Monthly Archives: November 2011

Food and Drink, Foodie Roundup, The Daily Feed
By

One Year Later: Cuba Libre

IMG_0738
Cuba Libre Restaurant & Rum Bar most definitely sticks out to you as you walk down 9th Street in Chinatown. You just can’t miss the red and yellow. It doesn’t look classy by any means (which it isn’t meant to), but more like fun and perhaps a bit overzealous.

More than a year after opening, Cuba Libre has some solid dishes, while others don’t make much of an impression. My favorite thing about the Havana-inspired restaurant is the bread with mango butter. It is brought out to you warm and is a perfect free starter. See more of my recommendations after the jump.
Continue reading →

Entertainment, Music, We Love Music
By

We Love Music: The Foo Fighters @ Verizon Center, 11/11/11


photos by Andrew Markowitz.

When We Love DC was invited to cover The Foo Fighters on Friday night at the Verizon Center I offered it up to one of our other music writers because, frankly, I just don’t listen to their music too much. I have much respect for Dave Grohl and all of the interesting projects he is responsible for, or has been a part of, but of all the music he has made The Foo Fighters is the most vanilla to me. When compared to crap on mainstream radio The Foo Fighters shine as one of the last examples of successful good rock music. But when you stack the band’s output up against Killing Joke or Nirvana, Probot or Scream; I am much more interested in all of the above. So I was content to pass this show up (even though the triple bill with Social Distortion and The Joy Formidable was intriguing). Then last minute scheduling conflicts reared their ugly head and I ended up pinch hitting this one anyway.

So I found myself sitting in a damn good seat at the Verizon Center not really knowing what to expect. The Joy Formidable, Social Distortion, and The Foo Fighters are all bands that somehow I have never seen despite my prolific live music experiences and their reputations as excellent live acts. To be quite honest, like The Foo Fighters, Social Distortion is a band that although I respect I never really listen to either. I’m much more of a DK or Black Flag man when it comes to West Coast Punk. A friend of a friend has been trying to talk me into The Joy Formidable for a couple years now and I went into the show probably the most curious about them. A few days before the show I posted on FB about the show by saying, “I’m expecting to be either seriously impressed or completely bored.”

Guess which one it was?
Continue reading →

News, The Daily Feed
By

Autonomy, With Restrictions?

Photo courtesy of
‘Darrell Issa – Caricature’
courtesy of ‘DonkeyHotey’

The news broke yesterday that Congressman Darrel Issa (R-CA) was interested in granting the District greater autonomy to spend their own budgeted funds as soon as they’re allocated, instead of spending a month or two in limbo while Congress votes to approve or disapprove the funding, so long as the District does not spend that money on abortion for residents. Is it worth it to trade a small measure of autonomy for a larger one?

It’s certainly hard not to consider increased autonomy a boon to the District, when with it comes the ability to better control its spending, without having to wait on Congress to say yes. It would also bring the Hyde Amendment to DC as policy, despite that local revenues were being used for the abortions that were later stripped out of the budget when the President used DC as a bartering chip this summer.

On one hand, this would give the city more permanent control, but placing restrictions on what should be rights has never been an attractive option for local politicians.

Featured Photo
By

Featured Photo

Dupont Circle Streetcar Tunnel
Dupont Circle Streetcar Tunnel by ep_jhu

There are few things that get my mind racing like the secret history of Washington, DC. It can be hidden tunnels under Dupont Circle or miniature Washington Monuments buried by the real thing; I just love it. Flickr user ep_jhu stumbled across a part of DC which isn’t exactly secret, but is just not well remembered: the old trolley tunnels under Dupont Circle.You’ve no doubt seen the old streetcar entrances in your travels around the circle, and there has been talk of developing the area into commercial ventures. Though I don’t know how he found his way in, Ep_jhu found a historical DC landmark which isn’t often photographed. The colors natural to the scene, subtle as they are, speak to utilitarian construction. Rather than shooting the scene from eye level and having all walls converge at similar angles, he shot low, emphasizing the size of the tunnel while making it more dramatic. Check out his other photos from the tunnels. They’re all very well done.

Contribute all your great shots from around town to our flickr pool! You may just get featured on this blog.

The Daily Feed
By

Ford’s Theatre to Bill O’Reilly: Peddle your crap elsewhere

Photo courtesy of
‘Now he belongs to the ages…..’
courtesy of ‘LaTur’

Bill O’Reilly has a new book out on the Lincoln Assassination, but you won’t find it in the gift shop at Ford’s Theatre. Why is that? Well, Ford’s Theatre’s deputy superintendent says it’s not nearly accurate enough.

The work has been widely criticized by a number of expert reviewers for a slew of apparent factual inaccuracies, the most damning of which are detailed at length in a new report by Rae Emerson, the deputy superintendent of Ford’s Theatre National Historical Site. In the report, Emerson concludes that the book is plagued by a “lack of documentation” and a number of “factual errors.”

Oops. Best to get that second printing fixed, Bill.

Entertainment, Music, Night Life, The Features, We Love Music
By

We Love Music: Girl In A Coma @ DC9, 11/9/2011

photos by Aminta S. Nieves-Candamo

San Antonio rock trio Girl In A Coma played a power-charged set to a crowded DC9 Wednesday night. They are currently in the middle of their US tour in support of their latest album Exits & All The Rest, released November 1st on Blackheart Records. They were joined by punky openers Brothers of Brazil and The Coathangers. Continue reading →

The Daily Feed
By

Yearning to Spread Holiday Cheer in Song? Now Is Your Chance.

Photo courtesy of
‘Caroling, Army-Style’
courtesy of ‘The National Guard’

Have you ever thought you would like to join a group to do some old-fashioned Christmas caroling? Perhaps you noticed you seem daft standing outside singing alone, and are looking for security in numbers? This holiday season there may be a chance for you.

A new group is forming that will be planning to sing around DC at Eastern Market, the Smithsonian, coffee shops, and other locations. Open to singers 21 and over, any tips raised during the season will be used to throw the group a fun party at the end of the season.
Continue reading →

Sports Fix
By

Dolphins defeat Redskins 20-9

Photo courtesy of
’49ers15′
courtesy of ‘Homer McFanboy’

It is starting to feel like the Redskins are playing the same game each week. The names and faces of the opponents change, but the results and the recipe are the same. The defense struggles against the run, the secondary gets torn apart when the opposing quarterback gets time, and the Redskins offense is the Redskins offense. The change from Beck to Grossman did some good as Grossman was at least able to get the Redskins into the Red Zone, but then remembered he was Rex Grossman and promptly turned the ball over in the fashion that has become all too familiar to those that have watched Grossman through his career.

It wasn’t all bad for the Redskins. Rookies Ryan Kerrigan and Leonard Hankerson had good games. Kerrigan had two sacks one of which caused a fumble and Hankerson had eight catches for over 100 yards. Both players were drafted in 2011 and are part of the Redskins commitment to rebuilding. It gets harder every week to look for positives but they do exist and it doesn’t all have to be about draft position. Kerrigan and Orakpo are a good one two punch and having a solid pass rush is important for a team.

Continue reading →

News, The Daily Feed, WTF?!
By

Restaurant Owner faces federal charges after getting 65 kilos of cocaine in package

Photo courtesy of
‘Warning’
courtesy of ‘Rukasu1’

Anacostia’s Uniontown Bar and Grill has been the subject of a lot of favorable coverage and attention for bringing new life to the Martin Luther King Jr. Ave strip in Historic Anacostia. Unfortunately this morning the coverage will be different, as its owner Natasha Dasher is the subject of federal drug trafficking charges, as she and two co-conspirators apparently had 65 kilograms (140lbs) of cocaine delivered to a Fort Washington office.

There are a lot of unanswered questions right now, especially given the future of the restaurant. The Post’s coverage revealed that Dasher is behind on the rent for the restaurant, which is not a good sign.

The Daily Feed
By

It’s Ballot Petition time again!

Photo courtesy of
‘Petition for Council–signatures’
courtesy of ‘Rochelle, just rochelle’

That’s right, it’s election season again. The April 3rd, 2012 primary is now officially underway (though we’ve had candidates in and out of the race already) with ballot petitions being available to suitors this morning down at the DC Board of Elections and Ethics at Judiciary Square.  Ballot petitions are required by all three (yes, three) parties in the District to be part of the primary ballot, though signature requirements are vastly different between the organizations.

The Democratic Party requires 2,000 party member signatures for the At-Large race, and 250 party member signatures for the Ward seats.  Ron Moten may be crazy like a fox, though, for jumping ship to be a “Civil Rights” Republican, as he’ll  likely be the only candidate in the Ward 7 race to do so, and he needs just 14 signatures of Republicans in Ward 7 to get on the ballot. DCist’s Martin Austermuhle is camping out at DCBOEE this morning for the pickup process, so follow his twitter for a blow-by-blow.

As of 9:15 this morning, Jacque Patterson has picked up petitions to run against Marion Barry in Ward 8, and Councilmember Muriel Bowser has picked up petitions to run for re-election in Ward 4. It’s expected that three of the four ward council members will be facing serious challenges, with Muriel Bowser facing 7 opponents, Yvette Alexander facing at least three party challengers plus Ron Moten, and Marion Barry will have at least two.  Jack Evans is so far unopposed, with his only challenger bowing out ahead of the petition deadline, suggesting harassment from the Evans camp.

Weekend Flashback
By

Weekend Flashback: 11/11-11/13

Photo courtesy of
‘Moon, Clouds, Birds’
courtesy of ‘ep_jhu’

It was the short, long weekend, before the big, Turkey long weekend. And judging by the pictures, people took advantage of the extra day. And all of us at We Love DC hope you had an especially memorable 11/11/11; either by honoring our nation’s veterans, or by wearing corduroy…wait, that doesn’t make sense. Eh, I had to work on Friday, so my brain doesn’t have that special rest everyone else has. Whether you are rested or not, check out the pictures from the weekend; they are of particularly good note this time around! Continue reading →

The Daily Feed
By

R.Nichols Debuts Charming DC Holiday Cards

These days, stationery designer Nick Hanzlik of R. Nichols is based out of Los Angeles where he is known for cultivating a celebrity clientele for his charming paper-cut designs. His roots, however, are in DC – like the sixth grade teacher at Sidwell Friends to whom he credits getting his start. For this holiday season, he is coming back to Washington with a special limited-edition range of city-themed cards.
Continue reading →

Entertainment, Interviews, The Features, We Love Arts
By

We Love Arts: Cirque du Soleil Skip Roper Adrienn Banhegyi & Quidam

Title : Zoé, John, Target Picture credit : Matt Beard Costume credit : Dominique Lemieux ©2011 Cirque du Soleil

Cirque du Soleil’s travelling show Quidam is coming to the Verizon Center this week (November 16 to 20). This particular show’s premise is: “A young girl’s escape into a world of imagination.” That leaves room for some provoking theater combined with acrobatics, live music, and a killer light show (among other things).

Skip Roper Adrienn Banhegyi, 28, took the time to talk about Quidam over the phone, giving We Love DC the 411 about what makes this Cirque du Soleil show special.

Here’s what she had to say: Continue reading →

capitals hockey, The Daily Feed
By

Devils Roast Capitals 3-2 (SO)

Photo courtesy of
‘00091618’
courtesy of ‘Keith Allison’

One night removed from an anemic, although victorious, effort against the Devils in Newark, the Capitals got a chance for a do-over, on the second half of a home-and-home back-to-back Saturday night at Verizon Center. This game had the potential to be a trap for a tired, injury-plagued Caps team, and the Caps were caught in it after another incomplete effort.
Continue reading →

capitals hockey, The Daily Feed
By

Caps Overcome Devils 3-1

Photo courtesy of
‘IMG_3383.jpg’
courtesy of ‘bridgetds’

After the debacle against the Dallas Stars last week, the Washington Capitals needed a rebound. Coach Bruce Boudreau punished the team with some nasty practices and in the first of this home-and-home series against the New Jersey Devils, it seemed to have made an impact. The Caps finished strong in their 3-1 victory at Prudential Center.

The good:

  • The Caps overcame a sloppy and slow first half of the game, erasing the Devils’ early lead with a couple of opportunistic goals by Alex Ovechkin and Marcus Johansson.
  • The game turned in the second period after some solid and consistent play by the Caps kept the Devils from capitalizing on any opportunities.
  • Jason Chimera’s game-winning goal was a combination of power and grace, plowing through a pair of Devils and outskating Devils’ rookie Adam Larsson to the goal mouth, then faking goalie Martin Brodeur to snap home a shorthanded goal. It’s easily the pivot moment of the game.

The bad:

  • Alexander Semin had just over 8 minutes of ice time in the game, with only 16 seconds coming in the final 35 minutes. Semin took a 2 minute hooking call halfway into he first period.
  • The first period start was hideous for the Caps, who took only 3 shots in the first 19:50.
  • Mike Green, who had just returned after missing six games with an ankle injury, went down late in the first period in a collision with New Jersey’s Ryan Carter. According to the Caps, the injury is not the ankle and Green will likely be out short-term.

The quote:
“If you look through history, and I wouldn’t want to do the calculating, but when you score a shorthanded goal in a tight game, that team almost always wins,” said Coach Boudreau when asked how important Chimera’s shorthanded goal was.

The Daily Feed
By

UPDATED Candlelight vigil for Ramos, Ramos returned to family


Candle tribute for Ramos
Originally uploaded by tbridge

50-60 fans gathered in the cold at Nationals Park this evening for a showing of fan loyalty and solidarity in support of abducted catcher Wilson Ramos. The gathering, organized hastily late yesterday in a grassroots effort lead by twitter user Alicia (@dragballwramos), brought together a number of smaller fan groups into a cohesive whole, sharing stories about fan encounters with the Nationals’ young catcher.

Ramos is being held by parties unknown after being captured late Wednesday outside his family home in Valencia, Venezuela. The Nationals and Major League Baseball, joining with Venezuelan authorities, are working to secure Ramos’ return.

Update, 10:08pm: Word from the Interior Minister of Venezuela tonight says that Wilson Ramos is being returned to his family after being rescued from captivity.

Very glad to see that Ramos will be returned to his family, answering the prayers of many at Nats Park this evening.

Food and Drink, Special Events, The Daily Feed
By

Haidar Karoum of Proof/Estadio Wins DCCK’s Capital Food Fight

Photo courtesy of
‘Capital Food Fight Winner, Chef Haidar Karoum’
courtesy of ‘bonappetitfoodie’

Last night the battle between some of DC’s best chefs raged on for DC Central Kitchen’s 8th annual Capital Food Fight. In the final round, chefs Haidar Karoum of Proof and Estadio and Todd Gray of Equinox and Watershed worked with the secret ingredient: lamb. At the end, judges Ming Tsai, Joan Nathan and Ted Allen named Haidar as the champion (he’s the man with the boxing gloves in the above photo).

Chefs Brian McBride and Jeff Black also competed as featured DC chefs. One of the highlights of the night included a surprise battle round with former Top Chef contestants Mike Isabella, Carla Hall, Spike Mendelsohn and Jennifer Carroll working with Idaho russett potatoes as the secret ingredient.

The sold-out food fight raised $550,000 for DCCK’s programs, according to their website. You can check out more photos from last night’s Capital Food Fight here.

The Daily Feed
By

Friday Happy Hour: Hail the Wale

11-11-11 is hardly over and there is already internet backlash. Rest assured, as special as I think today is, I will make no claims about numerology or if your wish made at 11:11 will come true.

That said, today is special, so this will be a special Friday Happy Hour. Tonight, I am hosting a meeting of the Corduroy Appreciation Club at Room 11 – and their sweet, sweet staff have created special corduroy-themed cocktails to serve. I got to collaborate a bit on the recipes, but they are mostly the creation of Room 11 bartender Iris Ho.

So, here you have the first recipe shared in my Friday Happy Hour series – a drink you can make yourself tonight to celebrate this auspicious day, or any time.
Continue reading →