The Daily Feed

Tom DeLay to Appear on Dancing With the Stars

Photo courtesy of
‘The Primary Defenders Go To CPAC’ (Tom DeLay, Center)
courtesy of ‘VictoryNH: Protect Our Primary’

I frequently get the feeling that residents of the Greater DC area are the only people who recognize Members of Congress on the street. I mean, do most people know what their own Representative looks like, let alone someone else’s?  But without trotting out that old “Hollywood for Ugly People” canard, I think it’s fair to say that Washington celebrities are not everyone else’s celebrities.

Which is why it tickles me to no end when those celebrity worlds collide: Former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-TX) is going to be on the next season of Dancing With the Stars. Oh yeah, baby. (He’s photo/bio number 16 in that gallery.)

The Daily Feed, WTF?!

Fortune Telling is Illegal in Bethesda?!

Photo courtesy of
‘Waarzegster’
courtesy of ‘Nationaal Archief’

I had no idea that predicting the future for money was illegal in Montgomery County. And yet, here we are, with an economy ripe with the desperation and listlessness necessary to need the presence of palm readers. The case, found by the Post, is that of a local man who tried to get a business license to read palms in Montgomery County, but was denied, based on the aforementioned law, and has already lost at least one lawsuit in 2008 trying to open his fortune teller business. He’s now requested the help of the ACLU, and they’re listing some strong precedent for the story.

Still, not allowed to predict the future for money in MoCo? How are Investor Place, which sell investment advice and services along those lines, allowed to do business here?

The Daily Feed

Zombies Vs. Real World DC


Zombies!
Originally uploaded by spiggycat

Oh this is just silly. Turns out that our previous entry wasn’t the end of the story. Apparently, despite playing along with the zombie shamble, there was an altercation at Palace of Wonders with a few of the RWDCers and some of the zombies:

An update from the Real World situation. Three of us zombies were at Palace of Wonders afterwards. All of a sudden, two male RW cast members and a camera approached us. (neither were the ones we zombiefied) One of the guys came up to a (female) zombie and said something like, “so i heard you did something to one of my roommates” and “well, you slapped him and he took offense to that”. Then he started saying something similar to “well if that was me, I would’ve slapped you back. You [women] want equal rights so… you know…” He was really all up in my friend’s face as if he was going to hit her. I swear to you this came out of nowhere and felt really forced and random.

You have got to be kidding me. This is ridiculous and silly and so amazingly poor form on the part of the Real Worlders. And people wondered why we didn’t want these guys in town?

The Daily Feed

Zombie Shamble Nets Real World Victims


Real World DC cast joins in!
Originally uploaded by spiggycat

Many thanks to Paivi who sent us these amazing shots taken at the Zombie Shamble yesterday. The shamble seems to have picked up two very special victims, though, members of the Real World cast: “Two of the male cast members got insta-zombified. They were pretty good sports as the zombie crowd was cheering “one of us, one of us”.”

Kudos for the RWDC guys for playing along in some good, wholesome, blood-drenched, brain-eating fun. Check out the awesome photoset with all the fun thanks to Paivi.

UPDATE: Apparently the Real World zombie involvement devolved into threats of violence.

Alexandria, The Daily Feed

Former Police Chief Going to Jail

Photo courtesy of
‘Alexandria St. Patrick’s Day Parade’
courtesy of ‘_rockinfree’

If you recall, just over two weeks ago, the Chief of Police for Alexandria resigned following his arrest for drunk driving, which involved a minor accident. Today David Baker plead guilty to a DWI, which gives him 5 days in jail, a minor fine and the loss of his license. It’s terrible that Chief Baker made the decision to drive drunk in the first place and it obviously sets a very bad example. But I for one applaud his following of the law, after being caught, and doing the time for his crime. Not to mention giving up the career that he had devoted his life to.

The Daily Feed

Put on Your Dancing Shoes

Photo courtesy of
‘Passion, lower section’
courtesy of ‘lepiaf.geo’

Looking for something new and different to do tonight?

Head to the French embassy starting at 6:45 for a Midsummer Night’s Parisian Dance Soiree, where you can learn to tango (yep, it takes two, but you don’t need to bring a partner) and dance the merengue and Viennese waltz. And of course they’ll have French wine, to make that dancing thing a little easier.

Advance tickets are required.

The Daily Feed, We Green DC

Fish Stories

Photo courtesy of
‘Say Hello to My Little Fren”
courtesy of ‘marciadc’

If you still have an appetite for food movies, there’s a new one in town — but only for a limited time.

The End of the Line, which has been called “the Inconvenient Truth of the oceans,” is a fascinating movie that lays out why seafood may soon be off the menu and what you can do to save it.

Originally screened at National Geographic in June, it’s now playing for one week, starting today, at Landmark E Street Cinema.

Check out the trailer for a taste.

Downtown, Fun & Games, People, Special Events, The Daily Feed, The Great Outdoors

Braaaainnnssss

Photo courtesy of
‘On our way to Zombie Prom’
courtesy of ‘spiggycat’

Have you ever wanted to make like a zombie and chase tourists around Chinatown?  Well, tomorrow, you may just get that chance.  A group called “DC Defenstrators ” is hosting a massive Zombie Raid on Saturday afternoon.  The idea is to get a bunch of Washingtonians together and then have them proceed around the city staggering like zombies and moaning about brains.  The raid will begin tomorrow at 4:30 in Franklin Park.  Participants are encouraged to wear realistic, zombie clothing, although makeup and fake blood are strictly optional.  The Zombie thespians will be given directions as to where to proceed and the fun will begin.  According to the Facebook invite, over 500 people are supposed to participate, giving this the potential for epic status.  I think I’m in.

All Politics is Local, The Daily Feed

Conservative “Activists” at Metro Stations

Some activity around Union Station and Foggy Bottom Metro stations today; protestors with signs and petition clipboards calling for an end to “Rxationed Health Care” and protecting “Worker’s Rights.” Not your typical Greenpeace minimum wage clipboarders or LaRouchie card table shriners, though; the attire was a bit too far over this side of smart casual, the protestors’ poise a bit disengaged from the normal DC crowd, and the messages just a bit…teabaggy.

Some Twitter mention of this from radical conservative activist @bradtidwell, who is at Foggy Bottom this morning protesting “socialized” health care. I think I got a feel for the general tenor of the protest when one of the Union Station guys shouted “PROTECT WORKERS! DEATH TO UNION THUGS!”

The Daily Feed

Ford’s Theatre Closing for Maintenance

Photo courtesy of
‘DSC_3450’
courtesy of ‘Ghost_Bear’

The National Park Service has let us know that the Ford’s Theatre National Historic Site will be closed for facility maintenance on September 22 and 23. Also closed during that time will be the Petersen House; both sites will reopen for timed entry visits on September 24.

Tickets are free but limited each day; you can get your timed-entry same-day tickets beginning at 8:30 a.m. at the Box Office.

If you’ve not gone to see the newly redesigned museum in the basement of the theatre, I highly suggest you do. Except, of course, on those days I just mentioned…

Foodie Roundup, The Daily Feed

Foodie Round-Up (August 10th-14th)

Photo courtesy of
‘Pete’s Apizza Caesar Salad’
courtesy of ‘Mr. T in DC’

Ay! Friday, we meet again. How I missed you. My mailbox was a tid slow this week, but no worries, August is supposed to be more relaxed, right? Foodie Round-Up is a bit heavy with coffee news this week, as Mid City Caffe opens, and Restaurant Eve is doing tableside siphon brewing. But we’ve got street cart menus and knife sharpening to boot, so read on, foodie, read on. Continue reading

The Daily Feed, The Mall

Smithsonian’s Carousel

Photo courtesy of
‘Carousel Dragon’
courtesy of ‘Kevin H.’

No, the staff of the Smithsonian isn’t performing the famous Rogers & Hammerstein musical on the Mall (though, that would, honestly, kick more ass than Chuck Norris in a room full of hippies), but they are writing about the history of the carousel on the Mall. If you’ve ever been down to see this wonderful delight in the midst of the city, you owe it to yourself to know a bit more about how it got there.

Dupont Circle, Food and Drink, People, The Daily Feed, WTF?!

Real World Infiltrates WLDC Hangout

 Photo courtesy of
‘Science Club’
courtesy of ‘needlessspaces’

According to @RealWorldDCNewz, our favorite group of “real” co-eds has discovered the host of WLDC staff meetings and happy hours, the Science Club. The Real Worlders stopped in at the establishment for drinks last night, but it is unclear how long they stayed.  The long term effects, mostly “will they be back, and if so, when?” have yet to be seen.

The Daily Feed

Free Food Alert: TACO BELL!

Photo courtesy of
‘IMG_6932’
courtesy of ‘mahfrot’

Okay so get this, people – there will be FREE TACO BELL in Rosslyn on August 31st. Let me repeat that for those of you in shock, as you should be. FREE TACO BELL. In Rosslyn. On August 31st.

The Taco Bell Truck, a twitter wonder, will cruise into the DC metro area and hand out free tacos and burritos to all that can handle them. It’s like people delivering free happiness, if you ask me. Read an article all about the Taco Bell Truck here. And then get amped.

Sports Fix, The Daily Feed

Redskins Pre-Season Game Tonight!


Redskins Band courtesy of Littlerottenrobin

The Redskins start off their pre-season run tonight against the Baltimore Ravens up at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore. While the game doesn’t start until after 7pm, pre-game coverage is alive and well on Comcast Sportsnet. It’ll be fun to see how the Skins recover from their off-season experiences, and more so to see how the critical offensive line behaves under fire for the first time this season.

My bet? Ravens by a TD. We’ll see.

The Daily Feed

Subway gratitude

carmen_lucia_ruby_side

The Carmen Lucia Ruby at the Smithsonian, Photo by Chip Clark

Karl mentioned the Subway franchisees’ conference going on over at the Gaylord and we’re happy to have them spending their dollars in the area. However there’s another reason to be happy about them: they helped the Smithsonian get some great items, albeit indirectly.

Today’s WaPo has a neat article about Subway co-founder Peter Buck and his donations to the Museum of Natural History and the Museum of America History. It’s a neat read and he sounds like a nice guy, as billionaires go. The Washington letter he donated isn’t on display till next year but you can stop by the gems gallery and take a look at the stone that a million tuna subs bought.

The Daily Feed, WTF?!

Crazy Marylander Arrested At Town Hall

Photo courtesy of
‘IN: Union Members Protest John McCain in Indianapolis’
courtesy of ‘aflcio2008’

Most healthcare protestors look like this. Their signs might say they opposite, suggesting that Obama’s proposed health plan might not be the way to go, but they’re still pretty sane. They’re not, for example, holding up signs that say Death To Obama, and threatening his family.

Folks, this is the kind of stuff that’s so just plain absolutely positively off the reservation that makes me hate the debate that’s started, just for all the breathless crazies.

The Daily Feed

With or Without Jared, Subs Will Be Everywhere

Photo courtesy of
’80/365′
courtesy of ‘Giovanni Spina’

Contain yourselves, my fellow fresh eaters. This Friday through Sunday, our beloved city becomes the temporary home to over 6,000 Subway franchise owners and employees! The Washington Business Journal will make you green with envy with this great snippet:

“Picture 6,000 people getting together talking about the relevance of the slogan “Eat Fresh,” and you’ll have a pretty good idea what’s going to be going on at the Gaylord National Resort this weekend.”

Umm….awesome! But the fun does not stop there. The sub convention will also play host for the 2009 Sub Jammers contest with 150 sub-making-masters competing to be the Subway sub-putter-together champ! Brace yourselves for what is sure to be a wild and wonderful DC weekend. I can smell the Subway bread baking now! The hosting of this event single-handedly legitimizes our standing, and solidifies our position, as the top foodie city in all of the land.

The Daily Feed

Rahm Reads to Kids at DOE

YouTube Preview Image

Oh Rahm, you hilarious, mythic, foulmouthed, ballerina and chief of staff… is it possible for you to be more endearing? Rahm Emanuel takes part in the U.S. Department of Education’s Read to the Top program, reading Doreen Cronin’s “Duck for President” to a group of kiddies at the DOE. I think there were as many Rahm asides (met with chuckles) as there was actual text in the book: “Biggest decision Duck has to make? Picking that Chief of Staff. That’s tough.”

The Daily Feed

Read For Me a Line of Poesy

Photo courtesy of
‘jro @ train of thought, in train of thought.’
courtesy of ‘It’s Holly’

This Sunday night, Big Bear cafe will host its monthly poetry reading – a series called “Cheryl’s Gone.” The event, which begins at 6 p.m., will feature poets Zachary Schomberg, Emily Kendal Frey, and Joe Hall. Schomberg and Frey both hail from Portland, Oregon, and have forthcoming books of verse. I’m duly amused by Frey, whose poems include “Recurring Sex Dream Involving Don Cheadle.” Feed your mind, listen to some words, its what Byron would want you to do.