Category Archives: The Features

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

Talkin' Transit
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Talkin’ Transit: Last Week on the Job

Photo courtesy of
‘WMATA Blogger Roundtable’
courtesy of ‘Samer Farha’

Metro General Manager John Catoe will be ending his three year tenure at the transit agency on Friday, but his legacy will be debated for a while yet. As he transitions to the world of transit consulting, there’s a natural break for us to look back at Metro and at his tenure.

During his three years at the helm, there were many positive changes. The Metro system saw huge, record breaking number of trips during Obama’s inauguration, 1.12 million on the rails in one day (PDF), and performed admirably. Also during Catoe’s tenure, Metrorail stopped using four car trains (though they kept threatening to go back to them).

But positive is not how most people will look back on Metro’s last three years. Catoe oversaw the deadliest and most accident filled years in Metro’s history. We’re all painfully aware of the impact of the June 22, 2009 accident which left 9 people dead and the system on the brink. But despite an increase in focus on safety, there were three incidents which killed four Metro employees after that date, and a derailment earlier this year. And let’s not even mention the number of accidents and deaths caused by Metrobus.

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The Features
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Easter in the District: So Much To Eat, So Little Time!

Photo courtesy of
‘Green Egg’
courtesy of ‘oparrish’

So when I was younger, it was all about getting dressed up for church, painting eggs, Easter dinner, and this magical fuzzy bunny, which quite frankly, can be a tad-bit scary for little kids.  Now that I’m a little older, it’s a little less Easter bunny, but the dinner part never really gets old. If you’re out and about for Easter this year, and looking for brunch or dinner, there are tons of restaurants that are offering specials for you and your loved ones.

First up is Redwood of Bethesda.  From 10:30 am to 3:30 pm, there will be a traditional menu with everything from Flaked Salt Cod Salad with leeks, baby frisee, fingerling potatoes and beet vinaigrette to Miguel’s Virginia Ham with sweet potato puree, wilted Brussels sprout leaves and red eye gravy.  The menu is a la carte, and dishes will range between $9 and $22.  To top it off, for 15 bucks, you can enjoy bottomless mimosas (and you just can’t go wrong with bottomless mimosas).  Get your reservations in today! Continue reading →

News, Sports Fix, The Daily Feed
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Post Writes Phillies a Mash Note

Photo courtesy of
‘Washington Post’
courtesy of ‘DC Public Library Commons’

Look, it’s an open secret that Post wants to be a national newspaper only. Their downsizing of the Metro section, elimination of the Business section, and move to online-only for any good coverage of the locality. But really, I thought Sports was one area where the concept of local reigned supreme. Today’s Dave Sheinin piece on the front page of the Sports section is the paean usually reserved for local teams of note, but instead…we get a mash note to the Phillies?

I know things don’t look great for the Nationals, but I would’ve much rather read a hard-hitting analysis of the faults of the bullpen, or even the nighttime proclivities of Ron Villone’s mustache, than a love note to the team who has the worst fans in Baseball. Couldn’t you write about the Orioles, even?

Mythbusting DC, The Features
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DC Mythbusting: White House Flag

Photo courtesy of
‘The White House – The Dream Home of Many Children’
courtesy of ‘adcristal’

There are all sorts of rules and regulations about the proper display of the American flag– when it can be displayed, where it can be displayed, and how it should be regarded.  For example, apparently it’s a violation of the Flag Code to display the flag horizontally on a football field, as is a common practice in games across the country. Whoops!  But what about the White House?  There’s a legend out there that the US flag is only flown over the White House when the President is in the District.  If he’s not in DC, no flag is flown.  With all the specifications and regulations in the Flag Code, I wouldn’t be surprised if this one was true– but is it?

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Featured Photo
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Featured Photo

Photo courtesy of
‘Stranger 100 – Jacob’
courtesy of ‘jim_darling’

Taking portraits isn’t easy. Taking portraits of strangers is even more difficult. Doing that one hundred times seems like a Sisyphean task: finding just the right subject; working up the courage; approaching them; getting rejected; trying with another; getting them comfortable; taking the shot, then another. Endless and repetitive. Many people start projects like the 100 Strangers to try and get some inspiration. Some do it without much thought, as if the mere act of getting the shot is enough to make them good. Some become bored and abandon their projects midway. But a few think (and over think) their project, and they learn from it as they go. The latter is exactly why I’m featuring Jim Darling‘s 100th stranger.

It’s not about the shot itself, which is a good portrait. It’s about the journey and the entire work taken as a whole. If you’ve got some time, go and take a look at the slideshow of all 100 portraits. You can see Jim’s style evolve as he wandered DC and other locales to get the next stranger.

“At #22 I discovered that this project could really be something,” Jim wrote. “And by #44 I was finding that I really cared about the art of the portrait. Granted they weren’t all winners, and sometimes when I thought a location or event would garner something inspiring, it just didn’t quite make it.”

As he shot these strangers’ portraits, Jim also got to be a part of their lives. Sometimes, only for those few minutes that it takes to get the shot, but sometimes he’s become friends with his strangers. Maybe tonight, on your way home or at the bar, you might consider having a brief conversation with a stranger. You never know where it will lead.

DC Victory Gardens, Farm Fresh
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Getting Started with Community Supported Agriculture

Photo courtesy of 'boboroshi'
"Bull Run Farm Greenhouse"
courtesy of "boboroshi"

Making your own Victory Garden isn’t for everyone. It may be that you live in an apartment or you simply don’t have time to do your own gardening, or perhaps you are a serial killer of plants from the garden center. Regardless, this does not prohibit you from joining the local food revolution. A simple creation by small farmers has spread all over the country and you can now join CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) programs, or farm shares, and get fresh produce every week from a local farmer delivered to you.
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Sports Fix
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Sports Fix: Season Opener Edition

DC United
3/27/10 D.C. United vs. Kansas City Wizards
courtesy of dcunited

D.C. United
Record: 0-1-0
Last Two Weeks: 0-1-0

Beginnings are hard. They’re the start of new stories, new relationships, and new adventures, and they require a lot of work. It showed, Saturday night in Kansas City, that United didn’t do enough of that in their spring training. On a cold and rainy evening in front of a sell-out crowd, United faltered repeatedly to open their season with a 4-0 loss to the Wizards. It wasn’t what anyone with United wanted. Curt Onalfo, new coach for D.C. United, wanted to beat his old team. Keeper Troy Perkins wanted to show his stripes as a veteran keeper worth the loss of Fred. But it wasn’t to be.

Instead, the Wizards wiped the floor with DC, pressing hard against a weak defense, and forcing mistake after mistake. Most frustrating seem to come on the right side of the backfield, where it seemed like no one was playing. Several times, Perkins would make a huge save, only to be beaten badly when the rebound couldn’t be cleared. It looked like the midfield was playing in quicksand. In short: United’s debut looked like a training match. Let’s hope they figure out their communications problems before Saturday’s home opener. Continue reading →

The Features, Weekend Flashback
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Weekend Flashback: 3/26 – 3/28/10

Photo courtesy of
‘(087/365)’
courtesy of ‘kimberlyfaye’

Already tired of the gray, icky drizzle to start out the work week? Well, did you know that the National Cherry Blossom Festival kicked off this weekend with the Smithsonianl Kite Festival? Lots of sunshine and kites dominated the early part of the weekend before yesterday’s gray settled in, so let’s ignore the wetness outside and revel in some great photos from area photographers.

Oh, and take heart – this weekend’s looking to be fabulous!

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Sports Fix, The Daily Feed
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That Settles That: Grunfeld Says Arenas to Remain

Photo courtesy of
‘Introducing Gilbert Arenas’
courtesy of ‘afagen’

The word is out this evening, and it seems that Arenas’ season suspension will be his only punishment from the Wizards. Truth About It has the word from Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld: Arenas will remain a Wizard, and the team will not seek to terminate his contract. The Wizards have four years and about $80M left on Arenas’ contract.

News, Sports Fix, The Daily Feed
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Breaking: Arenas Gets Probation

Photo courtesy of
‘DC Court of Appeals and Lincoln’
courtesy of ‘Mr. T in DC’

Reports are in: Gilbert Arenas was today sentenced to 2 years probation for his felony firearms conviction. Judge Robert Morin weighed the decision carefully, relying on the sentencing recommendation from the prosecutor’s office, and the 221-page document from Arenas’ attorneys with multiple character references, and Arenas’ own apology.

Arenas will also be forced to 400 hours of public service, and donate $5,000 to a victims of violence charity (Seriously? He made that much while you were just looking at him funny. That’s an insult to Justice right there.), and spend 30 days in a halfway house.

Arenas’ future with the Wizards is in question. Currently, he is serving a season-long suspension due to the incident which involved firearms in a December locker-room altercation at the Verizon Center. The Wizards have the option to seek to terminate Arenas’ contract, due to the felony conviction, and given Arenas’ large salary, and the horrific performance of the team (lost 13 straight) it would be understandable if the team might terminate his contract. 4 years and $80M is a big pill for the team to swallow when trading Arenas might be impossible.

Were I the owner of the Wizards, I’d terminate Arenas’ 4 years and offer him a 1-year, $1M chance to prove himself worthy of further investment while the Wizards rebuild from their horrific season. You want to be in DC, Gilbert? Give up the money and job security and show us you mean business.

Fitness District, The Features
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Fitness District: Bellydance

“Image_1165.jpg” by VelvetJAM on Flickr

Part of our ongoing series about different ways to get fit in the District…

In our last edition of Fitness District, Samantha ventured into the world of dance with a trip to B. Fit to try the Barre Method, a system based in part off of ballet. This week, we explore another form of dance that’s recently taken off in DC as a fantastic way to stay fit and challenge your body – bellydance, also known as oriental dance or raqs al sharqi.

Most people’s experience of bellydance in DC is probably relegated to a cabaret performance at a Moroccan restaurant like Marrakesh or Casablanca, or maybe even a show at Palace of Wonders or DC Tribal’s monthly nights at venues like Asylum, but increasingly dance companies are also performing in grand productions on local stages. I got hooked both ways, by watching a performance of Bellydance Superstars in a large theater, and being privileged to have local American Tribal Style troupe Sammati Dance perform for a small party at my house. Inspired by the vibrant joy and sensuality, I wasn’t convinced I could actually get that kind of isolated control over my muscles, but I was sure going to try!

It seems like every gym is adding a bellydance class these days, but I urge you to make sure you are learning a properly constructed curriculum from an experienced dancer to avoid injury. There are many fine dance studios teaching bellydance in the DC area – Joy of Motion, Sahara Dance, and Saffron Dance (where I study) are consistently mentioned as the best. Also, with a thriving community of professional dancers here, you have the opportunity to take private lessons as well, which is a real boon if you choose to advance.

Now it may not seem like it at first, but it takes a lot of control to shake your booty. My very first class had me a sweaty red-faced mess by the end – and that was just a beginners class! As you advance – traveling combination steps, layering shimmies, undulations – it’s hardcore. But every single person I’ve asked about their experience learning bellydance has said the same thing – that it restored their confidence in their bodies and self-esteem.

I asked two professional dancers and instructors, Kostana and Asharah, to talk more about how bellydance impacted their fitness and body image.
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The Features, Where We Live
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Where We Live: Bethesda

Photo courtesy of
‘Monday Afternoon’
courtesy of ‘SWP Moblog’

It’s time Where We Live ventured into Maryland. And where better to start than Bethesda, the DC suburb that feels more like a city than many parts of DC. Bethesda is the perfect balance of city life and access to suburbs for its residents, and it has so much to offer that it’s a destination for even downtown DC residents. Read on for Bethesda’s best kept secrets and what you should check out next time you’re in the neighborhood.

History: Bethesda originally was a small settlement along a trade route that connected to Georgetown.  It got its name from Bethesda Meeting House, a church built in 1820.  There wasn’t much in Bethesda until the streetcar system connected the neighborhood to DC in the early 1900s.  The streetcar encouraged a boom in suburban development in Bethesda, which continued throughout the twentieth century.  The area got its office boom during World War II, when the NIH and National Naval Medical Center relocated here.  Bethesda continued to grow, and in 1984 the Bethesda Metro station opened, which led to even more high-density development and redevelopment.  Building on the office and residential concentrations located here, Bethesda has recently defined itself as a retail destination and lifestyle center with projects like Bethesda Row.

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News, Sports Fix, The Daily Feed
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Leonsis, Pollin Family Agree on Price for Wizards, Verizon Center

Photo courtesy of
‘It’s been awhile’
courtesy of ‘afagen’

The sticking point in Ted Leonsis’ negotiations with the Pollin family for the purchase of their stake in the Wizards and the Verizon Center has been price, for some time now. Finally, there’s been a breakthrough, according to a local newspaper, who report that the valuation has been agreed upon at $550M for the team and the Verizon Center. My guess is the Verizon Center is the lion’s share of that, at the moment, given how piss poor the Wizards are playing these days. From here, they’ll continue negotiations on other subjects including how the facility will be run, and whether or not the majority of the league owners will approve Leonsis’ full purchase.

People, The Features, We Love Drinks
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We Love Drinks: Thor Cheston

Photo courtesy of
‘Thor, Over Processed’
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.

When I sat down with Thor Cheston, the beer director at Brasserie Beck, our conversation centered on the future.  Not that I necessarily meant for this to happen, it just did.  Frankly, the future’s an exciting place.  The future is place where beer is wine’s equal (almost).  The future is a place where beer de cuisine is an art form.  The future is a place in which DC has a local brewery (!!!). Thor wants to be at the center of this future, making sure that everything happens according to plan.

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We Love Weekends
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We Love Weekends, March 27-28

Photo courtesy of
‘They’re almost ready!’
courtesy of ‘vpickering’

Katie: This weekend I’ll be wishing it was weather from last weekend. But no matter – I’ve got tons of things on my plate. I’m heading out to the Kite Festival to shoot some creative pictures with a photographer friend, and then stopping by the Court House Farmer’s Market for some farm fresh ingredients for a dinner I’m hosting on Sunday. Saturday night I’ll be kicking it with Washington Improv Theater at the FIST festival, and then heading out on 14th for drinks. Sunday, the day of rest and relaxation, I’ll be doing the opposite. Cathy and I are going to meet a new chef for a Capital Chefs feature, and then I’m taking advantage of a CityShopGirl promotion and getting some free eco-friendly makeup. Along the way, I might even get to partake in my current coveted and beloved brunch, Masa 14’s Latin/Asian fusion.

Tiff: I’ve got no real estate-related tasks this weekend, so for me it’s all about the cherry blossoms. The festival starts on Saturday, peak bloom starts on Sunday, and I am all over it. Will it be crawling with tourists? YES. Do I care? NOT AT ALL. Continue reading →

Getaways
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Getaways: Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh Bridges, photo by Tom Bridge

Updated on 12/29/10 with links, seasonal recommendations, and Pittsburghese section.

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I thought about not posting this pending the outcome of last night’s Caps/Penguins game. But then they won, so I figured it would be okay.

Most of our Getaways features have been about smallish towns where you might go to unplug for a few days when you need a break. But what if you don’t want to unplug? What if you still want city amenities but not, you know, THESE ones? Maybe you want to spend a weekend seeing movies at multiplexes and taking photos of architecture and going to sporting events without feeling like you should really be at home doing laundry.

Pittsburgh is a 4 hour drive from DC- 2 hours up I-70 to Breezewood, and then 2 more across Pennsylvania on the Turnpike. Staying there is nice and easy unless it’s a holiday or the G-20 is in town- there are 3 4-star hotels in the city, so it’s easy to Priceline a fantastic room for cheap and still find yourself centrally located.

And what will you find when you get there? One of my favorite things about walking around the city is the “sense of place” you get. You know how when you’re walking around Capitol Hill and it’s like the very air around you is saturated with DC-ness? Pittsburgh has a lot of the same thing, only the look is what I would call “steel baron chic.” A lot of the city’s rapid development happened in the era of Andrew Carnegie and Henry Clay Frick, leading to lots of downtown buildings with interesting architectural details like talismans and outdoor molding. It’s reflected in the decor of the hotels as well- lots of lush draperies and tin ceilings- if you manage to get your room upgraded you feel like Carnegie himself when staying at the Omni William Penn or the Renaissance.

But what should you DO there, I hear you ask?   Continue reading →

History, The District, The Features
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Behind the Design: National Press Club

Photo courtesy of
‘National Press Club #27’
courtesy of ‘Chris Rief aka Spodie Odie’

The National Press Club, rich in historical context and paramount in its mission, is best-known as a retreat for the affiliates within the journalism industry. As a Washington, D.C. fixture, the feeling evoked upon entrance into the Club could best be compared to the dilemma that a young child may face as they enter the formal living room of the home – you are in complete awe of its presence and utterly afraid of breaking something, yet, somehow still manage to want to touch everything in sight.

The good thing is that what differs between this presented scenario and that of my first visit to the National Press Club, is that at the Club exploration is not only encouraged – it is celebrated.

Continue reading →

Food and Drink, Special Events, The Features, We Love Drinks
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Drinks Preview: ARTINI

Erik Holzherr of Wisdom's ARTINI. Photo credit: T. Silva. Courtesy of the Corcoran ARTINI 2010 Committee.

This Saturday the Corcoran Gallery of Art presents ARTINI, and if you’ve been waffling about attending I hear there are roughly less than 100 tickets still left, but going fast and not available at the door. So jump!

ARTINI is a fabulous event mixing two of my favorite things – art and cocktails. Twelve local mixologists have created drinks inspired by works in the current exhibit at Corcoran, A Love of Europe: Highlights from the William A. Clark Collection. Preview events featuring the submissions have been ongoing this month (I know, I know, I should’ve told you earlier, mea culpa, it’s been a crazy time lately). Tonight you can sample Art & Soul and tomorrow try out Rasika from 6:30pm to 8:30pm at the respective restaurants. The Washingtonian is a co-sponsor and handles the voting, with the winning artini announced Saturday. The inspiration works will be on display that night as well.

The cocktail reception runs from 8pm to midnight, with $85 tickets for 1869 Society members and $100 for non-1869 Society members. That includes a cocktail bar, music by DJ Chris Nitti, and tours of both the Clark exhibit and Turner to Cezanne: Masterpieces from the Davies Collection. Proceeds support ArtReach, which provides free high-quality arts education programs to underserved communities in DC.

So many mixologists already take their inspiration from art. It’s a natural collaboration. Here’s a quick rundown of who’s on board and a few teasers to get you in the mood. Continue reading →

Comedy in DC
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Comedy in DC: She-Ha 2

On the heels of the very successful Girls’ Night Out at the Eleventh Street Lounge at the beginning of March, it’s time for She-Ha 2: When Laughter Attacks, the follow up to last year’s sellout She-Ha: Princesses of Power, featuring DC’s funniest women.

She-Ha will rock your socks off on April 9th at 8PM in the DC Improv Comedy Lounge. Tickets are $10, and get there early because this show will probably sell out as well.

This year’s lineup is full of some new faces you may be unfamiliar with. Click through for the listing, along with videos for all the comics who have posted it. Continue reading →

News, Sports Fix, The Daily Feed, WTF?!
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Reston Chiropractor Linked to Steroids, Sports Franchises

Photo courtesy of
”
courtesy of ‘Chris Rief aka Spodie Odie’

A Reston Chiropractor today was arrested on drug charges today after being accused by a co-defendant of conspiring to deliver control substances by Florida authorities. According to Florida authorities, Douglas Nagel of Reston received regular shipments of steroids from his co-defendent “Andy” Thomas of Florida. Thomas has told Police that Nagel was supplying both the Washington Nationals and the Washington Capitals with the substances.

The Capitals released a statement this afternoon denying that Nagel or Thomas had any contact with the Capitals, saying: “This has been a thorough investigation, and we are satisfied that law enforcement, the NHL and our own internal investigation have not led to any link of steroid use by Capitals players… Dr. Douglas Owen Nagel, a Virginia chiropractor who was arrested today, is not affiliated with the Washington Capitals and is not the “team chiropractor,” as he has stated. Dr. Nagel’s office, however, has seen some of our players for standard, routine chiropractic services.”

The Nationals did not immediately respond for a request for comment.