Yearly Archives: 2011

Entertainment, Music, The Features, We Love Music
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We Love Music: Royksopp @ 9:30 Club, 3/23/11

Photo courtesy of
‘Röyksopp 03’
courtesy of ‘Max Cook’

Guest reviewer Alexia Kauffman of The Torches was at the show for We Love DC:

Norwegian electronic duo Royksopp brought jubilant energy to their sold out show at the 930 club Wednesday night. When I arrived, fifteen minutes before doors opened, there was a line stretching down the block of dedicated admirers waiting in the cold rain for a good spot inside.

I must say that I have been eagerly anticipating this show for some time. This was my first time seeing Royksopp. I heard and loved their song “Remind Me” years ago (yes, before the Geico commercial), and then fell in love with their remix of Beck’s “Missing” on his 2005 remix EP(the best Beck remix ever, IMO). It wasn’t until their 2009 album Junior, though, that I fell hard for them. That album spent the entire summer/fall in my car stereo, and on repeat through my headphones at work.

Since then I have been dying to see them live. And finally, to DC they came. Continue reading →

The Daily Feed
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Fuel Surcharge in DC Taxicabs

Photo courtesy of
”
courtesy of ‘Chris Rief aka Spodie Odie’

Even if you don’t own a car in DC, you’ll still be feeling the pain at the pump. Starting today, DC taxicabs can charge an extra $1 fuel surcharge for rides within the District of Columbia.

For now the fee is set to last until July 25th, but could be repealed sooner. Mayor Vincent Gray gave the orders for the fuel surcharge after it was recommended by the D.C. Taxicab commission. As reported by The Washington Post earlier today, the surcharge was added in response to rising gasoline prices.

No word on where you can lodge a complaint, but DC Taxicab Commission’s site says you can call them with questions at (202) 645-6018.

The Daily Feed
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J&G Steakhouse Debuts Their New Bar Menu

 

Photo Courtesy of J&G Steakhouse

I’ll be the first person to admit that the area around the White House isn’t exactly where I spend my free time. The first time I have to shove a tourist in to a crosswalk when there’s less than twenty seconds left in the little countdown, I lose my mind and hop the Metro for greener pastures. That being said, I feel like I know the area pretty well, so when I headed to J&G Steakhouse the other night, I was shocked to find myself in a bar that I never even knew existed.

I was there to check out their new bar bites (more on that later), but ended up pleasantly surprised by the wine bar. With a subterranean entrance right off the W Hotel patio on Pennsylvania Ave., I must have walked by this tiny 40-ish person bar a handful of times and never even noticed it. With the cool vibe the W has been pushing since they opened, but slightly toned down and butched up with a long wooden table running the length of the restaurant, this secret spot will definitely be a new go-to for only the coolest of my out-of-towner friends.

But the food, of course, is divine. As one would expect from dishes coming out of the J&G kitchen, the small bites are inventive and binge-worthy. Select one dish for $8 or three for $20, and you’ll get oysters, a signature slider, crispy calamari, or my personal favorite — the crab cake. All bites are expertly paired with wine in a way that does this girl and her drinking habits proud. Though the dishes are derived from the upstairs menu, they are nowhere near the size. Be forewarned that this will not be the happy hour to fill up on free nuts or pass appetizers, but it is a great way to get a delicious bite in a cool setting.

The Sips & Bites menu is available in the Wine Bar only, Monday through Friday, from 5pm-7pm.

The Daily Feed
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Register to Vote Today

Photo courtesy of
‘Ballot box used as a donation box’
courtesy of ‘georgeparrilla’

Today is your last chance to register by mail to vote in order to be on the roster for the 4/26 special election.  After today, you’ll have to go down to the offices of DCBOEE to make any changes.  If you’re not sure if you’re registered, or if you want to just check your registration, you can do it online, thanks to the magic of technology.

If you want a say in who will sit on the council to fill Kwame Brown’s old seat, now’s your chance.

Music, The Features
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Q&A with Alex Gaskarth of All Time Low

all time low feb 2011 miko lim photo credit
photo by Miko Lim / courtesy of Ear Shot Media

If you haven’t heard of All Time Low by now then you can probably declare yourself officially old. These guys have been blowing up huge and their popularity and success shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon; as evidenced by their selling out 9:30 Club way in advance of their upcoming show there on Monday night. All Time Low are a pop-punk band in the vein of Green Day or Blink-182, and if they keep doing things right they will soon be as big as the bands that inspired them. We caught up with lead singer Alex Gaskarth and asked him a few questions about the band’s early days, who inspires them, and what went into recording their fourth album “Dirty Work”.

Continue reading →

Entertainment, The Daily Feed
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Frank Warren Teams Up With Bluebrain For Artisphere Show

We love Frank Warren (the man behind PostSecret) and we love BlueBrain. This Saturday they are teaming up for a special show and fundraiser at Artisphere benefiting Hopeline. The shows are already sold out but we have two tickets for a lucky We Love DC reader, find out how you can enter to win below!

I’ve had the wonderful fortune to get to know Frank over the past few years and when I heard his PostSecret Tour was heading to Rosslyn’s Artisphere I thought it was a good opportunity to catch up with our old friend and see what’s in store for this weekend and what’s on the horizon for the PostSecret project.

Continue reading →

Essential DC, Life in the Capital, The District, Weekend Flashback
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Weekend Flashback 3/25-03/27/11

Photo courtesy of
‘Cherry Blossoms in the Dark’
courtesy of ‘kimberlyfaye’

Despite chilly temperatures, spring has sprung in our lovely Capitol City. The trees, and not just the cherry trees, are abloom; DC denizens are fully emerging from their winter comas; runners, outdoor enthusiasts and sports teams seem to taken up every nook and cranny of green space or path. The photogs were also out in full force this weekend, and have captured the essence of spring in DC. Continue reading →

The Daily Feed
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Relevant to your Interests: Oberon debuts at Big Hunt

Photo courtesy of
‘Bell’s Oberon’
courtesy of ‘@joefoodie’

The calendar may have told us that the end of winter was March 20th, but the official end to winter in my eyes is the return of Oberon to area taps.  The delightful wheat beer that represents warm days listening to baseball on the radio is set to arrive on taps at Big Hunt on Monday afternoon at 4pm, starting my annual return to alcoholism.  If you need me, I’m going to be camping out over at the Hunt until those first beers are pulled.  Send my mail over that way, will you?

Entertainment, The Features, We Love Arts
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We Love Arts: Blue Man Group at Warner Theatre

Photo compliments of the Blue Man Group

Don’t let the blue body paint and vow of silence deter you from the Blue Man Group’s mission. There’s more to the chaotic and childish stage show than one might think. In actuality, Blue Man Group’s intentions are anthropological in nature.

When entering Warner Theatre for opening night of the Blue Man Group’s touring show on Wednesday night, patrons were greeted by a blue screen with the following text projected upon it:

“When meeting people from a foreign culture, offer a few gifts that reflect your interests as a gesture of friendship. Better yet, give things you’ve created yourself. Also, explore their interests and their culture. Ultimately, the best way to forge a lasting friendship is to create something together. Whether it’s a meal, an art project or a spontaneous dance party, when you create something with others, you build a connection that lasts a lifetime.” – International Diplomacy Guidebook

Blue Man Group, as a stage show experience, is a real-time lesson that teaches its audience members that using your imagination isn’t just for little kids. It’s okay to act like a goof. It’s okay to play with your food. It’s okay to make a mess. And, most importantly, it’s okay to have fun. Continue reading →

Adventures, Entertainment, Essential DC, Fun & Games, News, Special Events, The Daily Feed
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Cherry Blossom Kite Festival Postponed

Photo courtesy of
‘National Kite Festival’
courtesy of ‘soulfotography’

Due to pending inclement weather, the Blossom Kite Festival, originally scheduled to take place on Sunday, March 27, has been postponed. Stay tuned to the festival’s website for further updates; the kite festival’s new date will be announced on Monday, March 28.

Food and Drink, The Daily Feed
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Friday Happy Hour: ARTINI Edition – Week Three

Photo Credit: Daniel Swartz/REVAMP.COM Courtesy of Corcoran Gallery of Art

Once again, Friday Happy Hour takes a look at the Cocoran’s ARTINI 2011 Each of the twelve participating bars have a created a special cocktail inspired by works from the Cocoran’s collection which are on offer leading up to the April 2nd gala. Each bar gets one “feature night” when their creation is showcased and a portion of the proceeds is donated to the Corcoran – though the drink continues to be available the entire month.

Featured this week: Café Atlántico, Potenza, and Art and Soul.
Continue reading →

Downtown, Entertainment, Essential DC, Interviews, People, Special Events, The Features, They Make DC
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As Blossoms Arrive, a Moment with Diana Mayhew

DSC_2585

The National Cherry Blossom Festival kicks off tomorrow, commemorating Japan’s gift of 3,000 Yoshino cherry trees to the city 99 years ago. The Festival is a grand two-week affair that draws over a million people annually, with a diverse range of events all across the District.

Key to the success of this yearly event for the last decade has been NCBF President Diana Mayhew, who took over the helm in 2000 as Executive Director and then in 2007 as President. When she arrived, the Festival was an all-volunteer organization (begun in 1927) and its vision was to ensure that there was year-round, consistent staffing to ensure the growth, quality, and consistency of events. “We also help show the world that Washington, DC is synonymous with spring,” Mayhew told me. “There was a need to provide consistent services to residents and visitors interested in attending Festival events and there was no central communication.” The Downtown DC Business Improvement District (BID) donated the salary of an Executive Director for three years until the Festival got up on its feet, implementing fundraising and sponsorships to support itself and the cost of programming, which is offered free to the public.

Continue reading →

The Daily Feed
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Tweet of the Week: Pound Coffee

Photo courtesy of
‘Pound the Hill’
courtesy of ‘Samer Farha’
I don’t know what it is about coffee shops catching my attention lately, especially because I don’t drink what they sell unless it tastes more like a chocolate milkshake than coffee. It must be because they are using Twitter like pros!

Pound Coffee, The Hill has been tweeting away for about one year and a half. The shop’s description has changed a bit though, since @PoundCoffee opened up on Capitol Hill the same day it closed in NoMa. Everything else social media wise has stayed the same: contests, special codes and general musings about life.

The “tech/social media geek” (his description, not mine) behind the account is Pound owner Karl Johnson. He says Pound’s food concept depends on the use of dynamic media daily to let people know what they’re serving and make them hungry enough to walk in the door. Pound, of course, serves a different lunch every day.

See the winning tweet after the jump.
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Capital Chefs, Food and Drink, The Features
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Capital Chefs – Teddy Diggs of Ripple (Part 2)

Photo courtesy of
‘Gnocchi with creme fraiche sauce, spinach and beans’
courtesy of ‘bonappetitfoodie’

Man, am I a big fan of gnocchi. It’s easy enough to make. It combines pasta and potatoes, the two powerhouses of starchiness. What’s not to love? So since it’s unpleasantly cold this weekend, make a nice, warm bowl of this gnocchi, courtesy of Teddy Diggs, executive chef of Ripple. In the recipe, Teddy uses a potato ricer. I usually follow the Alton Brown school of thought that “uni-taskers are bad.” But a potato ricer is a fantastic invention. Once you have mashed potatoes (or this gnocchi) that went through a potato ricer, you’ll never go back. You can use a fork to mash them instead, and use a fork to shape the gnocchi (you are forgiven for not having a gnocchi paddle).

The full recipe is after the jump.
Continue reading →

The Daily Feed
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National Marathon this weekend

Photo courtesy of
‘The National Marathon: the only good fight there is’
courtesy of ‘iván.sciupac’

I may not understand marathon runners, but I absolutely admire them.  As a middle- and long-distance swimmer in high school and college I know what it is to move and move and move and move, granted I never had a course such as this to swim.  The race begins at RFK Stadium, proceeds to the Capitol, Union Station and the Ellipse before turning north through downtown, up Connecticut Ave, then through Adams Morgan and thence east to Columbia Heights, down past McMillan Reservoir, down North Capitol and then through the Atlas District and then finishes back at RFK.

Expect rolling road closures in the area starting at 7am, and if you’re planning on driving through town tomorrow morning, be sure to check out the full course map PDF, as well as the street closure PDFs.  If you’re heading down to the start or finish line at RFK, Metro is opening up early on Saturday at 6am to accommodate those going through town early, but if you’re coming in from the sticks, you may want to drive in, since Metro’s about as reliable as that kid you knew in high school that did “graffiti” for the paint high.

I have to wonder, though, why the organizers put the brutally bumpy and under construction H Street NE so late in the race.  That seems to be throwing up another obstacle to the already difficult course.

The Daily Feed
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Hot Ticket: Glassjaw @ Ram’s Head Live, 3/27/11

Glassjaw - Everything you ever wanted to know about silence.
Glassjaw. Have you heard of this band? If so, you probably haven’t thought much about them in the last eight years, which is how long I’ve been waiting for them to release new material since their album Worship and Tribute. Their singer Daryl Palumbo has been off playing with various side projects, such as electro-pop group Head Automatica and, um, disco revival group Men Women & Children. Glassjaw never really disbanded, though. Because of various legal issues with various record labels, all I’ve heard over the years are a couple live recordings of the new songs they’ve written.

Until now. Touring in support of their new Coloring Book EP, their first studio recordings since 2003, the closest Glassjaw is coming to DC is their show at Ram’s Head Live in Baltimore this Sunday. Of course I’ll be there –they’re one of my favorite post-hardcore bands. I always felt like these guys were supposed to join bands like Deftones in bringing heavy, catchy music to the masses. If you could hear anything heavier than Nickelback on the radio these days, maybe you’d hear amazing new tracks like this. Or maybe you’d already know that Daryl is one of the most dynamic, passionate, reckless frontmen out there. Instead, you’re lucky I’m here to tell you not to miss out on this show.

Glassjaw
w/ Tidal Arms, These People
Ram’s Heard Live (Baltimore)
Sunday, March 27th
$22 adv/$25 day of

News, The Daily Feed
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Death at Construction Site in Brookland

Photo courtesy of
‘construction vertigo’
courtesy of ‘amarino17’

[Update, 11:30a: DCRA has re-checked their records, and the site had all the required permits, and passed several inspections during the process.  This appears to have just been a tragic accident, not a permitting process gone awry.  OSHA has been brought in to investigate the incident.  According to DCRA’s Gil, the trench had intended to be 7-8 feet deep, and was 5 feet deep when it collapsed. Late yesterday, a man working in a construction trench at a house on Evarts Street NE in Brookland was buried alive when the trench structure gave way.

While DC Fire & EMS worked to save the man before he succumbed, the trench’s collapse was too serious.  This morning, I spoke with DCRA about the site, and they revealed that the work the man was doing was unpermitted, and that an inspector from the property inspection oran park company had told the man to stop work earlier in the day. [please note correction above – ed.]

“We’ve had people do incredibly dangerous unpermitted work before, but I can’t recall last time it resulted in a person’s death,” said Helder Gil from DCRA this morning. DCRA had been on the site yesterday, and had issued a stop work order for the site, but unfortunately the man returned to work after the visit.  Our thoughts are with the man’s family today. It’s recommended to learn more information about injury cases with professional lawyers.

Falling from high places is the number one most common construction accident, causing almost 35% of construction injuries. Falling Debris. Tools, building materials, pieces of scaffolding, or other supplies can do serious damage if they fall from significant heights and land on a worker. In case you have suffer a similar accident, and your settlement was not enough. An average personal injury settlement amount is anywhere between $3,000 and $75,000. Of course, most cases fall in between the very high and very low end of average settlements. There are also outliers – you’ve probably heard about people getting settlements that are millions of dollars, here is how to respond to the demand letter with a low settlement.

Continue reading →

Entertainment, Interviews, Music, We Love Music
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Q&A with Alex Frankel of Holy Ghost!


courtesy of Girlie Action.

If you don’t know Holy Ghost! by name yet, there is a good chance that you’d know one of their many remixes if you heard it on the dance floor. Alex Frankel and Nick Millhiser have been best buds for twenty years, going all the way back to the 2nd grade (talk about old school)! Music has played a big part in their friendship in that time. Most recently and successfully as a DJ/Remix duo and live band Holy Ghost!. Their disco-inspired originals and retro-synth remix style has them in high demand as both producers and as an opening act.

Holy Ghost! are opening for Cut Copy at two sold out shows at 9:30 Club next week. Alex Frankel took some time out from the studio to answer a few questions about the band and his life-long friendship with his band-mate.

Continue reading →