Monthly Archives: October 2010

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Featured Photo


Shirlington Oktoberfest by Amber Wilkie Photography

A photograph often evokes emotion in those that view it, however it isn’t necessarily the same emotion for everyone.  More than likely your soul is aglow with happiness as you look at this guy enjoying a beer on a sunny afternoon, wearing funny overalls and a smile that is no doubt a reflection of his lubricated contentment.  Yet I only feel deep sorrow, as I attended the real Oktoberfest celebration in Munich several weeks ago and am forced to draw comparisons.  To begin with the obvious, I’m sad that I’m now sitting behind a desk rather than visiting museums, strolling through the vast English Garden, and eating every imaginable type of pork product.  Not only do I feel sorry for myself, but I feel bad for the beer in this man’s hand.  It looks lonely and cheated as it should be surrounded by more beer in a much bigger mug.  I feel sorry for his arm as it should be getting tired from lifting a much heavier Maßkrug, and for his liver as it should be processing much more beer (likely of better quality).  I feel sorry for his ears which should be ringing from a nearby band and the loud singing of his drunken friends.  And his eyes?  His poor eyes.  They should be well distracted by beautiful girls packed into their dirndls.  Now if you’ll please excuse me, I’m going to go cry in my currywurst.

Talkin' Transit, The Daily Feed
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Three Federal Agencies give employees access to Capital Bikeshare

Photo courtesy of
‘Do my nails clash with the red?’
courtesy of ‘fromcaliw/love’

Capital Bikeshare launched just two weeks ago, with installations popping up all over town.  The idea is simple: if you need a bike, grab your helmet and check one out from Capital Bikeshare and take your ride. When you’re done, return it to any Capital Bikeshare location.  Costs are pretty reasonable, with memberships starting at $50 a year.  Too pricy?  Rent by the hour with your credit card.

Better yet, if you work for OPM, GSA or DOT, you just got a free membership, courtesy of your employer.  The three agencies announced a partnership with Bikeshare to provide access to over 1,000 bicycles across the city for their employees to use as part of a wellness initiative.

The Daily Feed
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Chris Pontius, DC’s Finest

Chris Pontius courtesy of DC United

You know what every Monday needs? More man candy. I guess that’s why God created Cosmo. The magazine has launched their 2010 Bachelor Blowout, showcasing the finest specimens from all 50 states and DC. So who was named Washington’s fairest? That would be Chris Pontius, the fine-looking forward from DC United. Well-chosen, Cosmo. Well-chosen.

The 23-year-old is apparently “motivated, independent and caring,” and isn’t intimidated by relationships. But does he like sunsets and long walks on the beach? Cosmo has graciously provided an email address so that you can ask Pontius burning questions such as these.

If you think Pontius deserves to be named Cosmo‘s Bachelor of the Year, you can vote for him every day through October 10. There’s even a chance you can win a gift bag by voting. That’s almost the same as a date, right? RIGHT!?

The Daily Feed
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Transformers starts filming next week, complete with street closures

Photo courtesy of
‘Is this a Transformer?’
courtesy of ‘voteprime’

Michael Bay is blowing up DC next week, but, in the most generally benign possible way.  Transformers 3 is filming in DC next week, with a couple evening shoots near the Capitol.  Click through for the map of the closures on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings.  Street closures will be far less draconian than your average State of the Union, but still noticeable, starting at 6:30 in the evening and going through 6:30 the next day.  Shia LeBoeuf is promising us that this will be totally worth it, bro, and you’ll be lovin’ him longtime come next summer.

We don’t take his word for it, given how awful Transformers 2 was, but hey, at least they’re bothering to film in DC, unlike so many other movies.

 

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Downtown, Entertainment, Fun & Games, Penn Quarter, Special Events, The Features, The Mall, We Love Arts
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October’s Best at SAAM & NMAI

Derek A. Bencomo, Hana Valley, First View from the Peaks and Valleys Series, 1997, milowood, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Fleur and Charles Bresler in honor of Kenneth R. Trapp, curator-in-charge of the Renwick Gallery (1995--2003); photo courtesy Smithsonian American Art Museum

Some great stuff’s going on this month at the Smithsonian’s American Art Museum (SAAM) and the National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI). While there’s a ton of events and exhibits happening at both locations, I’ve highlighted some of the more interesting things you may want to check out. Got a free afternoon or in need of some weekend inspiration this month? Well, there’s something here for everyone.

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The Daily Feed
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We oppose all partisan AND bipartisan trash

Photo courtesy of
‘Street Junk’
courtesy of ‘mikecogh’

Several people have felt compelled to mail us and say that if we didn’t comment about the One Nation rally then clearly we were LUBRUL MEDIA JURKS because we posted a guest piece about junking up the mall before the Glenn Beck rally.

So here you go:

We Love DC opposes people coming onto the Mall or anywhere else in the city – whether they be from far away or local organizations – and making a big honking mess.

We do not care if you are

  • Democrat
  • Republican
  • Libertarian
  • Pro-war
  • Anti-war
  • Christian
  • Buddhist
  • Pastafarian
  • Tall
  • Short
  • Black
  • White
  • Two-headed purple martian

We want you to not leave your crap all over the Mall. Take home the junk what you brung.

This includes the smart-assed and sarcastic who will be here on Oct 30 for the Stewart/Colbert thing.

Entertainment, Music, The Features, We Love Arts
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We Love Arts: Improbable Frequency

John Tweel and Madeleine Carr in Solas Nua's "Improbable Frequency." Photo credit: Dan Brick

A spanking new office building behind Union Station’s train tracks is a strange place to find oneself for a night of theater. Ushered through a blindingly white lobby, up the elevator to the sixth floor, greeted by a charming Irish lass asking you, “What’s the password?” Well, that’s the sort of night it was – equal parts improbable, uncomfortable, delightful, and unfinished.

Solas Nua is one of my favorite theater companies in DC. Known for their fearless dives into the Irish underbelly, Improbable Frequency is their first musical foray. There’s an enthusiastic cast backed by a live band in a space best described as cavernous. Sadly, preview night was unable to deliver the promised atmosphere of Todd Thrasher cocktails, vintage costumed extras and burlesque dancers working the crowd to create a 1940’s speakeasy – but when these elements are added (cross your fingers on that liquor license) it could help immeasurably to liven up what’s essentially a concrete skeleton.

Our guide through the musical action is Tristram Faraday, a cruciverbalist whose enthusiasm for and ability to solve crossword puzzles lands him a position as an unlikely spy in Ireland. He’s British, it’s World War II, and though the Irish are professed to be neutral there’s some suspicious codebreaking to be done. That alone could cause serious mayhem. But even stranger things are afoot – people randomly acting out bad puns, songs played on the radio weirdly affecting the weather. Throw in a mysterious double agent, a mad Austrian scientist, and the IRA!  Tangling out the plot beyond that would spoil the big reveal, so suffice to say it all begins to resemble a parody of a Doctor Who episode. Continue reading →

The Daily Feed
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Metro Work on Columbus Day Weekend guaranteed to mess up your day

Photo courtesy of
‘Blue/Orange line work’
courtesy of ‘tbridge’

There was the banner this morning reminding me of what I knew deep in the recesses of my mind but filed away: Farragut West, McPherson Square and the Blue/Orange side of Metro Center are closed this weekend for track work. That also includes Columbus Day, Monday October 11th, which Metro considers a holiday, but half of DC workplaces do not.  Prepare for abject suffering during this weekend if you need to Metro anywhere.

Metro has all the details, including shuttle bus information, and the splitting of Orange and Blue lines, and the re-routing of the Blue line.  We’ll have more this week, and a reminder Friday and Monday, about the whole shebang.

Sports Fix
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Week 4 Recap: Skins vs. Eagles

Photo courtesy of
‘Stranger in a Strange Jersey’
courtesy of ‘Tony DeFilippo’

The Skins kicked off a brutal stretch in their schedule with a tough victory over the Eagles in Philly. I was expecting Donovan McNabb to get a rude reception from Eagle fans much like the one he received at the ’99 draft. Instead, the crowd gave him a standing ovation. The rest of the game did not go as smoothly. It was physical, mistake-filled, and left some key casualties for both teams. Michael Vick was injured in the first half and did not return to the game. Kevin Kolb stepped in and played admirably, but the Skins defense held him in check when it mattered most. Clinton Portis was also injured and sat out most of the second half. Despite this setback, the Skins ran the ball effectively, caused a couple of turnovers, and won the game 17-12. The Skins are now 2-0 in the NFC East after losing all six division games last season.

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The Daily Feed
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Foggy Bottom Metro Escalators Closed Due to Police Situation

Foggy Bottom Platform Escalator Fail

Update: Foggy Bottom Metro Escalators are open again. Police presence remains. Post reports the “unruly subject” was an aggressive panhandler.

Update from the GW Hatchet: Police activity following an altercation led to the escalator shutdown. An “unruly subject” being escorted from GW Hospital tried to grab someone outside, and the recipient of the grab proceeded to pull a knife, cut the grabber, then escape uncaught.

We’re hearing from the tweets that Foggy Bottom Metro has a police situation going on, possibly a stabbing. Metro escalators are taped off and the line for the still-working elevator goes down the block.

While that’s going on, we recommend that any Metro riders about to use Foggy Bottom walk instead to (or from) Farragut West, or catch the Rosslyn Circulator.

(Pic above is from another Foggy Bottom bottleneck incident but pretty much represents the station’s state nowadays even without police situations.)

The Daily Feed
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USA Today Names Best Burger Joints in the U.S.

Photo courtesy of
”
courtesy of ‘spacebarpark’
USA Today has released their picks for the best burger restaurants in the United States, one for each state. And for once, D.C. actually counts as a state. And who are our winners? Well, no big surprise with Ray’s Hell Burger taking the win in Virginia. The best burger in D.C. goes to Rogue States, which seems to be getting more press these days for their unfortunate location than for their patties.

So do you agree? Is Rogue States the best burger in town? With their current legal issues and the rumors of the first Ray’s location in D.C. opening soon in CityVista, are they going to stay on top much longer?

The Daily Feed
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Planet Pet Opens In Adams Morgan

Photo courtesy of
‘212/365’
courtesy of ‘Danilo.Lewis|Fotography’

Last week, 14th Street pet owners shed a collective tear when GreenPets and Dogs By Day closed their doors. On Friday, Adams Morgans pet owners rejoiced when the two businesses re-opened as Planet Pet, set just off the 18th Street strip.

The new space is bigger, better and closer to my house — all reasons worthy of celebration. The doggie daycare/boarding facility features indoor and outdoor sections with separate rooms for seniors and puppies. The retail area is about twice the size of the old GreenPets, and offers an expanded selection of toys, accessories and all-natural food and treats. There will also be an in-house holistic vet and a bereavement area for those who have recently lost a pet.

If you were affected by the move, Planet Pet is offering their daycare dogs free pick-up and drop-off services to and from your home throughout October. And in case you were wondering, yes, the resident black cats from GreenPets have come along to the new space.

Planet Pet is located at 1711 Florida Avenue NW.

The Daily Feed
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Redskins Cheat Sheet: Week 4 @ Philly

Photo courtesy of
‘Pile-up’
courtesy of ‘BrianMKA’

Throughout the fall, we want to make your water cooler chatter on Monday mornings a little less painless if the topic turns to football and the Redskins. While we can’t do anything about the team, we can at least do our best to prepare you to make it look like you care.

The ‘skins were not supposed to win this game. The first three weeks include a close win/escape in Dallas, a heartbreaking choke of a loss to Houston and then the metaphoric-egg-laying in St. Louis last week. Heck, every single one of the 19* analysts on Fox even picked the Eagles to beat up on Donovan McNabb in his first return to Philadelphia in something other than green.

*Please note, there are less than 19 football analysts in this photo. It was hyperbole.

There’s a reason games are played on the field and not on paper/behind analysts’ desks. As you chat about the Redskins 17-12 win, here are a few quick points to keep in mind this morning, after the jump. Continue reading →

capitals hockey, Sports Fix, The Features
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Back to the Future at the Caps Convention

Caps Jersey for 2011 Winter Classic

The Caps unveiled their uniforms for the NHL New Years Day Winter Classic today at the Caps Convention at the DC Convention Center. In keeping with the theme of embracing the past even as they push for greater glory, the Capitals’ Winter Classic jersey hearkens back to the original red, white and blue away jersey with the six stars above the original logo, with red and blue horizontal bands at the waist. In a nod to the elder statesmen, former captains Yvon Labre and Rod Langway took the stage ahead of current captain Alex Ovechkin in modeling the Winter Classic jersey.

Indeed, the past was present today, and the several thousand season ticket holders and red-clad fans showed their appreciation. At least 16 former players, including fan favorites Mike Gartner, Peter Bondra and Olie Kolzig were in the house, bringing together 35 years of hockey history. Addressing a large audience of Caps fans, Ted Leonsis said he is looking for generational excellence out of the current team. The team’s new slogan “Building America’s Hockey Capital” and Leonsis’s focus on bringing the Stanley Cup to Washington shows an ambition beyond selling out the Verizon Center every night. Let the games begin!

Here is some more good news for the future: Leonsis mentioned that with Monumental Sports now owning the Verizon Center the ice surface (and the ambient air) will be kept colder, addressing the perennial player complaint of soft ice. So put on your sweaters and get ready for fast ice at the home opener next Saturday night.

The Daily Feed
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CBS Radio reporter arrested for possession with intent to distribute

Photo courtesy of
‘The Daily Leaf’
courtesy of ‘Tony the Misfit’

NBC Washington’s Kriston Capps has confirmed that CBS Radio’s Howard Arenstein and his wife were arrested for possession of marijuana with intent to distribute yesterday. Arenstein, whose bio lists him as both correspondent and bureau manager for DC, was arrested along side his wife for growing marijuana in their backyard in Georgetown.  Plants were reported to be up to eight feet in height.

Depending on how much the police confiscated at their Georgetown home, under DC Code § 48-904.01 Arenstein and his wife may face up to 5 years and $500,000 in fines if convicted for that arrest.  If they had less than 8oz of marijuana, they may only face 180 days in jail, but it sounds like multiple plants were confiscated, with each plant tending to be approximately a pound, they’re probably in the front half of things.

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Food and Drink, The Daily Feed
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Be Classy. Have Some Bourbon.

Photo courtesy of
‘How Much is that Bottle in the Window?’
courtesy of ‘Karon’

The finer things in life have always excited me. Among the lengthy list of luxury items I tend to fancy, bourbon is in the top five. Smoky with a slight burn, it’s delectable as much as it’s tasty.

If you find yourself thinking, “Why, I too fancy myself a fine glass of bourbon,” then I’ve found you a place to do that. The Bourbon tasting class at Acadiana is back by popular demand.

Explore southern tradition on Saturday, October 16 from 1 to 3 p.m. in a class while learning about bourbon and its history with Scott Clime, Wine & Beverage Director of DC Coast, TenPenh, Ceiba, Acadiana, and PassionFish.

Participants will try ten rare and premium bourbons which also includes a small-batch and single-barrel bourbons. Lunch is also provided.

The event is $75 per person. For reservations, contact Jillian Zins directly or call 202-408-0201.

Acadiana is located at 901 New York Avenue, N.W. near the Washington Convention Center.

Adventures, Entertainment, Essential DC, Fun & Games, Night Life, Special Events, The Features, We Love Arts
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National Geographic Live: October 2010

Diving Bahamas Caves by Wes C. Skiles; courtesy National Geographic

It’s fall and the National Geographic Museum has one heavy lineup ready for DC. National Geographic Live! is a series of dynamic lectures, live concerts, and compelling films presented at the Society’s headquarters on M Street between 16th and 17th Streets. We present to you the complete October lineup AND a chance to win a pair of tickets to one of the listed events!

National Geographic has provided us two pairs of tickets to give away; all you need to do for a chance to win our random drawing is comment with what two events you’d most like to see, using your first name and a legitimate email address by noon on Monday, Oct 4. We’ll draw the winners that afternoon!

NOTE: All programs will be at Grosvenor Auditorium at 1600 M Street, NW. Tickets can be purchased online, by phone at (202) 857-7700, or in person at the National Geographic ticket office between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Free parking is available in the National Geographic underground garage for all programs that begin after 6 p.m.

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