Today’s harvest from the WLDC dirtlab
Originally uploaded by tiffany bridge

We made a little trip out to the We Love DC Dirt Lab this weekend to check on the large garden plot. It took three people to carry the harvest back into the house. What you see there is a pile of chili peppers, 6 heirloom tomatoes, two enormous zucchini, three enormous squash, and not even a tenth of the basil patch. That’s not the first squash we’ve gotten out of it, either.

We cut up one of the tomatoes right away and as we devoured it, we asked ourselves why people continue to subject themselves to gross supermarket tomatoes, especially in winter. If you buy nothing else from your local farmers market, buy your tomatoes there in season. I promise you will not regret it.

‘new toy’
courtesy of ‘philliefan99’

It’s only barely DC-related but I figure since we talked about the Ritz bankruptcy, fire sales, and restructuring I should at least link the Washington Post article that details what will happen to the company going forward.

There’s not too much new there from when I told you last month that the company was looking for a buyer of its assets. As was widely reported at the end of last month, CEO David Ritz managed to cobble together a group of investors and put in a bid for the entirety of the company’s assets. The Post doesn’t specify that the bankruptcy judge has approved the deal but it’s implied so I’m not going to spend the money pulling the documents from PACER.

WaPo says that Ritz indicated in an interview that the new company plans bring in a more hip crowd, though it sounds to me more like they’re simply planning their activities between now and their next bankruptcy. The best indicator may be Ritz’s quote about how the customer base out there Just Doesn’t Get It.

“They don’t understand that you need to archive your history,” he said, “and if you have everything on a hard drive, it’s subject to being lost at any time.”

In my experience, when a business starts talking about how their target market just doesn’t know what’s good for them, it’s a sign of trouble.

Missing from the article is much mention of what the repercussions are going to be for existing customers. The new company, though it shares some of the name with the existing Ritz Camera, will be a different corporation – one that purchased the old companies assets but may not have all or any of its liabilities. If you’ve been sitting on Ritz gift cards or coupons you shouldn’t take this development as a sign that they’re going to be worth something again – those are with the old corporation and it’s going away, even if the sign looks a lot like the old one.

‘Wiffle ball’
courtesy of ‘DRB62’

When it comes to DC summer sports, you’ve got your kickball, you’ve got your softball, you’ve got your frisbee and you’ve even got your bocce ball. And, I just found out today, apparently you’ve also got your Wiffleball (?!?). Sure, why not. The Potomac Wiffleball league starts up its summer run this weekend and today is the absolute deadline for getting your team registered. If that’s too little time to register all your friends, you can join as a loner and make some new wiffle ball friends. The cost is $30 per player and play takes place at Ft. Reno Park, just north of the Tenleytown Metro Station.

‘Croquetas de Conpango’
courtesy of ‘jlastras’

If you head out tomorrow night, Tuesday, to La Tasca in Clarendon, a portion of your check will go to support the Younger Women’s Task Force DC Area chapter. Who doesn’t love paella and sangria? Or even croquetas! (kind of like fried balls of mashed potatoes…delicious.) Their full menu is here.

From the YWTF website:

“The Younger Women’s Task Force, a project of the National Council of Women’s Organizations, is a nationwide, diverse and inclusive grassroots movement dedicated to organizing younger women and their allies to take action on issues that matter most to them. “

Make sure to mention to your server that you are there to support the YWTF so you know that while you eat and drink like a Spaniard (well, at least like a Spaniard in the U.S.), you are contributing to a great cause at the same time! Pencil in some tapas and fun on your schedule for tomorrow…it’s a win-win.

For those of you who can’t get enough bluegrass in your life, when banjo thursdays at SOVA Wine and Espresso just aren’t enough, there is tonight at Velvet Lounge. SOVA perennial performers Extension Agents will be performing tonight at the Velvet Lounge tonight, preceded by the Hangin’ Rounders and followed by an open jam session. Doors open at 7:30 and there’s a $5 cover charge.  If even this is not enough to quench your desire for a tall glass of fiddle, SOVA is hosting West Virginia Fiddle Champion Chance McCoy this Saturday night at 8 p.m. There is also a $5 cover for that show.

Car, meet tree by magnetbox

According to Alert DC, that annoying yet informative service that notifies you of water main breaks, car accidents, and even heat emergencies, all westbound lanes on I-66 are blocked just outside of DC due to a downed tree.  Between the possibility of severe thunderstorms, 60 mph winds, and now fallen timber on the highway, your commute may be less than enjoyable tonight.

The good news is, it’s Friday.

“Is that a picture of Obama with a Hitler mustache?” Why yes, it is. One of many delightful images being displayed at La Rouche PAC’s table setup at 3rd and Penn this afternoon. There, they were handing out pamphlets entitled “Act Now to Stop Obama’s Nazi Health Plan” and asking passers-by “When did Obama lose his mind?” When I asked the woman didn’t she think they were being a little bit overdramatic and purposely capitalizing on people’s fear and resistance to socialized health care with their Hitler comparisons, she responded flatly that this was entirely serious. Wow, whacko indoctrination at its best. There is so much wrong and upsetting about these people — who among other things, quoted back Obama’s words about his dying grandmother to support their argument that he is proposing healthcare similar to Hitler’s T-4 plan — that I can’t begin. But just wow. I’m all for educated and educational health care debate and for the First Amendment, but ugh *shudders*.

‘Screech Owl nestling’
courtesy of ‘ben.wurst’

So, Dustin “Screech” Diamond is headlining the comedy show at Listrani’s in Arlington tonight and tomorrow. The fact that you probably didn’t know that Listrani’s Pizza had comedy is your hint about how well it functions as a comedy club. The fact that Screech is headlining it is your hint about how well his career is going. (The pizza is pretty tasty though, if you’re wondering.)

Ordinarily, I wouldn’t even mention it, because usually I make it a point to only highlight local comedians, but a) Mike Eltringham is opening for him, and Mike is quite funny even if Diamond skates by on the novelty of being Screech-All-Growed-Up-And-Cussin’, and b) Eltringham wrote a HI-FREAKING-LARIOUS blog takedown of Diamond’s contract rider, in light of his upcoming appearance at Listrani’s.  You really, really should click through and read the whole thing, but here’s a highlight:

HOSPITALITY: Purchaser to provide at no cost to Artist the following in his dressing room:
* 4 half-liter bottles of non-carbonated spring water. (2 chilled, 2 at room temp. )
* 4 cans of Red Bull
* 2 pints chocolate milk, 2 pints 2% milk (chilled.)
* 4 x 20 ounce bottles of Pepsi or Coke (chilled.)
* If performing in a club, 6 bottles of Michelob Ultra or Miller Lite per day.

Have you ever came home from a long day of work and thought, “Christ, did I have a long day today. I can’t wait to ease into my favorite recliner, kick my feet up, and begin consuming 2 liters of water, 80 ounces of Coke, 4 pints of milk (two of which are chocolate, all of which are chilled), 4 Red Bulls, and 6 bottles of Michelob Ultra or Miller Lite? Then I’ll really be able to unwind!”

Seriously, go read it.

Bread for the City and the Coalition for Community Investment have teamed up to launch the new website Save our Safety Net.com and get the word out about the ramifications of proposed District budget cuts.  DC is almost $200 million in debt, a severe problem for the future growth and health of the district. However, nearly half of the proposed budget cuts will affect social services and programs for low-income individuals.

What specific programs will be effected by these cuts? Programs that support rental assistance, adoption subsidies, financial assistance to grandparents taking care of grandchildren, adult literacy and workforce development, to name a few. Sign the petition today and let city officials know that the debt of the city cannot be paid on the backs of its poorest residents.