Yearly Archives: 2009

Entertainment, Food and Drink, Special Events, The Daily Feed
By

61st Annual St. Mary Armenian Church Food Festival

Photo courtesy of
‘Skewers on the Grill’
courtesy of ‘Kevin H.’

Starting yesterday and continuing through this weekend  you can enjoy the culinary delights of the 61st Annual St. Mary Armenian Church Food Festival at St. Mary’s Armenian Apostolic Church (Metro Red Line to Friendship Heights Station).

The festival highlights delectable Armenian foods such as: lahmajoon, kufta,  stuffed grape leaves, grilled shish kebobs, lamb skewers and other traditional fare. You can also partake in authentic Armenian beer and grape wine.  Portions are ample and pricing is reasonable.

Lunch:  October 7, 8, 9 and 10th from 11AM to 2 PM

Dinner: October 10th from 5 PM to 9 PM

The Features, We Love Arts
By

We Love Arts: Man Ray

Man Ray. Noire et blanche, 1926. Gelatin silver print. The Baltimore Museum of Art, Purchase with exchange funds from the Edward Joseph Gallagher III Memorial Collection; and partial gift of George H. Dalsheimer, BMA 1988.422. Photo: Mitro Hood. © 2009 Man Ray Trust / Artists Rights Society (ARS), NY / ADAGP, Paris

Man Ray. Noire et blanche, 1926. Gelatin silver print. The Baltimore Museum of Art, Purchase with exchange funds from the Edward Joseph Gallagher III Memorial Collection; and partial gift of George H. Dalsheimer, BMA 1988.422. Photo: Mitro Hood. © 2009 Man Ray Trust / Artists Rights Society (ARS), NY / ADAGP, Paris

I love Man Ray. There’s something still so – cool – about his photographs, even today in our digital informal age. Hauntingly evocative of my favorite era, I usually rather narrowly think of him in context of 20’s fashion. There’s no better representation of the iconic beauty of that time than his Noire et Blanche, seen above, appearing in 1926 Vogue.

However, there’s another angle to Man Ray’s work that a new exhibit at the Phillips Collection makes plain. Opening this Saturday, May Ray, African Art and the Modernist Lens highlights the link between his work and the movement to promote African artifacts, elevating them to the status of modern art. The exhibit showcases more than 50 photographs by Man Ray, with about 50 more of his contemporaries like Cecil Beaton and Alfred Stieglitz. Several are matched with the original African objects they feature, for the first time, allowing the viewer to make the connection on how photographers can influence perception.

It also features my favorite Man Ray photograph. Continue reading →

News, The Daily Feed, WTF?!
By

Protestors in the Intersection at 14th & I

14th&I.jpg

There are approximately 150-200 Anti-War Protestors in the intersection at 14th & I St NW, blocking traffic and obstructing free movement near the intersection. There are approximately 30 of DC’s Finest hanging out with them as well. No word yet how quickly they’ll be dispersed, but a several-block traffic jam is occurring at this time.

[Update by Ben H. Rome] I managed to get caught in the protest by the “Students for Democratic Society.” Supposedly it was against the war in Afghanistan, but I overheard several different reasons as to what it was about, depending on which student was being interviewed. The war, education reform, health care, “party rights” (WTF?), reefer legalization… All I could really figure out was that a bunch of students decided to make some signs, go marching down some erratic route with a police escort (that got larger as they progressed) and finally stop in the middle of Eye St. NW between 14th and 15th, blast some dance music from a portable jury-rigged setup and dance. Stupidly. In the middle of the rush hour.

Oh, and dressed as a farm animal, in one case.

Needless to say, several motorists let the kids know what they thought about their “protest.” In words I’d rather not repeat.

Check out the photos I took of this peculiar “non-event.”

News, The Daily Feed, WMATA
By

Repairs Complete at Fort Totten

Photo courtesy of
‘metro’
courtesy of ‘spiggycat’

Metro announced this afternoon that the repairs of track circuits between Fort Totten and Takoma Park have been completed, ending the last of the emergency maintenance after the crash this summer. This means that trains will be permitted to operate at their usual speeds through the area, and not under the degraded speed that they have been using during the repairs.

It’s not immediately clear if this will permit a return to Automatic Train Operation mode, which would return the Red Line to full speed, but we’ve asked Metro to clarify the situation.

Metro will still be working at Fort Totten and Takoma Park on the weekends, however, as part of regularly scheduled maintenance, and trains will single-track through that area in the late evenings. With the longer delays between trains in the late evening, though, additional delays are unlikely.

Update: ATO is still off-limits until the NTSB Report comes back, which would give a conclusive ruling as to what caused the accident.

Capital Chefs, The Features
By

Capital Chefs: Cooking with Chef Palma of Westend Bistro, Part II

Photo courtesy of
‘Chef Palma’s Westend Shortribs and Brussels Sprouts’
courtesy of ‘CathyLovesDC’

As you read earlier today, Katie and I had the extreme fortune of gallivanting around a farmer’s market this weekend with a 3 Michelin star chef, Joe Palma, the Chef de Cuisine of the Eric Ripert Restaurant, Westend Bistro.

Chef Palma took us to the Old Town Farmer’s Market, determining his menu on the spot based on the market fare. I followed close in his footsteps, requesting identical produce at each stop: “I’ll have the same.” We picked up fresh sage, Asian pears, green tomatoes, Brussels sprouts and garlic before returning to the kitchen at the Ritz.

I asked Chef Palma to be very mindful of keeping the ingredients simple and the equipment minimal, and he gave us a first course and a main course that are to die for and very, very simple.

To start, Chef Palma threw together a green tomato, Asian pear, and spiced pecan salad with the most incredibly balanced, light and fresh blue cheese dressing. Continue reading →

The Daily Feed
By

Local Athletes and Advocates Team Up Against Domestic Violence

Photo courtesy of
‘Becky’s Fund – Walk this Way’
courtesy of ‘CathyLovesDC’

Last night, Becky’s Fund hosted a charity fashion show on the rooftop of The Liason Hotel to raise awareness for domestic violence. The show, titled “Walk this Way,” featured Clinton Portis, among a dozen other Redskins and United players, modeling the custom clothes of “DC’s Best Custom Clothier,” Eric Finn.

In addition to the DC sports figures, the raised catwalk over the center of the hotel’s rooftop swimming pool featured female models demonstrating actions of domestic violence before charging forth on the runway. The final action: Becky Lee, the founder of Becky’s Fund, untying the hands of the model and removing her blindfold, before embracing.

Becky Lee has demonstrated incredible advocacy against domestic violence, and last night’s event was a huge success for her cause. We’re proud to have such a hard-working advocate here in DC, and we’re looking forward to featuring her soon to find out why “She Loves DC.”

Capital Chefs, Food and Drink, People, The Features
By

Capital Chefs: Cooking with Chef Palma of Westend Bistro, Part I

PA030052

WeLoveDC authors Cathy (cooking queen) and Katie (restaurant aficionado) have paired up to bring you a double-hitting feature about great seasonal dishes that chefs at local area restaurants are whipping up this fall. Katie gets insider info about the chef and the restaurant, and Cathy recreates the chef’s recipe at home. Cheers to that.

After our previous adventure with Glenn Babcock of Nage Bistro, Cathy and I were invited to cook a seasonal fall dish with Westend Bistro by Eric Ripert‘s Chef de Cuisine, Joe Palma.

It was early Saturday morning on a perfect fall day, the type that is sunny and warm but with crisp, fresh air. Cathy and I were trailing chef Joe Palma through the Old Town farmers market in Alexandria as he pondered what seasonal dish to show us how to make.

“I sort of just wander around and see what looks good,” he said. “Kind of like Top Chef?” I tossed out. “Yeah,” he replied. “I can create bistro food on the fly, but I don’t think I’d enjoy being thrown a random ingredient.” And yet, that’s sort of what happened that Saturday morning at the market. Palma paused at the pears, then brussel sprouts caught his eye. “You guys like brussel sprouts?” he asked. “Yeah”, Cathy and I chimed. “How about green tomatoes?” “Of COURSE! I’m a southern girl!” I laughed. If Palma thinks it would be good, I’m totally happy to eat it. He’s one of the few chefs in the city that I have complete blind faith in.

Westend Bistro is currently my favorite restaurant in DC, and that’s quite a proclamation. I rarely choose favorites (don’t ever ask me my favorite book!) but I think there’s something uniquely lovely about Westend. I spend a lot of my time in restaurants these days, and Westend rises to the top of my list every time. Maybe it’s the relaxed, yet sophisticated atmosphere. Maybe it’s the buzz of the place, and the fact the wait staff are trained in the ways of the Ritz-Carlton. But mostly, I believe it’s that Palma puts the focus solely on the ingredients and purchases only the best possible.

“When I first came on, I cut costs down to about 28%, and it should be at about 32%,” Palma said. “I used that margin of cost savings to find the best possible ingredients, meats, produce.” It shows. Westend’s food is simple food. Sous Chef Adam Barnett told me one night that he likes working for Palma because he doesn’t get fussy with his food. Barnett said Palma doesn’t pile ingredients on a plate, that chef thinks about his ingredients before assembling them. So how would that translate for Cathy and I learning how to cook one of Palma’s dishes? Continue reading →

The Daily Feed
By

Find free eats for your kid

Photo courtesy of
‘Every Food Fits – Pasteles de Guayaba’
courtesy of ‘staceyviera’

This isn’t going to pony up any really avant guard places, but sometimes when you’re trailing some rugrats you just want to eat and get a deal. Website KidsEatFor.com has entries for our area that identify places with free or cheap eats for your kids. I don’t see Michel Richard’s Central listed, but some quality restaurants are to be found: Lebanese Taverna and Hard Times Cafe are in there along side the Denny’s and Boston Market.

More usefully, it helps you find the places that only have deals on certain days and at what times.

Life in the Capital, People, The Daily Feed, The District
By

Auto Accident at Bethesda Salon

Photo courtesy of
”
courtesy of ‘erin m’

Tuesday afternoon, an elderly driver crashed into the storefront of Bethesda’s Citrine Salon. ABC 7 reported that the driver approached the building via the driveway, sped up, hit a pylon, traveled along the retaining wall and then crash into the front of the building. The accident occurred around 3pm and the driver and two salon employees were taken to the hospital for treatment. The cause of the crash is still under investigation by the Nehora Law Firm.

The incident is eerily similar to last week’s accident at the Georgetown Whole Foods where, luckily, no one was injured.

For me, the two events bring to mind the question of when someone (our grandparents, parents, and eventually, though we don’t want to think about, ourselves) should stop driving. And with the increasing age and life expectancy of the US population, the potential risks of having elderly drivers on the road are only going to become more and more pertinent for both our families and our public safety. If you ever have a car accident, Hiring the right accident attorney will speed up the process. If you get into a car accident on the High Five Interchange or if your child falls on the playground at Coffee Park because of a broken railing, you may need the support of a compassionate and successful broken bone injury lawyer mesquite tx from Fielding Law. Continue reading →

The Daily Feed
By

A New Unknown

Photo courtesy of
‘Tomb of the Unknowns’
courtesy of ‘brianmka’

With advances in DNA analysis and identification, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was to have been a relic of the past, to be honored, surely, but never to be repeated. Salon has the story of a new Unknown tombstone at Arlington Cemetery, from within the last decade.

It makes me sad to think that those who would give their life for the country would be so shabbily treated by the Army in their final repose.

The Daily Feed
By

The latest in drug mule fashion

Courtesy US Customs and Border Patrol, via NBCWashington
Courtesy US Customs and Border Patrol, via NBCWashington

So there you are, minding your own business, in line at customs, when a big ol’ German Shepherd shows an unnatural interest in your legs. Well, maybe that’s because you’ve got nearly a pound and a half of heroin strapped to them. You are soooo busted.

Apparently drug mule Anna Sprauve didn’t get the memo that smuggling drugs into the country isn’t that easy; if it were, people wouldn’t feel the need to carry drugs in, ahem, more intimate places.

Thanks to NBCWashington for providing me with the phrase “heroin legwarmers” to enjoy throughout the day.

The Daily Feed
By

The Dan Brown Bump

Photo courtesy of
‘The Lost Symbol’
courtesy of ‘Simbe90’

Unless you’ve been living in a cave for the past few months, you know that Dan Brown’s new novel, The Lost Symbol, is set in DC. And what’s the point of being featured in a bestselling book (or movie) if you can’t capitalize on all the people coming to your city to see the places featured?

Dupont Hotel is offering a “Lost Symbol” package that includes a copy of the book, and The Telegraph reports that staff at the House of the Temple, headquarters of the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, are expecting a tenfold increase in tourists this year, thanks to Mr. Brown. Then again, that article also calls DC “stuffy” and “the most boring capital in the world to visit,” so I’m taking everything they say with a grain of salt.

News, The Daily Feed, WTF?!
By

Michelle Rhee Talks

View more news videos at: http://www.nbcwashington.com/video.

The last few mornings in Chinatown have been interrupted just before noon with the sounds of a student protest walking by the coffee shop, with numerous students carrying signs and wearing their school’s colors. The loss of 400 staff members from DCPS is the issue, and the result of a $40M budget shortfall, as announced by Chancellor Michelle Rhee. The shortfall itself is the subject of controversy, with Councilmember Barry coming out to suggest that the Chancellor is lying about the shortfall.

Chancellor Rhee is trying to clear the record up, and appeared this morning in a 6 minute segment on NBC 4 displayed above. A few of the myths and legends associated with the situation are the subject of the interview. To be clear, one of the unaddressed questions appear to be: Did DCPS focus the reductions in force on teachers with some amount of seniority, or were these across the board cuts?

The Daily Feed
By

Because Every Morning is Better With Cute Baby Animals

Photo courtesy of
‘Dama Gazelle’
courtesy of ‘Smithsonian’s National Zoo’

You guys know what suckers we are for cute baby animals. This is a female dama gazelle calf, born at the National Zoo on Friday. Dama gazelles are considered critically endangered with only 500 left in the wild, so this little girl is pretty important to the future survival of her species. But all I can really think about is the potential for nuzzling.

Comedy in DC
By

Comedy in DC: Bentzen Ball Preview

YouTube Preview Image

So, this Bentzen Ball thing. Everyone’s talking about it, but they keep talking about Tig Notaro and Patton Oswalt’s involvement in a show that’s about “alt-comedy” without even mentioning the numerous local comics interspersed throughout the various shows. Patton Oswalt was in a Pixar movie, for God’s sake. He’s hilarious, but he’s there so that the up-and-comers can benefit from the glorious halo of his fame, okay?

I’ve talked about some of these locals before: Seaton Smith, Hampton Yount, and Erin Jackson are all appearing at one or more of the shows, along with Aparna Nancherla, official comic of the We Love DC Commentariat. But there are many others preparing to wow DC with their joke-telling prowess, people I haven’t talked about as much here not because they aren’t funny (because they are), but because they don’t send me news about their shows as often. *cough* So plug in your headphones for a preview of some of the Bentzen Ball comics. Continue reading →

The Daily Feed
By

DCPS Redesigns Website


dcps.jpg

DCPS may have laid off 400 employees, but at least they have a new contractor-built website. Right, guys? Okay, too soon. But, it’s true, DCPS did rebuild their website from something horrible to something fairly well usable. It’s the result of three months’ work with OCTO and their outside consultants, built on a new Enterprise CMS that the rest of the dc.gov sites will eventually build upon. The site promises that you can find any piece of info “within three clicks,” so get on out and test around to see if that’s true.

The Daily Feed
By

Metrobus Victim Dies

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

What was a critical injury earlier today has now proven fatal for the woman struck by a D-8 Metrobus in Trinidad last night. She has been identified as Stephanie Richardson, 61, of Northeast DC. She was hit after leaving her bus and crossing in front of the waiting bus, when a second bus hit her in the street.

This is Metro’s second major pedestrian collision in two months. The driver, as of yet unidentified, has been in Metro’s employ for just over a year.

The Daily Feed
By

DC GOP to Support Marriage Equality Act

Photo courtesy of
‘Cafe The Flying Pig’
courtesy of ‘derekcx’

Color me pleasantly surprised that the DC GOP has come out in support of the DC Marriage Equality Act, with DC GOP chairman Robert Kabel promising to lobby Republicans in the House to keep their hands off the District’s politics in this particular case. In addition, Patrick Mara, who ran for the council in the last cycle, has promised his support on the Hill as well.

Some days you just can’t believe your eyes that everyone might come together behind an issue of common sense. Today is one of those days.