Monthly Archives: June 2011

Entertainment, Interviews, People, The Features, We Love Arts
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Theater Spotlight: White Hot Set

If you’ve seen Shakespeare Theatre Company’s excellent production of Old Times, chances are your first impression was of a monochromatic letterbox, as the minimalist all-white set seemed to float against the black proscenium (and if you haven’t seen Old Times, you need to get hopping over to the Lansburgh this week, as closing is July 3. It’s a thought-provoking performance of Pinter’s play, as Don noted in his review). Almost every surface is white, with glass and chrome punctuations.

Not surprisingly, it was the cleanest backstage I’ve ever seen.

An all-white set presents many challenges, from design to execution to maintenance. I spoke with designer Walt Spangler and the STC run crew about their experiences with Old Times, and even learned the secret ingredients to keeping whites bright and cigarette ash in its proper place. And when a set’s this minimal, it’s not a simple process – sometimes a designer has to go through fifty different ashtrays to find the perfect one.

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Sports Fix
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Your Wizards Draft Cheat Sheet

In case you were too busy hating on Jim Riggleman or trying to figure out Ron Artest’s crazy new name, the NBA held their draft this past Thursday and the Washington Wizards added three new players to the team. Coming into last week’s draft, many regarded the draft class as pretty bland. There weren’t any future LeBrons or Walls in this year’s draft, in fact the most exciting moment of the draft was when Wizards’ first-round pick Jan Vesely made out with his hot girlfriend Eva Kodouskova after hearing his name called.

Not gonna lie, it was pretty hot. Jan hears his name, buttons up his suit, his girl rises into the frame, waits a moment, and goes in for the kill. Even Joe House approves (of the kiss at least.)

Anyways if you want more on the kiss just read Kyle Weide’s story and interview over at Truth About It. He’s a great Wizards blogger and struck gold with the story.

For everybody else, here’s the quick and dirty info on the draftees because most likely the last time you heard about the Wiz was when they got those new fangled uniforms.

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The Daily Feed
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Food Truck Tracker

Photo courtesy of
‘lobster being served’
courtesy of ‘ekelly80’

This week’s FTT theme is going to be food truck trivia.

Today’s trivia tidbit comes from LobsterTruckDC: the most frequently asked question they get is “What’s the difference between a Maine roll and a Connecticut roll?” And they usually shout out the answer from one of their truck’s PA systems.

I could tell you the answer, but I’d suggest heading over for a roll and finding out for yourself.
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Essential DC, The Features, We Love Arts
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Old Lovers Meet at 14th and Swann

Faded, crumbling, unlikely to survive too many more DC winters or 14th Street-area renovations, I love this mural. It raises a million questions.

From the perch of an old row house wall overlooking the Swan Auto parking lot, emerging from a pool? pond? ocean?—two Dr. Seuss-like figures—humans? balding angels? fruit flies?—share a fading yellow apple. Lips locked on the fruit, their eyes are closed passionately. One wears a small bejeweled crown, but otherwise they appear naked. They are LOVERS, says the painting in simple black font, a status reinforced by the word “madreselva” painted in upside-down and backwards letters below. Madreselva means honeysuckle in Spanish, a flower that is supposedly associated with “the bond of love,” or according to other sources, “generosity.” Either way, we are getting a sneak peek at two individuals’ affection through this mustard yellow, circular window….  Or is it a puzzle piece? (What are those little nodes around the frame?)

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The Daily Feed
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Nationals tap Johnson to lead team through 2011

Photo courtesy of
‘Davey Johnson’s Mets Hall of Fame Plaque Revealed’
courtesy of ‘slgckgc’

The Nationals announced late yesterday that they have come to an agreement with Davey Johnson to manage the club through the rest of the 2011 season, and is on contract with the team to serve in some capacity through 2013. Johnson’s career is fairly storied, and includes a World Series trophy (1986, with the Mets. Sorry, Dave Levy) and 1st or 2nd place finishes in 11 of 14 seasons. If there’s someone who knows and understands the concepts of winning baseball, it’s Johnson, who carries a lifetime .564 record with 1,148 wins and 888 losses.

Johnson takes over the club while they’re on a hot-streak, having won 13 of their last 15 games, including 5 of 6 on the road, and there are rumblings about the NL East Wild Card. Sure, the Nats are 3.5 games back of the Braves for the Wild Card, but I don’t think it’s wise to get your long-term hopes up for a playoff spot.

None of that changes the fact that the Nationals are having their hottest June in six years, and the best record in the month of June across either league. We’ll have a homestand preview later this week, with more results from the road trip and previews of the homestand, but the addition of Davey Johnson to the team’s day to day staff is certainly a good thing for a club who could use a shot in the arm from someone who understands what it is to manage baseball teams at the highest level.

The Daily Feed
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Yards to add 7 restaurants

Photo courtesy of
‘Sunrise @ the Boilermaker Shop 3’
courtesy of ‘Tony DeFilippo’

Yep, you read that right, 7 restaurants. The Boilermaker Shops near the Navy Yard, sort-of kind-of close to Nationals Park just got a lot more interesting. They’ll play host to two Neighborhood Restaurant Group spots: a Buzz Bakery, which has two locations now, and an as-of-yet-unnamed brewery concept (??!!!!!). In addition, a burger joint called “brb Burger” and an Austin Grill Express, and nearby Foundry Lofts will add a Potbelly and Kruba Thai Sushi.  Good day for the neighborhood in Near Southeast!

Food and Drink, The Daily Feed
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Friday Happy Hour: Avery India Pale Ale

Thursday night was an evening of my favorite things. My favorite DC food truck, TaKorean parked outside one of my favorite coffee shops, Chinatown Coffee Co. for one of Chinatown’s brilliant “Food Truck Happy Hours.” With my delicious Korean-inspired tofu tacos, I enjoyed another of my favorite things: Imbibing a tasty beer.

The beer/wine/absinthe alcohol program at Chinatown Coffee is a bit quirky and easy to forget about if you mostly come in for a morning caffeine burst in the form of their expertly-executed espressos. Stop by in the evening, though, and it is a charming place to have a drink from their seasonally-curated menu of choices, away from the crazy happy hour crush of many other bars in the neighborhood. Also, with several beers usually available for $3 and most options under $6, the prices really cannot be beat. Add delicious tacos and what more do you really want in life?
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Capital Chefs, Food and Drink, The Features
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Capital Chefs: Nick Stefanelli of Bibiana (Part 2)

Photo courtesy of
‘Risotto Frutti di Mare at Bibiana’
courtesy of ‘bonappetitfoodie’

Risotto can be like a wild beast in the kitchen. If you don’t cook it long enough, it’s like eating little rock pellets. If you don’t stir it, you will end up with a gloppy mess. But in reality, risotto is not all that hard to make and make it well. So with that in mind, don’t get hung up on the idea that you have to babysit this pot of rice grains for a while. Besides, you’re cooking with wine…pour yourself a glass.

After the jump you’ll find Nick Stefanelli’s recipe for risotto frutti di mare. It’s a light risotto with the lemon juice, white wine and seafood–perfect for summertime. Keep in mind Stefanelli’s advice that this recipe (as most do) depends on the freshness of the seafood, and don’t get too hung up on what seafood to include in the risotto if something isn’t available at your grocery store. Again, Stefanelli would remind you that “frutti di mare” means “fruits of the sea,” stick with firm fish and shellfish for the risotto and you can’t go wrong.
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Sports Fix
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Rigglegate: The train wreck at 1500 South Capitol

Photo courtesy of
‘Head in Hands’
courtesy of ‘Alex E. Proimos’

So. That happened.

Everything that came out of Nats Park yesterday wasn’t a fever dream, it actually happened. The Nats won their 11th game out of 12, in the bottom of the 9th, on just one run. They pitched well, they fielded well, they’re on a streak of good baseball and wonderful luck, and sure enough, manager Jim Riggleman quit his job due to a contract dispute.

Details are coming out today as both Jim Riggleman (it is distinctly odd not to type manager in front of that) and General Manager Mike Rizzo have done turns on sports radio to talk about the decision.  Both sides were firm: the other guy had made a grievous mistake in dealing with the situation. Both sides are right, at least in part. This was handled very badly, and the circumstances that we find ourselves, as fans, in now is nothing short of terrible. As Dave Nichols wrote, there were no winners at Nats Park yesterday.

Where to, now?

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Capital Chefs, Food and Drink, The Features
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Capital Chefs: Nick Stefanelli of Bibiana (Part 1)

Photo courtesy of
‘Nick Stefanelli of Bibiana’
courtesy of ‘bonappetitfoodie’

While being a chef wasn’t in Nick Stefanelli’s original career plans, Italy (and it’s food) was and still is a common thread in the arc of his work. Stefanelli, the executive chef at Bibiana Osteria started out studying fashion design in Milan, when his interests switched over to food. “There is a profound food culture in Italy that’s not going on here,” he says. While “food was always in his life,” Stefanelli switched his focus to becoming a chef after traveling through Italy.

During our conversation, Nick put Italian food in a context that rang true for me. “You can’t put a label on what Italian food is. It’s not just pasta and tomato sauce–it’s a culture, ways of doing things, the knowledge of knowing your grower and the relationships that you build around the cuisine,” says Stefanelli. “I try to reproduce that here, rather than import products. I apply techniques and sauces of Italian cookery to the food that’s available here. If a cuisine stands still, it will fall to the wayside. You need evolution.” Continue reading →

The Daily Feed
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Hot Ticket: Fucked Up @ Rock & Roll Hotel, 6/27/11

IMG_3660
photo by Michael Darpino

First, it’s worth noting that, given their band name, Fucked Up never would have made it 20 years ago. You know, back when you discovered music by listening to corporate radio. I can just imagine all the record execs sitting around, begging Fucked Up to change their name. “Wal-Mart will never carry it!”, they’d say. Nowadays, perhaps due to the internet’s outsized role in music distribution and promotion, it’s barely even remarkable to curse in your band name. Maybe Cee-lo Green cleared the way for profanity-laden band names everywhere? Hell, even artists like Britney Spears and Katy Perry can get away with using single entendres these days without pissing off the censorship crew.

Also without the internet, maybe you wouldn’t know about Fucked Up‘s show on Monday night at the Rock and Roll Hotel. (You’re welcome.) Fucked Up has gotten a lot of buzz, from winning Canadian music awards to scoring a glowing review in Pitchfork for their new album “David Comes to Life”. Said album is a sprawling rock opera, if you will. I’m not really prone to dig into ‘concept albums’, but I’ll tell you this: Fucked Up bring a fistful of punk attitude to what are essentially upbeat rock songs. The massive, noisy guitar melodies are so pleasant that they counterbalance the singer’s growly demeanor, producing something that sounds like the bastard child of The Hold Steady and Black Flag. Mix in a female vocalist, and there’s something for everyone to appreciate.

Garage rockers Jeff the Brotherhood (check this trippy video for a taste) and psychedelic punks Regents open the show. Will people get rowdy and mosh? Or will they sing along with huge grins? Find out Monday.

(Editor’s note: I caught Fucked Up at ATP 2010 and based on what I saw there, I vehemently endorse this show!)

Fucked Up
w/ Jeff the Brotherhood, Regents
Monday, June 27, 2011
Rock and Roll Hotel
$15

The Daily Feed
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Hot Ticket: Dinosaur Jr. w/ OFF! @ 9:30 Club, 6/25/11

On Saturday night the 9:30 Club has the fixings for the tastiest show of the week.

Ingredients:

– One legendary noise-rock band (Dinosaur Jr.) performing their most revered album (“Bug”) in its entirety.
– One hardcore icon (Henry Rollins) interviewing the same legendary noise-rock band (Dinosaur Jr.) live on-stage.
– One hardcore super-group lead by Keith Morris setting the whole party OFF! with a bang.

Optional Ingredients:
– Both lead singers of the legendary punk outfit Black Flag under the
same roof.*

There are going to be more legends and icons in the house on Saturday night then my brain can compute. This show gets a resounding “HELL YEAH!” from me. It will be a fantastic confluence of amazing musical personalities and mind-blowing sonic intensity. Do yourself a favor and get on these tickets ASAP!

Dinosaur Jr.
w/ OFF! and Henry Rollins
@ 9:30 Club
6/25 – 8pm
$30

* The last time this happened was the West Memphis Three benefit concert and it was fucking magic.

News, The Daily Feed
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Shortly after Nationals win 11th of 12, Manager Jim Riggleman Resigns

Photo courtesy of
‘Washington Nationals manager Jim Riggleman (5) and Baltimore Orioles manager Buck Showalter (26)’
courtesy of ‘Keith Allison’

Shortly after today’s dramatic 9th inning 1-0 win over the Seattle Mariners, the team’s 11th in 12 games, and 16th in 21 games, Manager Jim Riggleman quit his job over a contract dispute with the Washington Nationals.

The world is pretty much stunned by the news, both that the Nationals were uninterested in talking with Riggleman about an extension on his contract, and that Riggleman would make that sort of ultimatum in the middle of a winning streak, and while the team’s record was just barely over .500.

One person that I spoke with about the issue, said “There’s having a winning average and actually, you know, winning something or even making the playoffs. Before you start making demands like “I’m not getting on the bus until you pick up my option” you should really learn the difference.”

It’s not clear who will manage the Nationals tomorrow in Chicago, or what the longterm plans are. There’s a lot of uncertainty right now, we’ll have more thoughts in the morning

Entertainment, The Features, We Love Arts
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We Love Arts: The History of Kisses

Photo by Carol Pratt

The ocean is a silent character in David Cale’s The History of Kisses at Studio Theatre, a one-man show that is currently enjoying its world premiere. Cale was inspired to write the semi-based-on-real-life piece after discovering an old photo of an unknown couple kissing on the deck of a boat. He imagines a world behind the photo filling in the details through an interconnected series of vignettes depicting romances between those in the photo, an alter-ego of himself called James, and the guests and staff working at James’ hotel. Connected by the common themes of love and a common element of the sea, Cale finds himself in the role of many characters ranging from a middle-aged divorcee to a retired Navy man-turned composer. The History of Kisses is a boat of mixed company merrily making its way to a brighter destination. The journey isn’t without a few turbulent waves however, and it suffers from a few bumps that slow down the show’s journey.

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The Daily Feed
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No Chompie for Shark Week

Photo courtesy of
‘Happy Shark Week 2010!’
courtesy of ‘Dan Dan The Binary Man’

This aggression will not stand, Discovery Channel.  Sure, your fancy building Silver Spring employs hundreds, if not thousands, but until you reinstate the lovable inflatable Chompie the Shark, I’m not sure I can go along with your Shark Week Shenanigans.

I remember when you used to mean something, Discovery, I remember when Shark Week was all about sharks eating things, be they people, boats, or other fish-like creatures, and I remember that it was all about a giant inflatable shark that you would decorate your building with.

Now it’s about Andy Samberg? And a sharkless building?  To quote the Internet, “What, sir, is this fuckery?”

We Love Weekends
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We Love Weekends – June 25&26

Photo courtesy of
‘W Is for Werth’
courtesy of ‘Kevin H.’

Tom: My weekend starts today, with the matinee of the Nationals and Mariners, followed by Neil Gaiman’s book signing at the Press Club for the tenth anniversary of American Gods. Saturday morning we’re headed out to the Farm before we head up to Baltimore to celebrate a good friend’s birthday at Camden Yards. Don’t worry, we’re scalping the tickets, so Angelos won’t get a cent of my money directly. Sunday should be a day of recovery, and I’m betting we’ll be in a movie theatre for Cars 2, either in Chinatown or Alexandria, followed by dinner at Jaleo or Ted’s Montana.

Rebecca J: Friday fun starts off with hoping on the Acela to head back to DC. Luckily, the bar car serves Dogfish so that should get me through the journey. Once off the train, I’m going to DC dive bar extraordinaire Bobby Lew’s Saloon to celebrate a friend’s birthday. I imagine a late night stop at the Amsterdam Falafel Shop on 18th will be in order. Saturday, I’ve got some gardening to attend to but after that it’s off to the Safeway Barbecue Battle, where scores of BBQ Masters will compete to win the hearts of BBQ lovers, $40,000 in cash/prizes and the coveted title of National Pork Barbecue Champion; the contest benefits the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington. Sunday after all that pork goodness, I should probably do some sort of physical activity. With the weekend weather primed for heat and sun, I’ll combine my need for exercise with my need to stay cool by finally trying out Potomac Paddlessports’ Stand Up Paddling. I did it when I went to Hawaii, so I think I can handle the treacherous waters of the Potomac.

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The Daily Feed
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This is an outrage

YouTube Preview Image

Seen here is the arrest of Pete Tucker, for the crime of reporting on government business. At the end you see another official assert that “you don’t have permission to record.” Shortly afterward the individual taking the video, Jim Epstein, was arrested himself. You can read his details of the whole thing here.

The suggestion that any government meeting open to the public cannot be recorded or photographed in a non-distruptive way is offensive an unacceptable. Thankfully some of the commission seems to agree.