Yearly Archives: 2009

Entertainment, Media, News, Special Events, The Daily Feed
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A Good Way To Spend Lunch

Photo courtesy of
‘Hipster PDA’
courtesy of ‘koalazymonkey’

Got time for a long lunch?  Then head over to the Center for Digital Imaging Arts (CDIA) on Friday, October 30th from 12-2pm to check out “Art & Copy,” a documentary about advertising and innovation that includes some of the industry’s greatest minds, like George Lois, Mary Wells, Cliff Freeman, Dan Wieden, Lee Clow, Hal Riney and others. The film’s executive producer, Kirk Souder, will be on hand for a Q&A post viewing. The film will not be widely released, so this is your only chance.

Correction: Earlier posting showed today’s date.

The Features, Where We Live
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Where We Live: Georgetown

Photo courtesy of
‘loves it’
courtesy of ‘NCinDC’

Hi, and welcome to another edition of Where We Live.  This week, we’ll be looking at a DC neighborhood that is older than DC– Georgetown!  Home to beautiful architecture, a thriving commercial district, and a major university, Georgetown probably draws more out-of-towners than any other DC neighborhood (except maybe Adams Morgan on Saturday nights).  Read on to find out what real Georgetown residents think of their neighborhood.

History: Lots of history to cover here.  Way back in 1632, an English fur trader documented a Native American settlement called Tohoga where Georgetown currently is, and he established trade there.  Fast forward to 1751 when the town was incorporated as part of Maryland (interestingly enough, it’s not named after George Washington as I had erroneously assumed– it’s either named after King George II or its founders, George Gordon and George Beall).  Because of its geographic location as the furthest point up on the Potomac River that boats could reach, it became a big port, and warehouses and buildings grew around the tobacco trade (and sadly, the slave trade too).

When Congress created the District of Columbia in 1791, Georgetown was included in the outline of the 10-mile square.  Georgetown continued to grow, with Georgetown University founded in 1789, and much of the area developed with commercial buildings near the water and residential buildings further north on higher ground.  Georgetown retained its identity for quite a while– that is, until its town charter was revoked in 1871, and when it was finally ordered in 1880 to conform with DC’s street naming structure.

Continue reading →

The Daily Feed
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Redskins Announce “Still Sort Of a Football Team”

Photo courtesy of
’21.’
courtesy of ‘dharmabumx’

You know you’ve reached a level of terrible horribility when The Onion absolutely nails your press experience. It’s pretty hysterical. And, in fact, the Redskins do only hold their domain through June of next year, which I figure has to be some sort of cruel joke in the face of SEO advice everywhere, not to mention discount domain registration policies that Dan Snyder I’m sure must be aware of…

The Skins face Philly on Monday night. It doesn’t look good.

The Daily Feed
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A Deal on Organic Pizza

Photo courtesy of
‘a healthier pie’
courtesy of ‘staceyviera’

It’s not often you see a big coupon for organic food.

A friend who knows my penchant for pizza, natural nibbles and great deals sent on today’s Groupon–$20 worth of food for $10 from zpizza.

It says zpizza offers “bubbly pizza that’s safe for vegans, vegetarians, the gluten-shy, and snooty gourmands.” Add “greenies” to the list — ’cause you can get organic crust and tomato sauce on your pie.

The deal expires at midnight.

The Daily Feed
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Awesome Coffee This Saturday

Photo courtesy of
‘Bourbon Organic Coffee’
courtesy of ‘Joe in DC’

Saturday afternoon presents a unique opportunity for DC’s coffee enthusiasts at Chinatown Coffee Company. They’ll be hosting a special cupping of some amazing coffee including the new Esmerelda Special from Panama. This is some incredible coffee, and your chance to have some for free is this Saturday at 3:30 at Chinatown. Take the metro on over, but don’t be late, the tasting is limited to the first 30 on hand.

Adams Morgan, Food and Drink, Fun & Games, Night Life, The Features, We Love Drinks
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We Love Drinks: MAN EDITION

Photo courtesy of
‘IMG_6739’
courtesy of ‘chrysti harrison’

Welcome to We Love Drinks: MAN EDITION (imagine the title with with like flames and motorcycles around it.  That’s how I picture it in my head, anyways.) Jenn has graciously handed me the reins this month to take you all on a more masculine version of her beloved feature. I’ll be leading you all on what is, for me, the ideal man-night in DC.

Man nights can take many forms.  There’s the cheap beer and wings version at a sports bar, there’s the suits and scotch edition at a cigar bar, there’s the more sodden bachelor party iteration, and each has its place.  My version is somewhere in the middle.  It’s not classy, but not frattish, not too raucous, but not boring.  Consider it the business casual pub crawl of man-nights.

First of all, some ground rules: no phone calls with women, no sissy drinks, no dancing, no personal vehicles, keep the list of bars short and local.  Follow these and you’ll be much happier, safer, and richer by the end of the evening.  For this man night, I’m keeping in the U St., Columbia Heights, Adams Morgan area of town.  It’ll keep transport costs low and leave you more time for desired man activities.

Continue reading →

The Daily Feed
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Special Armored Car in DC


Armored Car
Originally uploaded by tbridge

As part of the promo for the movie Armored, due out in December, you might spot a beautifully painted Armored car, complete with security guard and redone interior, in the DC area this weekend. I caught it in front of Ben’s Chili Bowl this afternoon, where it will be part of this afternoon. Then tomorrow it’s headed up to the McDonald’s near Howard University, and then on Saturday, it will be part of the Howard Homecoming Parade complete with star of Armored Columbus Short riding along.

The art on the car is not to be missed, it’s a gorgeous graffiti-style artwork, and covers the entire armored car, inside & out. Very, very spiff.

We Love Weekends
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We Love Weekends: October 24-25

Photo courtesy of
‘Please do not poop’
courtesy of ‘staceyviera’

I have been waiting to use this photo in an entry since the day it showed up in the Flickr pool, guys.  It’s nearly time for another weekend. Here’s what we’re up to- let us know what you’re doing in the comments.

Carl: I am going to take my lovely wife to the Philadelphia Art Museum on Saturday and will return on Sunday afternoon but if I were staying in town I would be putting together the best Halloween costume ever, which is made from traffic cones removed from their bases, slit up the side and stitched together. You’d have to see it. It’s wicked awesome. Also, this weekend I will continue my fundraising work for cancer research at the Children’s National Medical Center. Yes, since you asked, part of this includes shaving my head. It’s going to be completely bald-a-riffic.

Tom: This weekend, I have friends coming from pretty much all over the country to help celebrate our friends Jason and Bethany’s wedding.  Friday night we’ll be celebrating at Rosemary’s Thyme in Dupont and then Saturday we’re off to Nixon’s Farm for the actual event.  I’m excited to go see the fall colors out in West Friendship, and to watch as two friends I care deeply about tie the knot.  Sunday will be spent in pursuit of great brunch, very possibly at the Boulevard Woodgrill, or if it’s too busy, perhaps Overwood in Alexandria.  I need me some French Toast this weekend! Continue reading →

Arlington, The Daily Feed
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Ballston Will Be Super Once Again

Super Pollo Will Return!
Awesome photo courtesy of Karl Johnson

If you read my post from a couple of days ago about the Ballston Super Pollo suddenly shutting its door, you may still be rather distraught and unsure of how your life will ever return to normal. Call me the bearer of GOOD news (if you will) because today we have a slight glimmer of super hope. My friends know how much Super Pollo means to me and they are always looking out for me (thanks friends). That’s why my friend Ravi was so excited to inform me last night that he saw a sign on Quincy St in Ballston with those four amazing and comforting words: “Coming Soon Super Pollo”.

Continue reading →

The Daily Feed
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Georgetown Sophomore Needs Personal Assistant

Photo courtesy of
‘DSC_0119’
courtesy of ‘Don Whiteside’

Charley Cooper, Georgetown sophomore, has a problem. He’s just so… busy. Classes, part-time job, lifestyle maintenance, it’s all too much. So he’s advertising for a personal assistant. The successful candidate will do Charley’s laundry, schedule his haircuts, drive him to and from his part time job, gas up his car, etc. For $10-$12/hour.

I’m pretty sure that the whole point of college was to learn to manage your life alongside your other responsibilities without your mom around. Paying someone to be your mom seems like cheating. But maybe I’m just old school like that. What do you all think? A triumph of capitalism? A spoiled brat?

The Daily Feed
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Coast Guard Exercises This Morning

Photo courtesy of
‘The US Coast Guard – protecting I-95 from ________.’
courtesy of ‘nevermindtheend’

Just to avoid the bad press and frustration, the Coast Guard has announced they’re going to hold an exercise on the Potomac this morning. Just so a CNN staffer doesn’t make up actual gunfire out of the calm words, “bang bang bang” on the radio again. All the details, courtesy of Arlington Alert:

US Coast Guard – Washington will conduct a boat tactics and maneuvering drill/training in the Georgetown Channel (between Arlington Memorial and 14th Street bridges) today Thursday 22 October, at approximately 1000-1200 local time using two boats with mounted automatic weapons: one the aggressor the other defending the security zone. No live fire or blanks will be used.

The Daily Feed
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Calling All Female Cyclists!

Photo courtesy of
‘DSC_5490’
courtesy of ‘photopete’

Even though women make up only about a third of all bicyclists in this country, they’re considered an “indicator species” for urban bikeability, according to a recent report in Scientific American.  The article says that women prefer bike routes that aren’t shared with cars, and they are more likely to go out of their way to use safer bike infrastructure.  As cities learn how to design places that accommodate women’s biking preferences, researchers think more people in general will start biking.  So female cyclists, what do you want to see in DC?

This event sounds like a good start: this Saturday, Sports and Spinal Physical Therapy is sponsoring a Women, Wheels, and Wellness Day in Glover Park.  The free program includes yoga for cyclists, an urban cycling skills session, as well as door prizes and giveaways.  So women bikers, head over to Blue Ridge on Saturday afternoon for all sorts of good stuff– and realize that you’re the wave of the future!

Music, The Features, We Love Music
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We Love Music: Hanson

Photo courtesy of
‘Taylor’s still got it’
courtesy of ‘dcjasmine’

Oh, yes– you read right. I went to see Hanson (and Hellogoodbye) on Tuesday. Confession time: I liked it. A lot. I mean, my music taste has come a long way in 11 years, but you never forget your first love. And man, that Taylor Hanson… sweet Tiger Beat, he’s still got it.

The boys of Hanson– Taylor, Isaac, and Zac– may all be all grown up (plus married and with kids, no less), but their music retains the same sweetness and light that made them famous back in the late ’90s. Just about every song featured their signature three-part harmony, and most of their lyrics are about pure, unadulterated love. Continue reading →

The Daily Feed, WTF?!
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No Money? Let’s Tax Per Mile!

Photo courtesy of
‘idiot’
courtesy of ‘Kasabian/’

I hate waking up to stupid moronic ideas.

This morning, WUSA reports on a brilliant idea by Washington’s Council of Governments to fund a study of what kind of pay-per-mile plan would be accepted in the area.

The reasoning by these smart people COG is that with gas taxes remaining static and “the transportation system collapsing all around us” they want to find new sources of revenue to pay for roadwork and mass transit. (Edited: I actually agree with this premise; originally when I posted, I was incensed about the cost of the study, which IMNSHO is a waste of money because no one wants yet another tax.)

“One of the sources that’s been talked a lot about in academic circles is pricing highway use by miles. Now, we don’t know if that is something that makes a lot of sense to do…” remarks David Snyder of the Council’s Transportation Planning Board (emphasis mine).

You know, we Washingtonians can save you guys the $400K to conduct the study so that money can be put to better use: It’s a lame-ass stupid idea and I guarantee the public will tell you exactly where to stick your plans and models – right up a personal tunnel where the sun never shines.

The Daily Feed
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Largent Says Zorn Nearly Quit

Photo courtesy of
‘Jim Zorn’
courtesy of ‘Keith Allison’

According to Hall of Fame receiver Steve Largent, Redskins coach Jim Zorn just about quit his job when he was asked to give up his play-calling abilities. Largent told KJR in Seattle that Zorn did consider quitting and didn’t want to give up his responsibilities as coach. But apparently, in typical Dan Snyder fashion, the upper management pulled out Zorn’s contract and basically told Zorn he had to do whatever the owner tells him to do.

Sounds like Snyder tried to force Zorn to quit, rather than fire him, so that Snyder won’t be liable for Zorn’s contract.

Largent blasted Snyder even more over at NBC Sports: “I think it will be humbling and it will be embarrassing, but not for Jim,” Largent said to NBC Sports. “I think it’s humbling and embarrassing for the Redskins and the Redskins owner and Redskins management that made the decision. To think that you can bring a guy in from a retirement center, who is pulling out ping-pong balls in the Bingo games and say, ‘You are going to call the plays for the next game against the Philadelphia Eagles, a division opponent, on Monday Night Football,’ and think that that’s going to be successful, that’s a joke. That is really a joke.”

That whole boycott thing sounds better and better, doesn’t it?

The Daily Feed
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Boycotting Dan Snyder

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

It’s kinda nice to know that there’s a whole movement out there that loves the Redskins, but abjectly despises the owner, Dan Snyder. Sure, we could blame the on-field performance, or maybe the coaching, but everyone’s coming right back to Dan Snyder. If you want to hurt Dan Snyder in the only place his blackened soul might feel, then you aim right for his wallet and boycott his properties and things that benefit him. So, enter Hate The Owner, designed to give you all the necessary tools to hate Dan Snyder and love your Skins.

Farm Fresh, We Green DC
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Farm Fresh: Redwood Restaurant and Bar

Photo courtesy of
‘Cherry Tomato & Watermelon Salad’
courtesy of ‘snapzdc’

Here’s another feature where WeLoveDC authors Donna (greenie) and Katie (foodie) have paired up to tell you about local restaurants that take on the challenge of being green. Donna will explain the logic behind the environmentally friendly trends, and Katie will tell you if the food tastes any good. It’s a rough life, but someone has to do it, right?

Katie: Located in the heart of Bethesda Row, Redwood Restaurant and Bar is sleek, clean and stylish. With high ceilings and unsurprising wood decor, it’s a huge modern space with some seriously tasty food. And not only that, they do a great job of sourcing their products from local farmers, and utilizing the Bethesda farmer’s market, conveniently located right outside their door. Donna and I were invited to explore Redwood’s local food, so we went one Thursday night and sampled the fare and heard from Executive Chef Blake Schumpert exactly how he chooses the produce and meats he uses.

Donna: I like that at Redwood, they spell out their philosophy toward local foods up front, with a statement from owner and CEO Jared Rager posted on the Web site and a shorter message printed on the menus, so there’s no mistaking: “We are an independent, locally owned restaurant that showcases a seasonal menu featuring the best mid-atlantic ingredients available. Our produce, cheese, meat, and seafood is naturally-raised, organic, or sustainable whenever possible and is sourced from local growers. We’ve assembled a wine list from around the world with a particular focus on small production vintners who practice sustainable viticulture – making wine in a way which is economically viable, socially supportive and ecologically sound.” Hooray!

Katie: So with a clear mission, and a farmer’s market right outside their door, Redwood is an excellent place to eat some savory fare while feeling good about your meal’s carbon footprint. Continue reading →

The Daily Feed
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Counting DC as a State Makes an Ass out of You and Me (Actually, Just You)

Photo courtesy of
‘Wedding Photos in DC’
courtesy of ‘dcjasmine’

So, you may have heard that DC has more unmarried people than any other state in the country, by a lot! The Pew Research Center released a report showing the the District, when compared to states, comes in a distant last in percentage of people married, and first in oldest median age of residents at first marriage (check out all the pretty graphs here). DC is even out of the range of colors that are shown on the graphs because it’s so different.

This led the Washington City Paper and Newsweek to jump to various conclusions: that DC is home to educated lefties who wait to get married, that the illegality of gay marriage means that that population is undercounted, etc. All valid points, but then Newsweek takes it further and starts talking about the informal apartheid system we have here in DC, where only rich white people live in NW, and all the other quadrants house a “massive underclass”. Umm, have you ever been to Capitol Hill?

The craziest part of all of this is that all of these journalists never took the simple step of looking up comparable cities to get an idea of whether it was really fair to compare an all-urban city to a state. Well, I did. Continue reading →

Food and Drink, People, Special Events, The Daily Feed
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Learn About The Good Stuff

Photo courtesy of
‘a flight of whisk(e)y’
courtesy of ‘sleepyneko’

At 7pm, Thursday, October 22, National Geographic Live gets its drink on with photographer Jim Richardson and whisky expert Dave Broom hosting a guided tasting of Scotland’s finest single malt whiskies.  Co-sponsored by DC’s Brickskeller, the tastings will be paired with Richardson’s  images of the Celtic landscapes, distilleries, and people that produce these world reknown spirits. Obviously you must be 21 or older. View event details at Exploring Scotland’s Whisky Trail.

The Features
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Trick or Treat? Local Halloween Thrills

Photo courtesy of
‘Count Gore De Vol and band’
courtesy of ‘Photos by Chip Py’

Oh, Halloween. Silly Halloween. Childish Halloween. With your costumes, and your theme parties, and your candy. You’re for kids! …Aren’t you? Not in DC.

Amongst the usual suspects are some slightly sophisticated ways to spend Halloween. You can be indoors or out. Get things going early or stay out late. But you can be sure that this Halloween there’ll be tricks and treats — and naked butt cheeks (gah!).

Outdoor scares

DC’s temperate weather up until just about Halloween allows for some great outdoor scare-fests (and some costumes that seemed like a good idea). Drive for up to an hour to reach some real thrills, or stay nearby for some seriously freaky fun.

Every year since I discovered it, I’ve gone to Markoff’s Haunted Forest to scream my way through one of the two dark and spooky outdoor trails. The first year was the best, and by the second, I had remembered most of their scare tactics, but it didn’t mean it still wasn’t ridiculously fun.  But what really keeps me going back is taking someone with me who has never been. It’s just an experience you need to have. An hour away, the cost is a steep $25 on a weekend.

But Markoff’s Haunted Forest also has a number of “while-you-wait” activities, such as watching a 7 year old boy climb to the top of the wobbling telephone pole “Death Jump” only to be too scared to jump off or climb down. Terrifying… Continue reading →