Yearly Archives: 2009

The Daily Feed
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Can I have that sign for my desk?

Photo courtesy of
‘stop rewarding failure’
courtesy of ‘spiggycat’

I was out of town and missed all the protest-liciousness on the Mall this weekend (and the National Black Family Reunion, which kind of got overshadowed in the middle of it), and I’m really not going to get into a conversation about the merits of the various sub-demographics of protestors… I just wanted to share this photo, which depicts a sign I can actually get behind. Click through and look at the yellow sign held by the little girl on the left:

“STOP REWARDING FAILURE.”

That’s change I can believe in, y’all.

The Daily Feed
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DC Public Libraries Facing Staff Cuts

Photo courtesy of
”
courtesy of ‘erin m’

DC’s Public Library system is facing the possibility of staff cuts due to continuing budget-tightening related to the economic downturn. Chief Librarian Ginnie Cooper says that she doesn’t expect it to come to that, but if the DCPL operating budget is cut any further, staffing is the only item left to cut. Interestingly, the construction budget for the last two years was such that new library facilities are nearing completion, leading to a situation where a new libary may be ready to open but not have enough staff to run it.

What I found most interesting in the article, however, was the steps Cooper  has been taking to ensure that DCPL stays relevant as traditional lending of paper books and periodicals has been in decline. I know I’m a slacker and haven’t checked out my local library lately- how about you?

The Daily Feed
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DDOE Helps with Winter Blues

Photo courtesy of
‘Cheverly – Double Stop – 3-2-09’
courtesy of ‘mosley.brian’

I don’t like winter. There are a lot of reasons why, but one of the big ones is that heating and electricity bills go WAY up in those short, cold days. But for all you district residents, the District Department of Energy is trying to help. If you are a low-income resident, you can apply for a discount on your Washington Gas bill, get your old appliances replaced with Energy Star ones, and get weatherization assistance.

Their site, green.dc.gov, is helpful for everyone, though. Check out their strategies for saving energy and money, get your home audited to see how much energy you’re wasting, and calculate your greenhouse gas emissions. Now is the time to jump on this stuff, before you’re freezing your buns off AND wasting money.

The Features
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Why I Love DC: Rebecca

Photo courtesy of
‘It’s the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine…’
courtesy of ‘philliefan99’

I moved to DC in January 2006.  I had visited a few times before: a hormone-ridden Middle School trip, a brief look at GW and Maryland during the exhaustive college search and a one-day journey to pick my sister up from her semester in DC program.  But aside from these all too quick and superficial trips, I really had no clue about the depth and charm of this Southern-Northern gem of city.  What exactly prompted me to job search and relocate to a city I had no connection/experience with, I’m not sure.  What I do know is that now that I’m here, I’m in no hurry to leave. Continue reading →

The Daily Feed
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Free-for-all ends tomorrow

Photo courtesy of
‘The Taming of the Shrew’
courtesy of ‘hans s’

We’ve reached the last three performances of the Washington Shakespeare Company’s Free-for-all production of The Taming of the Shrew. Tonight and tomorrow night at 8pm and a 2pm matinee tomorrow. In all three cases the box office will start issuing tickets two hours before showtime (ie, 6pm for the evening shows and noon for the matinees) but lines start forming well before then. Their webpage says lines are starting two hours before the box office opens; less clear is how late you can show up and still get a seat.

It’s not a minor time commitment, but for a company and venue that charges upwards of $70 for seats it’s not a bad compensation rate for your time. I haven’t been yet but D.C. Theater scene liked the production. Some of their commenters were less enthusiastic but a WSC employee showed up to share a useful tidbit: season ticket holders were allowed to reserve seats for weekday performances but not weekends, so there should be more seats to go around these last three showings.

The Daily Feed
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White House Farmer’s Market Opens Next Week!

Photo courtesy of
‘Carrots’
courtesy of ‘staceyviera’

According to the Washington Post, the Farmer’s Market on Vermont between McPherson and Lafayette Squares has been approved, which is great news. It opens next week, so now’s the time to find a sturdy bag to protect your veggies on the way home. The even cooler news is that food stamps, WIC, and Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Coupons will have double value at this market. While I observe that there are plenty of fresh produce bargains to be had at farmers’ markets already, this is a great step in making healthier food habits more accessible to our low-income neighbors.

The DC 100
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DC Omnivore 100: #91, SPAM®

Photo courtesy of
‘Photo of Crispy Grilled Spam “Chips”‘
courtesy of ‘foodistablog’

Today, we’re trying another item from the DC Omnivore 100, which lists the top one hundred foods every good omnivore should try at least once in their lives.

You have to give credit to the fine makers of SPAM®–they sure do know how to make canned meat fun.

The bright blue and yellow packaging on the Spam Single Classic I picked up the other day at the supermarket in my quest to share with you, dear readers, the joys of this highly processed food, invited me to “Just rip and tear your way to CRAZY TASTY® town!” The back had a SPAM Idea O’Wheel with suggestions of what to do with my SPAM, which included making a necklace from the very pouch I held in my hands. (Okay, even I know that’s not fashion.)

A little alarmed by the prospect of eating nearly half a day’s saturated fat in a single slice, I considered buying the SPAM Lite instead, but was even more frightened that the package actually listed “mechanically separated chicken parts” as an ingredient. I’m sure the pork in the regular fared no better at the factory, but still….

This ain’t health food, folks, and I’m pretty sure it ain’t green, but indeed I grew up on the stuff and still have fond memories of it.
Continue reading →

Food and Drink, Foodie Roundup, The Daily Feed
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Foodie Round-Up (Sept. 7th-11th)

Photo courtesy of
‘That’s Hot’
courtesy of ‘staceyviera’

Is it just me, or is today quite possibly the worst Friday in recent months? Between the significance of the day, some massive MASSIVE “exercise training” fails, and general crankiness, I’m just not feeling it. But you know what makes me feel better? Food. So without much other pomp and circumstance, here’s all the news fit to eat in the District this week. Continue reading →

The Daily Feed
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Prince of Petworth’s New Work Wardrobe: Pajamas

Photo courtesy of
‘IMG_6430’
courtesy of ‘abbybatchelder’

It’s a long-standing joke on the We Love DC authors mailing list about how much better life would be if we could all just quit our jobs and work on the site full time. Prince of Petworth’s Dan Silverman is now living the blogger dream; he’s quit his job to run PoP full time.

We have nothing to add except our congratulations, and also our intense jealousy. Good for you, Dan!

All Politics is Local, Downtown, The Daily Feed
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Gay Marriage Bill Expected This Fall

Photo courtesy of
‘Capital Pride Parade’
courtesy of ‘spiggycat’

Councilman David Catania (At-Large, I) has gathered ten co-sponsors for a bill that would legalize same-sex marriage in the District of Columbia, according to the Post. The bill, called “Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Equality Amendment Act of 2009” would likely move forward early in the Fall term. Due to the nature of Congress’ involvement, shenanigans are certainly expected, and I’m pretty sure that Bishop Harry Jackson, faux DC resident, won’t let this go unmolested, either. So get ready to hear all about a bunch of outsiders trying to get up in the District’s business.

News, The Daily Feed
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Coast Guard Exercise on the Potomac Scares the Shit out of Everyone Needlessly

Photo courtesy of
‘Potomac Policeboat’
courtesy of ‘diskychick’

According to CNN, a Coast Guard boat on the Potomac river was involved in a confrontation with another boat on the river and fired approximately 10 shots on the craft as it neared a security zone near the Pentagon where President Obama was speaking this morning. This one’s still breaking, not sure what’s happened yet.

Update, 10:37am: Yeah, the whole thing was an exercise. No shots were fired, and CNN’s reports seem to be inaccurate. Mark Knoller of CBS News was part of the Presidential Motorcade and confirms nothing happened during the trip back over the river. In addition, WUSA 9 spoke with DC Police Information and confirmed this was just an exercise. Nothing happened here.

Thanks again, CNN!

All Politics is Local, The Daily Feed
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In Memoriam

Photo courtesy of
‘Pentagon Memorial’
courtesy of ‘jjgardner3’

8 years ago, 19 men bent on murder captured airplanes carrying civilians and ran them into buildings. Two planes crashed in New York, one crashed in Pennsylvania, and one more here in our area, into the wall of the Pentagon. 64 men and women aboard Flight 77, and 125 more inside the Pentagon, were turned to so much ash as the plane obliterated a large section of the building.

Today, we remember their deaths as tragedy. Those lives, and the thousands more who died in New York and Pennsylvania, weigh heavy on us all today. We bear their loss as a scar; it has begun to heal, but shall always leave us marked.

This will be the only tribute to those deaths on this site today. We do not wish to define our city by this day or this disaster, nor should we hold it up to claim victimhood and suffering any longer. We mourn the departed, though it is time to reclaim who we are and continue to rebuild. A year to the day after the crash, repairs were completed at the Pentagon. It is true that you can reconstruct a building faster than you can reconstruct your life, but we must get beyond the viscera of the event. We honor the day, but do not let it own us. Our calendar shall run normally today. If you are moved to leave memories of the day’s events, please leave them here.

The Features, Where We Live
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Where We Live: River East

"raw wood twin houses anacostia historic district" by dg-rad, on Flickr

"raw wood twin houses anacostia historic district" by dg-rad, on Flickr

Welcome to another Where We Live.  Today we’ll be exploring the communities of River East, on the other side of the river that DC sometimes forgets about: Anacostia, Congress Heights, and Barry Farm.  These neighborhoods have rich histories, and are currently seeing massive new redevelopment projects.  Read on for the places to go and things to see in River East, a part of DC that you probably haven’t visited yet.

History: Anacostia was named after the Anacostan Native Americans, and when John Smith sailed up the Anacostia River he wrote that he was well received by these people.  Anacostia was originally a suburb of Washington and was incorporated into the city in 1854.  Anacostia was originally a working-class neighborhood, home to many people who worked nearby in the Navy Yard.  Despite covenants restricting the sale of land to African Americans and Irish Americans, by 1880 more than 15 percent of residents were African American.  Throughout the twentieth century the demographics shifted, with many working class white families fleeing the city, and Anacostia is now home to a high concentration (this National Park Service page says 99%, the 2000 Census says 96%) of African Americans.  Check out the University of Virginia’s Crossing the River online project that documents race, geography, and the role of feds in Anacostia.

Just a few blocks to the southeast of Anacostia, Congress Heights was developed in the 1920s as the end of a streetcar line.  There wasn’t much in the area aside from St. Elizabeths Hospital and Camp Simms, home of the DC National Guard.  The area grew to be a suburban-style residential neighborhood with a strong commercial component.  Today, both St. Elizabeths Hospital and Camp Simms are the sites of major redevelopment efforts.

Separated by a river from the rest of DC, the neighborhoods east of the river have typically failed to attract the type of development in other parts of DC.  For a long time, River East languished, and did not see as much Metro-related redevelopment as other parts of the city, like Shaw and Brookland.  But these neighborhoods are finally coming back: with more affordable housing, some beautiful historic housing options, and great access into the city, residents are finally seeing the value in the neighborhoods east of the river.

Continue reading →

The Daily Feed, WTF?!
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All Hands on Deck Violates Union Contract

Photo courtesy of
‘big tent event’
courtesy of ‘philliefan99’

An arbitrator has ruled that the police’s All Hands on Deck Policy is a violation of DC Law and the Police Union Contract, and ordered that the MPD stop using the strategy until they can work out the issues at hand. The arbitrator’s ruling, if it stands, would drastically affect the ability of the MPD to call up officers for extra duty without properly bargaining with the FOP Union. The MPD will also have to pay back overtime due the officers who worked extra shifts during AHOD.

Chief Lanier will likely appeal the ruling, but is already saying that AHOD will continue.

Food and Drink, The Features, We Love Drinks
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We Love Drinks: Cork

"roseflight" by Il Primo Uomo, on Flickr

"roseflight" by Il Primo Uomo, on Flickr

There’s a slew of new boozy places in town, and I’m going to be busy trying to hit them all. So I thought for this week’s edition of Drinks I’d focus on a bar that has been on my list for a while, but somehow haven’t gotten around to writing about. 

Well, maybe I was being selfish!

Cork was a raging success before it even opened. Just the initial rumours of a wine bar on the 14th Street Corridor was enough to send us Shavians into a frenzy, pros and cons fiercely debated. Though owners and Logan Circle residents Diane Gross and Khalid Pitts were strongly dedicated to keeping it a neighborhood spot, the advance chat was so good that it was impossible to get in for weeks, if not months, after it opened. Suddenly the brave little wine bar that could was the toast of Food & Wine. And with Cork Market & Tasting Room opening this fall a little across the way, there’s no sign of a slowdown.

Sad to say, I still can’t recommend Cork on a weekend night. It’s just too crowded, there isn’t much space to wait for a table in the bar area (there isn’t much of a bar area for a wine bar, actually) and the decibel level is extreme. Of course if all that doesn’t bother you, go for it. It’s certainly a lively scene. But I’m more an off-night girl myself.

On a quiet mid-week night, the owners’ mission to “demystify the world of wine” really comes through, and it’s a true pleasure. Continue reading →

The Daily Feed
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Free burgers and rides for some on Monday

Photo courtesy of
‘a vegan is crying…………….’
courtesy of ‘LaTur’

On Monday – at undisclosed times and locations – McDonalds representatives will be outside metro stops handing out coupons for transit fares and McD’s new-ish angus burgers. Although Reuters claims the city specifics won’t be announced till the day before, we just got a release from a local PR firm indicating that it’ll happen in our area at 10 undisclosed metro stops on the 14th. Keep your eyes peeled if you want a freebie but don’t expect them to last long – the press release indicates there’s 3,500 burger coupons and another 3,500 free ride vouchers to go around across the 10 mystery locations.

Just to put that in perspective, 700,000 people rode the metro on Tuesday and the start of this week’s work week. So if you do manage to beat the less than 1 in 8 odds of being at a station where the handout is happening, strike while the iron’s hot.

I mean, not literally. Don’t HIT the person handing out coupons. That’s just rude.

The Daily Feed
By

We’re Rooting for (Steroids for) Teddy!

Photo courtesy of
‘Teddy at Nats Game’
courtesy of ‘travelcorx’

Poor, Teddy. You used that giant head of yours to muster up a plan to use That Darn Cat to help you cheat and win, but someone foiled you. We hope you found that rat and fed him to the Cat.

If you’re just tuning in, Tuesday night’s President’s Race at the National’s game was unfairly won by Teddy, who has never won a single President’s race (just LOOK at his excitement on the jumbo screen – captured by WLDC author Corinne).

Teddy employed That Darn Cat to tackle Abe and Tom. However, after watching the video several times, I’m fairly certain that Abe and Tom willingly fell to the ground. Watch the video for yourself. It seems they were prepared and, dare I say, “In” on the scheme. Perhaps they wanted Teddy to win, too? Continue reading →

We Love Weekends
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We Love Weekends: September 12-13

Photo courtesy of
‘Nation’s Triathlon’
courtesy of ‘noahdevereaux’

Shannon: It’s a big weekend for me.  I’m competing in the Nation’s Triathlon on Sunday, which will have me swimming in the Potomac River, biking in Rock Creek Park and out to Glen Echo, and running around Hains Point in my first Olympic-distance triathlon.  The Nation’s Tri has grown to be one of the largest triathlons in the country, with an expected 6,000 competitors this year.  So come on down to the Mall on Sunday morning and root for the home team (the DC Tri Club, easily identifiable in our jerseys).  Afterwards, I can’t imagine a better post-race treat than a margarita at Cantina Marina to celebrate the fact that I swam in the Potomac and lived to tell about it.

Max: After a long summer drought, the local art scene kicks into full gear this weekend.  New nightmarish paintings by local artist, Bradley Chriss will be on display Friday night at Flashpoint’s opening of Visions from the End of the World.  I’ll also be heading over to Civilian Arts Project to see their opening of Cara Ober: Love Letters and Nikki Painter: Debriscapes.  Saturday night you’ll find me checking out the new exhibit at Curator’s Office called Slow Food, featuring abstract paintings by L.A. based artist, Patrick Wilson.  Just down the street, Irvine Contemporary will be opening their New Realisms (PDF) show featuring five New York based artists who will be showing off their realist style of painting.  On Sunday I’ll be ready for some football, heading over to Buffalo Billiards to watch the Broncos beat the crap out of the Bengals. Continue reading →

The Daily Feed, WMATA
By

Another Metro Employee Injured, Delays on Blue and Yellow Lines

Photo courtesy of
‘joy.’
courtesy of ‘nevermindtheend’

It’s just not been a good summer for Metro. Exactly a month ago, a Metro employee was killed while performing maintenance on the Orange line, and today, word comes that another Metro employee was struck by a train between Braddock Road and National Airport stations this morning.

If you’re travelling on the yellow or blue lines, prepare for major delays for the rest of the day: service has been suspended between Braddock Road and National Airport.  The blue and yellow lines are both split into two segments, with free shuttle bus service between King Street, Braddock Road, and National Airport stations.

Update: As of 12:43 PM, normal service has resumed on the yellow and blue lines.  No updates on the injured Metro employee except that he was taken to the hospital with serious injuries.