Category Archives: The Daily Feed

The Daily Feed, WTF?!
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Dear Travel Channel: We Are Not A Pizza Town.

Photo courtesy of
‘jumbo slice’
courtesy of ‘krossbow’

Tomorrow night, the Travel Channel is pitting two DC pizza joints against each other in an episode of Food Wars. Look, I know all about Jumbo Slice, I know all about Pizza Mart, or whatever, but this is simply not a pizza town. You want a battle? Let’s talk cupcakes. There’s a bajillion of cucpake vendors in this town, and I’m sure that they would practically break out in an alley knife-fight over who was best. Let’s talk burgers. There’s a half-dozen truly top-drawer burger joints in this town, from Ray’s Hellburger, to BGR, to Good Stuff, to Palena, etc. Why not focus on something with real focus for the food community instead of some bullshit lowest common denominator thing? Also, where’s the love for 2 Amys? Or Pete’s? Or Red Rocks?

I expect better from you, Travel Channel. Or did your research assistant get drunk off their ass in Adams Morgan and never go anywhere else?

Hat tip to Marc Benton for this one

The Daily Feed
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Wayan’s poop efforts get recognized

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John Kelly’s Washington has a piece today largely about dog poop and the man who doesn’t love it at all: We Love DC alumnus Wayan Vota.

I’ll confess I rolled my eyes a bit when Wayan was on his tear about the Petworth poop surplus last year but clearly I didn’t recognize the universal appeal of the subject. I certainly didn’t recognize the transformative power his efforts would have: he and Kelly say Grant Circle is a much less pooptacular place now and credit the change to an improved appearance – the broken window theory in practice – and signs posted by the local ANC asking people to pick up after their pets.

Nicely done, Wayan!

Fashionable DC, The Daily Feed
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Shecky’s Girls Night Out

Photo courtesy of
‘Kazuko 05’
courtesy of ‘yospyn’

Do you enjoy spending time with your friends, shopping at amazing discounts, and scoring lots of freebies?  If so, Shecky’s Girls Night Out may just be your idea of a perfect evening.  Experience the newest Spring trends while enjoying cocktails and beauty treatments all in one night.  Sounds pretty good to me!

Shecky’s will be setting up shop in DC at DAR Constitution Hall on Wednesday (14th) and Thursday (15th) — tickets can be purchased here.

The Daily Feed, We Green DC
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Rock Creek Park Now Free of Hair Extensions

Photo courtesy of
‘Rock Creek – P Street Bridge Cleanup-7’
courtesy of ‘TrailVoice’

Thank you to all who attended the Potomac River Watershed Cleanup that We Love DC sponsored with Trail Voice, Friends of Rock Creek’s Environment, and the DC Trash Runners on Saturday! More than 60 people attended, improving our park by removing:

  • 50 bags of trash
  • 38 bags of recyclables
  • 500 plastic bags (yay, new bag fee!)
  • 3,000 cigarette butts
  • Top 3 brands of trash: Bud/Busch, Deer Park, and Durex
  • Interesting items: Plastic sword, old-school cell phone, umbrella, suitcase, hair extension

See more pictures from the event on Flickr. Special thanks to Trail Voice for the photos and the great job with planning! Come join us next time!

Essential DC, Life in the Capital, People, The Daily Feed, The District, The Great Outdoors
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Help Send A DC Kid To Summer Camp

Photo courtesy of
”
courtesy of ‘Chris Rief aka Spodie Odie’

The  Ernest W. Brown Summer Camp, located in Scotland, MD and operated by MPD officers and staff of the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Washington, is in need of donations from the DC community.

The camp makes it possible for children to escape the stress of inner-city living for one week during the summer to experience camp in the country.  For some of these children, it is their first experience outside of the city.

Although The Boys and Girls Club pays for all the costs of the camp, it cannot cover the $100 individual registration fee and due to the economy and layoffs this year, there are more children than ever who cannot afford the registration fee.

You can assist in this effort by making a donation to either sponsor a child ($100), or several children or whatever contribution you are capable of. You can make checks out to the Joseph K. Smith Memorial Summer Camp Fund (a 501C3 tax deductible organization) and mail them to Samantha Nolan, 2940 Northampton Street, NW Washington, DC 20015. All contributions will be acknowledged with a letter for your taxes and will be gratefully received.

The Daily Feed
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Jermaine Dye, 2005 World Series MVP, Turned Down Offer from Nats

Photo courtesy of
‘President Barack Obama winds up for the first pitch 1’
courtesy of ‘sportsreference’

Here’s some news that would have helped President Obama show his South Side support while still cheering for the local club. Jermaine Dye, who was the World Series MVP in 2005 when Obama’s White Sox won the trophy, turned down an offer to join the Nationals’ outfield during the offseason. It was reported that Dye, who has still not signed with a team for the 2010 season, chose not to come to Washington because he didn’t want to uproot his family to move across country from their home in Arizona.

Dye played with Chicago’s AL club in 2009, and posted a respectable 27 HR, 81 RBI campaign. I guess there is a little bit of solace to know that the game plan wasn’t always a Harris/Taveras platoon.

News, The Daily Feed, WTF?!
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Woman Struck, Killed by National Guard Truck

Photo courtesy of
‘The Return of the Ghost Bikes’
courtesy of ‘Daquella manera’

A National Guard truck, as part of a security convoy related to the Nuclear Summit, struck and killed a local woman yesterday at 12th & New York. Her identity remains unknown, as does the identity of the driver of the truck, and the convoy that they were part of. There is significant outrage that such a large truck was necessary to use as part of any street convoy in DC, and I must admit that I share it. I’m not sure why the National Guard felt that they had to use giant box trucks instead of the standard Suburbans/Tahoes/Denalis that they use for security here in the District.

Perhaps the next time they do this, they should hold it over at the Pentagon or Bolling AFB, as those are places that usually have such large vehicles running about?

The Daily Feed
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Fenty backpedals on parking meters

Photo courtesy of
”
courtesy of ‘LaTur’

According to the Post’s DC Wire blog, Mayor Fenty indicated that DC government may have to look at scaling back the increased parking meter fees that went into effect earlier this year, due to “outcry.” The admission came during today’s Council budget hearing.

What’s that? You mean increasing hours of enforcement AND jacking up the fees without actually providing a way for people to pay without carrying huge sacks of change around turned out to be not such a great idea at all? You’re saying citizens thought that idea kind of sucked? Who’d have thought?

While clearly I’d be happy to pay less in parking, the issue for me has always been that getting full use out of a 2-hour meter too frequently requires 16 quarters, which is just logistically ridiculous.

News, Sports Fix, The Daily Feed
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D.C. United to take on AC Milan this May

Photo courtesy of
‘United vs Revolution 14’
courtesy of ‘maxedaperture’

Congrats to D.C. United for lining up a match against AC Milan this summer! One of Europe’s best sides will be coming to DC for a match at RFK on May 26th. Tickets, once they’re available, will start at just $35, which is dirt cheap to see one of Europe’s best pro-soccer clubs. When United has faced European clubs in the past, it’s not been terribly pretty for the local boys, but it is a chance to see some of the finest soccer played in the world. Set aside the 26th on your calendar, this is one not to miss.

Entertainment, Food and Drink, Special Events, The Daily Feed
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Paella Sundays

Photo courtesy of
‘two types of paella’
courtesy of ‘needlessspaces’

The Crystal City branch of Jaleo, José Andrés’ award-winning tapas restaurant, is hosting Paella Sundays from 4pm to closings.  Diners can experience a traditional Spanish Sunday Supper complete with gazpacho, salad, paella and flan for $18 per person (excluding of tax and tip).

Every Sunday, guests can enjoy unlimited servings of two daily paellas including Paella de pollo y setas silvestres, a traditional paella of chicken and wild mushrooms as well as a Chef’s Selection Paella, a vegetarian paella featuring seasonal produce.

This is a fantastic way to spend a Sundays  with family and friends, and your meal can be enjoyed inside and outside. Reservations are strongly recommended and can be made by calling (703) 413-8181.

The Daily Feed
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Bhangra Blowout 17 this weekend

Photo courtesy of
‘MIT Bhangra’
courtesy of ‘amazingarfa’

Bhangra Blowout 17 is this Saturday night, 7PM at D.A.R. Constitution Hall. What’s Bhangra Blowout, you ask? It’s an intercollegiate dance-off between assorted South Asian dance teams, all trying to put on the biggest, baddest bhangra show. Bhangra itself is a traditional Punjabi folk style, but it’s also a common pop style in Bollywood movies, so modern performances are often influenced by other styles as well, including hip-hop. But really, there’s no point in trying to describe it. Behold last year’s winning performance, from Virginia Commonwealth University’s team, after the jump. Continue reading →

The Daily Feed
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BLT Restaurants to Provide A Different Kind of Tax Relief

Photo courtesy of
‘Raspberry Mojito’
courtesy of ‘Samer Farha’

Every year it just seems to kind of sneak up on you, huh?  Well if your taxes are stressing you out more than usual, no worries! BLT restaurants nationwide are offering you 50% off all alcoholic beverages on Tax Day, April 15th.

So if you already know you’ll need a drink, they’ve got you covered all day long.  There’s a BLT Steak conveniently located at 1625 Eye Street NW, and they have a seat at the bar just for you.

The Daily Feed
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Weekend Fire at Eastern High School

Photo courtesy of
‘Fire Response’
courtesy of ‘MichaelTRuhl’

The beautiful weather this weekend was interrupted for part of the city with smoke clouds and sirens, as an accidental fire at the construction site at Eastern High School struck on their roof. Workers were adding a membrane to the roof when the fire broke out. Everyone made it out safely, but this will set the already-delayed project back a few weeks while they fix the fire damages on the roof and the “minimal” water damage.

The fire was a two-alarm incident which took just over 90 minutes to contain and douse.

The Daily Feed
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Willingham Goes Long, Livo Returns, Nats Win 5-2

Photo courtesy of
‘Josh Willingham’
courtesy of ‘Keith Allison’

Josh Willingham ended the weekend on a high note for the Washington Nationals, knocking in all five of the Nats runs against the Mets at Citi Field for a 5-2 victory (including a first-inning grand slam).

Livo’s big return to the Nats was a seven shutout inning appearance was what Riggleman’s been waiting to see from his starting pitching staff – a bit of consistency on the mound.

And all the while, it was Johan Santana on the mound for the Mets. Poor Johan, but way to go Nats. This weekend was the first consecutive wins this season, leaving that Nationals at 3-3 as of today. The last time the Nationals finished a day at .500 or better was April 5, 2008.

Jason Marquis will face Cole Hamels in Philadelphia this afternoon at 3:05. Here’s to hoping Marquis can lower that 13.50 ERA by a few points today.

capitals hockey, The Daily Feed
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Boston Wins in Shootout, Holds Ovie Pointless

Photo courtesy of
‘DSC_6274’
courtesy of ‘Ghost_Bear’

Yesterday’s showdown between the Boston Bruins and the Washington Capitals was everything NBC hoped it would be as their Game of the Week. There was grit, goals, and grudges – all good ratings boosters – despite the fact that neither team had much to play for. With the Caps ensconced in the number one seed and the Bruins in the sixth slot (after clinching earlier in the weekend), it was less about playoff implications and all about momentum-building and individual milestones. In the end, Boston emerged victorious from the shootout with a final score of 4-3 and a three-game win streak heading into the postseason.

Alexander Semin finally reached the 40 goal plateau with a soft shot under Bruins’ goalie Tim Thomas with just over 2 minutes gone in the first. With Semin’s accomplishment – 40 goals, 84 points in a career-high season, it seemed to the sellout crowd that Ovechkin wouldn’t be far behind in ratcheting a few more goals to claim the Maurice Richard Trophy.

Alas, it wasn’t to be. Continue reading →

The Daily Feed
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Nats Get It Together, Beat Mets 4-3

Photo courtesy of
‘7TH’
courtesy of ‘MissChatter’

John Lannan out does his Opening Day appearance on Monday by throwing 99 pitches in a long five inning outing today against the Mets, ultimately getting the 4-3 win.

Game Highlights include:

Tyler Clippard ties his career high strikeout count in a game with seven K’s, no walks (the last time Clippard struck out seven in a game was  at San Francisco in 2009). Clippard also pitched a spectacular scoreless three inning set.

Willy Taveras shines in his first start today in right field knocking in a career high of  4 RBIs, including a two-run triple and a bases loaded single.

Matt Capps (2 for 2 in save opportunities this season) closed out the game with the basses loaded in the bottom of the 9th thanks to a wee Willie Harris who caught a sinking line drive for the win in left field.

Next game is Sunday at at 1:10 vs the Mets at Citi Field to close the series.

The Daily Feed
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Desmond’s Bat Not Enough To Curb Mets, Mets Win 8-2

Photo courtesy of
‘6-3.’
courtesy of ‘NDwas’

Young, hard-hitting Ian Desmond‘s two run triple in the top of the 2nd at Citi Field was no match for this Mets squad. For a team trite with troubles last season, the Mets are hoping to turn their playing around in 2010. The Nationals are feeling the burns of a Mets ball club ripe and ready to outplay the 2009 version of themselves (which isn’t too hard to do if they would just stay healthy), which should make for quite the NL East summer-long battle.

Mock went 3 1/3 innings on 4 hits, 5 walks, 2 K’s, and 2 earned runs. Bruney and Capps did not enter the game, allowing the rest of the Nats bullpen a night of work but also an opportunity for the Mets to score some runs. Mets Right Fielder Jeff Francoeur and Catcher Rod Barajas both went deep twice. Mets win 8-2.

The series continues at Citi Field today at 1:10 p.m. with Johnn Lannan facing Oliver Perez.

Adventures, Business and Money, News, Special Events, The Daily Feed
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Tie Me Up, Tie Me Churchill Downs

Photo courtesy of
‘Ties’
courtesy of ‘bdesham’

Georgetown-based menswear designers, Charles and Patrick, have scored it big with the 2010 Kentucky Derby Icon logo tie. Made from 100% Italian printed silk, the neckties are handmade in the US, come in four colors: yellow, pink, blue, and orange, and feature the emblematic Kentucky Derby rose.

The 136th Kentucky Derby takes place on Saturday, May 1 at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. The annual event features the cream of the crop of three year-old Thoroughbred horses in a head-to-head race for a $2 million dollar purse.

The Daily Feed
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Pay Your Meter From Your Phone

Photo courtesy of
‘New DC Parking Meters’
courtesy of ‘Mr. T in DC’

And here I thought our cell phones already did enough what with the invention of the iPhone, Blackberry, and all those darn apps and additions you can access via WiFi.

Alas, the future of cellular phone use in DC is set to change yet again now that DDOT has announced the Pay by Phone option.

That’s right — Pay by Phone. DDOT will launch the Pay by Phone meter pay option starting Monday at more than 700 parking spots in Dupont Circle, Union Station and downtown on K Street, I Street, and the 900 block of New York Avenue NW.

“We are going to take advantage of one of the most cutting-edge technology to improve the parking experience city-wide,” DDOT Director Gabe Klein told NBC Washington. He said one of the department’s goals is to update the “outdated inventory of parking meters.”

How’s it work? The total time gets charged to your credit card. Then, you can check out a history of charges anytime by logging into the online account you’ve set up.

Get started! Set up a free account at paybyphone.com or by calling (888) 510-PARK. Once you’re signed up you just call the toll-free number, enter the location number posted at the meter and time.

The Daily Feed
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Darth Vader & Storm Troopers to invade Chinatown. No, really.

Photo courtesy of
‘Darth Vader (motion-blur fixed)’
courtesy of ‘Andres Rueda’

So there’s this event coming up on July 17th at the Verizon Center called “Star Wars: In Concert.” It’ll feature live symphony performances of music from the films, narration by Anthony “C-3PO” Daniels, and an exhibit of costumes and props. Nerd paradise, right? (She says, fully embracing her own nerdiness.)

Tickets went on sale today, and to drum up interest (and to get dorks like me to blog about it), there will be costumed Storm Troopers, a Jawa, and Darth Vader walking around outside the Verizon Center tonight from 5-7PM while fans are arriving for the Caps/Thrashers game.

Storm Troopers. On the streets of Washington, DC. Flickrati, I demand photos.