By Kirk
Today is the day that many gay couples in the District have been waiting for: wedding day. DC has processed the first batch of marriage license applications that were filed last week and will begin issuing said licenses today. Around 150 couples should have the document in hand by this evening, allowing them to marry when they see fit. A few couples have opted to make today the day they and are tying the knot at various institutions around the city.
By Tom Bridge
‘Michelle Obama Donates Inaugural Gown’
courtesy of ‘tbridge’
In a ceremony in the NMAH’s Flag Hall this morning, First Lady Michelle Obama donated her Jason Wu-designed chiffon and Swarovski crystal gown to the Smithsonian as part of their new “A First Lady’s Debut” Exhibit that opens tomorrow. Featuring gowns from the last 50 years of Inaugurations, from Mamie Eisenhower through to Michelle Obama,
Designer Jason Wu, 28, was on hand to meet the First Lady for the first time, and today thanked her for “letting my story become a small part of the events,” surrounding the Inauguration of President Barack Obama. Wu emigrated from Taiwan when he was just 9 years old, studied in New York and Paris before opening his own studio in Manhattan 4 years ago. He is the youngest designer to outfit the First Lady for the Inauguration.
The exhibit is open to the public starting tomorrow morning.
By Don
‘081214 Twenty-nine Bills’
courtesy of ‘Dan4th’
The WMATA news today is that the cost of the June red line crash is about 25 million dollars. That’s pure hardware and labor costs – any lawsuits will raise the total. Insurance may cover that… after the 5 million dollar deductible.
The Examiner’s story says “The memo says four rail cars were destroyed at a cost of $12 million,” so a little basic math tells us that when you plop yourself into a bright orange seat you’ve sitting in a $3M vehicle. That’s 14 Ferrari Testarossas, or $4 a day since the birth of Jesus.
I don’t know what Jesus has to do with anything but dollars-since-salvation seemed to be a popular metric in the last year and I felt a little left out.
By Tom Bridge
When I parked on Constitution this morning to go to the National Museum of American History for the donation event surrounding the First Lady’s inaugural gown, I was expecting to park at a meter that worked. After all, those have to be some of the best moneymakers for the city, with all the tourist attractions. Not only did meter CONS1292NW not work, can you spot the significant problem with the meter’s signage?
‘Waiting for the call’
courtesy of ‘afagen’
Stephen Strasburg’s first start with the Nationals is being welcomed during a desperate time.
Here’s the set-up: In 6 games, the Nats have been outscored 67-30 and haven’t won a single game so far. Granted, this is Spring Training. The games don’t matter. What DOES matter is prepping for the regular season. The hopeful pitching staff isn’t showing much in the prep department as of yet. They have given up 91 hits, 28 walks and 12 home runs in 50 innings.
If that wasn’t bad enough, the real killer is – 17 pitchers have an ERA of 9.00 or higher – with a team ERA of 10.98.
Here’s to hoping that the six previous losing were just the Nats “taking a few for the team” while waiting for Strasburg to take the mound. But – if that’s the case – there’s no excuse for such poor performances.
“You don’t like to see your guys get knocked around,” Riggleman told Nationals Journal writer Adam Kilgore. “You hate to see your guys giving up runs. We’re trying to win the ball game. Nobody’s trying to give up hits. Nobody is satisfied that we’re not winning ball games […] It’s just part of what we got to go through to get through these first couple of weeks of spring training. Our guys are just taking it on the chin a little bit.”
Tune-in to WFED 1500 AM at around 12:30 for the 1 pm Strasburg debut. Charlie Slowes and Dave Jageler will be announcing the play-by-play.
Update 9:56 am — (Via Adam Kilgore’s Twitter) “The #Nationals will make cuts earlier next week, and it will consist mostly of pitchers.” Good thinking.
By Max
Kid & Gorilla by architeuthis dux
A great photo can evoke many emotions from the viewer, much like the one above. My first reaction was, “Awww, look at the cute kid at the zoo.” Do you remember those days, when your parents or siblings took you to the zoo and you couldn’t believe your eyes? How amazing was it that there was a magical place full of animals that you’d only seen in your books and on TV? Oh and the only things to eat at this place are snow cones and cotton candy?! Nice knowing you Mom and Dad. I’m coming to live here with the elephants and tigers. I appreciate all that you’ve done for me but the zoo is a bazillion times cooler than our house and I can poop wherever I want to!
My next thought after I’d looked at this photo for a while was, “Damn I feel so sorry for zoo animals, particularly the intelligent ones like the gorillas.” There aren’t too many things that separate humans from primates, yet somehow it’s OK to keep them locked up in a cage for their entire life. I know that zoos help protect endangered species and educate the public about animals, but that doesn’t keep me from wanting to let them loose into their natural habitat.
And my my final though, or rather my question, is which of these two creatures is more intelligent? A 10+ year old gorilla or a wee little toddler? I bet they’d both rather be on the opposite side of the glass.
By Ben H. Rome
‘Alex Ovechkin’
courtesy of ‘brianmka’
The good news? Alexander Ovechkin has found the net again. The bad? The Caps home game streak at Verizon has ended at 13 as the Dallas Stars stole a 4-3 shutout win.
The Caps seemed en route to another home win against the visiting Stars. After two periods, the Caps held a 2-0 lead and with a record of strong third periods, seemed destined to add to the record-breaking streak. The Stars have been lackluster of late; they entered the Verizon Center with a three game losing streak and have been outscored 17-5 since the Olympics ended.
“I thought the entire team had a hiccup in the third period,” says Caps coach Bruce Boudreau. “They [Dallas] came on [in the third period] and thought, ‘Hey, we’re still in the game.’ Once they got the first one in, I knew it was going to be a dog fight.”
‘Susan outside the Palace of Wonders’
courtesy of ‘Anosmia’
Comedian Ben Kronberg will be appearing at the Palace of Wonders on H Street Tuesday and Wednesday nights. He’s been on Jimmy Kimmel and Carson Daly, and of course here in DC at the Bentzen Ball. He’ll be appearing with Michael Foody and Kyle Martin at 9PM. Tickets are $10, and you can catch a clip of Kronberg’s comedy after the jump.
Continue reading
By shannon
’22/100 – jamie’
courtesy of ‘staceyviera’
The Census takes a snapshot of a place once every ten years– but what would DC’s snapshot look like? The DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, FotoWeek DC, and the DC Counts Campaign are joining together to sponsor a photo contest that answers that question. Fifty one portraits will be selected that show “the multiplicity of faces that call DC home.” Selected images will be displayed at Social in Columbia Heights and online.
Here’s the fine print: photographers must be DC residents to participate. Photos must have been taken in DC within the past year, and photographers must have a signed release form from the subject. If you’d like your work to be considered, submit up to three portraits (in print and digitally via CD) by March 30th to the Commission on the Arts and Humanities. There are so many great portraits that perfectly capture aspects of the city over in our Flickr pool, so we hope some of you fabulous photographers submit your work for this contest!
By Tom Bridge
‘We seceded where others failed’
courtesy of ‘szlea’
When I was in junior high school, I wrote a secession fantasy about my home city seceding from California to be its own nation. That’s sort of what Carol Joynt’s screed about a free Georgetown reads like to me: adolescent fantasy at its finest.
Specifically Joynt says, “Reason one is that DC’s not going to get home rule. I just don’t see it happening.” But fails to get around the fact that the District’s borders are firmly established in law, and would likely have to be rescinded by a vote of the whole of the city, as well as the United States Congress. It’s just as unlikely that a “free” (read: free of all those black people) Georgetown would have any better luck passing laws without the oversight of Congress, either, as long as it stood on the same land.
The other line that drew my ire was, “I’m sure in time, the DC government would be coming to Georgetown for loans. But now it would be our money and not theirs.” As if to say that the goal of a free Georgetown would be the creation of a cash-flow positive government designed to be a bank, and not a community. Worse than that, it’s fulfilling stereotypes that the rest of the community often sees of Georgetown.
Carol, if what you want is a better place to live, then work with the community to make it better for everyone, not just your tiny sliver of DC. Don’t just take your ball and go home crying that they’re not listening. We have to work in our communities to make life better for all, not just the wealthy elites sitting on brutally expensive property that was built on the backs of the poor.
If you want to move back in time, though, I guess you can start a little secessionist movement. If it makes you feel better. It shouldn’t make you feel better, but maybe in your tiny pocket of DC, it will.
‘tip’
courtesy of ‘philliefan99’
You read that right. Occidental Grill near the Willard Hotel (about 5 blocks from Metro Center station) is offering their 1967 menu cocktail prices. Drinks are under a dollar in the main dining room bar pending the purchase of one of their many bar menu items.
The catch is there’s a one cocktail per person limit.
The drinks for under a dollar special will run Monday through Sunday from 3-7 pm through March 31.
Occidental Grill is located at 1475 Pennsylvania Avenue NW.
By Tom Bridge
‘Real Estate For Sale Signs’
courtesy of ‘Mr. T in DC’
…does the real estate market kinda suck for buyers right now?
We’ve been seriously looking since late December, and the cupboard is pretty bare right now in the $350k-500k market, based on all the real estate signs in the area that we’ve seen. There’s some inventory out there, but the good pieces are going in less than 5 days, and there aren’t even many of those. Since the first of the year, we’ve seen three properties worth buying, two in Petworth and one over the Atlas District, and it’s been absolutely hectic. The place we liked in the Atlas District went for $30k over list, and ended up being an all-cash offer that we just couldn’t compete with.
So, are we the only ones having trouble finding a house for $300-450k with central air north of the Anacostia?
‘288/265 Some call me the gangster of love…’
courtesy of ‘Mykl Roventine’
Remember last week’s debacle in Maryland concerning the post-1980’s Ferris Bueller-Esque incident at Churchill High School in Potomac? If you don’t, let me refresh your memory:
An on-going internal investigation of Churchill High has proven that the grades of 54 students were altered during the Fall 2009 semester. Investigators have subpoenaed all records from the school system and have informed almost 700 families that their students’ grades are now in the hands of the state’s attorney’s office.
At this time, the school system does not know if the 54 students who had their grades changed knew that they had been.
An informational meeting regarding all aspects of the grade changes is scheduled for tonight at 7 at Churchill High and is open to the public.
‘Project 365 – Day 2. It’s Only Rock’n’Roll’
courtesy of ‘.ygor’
Ticket prices for chart-topping acts who headline the big award shows are expensive. Not to mention the fact that tour stops at gigantic commercial venues like the Verizon Center take all the fun out of what a concert is supposed to be — an opportunity to hear quality live music. Sure, there are exceptions to the rule (like Muse at the Patriot Center last week), but whatever happened to showing the homegrown groups some sweet, sweet lovin’ by attending their hometown gigs? We’ve got 5 shows slated in March that deserve an audience. So spring something new on yourself this month and check ’em out. Continue reading
By Dave Levy
Photo by the great Tristan Roy
So, I’m one of the new contributors here on the We Love DC team, and there’s an outside chance that I’m stretching my role a little too quickly with this posting attempt. However, thanks to some understanding editors (who are going to be at the gig anyway), I’ve been given a small window for shameless self-promotion for live music this evening up on U. St.
I’m Dave Levy – that’s me on the left there – and the guy on the right is the exceptionally talented Pat Dunne. Together, we make up an acoustic rock duo known as The Greensides. We’re taking over the stage at Solly’s Tavern on U. St tonight to give you hours of what we’d like to think is a unique blend of covers and originals that will be sure to cure whatever Case of the Mondays you may have. With the weather nicer than it’s been since October, there’s no better way to enjoy the tease of spring with some fun, rocking music. The guitars will be out sometime near the end of happy hour (around 8 p.m.), and we’ll be going through with the rock until roughly midnight.
Now, if you don’t mind, I need to figure out a few posts to submit that are a little more widely relevant.
By Tom Bridge
‘Cliff Pennington’
courtesy of ‘k/mc’
What are you doing for lunch tomorrow? Strike that. What were you doing for lunch tomorrow? Instead, around 12:30, you are going to pack up a small AM radio, and head on down to the nearest hot dog cart, and you’re going to get two with extra relish, and you’re heading to the nearest green space. Grab a bit of park bench, pump up WFED 1500 AM, and sure enough, you’ll have Charlie Slowes along side Dave Jageler in the broadcast booth telling you about the balls and strikes. Better still? Tomorrow is Stephen Strasburg’s very first start in a Nats uniform, so lie back, and dream it’s the playoffs.
See you at the park.
By Kirk
‘coming soon…’
courtesy of ‘philliefan99’
We’re one week away from springing forward, three weeks away from cherry blossoms, the temperature is above 50 and I’m pretty sure I’ve seen some flowers poking up from the ground. I think that it’s almost safe to call it: spring has arrived. What’s more is that mild temperatures will prevail for the rest of the week. It looks like the sun will give way to rain in the coming days, but hopefully that will melt the brown snow in my yard. Even if winter rears its ugly head once more (God forbid) I’m still going to enjoy what we’ve got going. So, I’m off to lunch outside, suckas.
‘Souvenir Baseball’
courtesy of ‘Mr. T in DC’
Opening Day at Nationals Park and around the country is three weeks away. Get in the mood by joining authors Steve Goldman and Clay Davenport tomorrow night at Politics and Prose for a live discussion about their book Prospectus: The Essential Guide to the 2010 Baseball Season.
Goldman and Davenport delve into the academic and statistical aspects of the game, providing a deeper analytical view than that of the standard daily sports column.
The event starts 7.
By Tom Bridge
‘Hot Dog Stand, West St. and North Moore, Manhattan.’
courtesy of ‘New York Public Library’
The hotdog cart has a long and storied history in the United States, and DC is no exception to the hotdog cart culture. In fact, DC’s own epic street meat, the Half-Smoke, is part of that culture of hotdog carts in DC. Sadly, most of the standard vendor carts lack any sort of character, and most are pretty common denominator when it comes to the hotdog.
Continue reading
‘Fix it’
courtesy of ‘Deborah Fitchett’
Potholepalooza is back for round two. Go and honor thy neighbor (and your car) by turning those puppies into DDOT.
Last year, the District mended over 6,000 potholes in the area. This year, they’re hoping to do accomplish the same, if not more. But the end result is up to you.
The goal is simple — fix the potholes within 48 hours of being notified. You can report all potholes via phone (via the Mayor’s Call Center at 311), online report, Twitter, or e-mail.
DDOT requests that all pothole reports require location (including the quadrant in which it lies) and as much detail as possible (size/depth).
Remember: Potholepalooza is a one-month program. So if you see a pothole that needs fixing, don’t wait to make your call.
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