Monthly Archives: June 2012

We Love Arts
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We Love Arts: The Animals and Children Took to the Streets

Photo courtesy 1927

Before attending The Animals and Children Took to the Streets, I’d heard it described a lot of ways: “Tim Burton meets Charles Dickens,” staged graphic novel, fairy tale, silent film, animated movie, pantomime, live children’s book for adults, and musical.

I couldn’t have said it better myself.

Produced by acclaimed British theater company 1927 and hosted by Studio Theatre, Animals and Children is probably unlike anything you’ve seen before. Mixing animation, live music, pantomime, and monologue, the show playfully takes us into a world we never imagined could exist on stage.

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The Features
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A Renewed Love Letter to DC

Photo courtesy of BrianMKA
Night skyline
courtesy of BrianMKA

A friend asked me for a hand in convincing someone that it’s a good idea to move to the District from elsewhere outside the Metro. This was my response, and I felt it was good enough to post. Got something to add? Slot it into the comments.

Dear Chris,

A friend of mine asked for my help in explaining why DC was a pretty great place to live, and to try to convince you to move here. I’ve lived in the area for 12 years now, moving here from my beloved California after graduation. I’ve stayed because this is a city that is anything but its stodgy image; this is a city that loves action and activity, good food, drink and service, and has plenty to offer. This is a great city in which to work and live, where not everything is politics, not everyone is transient, and not everyone hates or loves each other based on their politics.

It’s hard not to love all the amazing neighborhoods from my own Brookland to the Park’s Mount Pleasant, from Bloomingdale’s iconic Victorian row houses to Clarendon’s built-up modernity. DC’s human scale means neighborhoods that aren’t swamped full of people, and thanks to the height limit, the density of the city isn’t such that you find yourselves craning your neck to see everything. As for that silly rumor that we were built on a swamp? Yeah, we’ve busted that, it’s just the humid subtropical climate at work. It can be steamy here in the summer, but thanks to the great St. Carrier, this is not a hazardous city from a weather perspective. Plus, given that we’ve had our snowpocalypse for the century, and our last winter was pretty light on the snow, and we’ve mostly steered clear of the hurricanes.

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Featured Photo
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Featured Photo

Photo courtesy of Glyn Lowe Photoworks
Black-crowned Night Heron
courtesy of Glyn Lowe Photoworks

I saw this picture by Glyn Lowe and thought, “this needs to be shared.” Night herons aren’t easy to find, even though they are common to the area. They’re mainly nocturnal and one generally only sees them close to sunset when they’re out looking for food. But you can find them if you know where to look. Glyn not only found one at the National Zoo, but took this sweet close up. As I’ve said before, focusing on the eyes increases the impact of a wildlife shot, and it’s perfectly demonstrated here. She even has a beautiful bokeh background which keeps your eyes coming back to the eyes of the bird. Look closer, and you can see the wonderful detail of the feathers. Truly a magnificent photograph.

Entertainment, The Features, We Love Arts
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We Love Arts: Suicide, Incorporated


Photo: C. Stanley Photography

It seems like we can pay anybody to do anything for us now a days. Need your lawn mowed? There’s somebody for that. Need your errands run? There’s somebody for that. Even if you need somebody to get you a new razor there’s somebody for that. We have resume writers, college application coaches, and those that will help you break-up with your significant other.

So it’s not too much of a stretch that somebody out there would be willing to write your suicide note. That is the premise of Andrew Hinderaker’s “Suicide, Incorporated”. The self-proclaimed tragicomedy caps off the No Rules Theatre Company’s 2011-2012 season as well as their residence at the H-Street playhouse, which will be closing in 2013. With Suicide Inc, No Rules continues to bring fresh, new perspectives to familiar subjects in our lives.

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Food and Drink, The Features
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We Love Food: Bombay Club


Photo courtesy of Powers and Crewe Photography

It was 90 degrees and all I wanted was a freezing cold lemonade and an ice bath. Instead, I walked into The Bombay Club for Indian food, not the usual remedy to a hot and humid District day, I know. But spicy food and a well air-conditioned beautiful setting hit the spot. I thought, “Do as the Romans do,”–or in this case the Indians–and eat hot to cool down. Somehow, it worked magic.

I spent many years living in London, where Indian food is a staple. There are epic curry houses and great take-outs, and high-end Indian restaurants galore. When I moved to D.C. that was one of the foods I missed the most, and really had trouble finding those amazing naan’s, tikka’s and chutneys I craved so much. Well, until I heard about this guy… Ashok Bajaj.

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Capital Chefs, Food and Drink, The Daily Feed
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Chef Moves at RIS and The Hamilton

Photo courtesy of Jenn Larsen

Chefs don’t stay still in the kitchen, so why would you expect otherwise in the DC dining scene? Two of the recent chef moves around DC are happening at RIS and The Hamilton.

Last week, chef/owner Ris Lacoste named Sue Drabkin as the executive pastry chef. Drabkin was previously the executive pastry chef at the Inn at Perry Cabin about two hours outside of the city in St. Michaels, MD. In a press release, Drabkin mentioned that her love of art and antiques, as well as her hobby of jewelry design serve as inspiration for her desserts. Some of Drabkin’s first desserts at RIS will include a basque cake with strawberry-rhubarb compote with brown sugar ice cream and toasted walnuts, as well as a Valhrona milk chocolate semifreddo with chocolate sauce, chocolate crisps and a whipped crème fraîche.

A little further downtown, the colossal Hamilton named Salvatore Ferro as their new executive chef. No stranger to the Clyde’s Restaurant Group, Ferro had previously worked in Las Vegas at Guy Savoy’s restaurant at Caesar’s Palace, where he met former 1789 executive chef, Dan Giusti. Following his time in Vegas, Ferro became the executive sous chef at 1789 in 2009, and was later the executive chef at Clyde’s of Georgetown. Some of the highlights on Ferro’s menu will include dishes such as flat iron steak frites, duck carbonara and charcuterie options.

Weekend Flashback
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Weekend Flashback: 6/8-6/10

Photo courtesy of Samer Farha
Halo
courtesy of Samer Farha

First hot weekend of the summer. Let’s hope it’s a one and done; but common senses says it’s the first such weekend of many. But beyond the weather, quite the weekend for DC. The Capital Pride Parade sounded like quiet the sight, as it is every year. And the Nationals swept the Red Soxes; my family up in Massachusetts won’t hear the end of this series from me for some time. Sounds like a great weekend to me. Let’s check out some of the sights in the photos below. Continue reading →

Entertainment, Media, The Features
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Veep: A Show That Ends A Run of Mediocre Shows About DC

Photo courtesy of Elvert Barnes
13a.HBO.VEEP.7PennAve.NW.WDC.17April2012
courtesy of Elvert Barnes

Ever since Jed Bartlet presided over the White House of The West Wing, there hasn’t been a television show about Washington that really captured the hearts and minds of its locals. West Wing DVD sets are a staple of many DC video shelves and many of my friends go as far as to follow President Bartlet on Twitter. Ever since the show went off the air in 2006 there hasn’t been a show that could overcome DC’s discerning tastes towards how our city is portrayed in TV and movies.

No show has been good enough to distract us from the fact it’s portraying DC 100% accurately.

As much as we love indulging our geographical egos in watching shows and films that are set in DC, we also enjoy the ruthless dissection of every single inaccuracy of The District that occurs. Whether it is the attempt to double Chicago for DC in Transformers 3 or simply making up Metro stations in 24. As actual residents of the immediate area, we love to pull out the “that’s not really there/that doesn’t exist/I’ve totally been there” card. We’ve all been guilty of it, even me.

When a lecturer is not interesting, we start to realize he missed a spot shaving. When a show doesn’t fully entertain us, we start to notice the scene on the Metro is actually on a NYC subway car.

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The Daily Feed
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Food Truck Tracker

Photo courtesy of yostinator
Tasty kabob
courtesy of yostinator

You made it to Friday! Now that the work week is under your belt, put some food truck lunch in your belly. Bonus: it’s Truckeroo today. And if you don’t get your fill today, there’s always Mother Trucker tomorrow at the Capitol Skyline Hotel–sit pool side, enjoy a slip ‘n’ slide, and yes, there are food trucks to tide you over if you’re feeling a little peckish. Mother Trucker is $15 and runs from 11 AM to 8 PM.

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Downtown, Food and Drink, The Daily Feed
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Cuba Libre Hosts Pop-Up Paladares Dinners

Photo courtesy of amarino17
cuba libre
courtesy of amarino17

So you can’t jet off to Cuba that easily for a bite to eat, but perhaps you’ll find the next best thing in DC next week. Cuba Libre is hosting their second series of Pop-Up Paladares dinners June 12 through 14.

Cuba Libre’s chef and partner Guillermo Pernot is teaming up with chef Alain Rivera Santana from Doctor Café in Havana to create a four-course prix fixe dinner. Some of the dishes will include a fresh cod escabéche with lamb tongue and a beet salad, chilled mango soup, grilled yellow fin tuna and a fresh corn pasta cannelloni with a crabmeat filling. And since Cuba Libre is partially a rum bar after all, you’ll get to enjoy some of their rum ice cream for dessert.

The Pop-Up Paladares dinner is available at 6 PM and 8:30 PM on June 12-14 and is $45 per person (excluding beverages, tax and gratuity). Reservations can be made by calling the restaurant at 202-408-1600.

Food and Drink, Homebrewing, The Features
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Homebrew DC: One of the Easiest Homebrew Recipes Ever

Photo courtesy of Kevin H.
Beer at Lyon Hall
courtesy of Kevin H.

A while back I wrote about the easiest homebrew recipe I had ever heard of. It turned out okay but not great. Drinkable but not exciting. I was at the homebrew shop a few weeks ago and saw a can of Mountmellick Brown Ale. Similar story here – pour the syrup in a sanitized fermenter, add a kilo of dry malt extract, and add boiling water. Bada bing, bada boom, you have wort to ferment. It was only $20. How could I go wrong, I wondered.

I just kegged and force-carbonated the brown ale not too long ago and it turned out surprisingly well. It is smooth, has a pleasant mouthfeel, and does not have a lot of hoppy bitterness. Very nice indeed. The hops could be a bit stronger, but overall it is fine as-is and very drinkable. I highly recommend doing this if you want a basic brown ale to sip while your more complex brews are bubbling away. This is also a great way to try your hand at brewing if you are interested in making something easy and good right from the start.

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Entertainment, The Features, We Love Arts
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We Love Arts: Mr. Burns, a post-electric play

Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company's production of Mr. Burns, a post-electric play. Photo credit: Scott Suchman.

The determination to keep what’s lost alive, to create elusive meaning out of chaos, is at the heart of theater’s beginnings. Sounds lofty, but it’s behind both great drama and crass comedy. Anne Washburn’s Mr. Burns, a post-electric play is all of the above, a brilliant mash-up of The Simpsons, apocalyptic movies and origin myths. Above all, it’s the universal cry to make sense and keep laughing after a devastating crisis. And it proves true that one generation’s pop culture can morph into classical canon in one hundred years.

Everyone who loves The Simpsons has a favorite episode, one that they can still recite lines from (I used to do a killer Ralph Wiggum, “You choo-choo-choose me?” and yes, I own a beer can opener that sings out Homer proud, “Beeeeer. Yes oh yes whoo-hoo!”). If you can’t quite remember the line, well, just pull it up instantly online and push play, keeping your memory evergreen. Simple. But what if you could never refresh your memory, not for your favorite line, song, anything? In a “post-electric” world, the work would eventually be lost.

Or rather, it would mutate into something different, perhaps equally valid, or even greater.

That’s the challenge facing the characters in Washburn’s play. They’re clearly survivors, but we don’t know the precise nature of the catastrophe that’s blown the grid, causing nuclear meltdowns and the disintegration of society. They aren’t sure themselves, as they huddle together in uneasy social alliances for safety and warmth, exchanging lists of loved ones with every outsider in an attempt not just to find the lost but keep their memory alive. In the dark of night, they start to do what humans have always done to keep fear at bay – tell stories.

In this case, recreating The Simpsons’ “Cape Feare” episode. Sideshow Bob as Robert De Niro as murder Max Cady? Singing HMS Pinafore? Unfamiliar? You might want to watch it before you go. It’s not essential, but the play is stuffed with rich references.

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We Love Weekends
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We Love Weekends – June 8-10

Photo courtesy of christaki
exit 73
courtesy of christaki

If you’ve been lucky, like me, the week has flown by and you’re surprised to be thinking about your weekend already. If you’re unlucky and it seems like a decade since that lazy Sunday evening, well, at least you have something to look forward to. Eventually. Weather should be nice, if a bit warm – though Capital Weather points out that we’ve got nothing to complain about compared to this time last year – so maybe some outdoors are in your future. I know they are in mine.

Tom: I’m ready for summer! This week at BicycleSPACE I took the clipless plunge, so I’ll be giving my bike a workout this weekend, possibly up the Custis Trail through Arlington. It’s also the first week of CSA shares at our farm, so we’ll be trekking out to Bluemont for our first box. But, before we even get there, I have to find something special for Tiffany, whom I married 6 years ago this Monday. Happy Anniversary sweetie!

Photo courtesy of Glyn Lowe Photoworks
Uptown Theater – Cleveland Park
courtesy of Glyn Lowe Photoworks

Huzzard: This weekend I could do something fun and exciting, but more than likely I will just lazy around and do a bunch of nothing. Those can be the best weekends but I do have some absurd streak of having watched live baseball every weekend this season so far and all of last season. With SoMd in town that can continue, or I can just go see Prometheus and call it a lazy summer weekend of relaxation.

Photo courtesy of Noe Todorovich
Strathmore
courtesy of Noe Todorovich

Rebecca: My weekends continue to be about R&R, which involves sleeping, eating locally-sourced foods and trying to get some sort of sun-kissed base for my pasty anglo body. Friday I’m off to the Strathmore for a live-recording of NPR’s Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me! for a special show highlighting the quirks and embarrassments of political leaders throughout history. As I listen to this show pretty much every weekend I’m pumped to see it live. Tickets are still available! Saturday, I’ll hit up the Glover Park-Burleith Farmer’s Market, as I do every Saturday, to replenish my stores. My go-to this season has been Spriggs Delight Farm’s feta cheese which is NOM NOM in salads, scrambled eggs, etc. Sunday, I’ll be chilling out pool side Volta Park Pool.

Photo courtesy of icroissantmoos
Fresh Crabs
courtesy of icroissantmoos

Patrick: Besides a couple of parties this weekend (I’m so popular), I plan checking out Suicide, Inc over at No Rules Theatre on H Street tomorrow. I suspect I’ll do my usual routine of going out for all my meals. This weekend I have the urge for some crabs. I suspect a trip to The Quarterdeck maybe in the cards.

Photo courtesy of 4²5²�productions
District Yacht Club
courtesy of 4²5²�productions

Addison: Since apparently a week in the Caribbean sun wasn’t enough time to get me some semblance of a tan, I shall have to head back out into the sunshine this weekend to remedy that situation. Friday is my buddy’s birthday and to celebrate we will be hanging out on the patio at Jay’s Saloon in Arlington. Saturday I will be out on the water in Baltimore rowing in the Charm City Sprints with Capital Rowing Club. Saturday night depends on how exhausted I am, but the Russian Machine Never Breaks party at Front Page in Ballston seems like a good option. More fun in the sun on Sunday as the spring kickball season winds down on the National Mall.

Photo courtesy of ekelly80
colorful stems
courtesy of ekelly80

JCM: I’m starting off the weekend with a Guinness at Four Provinces in Arlington and ending the weekend with a Guinness at home on the roof. In between I’ll hit up the Arlington Farmer’s Market at Courthouse before I head out – way out – to Sterling, VA, for a BBQ with the fam. My goal is to purchase every bite for the week from the market, so hopefully I can resist spending my whole budget on cheese curds. On Sunday an iced coffee at Eastern Market should help with the predicted heat. Then after catching up on some work, I’ll be heading to Studio Theatre to expand my weirdness threshold with The Animals and Children Took to the Streets. And finally that second, long-awaited Guinness.

Photo courtesy of pablo.raw
Red Ball
courtesy of pablo.raw

Don: My darling wife and I are getting a brief break in our visiting family parade so we’re going to do some couple things for as long as the peace and quiet lasts. Well, couple plus pup. Saturday will have some dog park and sidewalk cafe breakfast time at a to-be-determined location – anyone have a favorite pairing? Sunday evening has some BBQ time with some other couples. My most anticipated event is actually next Thursday evening, when the And I Am Not Lying show will be at the Black Cat. I missed it last year so I’m excited to take Jeff an iced espresso (Nobody tell Nick Cho) and see this combination of burlesque and spoken word.

Photo courtesy of yonas1
Malaya & Annie
courtesy of yonas1

Nicole: It’s Capital Pride weekend! I’ll be joining the throngs down by Dupont Circle for Saturday’s parade, then will visit the Capital Pride Festival on Sunday. My friends and I will retreat to Rock Creek Park to picnic before heading back downtown and wrapping up the weekend with Kristen Chenoweth’s concert at DAR Constitution Hall.

Interviews, Night Life, People, The Features
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Q&A with Sharon Needles

all photos courtesy of Sharon Needles

We Love DC Music Editor Alexia recently got the chance to chat with new drag superstar Sharon Needles, the most recent winner and reigning Queen of the super-campy Logo reality-contest show “RuPaul’s Drag Race.” She will be appearing at Town this Friday, June 8th as part of DC’s Pride celebration. Sharon chatted with Alexia about music, Queens, and growing up goth in a small town.

Sharon Needles: Hello Alexia!

Alexia Kauffman: Hiiiiii!

Sharon: How are you?

Alexia: I’m great! Thank you so much for talking with me!

Sharon: I would like to apologize for my tardiness- I was buying my first big purchase with my prize money- a 1972 Bonneville Hearse!

Alexia: Oh my God! That’s amazing!

Sharon: It’s my first car! I decided I’d buy a mint-condition, beautiful, gorgeous, vintage black hearse.

Alexia: I want to see pictures!

Sharon: Don’t you worry about that! There’ll be more pictures of this on my Facebook than me! It’s my baby- I named her Peggy!

Alexia: That’s awesome. So I love your style, I love that you mix the gorgeous and the grotesque, that you’re on the fringe of the fringe…

Sharon: Thank you! I put the gore in gorgeous, darling!

Alexia: I’m so happy that you won RuPaul’s Drag Race!

Sharon: (laughs) Thank you! Me too!

Alexia: So how did you get started in Drag?

Sharon: You know, I grew up in a small farming community where there weren’t a lot of avenues for artistic, imaginative children like myself. So I basically just studied pop culture through television. You know, people like Elvira and Peggy Bundy, and all the horror movies that I was in love with as a kid were so inspiring to me. I’ve always played with costumes and I’ve always played with feminine fictitious characters. You know some kids played house, I played Night of the Living Dead in my backyard. So yeah, I’ve always been interested in costumes, makeup and hairpieces, and shoes. So at the age of fifteen I would lie to these nightclubs and say I was eighteen, because I looked older than I was, and started performing at a really young age.

Alexia: So you started performing while you were still in your hometown?

Sharon: Yeah, I was in Newton, but I had much older friends, because I didn’t really connect with the kids at my school. I hung out with all the punk and the goth kids, and they would drive me up to Des Moines, which was the closest city, and I started doing drag shows in the smaller nightclubs there. Continue reading →

News
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Kwame Brown resigns, faces felony bank fraud charge

Photo courtesy of dbking
IMG_2907
courtesy of dbking

Seen above being sworn in by Attorney General Eric Holder, today City Council Chairman Kwame R. Brown tendered his resignation facing felony bank fraud charges brought by the Attorney General’s office. In a document released this afternoon by the Justice Department, Brown is charged with inflating his income on unsecured loans worth tens of thousands of dollars, in order to purchase a boat (ironically named Bullet Proof).

After an afternoon of activity at the Wilson Building – including a broken door in Brown’s office, damaged when NBC 4’s Tom Sherwood jammed his foot in it attempting to get comment – Brown tendered his resignation to Council Chair Pro Tempore Mary Cheh (Ward 3).

So what happens now? Well, Brown will be in Court on Friday to answer these charges, and likely plead guilty. Mary Cheh will be Acting Chair of the Council until Wednesday when the council will elect an Interim Chair from the five At-Large council members.  The Chairman’s position requires no outside employment, which would likely mean that David Catania and Michael A. Brown would not pursue it, leaving Vincent Orange and Phil Mendelson to pursue the interim appointment.

This is a tricky situation for the Council. District Curmudgeon has a pretty detailed dissection of the potentialities. It’s entirely possible that the District will be facing a November election – coincident with Presidential election – for a more permanent replacement for Kwame Brown. Should that person be Orange or Mendelson, we would be looking at yet another special election thereafter to fill their then-vacant At-Large seat.

Confused yet? Reads a bit like the playoff scenarios from Baseketball?

Yeah, us too.

The Daily Feed
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Middle of the Order Comes Through as Nats Defeat Mets 5-3

Photo courtesy of Keith Allison
Washington Nationals first baseman Adam LaRoche (25)
courtesy of Keith Allison

Coming into this evening’s game against the Mets the Nats heart of the order had been struggling, but Zimmerman and LaRoche hadn’t done much of anything over about a two week period and Michael Morse was still freshly added to a line-up he had been missing from all season. The lack of production from the heart of the order was one of the reasons the Nats were 2-4 in their most recent six game stretch, and were struggling to find ways to score.

Tonight the Nats made it simple as Harper reached on a Daniel Murphy error and Zimmerman walked ahead of an Adam LaRoche homer. LaRoche got off to an unusual hot start to the season but over the last week LaRoche had just one walk and no hits in 14 plate appearances. LaRoche wasn’t the only middle of the order bat to find himself struggling over the most recent stretch as Zimmerman was just 2 for 14 over the last seven days with no walks and both hits being singles.

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