Monthly Archives: November 2010

Sports Fix, The Features
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Week 9 Recap – Skins vs. Eagles

Photo courtesy of
‘Super Bowl flags’
courtesy of ‘BrianMKA’

A couple of hours prior to the Monday night kickoff, Donovan McNabb signed a 5-year extension with the Redskins. It may have been poor timing given what happened later. The Eagles gave the Skins one of the worst beatings in franchise history, 59-28. It’s always hard to write something positive about your favorite team after they’ve been destroyed on national television. Michael Vick looked like an MVP, throwing for 333 yards and 4 touchdowns while rushing for 80 yards and two touchdowns. The Eagles scored 35 points in the first 20 minutes and, while the Skins showed some life in the 2nd quarter, the contest was all but over. This game needs to be placed in the rearview mirror quickly with the Titans coming up next week.

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Entertainment, Fun & Games, Music, We Love Music
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The Winning Ticket: Paul Oakenfold

As a way to say thanks to our loyal readers, We Love DC will be giving away a pair of tickets to a 9:30 Club concert to one lucky reader each week. Check back here every Wednesday morning at 9am to find out what tickets we’re giving away and leave a comment for your chance to be the lucky winner!

This week we are giving away a pair of tickets to see Paul Oakenfold, arguably the most well-known DJ in the world, perform at the 9:30 Club on Tuesday, November 23rd. A major force on the electronic music scene for more than twenty-years, Oakenfold has introduced the world to new scenes and sounds in electronic music over and over again. Oakenfold says that the Facelift tour is all about representing the evolving nature of dance music and to make his point he is bringing along two hot electronic acts as openers, Chuckie and the Nervo Twins, and a sick audio/video set-up that should give Deadmau5 a run for his money.

For your chance to win these tickets simply leave a comment on this post using a valid email address between 9am and 4pm today. One entry per email address, please. Tickets for this show are also available through Ticketfly If today doesn’t turn out to be your lucky day, check back here each Wednesday for a chance to win tickets to other great concerts.

For the rules of this giveaway…
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Technology, The Daily Feed
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Charter School gets grant for 700 iPads

Photo courtesy of
‘look at me and my iPad’
courtesy of ‘philliefan99’

The Business Journal’s Michael Neibauer has the story of a DC Public Charter School that has received a grant for an iPad for each of their students. Each of their 700 students will receive an iPad that they can use in their day-to-day classroom experience.  A little skeptical of the new tablet’s usability in schools? A friend of mine in Scotland has done this project already, having received a private grant to roll out a large number of iPads for elementary and middle school students.

Looking at his early results in regards to what the iPad is doing in his school, it’s hard to not like the potential, but as with everything, the devil is in the implementation.  I wish Friendship PCS the best of luck with this program, if it succeeds in doing what their COO says and puts accessible technology for learning in the hands of every student, then they’ll have achieved where many have failed.

News, The Daily Feed
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Deal for multiple Wal-Marts in DC in the works

Photo courtesy of
‘Urban Wal-Mart in White Plains, NY’
courtesy of ‘pasa47’

Late last night, Twitter was abuzz with news of development across the river in Ward 7.  Council member Yvette Alexander (W7) tweeted, “Big box retailer coming to Ward 7? Stay tuned!” This being the age of instant gratification and always-on communication, Fairfax Village‘s Veronica Davis pressed Alexander for more details.  Councilman Tommy Wells (W6) replied with the bombshell: “Walmart’s coming to DC.“

That was enough to get things rolling on Twitter and for the council members to respond with some critical details concerning the new sites: there would be multiple smaller, more urban Wal-Marts in the District with Wards 7 and 5 being locations on the current plan.  The total number would be “less than 10” and the sites would largely be 80,000-90,000 square feet instead of the 220,000 square feet sites in the suburbs.

The new urban model Wal-marts start at 20,000 square feet, and have at their heart a grocery model, which Wells says has Wal-mart playing average grocery store wages in the new locations, including the ones slated for DC, according to Wells.  These new stores could go a long way to solving some of the Food Desert problems that the eastern side of the city frequently have, but there are concerns around the big box model that have a lot to do with abandonable, non-reuseable storefronts, and that’s something the city will have to address as part of the development process.  The good news is, though, that multiple new retail venues can mean an increase in jobs for both skilled and unskilled labor, and in a city with double digit unemployment, it’s hard to argue with jobs.

News, The Daily Feed
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Charges against Howard Arenstein & Orly Katz (temporarily) dropped

Photo courtesy of
‘lemon kush day 105, flower 77’
courtesy of ‘eggrole’

The news is out this afternoon, CBS Radio News Bureau Chief Howard Arenstein and his wife Orly Katz are free after charges have been dropped in the case due to a witness that was a no-show at their hearings today.  It’s likely they’ll be re-filed, but for now, Arenstein and Katz are free.

Arenstein and Katz are likely to try the “for personal medical use” excuse, according to the City Paper, which has a source with knowledge of their defense. As many have said, the new laws in the city concerning medical marijuana do not permit citizens to grow their own medical marijuana, which means they’re probably not going to see a lot of support in that regard.

Entertainment, The Features, We Love Arts
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We Love Arts: Superior Donuts

(l to r) Johnny Ramey and Richard Cotovsky in Superior Donuts at The Studio Theatre. Directed by Serge Seiden. Photo: Carol Pratt

Studio Theatre’s production of Superior Donuts is the definitive tale of modern immigration. Within the Chicago neighborhood of uptown, playwright Tracy Letts finds the perfect setting for a refreshing, honest look at immigration in America. Inside the confines of a run-down, locally owned donut shop, we go on a journey that is as old as the first visitors to Ellis Island, exiles from wars of the past, and even the passengers of the Mayflower.

The owner of the eponymous “Superior Donuts,” Arthur Przybyszewski (Richard Cotovsky), is not only a burnt-old hippie, but an early generation American born from Polish parents. When he hires Franco (Johnny Ramey), an ambitious young African-American, it is more than a clash of generations; it is an intersection of two different perspectives of the immigrant story.

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capitals hockey, The Daily Feed
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Vote Your Favorite Caps Player to the NHL All-Star Game

Photo courtesy of
‘DSC_7711’
courtesy of ‘bhrome’

Fan voting for the NHL All-Star game this year opened yesterday. Three Caps players are on the list for fans to select from: Nicklas Backstrom, Alexander Ovechkin, and Mike Green. Shockingly, Alexander Semin is missing from the list, a mistake of great proportions. Semin currently ranks second in the league in goals (13) and fourth in points (23) and leads the Caps in goals scored. He was also named one of the NHL’s three stars of last week. It’s a little puzzling, considering there are other less-than-stellar players on the ballot this year. (We’re looking at you, Ilya Kovalchuk…)

This year’s All-Star game will have a different format, featuring an “All-Star Fantasy Draft” where the captains for each side will select from a pool of players chosen by fan balloting and the NHL. Captains will be chosen by the final group of 42 players selected for the All-Star game. (Even odds it’ll be “Ovechkin vs. Crosby.” I’m just sayin’.)

Another notable Caps name missing from the fan ballot is rookie netminder Michal Neuvirth. Tied for the league lead in wins (11), Neuvirth has posted a respectable 2.60 GAA and .910 Save Percentage through 16 games played. Hopefully the league will wise up and allot one of the All-Star slots to the Caps’ latest standout – provided he remains healthy and on top of his game. But it wouldn’t hurt if Caps fans started a write-in campaign to get Neuvirth some votes…

So what say we start a write-in campaign for Alexander Semin?

The Daily Feed, WMATA
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Does WMATA need a CEO?

Photo courtesy of
‘WMATA Blogger Roundtable’
courtesy of ‘Samer Farha’

Greater Greater Washington this morning has an editorial that’s part of their Serious Fixes for Metro series that suggests that what Metro needs isn’t a general manager, but rather a CEO.  This morning’s TBD escalator map is pretty grim, and the weekend’s transit work had a pretty good portion of my Twitter feed upset about the various repair projects that seem to be behind schedule and deeply inconveniencing.

The jurisdictional differences that Metro has built-in to their multi-state structure provide for unique challenges, and the original solution, a board of equal representation, has gotten the transit through lean but easy times.  The current situation may call for more leadership than the Metro Board can provide, and may require a CEO-type figure.

The question isn’t whether or not this is a good idea, the question is whether or not the Metro Board would willingly accept that kind of change.  So far, all I can think is that it’s unlikely that the jurisdictions would give up their control role in exchange for an advice-and-consent role.

What I would like to see is someone a lot like DC Water’s George Hawkins in charge over at Metro. Someone who is dynamic and engaging, and clearly invested personally in the results. WMATA needs someone who can operate within the existing framework, not someone who gets a title bump and who will be fighting with the board for control.

Food and Drink, Foodie Roundup
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Thanksgiving Options for Every Eater

Photo courtesy of
‘happy Thanksgiving cupcake toppers 2’
courtesy of ‘AForestFrolic’

Between stressing out about whether to attack the stuffing or the mashed potatoes first, or hoping that your stupid brother doesn’t clothesline you in the family football game again this year, Thanksgiving prep can weigh heavy on the mind. And in a town like D.C., everyone’s Thanksgiving is not the same. Parents coming in town to shower you with love in the form of cornbread and sweet potato casserole? Or did your family book a trip to Maui and conveniently forget to tell you, forcing you to find some Thanksgiving pals via Craigslist and the cork board at your office? There is thankfully (Thanksgiving pun alert!) an option for everyone this year.

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Talkin' Transit, The Daily Feed, WMATA, WTF?!
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Faux Metro Ads

Photo courtesy of
‘Vacation’
courtesy of ‘futuraprime’

I love this series of fake Metro ads from Evan Hensleigh on Flickr.  As bad as it’s been, it’s good that we cans top and laugh a bit at what we’re experiencing out there with Metro’s collapse over the last three years.  My personal favorite is the one with the ad, but the broken train indicator ad is a very, very close second.

I’d love these to get put up on trains as guerilla ads.  Who do we talk to about making that happen?

Sports Fix, The Daily Feed
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Redskins Cheat Sheet

Photo courtesy of
‘McNabb takes off’
courtesy of ‘BrianMKA’

We’re sorry the cheatsheet is so late, but I’m guessing that given the 59-28 ass-whooping that the Redskins took last night, I suspect that there was a lot of not talking about the Skins at the water cooler today, which is enough to give you some clue what they’re dealing with today. There are still a few things you need to know:

A thick coat of shellac: Well, McNabb got a four year extension to play until he’s Brett Favre’s age while Mike Vick ran us for some 400+ yards and six touchdowns. President Obama, see, that’s a shellacking.

Redskins signed McNabb to five more years: This one’s a tough one, because there’s some controversy here. McNabb’s career has some significant milestones, but it’s clear he’s not the quarterback that he once was. He remains, though, a battle-tested leader and strong clubhouse presence.  Still, that won’t matter if the team can’t put together some form of defense.

Adventures, Business and Money, Entertainment, Essential DC, Food and Drink, Fun & Games, Life in the Capital, Night Life, Special Events, The Daily Feed, The District, The Hill
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Love The Hill This Friday

I don’t love the “Hill” in the way some people do – I’m not so political and certainly am not involved in all the Congressional happenings, but I do adore the neighborhoods that make Capitol Hill fabulous. Eastern Market has such charm, and I’ve found myself spending weekends on Barrack’s Row. What better excuse than to celebrate a part of the city that I love than by heading to The Hilly’s on Friday night?

Awards will be given to some of the Hill’s best eats and drinks – favorites like Granville Moores, SOVA, Ted’s Bulletin are all up to win. Plus local businesses like Frager’s and Bikram Yoga are up for awards, too. Ticket prices are $65 for CHAMPS members, $75 for Buy Local members and $80 for the general public.Price includes open bar and food, with guest bartenders from Wisdom, Tunnicliff’s, Argonaut and Matchbox.

News, The Daily Feed
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Megabus makes Downtown DC their newest hub

Photo courtesy of
‘Megabus’
courtesy of ‘andertho’

Megabus announced early this morning that they would be adding DC to the list of their hub cities, and expanding service from the 11th and H transit location to 10 new cities from the District.  The move will bring 85 news jobs, as well as 32 new buses, to the DC area.  The bus company is offering free tickets for trips between December 15th through January 15th with the code ILUVDC.

New routes include Toronto, Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, Raleigh, and Buffalo. See you on the bus!

Adventures, Entertainment, Essential DC, Fun & Games, Life in the Capital, The District, The Features, The Great Outdoors
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DC Letterboxing

Letterboxing

photo courtesy of flickr user Wendy Copley

Hidden around DC, secretly placed in strategic, calculated locales are small, weatherproof boxes containing logbooks and stamps; only the dedicated group know of their existence and they are constantly trying to follow a trail of secret clues to uncover them. While this may sound like the latest Spy Museum game or a CIA operation, it’s actually hobby called letterboxing and its covertly going on right under our noses in our beloved city.

Here’s how it works. Originating, across the pond,  in Dartmoor, England, letterboxing, like its hi-tech sibling geocaching, is a combination of hiking, puzzle solving, treasure hunting and thrill seeking. In this game, “placers” hide small waterproof containers in interesting locales, e.g. along the Capital Crescent Trail, near the Jefferson Memorial, behind a loose Eastern Market brick, etc., and then leave small clues to its whereabouts on websites, or in letterboxing newsletters or through word of mouth.  Continue reading →

Business and Money, Entertainment, Essential DC, Life in the Capital, The Daily Feed, The District
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Madewell Opens Today

Madewell opens

Today at 10am, DC’s first Madewell opens its Georgetown doors. The clothing shop offers wears that meet hobo, hipster and preppyster fashion needs alike and is sure to be a big hit with Georgetown college and young professionals scene. Originally found in 1937, Madewell started out as a true-blue American denim company. Now the label is owned by J.Crew and has been reinvented to target women ages 18 to 40.   Madewell debuted in 2006 with a flagship store in New York City and up until the Summer 2010 launch of its ecommerce site, was only sold through its 18 nationwide stores.

Featured Photo
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Featured Photo

Photo courtesy of
half-frame by patrickjoust

There are parts of me that will forever be trapped in the past.  Even though I’m technically an adult, I’ll always feel like a kid in one way or another and rarely take life too seriously.  As long as I can pay my bills and stay out of prison, I might as well have some fun right?  We’re only on this big blue marble for a short amount of time, which is why I like to move to different cities, meet new people, learn about different cultures, and photograph what I find interesting.

I often think back to when I was young to try to remember how I viewed the world.  When I was in elementary school all I cared about was what they were serving for lunch at school (Salisbury steak and buttered noodles were always a favorite).  In junior high I realized that I’d probably better start learning something and was baffled by the concept of negative numbers.  In high school and college I studied way too hard to get to where I am today, not even using my degree.  I thought people who were forty were so old and couldn’t fathom being that age, and I still can’t imagine what fifty will feel like.

Sadly, I have only a handful of photos to document what the world looked like through my eyes during those years.  I didn’t have a camera back then, let alone a Leica like this girl.  The color of this diptych really adds a nostalgic feel, as if these photos could have been taken thirty years ago.  The candid aspect of these photos truly captures her innocence and curiosity, something many of us lost long ago.  Will she look back on these exposures when she’s an adult and remember her time at the National Gallery of Art?  Will she carry her passion for photography into adulthood?  Will her curiosity continue to make her look at the world in different ways?  For the sake of everyone, let’s hope so.

The Daily Feed
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Preventing HIV in the District

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy World AIDS Day, We Love DC. A full list of the day’s rallies, vigils and parties will be coming your way shortly, but I thought I’d help you kick off the morning with a roundup of sites offering free HIV testing today. If you haven’t been tested since getting cozy with a new partner, then it’s probably a good idea that you do so, the results were pretty clear thanks to the HIV symptom assessment tool aka HIV symptom checker.

The Whitman-Walker Clinic will be sponsoring free HIV testing from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m at the Elizabeth Taylor Medical Center (1701 14th St., NW), and from 9:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Max Robinson Center (2301 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave., SE).

The Women’s Collective (1333 Rhode Island Ave., NE) will be hosting free testing from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

The Student Union Building I at George Mason University’s Fairfax Campus will be offering free testing from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. today, from 7:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. tomorrow, and from 7:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. on Friday. Ten panels from the AIDS Quilt will also be on view.

The Washington Hospital Center will be offering free HIV testing in front of the Washington Cancer Institute (110 Irving St., NW) today from 1:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. and tomorrow from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Photo courtesy of

‘Old Joburg General Hospital-53’
courtesy of ‘Axel Bührmann’

We know the statistic: With more than 3% of the population living with HIV, the District HIV rate is on par with Uganda and some parts of Kenya. But how can you make a difference in preventing HIV?  Here’s a way: the DC HIV Prevention Community Planning Group (HPCPG), an all-volunteer group that works with the DC government each year to create a prevention plan to stop the spread of HIV in the District, is looking for new members. Members serve a two-year term and have an opportunity to shape prevention programs in the District.

The HPCPG is currently recruiting new members from all backgrounds, with an emphasis on applicants representative of the following populations: youth (13-24), seniors (50+), men who have sex with men, injection drug users, and individuals living with HIV/AIDS.  If you’re interested in learning more, visit http://doh.dc.gov/hiv or download an application.

The Daily Feed
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Gentrification and gay-bashing in Logan Circle

Photo courtesy of
‘I “Heart” Gentrification’
courtesy of ‘kevnkovl’

If you haven’t seen it already, be sure not to miss the article by TBD’s Amanda Hess about the beatings of gay, white, male residents at the R Street Apartments in Logan Circle.

Hess frames it both an issue of gentrification-related friction as well as anti-gay bias. I don’t really have anything to add to that except to point out that most of the partial solutions getting tossed around to address the displacement problems that come with gentrification are still only addressing economic factors, and not what happens when neighbors are hostile to each other for reasons that are only tangentially about economics.