By Tom Bridge
Happy New Year by M.V. Jantzen
Good morning and welcome to 2011 on We Love DC. I’m sorry this is a little late, between iPhone alarm problems and just plain wanting to stay in bed a little longer this morning, we’re just getting this moving now. It was an amazing weekend, one full of year-endings and year-beginnings, and even better, full of awesome photographs. Grab your cup of coffee and zen out for just three minutes and the rest of your day will be as a zen koan
By Ben H. Rome
In a Winter Classic between the NHL’s top two greatest players, neither had a hand in the game that unfolded before the 68,111 people at Pittsburgh’s Heinz Field or the national audience viewing on NBC. The Capitals, who grabbed two points in a tight Eastern Conference race with a 3-1 win, saw Eric Fehr and Semyon Varlamov show up as the heroes for the evening.
Despite the uncooperative weather, the Caps managed to even the score from the last time the two teams met. The game, originally scheduled to start at 1 pm, had been moved to 8 pm due to a rainy cold front that rolled through the area. As the game unfolded, light rain fell in spots, making the ice less than optimal but still playable; it didn’t hinder either team from plowing full force into the other.
Bottom line, however, was that no one left the game last night unsatisfied. The Winter Classic, much hyped over the last month, lived up to its billing for fans, coaches, and players of both teams. “It was one of the best experiences of my life,” Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin said. “I can’t imagine football players play every game like this. It’s unbelievable. It’s the kind of thing you want to do all the time, go out and play like this.” Continue reading
By Jenn Larsen
‘Chilling’
courtesy of ‘Samer Farha’
We Love Drinks authors Kirk and I were really spoiled this year. In 2010 with wine, beer and cocktails alike we saw a resurgence of the desire to enjoy and educate ourselves in the world of libation. Sure we still like a shot from a dive bar but we also love craft cocktails. It’s not a drunk town, it’s a drinks town!
In addition to the old favorites, a number of new places opened up. We found ourselves covering everything we could despite busy day jobs (it certainly improved my tolerance level. shut up, pesky liver, wine is good for you!). There was the continuation of the wine bar explosion with cosy Dickson Wine Bar, DC’s raging beer love with Biergarten Haus and the promise of DC Brau, luscious cocktail smoothies at Fruit Bat, the rough-and-tumble American Ice Co. – I know we missed a few, and I’m going to do my best to stay on top of 2011. We’ve got burning questions in the coming year – will the winter opening of Jack Rose get me to hang out in Adams Morgan again, or will the Bier Baron successfully revive the faded Brickskellar space (and reputation)?
Anything you’d like to see covered? Interested in joining our merry drinks band? Drop me a line, I’d love to know.
Now, on to my favorite Drinks moments of 2010!
By Ashley
‘Waffle House’
courtesy of ‘Steve Snodgrass’
I learned a lot about myself this month. I learned that white anchovies are the way to my heart if maybe not the best way to a second date. I finally, officially learned that there is a reason I’m not stick thin — because fatty food tastes good. I learned I like whiskey more than I thought (sorry parents!). And I learned that eating at a Waffle House and a Hooters in the same day does not spring me in to spontaneous white trashedness. I also ate a whole lot this month, so it was pretty tough to narrow down everything I loved. As a result, you’ll notice the honorable mention category down at the bottom for those few dishes that came in a close second in the race to the top.
Personally, the question “What are you doing New Year’s?” spurs the infinitely more pressing question of “What am I wearing New Year’s?” For the ladies, metallics are de rigueur for this festive holiday, and with this season’s embrace of “the daytime sequin,” sparkly options abound in all but the stodgiest of major retailers. In short: a shimmery, glimmery look should be easy to come by, even if you’ve waited until the midnight hour to hit the stores.
Your best bet for a strategic shopping session? Take Georgetown by storm in the next day or two (infinitely more manageable and less terrifying than Tysons at this time of year). I’d begin in North Georgetown: pop into Urban Chic (1626 Wisconsin Ave) for trendy, “evening-out” looks from the likes of Milly, Diane Von Furstenberg, and Alice & Olivia. The staff there is uber-friendly and helpful, and the boutique is offering 20% off all dresses from now until NYE to boot. A recent visit on a lunch break had me drooling over a metallic-thread strapless mini by Shoshanna, a silvery slip dress by Parker, and a navy sequin shift by Alice & Olivia — all pitch-perfect picks for watching the ball drop. Don’t be discouraged if they’ve sold out of your size already (a frequent problem there, in my opinion) — we have a number of other pit-stops on our agenda. (Do, however, check out their eye-catching collection of be-jeweled Deepa Gurnani headbands before heading out the door. They’ll add holiday cheer to any ol’ get-up.)
By Jenn Larsen
‘theatre’
courtesy of ‘volcanojw’
2010 was a stellar year for theater in DC.
When I think back on favorite reviews this year, it’s the challenges that resonate strongest. As a former actor who’s “jumped the stalls” to become a critic, it can sometimes be difficult, knowing how hard it is to bleed your heart out on stage only to be cut up in a review. But I believe strongly in being honest and thoughtful about your opinion, no matter how stridently others may disagree with you (and to stay civil when they do!). After all, feeling passionate about theater is an emotion we should all nurture.
Fellow We Love DC theater reviewers Don and Patrick feel the same. We love theater, and strive to see as much as we can to bring you our thoughtful critiques. Though the three of us have different backgrounds – Patrick and I from both behind the curtain and onstage, Don in the audience – it’s the common desire to spread the word on the best theater in DC that drives us to write. We hope you’ve enjoyed our reviews in 2010, and we’ve pulled together a selection of our favorites to look back on and enjoy.
Let’s start with Don (who never pulls any punches!), then get Patrick’s view on his first quarter reviewing with us (we didn’t scare him away!), and I’ll caboose (because it takes me the longest to make up my mind…).
By Ben H. Rome
‘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 be said?
Since that simple back-and-forth flurry of emails with my friend back in August, I’ve been on pins and needles in anticipation for the game coming up this Saturday at Heinz Field in our old stomping grounds of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Long-time readers here obviously know of my acute love of hockey in general and the Penguins in particular. Through the last few years, I’ve developed a grudgingly healthy respect of the Washington Capitals as well and it hasn’t hurt being able to cover the team for this site over the last year, either. Attending the 2011 Winter Classic, however, goes beyond a simple hockey game or even the intense rivalry between the two teams. It’s a chance to enjoy hockey in its nearly purest form – outside on ice – and the fact it includes the two teams of my adult sports fan life is simply a bonus.
By Patrick Pho
Photo courtesy Patrick Pho
It maybe the holidays for many of us here in DC but for the Wizards it was all business as the team was close to full strength after a holiday road trip in Texas. After losses to San Antonio and Houston, the team remains win-less on the road perhaps a return to Chinatown to take on the Indianapolis Pacers would turn things around. The Pacers traveled to Washington, DC with a road losing streak of their own- a six game stretch without a road win.
Well it looked like the home cooking helped. With John Wall, Andray Blatche, and JaVale McGee back on the floor the Wizards topped the Pacers 104-90.
By Dave Levy
‘_MG_6286’
courtesy of ‘dbking’
The third annual Military Bowl (slash Eagle Bank Bowl) will be getting underway within the next few hours, and if you’re either planning on watching at home or actually at RFK Stadium on this balmy December day, you are in luck for the best game in the short history of the bowl. We reviewed some of the cultural background of the two schools involved – University of Maryland and East Carolina University – earlier this month. Now it’s time to get down to the gridiron preview to take a look at what’s in store and how the squads match-up on the field of play.
As a way to say thanks to our loyal readers, We Love DC will be giving away a pair of tickets to a 9:30 Club concert to one lucky reader each week. Check back here every Wednesday morning at 9am to find out what tickets we’re giving away and leave a comment for your chance to be the lucky winner!
Up for grabs this week we’ve got a pair of tickets to see The Pietasters and friends burn up the stage at the 9:30 Club on Saturday, January 8th. When I caught The Pietasters’ micro-set at 9:30 Club’s 30th Anniversary party I was mightily impressed at their class-act presentation and on-point ska delivery. How far these local rude-boys have come from their scrappy “open for anyone who’ll have us” roots. We’re proud of ya boys! Ska seems to be experiencing a ground-swell with all of the national acts that have come through recently, but this show should be the topper as it is a local hero showcase with The Pietasters, HR of Bad Brains, and The Shifters ready to lay down the law.
For your chance to win these tickets simply leave a comment on this post using a valid email address between 9am and 4pm today. One entry per email address, please. If today doesn’t turn out to be your lucky day, check back here each Wednesday for a chance to win tickets to other great concerts.
For the rules of this giveaway…
Continue reading
By Katie
‘Lunch at the Majestic – the Aftermath’
courtesy of ‘Kevin H.’
Last year, when we created the reader’s survey, we found out that you guys really like to read about food. I felt validated, and proud of what we’d created for food here at We Love DC. Pretty soon after that, though, I got a new demanding day job, where I wasn’t able to write much. I let the food coverage dwindle, but was continually bothered that I wasn’t able to write. I racked my brain for a new food writer for We Love DC, and thought back to Ashley Messick, who I profiled in February. I loved her blog From Komi to Marvin, where she ate her way through the 100 Best Restaurant List from Washingtonian. I knew that she had eaten a TON in this city, had a good palate, and a funny wit about her.
After a little sweet talking she agreed to join our team, and I was thrilled to bring her on to get our food coverage back on track. So I have to say, Ashley was maybe my favorite thing of 2010’s We Love Food, but since it has to be an entry, not a person, here are our greatest hits from 2010, brought to you by Ashley and Katie. (Side note: We are, again, looking to expand our food writing team, if you’re interested in joining us, let me know via email.) Continue reading
‘Deadmau5’
courtesy of ‘Max Cook’
Last week I recapped this year in music with a countdown of the 10 best concerts in the DC area. This exercise was so much fun that the We Love DC music writers decided to revisit a few more music-related posts of 2010. This time we are turning the spotlight on ourselves a bit by picking our favorite pieces of music writing from the past year. Rachel and I poured over all of our music profiles, reviews, and interviews from 2010 and we each picked a few favorites. I also picked out a some of my favorite photos to pretty up the joint. Enjoy.
By Tom Bridge
‘Bethesda Football 6’
courtesy of ‘gdudg’
It was an amazing year in Washington for local sports franchises. There was playoff drama for the Capitals, bench drama for the Redskins, player drama for the Nationals, draft drama for the Wizards and even a spotlight for some Washington sports media. We narrowed it down to the top five events of the year: Continue reading
By Max
White Elephant Gift 230 by yospyn
Now is the winter of our discontent. While we may have just narrowly escaped a blizzard, it’s still colder than a polar bear’s pajamas on the shady side of an iceberg. So while you could go outside with your camera gear, brave this miserable weather, and take blurry photos of Christmas lights, I recommend staying indoors and experimenting with your immediate surroundings.
One of my favorite old photography tricks is to shoot something that is completely out of its element, like a fish out of water if you will. For example, this shark should be eating baby seals off the coast of South Africa, not tickling the ivories with his coffee stained teeth. He should be terrorizing other fish in the ocean, not playing “Happy Birthday” on a Yamaha. I blame this odd behavior on global warming, or in our case, global cooling.
So wrap yourself up in a Snuggie, grab your camera gear, and show that shark who’s boss. Before you know it the cherry blossoms will be blooming.
By Dave Levy
‘Santana Moss – Skins’ FIRST DOWN!’
courtesy of ‘Tony DeFilippo’
There are little things to cheer for when your season is all but over. For example, a good one is “ruining any chance your friends’ rooting interest can make the playoffs.” In that sense, you can consider Sunday’s 20-17 overtime victory over the Jaguars a success in the event any of your Florida friends were thinking about January postseason action. Ok, so, technically the Jags aren’t eliminated yet, but, come on, little victories. Skins fans need that.
Click through for a look back at the good and the bad of yesterday afternoon’s action in Jacksonville.
By shannon
‘New Year’s Eve’
courtesy of ‘erin m’
DC is a city of nerds, and nerds love trivia. And 2010 was a great year for nerdy trivia here at We Love DC– plenty of busted myths about the District, stories about monuments around town, and plenty of facts about DC neighborhoods. Washington is a pretty cool place with lots of local trivia, so read on for some of our favorite trivia-related features of the year! And if you’re really a trivia nerd, answer the trivia questions at the end and win a special nerdy prize!
By Ben H. Rome
‘Christmas kisses’
courtesy of ‘ekelly80’
Hope everyone had a great Christmas weekend! If you’re one of the few stuck at work during this week between holidays, we’re sorry. How about some photos to help stave off the boredom monkey? Continue reading
By Jenn Larsen
The Kinsey Sicks in "Oy Vey in a Manger," photo courtesy of The Kinsey Sicks.
What says the holiday season better than a Dragapella Beautyshop Quartet? Rambling, raunchy, rude dragapella, with no pesky plot or fourth wall realism! Singing, dancing, kvetching dragapella – the perfect antidote to any holiday-induced blues you may be harboring.
Through January 2nd at Theater J you can catch The Kinsey Sicks, who’ve been fabulously hilarious since their beginnings years ago in San Francisco. This little variety show, clocking in at about 90 minutes, features belting queens Trampolina (Spencer Brown), Winnie (Irwin Keller), Trixie (Jeff Manabat) and Rachel (Ben Schatz) satirizing popular Christmas carols and Hanukkah songs. Don’t expect much of a plot (the girls are trying to sell their home – a manger, gotten long ago from the Christ family) but do expect to laugh your ass off at some very irreverent humor.
After all, it’s called Oy Vey in a Manger. Continue reading
‘White House Christmas 12’
courtesy of ‘afagen’
Rebecca: The day after Christmas will involve a trip to Two Amys for some simple mozzarella pizza done to perfection. Throw in some oven-roasted olives, deviled eggs with green sauce, salt cod croquettes and this will be one helluva holiday leftovers break. After the meal, I’ll stroll over to the nearby National Cathedral to view their creche scenes which are on display until January 7th.
Carl: I am spending this weekend in Takoma Park with Beautiful Girlfriend. Christmas day will be spent with her family, up near Baltimore and the day after Christmas we will be spending time watching the snow pile up in front of Kramerbooks in Dupont Circle as we sip hot cocoa. Dupont always has a cool energy and if there’s snow, as is predicted, I think it will be just plain fun. God bless us everyone. Or something. God bless hot cocoa, anyway. Continue reading
While I consider my Best Concerts list to be a pretty definitive guide to what concerts totally rocked socks in the DC area in the past year, I think that top album lists are a bit more vague and really only serve as guides to albums the reader may have missed. I am much more a theme-based best-of list maker. I usually don’t compile a best albums of the year list, but I have received several requests for me to do one this year.
I acquire music rapidly and without much regard to year. So really albums are not so much attached to years for me as they are tied to whatever genre or sub-genre kick I am on at a given time.* It was actually pretty difficult for me to put together my starting list. A lot of what I thought were 2010 albums were actually from ’09! That said I did put together a list of about 50 or so albums from this year that are worthy of mention. From that list I battled them down to a top 10. These are not the best albums of 2010, they are simply my favorite. Maybe you’ll find something new here to check out. Maybe you won’t. Readers you asked for it, you got it. My picks in reverse order (along with a taste of each) after the jump…
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