Category Archives: The Features

These are our features. They come back either weekly, bi-weekly or monthly.

Sports Fix, The Features
By

Nationals introduce Jayson Werth

Photo courtesy of
‘Show Your Werth’
courtesy of ‘tbridge’

Jayson Werth put his Curly W yesterday afternoon, assisted by three students from Amidon-Bowen Elementary school in Southwest Washington, in front of a room packed with journalists and Nationals front office and ownership staff.  Since the signing on December 5th, more bad puns have been published, more hands have been wrung about the length and amount of his contract, and more questions about the future of the Nationals have been asked than at just about any point in the Nationals’ history.

Continue reading →

Sports Fix, The Daily Feed
By

Kobe And The Lakers Dominate The Wizards

Photo courtesy Patrick Pho

It was challenging enough that both John Wall and Andray Blatche were listed as inactive prior to Tuesday’s game against the Lakers. The starting line-up of Thornton, Yi, McGee, Arenas, and Hinrich were quickly depleted when McGee picked up two fouls and Yi left the game with a knee sprain that will now keep him off the court for 2-4 weeks. Continue reading →

The Features, We Love Food
By

First Look: Merzi

PB300265

I think most twenty-somethings (or really, people with good taste in general) have a special love for Chipotle. The Mexican chain is brilliant when you’re super hungry and need food fast, and aren’t up for a greasefest of hamburgers and fries. But how many burrito bowls can one girl eat before she’s ready for something new? (More than you think, probably, but just go with it.)

Lucky for us, Merzi on 7th street is much like Chipotle, except with an Indian twist. Same fast-food concept, same create-your-own feel, but with fun new flavors like tikka masala and chutneys. Also, bonus, it’s locally run and owned, and you guys know how I feel about supporting small businesses. So read on, my lovelies, for a first look at the new Penn Quarter eat place. Continue reading →

Comedy in DC
By

Therapeutic Wikipedia Vandalism

Photo courtesy of
‘shift’
courtesy of ‘nevermindtheend’

The Post’s Dan Steinberg brings us this screenshot of some kicking-them-when-they’re-down-style vandalism to the Redskins’ Wikipedia entry. The comparison of the Redskins’ on-field performance to certain sex acts has been repeatedly wiped out by automatic Wikipedia processes designed to thwart just such types of editing, and the IP address responsible for the edits, belonging to Comcast in Michigan, has been blocked from further edits, but it got me thinking about the cathartic value of slamming somebody on their Wikipedia page. DC is such a target-rich environment, full of high-profile types who have pissed off no small number of tech savvy users.

Without endorsing the sexist and homophobic nature of the slurs posted to the Redskins page, I have to admire the effort the vandal put into it. The most the Washington Nationals’ entry gets is the occasional assertion that they’re not a very good baseball team. Albert Haynesworth at least manages to get a fairly steady stream of vitriol- the editors there are constantly reverting little insults out of his entry. Continue reading →

Talkin' Transit, The Daily Feed, WMATA, WTF?!
By

Blinking ornament in bomb-proof trashcan causes 90 minute fustercluck at Pentagon

Photo courtesy of
‘Christmas 2008 – My Tree – 12-21-08’
courtesy of ‘mosley.brian’

I understand being cautious in a world where new plots to assault Metro riders are announced daily (and that’s just by WMATA! *badum ching*) that you have to be cautious in a situation where you figure out that you might well have something a bit hazardous on your hands.  This morning’s incident at Pentagon Metro, that closed the hub station for 90 minutes during the midst of rush hour, is one case where the caution lead to massive amounts of commuting frustration over a battery-operated Christmas ornament.

My question: why the hell did it take so long to figure out that it was a Christmas Ornament? I mean, I get not wanting to put your hand down in there to pull it out and have something go off, but why not just put that bomb-proof trashcan on a dolly and wheel it right out of the station so that life can go on while you figure it out?

Dupont Circle, Eat Like Me, Food and Drink, The Features
By

Pounding the Pavement in the Name of Chocolate


Courtesy of D.C. Metro Chocolate Tours

There are days when all you want to do is eat lots and lots of chocolate. You don’t care who sees you, and it’s not completely outside the realm of possibilities that you will visit not one, not two, but multiple stores in search of something to quench you thirst for something sweet. As a girl who has been down that road a time or two, it can be a bit embarrassing to run out of the house in your sweats and unwashed hair to blindly search for chocolate. But what if there was a way to justify this lapse in presentability by doing it in the name of learning? If you can make peace with that jacked up reasoning, then D.C. Metro Chocolate Tours is for you.

The tour is in its infancy here, but began in Boston over twenty years ago when a man who loved chocolate figured that lots of other people did too. Not until his daughter moved down here to attend George Washington University did he set his sights on our nation’s capital. They’ve only been operational for about six weeks, but judging from the tour I went on, already has quite a following.

Continue reading →

Entertainment, Fun & Games, Music, We Love Music
By

The Winning Ticket: The Roots

TheRootsP

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!

This week we are giving away a pair of tickets to see The Roots perform at the 9:30 Club on Tuesday, December 28th. This is the second night of their two night-stint at the club. The Roots have been classing-up hip-hop for over twenty years with their live instrumentation and jazz-cool vibe. Most recently they have been holding down the fort as the house band for Late Night With Jimmy Fallon. Their five-nights-a-week gig on Fallon keeps The Roots super-sharp at all times. Enjoy a perfect Holiday chill-out show courtesy of these real instrument playing, hip-hop heroes.

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. Tickets for this concert are also available through Ticketfly.

For the rules of this giveaway…
Continue reading →

Alexandria, Food and Drink, The Features, We Love Food
By

We Love Food: Eamonn’s/A Dublin Chipper

Photo courtesy of
‘969 thanks be to cod’
courtesy of ‘apium’
There are plenty of benefits of studying abroad in England — lots of culture, lots of pints and you don’t have to worry about learning that pesky other language. It is not, however, known as a bastion of fine cuisine. There is an exception to every rule though, and for me the British food that I think of fondly is fish and chips. Real deal, fried to perfection, wrapped in a newspaper fish and chips. And I’ve found no better way to indulge my inner collegiate than to go to town on some authentic fried cod (albeit Irish) at Eamonn’s.

Continue reading →

The Features
By

We Love Arts: Win Tickets to Spencer Finch

Spencer Finch, Passing Cloud, (394 L Street NW, Washington, D.C., July 7, 2010), 2010, dimensions variable. Fluorescent light fixtures and lamps, filters, monofilament, and clothespins. Courtesy of the artist and Galerie Nordenhake, Berlin. Photo: Chan Chao.

“I see the President almost every day, as I happen to live where he passes to or from his lodgings out of town…. I saw him this morning about 8 ½ coming to business, riding on Vermont avenue, near L street…. Mr. Lincoln on the saddle generally rides a good-sized, easy going gray horse, is dress’d in plain black, somewhat rusty and dusty, wears a black stiff hat, and looks about as ordinary in attire, &c., as the commonest man…. I see very plainly Abraham Lincoln’s dark brown face, with the deep-cut lines, the eyes, always to me with a deep latent sadness in the expression.  We have got so that we exchange bows, and very cordial ones.”

–       Walt Whitman, “ Abraham Lincoln,” No. 45 (August 12, 1863), Specimen Days in Prose Works, Philadelphia:  David McKay, 1892, p. 43.

Continue reading →

Featured Photo
By

Featured Photo


342/365 – diego’s by dracisk

Thanks to the cruelty of genetics, my head has less and less hair on it as time goes on, and I wonder why I keep paying someone to cut it.  I could use the clippers that I have and save twenty bucks by switching to a DIY cut, but my love for nostalgia keeps bringing me back to Diego’s.  It reminds me of when my dad and I used to go to the barber shop together when I was a kid, and is a tradition that I’ll pass on to my unborn sons.  In today’s world of grimy lawyers and social media consultants, professions that specialize in manipulating words and air, it’s nice to see someone still using their hands, creating a sense of community, and being a bright spot in peoples’ day.  One day Diego will be gone, but thanks to this photo his life and the lives that he’s touched are frozen in time forever.

We Love Arts
By

We Love Arts: A Girl’s Guide To Washington Politics

Photo Colin Hovde

How good is Wooly Mammoth’s A Girl’s Guide to Washington Politics? Well let’s take a look at the buzz.

The show blasted through the theatre’s box office before the production opened, breaking every imaginable pre-sale record in the theatre’s 31 year history.

The show’s opening night was attended by not one, not two, but 12 female members of the Senate.

A lot of the buzz can be attributed to the famed Second City. The show was written and is performed by Second City talent. Those that aren’t familiar with the Chicago-based Comedy Conservatory will certainly know some of the many alumni that have walked through those hallowed halls. Notable alumni include Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, and Stephen Colbert amongst many others.

The Second City name and the success of their 2009 production of Barack Stars has given A Girl’s Guide very high expectations. Luckily the show delivers everything you expect: a solid sketch comedy show that follows the recipe for a great night of comedy.

Continue reading →

We Love Arts
By

DC Arts Head South for the Winter


Eva and Adele and all other photos by Max Cook

I recently traveled to Miami to experience what is probably the most important contemporary art fair in North America.  As the sister event to Art Basel in Switzerland, Art Basel Miami Beach is held annually in early December, a time when many of us here in DC are ready to escape the chill of winter.  Sometimes called “the Olympics of the art world”, it brings together a vast quantity of art from all over the globe, more than you could ever hope to fully appreciate in four days.  The main fair in the convention center alone consists of thousands of works of art, or at least what galleries are hoping to sell to you as art.  And by “you” I mean you the celebrity, the oil tycoon, or the granddaughter of the guy who built a railroad back in the 1800’s.  Many of these buyers are looking to decorate their houses with art — that costs as much as our houses.

Some of the artists who have work on display may seem familiar, especially if you’ve been to recent exhibits at such places as the Hirshhorn Museum, the Tate Modern, or the Museum of Modern Art in New York.  If you’ve had your heart set on buying work by Damien Hirst or Louise Bourgeois, you could have found the perfect piece at Art Basel to go right next to the Lamborghini under your Christmas tree.  If a C-Class Mercedes is more indicative of your budget, the main fair is more of a “look but don’t touch” affair, much like a museum.  Luckily there are several incredible satellite fairs selling more affordable art, such as PULSE, SCOPE, and Aqua, and it was here that you could find several DC galleries selling their work.

Continue reading →

Sports Fix, The Features
By

Week 13 Recap – Skins vs. Buccaneers

Photo courtesy of
‘FedEx seats’
courtesy of ‘BrianMKA’

The weather conditions on Sunday matched the Redskins mood following the 17-16 loss to the Bucs. Key mistakes hurt the Skins despite the rejuvenated run game and solid defense. After having a 10-3 lead at halftime, the Skins gave up 17 unanswered points to Tampa Bay in the 2nd half. Donovan McNabb then led the Skins on a two minute drive and capped it off with a touchdown to Santana Moss with 9 seconds left in the game. All they needed was an extra point to tie the game and send it into overtime, but Nick Sundberg snapped the ball too high for Hunter Smith to recover and the kick was not even attempted. The Bucs escaped with the victory. The Skins are now 5-8. Continue reading →

Weekend Flashback
By

Weekend Flashback: 12/10 – 12/12/10

Photo courtesy of
‘Bird Lady of Adams Morgan’
courtesy of ‘Photos by Chip Py’

If this morning’s dusting wasn’t enough to convince you that the cold heart of winter is here, the next few days of cold temps will probably do it. Fortunately, we’ve got the warmth of the impending holidays around the corner to beat back the chill for the moment.

So while you’re gearing up for another week – probably your last full week, if you’re a federal employee – use our Flashback to linger a bit before diving headlong back into the grind. You’re welcome!

Continue reading →

Sports Fix, The Features
By

Washington buried by Avalanche; Caps lose fifth straight


‘DSC_9186’
courtesy of ‘bhrome’

There were a few snow flakes in D.C. on Friday, the first of the season and a reminder that Father Winter is just starting his yearly torment.

On Saturday, Washington was hit by an Avalanche.

The Capitals dropped their fifth straight game on Saturday, losing 3-2 to Colorado before the 78th consecutive sellout at Verizon Center.

To be fair to the Caps, they actually played pretty well.

Washington outshot the Avalanche 42-26. Hits were tied at 25 each. The Caps had a solid 13 takeaways. In the third period, attempting to climb out of a 3-1 hole, they dominated the Avalanche zone, forcing Colorado’s young team to hold on for dear life in the last ten minutes of the game, barely squeaking away as the Capitals repeatedly banged on netminder Craig Anderson’s door.

It was a solid effort.

Continue reading →

Sports Fix, The Daily Feed
By

Stoudemire Puts On Shooting Clinic As Wizards Drop One At Home

Photo courtesy Patrick Pho

The Knicks  entered the Verizon Center Friday night riding a seven game winning streak on the road.

In other words they were exactly the team the Wizards are aspiring to be after starting the season 0-12 on the road. The Wiz came back home after a long stretch away from DC, playing the last five out of six on the road.

However the home cooking wasn’t as sweet as Knicks fans filled the seats inside the Phone Booth, making some wonder if this should be counted as an away game. Of course when you play a local big market like New York having a few extra fans cheering for the away team should be expected.

Continue reading →

The Features
By

A We Love DC Interview: Amy Morton of Morton Fine Art


*A Pop-up Project, Pretty Little Things, 2010.


Since art appreciation and collection has historically been considered a past-time saved only for the affluent and rich, it is no surprise that a fine art gallery can sometimes be an intimidating place to enter.  However, a new take on the art gallery in DC, called Morton Fine Art (MFA), will challenge every preconceived notion you may just have about the art world.  Morton Fine Art is an art hybrid – one part traditional art gallery and one part, well, one part anything but traditional.  This month, MFA is presenting Pretty Little Things, a jewelry exhibition, as part of their on going and super successful exhibition concept called *A Pop-up Project.

We Love DC had the opportunity to talk with the founder and owner of MFA, Amy Morton, about Pretty Little Things, DC, and what art currently hangs on her living room wall.
Continue reading →

We Love Arts
By

We Love Arts: Candide


Geoff Packard as Candide in the Shakespeare Theatre Company’s production of Candide, directed by Mary Zimmerman. Photo by Liz Lauren.

Candide is a fun, frothy, silly, perky and at all times beautiful and engaging r-

Wait, have I said “romp” this year? I’m firmly in favor of limiting certain over-used review words and “romp” for sure appears in the rogue’s gallery.

Well, let’s err on the side of caution, shall we?

Candide is fun and likeable, often clever, never fails to be beautiful, and hums along all the way through its not-insignificant almost-three-hour length. The biggest flaw it has is the description that WSC the Shakespeare Theater Company has chosen to saddle it with on the poster: “directed & newly adapted from the Voltaire by Mary Zimmerman.”

Hoo boy, well that just screams fun, don’t it?

Well, it is, and if it lacks a little bit of the depth and gravitas – another over-used review word! – that we often see on stage at the Harman, well, I’m okay with that this holiday period. Let me tell you why.

Continue reading →

Sports Fix, The Features
By

Better Know An Alma Mater: Military Bowl Edition

Photo courtesy of
‘_MG_6239’
courtesy of ‘dbking’

On December 29, the University of Maryland and East Carolina University football squads will tangle at RFK Stadium for the Military Bowl. Leading up to that game, we thought it’d be fun to look past the gridiron and try to take a look at some of the culture of the two institutions and areas. Naturally, College Park is probably more familiar to DC residents than Greenville, but hopefully we can still share some interesting stuff you may not know.

Join us after the jump as we play “Better Know an Alma Mater” with these two schools.

Continue reading →

Food and Drink, Penn Quarter, The Features, We Love Drinks, We Love Food
By

A New Menu for Zola

Poire cocktail by the Wilder Brothers at Zola. Photo courtesy Stir Food Group.

It’s hard to imagine but it’s been eight years since Zola first opened back in the former culinary wasteland then being redeveloped around the Verizon Center. I remember being so excited about the wittily gorgeous space and enjoying a few cocktails and dinner before it fell off my radar. Last night I was invited to attend a press dinner to sample the new chef’s tasting table and beverage programs. With the other foodies at WLDC being laid low by colds, and intrigued by the release of the cocktail menu from Wilder Bros Craft, I headed over to see what has changed. I’m happy to report that the revamp is very tasty and I’ll definitely return on my own dime.

The interior space is still the same spy motif as before, a bit refreshed but left mostly untouched – and funnily enough that look seems modern again, probably because of the Mad Men influenced retro revival. Food-wise, chef Bryan Moscatello’s offerings are now split between a modern American bistro menu for the bar and front seating area, and a chef’s tasting room menu for the back. The latter features a choice between either three courses ($55) or five courses ($69), and it was this menu that I sampled last night, paired with wines chosen by the delightful wine and spirits director Malia Milstead. There’s even a new dessert menu created by pastry chef Reggie Abalos.

But of course, since it’s me, we’ll start off with drinks. Ari and Micah Wilder of Wilder Bros Craft have designed a very lovely craft cocktail menu featuring historical flair by using old fashioned techniques such as gomme syrup. You’ll often see gomme syrup mentioned in old cocktail books – Micah kindly explained the process.

It starts with sap. Continue reading →