Monthly Archives: October 2012

Sports Fix, The Features
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Everything’s Not Lost: A Nats Postseason Reflection

2012 10 01 - 5478-5486 - DC - Nationals Ballpark
courtesy of thisisbossi

The 2012 Washington Nationals can and will be remembered in a few different ways. Some will see it as a successful season riddled with historic milestones achieved by a team who competed well beyond anyone’s spring training predictions. Others will remember it for the gut-wrenching two-run loss induced by a ninth inning collapse versus the World Champion St. Louis Cardinals in Game Five of the National League Division Series after being up 6-0.

But maybe there’s a happy medium between the two extremes?

Washington baseball in the modern era organically evolved into a devotion-based fan obsession upon the May inception of #Natitude. The play-on-words marketing strategy, endorsed by the Nationals’ Chief Operating Officer Andy Feffer, peaked people’s interest enough to follow the team on its journey toward becoming a contender. And this is all in addition to the incredibly devout season ticket holders and fans who’ve been supportive of the team since 2005 — the Nationals’ inaugural season.

Since that time, the already active community of voices in support of the team on Twitter has increased in size, seats in the ballpark were filled willingly, and a Photoshop trend became the norm for expressing one’s thoughts surrounding the team and its players. Record attendance numbers and television ratings were tallied. The Nats made it to the playoffs for the first time in team history. These are all positive changes when compared to season’s past.

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Sports Fix
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Redskins defeat Vikings 38-26

Under the lights
courtesy of BrianMKA

It was happening to the DC sports fans again. Just two days after the Washington Nationals lost in the most heart breaking fashion possible the Minnesota Vikings had scored two unanswered touchdowns to cut the Redskins 31-12 lead to 31-26. The Vikings were inching closer and had time to stop the Redskins, get the ball back, and drive down the field once more to twist the dagger already sticking from the chest of local sports fans.

Then Robert Griffin happened. On a third and six play with 2:56 left on the clock Robert Griffin made up his mind that if the blitz failed he would run. The Vikings sent six men and Griffin scampered to the sidelines. Because of his concussion the week before his first thought was to get out of bounds, but he ignored that thought and went with his instincts. Griffin raced up the sideline and past all the defenders. No one even laid a hand on him as he raced into the end zone for a game securing 76 yard touchdown run.

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Entertainment, Interviews, Music, People, The Features, We Love Music
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Q&A with Dark Dark Dark

 

photo courtesy of Dark Dark Dark

Dark Dark Dark hail from Minneapolis, Minnesota, but spend much of their time on the road. Their sound blends moody piano and clarion female vocals with understated percussion and layers of cello, accordion and horns to create a dark, dramatic and beautiful melange. Dark Dark Dark is currently on tour in support of their new album Who Needs Who, and you can see them play tonight, Monday, October 15th at DC9. We Love DC’s Alexia Kauffman got to have a little chat with Nona Marie from Dark Dark Dark recently, and here’s how it went.

Alexia: So how did you first start playing music, and singing?

Nona: Well there was a piano in the house, and we always just played.

Alexia: In your family house?

Nona: Yeah, in my family house, when I was a kid.

Alexia: And how did you start singing?

Nona: My mom sang a lot around the house just listening to the radio and, I don’t know, singing in the car.

Alexia: Are there any singers past or present that really inspire you?

Nona: I mean yeah, every singer inspires me. It’s my favorite thing.

Alexia: Are there any artists or albums that first made you fall in love with music?

Nona: Yeah, I guess I really loved listening to that Joni Mitchell Blue record- that was a good one.

Alexia: How did Dark Dark Dark come together?

Nona: We just, Marshall and I just started playing together in Minneapolis, um and then just started traveling around and meeting people and playing with different people, and sort of over time it became what it is. Continue reading →

We Love Weekends
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Weekend Flashback – All Wedding, All the Time

I’m sure some of you did something else, but the Social Event of the Season was the Poe-Debelack wedding and why would we talk about anything else? Our congratulations to our own Fedward and the Social Chair on their nuptials.

You may think that having both wedding photos and a video are overkill, or may not want to prioritize videography in your budget, but trust us—you’ll want to hire a wedding videographer. For one, the day literally flies by and there are things you’ll miss that your videographer will capture beautifully, like seeing your grandmother’s emotional reaction as you say your vows. Also, you have to think of the sounds that can’t be captured in a photo, like your “I dos,” the reception music and meaningful toasts. But don’t just take our word for it—listen to feedback from these real brides from our message boards. Visit wedding.film for cinematography style wedding videos.

 

images courtesy of Kate, Ed, and Route 1 Multimedia

Images courtesy of Fedward, The Social Chair, and Route 1 Multimedia

Images courtesy of Fedward, The Social Chair, and Route 1 Multimedia

Images courtesy of Fedward, The Social Chair, and Route 1 Multimedia

Images courtesy of Fedward, The Social Chair, and Route 1 Multimedia

And of course, you know the Passenger had to eventually be involved. Tom Brown led the ceremony that ended with their pronouncement as “married in the eyes of the Passenger” and Derek Brown gave a lovely toast. I’m not sure what it means that I think the Prenup was the best of the themed drinks, but hey. Congrats you two!

Kate and Ed and the Passenger drinks in their honor Don Whiteside
Adventures, Entertainment, Food and Drink, Fun & Games, Life in the Capital, Penn Quarter, Special Events, The Daily Feed, The District
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Start Halloween Early With “A Spooky Adventure” at 901 Restaurant

If you’re looking to make your Halloween costume go beyond the 31st, then Penn Quarter’s 901 Restaurant is your place to make that happen, because this Wednesday, October 17th at 9pm, they’ll be hosting a sultry Halloween soiree with trick-o-treat inspired sips.

Show up in your Halloween-inspired attire and you’ll get a complimentary drink ticket for either a Bloody Bang, a mixture of Emperor Imperial, homemade raspberry puree and champagne, served up on the rocks topped with fresh raspberries and a lemon peel, or a Midnight Aura, a savory mix of Belvedere, lemon, home spiced Asian pear puree, ginger and lemon bitters served in a martini glass.

Tunes will be provided by DJ Steve Starks of Nouveau Riche and 901’s marble tabletops, lounge couches, veiled curtains and candle lit ambiance should make for the ideal setting to get in the Halloween mood.

 

Adventures, Entertainment, Fun & Games, Special Events, The Features
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Murder, BBQ, and a Creepy Hospital…and You’re Invited!

Photo courtesy of Tony DeFilippo
Old Naval Hospital – 1
courtesy of Tony DeFilippo

Labyrinth Games & Puzzles shop is doing another mystery party. “The Mystery of Aorta Springs” unfolds on Sunday, October 21 from 5 to 8 pm at the Old Naval Hospital in Southeast DC.

“Lately the town of Aorta Springs, Maryland has been plagued with terrifying trouble. But the crazy rants of a few townsfolk about ‘real’ vampires aren’t stopping Buffy Chaste, the homecoming queen, from celebrating her Halloween birthday! She’s invited you to celebrate with her at a fabulous BBQ at the home of her boyfriend, the reclusive rock superstar Killian Killagan.”

Kathleen Donahue, owner and proprietor of Labyrinth, says the party “is like a live-action Clue mixed with vampire rock and light horror.” When you purchase your tickets, you’ll be given a character role so players can prepare and dress appropriately. During the event, players will receive clues to share and are encouraged to work with other party-goers to solve the mystery. Prizes will be given for Best Costume and Best Mystery Solver. Food will be served, courtesy Inspire BBQ.

For more information or to purchase tickets, contact Labryinth Games at 202.544.1059. If you mention you saw this article here on WeLoveDC, they’ll even knock $5 off the ticket price of $45! Don’t wait too long; the last mystery party Labyrinth hosted completely sold out.

The Daily Feed
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Snallygaster Saturday

 

Weekend plans: Resolved. Tomorrow, the team behind some of your favorite beer-havens including Birch & Barley, Churchkey and Rustico, are throwing a one of a kind festival at Yards Park that you won’t want to miss. This isn’t your regular solo-cup and pump festival, rather one filled with the best craft beers in the city and artisan food to match. So what’s with the name (other than being really fun to say)? Snallygaster is a mythical dragon-like beast, said to have terrorized the Maryland region at the turn of the century, looking somewhat like a half-bird, half-reptile with a metallic beak. While they won’t be promising any mythical dragons (except maybe feeling like one after a few good brews), the festival promises 100 unique crafted beers, all handpicked by beer director Greg Engert.

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Sports Fix
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Week Six Preview: Vikings at Redskins

Photo courtesy of Mike Morbeck
Christian Ponder, Charles Woodson
courtesy of Mike Morbeck

The big news this week for the Redskins is that RGIII is cleared to play and play he will says Kyle Shanahan. There are no plans to slow down or to attempt to contain Griffin. He was drafted because of his ability to both pass and run. That is what makes him a dynamic player and it is how the Redskins are going to use him. The only problem is the Redskins aren’t going anywhere and risking the investment that is RGIII by calling so many run plays in his first season might not be the best, but Griffin was injured on a scramble and not a designed run. Quarterbacks that can run are going to run when a play breaks down. Part of this is on RGIII to get out of bounds or slide sooner.

Aside from all the RGIII talk the second biggest news out of Redskins Park is they cut Billy Cundiff and signed Kai Forbath to take over the kicking duties. It can be argued that Cundiff is a big reason the Redskins lost last week to the Falcons and while making a change may not help the Redskins this season they get to look at someone different in game action and could find their kicker of the future.

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Sports Fix
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Jayson Werth’s Walk-Off Earns the Nats One More Tomorrow

Photo courtesy of wolfkann
Jayson Werth — Walk-off home run to win Game 4!
courtesy of wolfkann

With the game tied 1-1 in the bottom of the ninth the Nats were in a good position. They had the top of the order due up and the man batting third, Ryan Zimmerman, has earned the nickname Mr. Walk-off for a reason. The game would not get that far. Jayson Werth looked at the first two strikes he saw from Cardinals reliever Lance Lynn and then engaged in a war.

Ahead 0-2 Lynn wanted to entice Werth to swing at a ball and threw him a curveball and a fastball out of the zone. Werth swung at neither. Werth would then see five straight fastballs all fouled off. At times it looked like Allen Craig was close to catching them, but he would run out of room close to the stands. Werth then saw a breaking ball he fouled off, another fastball he hit foul, and a curveball he let go for ball three. Pitch 12 was a fastball that Werth hit foul. The more pitches a hitter sees in a plate appearance the more the advantage swings their way. Lynn wasn’t going to risk putting a runner on base and he knew Werth could ID and lay off his curve so he threw him one more fastball, and it was on this 13th pitch of the at bat that Werth earned the Nationals what they played this game for.

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We Love Weekends
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We Love Weekends – Oct 12-14

Wedding of Carl Franz Josef (LOC) The Library of Congress

The nip is in the air and the nuptials are scheduled – several of us will spend this weekend watching the second most visible celebration of women with questionable taste in men since my own wedding. We’ll work some other things in – most hopefully the Nats going after the NL championship on Sunday – and we’re hot to tell you about them. So let’s get to it.

Fedward: The Social Chair and I are getting married on Sunday. We’ll follow that up with a special brunch at The Passenger, where Tom Brown will preside over a second ceremony.

Union Market ekelly80

Natalia: It’s going to be a busy weekend! Friday I am going to check out 14th street’s latest arrival, Drafting Table. Saturday, a morning at Union Market followed by an afternoon learning, drinking, and hanging with some of DC’s finest at the Neighborhood Restaurant Group’s Snallygaster Festival, where food and fun will be guaranteed. Sunday will be spent celebrating a friend’s birthday in our old alma mater hood- Georgetown- if its nice weather, a little kayaking and fall picnic by Jack’s Boathouse could be in order.

Dangerously Delicious Pie Half Mr. T in DC

Tom: Whatever happens today and Friday, my weekend is all about preparing to go on vacation come Monday. I’ll be reminding myself of the joys of Fall first, with a trip to Dangerously Delicious Pies for an apple or pumpkin pie, as well as a trip to Union Market for some Peregrine Espresso. Sunday, we’re going to see some dear friends wed (Congratulations to you, Ed & The Social Chair!) and enjoy some lovely time. For me, I hope the Nationals come through and we find ourselves watching the NLCS from Keoki’s Paradise on Kaua’i.

Wizards erin m

Patrick: How about that other DC team playing this weekend? No I’m not talking about the Nationals or the Redskins- the Wizards are back on the court as the NBA pre-season kicked off this past week. It’s time for me to take my mind of the local theatre scene and prep for a Wizards season preview! I’ll look to Northside Social to fuel my mind as I try to put a positive spin on John Wall missing the beginning of the season. I’ll also need some brunch- and for that I’ll be spending some time in AdMo (not SoMo) at Bourbon.

Raf n Sel | DayGlow Danilo.Lewis|Fotography

Jenn: Lately I’ve been feeling the urge to dance. Not bop-your-head-around-casually kind of dancing either. I’m talking about letting loose with your soul and having a crazy sweaty good time. So Friday night will see me at Tropicalia for Shrine as the Sol Power DJs spin the beats to get your spirits high – music from Cuba, Brazil, West Africa – and it features a special midnight performance by the energetic Janka Nabay and the Bubu Gang. It’s impossible to sit still while listening to the band’s galloping beats. Bubu music may be centuries old, but this band’s sound is incredibly alive. I guarantee you’ll forget whatever stress you’re battling when you dance to it with me. After dancing, art! Saturday and Sunday wander through the open studios of the Mid City Artists as they showcase work ranging from painting and sculpture to mixed media and photography. Have some brunch. Look at the leaves. Breathe.

Drama Masks Klondike Kate Photography

Don: First the bitter, then the sweet. I start the weekend saying farewell to a friend who outlasted cancer for several years more than his doctors thought he would – stubborn to the last, Jer – and we’ll be honoring his wishes by doing so decked out in our favorite sports jerseys. My darling wife and I will be in our Nationals gear and hopefully not simultaneously mourning and end to their playoff chances. Sunday makes for far more joy and more formalwear when we go stand next to Ed and The Social Chair as they tie their knots.

Entertainment, Music, The Features, We Love Music
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The Winning Ticket: The Temper Trap @ The Fillmore, 10/13/2012

Today We Love DC is giving away a pair of tickets to see The Temper Trap at The Fillmore in Silver Spring, on Saturday, October 13th! Tickets are on sale now through the Fillmore website.

For your chance to win these tickets simply leave a comment on this post using a valid email address until 4pm today. One entry per email address, please.

For the rules of this giveaway…

Comments will be closed at 4pm and a winner will be randomly selected. The winner will be notified by email. The winner must respond to our email in 24 hours or they will forfeit their tickets and we will pick another winner.

Tickets will be available to the winner at the will-call window of The Fillmore 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 he/she is under 18 years old.

The Temper Trap

w/The Neighborhood

Saturday, October 13th

8pm/All Ages/$25

Sports Fix
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Nationals stumble in home playoff opener, trail series 2-1, in 8-0 loss

Nats Park for the Playoffs

There was a fan I talked to on the concourse before the first ball was thrown today. He looked at me, grinning, and told me the story of how his wife would always turn to him and say on Opening Day, “Don’t fall in love, they’ll just break your heart.” He said now, he couldn’t say that any more, that he was looking forward to October plans at Nationals Park for years to come. This was a team that he had loved, and that hadn’t let him down.

As the players ran out the red carpet from the dugout to the field, it was hard not to agree with him. The crowd’s excitement and ferocity was like watching a lit fuse. The excitement was thick in the air, replacing the humidity of DC’s brilliant August evenings, but like so many games of previous Nationals teams, there was so little to cheer for.

The 1924 Washington Senators hold DC’s only World Series title. In a 12-inning victory over the Giants, the Senators put a cap on the best season that DC has in its baseball history books. The team, lead by Hall of Fame fireballer Walter Johnson and Hall of Fame slugger Goose Goslin was a triumph of wills. 88 years later, on the anniversary of that win, the Washington Nationals faced off with the St. Louis Cardinals in the first postseason game in 79 years.

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Music, The Features, We Love Music
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We Love Music: Public Image Ltd. @ 9:30 Club — 10/8/12

PiL p_a_h

“This is a fucking amazing band,” says John Lydon of his bandmates in Public Image Ltd., or PiL, toward the end of Monday’s show.

Well, yes, they are actually, so let’s take a quick look at them before we talk about Lydon himself and the Monday night concert.

Drawn largely from a PiL lineup in the late 1980s, the modern incarnation of the band plays funky post-punk. They are well coordinated as a unit in a way few bands are and they sound great. Drummer Bruce Smith thunders and snaps through the show. New guy Scott Firth on bass is a key ingredient in the consistency of the post-punk sound. And guitarist Lu Edmonds? On one song, the man is playing a saz, a kind of long-necked lute. The next, he’s on a big guitar. Before you know it, he’s fiddling (literally) with a banjo.

And the three bandmates provide a key part of a pattern to many PiL songs vocally — if PiL can be said to have any sort of pattern. They occasionally sing a repeating chant, usually consisting of a song’s title or subtitle, building a harmonious chorus as a backdrop to Lydon’s wails, yelps and croaks.

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Entertainment, Special Events, The Features
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Speakeasy Costume Ball

Partygoers at the 2010 Speakeasy Costume Ball at the Woodrow Wilson House. Photo courtesy of the Woodrow Wilson House.

Costume parties are fun, but costume parties in authentic mansions filled with Prohibiton-era history? Positively scandalous fun. Join the bootleggers and flappers at DC’s only presidential museum on Thursday, October 25 for a special evening benefitting the Woodrow Wilson House. Sponsored in part by DC’s first legal distillery in over a century, New Columbia Distillers, this party will definitely swing. Dance to the authentic tunes of jazz quartet Laissez Foure in your best 1920’s attire. If you’re gussied up enough you might just win the costume contest, judged by Alexandra Bookless and Alexandra Nichols of DC’s own cocktail society, LUPEC; Anastasia R. Simes, artist and costume designer for Synetic Theater; and myself.

Also on hand will be DC historian Garrett Peck, author of Prohibition in DC: How Dry We Weren’t and leader of the popular Temperance Tour, and Fred Cassiday, son of legendary Congressional bootlegger George Cassiday. Cassiday was known as “the man in the green hat,” inspiring New Columbia Distillers to name their signature liquor, Green Hat Gin.

We Love DC is proud to help sponsor this party dedicated to raising awareness of Wilson’s years in Washington, where he retired post-presidency to the elegant Georgian Revival mansion in Kalorama. Wilson lived at 2340 S Street NW from 1921 until his death in 1924 – the only president to be buried in DC proper, at the Washington National Cathedral. Who knows, since it’s so close to Halloween perhaps you’ll meet the man himself in his wine cellar that night after a few too many Green Hat Gin cocktails!

Prizes for best costume include:
– A bottling party for 8 at New Columbia Distillers
– A bicycle tour of DC’s craft brewers and New Columbia Distillers through BicycleSPACE
– A private tour of Woodrow Wilson House
– And more!

The party runs from 7-9pm, with a special cocktail class hosted by New Columbia Distillers at 6:30pm. Tickets are $45 for the main event, and $75 to add the class. Members of the National Trust and Woodrow Wilson House friends get a $5 discount.

Come kick up your heels and kick back a few cocktails with us!

Tickets for the Speakeasy Costume Ball at the Woodrow Wilson House are available from EventBrite. Join the Facebook event page. The Woodrow Wilson House is located at 2340 S Street NW, Washington, DC. For more information call 202-387-4062 ext. 41222.

The Daily Feed
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Hot Ticket: Black Hills & How To Dress Well @ Rock & Roll Hotel, 10/11/2012

photo by Stephanie Breijo

Thursday night one of my favorite DC bands, Black Hills, plays Rock & Roll Hotel. They are opening for Berlin’s ambient electronic ‘oFF’ Love, and headliners How To Dress Well. Their sound layers dreamy vocals, lush synth-strings, ethereal electronics and groovy bass & drum lines with euphoric results. If you’ve missed me gush about them before, check out my review of their show at Black Cat at the beginning of this summer, and my interview with singer/producer Aaron Estes.

Black Hills opens the night at 8pm sharp, so be sure to get to the club early!

Black Hills

‘oFF’ Love

How To Dress Well

Thursday, October 11

doors 7pm/music at 8pm/$15

Rock & Roll Hotel

Entertainment, The Features, We Love Arts
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We Love Arts: Dying City

Rachel Zampelli and Thomas Keegan in Signature Theatre’s production of Dying City. Photo credit: Scott Suchman.

A month ago the nation paused to remember the 11th anniversary of 9/11. Even though the day was a sobering and emotional one for many, it was more low-key than the previous ten. Fewer families were on hand at public ceremonies and many events were smaller affairs than previous years. The day has not lost any significance; the level of mourning has simply evolved to more personal moments of reflection.

It is in this new era that Signature Theatre presents a more intimate view of the war on terror with Christopher Shinn’s Dying City. We have seen many takes of the war in film and on stage. From films such as Jarhead and The Hurt Locker to plays like Black Watch, the whole gamut from the horrors of war in the trenches to the lasting damage of those returning to the homefront has been covered. Here Shinn keeps the Iraq war in the background, focusing instead on comparing the complexities of war to the psychological struggles that plague one’s failing relationships.

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