Archive for the ‘History’ Category
Scribblings: Annie Jacobsen & the Notorious Area 51
‘2010_08_06_rno-phx-bos_071′
courtesy of ‘dsearls’
Tomorrow, secrets of Area 51 will be revealed.
Okay, not quite all. But more than you’d expect. The International Spy Museum is hosting a special (and free!) documentary screening and author discussion tomorrow evening at 6:30 p.m. in conjunction with the National Geographic Channel. Annie Jacobsen is a contributing editor at the Los Angeles [...]
Smithsonian Snapshot: Joe Louis’ Boxing Gloves
For this week’s Smithsonian Snapshot, we take a look at the sport of boxing. Worn in his first historic bout with German boxer Max Schmeling in 1936, Joe Louis’ boxing gloves represent a very special chapter in American sports and social history.
While the 1936 match was a heartbreaking loss for Louis, the two boxers met [...]
Breakin’ the Law: Prohibition in DC
Garret Peck (photos by the author)
Wednesday night I attended a talk on Prohibition in DC by local author Garrett Peck. He’s got a new book on the subject, developed as a result of his research for his first book, along with the knowledge he’s amassed leading the Temperance Tour. Much as it is [...]
Inside Operation Dark Heart
‘Nada News by Pepe Medina’
courtesy of ‘Newspaper Club’
On Thursday evening, May 12, join Lt. Col. Tony Shaffer at the International Spy Museum as he discusses his book “Operation Dark Heart” and the controversy it stirred up. Shaffer was a Defense Intelligence Agency senior intelligence officer who returned to active duty after the 9/11 attacks in [...]
Smithsonian Snapshot: Lexington Racehorse
This week’s Smithsonian Snapshot looks at the skeleton of Lexington, the “Official Horse of Bluegrass Country.” Known as one of the greatest racehorses of his day and sire to more winning horses than any other American thoroughbred before or since, Lexington (1850-1875) is a symbol of the town of Lexington, KY.
Originally exhibited in the Osteology [...]
Smithsonian Snapshot: W. Atlee Burpee & Co.
This week’s snapshot of an artifact not on display but contained within the archives of the Smithsonian Institution is that of a W. Atlee Burpee & Company Seed catalog. This seed catalog is from the W. Atlee Burpee & Co., which was founded in Philadelphia in 1876 by Washington Atlee Burpee, an 18-year-old with a [...]
More »Smithsonian Snapshot of the Week: Space Tea
The Smithsonian has started a new project, giving us (and you!) a weekly peek at an object in the Institution’s vast collection (137 million items!) that is not on current display in any of their museums. This week’s artifact comes as a celebration of yesterday’s announcement of their acquisition of the Space Shuttle Discovery.
Space Shuttle [...]
Union Station Birds Target New York
I was in Union Station this morning, waiting for a train and zoning off, when I noticed a striking difference between the Acela’s DC, Philly, NYC and Boston overhead posters. While all the posters feature a stylized Acela train speeding through each city’s unique skyline and all hang from the rafters in very similar positions, [...]
More »Discovery Coming to Udvar-Hazy
In case you missed it, NASA announced today – the 30th anniversary of the space shuttle program and the 50th anniversary of the first manned spaceflight by Russian Yuri Gagarin – that the space shuttle Discovery will make its final home at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center as part of the Smithsonian’s National Air and [...]
More »Bethesda Row Restaurant Week: 04/11 – 04/17
‘Bethesda Lane’ courtesy of ‘Payton Chung’
Bethesda Row’s Spring Restaurant Week kicks off this Monday, April 11 and runs through Sunday, April 17. Participating restaurants include: American Tap Room, Café Deluxe, Jaleo, Lebanese Taverna, Mamma Lucia, Mon Ami Gabi, Parker’s American Bistro, Raku, and Redwood Restaurant and Bar, who will offer two course lunches for $15 and three course dinners [...]
Tourism: Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens
Nestled in Northeast, you’ll find a time capsule from the past, where the remnants of Washington’s natural history of wetlands and rivers flourish. Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens is the hidden gem of the DC area National Park System and a excellent spot for DCers to escape to for a serene and educational respite.
In the late 1800s, [...]
Monumental: The National Mall & Memories
My first physical encounter with the ivory American tower that is the Lincoln Memorial was at the age of 12. When I graduated from my four-year stint at American University at age 22, I maintained and continued to proclaim that the Lincoln Memorial is my favorite place to “sit and do nothing” in D.C.
Its hallowed [...]
Eater Names Fojol Bros To Top 20 Food Truck List
‘Fojol Bros. of Merlindia’
courtesy of ‘Dave Kleinschmidt’
Ahhhh…Fojol Brothers. You make lunch in DC so strange, wonderful and delicious. You are well worthy of your newly bestowed spot on Eater’s “List of Top Twenty Food Trucks in America.” Represent DC baby! Represent!
If you have yet to experience the cuisine and showmanship of this food truck, you [...]
Senart’s Readies for Spring Opening
Xavier Cervera’s Pacifico might still be working to get a liquor license, but Senart’s Oyster House, the restaurateur’s fourth Barracks Row location, looks more and more like a restaurant every day.
When I was putting together my list of 2011 Restaurant Openings, I noticed that Senart’s was originally “aiming” for a December 2010 opening. Of course, [...]
Road to the Winter Classic (Part I)
‘Goin’ to the Winter Classic!’
courtesy of ‘bhrome’
“Hey, you interested in tickets to the Winter Classic?”
It was a question I never actually thought I’d hear. Sure, the answer was a no-brainer – of course my wife and I wanted to go to this year’s outdoor matchup between our favored Penguins and our hometown Capitals. Need more [...]
Missed The Lunar Eclipse?
‘Just a Hint of Red’
courtesy of ‘Samer Farha’
If you were pleasantly asleep last night from 1:30 to 4:30am then you missed the lunar eclipse. No worries because WeLoveDC’s Flickr photo pool, NASA and Huffington Post have you covered with a robust recaps, videos and photos of the celestial event.
The total lunar eclipse coincided with the [...]
American Indians, American Presidents…And a Heritage
‘In the land of the Sioux’
courtesy of ‘Smithsonian Institution’
Ask someone on the street about Native American history and more often than not, they’ll most likely recall the “Thanksgiving story,” the Indian Wars of the late nineteenth century, “Custer’s Last Stand,” or probably the (abysmal) movie Dances With Wolves. It’s an era of our nation’s history [...]
TEAISM to be Carrotmobbed
‘Every Food Fits: “What’s Up, Doc?”‘
courtesy of ’staceyviera’
This Saturday, November 13th starting at 10am at TEAISM’s Penn Quarter location, the Restaurant Opportunities Center of DC (ROCDC) is organizing DC’s first ever Carrotmob to promote paid sick days for DC restaurant workers.
You might say: “But Rebecca, what the heck is a carrotmob?” And up until 15 [...]
Photographing the President
Photographs. They’re a common form of expression in media today; they’re everywhere. To many, none are more relevant or as communicative as those taken of the President of the United States. We see them every day in the paper, on websites, on television. “Pictures are worth a thousand words,” says the old adage; none more [...]
More »Commander Salamander to Close. This Time For Realz
We’ve been covering the Commander Salamander store closing situation since January 20, 2010. At first it appeared the historic and nostalgic shop was closing, yet the “going out of business” remained in the windows and the doors remained opened. Then about a month ago, the signs disappeared leaving the fate of the shop unknown. Now, [...]
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