Yearly Archives: 2009

The Daily Feed
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Replaced sensor possibly contributed to Metro collision

Photo courtesy of
‘Kost’
courtesy of ‘florisla’

Today’s Post has an article about recent discoveries in the train collision revolving around a train sensor. Metro uses sensors mounted on the tracks – typically on the crossbeams between rails – that detect the presence of a train in order to determine if a track is clear and and provide direction to oncoming trains. A sensor was replaced in the week preceeding the accident and apparently was suffering an intermittent flaw that was difficult to detect with Metro’s user interfaces.

Music, The Daily Feed
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INDIEpendence Day at Velvet Lounge

Photo courtesy of
‘spinning’
courtesy of ‘pinguino’

For those of you who need to shake off the traditionalism of fireworks and hot dogs for the 4th, Velvet Lounge has your answer: INDIEpendence Day. From 9pm until close, DJs including DJ KC from Fatback DC will be spinning the tunes, male and female models will be having their bodies painted, bands upstairs will be rocking your socks off, and general mayhem will ensue. $3 downstairs, $8 upstairs.

The Daily Feed, The District
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DCRA Maps Out Legal Fireworks Stands


View Approved DC Fireworks Stands 2009 in a larger map

DCRA has put together a useful map of all the city’s legal fireworks locations, so that if you’re looking for a few fun pyrotechnics to make your weekend a little more awesome, you can find the legal stuff. Fireworks are pretty carefully regulated in DC and the surrounding area, so be sure to check with your locality if you don’t plan to set these off in the District. Always have a fire extinguisher handy, and always play safe, okay?

The Daily Feed
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WaPo to Lobbyists: You Give Us $25,000, We Give You Access

Photo courtesy of
‘Lazy Saturday’
courtesy of ‘InspirationDC’

Hey WaPo, when lobbyists are questioning your morals, it may be time to stop and reflect on your direction. Politico reports this morning that the Washington Post is essentially selling access to important policy-makers and its own reporting staff to lobbyists and organizations. The Post plans a series of dinner talks, entitled “Salons,” to be held at the home of CEO and Publisher Katharine Weymouth. A flier advertising the Salons promises off-the-record debate and access to the roughly 20 dinner party guests, at an underwriting cost of $25,000 a pop. Firms and associations that wish to subscribe to the whole series of 11 Salons can pony up $250,000. The first Salon, which is slated for July 21, will open the debate over health care. The flier calls it “an exclusive opportunity to participate in the health-care reform debate among the select few who will actually get it done.” Yikes, Post — are things that bad for print media? Maybe its too much to hope that someone over there would raise their hand and object on moral and public interest grounds, but you’d think you would at least foresee the public relations nightmare.

The Daily Feed
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Where’d you get that awesome t-shirt?


The We
Originally uploaded by marc.benton

We have had a great many questions about where we got these awesome heart/DC flag t-shirts that we wore to the party last night, did we have them made custom, where can other people get them, etc.

Ask, and you shall receive: We got these fine garments from DC artist Lara’s Etsy shop. As you can see, they are available in a variety of color combinations. She has a few other DC-themed designs in her shop as well, so be sure to poke around.

Essential DC, Fun & Games, Life in the Capital, The Daily Feed, The District
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Love DC? Prove it.

Photo courtesy of
‘arm with obscured dc flag tattoo, dupont circle’
courtesy of ‘JamesCalder’

While some of us partied last night in honor of our fair city (and this here blogz), others of us get a little,uh,more permanent with our love.

DC Concierge, Shana Glickfield, unveils her collection of DC tattoo photographs on the tumblr site District Love. While you’re pretending to be productive at work today, take a gander at all the folks who love on this city as much as we do, yet choose to express it not by writing a blog, but with two bands and three stars inked into their skin.

The Daily Feed
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Thanks for the Great Party Last Night!


We 3> DC’s 1st Anniversary Party at the Science Club
Originally uploaded by marc.benton

Thanks to everyone who came out to Science Club last night to help us celebrate our first anniversary. The 2nd and 3rd floors were a packed house, and we raised a few hundred dollars for Bread for the City as well. If we missed you at the door, consider dropping them a few bucks.

The support from everyone last night was incredible. We’re glad to have been here a whole year, here’s to the next ten!

Food and Drink, Special Events, The Features
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Farm Fresh: Poste Moderne Brasserie

Let's do this
WeLoveDC authors Donna (greenie) and Katie (foodie) have paired up to bring you a double-hitting feature about local area 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: Tucked inside the courtyard of the Hotel Monaco in Penn Quarter, Poste Moderne Brasserie is like a little city oasis. Most of the restaurant activity, at least in the warmer months, revolves around the closed-in patio. Poste’s patio has lots of tables, its own drink bar, a raised stage patio, and then this a little partitioned subsection off to the side with a large marble table situated between rows of herbs. This is the chef’s table.  And Donna and I were at Poste for the exclusive “MARKET TO MARKET” dining experience.

Photo courtesy of
‘Chef explains where he gets his lettuce, by needlessspaces’
courtesy of ‘mtngirl9999’

Katie: The concept of the market dinners is simple. Guests take a walk through the Eighth Street Penn Quarter Farmers Market with executive Chef Robert Weland then take a seat at the Chef’s Garden table for a five course tasting menu showcasing local and artisanal products. Our week was a bit different, as Weland was out moving to a new house with his baby (I suppose that’s an acceptable excuse), we were in the capable hands of executive sous chef Jon Nickerson. Continue reading →

Dupont Circle, Life in the Capital, The Daily Feed
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Post’s New Scene-In Feature

Photo courtesy of
‘Fountain Feet’
courtesy of ‘maxedaperture’

The Post, always trying something new, has started a series called Scene-In, trying to capture the city’s essential character and characters through interviews and footage in its neighborhoods. The first takes place in Dupont, and is filmed all by the fountain. Is it essentially DC? Perhaps, I’m not sure. I didn’t come away saying, “Oh that was exactly it!” But I did love watching the video, production values and great shots out the wazoo. Sunset over the park? Yes, please. They’ll be doing them bi-weekly.

The Daily Feed
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Knuble Flying to Caps

Photo courtesy of
‘Timonen and Knuble’ courtesy of ‘neat1325’

And in the annual NHL free-agency crazy day frenzy today, ESPN’s reporting that Flyers’ winger Mike Knuble has signed a two-year deal with the Capitals. The deal will hit the annual salary cap at $2.8 million a year. Looks like the Caps are getting some more much-needed grit on the offense.

Knuble had 47 points across 82 games last season, including 27 goals. He had 2 goals and one assist in the Flyers series against Pittsburgh.

Food and Drink, The Daily Feed, The District
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Obama Ate Here


View Obama Ate Here in a larger map
Alex Nicholson at Brightest Young Things has put together a Google Map of where President Obama has eaten, so that if you want to get your eat on in the presence of where greatness stood once, you can do so. While I think the whole “No really, he’s just like another guy, you know?” thing is going to get old, it is nice to see the head of the country out and about and on the town.

The Features
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Bluegrass Harmony on H St.

Banjo Insanity

It’s a Thursday night on H Street NE, and just past the valet’s in front of the Atlas theatre and the queue of Georgetown-esque individuals waiting to enter the Country Club, a musical twang floats from the second floor of SOVA Espresso & Wine. Upstairs, warmth: the warm wash of bluegrass standards with their four-part harmonies, brick and deep red and brown hues, upholstered antique chairs, a bar din subdued by listening. Every other week on Thursdays, the cafe hosts Bluegrass Night, alternately dubbed Banjo Insanity. Continue reading →

News, The Daily Feed, WTF?!
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Office of Tax & Revenue Accidental Refunds

Photo courtesy of
‘refund’
courtesy of ‘substack’

If you got a refund from the DC Office of Tax & Revenue, it’s possible you actually owe them money instead. While this screwup didn’t result in the embezzling of millions of dollars, it did result frequently in confusion for those, including Councilman Catania’s partner Brian. So, if you got a check, and are pretty sure you owe the DC Government instead, call up the Office of Tax & Revenue at 202.727.4TAX and see if they can help you sort it out.

Downtown, Food and Drink, History, Night Life, The Features, The Mall
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First Look: W Hotel Washington

Washington Monument from POV, W Hotel Washington

"Washington Monument from POV, W Hotel Washington" by Jenn Larsen, on Flickr

Yesterday I got a sneak peek at the W Hotel Washington, due to soft open next Wednesday. I’m so sorry I wasn’t allowed to photograph the interior for you. Because really, it’s absolutely gorgeous. I hope my words will give you a taste of what to expect on July 8.

First off, it’s impossible to tell what kind of vibe the W will actually have when its public spaces are filled with people. Will it deliver on the promise of some seriously stunning interior design and incredible libation talent? Or will it devolve into a pretentious hive? I can’t answer that now, but I do know that designer Dianna Wong’s wry elegant touches set the stage for a crazy scene.

I was happy to see the original architecture has been renovated, not gutted, melding the cool classicisim of the old hotel with the arch sensuality of the W style. Empress Josephine, Zelda Fitzgerald, and Lily Allen would all be at home in the grand Living Room, with its blacks and reds and pinstripes in a riff on the idea of “lingerie as a power suit.” The chandeliers are all lit for changing moods and clever little details abound, like the George and Martha Washington silhouettes flirting on the elevators.

My favorite part of this large room is tucked into a corner – the old registration desk with its imposing brass and marble is used as a private alcove with purple banquette seating. It’s the perfect example of how the W went about merging the historic with the new. Continue reading →

The Daily Feed
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Shake and Stretch, Alfresco

Photo courtesy of
‘Ankle Bangle’
courtesy of ‘Karon’

Nothing freshens up a workout like taking it outside! Starting today, and continuing every July Wednesday from noon to 1 p.m., the lucky folks near Crystal City can take a free outdoor Zumba Latin-infused dance class in the courtyard at 2345 Crystal Drive. In August, Zumba switches to Hot Yoga.

No worries about going back to work all hot and sweaty — you can use the shower at nearby Sport & Health for free.

Prefer to unwind after work? On Mondays, starting July 6, you can do yoga-inspired stretching in the courtyard between 18th and Bell Sts. at 7:45 p.m., just before Crystal Screen Superhero-themed movie starts. Stretch, then movie. Yawn! Ahhh….

Comedy in DC
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Comedy in DC: Hot, Steamy, Humid Standup

Photo courtesy of
‘Seaton Smith’
courtesy of ‘NikolasCo’

I know you’re all coming to the We Love DC 1st Anniversary Party tonight, but once that’s over, you’ll need some other entertainment to distract you from humidity, hordes of tourists, Metro problems, dognappers, and all the other stuff that goes along with the height of summer in DC. So here’s what’s happening in comedy:

Erin Jackson is headlining the Improv Thursday and Friday this week. Jackson is a particular success story for DC Comedy, as she took the first-ever DC Improv Comedy School standup class, and went on to appear on Last Comic Standing, and now she’s returning to the Improv as a headliner.

Last week I mentioned 3 Chord Comedy at the Velvet Lounge on Friday, July 10th. I still think you should check that out, as it’s a pretty outstanding lineup for a mere $2.

On Saturday, July 11th (and several dates thereafter), SpeakeasyDC will be putting on The Sin Show as part of the Capital Fringe Festival. The performers will tell stories themed around the seven deadly sins. Speakeasy specializes in storytelling rather than standup, but this show in particular caught my eye as it features Seaton Smith, who is certainly one of the most artistically versatile comics in the area. You can hear a sample of his (still very funny) storytelling stylings in SpeakeasyDC’s StoryCast.

The Daily Feed, WMATA
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NextBus is Back and Better than Ever

 Photo courtesy of
‘F6 Bus Stop’
courtesy of ‘justgrimes’

It’s July 1st, the day we’ve all been waiting for!  Not only is tonight our first anniversary party (which you should plan to attend, because I hear a certain Metro pylon hat might be there to celebrate), it’s also the day that NextBus finally re-launches here in DC.   You just need a cell phone or an internet connection, and you’ll finally have an answer to the question of whether you have time to grab a coffee before the bus comes.

Here’s how it works.  If you’re like me and you don’t have a web-enabled phone, just call 202-637-7000, and enter your bus stop number shown on the circular NextBus sign.  Update: Or, you can send a text message with your information and get your response via text (thanks, TransitNut!).   If you have web access, simply click on the link from WMATA’s website and you’ll get the estimated arrival times for the next buses serving that bus stop.  You can even bookmark the page, so you’ll have an easy way to tell when the next bus is coming!

I used NextBus this morning and it was spot-on.  I could leave my house a couple minutes later than I usually do, and I still got to work early because I cut down on all that waiting time.  Have you tried NextBus yet?  Let us know how it’s working in the comments.

The Daily Feed
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No gay marriage referendum

Photo courtesy of
‘Buchanan’s Boyfriend’
courtesy of ‘M.V. Jantzen’

The D.C. Superior Court has ruled that the Elections & Ethics board acted correctly when it refused to allow a referendum on D.C.’s recognition of same-sex marriages performed in other states[pdf].

It was just over two weeks ago that the DCBOEE announced that the efforts to put forth a referendum on the matter would violate the city’s human rights act provisions. Kirk provided us with some analysis of the situation and just a few days later the referendum backers took the matter to court. Unless the backers of the referendum find some grounds to appeal this decision this might be the end of this measure.

More significantly, unless the referrendum backers get a higher court to issue an injunction staying any action till further appeal, this provision will likely take effect – and same-sex marriages performed and recognized in other states will be recognized by the District – by next Tuesday, July 6th.

The Daily Feed
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Reminder: We Love DC Party Tomorrow!

wldcparty.png

That’s right, we’re just 24 hours away from our first anniversary party at Science Club! We’ll be starting up around 7pm with drink specials ($3 Yuenglings, $4 Guinness and Amstel Light! $5 Santa Rita Carmenere and Veramonte Sauvignon Blanc! Rail drinks $4!) as well as Don’s awesome photobooth on the 3rd floor.

We’ll be collecting $5 contributions for Bread for the City at the door, as well, so come give back to your community, and hang out with everyone to help celebrate our first anniversary. What a great way to start the Holiday weekend!

The Daily Feed, We Green DC
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Pepco Goes Green?

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

Pepco announced a green honor today  — its corporate headquarters has received the city’s first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance certification, at the Gold level. (See more about LEED and DC’s first LEED Silver office building.)

To earn the recognition, Pepco dropped the building’s energy consumption by nearly 17 percent and water use by 1.12 million gallons through retrofits and energy conservation measures. An audit and education programs increased recycling.

I applaud any efforts toward sustainability, including this one — yet feel I must point out that only about 4 percent of the energy coming over Pepco’s lines today to DC and Maryland is renewable. (Did you know you were burning that much fossil fuel?) To put your utility dollars toward green power, check out Clean Currents.