Monthly Archives: March 2012

Food and Drink, News, The Daily Feed
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2012 RAMMY Award Nominees Announced

Photo courtesy of bonappetitfoodie
RAMMY Awards Ballroom courtesy of bonappetitfoodie

They call it the “Oscars of DC restaurants,” a yearly event that brings together the District’s top restaurateurs, chefs and other industry players to recognize the amazing work they do everyday to make this city a culinary capital. The Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington (RAMW) hosted the nomination party last night to announce this year’s nominees for its annual RAMMY awards. Cocktails by all of the selected nominees for best beverage/mixology program were flowing (Restaurant Eve’s “42 cloudy” was particularly delicious), and hors d’oeuvres by the nominees for best new restaurant ranged from burratta with cippolini onions and aged balsamic (Graffiato) to foie gras torchon and split pea soup (Fiola).

We Love DC extends a big congratulations to all the nominees, thanks for keeping us well fed and hydrated.

For the full list of nominees read on.

2012 RAMMY Finalists:

Fine Dining Restaurant of the Year
The Ashby Inn & Restaurant
Bourbon Steak
Marcel’s
The Oval Room
Rasika

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Featured Photo
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Featured Photo

adjourned
adjourned
courtesy of theupper

Sometimes the best thing to take a picture of is the space around the main object. This concept is called negative space. Take theupper’s picture above: the perfect silhouette of the Capitol Dome and the Statue of Freedom is framed wonderfully by the sky. The streaks of clouds, hinted with the pink of sunset or sunrise, complement the multiple blues of the sky. An all around excellent shot.

Cherry Blossom Festival, Special Events, The Features
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Cherry Blossom Festival 2012: Week 1 Highlights

Photo courtesy of Pianoman75
Meta blossoms
courtesy of Pianoman75

While the peak bloom time of the area cherry blossoms has passed, the Centennial Celebration hasn’t! Officially kicked off last night, the National Cherry Blossom Festival begins in earnest this week.

Here are some of the highlight events happening over the next several days; many exhibitions and events are ongoing through the spring.
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Weekend Flashback
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Weekend Flashback: 3/23-3/25

Photo courtesy of Vileinist
Man in the Moon
courtesy of Vileinist

Well, we can’t have perfect weather all the time, can we? And from the sound of it, Monday night is going to be cold. Not all that surprising; winter never goes down without one last fight. However, with weather like this, I’ve always thought the old saying that “March comes in like a lion and out like a lamb” is backwards.

Anyways, our loyal photographs were out in force all the same, and they got some great shots. Sit back, warm up with a hot beverage, and keep Monday morning at bay for just a little longer. Continue reading →

capitals hockey, The Daily Feed
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Caps Collapse in Loss to Jets


Photo courtesy of clydeorama
Alex Ovechkin spotted the Caps to a 3 goal lead.
courtesy of clydeorama

It was a tale of two games: it the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of swiftness, it was the age of slacking off, it was the epoch of crisp passes on the tape, it was the epoch of sloppy clearing attempts, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, – in short, the third period was so far unlike the first period, that some of its noisiest fans insisted on the game being received in the superlative degree of comparison only. And they booed lustily.

With all apologies to Charles Dickens, thus was the Caps game last night. After jumping out to a 3-0 lead in the first 25 minutes of hockey, the Caps utterly and completely fell apart, lost the lead – and eventually the game in overtime – to the Winnipeg Jets, 4-3. It was a demoralizing loss to a team immediately behind Washington in the standings. Two spectacular, highlight-worthy goals by Alex Ovechkin were for naught.

“This is a tough pill to swallow right now,” said Matt Hendricks after the game. “We had all the momentum going our way, then the next thing you know we lose in overtime.” Continue reading →

Food and Drink
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ARTINI Week Three

Frank Jones of The Gibson for ARTINI 2012. Photo credit: Dan Swartz. Courtesy of the Corcoran Gallery of Art.

ARTINI 2012 is underway! Twelve** Eleven talented bartenders have created cocktails inspired by works in the Corcoran Gallery of Art. Every Friday the We Love DC drinks team will wrap up the week’s feature nights with reviews of each ARTINI entry, to culminate at the gala on March 31st. Check out our notes from Week One and Week Two – and find out what we thought of Week Three.

ARTINI 7: Chantal Tseng, Tabard Inn
Inspiration: Indian Warrior, Alexander Phimister Proctor, 1918, bronze
Reviewer: Fedward

Chantal Tseng’s Horsefeather, inspired by Alexander Phimister Proctor’s 1918 bronze, Indian Warrior, comes with a story of its concept. It “… represents a kind of pre-battle elixir, kind of like an offering to the warrior gods.” It’s a tasty concoction of Mount Gay rum, echinacea root tea, lime juice, honey syrup, molasses, and allspice dram, garnished with a slice of “charred spiced dried apple” (which was flamed on the spot). Oh, and it was served with a side of smoked hickory and roasted coconut popcorn. Chantal’s description of the drink is apt. The elements of smoke, spice, and earth (in the apple, tea, and molasses) bring visions of the warrior himself to life. Of the three ARTINIs I’ve had so far, its taste is most evocative of its inspiration, although Rachel Sergi’s Niagara was more visually apt. I’ll be very curious which approach the ARTINI judges prefer. Continue reading →

Food and Drink, The Daily Feed
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Outstanding in the Field – Arcadia Farms

Photo courtesy of Samer Farha
Birch & Barley
courtesy of Samer Farha

Outstanding in the Field, a traveling culinary adventure that brings attention to local farmers and food artisans in the most beautiful settings a diner could ask for, is coming to us. This year, Outstanding in the Field will be headed to Arcadia Farm at Woodlawn, Alexandria (which also just happened to once be a part of George Washington’s farms at Mount Vernon). Guest chefs Kyle Bailey and Tiffany MacIsaac of Birch & Barley (and other delicious wonders) will be knocking out a multi-course beer dinner in this historical setting. The duo knocked it out of the park at last year’s event and are sure to impress us even more this year, especially with all the James Beard nominations under their belts.

Tickets for the $220.00 beer dinner are already on sale. The event will be held at 3:00pm on Sunday, September 30, 2012 at the Arcadia Farm at Woodlawn, Alexandria, VA.

*A portion of the proceeds from this event will be donated to Arcadia Farms.

Do good, eat well.

Capital Chefs, Food and Drink
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Capital Brewers: Bill Butcher of Port City

Port City Brewing Company #14
Photo courtesy of Hans Bruesch

Tucked away in an unassuming former building supply warehouse in an Alexandria industrial park, a pineapple – a symbol of American hospitality since the colonial era – perches on the sign advertising Port City Brewery, one of several local breweries that have cropped up in the DC area over the last few years. As it turned out, the advertising is correct, and we were warmly welcomed into the brewery by its founder and owner, Bill Butcher.
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The Daily Feed
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Ticket Giveaway: Paso Robles Wine Grand Tasting Event

Paso Robles Wine Country, California’s fastest growing wine region, will invade Washington, D.C. from April 9 – 13, 2012 on a national Grand Tasting Tour. 

We Love DC is delighted to give away a pair of tickets for Grand Tasting event on Wednesday, April 11 from 7:00 – 9:30 pm. at the Palomar Hotel in Dupont Circle.  The evening will feature 150+ wines from 30+ wineries. These tickets are currently on sale for $60 each.

Be sure to check out all the interesting events happening around town including winemaker dinners and tastings. The Paso Robles region includes a couple of my personal favorites, including the J. Lohr family of wines that seems to be the only one that keeps my family gatherings sane.  I’m eager to try the range of offerings as we hopefully continue to coast through springtime in DC!

Here’s how the giveaway works:

Leave a comment on this post using a valid e-mail address by 8pm tonight, Friday March 23, and tell us your favorite type of wine to drink in springtime. One entry per person. A winner will be randomly selected and notified by e-mail. If you’re chosen as the winner, you must respond to the e-mail within 24 hours or you will forfeit the tickets and we’ll select another winner. Winner must be at least 21 years old with valid ID.

Good luck!

We Love Weekends
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We Love Weekends: March 23-25

Photo courtesy of tedeytan
Adams Morgan Neighborhood 8738
courtesy of tedeytan

Tom: I will be spending my weekend in scenic Indianapolis rooting on the swimming & diving team of my alma mater Denison University as part of Division III Nationals. Go Big Red! Of course, were I here, I’d be walking up the stairs of the central tower of the National Cathedral Saturday to get a look at the amazing view. It’s the first time the tower’s been open since this summer’s quake. There’s also the 13th Street Meats sale on Saturday at Pharmacy Bar in Adams Morgan going on, and really, you can’t go wrong with any of their delicious offerings. Sunday I’ll be back in time for the annual fantasy draft of the District Ruffians baseball league at Ragtime. Here’s to hoping I don’t screw up the first pick of the draft. Wonder who I should take with that pick. Leave your thoughts in the comments.

Photo courtesy of kimberlyfaye
(134/365)
courtesy of kimberlyfaye

Carl: I will be finishing up some photography work for a repeat client on Saturday, and then will try to see my old friend Jason for a tipple or two in the afternoon. On Sunday I will probably go to the homebrew store and get ingredients to make another beer. The Pirate’s Ale is bubbling away and I need to get another brew started that has been commissioned for a party in May. A brewer’s work is never done!

Photo courtesy of Mr. T in DC
Cherry Blossoms by Bikeshare
courtesy of Mr. T in DC

Mosley: Friday night I have a photo talk I’m going to at the National Press Club: Lynn Abercrombie, wife of the late National Geographic photographer Tom Abercrombie, about her new book about traveling the world.  Saturday I’m hoping to go to the National Cathedral and climb the central tower; never done it before and I’m looking forward to the view, both of the city and the Cathedral.  Sunday I’m going to the opening ceremonies for the Nation Cherry Blossom Festival at the Convention Center; should be fun.

Photo courtesy of Hooligan Abby
Street Dogs
courtesy of Hooligan Abby

Rachel: I’ve been waiting for this weekend for far too long. It’s SHAMROCK FEST at RFK on Saturday and I’m pumped. While the musical line up sounds decent, I admit my friends and I are going for the sheer enjoyment of playing flip cup and beer pong with strangers in a giant parking lot. That might make us immature but I choose to think of it as a good, old fashioned college flashback.

Photo courtesy of Michael T. Ruhl
Scaffolding
courtesy of Michael T. Ruhl

Joanna: It will be hard to resist watching basketball all weekend long. However, I’ll be taking breaks to see Ah, Wilderness! at Arena Stage and climb the central tower of the National Cathedral – a first time opportunity since the earthquake! Sadly I also have some work to catch up on, so if the weather’s nice I’ll be using my full punch card for a free drink outside at Northside Social. Sunday I’m supposed to welcome a friend back from Israel by biking down to visit Mt. Vernon, which really makes no sense whatsoever but should be fun. And of course, basketball. At this point, it’s all about which teams I want to lose rather than the ones I want to win.

Photo courtesy of Echo Valley Ranch (www.evranch.com)
Baan Thai Spa
courtesy of Echo Valley Ranch (www.evranch.com)

Rebecca: The boyfriend is out of town for the weekend, which means it’s a girlie weekend. Friday I’ll be having a some Cherry Blossom inspired drinks with my ladies out on the back patio deck at Old Glory in Georgetown. Saturday I’m headed to the Create and Barrel outlet in Alexandria and West Elm in Georgetown for an apartment decorating shopping fest with my sister. I’m looking for stuff on sale that I can used to add a little color splash and pizazz. Saturday afternoon I’ll be getting my garden even more in order with planting of lettuce, tomatoes, peppers and some much need tilling. Sunday morning it’s the beginning of soccer season so I’ll be gasping for breathe and hoping to catch my wind in the AM, followed by a visit to Spa World to soak in hot tubs, get a body scrub and sweat it out in various relaxation rooms.

photo.JPG

Don: My weekend is largely going to revolve around following around a nice but somewhat dim creature and trying to prevent random chewing and indoor defecation. Then, if I have time left after Tom and I are done hanging out, I’ll probably spend some time with our new puppy. He’s a rescue from the local operation Lost Dog Rescue; not the only way we could have gone but we found them to be most easy to work with when it came to finding a match who wouldn’t bother my darling wife’s allergies. Sadly we’re not going to get to check out the area’s multiple dog parks yet; little Casey isn’t old enough for his parvo innoculations to have fully taken root yet, making it important to keep him away from older dogs and places where the very hardy and long-lived virus can be hanging out.

Music, The Features, We Love Music
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We Love Music: Kasabian @ 9:30 Club — 3/20/12

Photo courtesy of stusev
Kasabian @ McCallum Park (5/2/2012)
courtesy of stusev

Kasabian are a great show band. They show well. They perform well. They look like great rock superstars. And they pretty much rocked down the 9:30 Club Tuesday night in a stellar display of musical muscle, also sounding, not just looking, like space rock deities.

Perhaps the most impressive characteristic of Kasabian is that they seamlessly utilize all six of their members. In other cases, I have found more band members to distract from concert performances, but with Kasabian, everything flowed and everyone had a function. The band made impressively versatile use of its two vocalists — Tom Meighan and Sergio Pizzorno. Meighan appeared as an earnest, sincere singer putting his heart and soul on display in songs of lost love and dogged determination. Pizzorno growls and howls a bit more like a long-haired rock icon as he pounds on his guitar. The effect is not dissimilar than watching a young Mick Jagger and Keith Richards team up and trade off.

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Food and Drink, Penn Quarter, The Daily Feed
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New Pastry Chef Brings New Desserts to The Source

Photo courtesy of bonappetitfoodie
Turtle Cheesecake at The Source
courtesy of bonappetitfoodie

The Source by Wolfgang Puck has welcomed a new pastry chef, Duane Copeland, to the Penn Quarter eatery. Copeland was previously the pastry chef at L’ Auberge Provencale in White Post, VA. His dessert menu at The Source features new and thoughtful creations that pay homage in clever ways to the restaurant’s Asian focus.

Photo courtesy of bonappetitfoodie
Azuki Streusel Tart at The Source
courtesy of bonappetitfoodie

Though you might not give carrot cake a second glance on a menu, the 15-layer carrot cake at The Source is a study in what carrot cake ought to be, and the ginger ice cream has a little bite to cut the sweetness of the cake. Copeland’s turtle cheesecake was another favorite and a good option for those of you who want dessert but barely have room for it (read: it’s light, fluffy and delicious). For something a little out of the ordinary, the azuki streusel tart was a sort of deconstructed dessert–salsify chips with a sake ice cream, popped corn kernels and tiny cubes of coconut gelee. If you think you don’t like sake, you might reconsider that after trying Copeland’s sake ice cream. Other desserts currently on the new menu include a yuzu-lime tart, a jasmine rice pudding and a chocolate ganache torte.

Photo courtesy of bonappetitfoodie
Pepino’s Revenge at The Source
courtesy of bonappetitfoodie

While you’re there, be sure to also check out The Source’s new spring cocktails. The Pandora’s Box with St. Germain liqueur and an elderflower syrup will satisfy those of you who enjoy a flowery, fragrant drink. If you’re going for something a little less delicate, try the refreshing Pepino’s Revenge with silver tequila, lime, basil and Japanese cucumber or the Monroe’s Passion with passion fruit rum, ginger, orange and cranberry and a little bit of a chili syrup that will leave your mouth with a pleasant tingle.

Food and Drink, The Daily Feed
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FREE FOOD ALERT: Sprinkles Cupcakes in Georgetown

Sprinkles brings back Mini Cupcakes!
Courtesy of Sprinkles Cupcakes

Go ahead and have your cake and eat it. Sprinkles Cupcakes is giving out one free cupcake per person today from 9 AM to 9 PM to celebrate their one year anniversary. If you happen to be there from 4 to 5 PM, you’ll also get to shake hands with their co-founder and executive pastry chef and Food Network Cupcake Wars judge, Candace Nelson.

We’re guessing that there will be more than one large line for cupcakes in Georgetown tomorrow. Good luck and head over early.

Sprinkles Cupcakes is located at 3015 M Street, NW, Washington, DC, 20007.

The Features
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King Me: An Interview with Laura Elkins

KING ME, Studies in the Uncivilized World, Installation View. Photo courtesy The Fridge.

Tucked back in an alley off of 8th Street in Eastern Market, The Fridge is an unimposing gallery space; and perhaps it’s that quiet intimacy that makes it such an interesting location for KING ME: Studies in the Uncivilized World – a show about authority and domination.

Showcasing works by DC artists, KING ME is at once political and quirky. It deals with power struggles over everything from gay marriage to consumerism and uses a variety of media, including thread, film, acrylic, and Tyvek.

Highlights include Seleshi Feseha’s obsessively-crafted thread collages, Stanley Squirewell’s striking use of mixed media, and numerous pieces by Laura Elkins, whose first lady self-portraits particularly stand out.

I sat down with Elkins to talk about some of her work on display at KING ME, and the inspiration behind it.

Continue reading →

We Love Arts
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We Love Arts: Brother Russia

Photos by Scott Suchman.
Grigori (Doug Kreeger, holding basket) is happily greeted by a group of strangers for his healing powers.
Pictured left to right: Stephen Gregory Smith, Erin Driscoll, Russell Sunday, Rachel Zampelli.

Signature Theater’s Brother Russia is a pleasant enough musical, combining a talented cast, some catchy songs, and beautiful and clever staging. But the end result of turning the corrupt Mad Monk into a (sort of) redemptive and (very vaguely) redeemed mystic figure is odd and unsatisfying. It’s not the oddest use ever of Grigori Rasputin by a long shot, but the story doesn’t live up to the music and the production.

Brother Russia is framed as a more-or-less contemporary story of a decrepit Russian traveling theater/carnival who are themselves telling the story of Rasputin. Or Rasputin’s story as their troop leader claims it happened, which he’d know if indeed he himself is Grigori Rasputin as he claims. Confused yet? It’s less convoluted as acted out upon the stage… within the stage… but the story’s attempt to tell a wild fable and justify it as a modified oral history is undercut by its own staging. Certain choices near the end make a firm assertion that the story, impossible as it is, is literal truth. There’s even a twist/connection that a late-career M. Night Shyamalan might come up with.

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Entertainment, Music, Night Life, The Daily Feed
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Hot Ticket: Bowerbirds @ Black Cat

photo courtesy of Bowerbirds

Welcome spring in tonight with the sweet sounds of Bowerbirds at Black Cat. The indie-folk duo, from Raleigh, North Carolina, are on tour now in support of their new album The Clearing, out now on Dead Oceans Records. Listen to their song “Tuck The Darkness In” from their latest album here.

Bowerbirds
Dry The River
$15 Mainstage/Doors at 8pm
Black Cat