Category Archives: The Features

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

Talkin' Transit, The Daily Feed, WMATA
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O’Malley to Metro: Light Rail!

Photo courtesy of
‘IMG_7886’
courtesy of ‘Chas Redmond’

While it’s no Monorail, Governor Martin O’Malley says that the proposed 16-mile Purple Line should be light rail, calling it the “locally-preferred alternative”. The proposed line would run from New Carrolton metro to Bethesda metro, stopping at Silver Spring and College Park along the way. The line, as it stands, is still entirely unfunded, but now that a decision has been made regarding bus/rail, Governor O’Malley can put together a proposal for federal transit funding.

Downtown, Food and Drink, The Features, We Love Food
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We Love Food: Momoyama

Photo courtesy of
‘Roll’
courtesy of ‘lorigoldberg’

Momoyama defines off the beaten path. It couldn’t be any more off the beaten path unless it were literally down an actual dirt road. It is not. But it is tucked back in this really weird city block on the Senate side of the Capitol on second street near 395. But boy, is it worth seeking out. It is some great sushi.

A converted rowhome, with a tiny dining space, it seats maybe thirty maximum. The sushi is rolled up front by two sushi masters grabbing rice from a bowl between them, cutting fish and drizzling sauces. The prices are super cheap, and the service is great. I love everything about Momoyama, it feels like my own little sushi corner of the world. Continue reading →

Sports Fix, The Daily Feed
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Legg Mason Heating Up


Scott Oudsema by Max Cook

Contributed by Paula Schumann

Qualifying rounds at the Legg Mason Tennis Classic whet my appetite for what promises to be an exciting tournament.  Lots of big names are attending this year, among them Lleyton Hewitt, John Isner, Tommy Robredo, Tommy Haas, Robin Solderling, and of course, Andy Roddick, a Legg Mason favorite.  Andy is having an exceptional summer, coming off the astonishing final match with Roger Federer at Wimbledon.

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Sports Fix
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Sports Fix: Dog Days! Edition

Photo courtesy of
‘Three points taken’
courtesy of ‘BehindTheBadge.com’

D.C. United
Record: 6-4-10 (28 points)
Last Two Weeks: 0-1-2
Place: 3rd in the East

A loss and a draw for United has cost them a place in the East, dropping to third behind Columbus (33 points) and Chicago (32 points). Another draw in the CONCACAF Champions League against L.A. Firpo has brought us a rough patch for the squad. Houston put the screws to United this past Saturday in the high-scoring 4-3 match, despite nearly blowing a 3-goal lead.

What’s next for United? Get out your passports. Tuesday is a CONCACAF rematch against L.A. Firpo, but this time in El Salvador, and then a trip to Toronto next weekend for a run against Toronto F.C. Then, finally, look forward to the return of the LA Galaxy on the 22nd.

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The Features, Weekend Flashback
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Weekend Flashback: 7/31 – 8/2/09

Photo courtesy of
‘National Zoo – Stripes – 8-1-09’
courtesy of ‘mosley.brian’

Welcome to August. One month left of tourists, one month left of ugly summer heat, one month left before the politicos return to the Hill.

And one month before “Black Commute” day in September.

Speaking of which, hope your journey in wasn’t stressful. If it was, well, we’ve got you covered. (Even if it wasn’t, we’re still here for ya.) Check out the weekend through the lenses of several area photogs and start your week off right.

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Sports Fix, The Daily Feed
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Nats Trade Two Before Deadline

Photo courtesy of
‘sprawling down’
courtesy of ‘philliefan99’

The Nats today traded one of their oldest players and one of their newest, right before the trade deadline at 4pm today. Nick Johnson, one of two players remaining from Opening Day in 2005, is off to Florida in a straight up deal for left-hander Aaron Thompson, currently with the Marlins’ AA affiliate, and Joe Beimel is off to Colorado in exchange for a pair of unnamed minor-leaguers. With Johnson gone, the only remaining “original National” is Cristian Guzman, pictured above. Willingham will likely take over 1st base for a bit.

Eat Like Me, Food and Drink, The Features
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Eat Like Me: July’s Best Dishes

Photo courtesy of
‘jamie’s manhattan’
courtesy of ‘needlessspaces’

I think I’m getting addicted to that subtle tingle of anticipation I get when I sit down at a restaurant I’ve never been to before and unfold the menu. I crave that now – ordering a meal and wondering what exactly will appear. I adore the buzz of a place, the low murmur or the boisterous laughter. I like the sleekest of scenes, the sound of my high heels on a polished floor and the dingiest of hole-in-the walls with foamy beer right off the tap. There’s a small miracle in being given a whole list of options, choosing the ones you like best, and then having them brought to you and placed right in front of you (!) for you to devour, judge, accept or reject – when is that experience ever replicated in life? I love not having to cook, I love the simplicity of the process. I love having a dish presented to me, no matter what. I appreciate the showiest constructed dish with sprigs of Rosemary, stacks of accoutrement and a carefully placed spruce of tartare to the simplest plain white bowl of grits topped with shrimp. I love the smells. I love the sounds. I love the possibilities. I love the interactions. In the simplest of statements, I love restaurants.

Good thing I’ve found an outlet for my adoration. I know it sounds a bit overboard, my little poetic waxing about restaurants – I mean, they dot every corner of DC, from Wisconsin to New York Ave. They come in all sizes, all standards, serve a number of purposes. To love something so mundane to someone else might seem silly. But I am unabashedly, unashamedly in love with the food in this fine city. This month was slightly less busy than the last, and August is gearing up to be on par. There have been openings, there have been new menus to try, and there have been simple dinners out with friends. Out of all the places I’ve eaten this month, here are my favorite dishes from eat places within the Beltway. Continue reading →

Sports Fix, The Daily Feed
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Trade Deadline Today

Photo courtesy of
‘who wants it?’
courtesy of ‘philliefan99’

The Nationals face their fifth trade deadline today at 4pm, and the latest on the trade wires is that The Nats will stand pat. Of course, there are still serious offers for Nick Johnson (a minor league pitcher from the Marlins) and Joe Beimel (prospects from the Tigers system) and Josh Willingham (the Giants are still interested, but aren’t publicizing talks), but it’s expected that the Nats are going to keep the deck chairs on this Titanic in their current configuration.

Instead, the Nats will likely spend the next two weeks trying to convince Scott Boras and Stephen Strasburg that DC is a decent place to live and play ball. However, it’s hard to think that a team with an interim GM and an interim manager is going to make much of an impression on anyone.

The Features, Where We Live
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Where We Live: H Street

Photo courtesy of
‘H Street Life’
courtesy of ‘NCinDC’

Welcome to another edition of Where We Live.  This week we’ll be looking at a whole section of the city that is rapidly changing: the section of Northeast DC north of Massachusetts Avenue and south of Florida Avenue.  This area has a LOT of different names: Near Northeast, H Street, the Atlas District, NoMa (for NOrth of Massachusetts Ave), North Capitol Hill, and the list goes on.  This part of town is known for the new office buildings in NoMa, the retail/theater/restaurant district on H Street NE, and the quiet, residential neighborhoods that surround them.  

History: Florida Avenue was once called Boundary Avenue, and was the northernmost boundary of Pierre L’Enfant’s plan for Washington, so this area was part of the original City of Washington.  H Street NE has been the site of major transportation milestones in the history of the city: the Bladensburg Turnpike was a tollgate and entrance to the city, the Baltimore and Ohio railroad was constructed in 1835 and the proximity to Union Station transformed this area, in 1849 H Street itself was built, and the H Street Streetcar was opened in 1872.  The streetcar spurred a great deal of development in the area, and streetcars were running along the corridor until 1949.

Throughout the 1900s the area was a major commercial hub of Washington, with department stores, theaters, and restaurants lining H Street.  However, the riots in 1968 following Martin Luther King’s assassination devastated the neighborhood, and many businesses, theaters, and restaurants moved out to the suburbs.  On H Street, the suburban-style, car-oriented development created pedestrian-unfriendly environment, and the lack of a nearby Metro station meant that the area remained a car-focused corridor.  However, in the last several years, the area has seen a resurgence in development.  It is now home to a thriving theater scene, a variety of restaurants, and a growing number of shops.  It is once again becoming a pedestrian-friendly district, and with plans of a streetcar in the future, it may one day regain its status as DC’s main commercial district.  Next door, NoMa is also rapidly changing from an old warehouse district to a major employment center with over 1,000 hotel rooms, 8,000 residential units, a new grocery store, and new restaurants and shops.
Continue reading →

Food and Drink, The Features, We Love Drinks
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We Love Drinks: Herbs, Flowers & Spice

"Eros" cocktail, Zaytinya

“Eros cocktail, Zaytinya” by Jenn Larsen on Flickr

Summer always puts me in mind to garden. I have a little herb garden with oregano, rosemary and lavender that always needs pruning, some roses that need constant watch from black spot, peonies dusty with blight – wait a minute. Gardening in DC is hard work, our weather vacillating between wet and humid to dry and droughty. Isn’t there an easier way to enjoy herbs and flowers than order flowers online?

Why yes. Drink them!

I love nothing better than to cook with fresh herbs and spices, and I’ve been known to throw some edible flowers into my salad, so I am loving the growing spread of these ingredients in cocktails. We’re both lucky and spoiled to be enjoying a cocktail renaissance here in DC. Time was a decent drink meant liquor + mixer, maybe with a garnish. Not anymore. Bartenders are approaching cocktails like, well, a chef would. The explosion of housemade syrups and infusions enable mixologists to make some potent magic.

But as with gardening, not everyone has a green thumb. It’s not enough to just toss some herbage in a martini glass and hey pesto! it’s a delicious cocktail. Just like that time I put too much adobe sauce in my sweet potato puree and set my guests throats on fire (um, sorry about that!). You have to know how flavors work together and how much power that pepper’s going to pop onto your tongue.

So here are my current favorites highlighting the trifecta of herbs, flowers and spice, with a few misses along the way.

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The Features
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We Love Weekends: August 1-2

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

No, I’m not sure how we’ve found ourselves at the start of August, either. But, here we are. Several of our writers are on vacation this week, so it’s a light weekend here at We Love DC. Tell us what you’re planning in the comments!

Jenn: I’m in an incredibly chill mood this week. No bad vibes allowed. While I’m riding this wave of good humor through the weekend, maybe I’ll take in some art! The Freer’s got an exhibit of Whistler’s works on paper called “Texture of Night” – studies of moonlit nights which are strangely hypnotic. Kathleen Ewing’s new gallery space in Cleveland Park sounds like an afternoon house party (actually, I think her house is the gallery now), visit between 12-5pm and enjoy ice tea, cookies and her dog Teddy while enjoying easily the best collection of photographs around. You could enjoy a light dinner at Palena’s bar afterwards. Maybe a stroll through the Bloomingdale neighborhood for the Pink Line Project‘s First on 1st quirky art and music walk, with a coffee stop at Big Bear Cafe. Or have brunch at Circa at Dupont followed by a browse through the Washington Printmakers Gallery – artist Julie Niskanen is giving a Sunday talk at 2pm. Sigh. All this culture. Maybe I should head over to H Street and hit some dive bars instead!

Shannon: I’ll be spending a good part of this weekend in the suburbs. It’s the last weekend of the Loudoun County Fair, which features a doughnut-eating competition, a “pig scramble” (it sounds like breakfast, but it’s not), and yes, even outhouse races. I’m not going to miss that. And I will definitely be heading out to Bethesda for the final days of the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Restaurant Week, during which area restaurants offer fixed-price $12-15 lunches and $30 dinners. And assuming the weather cooperates, I’m planning on going for a long bike ride to prepare for the “brutal” 50 States Bike Ride, which has been scheduled for September 26th.

Don: My darling wife and I are headed far, far outside the beltway for an art show in Virginia Beach this weekend so I’ll be unable to partake in any of our area’s activities. It’s too bad, because I have a soft spot for Tori Amos and the undead. Tori will be at DAR this Saturday and mid-day yesterday still showed pretty good seats available. Equally as weird but probably taking itself a little less seriously is Rorschack Theater’s “Living Dead in Denmark,” a look at what Elsinore would be like five years after the events of Hamlet. If there were zombies. How do you not want to go to that? Previews start tonight and run till opening on Sunday, which I’ll have to miss. Oh well, there’s always next weekend… Continue reading →

Getaways
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Getaways: Sky Meadows

Sky Meadows

Sky Meadows

Sky Meadows. The name itself makes me think of rolling pastures, wildflowers, birds, and butterflies, all under puffy white clouds and a deep blue sky. But maybe that’s because I’ve been there.

This humble Virginia state park is close to the city, just over an hour’s drive west from DC. A historic house and picnic tables are there, and you can catch fun programs ranging from Celtic music to astronomy nights to an annual strawberry festival. But I go there mostly to hike.

These hikes are different from the classics in Shenandoah, such as Old Rag and White Oak Canyon. Their pretty, pastoral scenery gives them a gentler feel, and the trails meander in shorter, easier loops. To be fair, the beginnings are steep, but they rise up toward the sky through meadows of waving grasses and wildflowers. And they pass strategically placed benches that let you sit and look out at the farmlands, ponds, and softly curved mountains.

I’m going to recommend you go to Sky Meadows on a Saturday, and here’s why. Then you can make your trip a loop that includes picking up lunch at a delicious bakery on the way (it’s closed on Sundays) and ending with wine at sunset on a patio with a view (it’s open late on Saturdays). Continue reading →

Special Events, The Features, We Love Arts
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Wolf Trap Opera: Il Ritorno d’Ulisse in Patria

It’s a July evening and at Wolf Trap’s colonial-era barns, Claudio Monteverdi’s 1640 opera Il Ritorno d’Ulisse in Patria (The Return of Ulysses) is being performed. Despite the historicity of the place, the opera and its performance by the Wolf Trap Opera company has a decidedly contemporary feel. Everything the modern viewer loves — romance, deceit, unmitigated anger, sex, violence, slapstick comedy and shameless sexual puns — is right there in this evocative and entertaining Ulysses.

Before the opera began, large blinking eyes stared out at the audience, projected on a backdrop of metal screens. This eerie display is soon revealed as a manifestation of a larger theme in the play. As the prologue commences, Human Frailty personified takes the stage lamenting his suffering. He lifts his hands, displaying his palms which are each marked with what looks like the Egyptian Eye of Horus. He clenches his open palm closed, as blind Love, blind Fortune and Time frolic behind him, asserting their control. Sight, and the lack thereof, perception and deception all have important roles in the work as it unfolds. Continue reading →

Sports Fix, The Daily Feed
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Folks, I Fear The Worst Has Happened.

Photo courtesy of
‘Lannan still strong in the 9th’
courtesy of ‘afagen’

I just want to get this out there: I believe that someone has kidnapped our beloved Nationals and replaced them with a group of animatronic lookalikes from the future. That is the only way of explaining the tear that the Nationals are on without resorting to miracles, incredible feats of fortune and favor, and outright violation of the laws of physics. The Nats have won 6 of their last 8, including their last four. They’ve won or tied their last three series, against the Padres, Brewers and Mets. Hell, Josh Willingham had two grand slams the other night, the 13th time that’s happened in the history of baseball.

While broadcasters Rob Dibble and Bob Carpenter are chalking it up to a mysterious baseball card from the 1970s that they were recently mailed, I believe the only possible explanation is robots from the future. Tonight the Nats send Garrett Mock to the mound, I’m just hoping that he hasn’t been replaced with an automaton with a wicked 12-6 curve and a cutter that makes Baby Jesus cry. I just hope that wherever the original Nationals are, they’re being well cared for.

Comedy in DC, The Daily Feed
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Comedy in DC: The Reruns Edition

Photo courtesy of
‘Roast of Jay Hastings 82 – Version 2’
courtesy of ‘YoLoPey’

The comedy calendar hasn’t changed much since the last Comedy in DC feature, so today it’s just a short entry with a little review:

There’s still the “There Will Be Laughter” show at the Drafthouse on Friday the 31st.  Hampton Yount and Will Hessler are putting it on. It starts at 9:45 and tickets are but $8! Cheap! Recession comedy!

DC Comedy Lab at the Comedy Spot in Ballston is happening August 8th. Jimmy Meritt and Spencer Humm are producing/hosting. Tickets are $16, but if you preorder and use the code “Jimmy185,” you’ll get 5 bucks off. No such discount at the door, slackers.

“3 Chord Comedy” will be back at the Velvet Lounge on August 14th. I guess the previous show was successful. This one is only 2 bucks for 4 comics and a band, so think of it as fifty cents a comic plus a special musical bonus. Yeah.

The Features
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Needed: Supplies For A Cause

Photo courtesy of
‘Hold ’em high’
courtesy of ‘Megan Garner’

At We Love DC, there are a few causes close to our hearts. One of them is Safe Shores, – The D.C. Children’s Advocacy Center. Safe Shores serves child and youth victims of abuse and witnesses to violence, with over 800 children and youth served annually. As children come in to Safe Shores, they’re often brought there directly from a crime scene, or directly on their way to foster care, so sometimes they aren’t in the best shape (as I’m sure you can imagine) and so Safe Shores staff will give them new clothing, duffel bags, and backpacks to take with them. It’s little, but sometimes it’s the little things, like clean clothes or a new backpack on an otherwise horrible day, that can make all the difference.

Unfortunately, like every other charity in DC, Safe Shores is feeling the economic downturn. So they’ve put out an all call for duffel bags and backpacks. This is where you, dear We Love DC reader, come in. Get your butt to Target, before August 3rd and put together a duffel bag full of children’s clothing, or a backpack full of school supplies. Continue reading →

The Features
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DC’s Great Streets: Part 2


View We Love DC’s Favorite Streets in a larger map

The District of Columbia is a beautiful city, full of great streets that connect our favorite places.  In Part 1, you saw half of our authors’ favorite streets in DC.  The streets ranged from quiet, tree-lined residential streets to boulevards with views of the Capitol and thriving mixed-use districts.  Here are the favorite streets of the rest of our authors:

Photo courtesy of
‘FBI Building’
courtesy of ‘mastermaq’
Ben: E Street, between 11th and 7th, NW. I used to love walking this street when I was working at a museum in that area of town. The ominous, ugly J. Edgar Hoover building always seemed to attract my attention; I’d wonder who was looking out at me, and if the cameras were even then watching my every move. I know FBI counter-intelligence agents use that area to train their rookies in the art of counter-spycraft and I’d try to see if I could spot the trainees – or even the teachers. I’ve no idea if I was ever right, but it was a great exercise during lunchtime outdoors.

These days, however, I’m beginning to learn to love K Street NW, between McPherson and Franklin Parks. It’s my new stomping grounds for lunchtime and coffee breaks and the people-watching here is so great you just have to spend five minutes on a park bench and watch. So many stories just passing in front of me as I suck down my daily dosage of caffeine…

Continue reading →

The Features, We Love Arts
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We Love Arts: Jim Reed, Stormchaser

A Bolt from the Gray

For city dwellers and even for suburbanites, the weather is like a hallway — we pass through it, briefly and hurriedly on our way to our destination. Weather is something that comes across out path through desktop clients and Blackberry applications, something we endure between the house and our car, or from the metro and work. Rarely do we commune with it, embrace it, experience it or even really much acknowledge it. Not so for Jim Reed, a photographer who has made an almost-20-year career out of being as close as possible and perhaps closer than is advisable to the most extreme meteorological events. Reed, promoting his 2007 book “Storm Chaser: A Photographer’s Journey,” will speak about his experiences Wednesday evening at 7 p.m. at the Corcoran Gallery of Art.

Though the book’s title is an editor’s dream — titillating, straightforward, evocative — Reed admits he has shied away from the title of “Storm Chaser.” The term has been around since the mid-twentieth century, a concept that has become increasingly popular with movies such as Twister and a new rash of television series such as the Discovery Channel’s reality show bearing the title. For awhile, Reed called himself an “extreme weather photographer,” avoiding the insanity and recklessness  that “Storm Chaser” connotes. Continue reading →

Featured Photo
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Featured Photo


Where To Set One’s Eyes by Bogotron

Ah, the games we play in life.  I met this girl and I thinks she likes me.  I mean she touched my shoulder as she laughed at my joke and I’ve always heard that if they touch you then you’re in, right?  That Greenpeace volunteer up ahead has a clipboard and is stopping people on the street.  If I put on my sunglasses and ignore them, maybe they won’t ask me for a minute of my time.  These games we play are all about body language, about how we interact with each other, about how we communicate with each other without talking, about how we maneuver through our daily lives.  After all, life is the biggest game of them all.

Bogotron has captured a moment we’ve all experienced before, if not on a daily basis.  You’re crammed on a Metro car full of complete strangers.  The last thing you want to do is talk to them or make them think that it’s OK to talk to you.  Maybe you put on your headphones or maybe you burry your face in your Sudoko book.  Maybe you wear your sunglasses, one of my biggest pet peeves.  You might glance at someone but not for long — wouldn’t want to be caught staring.  You’ve had a hard day at the office and all you can think about is getting home, petting your dog, cracking open a beer, and doing it all again tomorrow.  This is your life, and mine too.

Food and Drink, We Love Food
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In Defense of Restaurant Week (+ My Picks For Best Bets)

Photo courtesy of
‘Condiments’
courtesy of ‘Amberture’

The dates for Restaurant Week were leaked last week, and now that I’m on Twitter, I’ve been hearing both sides of the eternal debate – is Restaurant Week worth it? Alex, the foodie over at Brightest Young Things and I got into a brief discussion, she is anti-Restaurant Week, and I’m pro, so I wrote her an email explaining my stance, the text of which follows. After I defend RW, then I’ll go on to share my picks for which places are the best bets this go round. If you’re not interested in my defense, you can skip right to that part, I won’t hate you. But, without further ado, here’s my pro-Restaurant Week diatribe for Alex:

I hear the haters, I do – I understand – the service during Restaurant Week can be crappy, the restaurant loses more than it makes so you get the cheapest food items they can serve, smaller portions, the kitchen gets tired of cranking out the same food over and over and the quality lacks. I get it. I hear you when you say if you’re a REAL foodie, you’ll stay far away during hell week and go back after the restaurants have recovered. But you know what I say to all that? Suck it. Continue reading →