‘Pleasant Pops Food Truck’
courtesy of ‘Mr. T in DC’
Remember back when it was summer and you could bask in the sunshine while you waited for a food truck? Maybe treat yourself to a popsicle? Well summer may be gone, but those food truck are still here. Go find ’em.
By Tom Bridge
Chart borrowed from The Atlantic Cities
DC is a great place to live and work, we’ve said as much for years, but now The Atlantic Cities’ Richard Florida has some news for working women and creative class women in specific: DC is the Tops. Those women working in the creative field are experiencing wage growth in the District, and District women get approximately a $20,000 premium for their location here in the District.
The new isn’t all good, though, on average, men still out-earn women in the workforce by over $10,000, and that margin doubles when you move into the creative class.
Still, it is good to see that the District has a strong creative class showing here.
‘Pizzeria Paradiso’
courtesy of ‘afagen’
There’s an old friend in town who’s turning 20 next week: Pizzeria Paradiso.
Back in November 1991, the pizzeria opened its first location in Dupont Circle and over its history has not only revamped the original spot, but expanded to Georgetown and Old Town Alexandria. Not too shabby of an accomplishment for a local small business, right?
“When Pizzeria Paradiso was created, the things motivating it were community, laughter and tasty food,” said chef and owner Ruth Gresser in a news release. “We were all so excited when our first customers entered the restaurant a few minutes after we unlocked the front door. And now, we’re so happy to reach our ’20 Something’ anniversary so we can celebrate by eating and laughing with our family of customers and staff.”
In honor of its 20th birthday, the restaurant is hosting a week of events as part of their “20 Something” Celebration:
Plus, Pizzeria Paradiso will be hosting a trivia contest on their Facebook pages (Georgetown, Old Town, Dupont) with $20 gift certificate prizes twice per day. And their lucky 2,000th Twitter follower will receive three $20 gift certificates, one for each location.
Congratulations and happy birthday to Pizzeria Paradiso for serving up tasty slices to DC for 20 years!
By jordana
Jeff Kirkman III, Alexander Burton, Michael Rodriguez and Stanley Andrew Jackson III; Junesong Arts’ We Fight We Die. Photo by C. Stanley Photography.
Self-defined as representing the masses, it’s no surprise that a majority of Americans approve of the now-global “Occupy” movement—they understand it as the manifestation of desperation, a fight where compromise failed. Feeling powerless in the face of corporate greed and political corruption, hundreds of thousands are venting their anger in the most public, most drastic way possible: by taking to the streets.
But what about those who are neither among the wealthy one percent, nor among the “other ninety-nine”? That is, those truly at the bottom, for whom money-hungry CEOs and rotten Congressmen are perhaps the least of worries; for whom starvation, extreme cold, or gang violence are a much more real threat than losing healthcare or facing foreclosure. Where can they rally? How can they express themselves?
After watching Junesong Arts’ new stage production We Fight We Die, the answer may be that they, too, must occupy the streets…but with aerosol cans instead of pitchforks. Continue reading
‘The Long Commute’
courtesy of ‘starbuck77’
Remember that horrible, awful, snow-addled commute we had back in late January when the feds closed at 3, just in time to send people off into the beginning of an ice storm? Yeah. The feds remember it too, and they’re updating their inclement weather procedures to prevent it from happening again.
The updated procedures basically involve two main categories:
1. Stop dithering and make a decision about whether to close/have unscheduled telework/whatever a lot faster. I think anyone who has ever sat up at night, refreshing the OPM status page can get behind this one.
2. Encourage employees to shelter in place if they can’t get home before it gets bad outside. This one seems… less enforceable, since you can’t exactly require people to stay at the office, but if offices can be prepared to accommodate employees for a little while longer at the office, and encourage them to wait out the worst of it, this could potentially make a difference.
The policy is expected to be approved on November 9th. If you work for the government, you might check to see what “shelter in place” would look like at your office. If, like me, you work for a company that follows the feds’ lead with office closures, you might check with your HR department to see if this will change anything for you.
And maybe it wouldn’t hurt to keep a bag with some spare hygiene supplies and some energy bars locked up in your cubicle, hm?
‘Shrimp and grits at Watershed’
courtesy of ‘bonappetitfoodie’
With winter approaching, I’m feeling more in the mood to spend time in the kitchen cooking up warm meals. Chef Todd Gray’s recipe for shrimp and grits is one of those that you can spend a little extra time preparing and will hit the spot when you’re cozy inside on a chilly winter’s day. You can find the dish on the menu at Watershed Restaurant or make it at home with the recipe after the jump.
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‘Todd Gray at Watershed’
courtesy of ‘bonappetitfoodie’
Juggling multiple restaurants and two catering companies, along with a recent RAMMY award win for 2011 Chef of the Year and several James Beard Foundation Award nominations, you could call Todd Gray a powerhouse of sorts. This year alone, the chef and his wife and business partner, Ellen Kassoff Gray, have expanded their hospitality group to include Todd Gray’s Watershed and Todd Gray’s Muse at the Corcoran just this year. So where did the chef start all of this?
For Gray, who grew up outside of Washington, DC, he knew he wanted to own a restaurant before he knew he wanted to be a chef. While he was studying at the University of Richmond and was working in the front of the house at a local restaurant, he found that he fell in love with the kitchen. “The culinary bus came and I jumped on,” he says.
Flash forward to years of building a successful career, it’s certain that the chef has far more planned for the future. Gray and his wife are working on a book due out in September 2012 with the working title, “Kitchen Conversations: Blending Jewish and American Flavors for Delicious, Easy Meals.” The chef slyly adds that there may be a few more restaurants for him on the horizon, but plays off any specific plans by saying simply, “I’m just going to keep on cooking and having fun.”
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‘PORC mobile’
courtesy of ‘Joe in DC’
See what bounties of the autumn harvest the food trucks have to offer you for lunch today.
‘DCCK Capital Food Fight 2010’
courtesy of ‘bonappetitfoodie’
It’s that time of year again: Capital Food Fight. On November 10th, four local chefs will battle it out on stage while raising money for DC Central Kitchen.
This year’s competing chefs include Todd Gray from Equinox/Watershed, Haidar Karoum from Proof/Estadio, Jeff Black from BlackSalt Restaurant Group/Pearl Dive Oyster Palace and Brian McBride from Blue Duck Tavern. Each chef will compete in a cook-off battle featuring a secret ingredient. Chefs will be judged by a panel including Ted Allen of Food Network’s Chopped, award-winning cookbook author Joan Nathan and host of Simply Ming, Ming Tsai. Last year’s Food Fight included a bonus battle between team Anthony Bourdain and Eric Ripert and team Tom Colicchio and Jose Andres, which I’m betting they might do something like this again at this year’s competition. Bourdain will be returning as the host and Jose Andres will be serving as the chair of the event. In addition to the friendly chef competition, more than 60 local restaurants will be serving a variety of small bites.
The 2011 Capital Food Fight is at 6 PM on Thursday, November 10th at the Ronald Reagan Building in Penn Quarter. Tickets are $200 and all proceeds go to DCCK. You can follow the conversation about the 2011 Capital Food Fight with @DCCK’s hashtag, #FoodFight.
By Brittany
This week we are giving away a pair of tickets to see Scratch Acid at the 9:30 Club on November 4th. Tickets for this concert are available on Ticketfly or at the 9:30 Club box office.
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 your chance to win these tickets simply leave a comment on this post using a valid email address between 9am and 5pm today. One entry per email address, please. Comments will be closed at 5pm and a winner will be randomly selected. The winner will be notified by email. The winner must respond to our email within two hours or they will forfeit their tickets and we will pick another winner.
Tickets will be available to the winner at the 9:30 Club Guest List window one hour before doors open on the night of the concert. The tickets must be claimed with a valid ID. The winner must be old enough to attend the specific concert or must have a parent’s permission to enter if they are under 18 years old.
By Will Packard
Backstrom Takes a Shot
courtesy of Clydeorama
With a minute to play in the game, it did not look good for the home team. Trailing the Anaheim Ducks by a goal, the Caps had pulled the goalie for an extra attacker in a last ditch effort to to tie the game. They needed a heroic effort and Nicklas Backstrom responded to the call. He snagged a long rebound and beat the diving goaltender to tie the game at 4-4 with 42 seconds left in the game. Minutes later, Backstrom scored again in overtime for the win, causing the Verizon Center to explode in jubilation.
It was not all so pretty. The Caps were back on their heels for the first 30 minutes as the speedy Ducks controlled both the tempo and the puck. Anaheim, who had scored only six goals in the previous four game, managed to score two goals on Tomas Vokoun in the first period and another early in the second to take a commanding 3-0 lead. Continue reading
‘3679-23Crop’
courtesy of ‘furcafe’
After months of being closed after a fire damaged the restaurant, the Tune Inn will re-open its doors this week. According to The Washington Post, the restaurant and bar will re-open at 8 AM on Friday, November 4th.
We Love DC had reported earlier that a grease fire in the kitchen was the cause of the blaze. While staff at the Tune Inn originally anticipated the bar and restaurant to reopen in a few weeks, repairs ended up taking several months.
On behalf of all of us at WLDC, we welcome back the classic institution on Capitol Hill.
‘Basil Thyme Food Truck’
courtesy of ‘bonappetitfoodie’
Welcome to November! Ring in the new month with some food truck grub. After the jump, you can find the handy strEATs-powered map that will show you where they are.
Today we are giving away a pair of tickets to attend the opening night party for DCWeek at the 9:30 Club on Friday night. Digital Capital Week is a week-long conference focused on bringing together designers, developers, entrepreneurs, and social innovators of all kinds. DCWeek offers an impressive schedule of lectures, discussions, and social mixers between November 4th and November 11th. To kick things off they are throwing a party at the 9:30 Club on Friday night with entertainment provided by some of DC’s finest up-and-coming bands. The party runs from 1030pm to 3am; featuring music from Teen Mom, Gregg Hammond Band, Modern Man, Ra Ra Rasputin, Drop Electric, The Silver Liners, Big/Bright, and Bonjour Ganesh!.
Note: This is a ticketed, private event after the scheduled Scratch Acid concert.
For your chance to win these tickets simply leave a comment on this post using a valid email address between 11am and 5pm 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 the DCWeek kick-off party are almost sold out but some are available here.
For the rules of this giveaway…
Continue reading
By Tom Bridge
‘Nacho #19’
courtesy of ‘Chris Rief aka Spodie Odie’
While you might have heard first about the 11pm shooting on M Street in Georgetown, there were five other shootings in DC last night. Two were shot in Petworth at Georgia and Decatur; another at 9th and Crittenden; a fourth was shot near the New York Avenue Metro, by 1st and M Street NE, and another was shot on the 4400 block of 7th St SE.
The Police are looking for information in all six shootings, if you have any information concerning any of the events, you can call them at 202.727.9099.
While at least four of these incidents did not result in a fatality, the uptick of assaults with a deadly weapon is certainly concerning.
By Brian Mosley
‘View from a friend’s place’
courtesy of ‘Veeresh_ai’
Well, Halloween is now behind us. October is officially kaput. I always view November 1st as the real beginning of Winter, regardless of what the calendar, weathermen, or thermometer says. And with this end of Fall, I also like to say that “sunset season” has ended. I normally consider that season to stretch from beginning of September to the end of October. In that two months, there are lots of dramatic sunsets but, more important, sunsets we all get to see. We see them while walking home from work; or while out with friends; or after seeking shelter from all those late summer/fall rain storms.
Veeresh_ai does a fantastic job capturing the beauty of this season. He has wonderful gradation of colors in the sky; as well as some simply beautiful colors, from a brilliant orange to a great, deep purple. And then he was able to get a perfect silhouette of a fascinating building; a building that gives the viewer a sense of scale of the sky. Truly, a picture for all seasons; but, most importantly, for sunset season.
I remember when M83 released their breakthrough album Dead Cities, Red Seas, & Lost Ghosts back when I was in college. M83 easily fit in my collection with groups like The Postal Service and The Notwist, yet the album had no vocalist to connect it with mankind. The occasional words were only samples; it was like a glimpse at a dystopian future, where maybe people weren’t even around anymore. I could imagine their core member Anthony Gonzalez in his French chateau, sitting at his laptops and keyboards, writing minimalist, electronic soundtracks for lonely bedrooms.
M83 has evolved tremendously since then; while their current music retains its electro roots, it’s all in all more varied, more approachable, more poppy, more epic. Their new material makes for a hell of a live show, too. They sold out two shows at Black Cat on Friday night; I stopped by the late show to see what they had to offer. The show had exactly what I want from live electronic music – infectious beats, atmospheric lighting, and an enthusiastic crowd.
Continue reading
By Ben H. Rome
‘DSC_0006’
courtesy of ‘bhrome’
The Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian opened its doors this past weekend to a new exhibition, “A Song for the Horse Nation.” The exhibition, nestled on the third floor of the museum, tells the epic tale of the how the return of the horse to the Americas changed Native culture, from lifestyle to war to art and beyond. “For some Native peoples, the horse still is an essential part of daily life,” said exhibit curator Emil Her Many Horses (Ogala Lakota). “For others, the horse will always remain an element of our identity and our history. The Horse Nation continues to inspire, and Native artists continue to celebrate the horse in our songs, our stories, and our works of art.”
To walk the exhibit’s path is to walk side by side with the conjoined path of Native and horse. Though horses were introduced to the Native Americans relatively late in North American history—the early 1700s saw the initial widespread explosion of the horse from captured Spanish mounts in the southwest—the image of Indians astride these graceful animals is one that is common to modern Americans. The “Horse Nation” quickly entwined themselves with Native communities, forever altering tribal culture and the Indian way of life.
The Smithsonian’s exhibit seeks to give us a view into that not-so-distant past. But it’s more than just a simply history lesson: subtly but surely, “A Song for the Horse Nation” reveals how interwoven both horse and man became among 38 tribal communities from the Plains and Western United States. The horse was more than a beast of burden or a tool; the animal became a part of Native culture that still resonates among the people today. Continue reading
By Tom Bridge
Our friends at 826DC wanted to make sure you were all aware that tickets for their holiday benefit, Baby It’s Cold Outside, are on limited pre-sale at a discount, $50 instead of $60 tomorrow, and $75 at the door, for their December party. Yes, it’s early to be planning for the holidays, but for such a great cause, how could you not? Plus, it says that “Beer, Wine and a specialty cocktail [are] included.” The literacy programs at 826DC are amazing, and they could use your help. Plus, you could use a fancy drink at The Gibson.
By Tom Bridge
‘TourmobileXPr’
courtesy of ‘Chris Rief aka Spodie Odie’
Good night, Tourmobile. You served our National Mall in an exclusive fashion for 42 years, charging high prices for on-and-off service for tourists around the National Mall, and while things have dropped off lately, you were always a welcome site for tourists in the area. Their service ends today, and the Park service will be evaluating new providers of service along the Mall in the coming months. For now, pedicabs and bikes will be the modes of transportation around the Mall.
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