Monthly Archives: July 2010

News, The Daily Feed
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Wegman’s in Largo opens October 24th

Photo courtesy of
‘Wegman’s without Jessie’
courtesy of ‘ceejayoz’

Via the Washington Business Journal comes the news that there’s a Wegmans scheduled to open in Largo on October 24th in the Woodmore Towne Center development near Fedex Field. All I have to say is: bring on the proliferation of the Wegmans. These places are about the most awesome grocery store you will ever find, but due to their size, they run into a lot of the anti-Big Box store regulations, and the general problem of finding that much contiguous properly-zoned and reasonably-affordable land.

Color me super excited to see another one, and one close to me in Brookland. We’d been stopping in Leesburg when we head to the farm, or when I visit my clients there, but now to have one a bit closer is fantastic.

Food and Drink, The Features, We Green DC, We Love Drinks
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We Love Drinks: Beer that Loves DC – Part 1

Photo courtesy of
‘Jeff Hancock and Brandon Skall’
courtesy of ‘Samer Farha’

“We’re quitting our jobs, next week,” Brandon Skall tells me. I look over at his business partner, Jeff, who smiles wryly. “From here on out, it’s all DC Brau.” Maybe it’s a crazy thing to do. Starting a business in the best of times is tough, but in this economy it’s especially risky. Still, Brandon and Jeff don’t seem worried, which inspires a certain confidence.

“How do your wives feel about it?” I ask, noticing wedding rings on their fingers.

“They’re scared shitless, but they’re excited,” Jeff Hancock replies. “That’s how I knew this was a good idea.” Both men smile, lean back in their chairs and sip their beers. It’s one of the hotter days in late June and we’re sweating it out on the back porch of Little Miss Whiskey’s, talking about their start-up brewery, DC Brau.

Continue reading →

News, The Daily Feed, WMATA, WTF?!
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Rain, Rain, Go The Heck Away and Stop Causing Trouble


Flooding at Foggy Bottom Metro / Photo by Tiffany Bridge

It’s as if Snopocalypse Now Parts I and II weren’t enough for the crazy weather the District’s seen in 2010. Storms galore are appearing at a more consistent rate than a Nats win streak.

Is it god crying because baseball Jesus was put on the disabled list? Who knows. Either way, WLDC Author Tiffany is reporting that gallons of water and debris are currently flooding Foggy Bottom platform from the ceiling.

Also — the power’s out at the Friendship Heights metro station. Update, 4:01 p.m.: Friendship Heights metro station is open again.

Know of any more problems? Help your neighbors by leaving ’em in the comments. It’s good karma.

More photos of Foggy Bottom flooding after the page break. Continue reading →

The Daily Feed
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PORC Mobile, the New (Eco-Friendly) Truck in Town

Photo courtesy of
‘BBQ Beef Brisket’
courtesy of ‘Girl Interrupted Eating’
There is finally a food truck coming to town that fills the void left in my heart and stomach after my move from North Carolina to Washington. The Purveyors of Rolling Cuisine (PORC, to their friends) are about to come on the scene serving up BBQ favorites with an eco-friendly twist.

Though they will be letting fans sample their menu this weekend, the Purveyors don’t expect to be fully operational for the lunchtime crowd until later this fall. Why the hold up? They aim to “balance local, sustainable, environmental awareness and not forget at the end of the day someone’s hungry and really just wants a tasty sandwich.” And that takes time. The guys are determined to make great food using sustainable and local products from sources such as Medina Farms in Chesapeake Bay, VA and Angelic Beef in Fauquier County, VA. And in the process, they hope to influence other food trucks to operate in a more environmentally conscious way.

Continue reading →

The Daily Feed
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Washington Highlands Library to Open Next Summer for DC Bookworms

Photo courtesy of
‘Library Books’
courtesy of ‘Jamiesrabbits’

Next summer the District has a brand-spanking-new library to look forward to at 115 Atlantic St. SW. Mayor Adrian Fenty (D), D.C. Council Chairman Vincent Gray (D), Chief Librarian Ginnie Cooper, and other members of the Ward 8 community broke ground the Washington Highlands Neighborhood Library last week.

Not only will the new library hold up to 80,000 books, CDs, and DVDs, but also conference rooms and 32 computers with free wi-fi for the public. With construction under way for the new facility and President Obama’s speech to the National Urban League today, it seems like education is in the air. I’m looking forward to Washington Highlands and all that it will have to offer!

So get your library cards ready, and in the meantime, an interim library is located at 4037 South Capitol St. SW.

We Love Weekends
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We Love Weekends, July 31-August 1

Photo courtesy of ‘/>
‘Tian Tian = One Relaxed Panda’
courtesy of ”

Michael: This weekend I am hitting the road. Friday, I will be in the second row at Radio City Music Hall in NYC to see one of my all time-favorite bands, Spiritualized, performing one of my all time favorite albums, “Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space”, in its entirety. It’s the only stateside show where they are doing this, so I am mighty stoked. The rest of the weekend will be a blur of Jersey shore traffic as I fight my way to Cape May for a wedding. If I were in town, I would probably find a way to sneak into the sold out Deadmau5 show at the 9:30 Club on Friday. I am afraid seeing him Wednesday and Thursday just won’t be enough.

Dave L.: I, too, will be out of the District for the weekend, enjoying the nuptials of two of my closest friends from college up in sunny Chatham, New Jersey. If I were to be around, I probably would have worked my way over to Nationals Park for a game or two, or potentially even gone up to Baltimore to catch the friendly between Manchester City and Inter Milan. Continue reading →

The Daily Feed
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Apparently Some People Can’t Take A Joke

Photo courtesy of
‘Batista admires the curly W headware’
courtesy of ‘afagen’

As you now know, the 10th day of Strasmas didn’t occur and Miguel Batista was called upon 10 minutes before game time Tuesday to pitch in front of a crowd expecting a phenom.

The Nationals put on quite the show, shutting out the first place Atlanta Braves 3-0 with stellar appearances from the four arms that pitched the game (Batista, Burnett, Storen, Capps).

Afterward, Batista shared what it quite possibly one of the funniest lines of the season with reporters. “Imagine if you go there to see Miss Universe and you end up having Miss Iowa,” Batista joked. “You might get those kind of boos.” Continue reading →

Entertainment, The Daily Feed
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We Love DC Does Top Chef DC: Episode 6 & 7


Photo from Bravo TV

Welcome back to DC Top Chef, we missed having you around the town. After a couple of weeks of relative boring DC tie-ins the past two episodes finally included some DC sightings to talk about.

Last week on Top Chef:

  • Last week’s episode, titled “Cold War,” was timed perfectly with spy trades and Angelina Jolie films in the news.
  • Quickfire Challenge: make dishes out of exotic proteins. Duck testicles? Gross.
  • Andrea bitches that guest judge Michelle Bernstein has a bias against her because they are both rivals back in Miami.
  • Ed continues to name drop, citing how he’s so familiar with these ingredients after cooking with Todd English
  • Angelo gets an amazing idea for his Duck testicles: Testicle Marshmallows. What? Unfortunately we won’t get to see it- a twist in the challenge has everybody passing their dishes to the left.’

Continue reading →

capitals hockey, The Daily Feed
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Brawler King Coming to Caps

Photo courtesy of
‘First fight’
courtesy of ‘Hjelle’

The Caps pulled off a quiet trade yesterday afternoon, acquiring winger D.J. King from the St. Louis Blues and parting with prospect Stefan Della Rovere in the process. King’s a big winger at 6’3″ and 230 lbs and racked up 185 penalty minutes over 101 games with the Blues. A prolific goal scorer he is not (only 4 goals and 9 points in his NHL career), but brings some heft and grit to the Cap’s forward lines – provided he remains healthy. He only played in 13 games the last two seasons due to injuries (dislocated shoulder, broken finger). King remains under contract through the 2011-12 season.

The Blues get Della Rovere, who spent most of his last four seasons playing in the Ontario Hockey League where he racked up 65 goals and 138 points across 230 games.

Welcome to the Capitals, DJ!

Fun & Games, Getaways, The Features
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Getaways: Dollywood

Train
Photo by Rachel Levitin

Pigeon Forge, Tennessee doesn’t sound like a hot spot for a prime piece of amusement park real estate. The best this slice of the American life can offer besides its gorgeous location among Tennessee’s Great Smoky Mountains is a stretch of road right off the highway. There’s an extensive slew of “As Seen on TV” stores, mini-golf and go-kart tracks galore, and even a Titanic museum. Add some monster truck raceways and that’s pretty much Pigeon Forge, or at least that’s what I thought until being introduced to Dollywood.

Dolly Parton is one smart whippersnapper. The often outspoken, always smiling, firecracker of a performer is Country music’s sweetheart and rightfully so. Parton was born in 1946 in Locust Ridge, Tenn. to impoverished sharecroppers and lived in a cabin with 11 siblings without electricity or running water. Since then, she’s done pretty gosh darn good for herself.

Parton has accrued quite a lofty sum of money in her name for her wide variety of classic Country tunes (and covers of said Country tunes). It’s thanks to those tunes and quirky demeanor that she’s built a lucrative entertainment empire, part of which includes the greatest gift she could have even bestowed upon her family in the Smokies — Dollywood. Continue reading →

News, Sports Fix, The Daily Feed
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Hudson mystifies Nationals, Braves win 3-1

IMG_7508 Peralta.jpg
Photo by Cheryl Nichols, Nationals News Network

The running gag in the postgame press conferences at Nationals Park from Manager Jim Riggleman is that he tends to say something about running into aces, and playing hard ball. Tonight the Nationals did both. They faced the Braves’ ace in Tim Hudson, who went 7 2/3 IP throwing just 96 pitches, and retired seven on strikeouts. Hudson was dominant most of the evening, brushing off the Nats offense with near impunity. The Nats did play hard tonight, but couldn’t generate any offensive action, and made some key defensive mistakes. Continue reading →

The Daily Feed
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Jason Wu Inspired Phillips After 5

Photo courtesy of
‘Shannon 06’
courtesy of ‘yospyn’

How awesome is this?

Fashion Designer Jason Wu cites Robert Ryman’s paintings as the muse for his fall 2010 TSE cashmere collection.

Phillips after 5 for August 12th will be entirely dedicated to the coveted fashion designer and this very exciting collaboration. For one evening, models will act as living works of art in the Ryman exhibition and a video of Wu’s fall 2010 ready-to-wear runway show will be on view in the café.  For even more fun, a scavenger hunt will lead visitors through the museum, collecting fashion and fine art facts along the way for a chance to win prizes.

Due to the popularity of Phillips after 5, advance reservations are encouraged to insure admission.

For more information call 202-387.2151.

All Politics is Local, Crime & Punishment, Life in the Capital, News, The Daily Feed, The District, WTF?!
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Help Solve Animal Cruelty Cold Case In Northeast

Photo courtesy of
‘McGruff looks pissed’
courtesy of ‘MikeOliveri’

Some disturbing news coming out of the Northeast today. Apparently, Washington Humane Society officers are heavily investigating two cases of cold-blooded animal murder and they’re looking for help in solving these senseless and heinous crimes.

In April an innocent opossum and her ten babies were stoned to death in an alley behind 16th Street, NE and a month later an innocent cat was brutally found stoned to death on the 200 block of Maryland Avenue, NE.

National studies have shown that individuals who commit these senseless acts of animal cruelty are seven times more likely to commit other anti-social acts such as violence towards people. So this individual or individuals pose a risk to the entire DC community.

If you have any information regarding these heinous crimes, please contact the Humane Law Enforcement Department at 202-BE HUMANE. All calls are confidential.

The Daily Feed
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Join the Nats for Green-Up Day

Photo courtesy of
‘GALA6727’
courtesy of ‘MissChatter’

The Washington Nationals Dream Foundation is teaming up with the Earth Conservation Corps for the second annual Nats Green-Up Day this Friday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at three locations near Nationals Park.

More than 100 volunteers from the Nationals front office, Alion Science & Technology and various military branches and federal agencies have pledged their involved in the day’s events at events including:

  • Matthew Henson Center, 2000 Half Street, SW
  • 1st and Q Streets, SW and surrounding blocks
  • 3rd and I Streets, SW at the park adjacent to the library

Nationals pitcher Tyler Clippard* will also be on-site at the Henson Center from 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. assisting with various tasks ranging from planting rain gardens to mulching and weeding around the property.

If you choose to participate, you’ll go home with some goodies. They include: a commemorative Green-Up t-shirt, as well as two tickets to Sunday’s Dream Foundation Day at Nationals Park to watch the Nats face the Phillies at 1:35 p.m. Participants will also be recognized for their hard work during a pre-game ceremony.

Orientation for Green-Up day starts bright and early at 8 a.m. at the Matthew Henson Center.

*Players subject to change

Interviews, The Features, They Shoot DC
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She Shoots DC: Michelle Farnsworth

Courtesy Michelle Farnsworth

I am truly amazed at the number of photographers who call DC home. Many of them contribute to our photo pool on a constant basis; many of the photos accompanying our articles are taken by local residents who enjoy sharing their work through the Flickr avenue. And then there are others who don’t necessarily contribute through Flickr but still wander the streets, shooting as they desire, creating visual art through images of every day life here in the capital.

Many carry their art beyond images of the DC area in pursuit of a hobby or livelihood they love. On occasion, we take a moment to highlight the greater work of our area shutterbugs and this time we managed to snag Michelle Farnsworth for a quick peek into her life as a DC resident and photographer.

Continue reading →

Downtown, Legacy articles, Media, People, The Daily Feed, The Hill
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50 Most Beautiful

Photo courtesy of
‘Getting Ready: 1st Annual ‘Miss Sinergy: Beauty is Skin Deep’ Charity Fashion Show’
courtesy of ‘TDLphoto’

God bless The Hill for giving Washingtonians a chance to judge based solely on appearance, every once in a while.  It’s a luxury we can seldom afford. In case you’re wondering what I’m talking about, The Hill has released its annual “50 Most Beautiful” list.  So, you know what to do.  Breeze through and wonder how Senator X beat out Senator Y, or how staffer X got number 2 when she is clearly less pretty than number 17. Scott Brown did, of course, make the list, but notably absent was Rep. Aaron Schock. All in all, the Democrats destroyed in terms of looks, with 29 representatives on the list, to the Republicans’ 17 and the Independents’ 4. I guess liberals really are hotter. What are your thoughts? Did anyone get gypped? And who would you have picked for number 1?

The Daily Feed
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Reality Star Needs a DC Tour Guide!

Right now, CBS is filming Around the World for Free here in DC. The show is an online/broadcast reality series based on whether a person can circle the globe without any money, relying on the kindness of strangers.

Currently, Jeff Schroeder of Big Brother and Amazing Race reality fame, is in DC looking for a tour guide and for direction on where to go next. (At last check, he was near the Monument, taking a photo with a visiting Boy Scout troop.) If you want to help him out either in showing him around the city or furthering his quest to circle the globe, get over to the CBS website and volunteer your services or log in to leave some encouragement. Then let us know what happened!

The Features
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A Look at the Expos’ Place in Nationals History

Photo courtesy of
‘my trusty, soon-to-be-retired expos hat’
courtesy of ‘permanently scatterbrained’

The Nationals announced Tuesday afternoon that the team will be honoring 2010 Hall of Fame inductee Andre “The Hawk” Dawson, who played for the franchise in Montreal with a tri-colored Expos cap atop his head from 1976-1986, on August 10 at Nationals Park.

It’s easy to fall victim to making a quick comparison between the Washington Nationals and the Washington Senators since those are the only two ball teams to play in the District, but they’re not one in the same. In fact, they’re far from it.

The Senators were an American League team. The Nationals are a National League team. The only common ground is the city in which they played.

Here’s a closer look at the Nationals’ history and how the Expos fit into that.

Continue reading →