Tiffany Bridge – We Love DC http://www.welovedc.com Your Life Beyond The Capitol Fri, 13 Aug 2021 02:51:46 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=5.9.9 Why I (Still) Love DC: Tiffany http://www.welovedc.com/2015/03/24/why-i-still-love-dc-tiffany/ Tue, 24 Mar 2015 17:00:55 +0000 http://www.welovedc.com/?p=98521

When we started this site nearly 8 years ago, we got a little gentle ribbing from other local blogs about how so many of our original Why I Love DC entries were just super-earnest variations on “DC is where I truly became who I am.”

Funny thing about that: DC is where I became who I am.

DC is where I am becoming who I will be.

DC is where I am, becoming.

The longer I spend in DC, the more I am entwined with it, the more inextricably we become part of one another. Every landmark, every neighborhood, every watering hole goes from being a feature of this geographic location to being an anchor for my life.

When the cherry blossoms peek out and promise the coming spring, I remember the spring I spent riding my bike to work along the National Mall, knowing that it was the only way I was going to see the blossoms that year because I was working too hard to launch an important project.

When I’m cutting through the city, trying to shave a few minutes off my too-long commute, I’m not just driving through strangers’ neighborhoods, but passing near to the homes of dear friends where we grill dinner and relax on the patio, or friends we haven’t seen in far too long and resolve to shove aside the never-ending press of our calendars and make time to bring them over, cook for them, laugh with them, and relax.

Coming up North Capitol, I pass the hospital where my son was born. I drive through the neighborhood my husband Tom and I chose together and see the school Charlie will attend, the playground where we take him to run around and induce a long nap, the homes of our friends whose children will grow up playing with ours. I marvel that they get to grow up in a city other kids will only get to visit once on a school trip.

As the site called We Love DC draws to an end, I still love DC; how could I not? I may first have loved DC for her beauty, her talent, her quirks… but as the years pass, like any other lovers whose knowledge of each other deepens with the passage of time, I love DC for the things affectionately familiar, the things I am still discovering, and the sweet memories we have made and will make together.

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We Love Weekends, 2/22-23 http://www.welovedc.com/2014/02/21/we-love-weekends-222-23/ Fri, 21 Feb 2014 16:11:24 +0000 http://www.welovedc.com/?p=96366

Are you enjoying your break before the next polar vortex comes through and tries to freeze us all, DC? Here’s what we’ve got planned before the next Ice Age strikes.

Tom: I’m on quarantine duty through Friday, but the second I can break out of this joint, you bet your ass I will. Saturday is Discover Engineering Day at the National Building Museum, and if Charlie were a little bigger, or could hold interest for more than 5 minutes at a go, that’s exactly where we’d be. NBM is working hard to inspire a next generation of engineers, and that’s something I can get behind. With some learning under my belt, it’s all about exploring. Saturday is supposed to be sunny and 60, so we’ll likely head somewhere to eat outside, and one of my favorites there is the Brixton on U Street, who have a wide expanse of space to stare at the treelined streets. Sunday, if I can swing it, and my lungs feel up to it, it’ll be the first outdoor ride of 2014, which will likely take me up to Hyattsville for an Elevation Burger and back. 

Rachel: I may have a broken foot but nothing can keep me from rocking out to quality live music. Friday night, I’ve found myself a ride to Iota in Arlington to catch Derek Evry & His Band of Misanthropes before Derek and drummer extraordinaire Ben Tufts head out on a three-month Spring tour with Miss Shevaughn & Yuma Wray. Rhythm-powerhouse The Cowards Choir will be joining them in addition to the always creative Margot MacDonald for a night of rock that is sure to leave your eardrums ringing a bit (in a good way, I swear). Show starts at 8:30 p.m. and it’s a 21+ show with a $12 cover at the door. Then, I’ll probably hibernate the rest of the weekend due to my foot. But if my foot WASN’T broken, I’d likely do my favorite walk since the weather’s cooperating. What is my favorite walk? Well here’s my secret … I like to take the Circulator bus from Dupont Circle to Rosslyn through Georgetown. I get off the bus at Rosslyn and take a nice stroll over the Key Bridge before taking some time to sit and look out at the river and roads from the little park with the benches there once you get to the DC side. It’s absolutely gorgeous and completely relaxing. Treat yo’self!

Don: Our weekend will depend greatly on our puke fountain toddler and whether yesterday’s technicolor yawnfest was a short-staying symptom or part of a more lasting illness. And, of course, whether our little “Typhoid Martin” managed to inflict it on us. So if we’re housebound we’ll just have to dream of going out and about in the warmth and braving the soggy ground from all the snowmelt. Illness or not we’d probably skip our usual favorite place to stroll the outdoors, Roosevelt Island, since it gets kinda swampy. But there’s a nice path and boardwalk on slightly higher ground over on Dyke Marsh in Alexandria if you’re willing to drive down the parkway a ways. All assuming, of course, that I can pry my Darling Wife off of Netflix and her House of Cards binging.

Fedward:  Have you heard about the changes at the Corcoran?  While I’m cautiously optimistic about the collection itself, I’m still a bit confused about how the space is going to work, so we’ll probably head over to take a look before the new plan becomes final. Saturday we might run into Tom at the NBM’s Discover Engineering Day. We’re members so we’ve had that on the calendar since the very first mailer arrived. Saturday night marks the anniversary of my marriage proposal at New York’s Artisanal Bistro so we could mark the occasion at Sona and/or James Beard 2014 semifinalist Rose’s Luxury on Capitol Hill. And Sunday we’ll take in our annual Oscar Nominated Shorts at E Street Cinema.  We’ll follow that up with our weekly brunch at the Passenger.

Tiff: It’s actually going to be an acceptable temperature outside. This used to mean patio drinking (who am I kidding? It still means that), but now it means STROLLER TIME. The kid and I are going out to breakfast at Flip-It on Rhode Island Avenue, either with a freshly un-quarantined Tom, or without him to let him sleep. Applesauce for the kid, breakfast burrito for me. After that, I may use the Bridgelet as a thin excuse to go check out Discover Engineering Day, or we may take a walk to the interim Woodridge Library for a shadow puppet show of African folktales. (The kid LOVES story time, what can I say?) We are limited by nothing except the kid’s willingness to nap in the stroller, so I’ll be cramming in as much getting-out-of-the-house time as I can before the cold comes back.

Jenn: This is one of those weekends when it’s best to call in my clones, especially for Saturday, when I’m torn between several fun outings. First up, the Brenda Single Release Party, featuring a mix of bands from DC and Raleigh including BrendaLonnie WalkerLilac Shadows and The North Country, smashing it up at Columbia Heights’ coolest venue, The Dunes. Go on, make a new friend. Next, Bare the Fold with scintillating burlesque at The Fold. Yes, burlesque is sexy naughty fun but I’m truly excited to check out what’s been brewing up in Rockville at this new creative gathering studio that aims to bring artists together. It’s also time for this month’s installation of Neal Keller’s always awesome retro dance party, the 80’s Dance Party with the Angel at Black Whiskey. He’ll play Blancmange; we (my clones and I) will dance. At some point brunch al fresco will have to be enjoyed somewhere because that’s what we all will be doing while this weather teases and torments us before the next polar vortex. Hell, I might even picnic. Or finally try malort at Bar Pilar, as ever since Paul wrote about it last month the whole city’s been going mad for bitter. As we should, my clones. As we should.

 

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My DC in 2013: In a Family Way http://www.welovedc.com/2013/12/30/my-dc-in-2013-in-a-family-way/ Mon, 30 Dec 2013 16:29:57 +0000 http://www.welovedc.com/?p=95682

Guys, the truth is, I spent most of 2013 with my focus turned inward, ever since late January when the second line appeared on the stick. New bar opening? Whatever, I can’t drink. Food trucks? Sorry, gestational diabetes. Major database release at work? I’m going to be on leave for that entire quarter, suckers… Even the government shutdown barely registered since it started the day after we brought the Bridgelet home from the hospital. All of October is a blur of sleep deprivation and constant feelings of incompetence.

Still, in the middle of doctor’s appointments and ultrasounds and baby showers and midnight feedings and planning for daycare and college funds, I managed to pick my head up once in a while, and when I did, I found my love for DC being renewed all the time.

Some highlights, big and small… 

Mika’s semi-acoustic (read: lower budget) North American tour came through DC for a show at Sixth & I. Watching your favorite artist step completely away from the microphone to sing your favorite (beautiful, wistful) song, completely unamplified, in a space designed to support it, is a transcendent experience. It’s possible I wept. I can neither confirm nor deny such reports. But how great is it to live in a city with a performance space like that?

Illicit neighborhood fireworks displays on the Fourth of July. Some of my neighbors hate ‘em, and maybe now that I have a baby whose sleep can be disturbed I will too, but being able to look out our windows and see fireworks in every direction feels celebratory to me in a way that even being on the Mall to watch the national display just can’t match.

The surprising number of small kindnesses from strangers. I almost never had to stand on the Metro. The stranger who gave me her bottle of water when I wasn’t carrying cash and thus couldn’t buy water on a hot day from a vendor cart on the Mall. (Failure to carry either cash or water was not a mistake I repeated.) The number of people who offered me a place to rest or struck up conversations and showed me photos of their own kids. The bar and restaurant owners and staff who haven’t just tolerated our stroller or carseat, but welcomed the little guy sitting in it. (The proprietor of one new place may or may not have made me promise just last night to teach him to make balloon animals for when his establishment opens for weekend service and more families start coming.) I’ve always thought that the stereotype of DC being full of small people with a Beltway-inflated sense of self-importance was a trope propagated by overgrown, khakis-and-blue-blazer bros who project their own Beltway-blindness onto others, but even I was surprised at the amount of connection I’ve experienced daily this year.

Thanks for one of the best years of my life, DC. Looking forward to many, many more.

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Baby in the City: Need a Little Christmas? http://www.welovedc.com/2013/12/20/baby-in-the-city-need-a-little-christmas/ Fri, 20 Dec 2013 22:00:31 +0000 http://www.welovedc.com/?p=95619

So far, my life has pretty much followed the trajectory of this Oatmeal comic about celebrating Christmas. Last year, the only way any of Tom’s gifts got wrapped is if I paid Amazon to do it, and we had a Christmas tree primarily because friends of ours with a kid were going to get one and we wanted to hang out with them.

This year, when we are a family of three, it’s like we’ve suddenly rediscovered Christmas. Must light the Advent wreath! Must find the perfect Baby’s First Christmas ornament and stocking! Let’s all stomp around together in the mud at the Christmas tree farm! WE ARE MAKING MEMORIES, DAMMIT; never you mind that the Bridgelet is not actually capable of forming specific memories yet.

But even with me still home on maternity leave, between the demands of baby care, the minimum of housework needed to keep our home from sliding from “happily imperfect” into “abject squalor,” Tom’s job, and then Christmas prep on top… we haven’t had that much time to engage in actual, you know, holiday fun.

So, as they say, we need a little Christmas. Right this very minute, even. Here are my picks for some stroller-friendly ways to celebrate Christmas DC-style (or just look at some pretty lights, if Christmas is not your holiday) as a family without wearing yourself out (and with the weather forecast looking positively balmy this weekend, it’s a great time to get out there). 

Zoolights – The National Zoo gets all decked out for the holidays, and between 5 and 9 you can stroll through, admire the lights, check out the nocturnal animals, and have some hot chocolate. (Grownups can get it spiked. Aw, yeah.) The zoo is free but parking is not, or you can walk over from the Woodley Park Metro.

The Bishop’s House – The home of the Bishop of the United House of Prayer for All People on 16th Street NW, this enormous house gets the full-on Griswold treatment and it attracts visitors from all over the area.

The Mormon Temple Lights – You’ll need a car for this one, since the Temple is in Kensington, but since the Temple already looks like a fantasy story castle even before they put 600,000 Christmas lights on it, it’s worthwhile. The Visitors Center is open daily until 10PM, and there are nightly musical performances at 7PM. Free tickets for that night’s performance become available 90 minutes in advance, but viewing the lights on the Temple grounds does not require a ticket.

The National Christmas Tree and Pathway of Peace – If you’ve lived here more than a year or two, you know the drill: The National Tree, plus 56 smaller trees representing the 50 states, the District, and US Territories, decorated with ornaments contributed by your fellow citizens. Enjoy the hilarious griping on Yelp by people who think the tree should be bigger when you, being an in-the-know WLDC reader, know that the tree varies because sometimes the tree is taken out by winds and has to be replanted.

Bonus: There’s a Santa’s Workshop where you can have your kid’s photo taken with Santa. The photo will have a big Underwriters Laboratories logo watermarked on it, but look at it this way- if you’re telling your kids that all the bell-ringing Santas and mall Santas work for the real Santa, then the National Santa on the Ellipse clearly must be the big guy’s Ambassador to the United States of America, right? In our house, we call him Santa Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary.

The US Botanical Garden – USBG’s massive train display is the best known part of its holiday exhibit, with a track winding through a variety of model buildings made from plant materials. But they also have a display of plant-material models of DC landmarks, a huge Christmas tree, and a poinsettia showcase. This one’s indoors, so it’s a great one to catch when the weather turns cold again.

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We Thank DC http://www.welovedc.com/2013/11/28/we-thank-dc-2/ Thu, 28 Nov 2013 16:00:11 +0000 http://www.welovedc.com/?p=95266 Part of our tradition of giving thanks here at WL

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Part of our tradition of giving thanks here at WLDC is to tell you what we’re thankful for about DC this year. How about you? Leave your DC thanks in the comments, and enjoy your festive food coma.

Tiffany: Since late January, 2013 has been all about preparation for and the arrival of this guy. So I’ve clearly got something special to be thankful for this year. But our little DC Native has broadened my appreciation for DC as well. I’m more thankful than ever for DC’s diversity and the breadth of perspectives it will bring him as he grows up. I’m grateful to live in a city with not only local but national cultural amenities, so we can go from story time at our neighborhood DC Public Library branch and head out to the Air & Space museum after lunch. I’m thankful for the tree-lined streets and parks in Brookland, as well as our neighbors who are also putting down roots and starting their families there. And finally, I’m thankful for organizations like Neighbors United for DC Statehood who work to ensure Charlie will be able to vote for a senator when he’s 18 like his peers across the country. Happy Thanksgiving, DC. When I’m counting my blessings this year, you are definitely on the list.

Rachel: As of this month, it’s been two years since I started working on my first full band EP (due out in 2014) with Dave Mallen of Innovation Station Music in Arlington, VA. Since then, I’ve worked to embed myself in the DC music community and can proudly say that I call many of the hard-working names in local music dear friends. I still remember what it felt like to play my first show with The 9 Songwriter Series in February 2012. Fast-forward to November 2013 and I feel like the majority of the friends I’ve made in the past year were all from playing concerts and attending live shows throughout the DC metropolitan area. What I’m most grateful for in 2013 is the fact that music really does bring people together. The DC scene’s got a wealth of talent whether it’s vocalists, songwriters, musicians, producers, sound engineers, videographers, etc. but the scene can only exist if there are fans to support it. And let me tell you, there are lot of great people in this town supporting that talent. To all of the folks who support those of us who love making music and performing it live I say, “THANK YOU!” We couldn’t keep taking the stage in these parts if it were not for your continual support.

Esther:  A full decade of living in DC without killing anyone from road rage or ending up homeless because of the astronomical cost of living is enough to be thankful for this season.  But there are many other things that ten years in DC has made me grateful for, too.  First, the awesome people from a million walks of life who I have been blessed to meet.  Second, the tourist sites and museums.  Yes, I generally loathe the tourists, but they are a constant reminder that many people spend millions of dollars each year to see the things we have in our backyard and should appreciate. Third, my dog.  I know he’s not “DC” but he’s awesome and has pretty much marked the entire city, so I think that counts.  Fourth, the wonderful community of local actors, musicians, dancers and artists.  They have been my bread and butter and my continuous inspiration.  Fifth, congress…… okay, I couldn’t even type that without bursting out laughing from how ridiculous that sounds and what a huge fat lie it is.  Last, but not least, I am grateful to live in a place that matters. Where what happens in our little hamlet affects the country and the entire planet.  We’re living in a place of historical importance and I love it.  Having been raised in Idaho (which people consistently mix up with Iowa), the chance to be in a place people have actually heard of and know generally where it is is really cool.  Oh, and pie.  Wherever you live,  pie is worth giving thanks for.  

Rebecca:  This Thanksgiving I’m most thankful for all the wonderful friends I’ve made since my move to DC. 2014 will mark the beginning of my 8th year in this city and the start of innumerable friendships, intimate and thought provoking conversations and, ultimately, me becoming who I am today. If I hadn’t come to DC I would not be the person I am today; my varied interests, career, world view, intellectual curiosity and passions are deeply attributable to this diverse and thriving city. When I moved to down here I knew no one. It was through various happenstances (volunteering for WeLoveDC, responding to an open room on Craigslist, taking a leap of faith on a work opportunity….) that I have made so many solid, stand up friends who inspire me to explore life – physically, spiritually, emotionally and interpersonally – and remind me that I am not alone in experiencing and battling the cruel hardships that come with it. These friends or I may move beyond the borders of the district, but DC will always be the place from which these lasting friendships, bonds and deep relationships grew. I Love You DC.

Patrick: I am so thankful for the Metro. No I’m serious. Hear me out. This fall I started a new chapter of my life with a new job, one that wasn’t Metro accessible. After seven years being a metro stop or two away from my office I now have to hop into my car and fight a little traffic to get to and from work. As much as we like to hate on single tracking on the weekends, sometimes you don’t realize how thankful you are for something until it’s gone. What else am I thankful for? Great people of course (even those that live in my neighborhood of Clarendon), great food (like Ravi Kabob House) and great secret places to drink (like Harold Black.) Washington, DC will always be the city for me: not too big, not too small, just right.

Mosley: It’s been a tough year for me, though things are finally turning around. A tough year does put things into perspective and makes you only worry about, and be concerned with, the most important of things. To that end, I’m thankful for family and friends; but more specifically I’m thankful for the knowledge that I have an over abundance of family and friends who care about me and look after me. Not everyone has the chance to say that. Also, I’m so thankful to be living in such a great city! Washington may get crap from the rest of the country that we’re “broken” but that’s only because DC has to fix the problems created by everyone else. It’s an odd thing to be thankful for, but DC is a unique city and I can’t imagine living anywhere else.

Ben: This marks the eighth holiday season in the DC area for my wife and I. I’m truly thankful I have my wife and partner of nearly twenty years to experience every moment here with me, and for my friends who bring a unique accent to each day. In the mornings when I cross the Memorial Bridge, I’m thankful for this city and its unique vista. Working in the heart of the District has not lost its charm for me and I love every moment of it. Sure, there are annoyances all around, from a racist pro team name to a broken Congress on the Hill, but they can’t dampen my continued enthusiasm for the fabric of life in this place. Each day offers me a new opportunity for a photograph, or a scene for an as-yet-written story, or the chance to learn something new. The District and its surrounding environs are rich with life and culture on so many levels and I’m thankful to have that all around me, every day.

Fedward:  Well, let’s see.  In just the past baker’s dozen months:  (A) The Social Chair and I got married within sight of the Capitol (and followed that up with a second wedding that night in the Passenger).  (2) We adopted a pair of adorable kittens from the Washington Humane Society.  (III) In July we bought a house in Petworth.  I can’t think of anywhere but DC that I’d rather be, since this is where all the best things happen.  I’m also thankful for the hospitality community that has accepted us as two of its own.  If you read the weekend posts here you know we’re regulars at the Passenger, where the Brown brothers and the entire staff treat us as family.  That recognition serves as a calling card at bars and restaurants all over town.  We’re greeted with smiles (and often hugs) by the warmest, friendliest people in DC, and then they all serve us delicious food and drinks.  Who wouldn’t be thankful for that?

Tom: There is so much to be thankful for this year. I continue to be employed, I continue to have a home, and I have a family that, for whatever reason, seems to love me. This year, I want to focus my thanks on those places that make all that happen for other people who might not have those things otherwise. This Thanskgiving I’ll be donating to Bread for the CityDC Central KitchenFAN, and DC Coalition for the Homeless to help those who don’t have those things. I’m also thankful for my favorite bar, Boundary Stone, and my favorite people, those here at We Love DC, for keeping me sane amid the tumult.

Paul: Big, big thanks to the staff at We Love DC for their warm welcome and continued encouragement. You guys are awesome! Especially my amazing badass cyborg editor, Jenn, who, every week, transforms the garbled mess of nonsense that I send her into a polished article. The metro (Patrick knows what I’m talking about) for somewhat reliably getting me to work on time and my drunk ass home at night. And thank you Uber for picking up the Metro’s slack whenever I think staying out after last call is the best idea ever conceived by mankind. Huge thanks to the person who started it all, my roommate and best friend, Ben, who convinced me to move here in the first place. And for not getting too jealous when I spend every night making fancy cocktails without him. I should mention my neighbors, who have never complained when I blast New Order at three in the morning. And my roommates, for that matter, who *rarely* complain when I blast New Order at three in the morning. A lot of love to all my coworkers and regulars at Wisdom who have made me feel like a part of the family. You guys are the nicest people I’ve met in DC. Also everyone who has taken an interest in me and helped me hone my craft as a bartender. Specifically Erik Holzherr and Jon Harris, those guys are going to make me a bartender yet. Finally my friends and family back home for making a serious effort to keep in touch and make sure I remember to enjoy myself and not work myself to death. I miss you guys so much and wouldn’t be able to keep going without your constant support. Happy Thanksgiving DC, you’ve been too good to me.

Don: We expanded our family in the trailing end of 2012 so, like Tiff, I have a lot of gratitude that’s related to That Darned Baby. In particular what a lovely, walkable city this is, full of free and/or meaningful things to do with him. I left South Florida to come here more than a decade ago but I’m still amazed by the experience of being in a place with real mass transit (for all its problems) and a wealth of culture, high and low. My son can decide he likes paintings, live music, theater, kayaking, history, science, hockey, baseball, or all the above. He’ll never be more than half an hour from it. And if he really feels like he needs to watch football then, well, there’s always the light rail to Baltimore.

Jenn: Last year I was thankful that I didn’t die. This year I am thankful to be alive. A subtle difference, made all the more poignant by the continued twists and turns my life takes as I wander through the streets of my city. There’s a potent little machine in my chest, at the ready to shock my heart back to life should it fail. I’m thankful for it, and grateful to the incredible cardiac surgeons at Washington Hospital Center who installed it this year – but especially to the anesthesiologist who locked eyes with me right before, and said, “Don’t worry. I got you, baby.” I got you. That’s what DC says to me every morning I wake up and think, what can possibly happen today? That’s what my friends say as they surround me with love and support, lifting me up with laughter. We’ve got you. I’m so thankful for the many people I’ve met since helping to found this site five years ago, dear friends in theaters and restaurant industries that I might not ever have met otherwise. To be brave, be curious, and be astonished by life all over again – that is my aim, and it would be impossible without you. Thank you all.

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Baby in the City: Taking Transit with Your Baby http://www.welovedc.com/2013/11/07/baby-in-the-city-taking-transit-with-your-baby/ Thu, 07 Nov 2013 16:00:52 +0000 http://www.welovedc.com/?p=94951

Hi, WeLoveDC readers. I’m back. Baby in the City is an occasional series exploring what it’s like to live a specifically urban-dwelling lifestyle with a baby. (Nothing but love for you suburban-dwelling minivan drivers, it’s just not for me.)

I am a city mouse. When we moved 7 blocks from a Metro station and across the street from a bus stop, we promptly became a one-car family. I take transit or bike as much as I can and have become allergic to looking for parking downtown. My smartphone is full of apps for navigating transit (in multiple cities!), hailing cabs, finding bike routes, and reserving carshare vehicles. I’m a city-loving, multi-modal lady.

And then we found out I was pregnant. And for a moment, I wavered- did we need a second car? Something with lots of cargo space for toting around strollers and whatnot? Was I going to have to get good at… parallel parking?! (You guys, I am so not good at parallel parking.)

But of course I won’t- plenty of people transport their pre-walking children around the city without a car all day because they have to. It’s not that hard to make it work when you want to. But like anything else involving a baby, it requires a little bit of planning.  Here’s what I’m learning as a new parent getting around town with a very small baby:

Forget the car seat/stroller frame combo unless part of your trip plan for the day involves, you know, a car. They’re less maneuverable than a proper stroller, and if you’re planning to take the bus* at any point, or get into a Metro station where the elevator is out of service or at the wrong end of the station, you’re going to have to fold up whatever wheeled apparatus you have with you and carry it and the baby anyway. If your car seat is like mine, it weighs a ton even before you put a baby in it (which especially sucks if you’re just a few weeks out from a C-section, like I am). Unless your plans involve Zipcar, taxi, or meeting up with a friend with a car, literally the only advantage to the car seat stroller is that if you get tired or are running late, you can bail out and take a cab. Take a real stroller and save yourself some grief. (You did buy a lightweight, quick-folding one meant for city living, right?)

*All strollers must be folded before you board Metrobus. The Circulator allows some very lightweight, umbrella-style strollers to remain unfolded so you can wheel your kid right onto the bus without removing her from the stroller, but these are the kinds of strollers you’d typically use with an older child, once you get tired of wheeling around your urban-assault stroller all the time.

Bookmark the WMATA elevator outages page so you can plan your route to avoid as many fold-up-the-stroller incidents as you can.

Get a good carrier and master the art of babywearing. The best carrier is a highly individual choice (seriously, borrow some from your child-having friends and test drive them before buying), but if you can comfortably strap the baby to your body and walk around like that for a few hours without too much strain on your back, getting around on transit will be a lot easier. You’ll lose the handy ability to stow stuff underneath the stroller and you won’t have the always-available place to put the baby down, so this option may be best for shorter trips rather than all-day jaunts around the tourist spots, but it can’t be matched for ease-of-transit-use.

This spring: Getting around with a baby by bicycle.

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DigitalOcean Hosting http://www.welovedc.com/2012/07/30/digitalocean-hosting/ Mon, 30 Jul 2012 16:13:59 +0000 http://in-with-the-in-crowd A couple of weeks ago, I went to an advance screen…

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A couple of weeks ago, I went to an advance screening of Garden State. I was raving about it the next day and a friend said, “Tiff, how do you find all this cool stuff to do?” Really, it’s not that I’m cool. In fact, I’m sort of lame. I just pretend well, so I am going to let you in on my secret:
Sign up for the Inside Source. You know all that cool stuff they write about in the Sunday Source? Well, the Inside Source is where actual cool people invite poseurs like myself to come do cool stuff with them.
So go sign up- if you’re fast, you might score passes to another advance screening of Garden State, which I highly recommend.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs

Web hosting is a service where websites are stored so is necessary for any website administrator.

DigitalOcean, Inc. is one of the leading cloud hosting providers. It has reached such a level of popularity that it is used by customers of Google, Amazon, Microsoft and so on.

Currently, it offers their service for $10 per month. By the way, there is a no monthly fee option. By the way, it also provides 5GB free space which is enough for all the large websites. It also offers 10% off with a $99 credit.

Let’s look at the following screenshot from a website hosted on DigitalOcean:

All the domains are deployed on the exact same website. You may easily know the reason why, each domain has its own database database.

The hosting service is of course affordable. DigitalOcean hosts various sizes of websites in different regions and geographical locations while also offering dedicated hosting as well. In this particular case, the servers are located in Texas, US. It costs the users $0.40 to $0.80 per hour. The site hosts a wide variety of content and in this particular case it is a blog.

By the way, here is an explanation of the DigitalOcean pricing:

Time Cost Amount per hour (USD) US Dollars 10 $0.40 $0.80 100 $0.80 $3.90 1,000 $3.90 $11.90

For certain occasions, it might be useful to have website hosting under your control and it may not be used for many years. That’s why in this particular case, website hosting might be a good option to add some security to the website for the very first time.

To have a static website is called static website generator and some people may opt to use it for testing purposes. Here we are just introducing the static website builder which will let you build websites with different content in a second.

By the way, there are 3 main tools for building websites with static websites:

WordPress Static site generator BitBucket Static website builder Google Slides Generator

In this example, you have seen a bit of a mistake on the page on the website. The error is not related with WordPress but it is the result of the content of the page.

https://www.example.com
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Feds to update snow closure policy http://www.welovedc.com/2011/11/02/feds-to-update-snow-closure-policy/ Wed, 02 Nov 2011 20:03:05 +0000 http://www.welovedc.com/?p=77489 Photo courtesy of
‘The Long Commute’
courtesy of &#

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Photo courtesy of
‘The Long Commute’
courtesy of ‘starbuck77’

Remember that horrible, awful, snow-addled commute we had back in late January when the feds closed at 3, just in time to send people off into the beginning of an ice storm? Yeah. The feds remember it too, and they’re updating their inclement weather procedures to prevent it from happening again.

The updated procedures basically involve two main categories:

1. Stop dithering and make a decision about whether to close/have unscheduled telework/whatever a lot faster. I think anyone who has ever sat up at night, refreshing the OPM status page can get behind this one.

2. Encourage employees to shelter in place if they can’t get home before it gets bad outside. This one seems… less enforceable, since you can’t exactly require people to stay at the office, but if offices can be prepared to accommodate employees for a little while longer at the office, and encourage them to wait out the worst of it, this could potentially make a difference.

The policy is expected to be approved on November 9th. If you work for the government, you might check to see what “shelter in place” would look like at your office. If, like me, you work for a company that follows the feds’ lead with office closures, you might check with your HR department to see if this will change anything for you.

And maybe it wouldn’t hurt to keep a bag with some spare hygiene supplies and some energy bars locked up in your cubicle, hm?

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Mastering Metrobus, or, S.T.R.E.A.M. (SmarTrip Rules Everything Around Me) http://www.welovedc.com/2011/08/18/mastering-metrobus-or-s-t-r-e-a-m-smartrip-rules-everything-around-me/ http://www.welovedc.com/2011/08/18/mastering-metrobus-or-s-t-r-e-a-m-smartrip-rules-everything-around-me/#comments Thu, 18 Aug 2011 13:00:14 +0000 http://www.welovedc.com/?p=74327 Photo courtesy of

courtesy of ‘Chris Rief aka Spod

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Photo courtesy of

courtesy of ‘Chris Rief aka Spodie Odie’

I’ve been participating in the Zipcar Low Car Diet challenge this month, and something that I’ve noticed as I’ve gotten more transit-dependent is that a lot of intelligent, resourceful people are completely confounded by any bus that’s not the Circulator. If their destination is not close to a Metrorail stop, they drive to it. I humbly submit that this is completely ridiculous; the bus is just not that hard.

However, it IS true that Metrobus lacks the navigational simplicity that Metrorail has. The Metro map gives you a nice sense of the finite nature of Metrorail: there are only 5 lines, and they’re, well, lines; they go to all the stops in order one way, and they go back along the same stops the other way. That’s it. Have you seen the full Metrobus system map? It’s a freaking mess. It’s not even one map; they had to split it into three.

So with the goal of making it all a little less daunting for the novice Metrobus-rider, here are a few things you need to know:

1. Don’t panic! All the bus routes include at least one Metro stop, and frequently more than one. Know that even if you ignore the rest of my advice and find yourself on the wrong bus going somewhere you had no intention of going, you always have the option of riding it until it gets to a Metro station. There is always a way home.

2. One SmarTrip is good; two are better. Cash is pretty much the worst possible way to pay for the bus. The cash fare is higher than the SmarTrip fare, and you can only take advantage of transfers (unlimited transfers for 2 hours!) with a SmarTrip card, which means you have to pay full fare for each new bus ride if you’re paying cash. That means my typical two-bus commute from home to office costs $1.50 if I have a SmarTrip, and $3.40 if I left it on the kitchen counter. I made that mistake exactly once, and now I keep a spare SmarTrip with a few bucks on it stashed in my purse just in case.

3. The Internet is your personal transit concierge; carry it in your pocket if you can. Yes, I know. Smartphones are expensive, and their data plans are practically confiscatory. Plenty of DC residents who have depended on the bus for years manage to navigate the system just fine without smartphones. We are not talking about them. We are talking about you, whose willingness to explore DC is limited to what’s in a 5 block radius of a Metro stop. If you can swing it, get a smartphone with that money you are no longer spending on your car. You just need something that has GPS, can browse the web, and ideally open PDFs. Why? Because you can use the following tools from a computer, but it’s a lot easier to re-route on the fly if you can use them while you’re out and about:

3a. Google Maps with Transit. WMATA finally got on board with this late last year after dragging their feet for aaaaaaaages, and it is pretty much the best thing ever. Plug in your starting and ending points, and Google will spit out multiple transit options that will get you there, and just like Metro’s trip planner, you can specify that you want to leave now, at a specific time later, or that you want to arrive by a certain time and Google will adjust accordingly. Unlike Metro’s trip planner, however, using it on a mobile phone won’t make you want to kick a puppy. Google does include regional commuter buses that don’t take SmarTrip, though, so watch for that. And the full, Google Labs version of Google Transit can even estimate the cost of driving, if you want to feel smug in your transit choices.

3b. Nextbus. GPS tracking of buses, and estimates of how long you can expect before the next one comes along. Set the bus stop closest to your home and office as link buttons in your web browser and you’ll always know when you have to leave. The mobile web app can use your phone’s GPS to give you predictions for all the bus stops near your location (though sometimes it can be a little bit of a challenge to figure out which corner you want). Welcome to life in the future! Caveat: Nextbus is about 78% accurate, which means it is a dirty, nasty, stinking liar 22% of the time. You can mitigate the effects of this inaccuracy first by understanding how it is that it gets to be inaccurate, but also by sanity checks on…

3c. Published bus timetables. They’re all available in PDF form on Metro’s website, and usually a quick Google query for “[route number] wmata timetable” gets you straight to it without having to navigate to it through Metro’s website. Handy from your computer, but even handier from your mobile device. If, for example, Nextbus tells you there’s no bus for 35 minutes but the schedule tells you that there’s a bus every 10 minutes this time of day, you can reasonably assume that Nextbus isn’t tracking a bus or two for some reason (broken transponder, driver failed to sign on, etc.) This won’t save you from every Nextbus lie, but knowledge of the schedules and what causes inaccuracies can wrangle the system back into a usable state for you.

The bus is cheaper and goes more places than the Metro does, and broken escalators are never a problem. If you’re not a bus rider, give it a shot sometime soon and report back.

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Comedy. Tsunami relief. Underwear? http://www.welovedc.com/2011/05/12/comedy-tsunami-relief-underwear/ Thu, 12 May 2011 18:42:11 +0000 http://www.welovedc.com/?p=69890 Photo courtesy of
‘yeah! we’re crazy!’
cour

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Photo courtesy of
‘yeah! we’re crazy!’
courtesy of ‘philliefan99’

The comics who regularly appear at the Eleventh Street Lounge open mic night in Clarendon (from this point known collectively as “the Lizards”) are having another comedy-for-relief event tonight. This time, it’s for tsunami relief in Japan, and the gimmick is that all the 10+ comics will be performing in their underwear.

The show starts at 8:30 and admission is $5. Five bucks for comedy, a good cause, and for the comics’ total willingness to sacrifice their dignity for your entertainment. Cheap at twice the price!

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We Love Weekends, April 30-May 1 http://www.welovedc.com/2011/04/28/we-love-weekends-april-30-may-1/ Thu, 28 Apr 2011 17:00:24 +0000 http://www.welovedc.com/?p=69043 Photo courtesy of
‘blondie’
courtesy of ‘ph

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Photo courtesy of
‘blondie’
courtesy of ‘philliefan99’

Patrick Palafox: This Friday I am heading to this supposedly hard-to-find-place called Subterranean A to witness the Comedy Underground Show thrown by Brandon Wetherbee of You Me Them Everybody and Live From the Lab. I have no idea what to expect, but it sounds pretty hip and I am a hip dude. Therefore, I am a dude with a hip.

Paulo: This weekend we are going to Charlottesville, Virginia to see a friend get married. While we’re there, why not see the history there is to see? Monticello and Ash Lawn are on the itinerary, maybe a bite at Michie Tavern, and I’m told the UVA campus itself is a sight to behold.

Tom:With spring finally here, I’m going to be out and about in the city to take advantage where I can!  Saturday will be Casey Trees‘ open house in Brookland, and as someone who’s looking for a front-yard tree, I’ll be there.  Sunday is, of course, the opening of the summer concert season at Merriweather Post Pavilion with the Sweetlife Festival (tickets $55), which means a long day spent listening to awesome music.

Photo courtesy of
’58/365′
courtesy of ‘ekelly80’

Michael: From Appleseed Cast to Wolfgang Gartner, Kylie Minogue to Sweetlife Festival and beyond; this weekend has so many great live music options that it would take three of me to attend them all. After much internal debate, I’ve decided to let rarity be my guide this weekend and so you’ll find me at two interesting shows this weekend. On Saturday night, I’ll be at Pyramid Atlantic to catch a night of noise and ambient sounds headlined by Rapoon from the UK. I have been a fan of Robin Storey’s Zoviet France and Rapoon projects for many years and I cannot pass up the chance to finally see him in perform live. On Sunday night, I’m heading up to Baltimore’s Ottobar to catch the re-formed Reagan Youth. RY were one of my favorite American punk bands and news of their singer Dave Insurgent’s early 90’s suicide was more shocking to me than news of Cobain’s. What a reformed after 20-years Reagan Youth (with a replacement lead singer) will be like is something I have to see for myself.

Fedward: The Social Chair starts her Friday early — VERY early — at a royal wedding viewing party. Then she’s headed to Filene’s Basement for the Running of the Brides. We’re all wedding, all the time, as you might guess from that ad on the right side of the site. Voting ends Saturday, and we could still use your vote — and that goes for about six hundred of you, at least. Vote! Please!. Saturday we’ll start at the Franciscan Monastery’s annual herb and plant sale and end up at the Lisner for the Pan American Symphony Orchestra’s Viva el Tango. Sunday there’s even more wedding stuff (have you voted yet?) at the Nonconforming Bridal Fair. We then wrap up our weekend with the closing of The Walworth Farce at Studio Theatre.

Don: If you chart out my weekend by time I suspect the number one item would be “grumbling about how I don’t give a crap about inbred monarchy marrying off their spawn,” but it’s a pretty spread-out activity. I encourage you to do it yourself and at your own pace. From a more organized standpoint I’ll be exhibiting my wares at Arts in the Park. I’d encourage you to drop in and say hi but it’s not like Richmond is right around the corner. Beyond that my plans mostly revolve around screaming at the television as the Caps – hopefully – shellac the Lightning. I might sneak out to catch Synetic’s Learwhich has moved from the Lansburgh to the old Arena space in Crystal City but I will probably wait till next week.

Photo courtesy of
‘Garden Mess’
courtesy of ‘MichaelTRuhl’

Rachel: Since the Nats are in town this weekend, that means I’ll be at the ballpark Friday night to watch as they take on the Giants aka the Reigning World Champions of Baseball. It should be an interesting series seeing as the Nats haven’t been able to string together a solid victory since starting their home series against the Mets this week. Saturday I will be barbecuing in White Flint (pending a stellar forecast) but before that, I’ll be starting with brunch in Tenleytown at a TBD location (although Booeymonger in Friendship Heights is a likely choice) followed by a trip to the always entertaining Container Store. Saturday night, there will be a little bit of drinking … probably in Dupont Circle … maybe at Public Bar since they have Sam Adams Summer Ale on tap. The Nats play a 1:35 day game on Sunday but I’m not sure if I’ll be in attendance yet. If I do go, I’ll start out at Das Bullpen and finally try my luck at sampling their beer list.

Addison: Friday I have been somehow convinced into cooking an English fry-up for several of my lady friends at 5am while they watch the Royal Wedding (didn’t we fight a war so we wouldn’t have to deal with this stuff?). After a day full of school work (yay finals season!) I am on heading down to Chinatown to enjoy a few adult beverages at RFD before the Capitals take on the Lightning in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Saturday is one of my best friends’ birthday, so I plan on going out with some friends to celebrate at Chief Ike’s Mambo Room in Adams Morgan. Following that, finding somewhere to watch the St. Pierre – Shields fight from UFC 129. Sunday I’m skipping kickball to cover the Top Dog Half-Smoke Challenge at Domaso, then heading back to the Verizon Center for Game 2 of the Caps – Lightning Series.

Tiff: Saturday morning it’s all about the plant sale at the Franciscan Monastery; thunderstorms and wildlife have destroyed most of Tom’s carefully tended seedlings, so I’ll be looking for replacements, as well as for blueberry bushes. I intend for my backyard to feed me breakfast.

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Weekend Flashback: 4/23-4/24 http://www.welovedc.com/2011/04/25/68805/ http://www.welovedc.com/2011/04/25/68805/#comments Mon, 25 Apr 2011 13:30:23 +0000 http://www.welovedc.com/?p=68805 Photo courtesy of
‘butterfly food’
courtesy of 

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Photo courtesy of
‘butterfly food’
courtesy of ‘philliefan99’

Another weekend come and gone; fortunately this time the thunderstorms held off until Sunday night. Grip your cup of coffee a little closer and hang on to it a little longer.

Photo courtesy of
‘Lightning over Arlington’
courtesy of ‘Pianoman75’

Photo courtesy of
‘The Segway Menace’
courtesy of ‘giantminispacegoat’

Photo courtesy of
‘20110424-DSC_3109’
courtesy of ‘MudflapDC’

Photo courtesy of
‘Perusing the Prizewinners’
courtesy of ‘Mondmann’

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We Love Weekends, April 23-24 http://www.welovedc.com/2011/04/21/we-love-weekends-april-23-24/ Thu, 21 Apr 2011 17:00:24 +0000 http://www.welovedc.com/?p=68652 Photo courtesy of
‘2011: 002’
courtesy of ‘:

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Photo courtesy of
‘2011: 002’
courtesy of ‘::FiZ::’

Dave: It’s a really jampacked Easter Weekend for me. First off, I’m starting Friday with my first alumni softball game of the season, playing under the Monument before heading over to the Exchange for a pitcher and some tater tots. I won’t be there for long, because I have to get out to Ragtime out in Courthouse where my band is presenting an epic tribute to Hootie and the Blowfish’sCracked Rear View. We’ll play other stuff, too. Promise. I’m getting on a plane to go join my family for the rest of the weekend, but rest assured that if I were to stay in town, I’d have Screwtop’s Easter Brunch as one of my top priorities.

Tom: Springtime, at long last! Easter is this weekend, and while I’d normally be singing with the Falls Church Presbyterian Church choir, I may just be an observer at the Basilica in Brookland, where a good friend is singing as part of Holy Week services.  As for Easter Brunch, with the teeming hordes descending upon all of my favorite establishments, I’m thinking I’ll just hit Eastern Market this week for some eggs and really great bacon and maybe a local chicken to roast on Sunday night.  We’re planning a little themed shindig for Game of Thrones‘ second night.  Saturday, catch me in the garden getting ready for next weekend’s Garden Guild monastery plant sale. I’ve got beds to prepare for some lovely blueberry bushes.

Rachel: Well as luck would have it, I won one of those Sign of the Whale happy hour specials, so that will be my Friday night in a nutshell. If you feel like maximizing on drink specials between 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. in Dupont Circle, just say you’re with Rachel when checking in Sign of the Whale’s front door. Drink specials include $3 mixed drinks and domestic beers. Saturday be the start of my summer-long effort of getting outside and getting active by exploring the various trails DC has to offer. The first trail I will be exploring is the trail inside Montrose Park/Rock Creek Park starting at Massachusetts Avenue and Waterside Drive. I’ve passed it every day on my way to work since August 2009 so I think it’s time to check it out. Sunday will likely include the standard brunch affair at a TBA restaurant. I used to frequent Morty’s but now that it’s gone I may have to settle for Booeymonger in Friendship Heights for my bagel and lox fix.

Photo courtesy of
‘Easter Egg Hunt 2’
courtesy of ‘UrsulaAntares’

Jenn: Thunderstorms, thunderstorms. Rain, rain. I am so tired of the forecast it makes me cry. So I’m tempted if the weekend is a wash to hit the peaceful sanctuary of the Jefferson Hotel this Saturday for the first in a series of wine classes with sommelier Michael Scaffidi. From 2:30-4pm for $75 you can learn the “black magic secrets” of an expert in the intimate elegance of their wine cellar. Or I might splurge on sanctuary of a different kind, a deep tissue massage at Celadon Spa. Failing that, it might be a sojourn to the cool interiors of the Corcoran to see the new permanent collection of modern and contemporary art since 1945 and the NEXT exhibit of the BFA Class of 2011. Wherever I end up, my trusty red umbrella will be fused to my hand.

Rebecca J.: Friday I had plans to hit up a happy hour at Ireland’s Four Courts, but with their kitchen fire yesterday those plans may be on hold. Saturday I’ve got footie match in the morning, after which I’m picking up some watercolors and tints to make Easter eggs. Saturday evening, I’ll hit up Kitchen to sip on some bourbon and sample their mixed slider plate (beef, chicken and crabcake.) Sunday, it’s off to church and then Easter Sunday brunch with the family at Cafe Deluxe in Bethesda. Eggs Benedict? Yes please! A little Game of Thrones to end the day and I’ve had one heck of good weekend.

Patrick Pho: Saturday during the day I’ll be picking up some last minute items for the Helen Hayes awards on Monday. With the help of BrittanyI got some sweet threads for the big night (spoiler: I’ll have a bow-tie!) Saturday night I’ll be reviewing MetroStage‘s The Real Inspector Hound, most likely followed by a night out in Old Town- any suggestions of places to hit up from the gallery would be appreciated! Sunday I’m capping off the weekend with a game up in Camden Yards, to celebrate a special birthday.

Photo courtesy of
‘Saturday’s Picnic’
courtesy of ‘Carly & Art’

Marissa: In a perfect world, I’d take this Friday off to go to the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra’s Jazz on the Mall and listen to some college jazz bands play. But since that’s not really an option for me, I’m hoping to indulge my music craving with a martini and some live music at Utopia. Saturday, I’m heading to the Lamont Bishop Gallery to check out their exhibit of polaroid photos (no, you don’t have to be a hipster to have an affection for polaroids). Keeping with the theme of satisfying my craving for live music, I’ll be checking out Jukebox the Ghost at the Black Cat on Saturday night. It makes me so happy to see how far they’ve come from the days of playing spring fling at GWU and I always have a dancin’ good time at their shows.

Fedward: Like P-Pho I’ll be attending the Helen Hayes Awards on Monday, but unlike him I already have my outfit. So without any clothes shopping required, I’ll have a laid back weekend. There might be a stop by the Apple Store for some accessories for my new MacBook Air, and maybe another stop at Pro Photo so I can eyeball a new Crumpler bag (anybody have a suggestion for SLR body, two prime lenses, an 11″ MBA, and assorted widgets? Comment below!). Sunday could very possibly include the usual brunch at Passenger, because why not? Other than that the Social Chair and I have been looking forward to trying Hill Country, and it’s never not a good time to go by Ercilia’s for tacos and pupusas.

Tiff: It’s Easter, and I’m Italian, so this weekend basically revolves around church and my kitchen, which I have come to believe are really two pieces of a larger whole. Saturday is Easter Vigil, which means Easter bread, which I will have entirely too much of and need to share with my neighbors.

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Weekend Flashback, 4/16-4/17 http://www.welovedc.com/2011/04/18/weekend-flashback-416-417/ Mon, 18 Apr 2011 13:00:41 +0000 http://www.welovedc.com/?p=68462 Photo courtesy of
‘Wat Thai D.C. Nang Songkran’
cou

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Photo courtesy of
‘Wat Thai D.C. Nang Songkran’
courtesy of ‘jeffmorg’

Tornadoes. Sun. Drinking on patios. Rain falling sideways. Did this weekend give anyone else weather whiplash? Here it is, Monday morning, and I’m still feeling a little disoriented. Time to look at some photos while the caffeine hits the ol’ bloodstream…

Photo courtesy of
‘1955 500 Mondial Scaglietti Spyder Series II’
courtesy of ‘Danilo.Lewis|Fotography’

Photo courtesy of
‘Oh the embarassment!’
courtesy of ‘yostinator’

Photo courtesy of
‘mysterious blue light’
courtesy of ‘Lauren PM’

Photo courtesy of
‘Texture is………..’
courtesy of ‘LaTur’

Photo courtesy of
‘Franciscan Monastery’
courtesy of ‘MichaelTRuhl’

Photo courtesy of
‘Ring of Fire’
courtesy of ‘pablo.raw’

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We Love Weekends, April 16-17 http://www.welovedc.com/2011/04/14/we-love-weekends-april-16-17/ Thu, 14 Apr 2011 17:00:33 +0000 http://www.welovedc.com/?p=68314 Photo courtesy of
‘102/365’
courtesy of ‘ek

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Photo courtesy of
‘102/365’
courtesy of ‘ekelly80’

Patrick Palafox: I am pretty excited about this weekend. I’m planning on checking out the Cool Dudes Hanging Out show happening over at theVelvet Lounge this Friday. I have been listening to Mike Lawrence’s podcast Nerd of Mouth and already know that he will make me laugh. Then on Saturday I shall consume Cake with my ears at the 9:30 Club. The last time I saw Cake was at a music festival in Austin and I was super far away. I thought that I would never have a chance to see them again, but now I do.

Marissa: Friday night one of my good guy friends is in town, so I’m hoping a bunch of us will “bro” it out at Meridian Pint for the release of DC Brau, the city’s first production beer in more than 50 years. Saturday night I’ll be listening to five local bands at GWU, when my old community service sorority throws their 5th Annual Battle of the Bands. The proceeds from the raffle ticket sales and admission all go to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Should be a great concert for a great cause!

Dave: This sunny weather is here for the weekend, right? It’s looking like a sports-filled weekend for me. I’ll be Caps watching on Friday night up on the roof at Cleveland Park Bar & Grill (side note: I know it’s no local flavor, but I’m decently excited that Sam Adams Summer will be plentiful in the District come this weekend, so I will be having several). Saturday, if all goes according to plan, I’ll be at Nats Park for the afternoon game with the Brewers before a friend’s 80s themed bacon party (It’s called the Cure…get it?), and I’ll close the weekend off with the opening match of my team’s soccer season.

Photo courtesy of
‘Platypus Kite’
courtesy of ‘kimberlyfaye’

Rachel: The one weekend I leave town exciting things are happening at Nationals Park. Go figure. I’ll be Chicago visiting with family but if I wasn’t in the Windy City you better believe I would find myself taste testing the Navy Yard’s newest biergarten Das Bullpen since it looks like they might have a tad more space than their counterpart, The Bullpen, further down on Half Street. Nyjer Morgan makes his first trip back to Washington since being traded to the Milwaukee Brewers just before the start of the 2011 season. Fans can also look forward to seeing catcher Wil Nieves back again as well. It should be a welcomed change the Nats fans who braved the Phillies series this week. I wonder who will show up to the park, Tony Plush or Nyjer Morgan. There’s only one way to find out…

Tom: My weekend is going to start this evening at Nationals Park, where I’ll get to test drive my new Eephus League Scorebook against the Phillies.  Tomorrow night, you can expect to see me at the launch of DC Brau at Meridian Pint, before a private beer party to well-wish a friend who’s packing up and heading for the left coast.  Saturday, nursing my hangover with labor, I’ll be planting 60 trees with the Greater Brookland Garden Club, the Brookland Neighborhood Civic Association and Casey Trees over at Turkey Thicket, before heading home to dig up a garden bed for the upcoming Monastery Plant Sale two weekends hence.  Sunday it’s back to Nationals Park to watch the return of former Nationals Wil Nieves (yay!) and Nyjer Morgan (boo!) to the DC area.  Then it’s home to fire up the grill and maybe cook some roo steaks from Let’s Meat on the Avenue.

Addison: This looks to be another busy weekend filled with two of my favorite things ever: spring weather and playoff hockey. Getting an early start tonight, I’m heading to my first baseball game of the year at Nationals Park. Friday, I will be putting on my skinny jeans and thick glasses (not really) and heading over to H Street to check out the new Queen Vic. Hopefully, I can convince them to switch at least one TV from quidditch or lawn bowling or cricket (or whatever other imaginary sports they watch) to hockey so I can watch the Red Palace, and some late-night Sticky Rice. Saturday, if I’m fully recovered, will potentially involve a trip out to Dulles for The Nation’s Gun Show in the morning, followed by a stint at Churchkey in the afternoon and Lucky Bar at night for some Dupont shenanigans. Sunday, it will be back to Churchkey (oh darn) for Bill Couch’s goodbye party and then some kickball on The Mall and flipping of cups at My Brother’s Place. Whew.

Photo courtesy of
‘Lettuce’
courtesy of ‘yostinator’

Rebecca J: Friday evening I’ll be taking it to the rooftop at Surfside for some margaritas, fish tacos and guacamole, before it’s early to bed for me as I’ll be up bright and early Saturday to head to Baltimore for Privateer Day. The event celebrates the rich maritime history of Fells Point and U.S. Privateers, individuals and ships authorized by the US government by letters of marque to attack foreign shipping during the War of 1812. These sailors were of great benefit to our smaller naval power as it faced the vastly larger British fleet. The highlight of the day will be a live gun battle between the Pride of Baltimore II and other privateer vessels. Saturday evening, I’ll be back in DC, and headed to the W Hotel’s Living Room for a classy cocktail before hitting up the Taste of the South (TOTS), a black tie fundraising soiree that brings some “southern hospitality” to Washington, D.C.  Sunday, the National Cathedral lawn and I have a date with a blanket, book and a nap.

Patrick Pho: Tomorrow I have a completely free day from work, which means my weekend will start with some Northside Social with my neighbor/Gen-Y blogger superstar. Friday night I’ll be checking out yet another performance of the Fighting Improv Smackdown Tournament, it was so good I’m throwing down my own cash to see it! Saturday should be a the only iffy day of the weekend weather-wise, but that won’t stop me from attending a BBQ up in Frederick. That night I might make an appearance at Café Citron. If so please do not dance with me- I’m terrible. Closing out the weekend hopefully with a performance of the Real Inspector Hound over at MetroStage.

Fedward: Friday I’m totally not frantically finishing my taxes and trying to figure out where to mail them. I’m more organized than that. Slightly. Saturday we plan to feather the nest, doing laundry, getting the patio furniture out of storage, and maybe running up to IKEA. Sunday I’m not ashamed to say we’re going to see Michael Feinstein’s WPAS show at the Kennedy Center. Live singing! Real instruments! No auto-tune!

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Early voting for special election http://www.welovedc.com/2011/04/12/early-voting-for-special-election/ Tue, 12 Apr 2011 05:30:48 +0000 http://www.welovedc.com/?p=68026 Photo courtesy of
‘VOTE’
courtesy of ‘never

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Photo courtesy of
‘VOTE’
courtesy of ‘nevermindtheend’

The early absentee-in-person voting for the April 26th special election has begun. If you need to vote early (or just want to get your civic duty done early) you can visit the Board of Elections and Ethics office at One Judiciary Square to vote between 8:30 AM and 8:00 PM Monday-Saturday, and 12:30 PM 5:30 PM on Sunday, April 17th.

Note that due to budget constraints, this isn’t like the early voting from the regular election and primary. Those were standard votes, counted more or less with everything else, but these are absentee votes that will be counted later.

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We Love Weekends, April 9-10 http://www.welovedc.com/2011/04/07/we-love-weekends-april-9-10/ http://www.welovedc.com/2011/04/07/we-love-weekends-april-9-10/#comments Thu, 07 Apr 2011 17:00:45 +0000 http://www.welovedc.com/?p=67769 Photo courtesy of
‘field of magnolias’
courtesy of

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Photo courtesy of
‘field of magnolias’
courtesy of ‘ekelly80’

Patrick: I am starting my weekend early with Tacos are a well known We Love DC household. Friday I will be lending a hand with the Arlington Player’s production of 42nd Street. Saturday I will be celebrating a birthday at a new Sports bar on U Street: Touchdown. I will be ending my weekend at Signature Theatre to review their production of Art. That’s how I do my weekends: fast and furious.

Marissa: After a whirlwind week, I’m hoping to achieve my usual lofty weekend aspiration of getting a little culture and some good food. This week marked the start of the 25th annual Filmfest DC and so Friday or Saturday I’m planning on catching an Italian film, Loose Cannons. Filmfest DC runs until April 17th and you get tickets for just $11. Saturday afternoon I’ll be checking out Pleasant Pops Popapalooza in Mt. Pleasant which is running from 11 am until 3 pm. There will be live music with local DC bands, and the Big Cheese Truck and PORC Mobile will also be there. Here’s to hoping it’s sunny and warm!

Addison: My weekend looks to start off classy and go rapidly downhill from there. Friday evening I’ve got an induction ceremony for the Pi Alpha Alpha public administration honor society at George Mason University in Fairfax. Friday night my kickball league has its season-opening party at My Brother’s Place in Capitol Hill. Saturday, I’m gonna need some recovery time, which will involve eating Ethiopian food with my fingers at Merkamo Saturday afternoon. Saturday night, I will be at the Puck Buddies Capitals viewing party at Nellie’s on U St. Sunday, I will be back at My Brother’s Place for brunch (with all you can drink mimosas!) followed by the first kickball game of the season, as long as the weather is good.

Photo courtesy of
‘Buddhas For Sale’
courtesy of ‘MichaelTRuhl’

Michael: If you knew me at all by now dear readers, then my weekend plans would be obvious. The amazing Bardo Pond are playing the Black Cat on Sunday night. It is the first time they have played in DC in FOREVER. As if that wasn’t enough to get my music geek ass in gear…they are playing on the BC Backstage! Yeah, you read that right. Crazy good band playing in a crazy tiny room on a crazy small stage? Sign me up.

Rebecca J.: Friday I’m making the long trek over to Capitol Hill for a cocktail hour at a friend’s house after which we’ll head over to the Hawk ‘n’ Dove, DC’s oldest Irish bar, to cap off the night. Saturday, I’ve got anearly morning footie match for my all women’s WAWSL team, FYI teams are still looking for players of any skill level. Then it’s on to a wedding ceremony and reception that will feature tons of Georgetown Cupcakes, of which I will be targeting the Chocolate Ganache. Sunday, if I’m not hurting too much, I have another morning soccer match, after which I’ll peruse the Georgetown Flea Market. Sunday afternoon, I’m subbing forWLDC’s Rachel in her Glover Park Co-ed Softball game. Looking forward to pulling the mitt out of closet and dusting it off. That evening, I’ll be crashing. Crashing hard.

Dave: With my friends The Bandylions rocking out at Austin Grill on Friday night, methinks I’ll head down the blue line to Alexandria and spend an evening in the Commonwealth. Saturday, I’m waking up to join my Alumni association as we participate in our school’s national day of service by doing some cleaning and yard work out at Community Residences in Arlington. After that, if energy exists and the weather is nice, I’m hoping to get to the United-Galaxy game at RFK, and topping off the weekend swinging the bats out at the cages at Upton Hill Regional Park.

Photo courtesy of
‘Spring Forward’
courtesy of ‘ajemm’

Tiff: After conducting the aforementioned Taco Night, I’ll be looking to spend the weekend off my feet. Since I have spent all week willing spring into existence by wearing warm-weather clothes and ignoring the shivering as I wait for the bus, I’d like to go see what’s left of the cherry blossoms. You know, what didn’t get pounded off the trees in the thunderstorm and subsequently frozen to the sidewalk around the Tidal Basin.  Perhaps the Arboretum fared better.

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Community coaches: Be a fitness inspiration http://www.welovedc.com/2011/04/05/community-coaches-be-a-fitness-inspiration/ Tue, 05 Apr 2011 16:00:58 +0000 http://www.welovedc.com/?p=67659 Photo courtesy of
‘not a mass “YMCA” singalo

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Photo courtesy of
‘not a mass “YMCA” singalong’
courtesy of ‘philliefan99’

The DC Department of Health is launching a media campaign called “Live Well DC!” and they need 8 spokesmodels. But not just any run-of-the-mill, perfectly-toned, dazzling-smile spokesmodels, oh no.

DoH is looking for volunteers to serve as Community Coaches. Eight people who “represent the city’s diversity” and who want to increase their physical activity will be featured in the citywide campaign designed to inspire DC residents to get up and move with them.

The casting call says they’re looking for “all shapes and sizes,” and the profile sheet indicates that they’re pretty serious about that, so if this sounds like fun, the casting call is this Saturday from 11-3 at the Old Council Chambers near the Judiciary Square Metro.

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Dispatches from Ward 5: High Density Edition http://www.welovedc.com/2011/03/21/dispatches-from-ward-5-high-density-edition/ http://www.welovedc.com/2011/03/21/dispatches-from-ward-5-high-density-edition/#comments Mon, 21 Mar 2011 15:00:18 +0000 http://www.welovedc.com/?p=66343 Photo courtesy of

courtesy of ‘TomLeGro’

I…

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Photo courtesy of

courtesy of ‘TomLeGro’

If you’ve ever been to Rustik in Bloomingdale, you’ve probably noticed that it has this big, gorgeous patio… with nothing but firewood on it. Rustik has a voluntary agreement with the Bloomingdale Civic Association allowing patio seating for reduced hours, but has not yet secured the public space permit required to actually seat people outside. The hearing with the Public Space Management Administration is on March 24, and neighbors are writing letters in support of Rustik’s petition to Juan Amaya at the Space Permit Office.

In Brookland, the 901 Monroe project is moving along through the hearing process. On March 14th, the Zoning Commission held a setdown hearing on the project. The commission seems generally in favor of the idea, but would like to consider setting down a version of the plan with zoning that would restrict its height further. The Commission has asked for a number of additional documents: shade studies  on how the proposed development will affect the surrounding area, perspective drawings of how it will look from various points around the neighborhood (12th Street retail, the Metro station, etc.), as well as a copy of the Brookland Small Area Plan. The developers have until tomorrow to turn in this information and the Commission will consider the issue again at their March 28 meeting.

Meanwhile, ANC5A has nominated the Colonel Brooks Tavern building and the neighboring houses for historic designation, which would effectively halt all progress on the 901 Monroe Street development. The Historic Preservation Review Board meets this week, but it seems the nomination will be heard next month. For those of you interested in the debate around the use of historic designation to halt development and the issues that arise from it, I direct your attention to this Greater Greater Washington post and its comments.

ANC Carolyn Steptoe of Single Member District 5A07, the SMD which encompasses the 901 Monroe project and the neighbors most directly affected, held a meeting of her SMD on Saturday for 5 hours. Steptoe invited Barbara Kahlow, DC zoning expert, to speak on how neighbors can navigate and work within the zoning process to achieve the desired result. Kahlow accuses the 901 Monroe developers of thinking they can steamroll un-savvy Brooklanders, but ran the risk of alienating the crowd when she called the Welcome to Brookland bridge mural “dreadful graffiti.” The gasps in the room were audible– that mural is pretty well-loved, including by this Brooklander. Many thanks to Brookland Avenue and Jason Lloyd Clement for their invaluable Twitter-reporting from the meeting.

Photo courtesy of
‘Welcome to Brookland’
courtesy of ‘tbridge’

In Eckington, there’s great consternation (and more than a little punchiness) over the development of a project called “Alexan NoMa West.” The 600+ unit development is being built on a privately-owned field that had been used as a dog park by residents of Eckington. Despite being a residential development in the Eckington neighborhood, it’s being called “NoMa” because it’s within the boundaries of the NoMa Business Improvement District, and was to be called “West” because it’s on the western side of Harry Thomas Way. Phase 2 of the project (NoMa East) was to be on the east side. Now that NoMa East has been canceled, the “West” is to be dropped from the project’s name. Eckington residents have so far been unsuccessful at convincing the developers to add Eckington to the name. Despite the neighborhood’s history, the developers argue that the businesses financing the project were more familiar with the NoMa construction than with Eckington. (Which is a damn dirty shame, if I may editorialize for a moment.)

This community frustration with the “NoMa” construction led to a pretty entertaining round of oneupsmanship on the Eckington list, in which everyone tried to come up with a more awkward and geographically-imaginative nickname for their neighborhood than the last, such as:

  • NOMAWIE (NOrth of MAss – West Inside Eckington)
  • noma sonhampshirewie eobloomdl

This, in my opinion, is the neighborhood mailing list at its finest; information is shared among neighbors and collective frustrations vented with good humor.

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We Love Weekends, March 19-20 http://www.welovedc.com/2011/03/17/we-love-weekends-march-19-20/ Thu, 17 Mar 2011 17:00:22 +0000 http://www.welovedc.com/?p=66171 Photo courtesy of
’73/365′
courtesy of ‘eke

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Photo courtesy of
’73/365′
courtesy of ‘ekelly80’

Michael: This weekend I will see two sonic titans in concert. On Friday night, I am going to check out DC/VA locals Dark Sea Dream. I do not know how this incredible sounding local band has slipped under my radar for so long, but Friday night is the night to fix that. I honestly cannot believe how unearthly these guys sound. It’s like the end of a My Bloody Valentine concert is where these guys begin! Sunday night I’ll be at the glorious return of Godspeed You Black Emperor at 9:30 Club. A lot has happened in the post-rock/post-metal universe since this Canadian collective defined the genre a decade ago. I am extremely curious to hear how their epic instrumentals sound after all of these years and how they stack up against all of the interesting bands they inspired.

Tom: Friday night, after a rehearsal at Strathmore, I’ll be toasting my friend Genie at the Passenger and her all too brief return to DC.  Saturday afternoon, we’ll be camped out at Iota working away with our crack design team on the next version of We Love DC, before John takes the stage with Juniper Lane in their Live EP release party.  Me, I’ll be singing with Choralis on Saturday night, as part of their Evening with Brahms concert at Strathmore. Tickets are still available for both.  Sunday? Garden work.  Gotta get the beds ready to plant, I’ve got seedlings in my basement ready to go!

Fedward: By the time you read this I’ll be well on my way to visit Fedward-mère et -père at the family estate in Tulsa. There I will honor my forebears in the traditional way, with visits to the Coney I-Lander and Quik Trip, and at least a half gallon of honorary Blue Bell Cookies ‘n Cream. (And a jaunt to the Apple Store with mom). Free of her ball and chain, the Social Chair will also be toasting Tom’s friend (and ours) Genie at the Passenger on Friday, and may well return there Sunday for brunch, as is our custom. Saturday after a work retreat she’ll either hit up DCist Exposed or Dino, or both.

Photo courtesy of
’61/365′
courtesy of ‘ekelly80’

Rachel: Since my birthday is Monday, the weekend consists of prepping for it. Needless to say, I’m excited. Friday includes an attempt at finding the perfect little dress for the occasion with a shopping stint in Friendship Heights. If I don’t find anything Friday then that adventure will carry over to Saturday. Saturday also includes some rehearsal time for my two upcoming gigs (one on 3/29 and one on 4/2). Sunday’s a bit busier with the first Near Misses softball practice of 2011 before a special birthday dinner with my best friend and a trip to The Gibson for celebratory drinks.

Rebecca J: After last week’s jam packed schedule, this weekend I’m keeping it ultra low key. Friday I’ll head to the West End Cinema for the first time to catch the indie film “Biutiful” starring Javier Bardem and directed by Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu of “21 Grams” and “Babel” fame. Saturday I’m volunteering for the Stoddert Garden Community Work Day, where we’ll be building the foundation for the school’s 4000 sq ft garden that will include raised beds for edibles, a herb garden, a native plant area, a shaded teaching area and much more. If you’re interested in helping out, then sign up on the garden’s blog. Sunday, soccer season kicks off with an early morning 8am game. No sleeping in for this teenager ;)

Dave (O’Levy for the day): After a week starting a new job in a new city, I’m pretty happy to come back to DC and catch up on the things I missed out on with friends and bar patrons alike. Depending on when my flight gets in, I may venture out to Bayou to meet up and watch some college hockey with some fellow BC alums, but at the least, I’ll watch some hoops and enjoy the best late night special in Arlington at Piola ($12 pizza and beer, perfect for that Catholic looking for a filling Lenten meat-free meal). Saturday will be all about basketball, watching in and out through the afternoon intermixed with the United Social Sports end of Skeeson party for Snakes on a Lane.

Photo courtesy of
‘A Twinkle in His Eye’
courtesy of ‘M.V. Jantzen’

Patrick Palafox: This Friday I’m heading over to the Rock and Roll Hotel to see a long time friend perform in the Baltimore based band Soul Cannon. His name is Jon and he rocks the keys. The last time I saw him we were kids and he showed me his keyboard and had crazy skills. I was so inspired that I ordered my mother to buy me a keyboard. She did and then I attempted to make some music, but actually got addicted to a playing a pre-recorded song on the keyboard and would play it over and over. Sufficit to say I do not know how to play the keyboard, but I’m excited to see my friend play his.

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