We Love Food

We Love Food: Willow

3879122264_e479a2a165

Willow Bar & Restaurant by Addison H on Flickr

I have been known to insult Ballston from time to time. I have a deep fond love of Arlington, but Ballston seems to me to be all high rises, chain restaurants and it’s kinda got a mall. But places like Willow make me take it all back. Tucked in the bottom level of an office building, Willow is a gem of a restaurant with fresh, local, sophisticated food and perfect service.

I’ve become a regular at Willow. I’ve taken my friends, my parents, I’ve gone there for drinks, for restaurant week dinners. I basically love it for it’s calm refined atmosphere and unblemished menu. The crowd errs on the slightly old to very old side, I see some grey hair every time I go. But then again I’m never there for a scene, so this has never bothered me – if I wanted a scene in Arlington I’d go to Eventide or Liberty Tavern. I come to Willow to take a deep breath. Continue reading

The Daily Feed

Can we please stop calling him the “Georgetown Cuddler?”

Photo courtesy of
‘giant fist’
courtesy of ‘philliefan99’

Because he’s not a cuddler, he’s a rapist. MPD 2nd District Commander Matt Klein said it best: “You cuddle someone you love. We’re looking for a criminal.”  There was another incident this morning, this one involving digital penetration, which is considerably more than anything that could be flippantly called “cuddling.”

So we need to call this creep what he is. I propose, “Georgetown Come-into-my-house-and-I’ll-beat-you-with-a-baseball-bat.” Or maybe “Georgetown Any-part-of-you-that-touches-me-you’re-not-getting-back.”

But failing all that, I’d settle for the “Georgetown Rapist.”

The Daily Feed

Holocaust Museum Shooter Has Court Hearing

Photo courtesy of
‘DSC_4717’
courtesy of ‘rekphoto’

James Von Brunn, accused Holocaust Museum shooter and vile bigot, appeared in court this morning for a preliminary hearing. US District Judge Reggie B. Walton ordered that Von Brunn be examined for competency to stand trial at the agreement of his attorney but over his personal objections, and another hearing has been scheduled for October 14th. The arraignment has been delayed to allow the examination to take place, and this hearing had been delayed due to injuries Von Brunn sustained during the shooting.

The Daily Feed

Caps Selling Out

Photo courtesy of
‘Caps/Pens: Game 1 (2009 NHL Playoffs) – 3’
courtesy of ‘Garyisajoke’

Less than 150 tickets remain for the first-ever Washington Capitals Convention on Sept 26.

Several former Caps players will be present, along with the entire 2009-2010 roster and coaches, owner Tedy Leonsis and NHL commissioner Gary Bettman. Among the Caps alumni will be Al Iafrate, Rod Langway, Kelly Miller and Dennis Maruk.

So far, five discussion panels have been confirmed, including a Kids Press Conference, the Young Guns (focused on Alex Ovechkin, Mike Greene, Nicklas Backstrom and Alexander Semin), “Ted’s Take,” one on the current team and another on deal-making in the NHL with GM George McPhee.

The convention will be at the Gaylord National Convention Center and Resort in Oxon Hill from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. (Season-ticket holders can get in at 9 a.m.) Tickets are available at WashingtonCaps.com; $40 for adults and $25 for 14 and under.

The Daily Feed

World Record Breaking at Mason

Photo courtesy of
‘George Mason Memorial’
courtesy of ‘kimberlyfaye’

Back to school, back to school, to prove to Dad I’m not a fool…what? Oh, right. As part of their welcome-back activities this semester, George Mason wants to get everyone together for a World Record-breaking game of telephone today at 3pm. You can sign up here, although there is a question about what your affiliation to Mason is (but there’s an “other” if non-students really want to join).

It seems to be kind of last-minute and more of a friend-making activity than anything, so I doubt they’re going to actually break any records, but it’s always fun to see “Save me, Obamacare” turn into “Lame Frigidaire.”

Talkin' Transit, The Features, WMATA, WTF?!

Talkin’ Transit: Labor Pains

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

ZOMG METRO CLOZING 3 STATIONS DURING TEH HOLIDAY!!!1!one11!

I’m sure that’s the most common reaction by Blue and Yellow line riders who read Metro’s press release yesterday; it certainly seemed to be the tone set by commenters and blogs around the area.

Now, normally I’m one of the first detractors of Metro’s policies of late and yes, that was close to my initial reaction as well. It put a crimp into my own weekend plans, including a beloved relative flying in/out of DCA. But then I stopped to think about it.

It’s actually a good thing.

No, really! Continue reading

The Daily Feed

DC Grocery Stores Are the Longest Wait

dcgroceries.png

Ouch. I’ve been in some interminable lines at the Harris Teeters and Safeways of the DC area, but I had no idea they were the worst in the nation. The average line is over 8 minutes long in area grocery stores, or approximately the amount of time necessary to give yourself a lobotomy with a disposable razor from Aisle 4. Are the lines that awful? Who’s the worst offender? I’d have to say the Giant in my neck of the woods is awful, and the Harris Teeter that came to Shirlington a year or so ago is the best.

Adventures, Entertainment, Special Events, The Daily Feed

Jurassic Park IV: Washington DC

Photo courtesy of
‘roar!’
courtesy of ‘staceyviera’

Nope, Steven Speilberg and Jeff Goldblum are not in town. However,  “Walking with Dinosaurs – The Arena Spectacular” is starting this Wednesday, Sept. 16 through Sunday, Sept. 20 at the Verizon Center.

The show takes the audience through the 200 million years that dinosaurs roamed the earth with key performances by Tyrannosaurus Rex, Plateosaurus,  Stegosaurus, Allosaurus, Torosaurus and Utahraptor and a 36′ tall by 56′ long animatronic Brachiosaurus.  The entire production took one whole year to build, with a team of 50 animatronics’ experts solely dedicated to making the dinosaurs come to life.  Like John Hammond said, “We’ve made living biological attractions so astounding that they’ll capture the imagination of the entire planet.”

I believe Samuel L. also said, “Hold on to your butts!

Food and Drink, The Features

First Look: The Jefferson

Jeffersonian Truth

"Jeffersonian Truth" by Jenn Larsen, on Flickr

If someone asked me to define elegance, I would have to toss out other words like simplicity and restraint, covered with a kind of luxury that has nothing to do with pretentious opulence but everything to do with exquisite comfort. It’s a hard sell in our over-the-top world, but I think there is a yearning to return to that kind of old-fashioned mystique. And the reopened Jefferson hotel, debuting after a 30-month renovation, is a breathtaking example of elegance, lovingly presented with true beauty.

Think I’m exaggerating? Well, I’ve taken plenty of photographs for you to see for yourself. While touring The Jefferson, fellow author Cathy and I were spinning around like tops, ooo-ing and aah-ing every little detail. And there are many – the Beaux Arts hotel was specifically renovated by design firm ForrestPerkins to evoke the Jeffersonian spirit. He’s everywhere, but in a refined way, nothing kitschy at all, oh no. Perhaps it’s the next best thing to being in Monticello – which features prominently in murals and custom toiles – even the spa’s “vinotherapies” pay tribute to Jefferson’s philosophies and interests.

But why are locals going to go? For two reasons – Quill and Plume. Continue reading

Alexandria, Talkin' Transit, The Daily Feed, The District, WMATA, WTF?!

Metro Closing Three Stations for Labor Day Weekend

Photo courtesy of
‘middle track’
courtesy of ‘katmere’

Metro’s closing three stations this weekend starting Friday night at 9:30 and won’t be re-opening them until Tuesday morning at 5am. Those three stations are National Airport, Pentagon City and Crystal City, which means that a significant branch of the Metro will be traded for buses this weekend while WMATA refurbishes them. They’ll be stripping out 2,000 feet of Rail, 735 ties, and will be working on the concrete platform structures at National amongst other places. It’s a pretty big deal, so service is going to be drastically affected. The line between Pentagon and Braddock Road will not be operated at all. Metro has detailed the shuttle service via their website, and the appropriate section is below, for those who’ll need to transfer around the problems. Continue reading

The Daily Feed

The Beeping Is Over.


The Flames, They Mean She Is Fast
Originally uploaded by ESJablair

You might’ve seen the news on JDLand or DCist about the beeping truck over at New Jersey Ave & K St SE. Reader Shaun Farrell pointed it out to us on Monday morning and requested our assistance. When email to DPW went unanswered, we gave them a call and got to the bottom of the situation.

The truck in question at the trash transfer station seemed to be making the noise, and it had been ongoing since August 21st according to area residents. As window weather is again here, and this is driving some people crazy, we ended up talking to Miss West with the DPW, who explained it was the truck’s crash attenuator. It was stuck in the on position, which meant that the truck was annoying the bejeezus out of people. She gave me the number for the weekend maintenance folks, which we passed on to the residents who had complained, and all seems to be well.

Why it had to go on for 10 days before they’d fix it, she wasn’t sure, nor was it clear why a local media outlet had to get involved before it got done. But, it is once again quiet near Capitol Towers.

The Daily Feed, The District

Boundless Enthusiasm

Dupont Town Houses

You’ve got to admire a blog that’s dedicated to boundless enthusiasm for the District. Meet Fuck Yeah, DC! a Tumblr-based blog about the District of Columbia. It’s not high maintenance, it’s not deep, it’s not anything but love and adoration for the District, the things that make you say “Fuck Yeah, DC!” Like today, for example, what with the perfect weather and light, and the crispness of Fall coming to town after a toasty August.

Fuck Yeah, DC!

Mythbusting DC, The Features

DC Mythbusting: The National Mall as Protest Central

Photo courtesy of
‘Iran Protest in DC’
courtesy of ‘spiggycat’

Welcome to another DC Mythbusting! This week, we’ll be discussing the National Mall and its place as the country’s ‘front yard’ for protesting and gathering.  With such a wide open space, in view of both Congress and the President, clearly the National Mall was created to be a place of protest and free speech, right?  And it has always served the role as the gathering place for Americans with something to say?

Not exactly.  While the Mall was envisioned by Pierre L’Enfant as a “people’s park” along a grand avenue, it has been through many iterations before it became what it is today. The author of Grand Avenues states that the Mall was “a public statement of American destiny,” showing a horizon of possibilities from the Capitol (113).  And while L’Enfant planned a grand vista along the axis (which turned out mostly perfectly) along with a singular equestrian statue, it wasn’t really built like that.
Continue reading

The Daily Feed

Life may get more complicated for the legit spa in D.C.

Photo courtesy of
‘Ayurvedic Massage’
courtesy of ‘Kerala Tourism’

The most recent D.C. Register includes draft regulations that will expand the Department of Health’s authority to monitor and regulate massage and health spas, primarily with the intention of making it easier to crack down on places that are less rolfing and more rub&tug. Sports therapy, schools, physical therapy and other medical operations are going to be exempt from monitoring but everyone else is going to have to get licensed, follow fairly specific facilities guidelines, and file a fair amount of paperwork. Visitors to spas can expect to sign some consent forms that include details about the services provided and the spa will have to keep those records for three year, and there are also other alternatives like health Spas as the Med Spa Memphis which help people feeling better and more relax.

And any of that naughty massage by pretty naked girls, even if there’s no bathing-suit-area touching? Forget it – section 207.1 says the massage therapist must wear clothing that “are fully opaque, and that do not expose their genitals, pubic area, buttocks, chest, or breasts.”

Bad news for the Washington Post’s sole source of ads in the sports section too: “No person or facility shall advertise or promote massage therapy or health spa services with nude images, images of scantily clad persons, vulgarity, or with any sexual overtones.” and “No person or facility shall advertise or promote massage or spa related services without the massage establishment or health facility’s name, address, telephone number, and license number on the advertisement.”

All told it’s 81 pages of regulation.

All Politics is Local, Essential DC, Food and Drink, Life in the Capital, The Daily Feed

DC Restaurants – Recession Proof Or Not?

Photo courtesy of
‘Chairs and table’
courtesy of ’emvii’

Tierney Plumb of the Washington Business Journal wrote up a pretty little article about the health of the restaurant industry that struck my fancy. According to the article, “on a national scale, 2008 and 2009 have been the most challenging years for the restaurant industry in several decades” Plumb reports despite a slow start to the year, “Restaurant operators have an improved outlook for sales growth, with 31 percent predicting higher sales in six months, up from 24 percent.”

Plumb goes on to quote a few DC restaurants, including Morton’s Steakhouse who said “July and August were good months for us.” Even the slow month of August was privvy to some major chef moves, opening announcements and major buzz around the DC foodie scene. On the flip side, others would disagree. One of my favorite WaPo writers and someone I respect very much, Going Out Guru Julia Beizer, wrote a brief article on the desolate Restaurant Week scene last week that began “Is it just me, or is it kind of deserted out there?” Continue reading

The Daily Feed

HPV Vaccine “Required” for 6th Grade Girls. Okay, Not Really.

Photo courtesy of
‘Dr. Schreiber of San Augustine giving a typhoid innoculation at a rural school, San Augustine County, Texas (LOC)’
courtesy of ‘The Library of Congress’

Virginia and DC are the only jurisdictions “requiring” that girls entering 6th grade be vaccinated against Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). I think the requirement is ridiculous for a whole variety of reasons (which have nothing to do with the standard “it promotes promiscuity” claptrap) but what’s hilarious about this is that the required vaccination isn’t so much, um, required. In both jurisdictions, parents can opt out of this particular immunization for any reason. In DC, students have to either turn in documentation that they got the vaccine, or a form signed by their parents to opt out. In Virginia, it’s even more lax- if students don’t turn in documentation of getting the shots, it will just be assumed that parents opted out.

Not much of a requirement, eh? I think Inigo Montoya says it better than I can:
YouTube Preview Image

Crime & Punishment, News, People, The Daily Feed, The District, WTF?!

Return of the Georgetown Cuddler!

Photo courtesy of
‘DSC_0065’
courtesy of ‘Jessa B.C.’

It seems that the Georgetown Cuddler has struck again. On Sunday, a young woman awoke to find a strange man sitting next to her. “She said she was laying on the couch and all of a sudden someone walked in and sat down next to her and she jumped up and told him to leave and he did right after but it’s been happening a little too often,” recounted a friend of the young woman, who apparently speaks in run-on sentences. The Cuddler, whose modus operandi is to enter unlocked houses and spoon with sleeping women, has been the bane of District police.  No one seems to know who he is, or what he looks like and he has been able to avoid law enforcement, thus far. Georgetown University, in an effort to protect its female students, has ramped up the search for the Cuddler and is keeping the campus informed of any developments.

All Politics is Local, The Daily Feed

VA Gov Candidate McDonnell’s Disgusting Thesis

Photo courtesy of
courtesy of ‘acebal’

WaPo broke the story over the weekend about the 90 page thesis that the Republican Gubernatorial candidate wrote when he was 34 years old. It’s a paper he wrote about his overall political philosophy and was written in 1989, about a year before he announced he was running for public office in VA. While I am not here to take a partisan stance on any of these issues or races, I must say that this thesis is simply disgusting and absolutely has the potential to be a game changer in this race. McDonnell blatantly discriminates against women and gays with 1950’s like views.

Continue reading

We Love Food

We Love Food: Zengo

Photo courtesy of Me

Our outing to Zengo for restaurant week was perfect in every way. Zengo deserves much of the credit, obviously, but it helped to have a good sized group of people – five – who were all willing and thrilled to share their food. I think Frank Bruni’s article about how deranged his dining companions have been over the years says less about the world at large – as he alleges – and more about the caliber of his friends. Certainly none of the attitudes he describes were at play at our table, as nothing failed to get passed around and shared and nobody was shy about consuming their fair share.

Photo courtesy of Me

My darling wife and I arrived ahead of both our dining companions and our reservation so we spent a little quality time in the bar. I’m a boring beer drinker but my dearest had the cucumber mojito, which she declared excellent. The bartender claims their mango mojito is also superb, but the conversation happened because of the look of horror on our faces when he made a few in front of them. No doubt that mass of pink goo he dropped in on top of the ice tastes like delicious mango mint goodness once it’s dissolved into the drink, but, like sausage, this is something you should not watch being made if you expect to enjoy it.

I comment on how polite and efficient the host staff was in seating us only because it was the beginning of a trend. I see a lot of concern from people about the quality of service during restaurant week but if any of the staff at Zengo thought we were unworthy of their best effort than I can only imagine what it’s like there during ‘normal’ service. I was tempted to see if was even possible for me to drain my water glass below the halfway mark before someone came around but I feared I’d rupture something.

Continue reading

The Daily Feed

Sustainable Campus rankings

Photo courtesy of
‘how do you “recycle” wind?’
courtesy of ‘philliefan99’

The Sierra Club has put out their third annual sustainable campus listing & grades and the GW Hatchet is happy to report that their campus has crawled out of the basement. 81st in a field of 135 isn’t going to land you that plum job and a short road to partner, but hey – you know what they call the person who graduated last in their class in med school, right? Doctor. Snark aside, moving from an F to a C is a worthy improvement. Congrats, GW.

Our area’s top winner was University of Maryland in 67th place. George Mason is a fellow C student to GW at 89. There’s no indication Georgetown, Marymount, or Howard were examined.