Monthly Archives: April 2010

Crime & Punishment, The Daily Feed, WTF?!
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You can Drink Your Coffee Naked, After All!

Photo courtesy of
‘East Capitol Ave.’
courtesy of ‘Packherd’

The Fairfax Court of Appeals has ruled that it is legal to be naked in your own home.  You may remember that a few months ago a neighbor saw Eric Williamson through a window walking around his house naked, enjoying some coffee.  Said neighbor called the cops, who burst into Williamson’s Springfield home with guns drawn and arrested him.  A District Court judge convicted Williamson of indecent exposure a few months back, but he appealed and won. Jurors described the proceedings as comical, stating that acquittal was an easy decision.  Justice prevails!

The Daily Feed
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Michelle Obama Loves DC Too! And She Wants to Ride Metro.

Photo courtesy of
‘Michelle Obama Donates Inaugural Gown’
courtesy of ‘tbridge’

First Lady Michelle Obama talks about her love for Washington DC in the new issue of  Conde Nast Traveler,  saying that DC feels like home and that she wishes she could explore it more without inconveniencing people.  It’s a great article about the city, and it’s clear that the First Lady understands that there’s a side of the District outside of the government that most people don’t realize.

Here’s the best part though– she mentions that she secretly wishes she could ride the Metro!  Now, I understand wanting to get out to get a hamburger without a motorcade and wanting to take a jog around the Mall without a security detail, but trust us, First Lady: you really don’t want to ride the Metro this time of year.  Escalators are down, tourists are everywhere, it’s packed to record-setting levels, and there is rampant escalefting.  We’re glad you love our city, but trust us that the Metro is best avoided this time of year.

Music, The Daily Feed
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Hot Ticket: Red Sparowes @ RNR Hotel 4/11/10

Red Sparowes, Red Sparrows, Red Sparrowes
courtesy of Red Sparowes.

Hot Ticket is a new column, where I will occasionally recommend a good (possibly great) upcoming concert in the DC area for your consideration.

This Sunday night post-metal, geniuses Red Sparowes make their return to Rock & Roll Hotel. They last played DC at the same venue in 2007; an incredibly powerful show that I attended but didn’t get the chance to review. If you don’t know Red Sparowes but are a fan of epic, emotional, instrumental, hard-rock soundscapes then you should most certainly seek their music out. Here’s a taste: Red Sparowes new album preview

Red Sparowes’ live show is an all-encompassing, emotional roller-coaster. The band play from behind a veil of fast-moving projected images creating a hypnotic effect. Their sound sweeps you up, impossible to resist, as you ride their expertly crafted tsunami of sound. Judging by the strength of their new album “The Fear Is Excruciating, But Therein Lies The Answer” and the awesome spectacle of their RNR Hotel show in 2007, I am expecting Sunday night’s show to be one of the emotional high-points of this year’s very strong Spring concert season.

For $10 you also get to see the great Boston, stoner-metal act Doomriders; and for those indie kids who really want to stay on the cutting edge, you also get to see the oddly-paired to this show, but about to blow-up huge, Fang Island.

This Sunday:
RED SPAROWES w/ Doom Riders & Fang Island
@ Rock & Roll Hotel
$10 adv/$12

We Love Weekends
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We Love Weekends, April 10-11

Photo courtesy of
‘And so it begins’
courtesy of ‘(afm)’

Jenn: This being the first weekend in several past that I’m actually not sick, I intend to have a blast. Friday night sees me at the opening of Synetic’s Metamorphosis, eager to find out how they tackle Kafka’s work about a man who wakes up one day as, well, a bug. Saturday is Sakura Matsuri Street Festival, to collect as many cute Japanese tees and teas as possible before hitting Yuri’s Night at the Capitol Skyline. Burlesque, art and mayhem! Sunday there’s no time to recover, following my usual bellydance class by meeting my fellow cyclistas for a ride on the Arlington Triangle. Yay spring!

Michael: This weekend has excellent concert bookends. On Friday, I’ll be catching British indie-rock legends, The Wedding Present, perform their seminal break-up opus ‘Bizarro’ in its entirety at the Black Cat ($15). On Sunday, I’ll be watching Red Sparowes when they migrate to Rock & Roll Hotel ($10).   Continue reading →

The Daily Feed
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Acadiana welcomes your pooch to the patio. Who doesn’t?

Photo courtesy of
‘Commonwealth, The People’s Gastropub’
courtesy of ‘needlessspaces’

Honestly if this was any other restaurant I’d let this pass on by, but I will forever have a place in my heart for Acadiana and their delicious gumbo.

Acadiana welcomes four-legged visitors to the Patio for Sunday Brunch!

Every Sunday, 11am – 2:30pm: New Orleans Style Brunch, $29

Pooches can pick a treat from the “Dog Day” Menu, made especially by our chefs.

The doggie treat is nice, but it makes me wonder – where can’t you bring your pooch to the outdoor dining area? I feel like I see DC residents and their dogs at pretty much every patio. Is it just that I don’t notice when they’re not there and more restaurants than not forbid them? Being sadly pooch-free myself it’s not something that impacts me directly.

Downtown, Essential DC, Life in the Capital, Special Events, Technology, The Daily Feed, The District, We Green DC
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Flowers for Phones, April 13-14

Photo courtesy of
‘ting’
courtesy of ‘Kevin H.’

Next Tuesday and Wednesday, from 11-2pm drop off your used cell phones at either Farragut Square Park or Triangle Park and you’ll get a free potted flower to take home and a chance to win one of many cool prizes.  Collected phones will be recycled as part of the Golden Triangle’s Clean, Green & Golden week to make the District’s central business district look better than ever.

In addition to receiving some flower power, cell phone donors will be automatically entered awesome prizes from Eye Street Massage Therapy, Public Bar, Green & Blue, Taberna del Alabardero, etc. Show up at noon on Tuesday and hang with Ward 2 DC Councilman Jack Evans and possibly snag one of four $50 gift certificate for BLT Steak.

Make sure your phone has been deactivated from service, there aren’t security or privacy concerns. All makes and models of mobile phones, pagers, and PDAs are accepted—along with batteries, chargers, and other accessories. For more details on what can be recycled visit Earthworks, the Golden Triangle BID’s partner responsible for recycling the phones. Continue reading →

The Daily Feed
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DDOT To Stop The Ginkgo Tree From Stinking Up The City

Photo courtesy of
‘Gingko trees’
courtesy of ‘Rafiq Mirza’

If you’ve smelled a particular odor that doesn’t exactly titillate your nostrils, odds are it’s the ginkgo tree spreading its not so glamorous scent throughout the city.

DDOT is on the case, ready to start tackling this spring staple in the District’s airspace by spraying the tree’s fruit (that’s what causes the scent in the first place) to prevent the stinky sensation from consuming every nook and cranny of DC.

The deodorization begins tonight.

The Daily Feed
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A Dolcezza Summer for Dupont

Have no fear, your dessert prayers have been answered.  Dolcezza Artisanal Gelato will be opening a brand-spanking-new location in Dupont Circle, perfect for those hot and humid days ahead.  The gelateria will not only have a gelato bar, but also an exclusive V60 Pour-over Coffee Bar.  Slated to open on April 15th, this location will feature all of the signature flavors you love like Pistachio Siciliano & Strawberry Tarragon. 

If that’s still not enough to reel you in, the gelateria (gotta love that word) will be furnished with antiques directly from Argentina.  In addition, artwork by local artists will hang throughout the space.  Every month the artwork will rotate out for other pieces, and you’ll even be able to purchase them. 

Shortly after the opening on the 15th, there will be a Grand Opening Party open to the public on Sunday April 25th from 12 noon-6pm.  Complete with live bluegrass music, a whole-smoked hog and of course, FREE gelato, you might want to mark this one on your calendar.  The new location in Dupont Circle is located at 1704 Connecticut Ave. NW.  For more information on Dolcezza or store locations you can visit their website.

Business and Money, Downtown, Food and Drink, Life in the Capital, News, Special Events, The Daily Feed
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Name That Burger Joint

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

This past Monday, BLT Restaurant Group launched an online “Name Game” contest to find the best name for its three new burger restaurants opening later this year in New York City, Los Angeles and Washington, DC (1317 Connecticut Avenue).

You must submit your burger joint name before Friday, April 30 and on Wednesday, May 5, the BLT Restaurant Group partners will select their top three choices and opened up voting to the public with the final winner announced on Monday, May 10. The two runners-up will receive $250 gift certificates to BLT Restaurants.

We Green DC
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It’s Easy Being Green: Upcoming Events

Photo courtesy of
‘Rock Creek Park’
courtesy of ‘maxedaperture’

It’s time for the annual celebration of Earth – and there’s an abundance of green activities around town! Here are some happening in the next week or so. Stay tuned for Part 2 next Friday, when we’ll preview events scheduled for Earth Day itself, April 22nd.

Join We Love DC’s Cleanup at Rock Creek Park
Saturday, April 10
8:15 a.m., yoga; 9 a.m. – noon, cleanup
DC
Southwest corner of P and 23rd Sts. NW, 4 blocks west of Dupont Circle

Join us in this annual Potomac River Watershed Cleanup, which takes place at approximately 500 sites! We Love DC, Trail Voice, Friends of Rock Creek’s Environment, the DC Trash Runners and more are partnering to clean up Rock Creek Park.

Come early (8:15 a.m.) for a morning yoga stretch thanks to a Lululemon Yoga Ambassador and fresh baked goods compliments of Firehook Bakery, plus an option to clean up while taking a morning run.

Sign up on the Trail Voice site! Can’t make our clean-up day? Join another of the hundreds of sites closer to your home. (Please bring work gloves if you have them; some will be available.)
Continue reading →

The Daily Feed
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Corcoran Ceases Cézanne


Daydreaming at the Corcoran by Kevin H.

The average day at an art museum goes something like this.  The doors open, people stroll in to look at some art, and later in the day the doors close until the entire process is repeated again the next day.  Unlike the world of politics or the world of sports, the world of art is relatively free of any drama.  Until…the HVAC system goes on the fritz!

Yesterday, the Corcoran Gallery of Art decided to take down its Turner to Cézanne exhibit due to the malfunctioning climate control system.  According to gallery spokeswoman Kristin Guiter, “We had some issues with the new air handler, the one providing the heating and cooling to the gallery. The levels were fluctuating.”  You see, art doesn’t like fluctuations in temperature and humidity, especially art that is worth millions and millions of dollars.

Despite the moody HVAC system, not all galleries within the building are closed. It’s now being fixed by professionals like Sirius Plumbing and Air Conditioning, so it would open its doors again in the future. Be sure to check out the Helios: Eadweard Muybridge in a Time of Change exhibit this weekend.

The Daily Feed, We Love Arts
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Free Fun at the Corcoran

Photo courtesy of
‘Corcoran Gallery of Art’
courtesy of ‘dcjasmine’

This just in…

This Sunday the Corcoran is open to the public, FREE of charge.

And as if this couldn’t get much better, it does.  Starting Memorial Day and lasting all summer, the Corcoran will be having FREE Summer Saturdays.  Join the Corcoran for gallery tours, workshops, and performances galore all for FREE.  Here is a link to check out all of these awesome events.

I am particularly looking forward to checking out the new exhibit Helios: Eadweard Muybridge in a Time of Change — opening this Saturday!

The Corcoran is located at 500 Seventeenth Street NW.

Sports Fix, The Daily Feed
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Clubhouse Consensus Is: “We’re Not Worried.”

Marquis 1
Photo by Rachel Levitin

Optimism is mood in the Nationals Clubhouse, even after the Opening Day snafu of losing 11-1 and the shenanigans caused by robust Phillies fans.

Bullpen Coach Jim Lett agreed that Opening Day is over, now it’s time to get on with the season.

Shortstop Ian Desmond says he’s not worried about what happened with the Phillies fans outnumbering the hometown NatPack on Opening Day. As a Sarasota, FL native and Tampa Bay Ray fan back in the day, Desmond remembers that Tampa Bay could barely pack the park. That is, until they started winning. “The fans will warm up to us once we start winning,” he said. Why not believe him at this point, it’s true … isn’t it?

It’s not too far fetched to say that the Nats will win a few games this year. Statistically speaking, it’s bound to occur. What will get them there is chemistry. The team’s got it, according to Desmond. “We’ve got great chemistry in the clubhouse. We’ve all got the same goal – to win. The team aspect is really there this year. There are no individuals, it’s a team feel.”

Opening Day starting pitcher John Lannan agrees despite a heartbreaking loss on Monday. Lannan’s spirits as the Nationals ace are still high. “It didn’t go our way. The ball found the holes,” he said. Some of Lannan’s goals as the season continues to progress are improving on last year, lowering his walk count, and going as deep in the game as possible. Continue reading →

The Daily Feed, We Green DC
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Moby Signing “Gristle” at Busboys Tonight

Photo courtesy of
‘Writing’
courtesy of ‘Rachel Elinor Catherine Davies’

Moby (yes, that Moby) will be at Busboys and Poets at 2021 14th St. NW tonight from 6:30 – 8:30, discussing and signing the new book GRISTLE: From Factory Farms to Food Safety (Thinking Twice About The Meat We Eat).

Moby edited the book, which examines how industrial farming is affecting the way we live, along with Miyun Park, the executive director of the Global Animal Partnership.

The 15 contributors include vegans, vegetarians and omnivores alike and range from John Mackey, CEO of Whole Foods, to Lauren Bush, model and co-founder of FEED Projects.

We Love DC readers can order the book for $2.99 off the cover price (total $11.96). Simply enter 58191GR in the promo code space.

Food and Drink, The Daily Feed
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DC’s Best Burger

Photo courtesy of
‘palena’
courtesy of ‘AlissaS24’

What is DC’s best burger?  That’s a can of worms to open.  You’ve got Five Guys, you’ve got Good Stuff, you’ve got Ray’s and each has it’s own set of religious devotees.  Well, now there’s another contender. According to Epicurious, Palena Cafe has DC’s best burger, which, coincidentally, is also the third best burger in America.  Maybe I’ve been under a rock or something, but I’ve never heard a Washingtonian suggest Palena.  What are your thoughts. Is Palena’s burger it?

News, Sports Fix
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The Nationals Sold Out Their Fanbase

Photo courtesy of
‘Burning of Ravan 01’
courtesy of ‘TushyD’

I don’t usually start my posts with disclaimers, but I am starting this with one. The following is my personal opinion, and not the opinion of We Love DC, the business entity. No words here are approved by the editorial board of We Love DC, and should not be considered as endorsed by the board. I stand alone.

There is no question that in the aftermath of Monday’s abject embarrassment both on the field and off that the Nationals have sold their fanbase up the river. Stories are coming out that the Nationals made a concerted effort to attract large groups of fans from the Philadelphia area and sold large blocks of tickets (one was over 500 tickets) to Philly fans before the public at large was given a chance to buy tickets for themselves. The Nationals pursued profit first and foremost with no regard for their home market’s needs. The home market who shelled out six hundred million dollars for the temple that they play in. Continue reading →

News, The Daily Feed
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Green/Yellow Line Delays This Afternoon

Photo courtesy of
‘Metro Train in Motion’
courtesy of ‘Mr. T in DC’

Riders be weary, there are now major delays on the Green and Yellow lines after a woman was struck by a train shortly after 1 p.m. at the Mount Vernon Square/7th Stret Convention Center stop, which is closed at this time which is open as of 2:37 this afternoon. Trains continue on a single-track through the station.

Currently, the Yellow line is split into what WTOP is calling “two segments”, running from Huntington to Gallery Place-Chinatown and from Shaw-Howard University to Fort Totten.

The Green Line is running from Branch Avenue to Gallery Place-Chinatown stations and Greenbelt to Shaw-Howard University.

There are a few shuttle buses being run by Metro at the Mount Vernon Square/7th Street Convention Center station. But riders please note, waits for the shuttle buses could reach an hour and can only carry up to 50 people (as opposed to the trains who can carry near 800 people at a time.

WTOP reports that people can also take Metrobus Routes 70, 71 and 79 – which run along Georgia Avenue – to get around the incident.

The Daily Feed
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This Saturday: Potomac River Watershed Clean Up Day!

Earth day is right around the corner, April 22. Have you thought of what contributions you’ve made to helping the environment this year? If you’re a little behind, join us this weekend in cleaning up the Potomac River watershed!

Saturday marks the 22nd Annual Potomac River Watershed Cleanup, which brings together people from all over the community. Last year, cleanups took place at approximately 500 sites–and hauled out more than 290 tons of trash!

We Love DC, Trail Voice, Friends of Rock Creek’s Environment, the DC Trash Runners and more are partnering to clean up Rock Creek Park.

Come early (8:15 a.m.) for a morning yoga stretch thanks to a Lululemon Yoga Ambassador and fresh baked goods compliments of Firehook Bakery, plus an option to clean up while taking a morning run.

Or, just meet us at 9 a.m. at the grassy area on the Southwest corner of P Street and 23rd Street NW, about 4 blocks west of Dupont Circle.

Sign up on the Trail Voice site! Can’t make our clean-up day? Join another of the hundreds of sites closer to your home.

Clean-up site is just west of Dupont Circle in Rock Creek Park from 9:00 a.m. – 12 noon on Saturday, April 10. There is no cost for you to participate. It is recommended that you bring your own work gloves, although some will be available on-site.

The Daily Feed
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ADI to Host an Open House for the Little Twinkle Toes in Your Life

Courtesy of American Dance Institute

Courtesy of American Dance Institute

If you’re like me, then you’re all for every little girl believing that she too, can be a ballerina someday.  That being said, you’ll be even more excited about the American Dance Institute’s FREE Angelina Ballerina Open House on Sunday April 25th from 12 noon to 2pm. 

The American Dance Institute (ADI) will be hosting the event at its Rockville, MD location in honor of National Dance Week and the District’s celebration of dance, Dance is the Answer.  There will even be an extra-special celebrity cameo from none other than Angelina Ballerina herself, the official spokescharacter for National Dance Week.

Children ages two and older can come out (accompanied by an adult of course) to be a part of an interactive story dance as well as watch a performance from the ADI Chamber Ballet.  There will also be arts and crafts, a prize giveaway, and a ballet “Petting Zoo” where the kiddies can play dress-up in various costumes and dancewear.  For more information, you can call (301)984-3003 or visit their website.