”
courtesy of ‘ellwoodite’
Don’t you hate it when a friend holds a wooden spoon out for you and says, “I don’t think this tastes right, will you try it?” That never ends well. Your taste bud karma is finally paying off, because Central is holding out the proverbial wooden spoon to you for the next two weeks.

Come to the restaurant at 9:30pm every night until the end of the test period on December 21st, and chef de cuisine Arthur Cavilere will have free samples of a new dish each night for you to try. You’ll have to score for your supper though – diners are expected to rate each dish on taste, presentation, marketability and value. At the end of the test period, all the tallies will be put in a hat and one will be drawn for a free dinner for two at Central. Not only do you get free food, but you might just get extra free food for your trouble. Not too shabby.

Two activists were detained on Saturday when they attempted to reinstate the video that was pulled from the “Hide/Seek” exhibit at the National Portrait Gallery. Mike Blasenstein stood by the entrance to the exhibit and distributed literature while playing the video on an iPad he had strapped around his neck. Michael Dax Iacovone filmed the experience, which can be viewed above. This is protest in the digital age.

The two men were escorted from the premises after about 10 minutes of broadcasting “A Fire in My Belly” by David Wojnarowicz, which was removed from the exhibit last week after protest from conservative groups. Though the exhibit has proven incendiary for its focus on LGBT issues, the video drew particular ire for showing a brief clip of ants crawling over an image of Jesus Christ.

According to TBD, Iacovone and Blasenstein have been banned from all Smithsonian institutions, the former for one year and the latter indefinitely. As TBD points out however, the sheer logistics of enforcing such a ban throughout the Smithsonian will be difficult.

‘Lady Gaga’
courtesy of ‘gerdaindc’

Sequins and feathers and butt pads, oh my. Ladies, if you’ve ever envied the glitz and glamor of a good drag show, here’s your chance to shine. On Jan. 30, the Miss Faux Queen National/International will take place at Ziegfields/Secrets. Billed as “a pageant for bio-females with a drag queen caught in their body,” the event is a way to say thanks for those women who help fight the good fight. According to a statement, “So many women help out with events for the gay community and rarely have a fun event tailored just for them.”

The pageant won’t just be a simple shimmy down the catwalk however. Each contestant will be assigned a drag mother, and will be scored in four categories: female interview, on-stage interview, talent and costume. Wigs, it would seem, are a must.

Admission is $20 and doors open at 2:00 p.m. The contest itself will start at 3:00 p.m. Interested in competing? Contact emperorjohnrichard@gmail.com for more information.

The pageant is sponsored by the newly-formed Imperial Court of Washington, DC, the latest branch of The Imperial Court International. Despite its whimsical name, the organization does some serious work for the LGBT community, raising funds and promoting awareness for HIV/AIDS, social services and youth enrichment.

‘Capitol Christmas 11’
courtesy of ‘afagen’
Didn’t luck out in the White House Christmas Tree Lighting lottery? You aren’t completely out of luck, because tonight is the official lighting of the Capitol Christmas Tree. You’ve still got a big ol’ tree, a lot of lights and a pretty nice government building in the background. The ceremony will begin at 5pm on the West Front of the Capitol with Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi throwing the switch, and will include performances by the U.S. Navy Band Ceremonial Brass.

This year’s tree comes from the Briger-Teton National Forest in Wyoming, with 5,000 ornaments were made by Wyoming schoolchildren to reflect the theme “Wyoming-Forever West.” The tree will be lit every evening at dusk from now until January 1st.

‘00207256’
courtesy of ‘Keith Allison’

Turning his back on the team, falling on the ground instead of pursuing Mike Vick and a general inability to follow defensive directions have left the Redskins no choice but to suspend Albert Haynesworth for the final four games of the 2010 season. The club released the following statement from Coach Mike Shanahan:

Yesterday, when Albert was at Redskin Park, he told our General Manager Bruce Allen that he [Haynesworth] would no longer speak with me.  Although suspending any player is not a decision that a head coach enters into lightly, I believe the situation has reached the point where the club clearly has no alternative.

Has there been a worse contract in Washington sporting history than Haynesworth’s?

‘Ugly Christmas Sweater Party’
courtesy of ‘TheUglySweaterShop’
Ugly holiday sweaters: not just for house parties anymore. On Sunday, December 19th from 6pm-1am, EatBar invites you to a traditional Ugly Sweater Party, where you can wear whatever ridiculous light up, singing, teddy bear-encrusted holiday sweater your grandma ordered on QVC that you’ve never taken out of the package.

For your humiliation, EatBar will be screening the holiday classic, “A Christmas Story” and whipping up holiday cocktails such as a spiked peppermint patty cocoa and a housemade apple-infused bourbon. If you prefer to eat your embarrassment instead of drink it away, there will also be plenty of snacks like popcorn and candy canes passed around.

Make sure to dress to impress though, the “best” (worst?) sweater and its owner will win a classy Leg Lamp, just like the one from “A Christmas Story.” Because nothing says Christmas cheer like body part electronics.

‘Red Hook Lobster Roll’
courtesy of ‘Mr. T in DC’
Maybe if you Navy Yard-ers go out and grab a lobster roll, you’ll trick your body in to thinking it’s a warm summer day spent on a dock in Maine…or maybe you’ll get frostbite.

Continue reading →

‘2010:282’
courtesy of ‘::FiZ::’

The venerable Clarendon Eleventh Street Lounge comedy open mic/showcase/nerd paradise has announced their final showcase of the year, and it is worth your time.

The Lounge Lizards showcases are usually well put together, but this Thursday, newly-crowned organizer Chris Barylick seems to have called in pretty much everyone he knows– the lineup features Will Hessler, Pete Bladel, Ahmed Huidobro, among others, and is headlined by Seaton Smith (you may know him from BYT’s Family Hemerlein nights, TEDxPennQuarter, FunnyorDie.com, and about a gajillion other places. He’s like DC’s most famous comic that hasn’t moved to New York).

It’s a good chance to catch Smith in a venue less like a theater or a club and more like your dad’s basement. If it were decorated by Prince.

But that’s not all! What with it being a season of giving and all, the Lounge Lizards have made this show a canned food drive benefiting local food pantries, so bring a canned good to karmically pay for your evening’s entertainment.

‘_MG_6811’
courtesy of ‘dbking’

With the regular season of college football concluding over the weekend, everyone finally has their bowl destinations locked down. Right here in town, the Military Bowl (neé Eagle Bank Bowl) will be going up right in the heart of Bowl Week on December 29th, and yesterday both opponents were announced. Maryland will square off with East Carolina University at the bowl hosted at RFK Stadium.

The good news for local Terps fans is that they don’t have to travel anywhere for more Maryland football. The bad news may also be the same thing: the Military Bowl is considered the bottom destination for an ACC team, and teams that the Terps beat and with worse records actually earned more desirable locales. NC State, for example, who lost to the Terps over Thanksgiving weekend and actually finished the year with the exact same record, will go to Orlando to face West Virginia, and a 6-6 Clemson team actually picked up the somewhat more appealing Car Care Bowl bid in Charlotte.

Join us throughout the next few weeks as we preview and have some fun with the teams and schools playing here in DC. First up will be a feature this Friday on “Better Know an Alma Mater,” and you can certainly expect a game preview in the days leading up to the game.

‘DC Slices Truck’
courtesy of ‘foodtruckapp’
It’s too cold and windy for me out there today, but more power to ya if you feel like chasing a food truck. I will sit here and be jealous of you at my warm desk.

Continue reading →