Monthly Archives: January 2011

We Love Weekends
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We Love Weekends, January 15-16

Photo courtesy of
‘Martin Luther King Memorial – The Eyes – 12-04-10’
courtesy of ‘mosley.brian’

Erin: I’m breaking out of my normal working-for-the-weekends routine to head out to Alexandria with 3,000 of my closest friends and strangers for the 9th annual Magfest, a four-day celebration of videogaming and gaming music and gaming culture and…well…all things gaming. (Tickets are sold out, but check back at We Love DC early next week for photos! And hey, if you’re going? Look for me: I’ll be the one with the pink hair begging everyone to pose for photos.) Somehow, I’ll be dragging my tired self into work at 7 on Sunday, which is really just a way to pass the time until I can mosey on over to Passenger, where brunch is served until 11 p.m.

Brittany: Thursday evening, the Phillips Collection celebrates being on 21st Street since 1921 with a speakeasy theme party. There will be vintage costumes and cocktails which means I am obliged to attend. Next on the agenda is Friday night’s impossibly buzzed-over Lemuria-Magrudergrind show – a Positive Force benefit at St Stephens. Saturday, apparently everybody I know will be at the Black Cat for the Sockets Records Showcase. I may try to make it over myself, after attending a birthday dinner for one of my besties at Rasika. (Dear server that gets our group that night: Yes, we will all only be ordering from your “vegetarian-slash-side dish” category – but I promise we will make it worth your time in alcohol sales.) Continue reading →

The Daily Feed
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Looking for service options for Monday?

Photo courtesy of
‘volunteer service’
courtesy of ‘Miscelena’

Monday is the MLK Jr. Holiday, traditionally a day of service.  If you haven’t yet made arrangements to volunteer, it’s not too late.  Serve DC has a great project finder that will show you which service projects still need volunteers and which are fully staffed.  Projects that could still use your help include three opportunities in literacy workshops at various DCPS locations, a citizen farmer project and a knit-a-thon with clothing drive to donate to various homeless-related charities.

Be active in your community this Monday, sign up for a project.

The Daily Feed
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Hot Ticket: Das Racist @ Rock & Roll Hotel, 1/14/11

Das Racist - Shut Up, Dude

Have you been around the internet lately? There’s a duo of self-proclaimed “internet thugs” that found a new formula for success. Apparently, you can rhyme about G-chat, Youtube, and Macbooks, and end up selling out the Rock & Roll Hotel on Friday night.

When I first listened to Das Racist my first thought was, “these are the whitest rappers I’ve ever heard!”. Oh, wait, I was totally wrong (they almost discuss identity politics here). These guys met at Wesleyan and I would call there music “college rap” – intelligent verses with an off-the-cuff, stream-of-consciousness style. You can read some of their most creative lines here. I resisted listening to them for a long time having written them off as a novelty after their hit song “Combination Pizza Hut & Taco Bell”. But since then they’ve gotten serious; releasing two excellent mixtapes last year (available for free!) that had a huge list of guest stars, including Jay-Z and Diplo.

DC locals Ardamus and the Metaphysical and Houston’s Fat Tony are setting up the night to be a non-stop party. If you don’t have tickets to the show, you can still attend the dance party upstairs (no cover charge) running until 2:30am.

Das Racist
with Ardamus and the Metaphysical and Fat Tony
Friday, Jan 14th
@ Rock and Roll Hotel
SOLD OUT

PS- Keep an eye on R&R Hotel’s twitter. Sometimes extra tix open up!

Dupont Circle, The District, The Features
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Phillips Collection celebrates 90th Birthday this weekend

Photo courtesy of
‘Phillips Collection Music Room’
courtesy of ‘Kevin H.’

The Phillips Collection in Dupont Circle, when it opened in 1921, became the country’s first museum to focus on modern art, beating New York’s MOMA by 8 years.  Founded by the scion of steel baron Duncan Clinch Philips, the museum has been a central hub of the modern art world for 90 years now.  This weekend, the museum is hosting a Free Weekend for all to enjoy as part of a kickoff celebration of their ninetieth year.

Continue reading →

Entertainment, Essential DC, Food and Drink, Life in the Capital, News, Night Life, Special Events, The Daily Feed
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Matchbox Rockville

IMAG0185

If you enjoy the dining experience at Matchbox’s Capitol Hill and Chinatown locales, then the newly opened Rockville location will be to your liking as well. Situated a 5 minute walk from the Twinbrook Metro Station on the Red Line, along Rockville Pike, this latest addition to the Matchbox franchise is vast.

Despite a seating capacity of about 300 seats inside and an additional 130 outside, the restaurant stays close to its architectural roots with open fire pits on the patios, straw textured walls, brushed metal, brick facades and wooden beams from two old barn doors. Matchbox also features two hand-built pizza ovens from master artisan, Pat Manly, that greet diners at the reception area and two full bars with counter tops carved from an old tree to previously stood on the property.  The layout, design components and varied lighting provide both group/family friendly settings and intimate spots for couples. Continue reading →

Entertainment, The Features, We Love Arts
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We Love Arts: Marcus; Or the Secret of Sweet

(l to r) Lance Coadie Williams, J. Mal McCree, and Nickolas Vaughan in "Marcus; or the Secret of Sweet" at The Studio Theatre. Directed by Timothy Douglas. Photo: Scott Suchman.

Rain patters down plastic sheeting, as a man all in ghostly white speaks to a sleeping boy. He needs a message delivered to the living, on the eve of a dangerous storm that will change them all.

It’s this eerie image that begins the final play in Tarrell Alvin McCraney’s Brother/Sister Plays, described by him as “inspired by Yoruba life and traditions, steeped in Southern rhythms and cadences, and seamed shut with the fire of urban music and dance.” If you’ve seen the other two in the cycle – The Brothers Size (2008) and In the Red and Brown Water (2010), you’ll probably know who the man in white is and what he needs. I hadn’t seen either, but that didn’t impact my enjoyment of Marcus; Or the Secret of Sweet.

Playing now through February 13 at the Studio Theatre, the play is set in fictional San Pere, Louisiana on the eve of Hurricane Katrina, and though the storm is never mentioned by name its presence saturates everything. Teenager Marcus Eshu (a vibrant J. Mal McCree) is trying hard to discover the meaning of his dream’s message and untangle his own sexuality without alienating his best friends. Above all – stay out of danger, avoid his mother’s wrath and become a man in the process.

He’ll have to work fast, as that rain approaches. Continue reading →

capitals hockey, The Daily Feed
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Roloson, Lightning Strike Capitals Twice

Photo courtesy of
‘Roloson Keeps the Door Closed on Backstrom’
courtesy of ‘clydeorama’

For the fifth time in 25 games this season, the Caps have been shut out. Prior to this stretch of goose eggs, the Caps have only seen the zero four times in 190 games. Last night, Dwayne Roloson stood on his head 23 times and punctuated the fact that the Tampa Bay Lightning are a worthy opponent for the Caps in the Southeast Division, beating the Caps 3-0 in Tampa. Continue reading →

The Daily Feed
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ICYMI: January 12th, 2011

Photo courtesy of
‘Snowy sunrise’
courtesy of ‘BrianMKA’

It’s been quite a day. Sure, the snowfizzle meant we all had to work today, which was a bummer, but at least we didn’t have to dig ourselves out again, right?  Below, we’ve got the Metro map in abbreviations, a fight between Streetcars and Monorails, the D.C. Preservation League (aw, you were hoping for Justice League. Me too.) and the Censored Art Museum.

Continue reading →

News, The Daily Feed
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425 Mass Ave adds electric charging station

Tesla & Charging Station

Electric cars are finally becoming more a reality, between the Nissan Leaf, the Chevy Volt (though the Volt is cheating), and the Tesla Roadster, we’re seeing more and more places starting to build electric cars for the consumer market.  Of course, the biggest problem with the electric vehicle, though they’ve been around for 100 years, is carrying enough juice to get from place to place.

Just two months ago, DC got its first public charging station, and today, DC got its first private charging station, in the swank apartment building at 425 Mass Ave NW. The apartment complex run by Equity Group normally has all their electric and wiring work done by the same company which you can get a hold of if you navigate to this website. Now in preparing for the future, they have added the first of what they hope is many Coulomb ChargePoint stations supplied by Car Charging Group which will support two cars in special spaces in their garage.

Continue reading →

Food and Drink, The Features
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First Look: Hot N Juicy Crawfish

Photo courtesy of
‘DC All-Louisiana Crawfish Boil 05’
courtesy of ‘maxedaperture’
When I first saw the sign for Hot N Juicy Crawfish in Woodley Park, I thought, “wow, they put one of those Chicken/Chinese/Wings/Subs places in, weird.” Then after a little bit of Internet chatter, it came to be known as “the place from Man v. Food” which isn’t normally the best judge of gourmet cuisine, but at least I knew a high volume of their food didn’t give Adam Richman deathly food poisoning. And then in honor of their grand opening, the restaurant was offering a pound of free shrimp, no questions asked. With that offer legitimacy was down but intrigue was up. I decided to go for it. Food poisoning isn’t as bad when you don’t pay for it, right?

Continue reading →

The Daily Feed
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The WLDC Sports Ticker – January 12

Photo courtesy of
‘Brought to you by ESPN’
courtesy of ‘Tony DeFilippo’

Welcome to our own little DC-SPN weekly gimmick, the sports ticker. Don’t have time for a full gamer or time to keep up on some of the offseason or lesser known sports around town? We’ve got your back with some quick hits below. In addition, before we start, check the best betting sites with free bets here and become one of the few persons who have enjoyed free bets. Continue reading →

Talkin' Transit
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Talkin’ Transit: Pressing On

Photo courtesy of
‘Metro Emergency Call Sign’
courtesy of ‘[F]oxymoron’

I’m a fan of open and honest communication. It’s the best policy. You lay out your position, you let everyone know what is going on, you keep them informed. They might not be happy with everything that you do, but they will see that you are making an effort and that you are, at least, trying to keep them updated.

Metro seems to have a love-hate relationship with this concept. Last year, Metro tried for a little more openness. They invited bloggers into their HQ for a no holds barred talk with both the former General Manager John Catoe as well as his replacement, Interim GM Richard Sarles. We covered both events, and we were happy to see WMATA headed in a more clear and open direction.

But I’m beginning to think these things are flukes. Last week, WTOP’s intrepid transportation reporter Adam Tuss called out the agency on Twitter for not answering questions about the recent violence at L’Enfant Plaza. Metro eventually caved, but not until after he threatened to “slam them on air.” Continue reading →

The Daily Feed
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Lit Geeks Need Love Too

Photo courtesy of
‘Glen Echo #12’
courtesy of ‘andertho’

If yesterday’s snowfall left you longing for a cuddle buddy, then it’s time to get your date on. The activity-based online dating site How About We… is hosting a singles book swap tonight at the 14th Street location of Busboys and Poets at 7 p.m. The invitation encourages guests to “pick up a paperback and see who else finds Nabakov (or Where’s Waldo?) sexy.” Here’s a helpful tip: no one finds Where’s Waldo? sexy. If that’s the tome you plan on bringing, you might want to dig a little deeper in your library.

What, “Hemingway, so hot right now” doesn’t strike  you as the world’s greatest pick up line? Don’t worry, liquid courage will be available, which should make any literary line seem infinitely more clever. Just don’t quote Mein Kampf. Also never sexy.

Entertainment, Music, We Love Music
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We Love Music: Anamanaguchi @ Black Cat 1/9/11

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all photos by Michael Darpino

Late on a Sunday night, there’s a stark contrast between the cold, deserted DC streets and the cave of 8-bit fantasy I’ve emerged from. Anamanaguchi assaulted the packed Backstage at the Black Cat with strobe lights, pixellated animation, and their unique brand of electronic power-pop.

The last time I caught Anamanaguchi (for the 8-bit Alliance Tour last summer), the room wasn’t even at half capacity. However, the band has clearly gotten some buzz lately from their work on the soundtrack for Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game. I found the Backstage nearly full when I arrived, which is a rarity for any Sunday night. The young, slightly geeky crowd was ready to rock out to video-game-inspired bleeps and bloops.

Continue reading →

The Daily Feed
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Help needy families this week

Photo courtesy of
‘Civil Rights March on Washington, D.C. [Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. speaking.], 08/28/1963.’
courtesy of ‘The U.S. National Archives’

Serve DC is working this week to gather donations of household supplies, from soap to trash bags to sponges to dish towels.  Serve DC will be helping out local families in need with Transitional Housing Corporation on Monday as part of the Martin Luther King Jr’s Birthday day of service in the District.  You can drop off donations at the Serve DC headquarters at the Reeves Center at 14th and U Streets NW in Suite 101.  Full list of what they’re looking for is after the cut. All donations need to be in their original packaging.

Continue reading →

Entertainment, Fun & Games, Music, We Love Music
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The Winning Ticket: The B-52’s

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!

Up for grabs this week – a pair of tickets to see The B-52’s turn the 9:30 Club into the Love Shack on Wednesday, January 19th. Let’s face it, if their up-beat mutant-pop doesn’t at least cause you to crack a smile or tap a toe then you either take yourself way to seriously, you’re lacking a soul, or possibly both! Win tickets to see one of the all-time greatest, good-time bands and dance this mess around!

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. 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. Tickets for this concert are available on Ticketfly.

For the rules of this giveaway…
Continue reading →

The Daily Feed
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Ovie, Greenie named NHL All-Stars – Semin snubbed?

Photo courtesy of
‘IMG_6120.jpg’
courtesy of ‘bridgetds’

This was predictable.

Alex Ovechkin and Mike Green are NHL All-Stars. Should the Capitals have had some more? Well, perhaps there is this one guy . . .

At one point this year it seemed like Alexander Semin was a no-brainer All-Star. Through November he was by far the MVP of the Capitals and it looked like in a contract year he was going to play motivated hockey. He was hitting, he was moving his feet and most importantly, he was lighting the lamp.

But then Bad Sasha showed up.

Continue reading →