtesy of ‘Mr. T in DC’

The Post has the news this morning that the Department of the Interior will be spending almost $80M on DC-area monuments and memorials to bring them back to their former glory. I’m most pleased to see that the DC War Memorial will be picking up $7.6M for a badly-needed rejuvenation project. The last one was back in the 1980’s, so it’s about due.

Also on the list is the Seawall at the Jefferson Memorial, and Rock Creek Park’s infrastructure, as well as a bunch of money for the C&O Canal in Georgetown.

Special Events, The Daily Feed
By

Sample sale heaven is a place on earth?

Photo courtesy of
‘Colourful clothes’
courtesy of ‘Alicia Nijdam’

Zac Posen, Prada, Miss Sixty, Oh My! This Sunday, head over to Halo (1435 P St. NW) for a huge sample sale. Touting at least 70% off designer shoes, denim and clothing, Sample Sale Heaven is a must-stop-shop for the brand-name recessionista. (Word to the wise: mention Daily Candy and you can get in at noon.)

The Daily Feed, WMATA
By

Rough Morning Commute Today

Photo courtesy of
‘Typical Beltway traffic’
courtesy of ‘brianmka’

What a mess– two incidents are making for some long commutes this morning.  First, around 5 AM this morning (thanks for the wake-up text message alert at 7 AM, Washington Post), an accident at the 3rd Street Tunnel entrance caused some major delays.  And I mean major– according to WTOP, traffic is backed up for 24 miles (!) along 95 and 395.

In a separate incident, service on the Camden Line of the MARC commuter rail in Maryland has been suspended after a train hit a pedestrian.  Police are investigating.  In the mean time, Metro will honor MARC tickets from Greenbelt, and MTA is providing bus service from Dorsey, Savage, and Laurel stations to Greenbelt.

Did you get stuck in any of this today?  Let us know in the comments.

The Daily Feed, WMATA
By

Metro will stay open late for Nats fans

Photo courtesy of
‘outta here for Harry the K’
courtesy of ‘philliefan99’

After an earlier announcement that the DC government did not have the money to keep Metro open for Nationals games that run late, the deputy mayor told the Washington Post last night that they would “work something out.” Good thing, because the alternatives (stranding people at the stadium or making them drive) sure aren’t pretty.

The Features, We Love Drinks
By

We Love Drinks: Coffee Culture

"espresso at m.e. swing coffee roasters" by tvol, on Flickr

“espresso at m.e. swing coffee roasters” by tvol, on Flickr

For many of us, it’s coffee, not liquor, that’s our “water of life.” I’m quite certain I could survive without alcohol. But I know I could never live without caffeine. I’ve tried really really hard to give it up, especially when I was diagnosed with a heart murmur and began to notice every jitter and flutter. I fell off that wagon so many times I have a permanent head bump. Inevitably I’ve given up giving up, rationalizing that I’m just a much better person on caffeine. If you happen to be one of my friends who visited at least once my home you’ll find that the coffee storage I got from  https://cookingplanit.com/best-coffee-storage is never empty. That is just how I start my day.

But DC has a bit of a coffee culture problem. It’s hard for little independent cafes to survive (witness the deaths of Sparky’s, 14U, Mocha Hut, Mayorga, Murky Coffee…). Sometimes it seems we’ve given over to the Great Dairy Mermaid and her bitter rival the Loose Moose (wait, it’s the mermaid’s grinds that are really bitter, but I digress) that populate every corner plying milky sugary bastardized versions of the classics.

I know, I know, you can’t give up your vanilla syrup. It’s ok. I’m not going to repeat my last rant about the decline of the perfect cappuccino. I’m not going to wax poetical about espresso in Venice or cafe au lait in Paris. Everybody has their particular coffee fixation – drip, press, etc. The uniting point is that there are some fine places to get your fix, ah, enjoy your coffee, here in DC, beyond the glut of mass market methadone. And with the news that Murky’s being reinvented in Chinatown, and a new coffeehouse called Mid-City Cafe will hit 14th Street, things could be looking up. So here’s a sampling of java joints to get your joy jitters on – and please leave your favorites in the comments.

Continue reading →

Entertainment, Fun & Games, People, Special Events, The Daily Feed
By

Meet The Belle Behind The Blog

Photo courtesy of
‘mannequins’
courtesy of ‘doyoubleedlikeme’

Are you a fashionista looking for something to do tonight? DC’s own Capitol Hill Style has partnered with London-chic brand Karen Millen to have a champagne and shopping night with a 15-percent-off discount at the Georgetown location.  Along with the discount, and drinks, you’ll also be able to get some coveted live fashion advice from Belle. I love it when the real world and the blogosphere intersect and you can meet and see the people behind the blog. (Just wait until WLDC throws an event. We’ve got some hotties on staff, that’s for sure.) If I weren’t already booked tonight, I’d be there in a heartbeat.

The Daily Feed
By

Nats Celebrate Earth Day


beam me up, Scotty!
Originally uploaded by philliefan99

While they’re trying to sweep the Braves tonight, the Nats are offering $3 off of tickets for showing your SmarTrip card at the box office. John Lannan faces Jair Jurrjens at 7:05pm tonight at Nats Park, provided that the rain stays away. There are some great seats available, so if you want a little break on the prices, take Metro & show your SmarTrip card, for Earth Day tickets.

The Daily Feed
By

Love In This…White House…

Photo courtesy of
‘Usher answers a question’
courtesy of ‘House Committee on Education and Labor’

ZOMG Usher is visiting the White House today, it appears. The singer (or, as Politico called him, the “pop sensation”) made a stop to chat with White House staff about, like, Africa and global issues and stuff. Unfortunately, Mr. Raymond just missed President Obama, who is in Iowa today celebrating Earth Day by stumping for wind power. Insert “Trading Places” reference here.

On a personal side note, this reminds me of November 3rd, 2008, when I was going to the final Obama rally in VA while a friend of mine was covering the Usher concert in New York for Seventeen magazine. Actual text message received: “Oh man Usher just took his shirt off! Maybe Obama will too.”

Fun & Games, Special Events, The Features
By

DC Rollergirls: Kick-ass Fun

Photo courtesy of
‘Grand Slam. Washington, DC. April 2009.’
courtesy of ‘stuzehner’

The fans crowded closer to the action, whooping and applauding as the seconds ticked off. Three guys wearing backwards hats pumped their fists with their non-beer-holding hands. These two teams were competing for a shot at the championship and the crowd–raucous as almost any sports-loving group–was jacked up for the occasion. It wasn’t a Wizards game, nor was I among DC United Screaming Eagles. No, it was a bout of the much less widely followed but incredibly fun DC Roller Girls Roller Derby league. 

The  afternoon opened with an exhibition match between the DC DemonCats and visiting Breaker Babes of the Coal City Rollers league in Wilkes-Barre, P.A. It wasn’t much of a match-up — the DemonCats easily rolled over the  Breaker Babes. The initial bout provided an excellent opportunity, however, for me and other newcomers to the sport to get a better sense of what we were witnessing. 

Continue reading →

The Daily Feed
By

A Photographic heads-up

Photo courtesy of
‘caution’
courtesy of ‘volcanojw’

If you’re a photographer planning to submit anything to the Smithsonian’s current photo contest, make sure you’re okay with the fine print. Carolyn Wright of the excellent Photo Attorney blog makes  a habit of pointing out the fine print in photo contest agreements and she observes that the one for Smithsonian Magazine requires you to surrender full use of the photo in perpetuity, including for their commercial purposes. That includes derivative works, so you could end up in a composite or have your shot radically edited.

There’s nothing wrong with that if you’re cool with it, but realize going in that you’re going to receive between $0 and $500 in exchange for their right to use and/or ‘remix’ that photo, forever. You’ll still own it though, unlike if you submit it to Oprah.

Food and Drink, Special Events, The Daily Feed
By

Earth Day For Foodies

Photo courtesy of
‘DSC01904.JPG’
courtesy of ‘lizkdc’

Looking for something to do this evening to celebrate Earth Day? There are a bunch of options, but the foodie one that tempts me is the official re-opening of Poste Modern Brassiere‘s patio “The Garden” with an Earth Day celebration benefiting FRESHFARM Market, the organization behind most of DC’s farmer’s markets.

With a $5 cover charge, you’ll get to snack on truffle frites and warm gougères, and sample the new summer menu of punches. Also in the drinks department, and keeping with the spirit of drinking locally for Earth Day, Poste will premiere its new, all-Virginia wine list. Vendors will be on hand to answer your wine questions. Cheese samples will be provided by neighboring Cowgirl Creamery.

I’m guessing with all this yummyness and fanfare, Poste will get pretty crowded tonight (unless it rains, party pooper, Mother Earth!). So I’d recommend getting there early. Poste is located in Chinatown at 555 8th Street, NW Washington, DC, 20004.

Comedy in DC
By

Comedy in DC: The Awesome Boost

Comic by Jake Young
Comic by Jake Young

In case you haven’t noticed from the frantic pink-nosed gentleman at the top of this post, there’s a comedy show happening on May 1. It’s called “The Awesome Boost,” and it’s the hilarious bastard lovechild of Jake Young’s short-lived “The Awesome Room” and Eric Moberg’s “Ego Boost.” The Word According to Jake: “The goal of our show is simple, a cheap, fun, night of hilarity and hopefully to introduce DC audiences to the wealth of underground talents in their midst.” Continue reading →

Business and Money, News, The Daily Feed, WTF?!
By

Acting CFO of Freddie Mac Dead in Fairfax County Suicide

Fairfax County Police are reporting that acting CFO of Freddie Mac has committed suicide in his Fairfax County Home this morning. Police arrived on the scene in the 5am hour this morning, after being summoned by family members, and found the body of David Kellerman, interim CFO of Freddie Mac.

Details are scarce, and the Police continue to investigate, and are no longer confirming the suicide diagnosis that a police spokeswoman gave. They are, however, confirming there was no foul play.

The Daily Feed, WMATA
By

Star Trek Video Ad at Farragut West Metro

Metro now features video ads in stations, the first of which is a 15-second trailer for the upcoming Star Trek XI: The Wrath of the Franchise Reboot, silently flashed onto the Farragut West Metro entryway wall by a ceiling-mounted projector. Metro Marketing Director Mark Rydstrom says “In the words of Mr. Spock, we hope this concept will ‘live long and prosper.'”

Fitting that this first Metro video ad should be at a Farragut Square station, considering that pre-reboot Captain Kirk’s first deep space assignment was to the USS Farragut as a young lieutenant. Next on the wish list: holodeck Metrobuses. If that’s too much to ask, I’ll settle for working turbolifts escalators.

The Daily Feed
By

Measles Map


View Possible Sites of Measles Exposure in a larger map

If you’ve not seen the news about Measles returning to DC, you’re probably a lot like me: cocky that you’ve been vaccinated. However, it’s still a pretty serious outbreak, and measles is really just a giant pain in the ass of a disease. If you’ve been in the same places as the infected folks, as signified by the dots above here, check out DCist’s instructions for reporting yourself to the local health authorities

The Daily Feed
By

80s Night at Tattoo: It’s gonna be diesel

Photo courtesy of
‘Model on dark background, 1986’
courtesy of ‘| El Caganer’

I know what she’s thinking about. She’s asking herself, “Should I add a headband to this ensemble before heading out to Polyester Wesdnesdays at Tattoo??”  Tomorrow marks the first night of 80s night glory, starting at 10 p.m. Check out these ace perks: Open bar for the ladies 10-11 p.m., comp admission on the RSVP until 11, some boss 80s themed party favors and, of course, video DJ-ing.

My only question is, what’s the over-under on how long it takes for this party to get Rick-Rolled? I give it 37 minutes. 

FYI: Tattoo “does not discriminate against Spandex, braided headbands, bustiers, popped collars, banana hair clips, jelly shoes, Jordache Jeans, jelly bracelets, big hairclip bows, boyfriend blazers or leg warmers!” That’s good, because I’m planning to wear all of those at once. I’m totally amped.

Music, Special Events
By

Lots of Love for Lily Allen

Photo courtesy of
‘lily’
courtesy of ‘Jess J’

If Lily Allen was trying to get crowd to fall head-over-heels in love with her, I’m pretty sure it worked. Equal parts unapologetic, gracious and adorable, Allen wooed the packed 9:30 Club during her sold out show Friday night. 

Before Allen made her appearance, opener Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head— a high-energy collective of fresh-faced Seattle kids who easily could have been confused for an NYU hipster band–hit the stage. They bopped around to MGMT-esque electro-infused beats, clad in tight jeans and keds (only one member had an ironic mustache).

Continue reading →