Category Archives: The Features

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

Sports Fix, The Daily Feed
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United Fall to Red Bulls

Photo courtesy of
‘RFK Stadium’
courtesy of ‘Paul Frederiksen’

Here are a few difficult statistics for D.C. United fans:

  • Last MLS Goal Scored at Home: October 17, 2009
  • Number of Scoreless Minutes at RFK This Season: 270
  • Consecutive MLS Losses: 5
  • Current Goal Differential: -11

Bleak. Yesterday’s game at RFK, caught by only 12,089 people, was just about the same level of bleak that we’ve seen all season. The only change is the names on the field, but the play remains the same. We saw the return of Simms and Pena after hamstring injuries, the return of Luciano Emilio and the debut of midfielder Stephen King, but it seemed to do no good for United, who just couldn’t turn offensive pressure into goals.

The first half of this game was the same traditional first forty-five: United demonstrates they can control the ball on offense and make turnovers into offensive possessions, but at no point could they get the ball past the keeper. They’re not so much making mistakes as they are not taking the risks associated with mistakes.

The anemic offense, and flat-out mistakes by Troy Perkins in goal, combined to put United at a deficit early in the second half. One goal could’ve been forgiven, a tough deflection into the waiting feet of Ibrahim, but the other, Perkins didn’t even dive for. Not making the effort seems to be a team trait this year so far.

Wednesday night, United takes on the KC Wizards, who curbstomped them in KC during the season opener. Here’s hoping they can come around.

Entertainment, Essential DC, Special Events, The Features, We Love Arts
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National Geographic Live: May 2010

Adventures Among Ants, by Mark Moffett

©Mark Moffett, courtesy National Geographic

The 2010 National Geographic Live series continues in May with a mix of lectures, authors, and food. The National Geographic Museum is offering up another two pairs of tickets for WeLoveDC readers, unless otherwise noted. Simply comment below (PLEASE use a legit email address and your first name) with what two events – in preferred order – you’d like to attend. We’ll do a random drawing on Monday, May 3 at 2 pm and get the winners set up with their first (or second, if your first choice is full) selection. Keep in mind that tickets are for single events only; both food events are unfortunately not eligible for the free tickets.

In the Empire of Ice ($18)
May 4, 7:30 pm

For a National Geographic-supported expedition, writer Gretel Ehrlich circumnavigated the Arctic Circle to document the indigenous cultures inhabiting its starkly beautiful landscapes, as advancing climate change threatens traditional ways of life. In her new book, Empire of Ice: Encounters in a Changing Landscape, and in this presentation, she tells the story of her journey to explore the “ecology of culture.”

Continue reading →

Eat Like Me, The Features
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Eat Like Me: April’s Best Dishes

Photo courtesy of
‘veggie roll’
courtesy of ‘Ag-Images’

I usually use this intro text in Eat Like Me to pontificate ($10 word! I win!) on what part of dining out in DC I’ve been thinking most about recently. This month I’ve been thinking more about styles of restaurants.

I would be the wrong person to be food editor if I didn’t say that I love every kind of restaurant, and have an affection for most styles of restaurants. I can get behind a chinatown hole in the wall, and love a simple stainless steel tea kettle just as much as I can get behind a Georgetown patio with fire pits and fancy cocktails. I’ve been mostly thinking about what draws me in and makes me love a place more than another.

I think it’s in the details. (For me, most things are in the details.) I think about the places that I love eternally – Againn, Et Voila!, Westend Bistro, and have been trying to figure out what strings them together, aside from the obvious good food. At Againn, aside from the seasonal, thoughtful food, I love the details of the restaurant – the tiles that line the walls are the same tiles used in the London Underground. The fox and hound door knockers on the bathroom are something I make sure to point out to anyone who goes to Againn with me. And the details bring me back to Et Voila!, too. They serve coffee with steamed milk, and wrap fries in newsprint. The skylight adds sunlight and charm. Westend Bistro’s pass lets me take a look into the belly of the operation, and makes me appreciate the work that goes into the food. I’m starting to believe it’s the little things that bring me back to a place time and time again. It’s the little things that make me answer my most hated question of “What is your favorite restaurant” with a different answer each time.

This month the details were where it’s at. Birch and Barley’s pastries, an addition of wasabi to mashed potatoes at Zentan, and the perfect whipped frosting on a Georgetown Cupcake. Lovely, subtle details are available at every type of restaurant, but here are the best of the best of April. Continue reading →

Sports Fix, The Daily Feed
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Brooks Laich Is More Awesome Than You

Photo courtesy of
’43/365′
courtesy of ‘brianmka’

Imagine for a second that you’ve just been dealt the biggest setback in your career. Imagine you’ve lost out on that promotion, or had a project fail. You get frustrated. Your vision begins to tunnel as you look for ways to make the bad thing better. And you drive home. And it sucks.

Now, if you’re Capitals Center Brooks Laich, you stop on the Roosevelt Bridge to help a stranded pair of Caps fans change a flat tire in your post-game press conference suit and multi-thousand dollar watch. He then apologized to the two no longe stranded fans for losing the game, for not making it past the first round of the playoffs, and hugged them both.

I don’t usually get my heart warmed like this for sports stories, but readers? This warmed my heart a few degrees. This is the sort of thing that cities don’t forget. Thank you, Brooks, and we’re sorry it didn’t work out against the Habs, too. Next year.

capitals hockey, Sports Fix, The Features
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An Open Letter to the Washington Capitals

DSC_5948

Dear Ted, George, Bruce, and Alex:

I know right now you’re dealing with a lot of crap from pretty much every corner because of Wednesday’s loss. So I just wanted to toss in two words you may not have heard much over the last 48 hours:

Thank you.

Those two words are pretty well drowned out right now, given that in true DC fashion, everyone’s getting busy on offering their opinions on what went wrong and what you guys need to do to fix things. And don’t misunderstand me – I have my opinions on the matter as well, but now’s not really the time to list them. I really just wanted to take a moment during all of the hubbub and let you know how I feel as things settle down. They’re simple words, but they need said.

THANK. YOU. Continue reading →

Food and Drink, The Features, We Love Drinks
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We Love Drinks: Owen Thomson

Photo courtesy of
‘Owen’
courtesy of ‘Samer Farha’

We Love Drinks continues our series where we look behind the bar, profiling the many people – from mixologists to bartenders, sommeliers to publicans – who make your drinks experience happen.

Owen Thomson has an interesting tattoo on his arm. His sister points it out to me as we sit at Cafe Atlantico’s bar, while he rustles up a selection of cocktails both old and new. “Abandon Hope All Who Enter Here” scrolls across his forearm, the inscription above the gates of Hell in Dante’s Inferno. Not an atypical tattoo choice perhaps but as the story behind it unfolds, it seems there’s nothing typical about the man now helming the bar at Jose Andres’ “nuevo latino” restaurant.

A native Washingtonian, creator of the cocktail program at Bourbon in Adams Morgan, president of the DC Craft Bartenders Guild, with studies in archaeology and the law under his belt – all this might make you expect that Owen would have a bit of an extreme Type-A vibe about him. But instead he’s completely down-to-earth, with a dry wit and a passion for educating both consumers and restaurants about the glories of fresh ingredients. Fellow WLDC author Samer and I sat down with him one Saturday afternoon to find out more about Owen’s plans for his new role behind the bar at Cafe Atlantico, and what happens when you mix the molecular gastronomy of Minibar with a rare 1950’s cocktail book…

“I want to turn this into a smoke and a fog and they said ‘oh yeah we can do that.’ Cool!”

Cool indeed.
Continue reading →

We Love Weekends
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We Love Weekends, May 1-2

Photo courtesy of
‘Earth Day Concert Dancers’
courtesy of ‘Mr. T in DC’

Max: Since I’ll be taking Friday off this week, I’m going to pretend that Thursday is part of the weekend.  I’ll be going to the Freer and Sackler Galleries for Asia After Dark to eat, drink, and be cultured, before picking up some friends from DCA.  They’re both DC virgins which means I’ll be showing them all of the major monuments, a Smithsonian gallery or two, the National Cathedral, and of course visiting Lauriol Plaza for numerous margaritas and queso dip.  If they’re not burnt out we may check out some of the embassies during the Around the World Embassy Tour.  I can already tell you what I’ll be doing next weekend: absolutely nothing.

Rebecca: My weekend centers around the 85th running of Gold Cup taking place this Saturday at Great Meadow in The Plains, Virginia. If you’re not familiar with Gold Cup, it’s a day at the track with steeplechase races, Jack Russell Terrier races, corporate sponsored tents, tons of tailgating, cornholing, hat contests and UBER-preppy clothing. So Friday I’ll be resting up and making jello shots for Saturday’s bus ride over to the race. Saturday will be completely dominated by race day and debauchery. Sunday will involve heavy recovery and hydration activities with perhaps a trip to Z-Burger for some much need greasy, hangover-cure food. Continue reading →

Entertainment, Life in the Capital, The Features, We Love Arts
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We Love Arts: Helios, Eadweard Muybridge

Eadweard Muybridge, Horses. Running. Phryne L. Plate 40, 1879, from The Attitudes of Animals in Motion, 1881. Albumen silver print. Image courtesy of the Board of Trustees, National Gallery of Art, Washington, Gift of Mary and Dan Solomon 2006.131.7.

Helios: Eadweard Muybridge in a Time of Change at the Corcoran is the world’s first, comprehensive study of the photographer’s influential and inspirational career. Reigning over the field of photography for much of the second half of the 19th-century, Muybridge was a pioneer of the visual medium – bringing together both science and art in a seemingly effortless fashion.  The exhibition includes over 300 elements, spanning from books – to albums – to stereographs (and even a Zoopraxiscope), all of which portray pieces of a process, establishing the foundation of the Muybridge legacy.

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Five Favorites, The Features
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Five Favorites: Vantage Points

Photo courtesy of
‘DC’
courtesy of ‘alifayre’

Washington is a beautiful city, with its grand avenues and grid street system. But it’s hard to really absorb the beauty of the city from street level. Flying into Reagan National Airport offers great views of the city, and even the view from space is spectacular.  But there are plenty of other places around town that offer great views of the city too, so here are my picks for my five favorite views of the District.

Continue reading →

Food and Drink, Interviews, The Features
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He Loves DC: Nathan Anda of Red Apron

Nathan High Res

So I’ve been trying to cut back on my meat intake. Well, that is, until I met Nate Anda of the Neighborhood Restaurant Group’s Red Apron Butchery. Anda shattered my dreams of a meat-free existence and replaced them with ridiculously delicious beef jerky and charcuterie. Every cured meat I tried from his line made me love pork. I was able to whip up pizzas, salads, cheese and breads.

I met Anda at the Dupont Circle Farmer’s market, and he loaded me up with recommendations, pointing out stalls with his favorite product pairings. I rushed home to try them and haven’t looked back since. His products are impeccable, and I couldn’t wait to talk to Anda about why meat, why DC and what he loved about them both.

Katie: How long have you lived in the DC area?
Nathan: Since January 2002

What is the best thing about DC, in your opinion?
Its a smaller city than New York and LA. It’s easy to get around, and I almost always run into somebody I know when I’m not planning on it (that can be good and bad I guess), and DC gets great concerts!

What would you change about DC if you could?
I can’t stand the traffic.

What inspired you to create Red Apron?
I have always had an appreciation for using local farmers and getting in the whole animal and finding ways to utilize everything. Michael Babin (owner of Neighborhood Restaurant Group) and I toyed with the idea of a butcher shop about 5 years ago and once EatBar opened, the menu was really meat/charcuterie based; that’s when the real research and development took place. After traveling to Italy a couple years back and seeing the salumerias and macelerias, I knew that’s what I wanted to do. Continue reading →

Talkin' Transit
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Talkin’ Transit: Wishful Thinking

Photo courtesy of
‘tunnel vision*’
courtesy of ‘mofo’

Metro has a new (interim) general manager, and what follows is my “welcome to DC, please fix Metro” letter. Some of it is needed work, but admittedly, some of my wishes are wishful thinking.

Dear Mr. Sarles,

Welcome to Washington. I hope the city and the mild weather we’ve been having agrees with you. I trust you are slowly learning the ropes over at Metro HQ, and that you’re keeping your promise to ride the system (at least once in a while).

I’m sure that you’ve been briefed by some of the best and the brightest at Metro, already. I hope you’re well on your way to understanding some of the major issues facing Metro, and that you still have some space on your plate for some of the less critical items as well.

Earlier this week, I had the opportunity to drive into the office. It was a smooth, fast ride at 5:30 in the morning. Faster than Metro could have got me there. I did have to pay for parking, and at $12, it wasn’t steep but not something I could afford to do every day. More and more, though, I find myself contemplating paying that every now and again. In the evenings, especially if I stay downtown for a leisurely dinner, I tend to cab it home.

It didn’t always used to be that way, Mr. Sarles. Until the last few months, it was rare for me to cab anywhere. Now, I’m trying to wrangle a deal for parking and taking taxis over half the time. The problem? Well, it’s item one on my list.

Continue reading →

Entertainment, The Features, We Love Arts
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We Love Arts: Bowen McCauley Dance

Bowen McCauley Dance performs to Stravinsky's Mass with the Cantate Choral Singers. Courtesy of Bowen McCauley Dance.

As a young balletomane, I was fascinated by the story of the explosive performance of Igor Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring, performed by the Ballet Russes on a night that basically produced mass hysteria in its audience. Star dancer Vaslav Nijinsky choreographed, and apparently had to stand on a chair in the wings shouting out counts for the dancers, who could not hear the music over the outraged audience’s uproar. The music and movements were so revolutionary, the elite had a collective heart attack that erupted into a riot.

Saturday night I had the privilege of attending the world premiere of a piece by Bowen McCauley Dance, set to Stravinsky’s Mass with the Cantate Chamber Singers led by music director Gisele Becker. Stravinsky’s music is notoriously difficult, but we no longer expect the audience to scream in protest and throw punches at each other as they did that night for The Rite of Spring (though, wouldn’t that be an interesting evening at the Kennedy Center?)!  When Becker approached BMD artistic director Lucy Bowen McCauley about collaborating on a piece of music never before choreographed to, by a composer many consider impossible if not painfully hard to tackle, her first reaction was -“What have I got myself into?”

Luckily, the company was well up to the task. No riot occurred, just a beautiful evening of vibrant dance and song.

Continue reading →

Mythbusting DC, The Features
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DC Mythbusting: Lincoln Edition

Photo courtesy of
‘Lincoln’
courtesy of ‘Samuel Gordon’

Had enough of the tourists yet?  Not only do they stand on the left of Metro escalators and block entire sidewalks with their matching-t-shirt armies, half of what they’re saying about the monuments and memorials in our city is wrong.  The Lincoln Memorial is the subject of several monumental myths, so this week we’ll look at myths regarding our 16th President: is Robert E. Lee sculpted into the back of Lincoln’s head at the Lincoln Memorial?  Are Lincoln’s hands supposed to be showing his initials in American Sign Language? And why is  a portrait of George Washington hanging at the Lincoln Presidential Box at Fords’ Theatre?
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Featured Photo
By

Featured Photo

Photo courtesy of
‘Earth Day 5’
courtesy of ‘erin m’

We get a lot of pictures of objects, places, bits and bobs at We <3 DC. What we don't get a lot of are pictures of people. Stories of people. One of the reasons I like to highlight photographs of people is the story behind the person and the photograph. Erin M wandered down to the Mall while the Earth Day festivities were going on this weekend. She decided she’d find interesting people, shoot them, and ask a couple of questions. And while the whole set is interesting, this picture sums up Earth Day pretty well. From the composition and cropping to the subjects, their hula-hoops and bare feet, the feel of this picture is less modern day Washington and more summer of love Woodstock.

So go out there, with your camera and some time on your hands. Say hello to a stranger, start a conversation, find part of their story. And share it with us all.

Fun & Games, The Features
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Screech’s Birthday Celebration Rounds Up The Kiddies

DSC01722

Yesterday’s main event at Nationals Park, besides the game, was being a kid again. Everyone was in on it – the Nationals in-house staff, press, the NatPack, all adults, and children themselves – everyone. Let us not forget the teaching’s of one, Mr. Billy Heywood: “Hall of Famer Bob Lemon once said, ‘Baseball was made for kids. Grown ups only screw it up.’” On Sunday, baseball was all for the kids and no one, not even a grown up, could have screwed it up this time.

Sunday was more than a ball game (that the Nationals won, by the way, making the team 10-9/1.5 games behind the Phillies). The beloved feathered mascot, Screech, turned five years old. Nationals Entertainment Coordinator Tom Davis took a moment to share his favorite eagle’s life story with We Love DC.

According to Davis, Screech hatched back in 2005 and was found in the rafters of RFK Stadium. Little baby Screech was so excited by the team hosting its inaugural season of the National Past-Time in the Nation’s Capital that the darn bird wouldn’t stop screeching – and hence, he was given a name and home with his new family – the Washington Nationals. Continue reading →

Sports Fix
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Sports Fix: Nearly Summertime Edition

Photo courtesy of
‘DC United vs Chicago Fire 01’
courtesy of Max Cook

D.C. United
Record: 0-4-0
Last Two Weeks: 0-1-0
Place:Last in the league, no points.

This was, thankfully, a week of rest for D.C. United, who’ve suffered ignominious losses at the hands of fate, and brutal beatings when they were outmatched. For a club that competed for a playoff spot last year, United’s shortcomings this season are numerous and deeply frustrating to watch. Without much spark on offense, they’re playing cautious football, with lots of strategy and footwork, but with no way to get it past the keeper.

Having been to the last several home games, the problems aren’t with Santino’s righteously colored kicks, or the cheering masses from Barra Brava and the Screaming Eagles; they’re deep in the heart of United itself. It’s frustrating to see a team struggle so hard to find their own identity under new leadership, and always-bespoke Curt Onalfo is struggling himself. He was very critical last week both of himself and of his players, after the loss to Chicago.

United plays a non-league match to play-in to the U.S. Open Cup on Wednesday night against FC Dallas, and then hosts the Red Bulls on Saturday, and the KC Wizards next Wednesday, all at RFK. Come on down and see if we can’t get our boys a win, eh?

Onward to the Nationals continued .500+ play and the Redskins’ wheeling and dealing.
Continue reading →

The Features
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10 Reasons to Register for the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure

Registration is now open for the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure on June 5th, one of the area’s biggest events that raises millions of dollars for local community groups.  Here at We Love DC (a pro-boobs organization), we think the event is so worthwhile that we’ve compiled the top ten reasons you should sign up for it:

10. You don’t even have to show up! You can register to run or walk the 5K, but you can also Sleep In for the Cure.  And you still get a t-shirt out of it, while raising money for breast cancer treatment.  All you non-runners out there– you can now participate in a charity run that doesn’t involve running!

9. You’ll be running for women everywhere. When you see the “In Memory Of” and “In Celebration Of” tags everywhere on race day, you’ll be reminded that virtually everyone knows someone that’s been affected by breast cancer.  You’re running for mothers, sisters, daughters, girlfriends, wives, aunts, friends and co-workers everywhere.

8. You can be a part of DC’s largest athletic event.  Last year, 45,000 people participated (by either walking, running, or sleeping in) in the Race for the Cure, and 50,000 are expected this year. And not only is it the biggest race in DC, it’s the largest 5K in the country.

Continue reading →

The Features, Where We Live
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Where We Live: Ballston

Photo courtesy of
‘Night at Church’
courtesy of ‘oparrish’

Welcome to another edition of Where We Live. This week we’re focusing on Ballston, the western end of Arlington’s fabulous Rosslyn-Ballston corridor. Ballston offers a great balance between access to Northern Virginia (like Tysons/Fairfax/Farlington) and access to DC, and it’s actually a pretty cool place to live and hang out.

History: Ballston was a major crossroads during the eighteenth century, and it was named after the Ball family (whose family cemetery is in the neighborhood). In 1896, the Washington, Arlington, and Falls Church Electric Railroad (a streetcar) was constructed along what is now Fairfax Drive, and the area developed as a streetcar suburb. In 1951 the Parkington Shopping Center opened where the current Ballston Common Mall is, and the area became known as Parkington. The area declined in the 60s and 70s as it was really just a retail-dominated suburb, but Metro came along in 1979 and changed that. Since the opening of the Metro station, the area has continued to redevelop, replacing the suburban sprawl of the 50s and 60s with more compact urban development. Today Ballston is a thriving retail, office, and residential center.

Continue reading →

Entertainment, Music, People, Special Events, We Love Music
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We Love Music: The Rock Bottom Remainders @ 9:30 Club 4/21/10

The Rock Bottom Remainders at 9:30 Club 4/21/10
courtesy of The Rock Bottom Remainders.

On Wednesday night, at the 9:30 Club, I went one of the weirdest concerts I have ever attended. The Rock Bottom Remainders have to be one of the most unique and unlikely cover bands of all time. The band is composed of best-selling authors turned amateur musicians, who live out their collective rock-star fantasy by performing less-than-perfect versions of rock-n-roll classics while occasionally wearing wigs, costumes, and silly hats. We are talking about book industry heavy hitters like Scott Turow, Amy Tan, Dave Barry, and Mitch Albom. As MC Roy Blount Jr. joked they are the only band that has sold more books that The Beatles.

I first heard about The Rock Bottom Remainders in the 1990’s while working at Reprint Bookshop, a wonderful and now sadly closed independent bookshop. The band had a kind of mythical status as stories of their rare sightings were told by my co-workers as if they were akin to the Loch Ness Monster or Big Foot. I have always been curious about this literary rock band with a rotating line-up of best-selling authors (at one point even Stephen King was a member!), but I never thought that I would have the opportunity to see The Rock Bottom Remainders perform.

Continue reading →