By Tom Bridge
‘Skater’
courtesy of ‘maxedaperture’
Is that you don’t blog about Fight Club. Holly Jones from McSweeneys has a wonderful piece of lush prose about the District’s quasi-secret skateboard park in a G Street warehouse. Read and rejoice as the art scene mixes it up with the skateboarders’ collective and a bit of pop culture. It’s a great read about a part of DC you might not know about.
By Kirk
‘not goin’ anywhere?’
courtesy of ‘philliefan99’
Was anyone else at the Chinatown Metro station yesterday evening at around 6:15? I was, and I was pressed into the mass of humanity unsuccessfully attempting to move around the station. It all started because a red line train, which I was on, had to offload at Judiciary Square, thereby causing a delay that resulted in platforms down the line filling up. I got to Chinatown, got off the train and proceeded to work my way through a human traffic jam for 20 minutes. New trains would come in, but the platform was so crowded that passengers could barely get off and the doors would close before anyone waiting could board. This exacerbated the crowding problem and the platform just got more and more full. I’m pretty sure that no one died or anything, but I was witness to a few fights. The best part: this was just a Monday evening. Nothing special was happening. I really do love mass transit.
(Yes, I know the picture’s not of Chinatown.)
By shannon
‘72145-05Crop’
courtesy of ‘furcafe’
When a neighborhood coffee shop opens, it’s generally not that big of a deal. But when the coffee shop is the first one in the city east of the Anacostia River, it is– residents see it as a sign that more retail growth could finally be coming to Anacostia. So it’s great news that Big Chair Coffee opened yesterday in Anacostia. David Garber of And Now, Anacostia is thrilled that there’s finally a “legit place to go in the neighborhood”, and he tells me that the coffee is worth a trip across the river. Definitely stop by and check it out– you can’t miss it, since it’s across from the big chair (formerly the world’s tallest chair!) on Martin Luther King Avenue SE.
By Rebecca
‘Lolo (Barcelona)’
courtesy of ‘scalleja’
Anyone out there want their own little fashionable piece of DC scandal history? Well look no further then the Harriet Walters’ online designer bag auction currently taking place and run by the U.S. Marshalls Service. Imelda collected shoes. Harriet handbags.
Besides, I totally needed that Louis Vuitton bag anyways. And so what if it happened to be evidence in a $50 million dollar embezzlement case. I’m a slave to fashion.
Auction runs until Thursday, January 22nd.
By Tom Bridge
Tomorrow, when Congress gavels itself back from recess, the 30-day clock on a number of important DC legal measures begins. If you’ve not been following along, you may need to be reminded: Every law passed by the City Council and signed by the Mayor must in turn be reviewed by Congress. Now the 30-day clock is session days, and not calendar days, but best guess would be that the bill would pass out of Congress’ authority by the end of February.
Update: We received an update from the Congresswoman’s office: The 30-day calendar actually began on January 5th with a Pro-Forma session, meaning we’re five legislative days closer than initially reported.
By Tom Bridge
Cocktail
Originally uploaded by abbeyfranke
Fashion-lovers in DC, rejoice. Crystal Couture is coming back the first week of February for a full run of fashion shows called, “Jungle, Jeans, Tats and Tees.” The event will be taking over an empty storefront across from the Jaleo in Crystal City. Bring on the Springtime! (and the models…)
Photo by Malek Naz Freidouni
By Katie
‘Bangkok 54’
courtesy of ‘Amberture’
I don’t know if it is because I’m busy right now, or something, but you guys I’m going to have to admit a sin to you. I’m just not feelin’ restaurant week right now. For some unknown reason, it’s just not ringing my bell, or whatever. It’s a little close to the holidays, and it’s cold. I don’t know. Usually I’m stoked, but this time I’ve only got one reservation and I’m just kind of bored by it. BUT, I feel obligated, that if you ARE feeling it (which, good on you! for real.) that I am here for you. I just wanted to drop you a friendly reminder that it’s happening, now. If you haven’t made reservations, I’d recommend: Bibiana, Ceiba, Poste, Adour, Volt, Zentan, Willow, 1789.
Lisa over at Dining in DC put a ton of energy into creating a post all about the menus and extensions, and bless her for her enthusiasm, cause I just don’t have it. Now I think I’ll go take a nap, or something.
By Rebecca
‘Ripples’
courtesy of ‘S. Parker’
Ever been driving on the George Washington Parkway and seen those mysterious ropes dangling underneath the Key Bridge? Have you ever wondered, what crazy person is rope swinging into the Potomac? Or, perhaps someone has a secret July 4th firework viewing spot?
Well, the WaPo’s Answer Man, John Kelly, has put the mystery to rest. They’re not for bungee jumping, rather the ropes are used to help inspectors “access the inclined portions of the Key Bridge’s mighty arches.” Phew! What a relief!
By Max
Water Main Breakage by maxedaperture
Earlier today I was alerted via Alert DC of a water main break at 17th & P Street NW in Dupont Circle. While I didn’t see the geyser that was reported by a DCist reader earlier this morning, there is still a steady flow of water flowing onto the street as of about noon. Streets in a one block radius are closed and DDOT crews are on the scene (as is a swarm of local media representatives). This should make for a nice ice skating rink later tonight. Be safe, DC.
By Kirk
‘Cop Car in Georgetown’
courtesy of ‘Hoosiers United’
Has the “Georgetown Cuddler” returned? Police report that a woman in Glover Park awoke on Sunday morning to find a stranger spooning her in bed. Upon discovery, the man fled without stealing anything, or otherwise causing any property damage. This crime bears striking resemblance to a spate of sexual assaults that occurred in Georgetown, last year. In all cases, women asleep in their homes awoke to find a stranger fondling them. This is first such incident since August.
By Tom Bridge
‘*Caution* Do Not Attempt To Enter The Tian Tian Man Cave *Teddy Bear Sleeping*’
courtesy of ‘Daniel.Techie{TaiShan~4Ever} @ 127.0.0.1’
This was the big weekend for Tian Tian and Mei Xiang to try for another Butterstick (okay, nothing could replace our Tai Shan, but that doesn’t mean we don’t want another baby panda to coo and gush over) and that meant there was a lot of panda sex this weekend. According to the Zoo, though, all that hot and heavy action wasn’t for much (“competent mating did not occur” – which is kinda the story of Youth in Revolt), and they had to tranq both animals and help them out a little bit.
Mei Xiang and Tian Tian will spend the next 3-6 months in separate enclosures to protect the nascent pregnancy (assuming there is one…) and the mother. Hopefully by summertime, we’ll have a new panda to cuddle. And may I just say, as cute as these animals are, evolution sure is against these guys…just one opportunity to mate per year? It’s worse than having a girlfriend in another state.
By Tom Bridge
In case you missed the NYTimes this weekend, check out their map of the DC Netflix queue by zipcode. Some of the fun is seeing where the dividing line is. DC’s most rented movie was Benjamin Button, that is, unless you live in 20064 (Catholic University) in which case it didn’t even make the Top 50.
Changeling was big in 20032 (Congress Heights/Bolling). Slumdog Millionaire was only playing North of the Anacostia, while Seven Pounds was only big on the South side of the Anacostia. Burn After Reading and Eagle Eye shared the same split. I could seriously play with this one all day.
By shannon
‘no-one’
courtesy of ‘cacophony76’
Another scary Metro-related story in the Washington Post today! On Friday, a train malfunctioned and was taken out of service and all passengers were ordered off the train. A few passengers couldn’t get out in time though, and they were trapped inside the train for several stations with the lights turned out and no way to escape.
The three women who were trapped tried the red emergency button to contact Metro (to no avail), and they pounded on the windows while screaming for help at every station that the train passed through. They eventually caught the eye of a Metro employee at Metro Center, who helped get them out. It’s hard to imagine that this could happen, and I hope Metro is taking steps to make sure that other passengers don’t get trapped on ‘No Passenger’ trains in the future.
‘SR 520 Traffic’
courtesy of ‘Oran Viriyincy’
Attention all drivers – if you plan on heading anywhere near the Southeast Freeway this weekend, you might have a few detours in your future. Part of the freeway will be off-limits to cars and trucks, according to WTOP.
DDOT is in the process of demolishing a couple ramps leading to RFK stadium, so look out for ramp closures after the I-295 exit.
“What that means for motorists is that they will have to stay to the right and take the I-295 exit for the 11th Street Bridges, or exit earlier,” says.
DDOT spokesperson John Lisle says that a good alternate route to get across the Anacostia River would be the South Capitol Street Bridge. The goal of this entire project is to tear down concrete while making sure there aren’t any cars under the bridge, hence the closures. They’re a precautionary measure. Good call, DDOT, good call.
All scheduled work is between 5 a.m. and 10 p.m. on Saturday, but if the work isn’t done by then, it will continue on into Sunday.
Need alternate routes to get around? DDOT has posed the following:
To reach Pennsylvania Avenue:
DDOT has also suggested that drives avoid any detours by taking these following alternate routes:
By Don
‘detergentification’
courtesy of ‘telemetry9’
I cannot help but think that there’s some connection – after only one week of reusable grocery bag encouragement in scandal central, Washington D.C., we get a study suggesting that your grocery tote may pose a hazard to your health.
Via Lifehacker we have this piece out of Canada about a study finding “some level of bacteria” in 64% of the 24 bags checked at random. It’s not much of a sample set but it does raise the question – does anyone actually wash those bags?
At least one Canadian official does, or at least manages to sound so matter-of-fact about something I don’t think I have ever heard anyone say before.
But B.C. provincial health officer Dr. Perry Kendall said reusable bags do not pose a serious public health risk if consumers treat bags as they would cutting boards or food preparation surfaces, and wash them regularly and dry them well.
Have any of you, for one nanosecond, thought of your re-usable bags as “food preperation surfaces?” My darling wife and I made the switch to reusables about a year ago and it’s never crossed our mind to wash them.
By Kirk
‘Elmer T Lee Bottles’
courtesy of ‘SauceSupreme’
Hello, and welcome to another edition of Friday Happy Hour, your single drink primer for the weekend.
Couple being gone for the holidays with a busy week at work and I feel like I haven’t been home in ages. Add in the cold and I’ve got a great incentive to stay at my house for most of the weekend. Accompanying me will be my favorite bourbon, Elmer T. Lee. This little known distillation from from small, Kentucky establishment has won accolades from many connoisseurs who’ve sampled it. It’s a sweeter, mellower bourbon, with a distinct, candied overtone. Some call it toffee, some call it caramel, some call it honey. It bears an understated complexity that reveals a new flavor with every sip. It’s an extremely pleasant and drinkable bourbon. Have it neat. You can buy Elmer T. Lee at Schneider’s of Capitol Hill.
By Don
The epiphany has come and gone but we have this pretty snowfall – does it put you in the mood for some christmas music even if we’re past the season? We won’t tell if you indulge yourself a little. You can justify it to yourself by saying hey, it’s Anthony Kearns – he’s a famous performer all year round. It’s an event that happened at the Capitol Hill Club, so it’s local interest.
Or just butch up and enjoy some lovely music.
By Tom Bridge
Snow covered Capitol Hill (8/365)
Originally uploaded by katieharbath
Awaking this morning to see not just the beautiful dusting of last night’s show, but also clear roads most everywhere was such a treat. It seems to be DC’s perfect snow: Picturesque and quickly gone. Well, it would be if temperatures this weekend were going to be anything resembling above freezing. So, this beautiful layer gave us some incredible shots from our Photo Pool
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By Cathy
‘Emmenthaler Cheese Souffle’
courtesy of ‘Kevin H.’
Ris Lacoste of ris, Nora Pouillon of Restaurant Nora, and Jamie Leeds of Hank’s Oyster Bar along with dozens of other renowned women chefs from the DC area are teaming up to benefit The Ovarian Cancer National Alliance at their annual Gala on February 2, 2010 at the Ritz-Carlton, DC.
The special guest of the evening is Gina DePalma, the James Beard Award-winning pastry chef who is also an ovarian cancer survivor, and the night’s emcee is Wendy Reiger from NBC4.
Entrees, appetizers, desserts – the women chefs are leveraging their specific talents to create an amazing multi-course meal in a festive environment while benefiting the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance.
By Karl Johnson
You may not be able to pronounce it, but you will soon be talking about the coolest street food truck this side of the Mississippi – or perhaps even the Nile (not “denial”, we are actually talking about the river in Egypt). Sâuçá is a new “mobile restaurant” that will be hitting the District’s streets by the end of the month. Let’s recap a few key words that describe this new concept: on wheels, food from around the world, flat screen TVs, wifi, international pay phone, super social media usage and FOOD FROM AROUND THE WORLD. Did I mention this is all on wheels? To this, Mr. Farhad Assari (the restaurateur), I have only two words: YES PLEASE.
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