Category Archives: The Features

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

Adams Morgan, Essential DC, The Features, Where We Live
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Where We Live: Adams Morgan

Photo courtesy of
‘Adams Morgan’
courtesy of ‘citron_smurf’

Welcome to another edition of Where We Live. This week we’ll be covering the ins and outs of one of the District’s coolest neighborhoods, Adams Morgan. Adams Morgan is unique in DC in that it actually feels like a neighborhood during the weekdays and weekend days, and completely changes character on weekend evenings as it transforms into a concentration of drunk non-residents.  Unfortunately, some people only ever see the drunken frat party of 18th Street in Adams Morgan and don’t get to understand the really wonderful neighborhood behind it.  Here’s your chance to learn what else there is to it!

History: Adams Morgan gets its name from the two formerly-segregated elementary schools in the area, the all-white John Quincy Adams school and the (now closed) all-black Thomas P. Morgan school (therefore, the area is not actually called Adam’s Morgan or Adams’ Morgan, both of which I’ve seen everywhere).  In 1956 the Adams-Morgan Better Neighborhood Conference formed to improve the neighborhood, and jump-start urban renewal (not the Southwest Waterfront kind, though).  Interestingly enough, the neighborhood’s name was hyphenated as Adams-Morgan in the Washington Post up until 2001.

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Downtown, Essential DC, History, The Features
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The “New” Ford’s Theatre Museum

Photo courtesy of
‘DSC_3434’ courtesy of ‘Ghost_Bear’

Last night, Ford’s Theatre re-opened its museum after nearly two years of extensive renovation. The result is a transformed space that magnificently shows off the National Park Service and Ford’s Theater Society’s remarkable collection of artifacts of President Lincoln and the events surrounding his assassination on April 14, 1865.

The museum now tells the story of Lincoln from his arrival in Washington in 1861 through the Civil War and the sudden end of his life. Lauren Beyea, the museum’s publicist, explained that they “tried to create a greater sense of the context of what Lincoln’s life was like when he was in Washington. The city doesn’t have anything like that – we have monuments and things that are in tribute to him scattered around the District. But being Ford’s Theatre and storytellers ourselves, we thought it would be a great opportunity to really embrace the history that surrounds this place as well as Lincoln himself.”

So what can visitors expect now? Continue reading →

We Love Arts
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We Love Arts: Barack Stars

photo by Colin Hovde
The full cast of Barack Stars
photo by Colin Hovde

Barack Stars isn’t a play or a musical – it’s almost two hours of sketch comedy that has a general but not terribly specific theme. I don’t say that as a judgment – I just want us to have our definitions in line. We can’t really talk about the script, overt or implied themes, or much of anything else we might use to rate a play. The performers aren’t really called upon to inhabit a character and make us empathize or connect with them; if anything, too much nuance is a detriment when  you’re trying to do an impression. It’s called a sketch for a reason.

So when talking about this production I’m lifting from my beloved Filmspotting (which I believe they said they lifted from someone else) and making a determination about if it’s good or not based on only one thing: Did it make me laugh?

Most definitely Continue reading →

Music, Night Life, The Features, We Love Drinks
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We Love Drinks: DC9

"Pure Evil" shot, DC9

"Pure Evil shot, DC9" by Jenn Larsen, on Flickr

“Are you sure this is the right place?”

I was witnessing a mesmerizing scene, social tension galore. The speaking girl’s perfect blonde updo was trembling as she stood in line with her equally coiffed crew. Deposited by a cab with a gaggle of well-heeled preps, it was obvious she’d never hit this part of town before. But leading the way was a wild-eyed boy with a ringleader look that said – you will get out of your comfort zone, my friends – and so the girls followed him in, wide-eyed, longing for L2 Lounge. Instead they got DC9.

I’m teasing, I’m sure they had a raring good time dancing their solid gold hearts out. For a while, this girl’s nervousness was justified. There wasn’t much at the corner of 9th & U until DC9 became hipster paradise, and I’ve seen a lot of shady activity on that block over the years. Nowadays, the action is really centered around Nellie’s, which spills out on the sidewalk with lots of beautiful boys. I don’t see how you could still be nervous about the neighborhood when you see that party. But, we live in a segregated nightlife city, in more ways than just race.

DC9 carries the distinction of being one of the most unpretentious dive spots in the city. Equal parts bar, dance club and music venue, it’s been the indie hangout since its opening in 2004, fitting somewhere between the Black Cat’s Red Room and the H Street corridor on the rotation list. The fact that those tight button-down kids I mentioned earlier could get swallowed whole and turn into loose dancing fools upon hitting the upstairs is one of the reasons I love this place.

Another reason is that it’s pure evil.
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The Features
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We Love Weekends: July 18-19

Photo courtesy of
‘Evening in the Pavilion’
courtesy of ‘kimberlyfaye (sorta back)’
Oh yes, it’s almost the weekend again. Can you hang in a little longer? Here’s what we’re looking forward to this weekend:

Katie: I’m headed home for a good friend’s wedding this weekend. If I were to stick around DC, though, I’d probably play tourist a little bit and head to the Jefferson Memorial for some quality time on the paddle boats. After an hour of floating around the tidal basin, I’d grab myself some soft serve from the refreshment stand and me and my frozen treat would take a walk to the WWII memorial to dip my feet in the fountain. (Which is strictly prohibited. Don’t say I told you to do that. You did not hear that from me.) For a night out on the town I’d probably hit up Zentan and spend some quality time looking out over my fair city having cocktails by their rooftop pool.

Jenn: At some point this weekend, I will enjoy a delicious serving of Sicilian Almond gelato at Pitango on 14th Street, and a basil champagne cocktail at Belga Cafe. I’m also in the mood for some Greek blood and guts with the Keegan & Dizzy Miss Lizzie doing a wacky version of “The Oresteia” as part of the Fringe Festival – just two more weekends to Fringe so get going! If you want to escape from the heat hit the Archives for a Saturday noontime showing of my favorite film ever, Lawrence of Arabia. But I should be out battling my bike. Only one of us can win. Continue reading →

Comedy in DC
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Comedy in DC: Gimme Some Variety

Photo courtesy of
‘Last night at Dr. Dremos – 35’ Hampton Yount
courtesy of ‘Aaron Webb’

Mid summer ( I KNOW, HOW IS IT THE MIDDLE OF JULY ALREADY?!) is kind of a weird time for comedy. The college audiences that fuel the smaller shows have gone home, but that also means that bored comics get… experimental.

In practice, that usually just means some other stuff mixed in with the comedy but in the case of the “There Will Be Laughter” show at the Drafthouse on Friday the 31st, it could get a little weird.  Hampton Yount and Will Hessler are putting it on. Both are quite funny and have made me laugh riotously on multiple occasions. But Hampton gets… a little punchy. The last time I saw him get up (albeit for an audience made entirely of other comics, so grain of salt here), his time culminated in a sketch that involved a woman’s wig, a t-shirt with some slogan scrawled on it in black Sharpie that I can’t remember probably because I blocked it out, a basketball under his shirt, and I’m pretty sure there was a Whoopie cushion in there somewhere. Anyway, my point is, when Hampton says, “Sketches, Stand-Up, Song, Alcohol, Merriment,” it’s the merriment part you’ll remember most. Continue reading →

Life in the Capital, The Features
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This is Why You’re Fat

Photo courtesy of
‘Typical Beltway traffic’
courtesy of ‘brianmka’

This past week, Time Magazine ran an article on why southerners are so fat.  The article was in response to a new report showing Mississippi as the state with the highest rate of obesity for the fifth year in a row.  The top five heaviest states are all in the south: Mississippi, West Virginia, Alabama, Lousiana, and South Carolina.  The typical causes of obesity are all there: southerners tend to be poorer, so they have less money to buy nutritious food; southern food is greasy and fried; it’s too hot to exercise outdoors; the list goes on.  But this article also included the fact that many southern towns lack access to public transportation, that many places lack sidewalks, and that there are few safe places to bike.

It’s refreshing to see a national publication tie the physical environment to obesity.  Suburbs and more rural areas have typically been home to more overweight residents than central cities: by driving everywhere, you’re not getting the exercise you would be by walking to the bus stop, or biking down the block.  Suburbs also have fewer destinations within walking distance: going to the grocery store or heading to the movies require car trips, rather than bike or walking trips.   We’re lucky in the District that we have a great public transportation system, lots of sidewalks and crosswalks, and a growing system of bike lanes and paths– things that encourage us to lead more active lives.  Because of that, we’re on average about 6 pounds lighter than our exurban counterparts.

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Essential DC, Food and Drink, Life in the Capital, The District, The Features
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Frozen Treats: DC’s Best Creameries

Photo courtesy of
‘Saturday Road trip’
courtesy of ‘gregoirevdb’

They tell me the first step is admitting you have a problem. So here it goes: I am shamelessly, hopelessly, horribly in love with ice cream. Now, I say ice cream, but in actuality, ice cream is a pretty generic term for what I really mean – frozen treats. I don’t care if it is gelato, custard, actual heavy-cream ice cream, or even italian ice. As long as it is sweet, and frozen, it qualifies. My partner in crime for ice cream loving is my friend Melissa, who has the genius idea to host an ice cream bar at her wedding. She’s the only one who truly understands my love. We’ll talk about going to a Nat’s game, and the first thing out of our mouths will be “OOOOH DIPPIN DOTS!” It’s a passion, not just a hobby, people.

So when I was informed that July is National Ice Cream Month, well, then, fine. That sealed it. I had to share with you, my dear We Love DC reader, my favorite ice cream (loose term) eateries in the city.
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Food and Drink, Life in the Capital, Night Life, Penn Quarter, Special Events, The Features
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Second Look: W Hotel Washington (Now, With Pictures!)

Photo courtesy of
‘P7130052’
courtesy of ‘needlessspaces’

Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s green eyes flash with amusement as I launch into a tirade of questions about the DC food scene. Jean-Georges is holding a plate of appetizers during a tray-pass reception at the downstairs Wine Bar at the W Hotel Washington. I’ve captured his attention for a few minutes, battling other reporters and bloggers with notepads and cameras out, much like myself.

“So with all the celebrity chef steakhouses in DC, what sets yours apart?” I ask coyly. “Only half our menu is steak,” he responds quickly, “and our appetizer list is like a best-of from all my restaurants.” “So why DC, what made you choose DC?” I ask. “My relationship with the W, they approached me, it seemed like a fit,” Hmm, I thought, I wonder how he views DC, if this wasn’t a concept he came up with on his own. “So the DC food scene, has it arrived or is it on it’s way?” I ask. “Oh, Komi rivals any restaurant in New York!” Vongerichten responds, making a plug for his old friend from France. And suddenly Jean-Georges has a second reporter touching his arm and he is pulled in another direction. He shoots me a grin, and with that he’s off. (He returns later to pointedly offer me a mini-mini burger, only to dash off again.)

And so there I am, in the crowded basement of the W, sipping cocktails, ruminating on the hotel and making conversation. I’m here to try all of Vongerichten’s food, but also to check out the scene on the deck at POV, attempting to answer all the questions Jenn asked in We Love DC’s first post about the W, written when Jenn visited before it opened. What is the scene going to be? Jenn pondered, saying it will only be answered when the bar is filled with people. And last night, it certainly was full to the brim with all kinds of people, food and fanfare. Continue reading →

Entertainment, Special Events, The Features, We Love Arts
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Fringe Arts: Riding the Bull

Jason McCool as GL Mitchell in "Riding the Bull," photo courtesy Riot Actors of Washington

Jason McCool as GL Mitchell in "Riding the Bull," photo courtesy Riot Actors of Washington

One of the chief joys of going to a Fringe Festival performance is the bare bones aspect. Sitting in the hot upstairs of a townhouse shell, a minimal set against peeling plaster and paint, no frills, no pyrotechnics, just actors and text battling it out for your attention. I love it. And when the acting is top-notch, there is no better joy.

“Riding the Bull” is a morality play about a rodeo clown whose naivete and greed bring about his downfall in aptly named Godsburg, Texas. Um, wait. A rodeo clown? Yes, this is a dark comedy complete with a banjo player, accents worthy of “Deadwood,” and even Elvis himself. Oh, and Jesus gets molested. Sorry. It’s Fringe, leave your squeamishness at the door!

Jason McCool is GL Mitchell, a clueless rodeo clown with an Oedipal complex a mile high and a repulsion/attraction to Lyza, played by Kate Debelack with a lusty grip on life and a habit for rearranging nativity figures into orgiastic configurations. Oh, she also can predict the winning rodeo cowboy on orgasm. All GL wants is to make his Mama happy, and all Mama wants is Elvis. The real one, who’s been hiding out in an insane asylum. Naturally. Continue reading →

Featured Photo
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Featured Photo


IMG_8562b by D©Bloom

Independence Day has come and gone, but I couldn’t resist highlighting this patriotic moment captured by D©Bloom.  While our Flickr pool was inundated with oodles of “Ooooo!” and “Ahhhhh!” photos of the fireworks on display at the National Mall, we see a more personal and patriotic celebration here of Uncle Sam launching some bottle rockets in his back yard.  I stared at this photo for a long time and wondered why I loved it so much until finally realized that it reminded me of how I feel every 4th of July.  Being born on Independence Day, I can’t help but to claim it as my own, as my day.  When I see the rockets’ red glare, my surroundings fade to black, the crowd disappears, and it’s just me and a shower of colors bursting in the night sky.

This photo was taken with a Canon G9 which, next to the newer G10, has earned a reputation of being one of the best point and shoot cameras on the market.  Unlike most point and shoots it offers full manual control of the camera and takes 12.1 megapixel RAW images, resulting in large, uncompressed photos that you can print big if you have a winner.  It’s a great all around camera and fairly compact, making it easy to sneak a photo of Uncle Sam when he isn’t looking.

Sports Fix
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Sports Fix Special: Nats Fire Acta

Photo courtesy of
‘RIF_9997’
courtesy of ‘MissChatter’

Late last night, on the heels of yet another disappointing loss, the Nationals fired Manager Manny Acta. The firing, while not remotely unexpected, comes just a few weeks after the Nationals had publicly recommitted to Acta. Acta leaves the Nationals after two and a half seasons with a record of 157-251, a winning percentage of just .385. Many of these losses can be laid at the feet of bad pitching, worse defense, and a bullpen with a tendency toward complete and total collapse. Acta’s calm demeanor and seeming unflappability in the face of a failing ballclub, though, made it is easy to see him off. His inability to motivate his players, though, is what sealed the deal.

The Nationals have largely been rudderless this year, struggling even to put together back-to-back wins this season. Replacing Acta will be Jim Riggleman, the Nats’ bench coach. Riggleman spent a season and a half with the San Diego Padres in the early 1990s, and five seasons with the Chicago Cubs in the mid 90s before taking a nearly ten-year break from the top position. In nearly 1200 games as manager of an MLB club, he’s amassed over 500 wins, putting him at a .445 winning percentage. Will Riggleman be able to command the respect and admiration of his players? Or will he be another softy like Acta? Be sure to read between the lines on the Nationals’ announcement.

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The DC 100, The Features
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DC Omni 100: #96 Bagel & Lox

Photo courtesy of
‘Lox and schmear’
courtesy of ‘WordRidden’

It’s time for another edition of the DC Omnivore 100, where we explore the top one hundred foods every good omnivore should try at least once in their lives…

I hail from the Upper Westside of New York City, and when it comes to “Jew-food” (bagels, lox, matzo balls, blintzes, etc.) we Upper Westsiders know our stuff.   My apartment was at the epicenter of all good things bagel related (Zabar’s, H&H Bagels, Murray’s Sturgeon Shop, Barney Greengrass, etc.) and growing up, bagels and lox (aka: smoked salmon) were a special occasion fare for Sunday brunch, and leftovers usually lasted well into the week. Glorious!

The key to perfecting this dish is your ingredients.  The bagels must be fresh, with a crispy baked crust and a chewy boiled inside. In DC Brooklyn Bagel Bakery in Arlington offers the best bagels, in all the traditional flavors, that I’ve found to date with Bethesda Bagels coming in second.  Please don’t buy any non-traditional bagel flavors; chocolate chip, honey wheat, and tomato-basil are bagel sins, if you ask me, and will distort the utter simplicity of this dish.  Stick with plain and poppy/sesame seed.

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Sports Fix, The Daily Feed
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Morrison Coming to Capitals

Photo courtesy of
‘Brendan Morrison’ courtesy of ‘RobertCiavarro’

Injury-bedeviled Brendan Morrison – once considered the NHL’s “iron man” – signed a one-year contract with the Caps on Friday, worth around $1.5 million.

Rumor has it he’ll be centering the second line, helping fill the space Fedorov left when the Russian headed off to the KHL.

Morrison’s played with three teams over the last year and a half and has been plagued with injuries since 2007. After knocking out 8 solid seasons with the Dallas Stars Vancouver Canucks – racking in 542 consecutive games from 2000-07 – he’s suffered from four heavy surgeries: wrist, hip, hernia and torn ACL. He spent less than half of the 07-08 season with the Canucks, then moved to the Anaheim Ducks and then on to the Dallas Stars last season, finishing with 16 goals and 15 assists in 81 games.

The Caps believe Morrison’s back to full health, as does the 34 year-old center, and the team continues to piece together another worthy contender for the upcoming season.

The Features, Weekend Flashback
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Weekend Flashback: 7/10 – 7/12/09

Photo courtesy of
‘what to pick…’ courtesy of ‘philliefan99’

Once again, a great cross-section of photos from over the weekend in the area.

If you’d like to see your photo pop up on our Flashback, here’s how it works. Once you upload it to Flickr, drop it into our photo pool. (The photo has to have been taken between that Friday and Sunday evening.) That’s really all there is to it; myself or one of our other authors will select those photos we think best gives a look at weekend happenings in the area. If you’d like to make it a little easier for us, put “weekend flashback” in the photo’s tag list.

Thanks to all our photo contributors for making every flashback a difficult one to do. So many great shots every time! Here’s a look at this past weekend; enjoy before you get back to that daily grind. Continue reading →

The Features
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Hong Kong Film Festival Starts Today

YouTube Preview Image

Trailer for Johnnie To’s Sparrow

The Smithsonian’s annual Made in Hong Kong Film Festival opens tonight, co-sponsored by the Freer Gallery of Art, the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, and the Hong Kong Economic and Trade office. The films being shown this year range from light-hearted pickpocket capers to serious examinations of the effect of Hong Kong’s reversion to China on its people.

You can view the full schedule online, but I was pretty disappointed to see a total lack of movie trailers made available by the Smithsonian. I’ve done the YouTube legwork for you, because who are you kidding? You’re not getting any work done now anyway…  Continue reading →

The Features, Thrifty District
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Thrifty District: Paint Your Own Nails

Photo courtesy of
‘Tube nails’
courtesy of ‘Phil Hawksworth’

Getting your nails done doesn’t seem like that big of an expense– what’s $20 here or there? But pampering like that is easy to cut out of your budget while still keeping your fingernails pretty and maintained at home.

Thrifty: First, you need some good supplies. At the minimum, you need nail clippers (I prefer Revlon, but you can get whatever you want), a good file, nail polish remover, cotton balls, and polish. Continue reading →

Downtown, History, Monumental, The Features
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Monumental: Pershing Park

Photo courtesy of
‘Film! – Canon A-1 – Pershing in Focus -11-7-08’
courtesy of ‘mosley.brian’

Few people think much of Pershing Park. I’d wager that most walk by without noticing it. In spite of Pershing Park being DC’s largest World War I memorial, it serves primarily as a napping place for the homeless and a thoroughfare for tourists walking from Federal Triangle station to the White House. You never see people stopping to take pictures or reading the inscriptions on statue pedestals, and the space is a bit disordered and poorly maintained. In and of itself, the park is hardly worth writing about, but it does serve as a disheartening case study of Americans’ indifference towards our nation’s participation in the Great War.

Pershing Park is located on 15th and Pennsylvania, between the Willard and the Commerce building. It was constructed in 1981 by the Pennsylvania Ave. Development Commission in honor of Gen. John J. Pershing and the American Expeditionary Forces. In case you’re a little hazy on your history, Gen. Pershing was one of America’s greatest military minds and “General of the Armies,” the highest rank ever held by any American officer aside from George Washington (although, Washington received this distinction posthumously). Pershing commanded the Expeditionary Forces during World War I and his over all strategy has been credited by many as a deciding factor in the Allied victory of World War I. In the course of a year and a half of combat, his armies suffered over 300,000 casualties, but succeeded in dislodging the Germans from many key locations in Europe.

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Adventures, Entertainment, Food and Drink, We Love Arts, We Love Food
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Eat Like A Kid Again; A Tactile Dining Experience

Digging In

Remember when your mother used to tell you not to eat with your hands and how unnatural it felt? And now, you’re all grown up and what feels unnatural is actually eating WITH your hands. Funny how that works, eh? Well if you want to take a trip back to your childhood, minus the nagging parents trying to instill manners on you, then the Tactile Dinner Experience might be just the thing for you. As part of this years Capital Fringe Festival, inter-disciplinary theatre company, Banished Productions, is putting on a 7-course theatrical “dinner” (I use quotation marks because if you show up hungry, you’ll leave that way) to mark the 100th Anniversary of Futurism, a movement from 1920s Italy basically rejecting all things conventional or antiquated. Or something or other. I was just there to eat with my hands and act like a kid again… Continue reading →