Category Archives: The Features

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Entertainment, The Features, We Love Arts
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We Love Arts: The Green Bird

Rex Daugherty in Constellation Theatre's production of The Green Bird. Photo credit: Scott Suchman.

With Carlo Gozzi’s The Green Bird, Constellation Theatre has found the perfect medium for their hyper-surrealist style in a play inspired by commedia dell’arte. It’s like a wild Ferrari driven by Max Ernst through a Brothers Grimm forest. Every piece – acting, design, script – is completely committed to the creation of a madcap fairy tale world.

A hilarious translation featuring quips like, “It’s as hard to find a true friend as it is to wipe your ass with a rose” is a strong reason for the success of this production, and it’s also ably adapted and directed by Allison Arkell Stockman. As the company’s artistic director, she’s honed the ensemble’s distinctive vocal and physical gymnastics to the point where now when I think of Constellation, the idea of a majestically plumed green bird bounding across the stage to perch and speak riddles seems absolutely believable.

And what a bird. As the Green Bird of the play’s title, Rex Daugherty manages to combine elegant sensibility with masculine power while looking like a feather-festooned Brazilian dancer at an acid-drenched Carnival. Every flick of his foot like a wink at the audience, and his first frenetic appearance is a signal that this play is going to be one wild romp. Continue reading →

Sports Fix, The Daily Feed
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Wizards Dial Back The Clock With New Retro-Inspired Uniforms

Sure Jordan Crawford and John Wall don’t look very excited in this photo, I’m sure they would rather be in the middle of an exciting NBA Playoffs that’s in full swing right now. However I am personally excited for what they are wearing- the new uniforms of the Washington Wizards.

At an unveiling this morning Wizard’s owner Ted Leonsis, Team President Ernie Grunfeld, and Head Coach Flip Saunders were among those on-hand to show-off the new look which both match the existing motif of other DC teams and take us back to the Red, White, and Blue stylings of the franchise’s past when they were better known as the Washington Bullets.

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Entertainment, Music, We Love Music
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We Love Music: James Blake @ Rock and Roll Hotel, 5/8/11

blake1
Courtesy of James Blake

If you want some idea of what James Blake’s show sounded like on Sunday night at the Rock and Roll Hotel, do yourself a favor and listen to this broadcast of his SXSW set while you read.

I was beyond excited to get a chance to see Blake on his first US tour, at a venue as tiny as the Rock and Roll Hotel, at a show that sold out within minutes. He’s one of the rare artists who pushes the boundaries of popular music, creating something familiar but unclassifiable. (I’ll refrain from using the phrase “post-dubstep” in this review.) Blake is preceded by groups like How To Dress Well and The XX, who create dark, atmospheric, slow pop songs that use sparse instrumentation. This emptiness gives the songs enough breathing room that you can fill in the space yourself. After making a name for himself by producing dubstep, a dark, bass-heavy style of dance music from England, Blake mixed in his soul-singer-like vocals to craft his debut album last year.

As a singer/songwriter/producer, James Blake’s set could’ve gone in several different directions. I was wondering if he would stick to solo piano pieces. Or maybe he would eschew his voice in favor of playing straight, rhythm-focused dubstep tracks from his early days. We ended up getting a good mix of songs off his debut and electronic explorations old and new. Oh, and it was one of the best-sounding shows I’ve witnessed at the Rock and Roll Hotel.

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Featured Photo
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Featured Photo


‘your turn’
courtesy of ‘philliefan99’

Wildlife photography: the art of taking photographs of wildlife. I’ve had the impression that it is generally underappeciated in the digital age of photography. But when you really look at it, this is an incredibly difficult art form. You not only have to find fascinating subjects, but you also have to learn how a specific species will behave. This is important so that you have an idea on what they will do next, unlike with humans.

Phil demonstates many of the key skills of a good wildlife photographer with this shot. He’s been following the osprey, which take up residence at this nest in Belle Haven VA, for years. He also patientally waits for the bird to get into a dramtic, noble pose. And lastly, he aims for the eyes. This last point is most key for wildlife shots, for the same reason it’s important for human shots: we’re drawn to the eyes and it’s a window into the soul of the animal.

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Food and Drink, The Features
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Second Buzz Bakery Opens Today in Ballston

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

There’s a new bakery on the block in Ballston. Buzz Bakery is opening its second location today, and is offering samples of baked goods and MadCap Coffee at the new location.

While some of the offerings will be the same, there are several noteworthy changes and additions at the new location. For starters, there will be new breakfast pop-tarts, waffles, quiches, house-made ice creams and popsicles. Plus, you’ll be able to satisfy your sweet tooth at home with Buzz’s take-and-bake options of frozen cookies, scones, as well as sausage and cheese biscuits, that you can bake at home. Additionally, the bakery has a new and exclusive coffee supplier, MadCap Coffee, a small company based out of Michigan.

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We Love Music
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We Love Music: Toh Kay/Timothy Bracken @ Iota, 5/7/11

Photo courtesy of
‘Streetlight Manifesto – Tomas Kalnoky’
courtesy of ‘Evan Wohrman’

On Saturday evening Toh Kay rolled into the Iota Club in Clarendon for a show with Timothy Bracken. The small audience of loyal Toh Kay fans waited patiently for the one man band and his 6-string. The show started about a half hour late – the bartender said they were waiting for the place to fill up. It didn’t. But this space added to the intimacy of this already homey venue, with only 40 or so people scattered about the room. Continue reading →

Capital Chefs, Food and Drink, The Features
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Capital Chefs: Eric Brannon of Ted’s Bulletin (Part 2)

Photo courtesy of
‘Walk of shame burrito from Ted’s Bulletin’
courtesy of ‘bonappetitfoodie’

We’ve all had a Saturday morning where we’ve woken up parched, head throbbing and stomach gurgling for something heavy and delicious to cure a bad hangover. Granted I tried Eric Brannon’s breakfast burrito for dinner (who doesn’t love breakfast for dinner?), but I’d imagine on a weekend morning hungover or not, this burrito would really hit the spot. It’s easy enough to make, and certainly don’t feel obligated to eat it before noon. You’ll find the full recipe after the jump.
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Crime & Punishment, History, Life in the Capital, The District, We Love Drinks
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Breakin’ the Law: Prohibition in DC

Garrett Peck
Garret Peck (photos by the author)

Wednesday night I attended a talk on Prohibition in DC by local author Garrett Peck. He’s got a new book on the subject, developed as a result of his research for his first book, along with the knowledge he’s amassed leading the Temperance Tour. Much as it is now, DC was a playground for politicians who wanted to try out new rules. Prohibition was thus imposed on the District in 1917 by politicians who, privately (and sometimes publicly) didn’t themselves care much for or about the law.

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Capital Chefs, Food and Drink, The Features
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Capital Chefs: Eric Brannon of Ted’s Bulletin (Part 1)

Photo courtesy of
‘Eric Brannon of Ted’s Bulletin’
courtesy of ‘bonappetitfoodie’

Eric Brannon serves up more than your average meatloaf and mashed potatoes. Since Ted’s opened a little more than a year ago, the chef has been serving up comfort food reminiscent of mom’s cooking but with more flair at Ted’s Bulletin in Eastern Market.

“I’m cooking food that gives you memories,” he says. “It’s so rewarding to have people come up to you and say, ‘This is like how my mom made it.’ It pays homage to folks at home.” For Brannon, his cooking is about revamping the simple and attainable classics, which is still a challenge.

The restaurant’s homemade pop tarts and adult (read: liquor-laced) milkshakes have generated worthy buzz around the city. This year the restaurant was nominated for a RAMMY as one of 2011’s Best Neighborhood Gathering Places, one of the few public vote categories. And he says new milkshakes, pop tarts and some fun entrées such as a Texas style brisket will be making their debut on the menu this spring.
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Sports Fix, The Features
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A Little Brains, Heart and Nerve: Say Goodnight, Washington Capitals

Photo courtesy of
‘IMG_1503.jpg’
courtesy of ‘bridgetds’

I could wile away the hours,
Conferrin’ with the flowers,
Consultin’ with the rain,
And my head I’d be scratchin,’
While my thoughts were busy hatchin’ …

The Bruce Boudreau Era is done.

Make no mistake about it. Heading into the postseason the question was not so much about how far the Caps would go but more about how they performed once they got out of the first round. “Does Boudreau lose his job if the Caps do not make it to the Stanley Cup Finals” was an unfair question. The Stanley Cup is perhaps the hardest trophy to win in all of American sports, outside of the horse racing Triple Crown.

Washington just needed to play respectably, up to its potential and level of talent. No choking, no dramatic series losses after being up big. From the Eastern Conference semifinals on, if the Caps played well but got beat, that would have been an acceptable outcome.

That is not what happened.

Getting swept by the Tampa Bay Lightning was simply appalling. There is no excuse for it. It looked like Washington had found a way to win in the playoffs after the New York series. They were motivated, they played tight defensively, were opportunistic when they needed to be and, most importantly, they looked like they were focused and playing together. Sheer talent and determination should have been enough to get them through the semifinals.

A very good friend of mine, Erin, said that the Caps would be swept. She is an evil genius. Most pundits picked Washington to win anywhere between five and seven games. Myself, I thought Washington could eke it out in seven. I was not going to be one of those writers who dismissed the Lightning as too young or too raw. Tampa has a superbly talented hockey team not to be underestimated.

What I did was overestimate the Washington Capitals.

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Entertainment, The Features, We Love Arts
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We Love Arts: Cyrano

(L-R) Eric Hissom, Chris Genebach, Todd Scofield, Richard Ruiz, and Dan Crane in Cyrano at Folger Theatre, through June 5, 2011. Photo credit: Carol Pratt

If you’re expecting to see Folger Theatre do the traditional over-three-hours-five-acts-cast-of-hundreds production of Cyrano (and yes, having been brought up on Derek Jacobi’s brilliant RSC Cyrano, I was), forget it. You don’t need the caffeine, it’s already built into this lightning fast adaptation by Michael Hollinger and director Aaron Posner. Nine actors play multiple roles over two acts in a translation that may lose some of the poetry but none of the verve.

Or rather, the panache.

Thanks to its constant reinvention in popular culture ever since its debut in 1897, the plot of Edmond Rostand’s play about the swashbuckling 17th-century soldier with an enormous nose and a heart to match is well known enough that slicing and dicing the text isn’t viewed as too sacrilegious. Hollinger’s new translation tosses the Alexandrine couplets in favor of a less formal tone, and the cuts he and Posner made streamline the action to its most essential elements. Sure, I missed a few of my favorite bits and the lusciousness of the Anthony Burgess translation, but that didn’t mar my enjoyment. This adaptation is whistling sharp, like a rapier. Or as a friend put it afterwards, “It’s the Cliff Notes version… if Cliff Notes were actually really good.”

What is the beating, raging heart of this production? Eric Hissom’s Cyrano de Bergerac. Completely believable as both a scathing poet and a dashing fighter, his self-loathing whips him on to acts of self-destructive bravery and selfless love. Battling a hundred knights on the bridge? I bet he could’ve handled a thousand.  Continue reading →

We Love Music
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We Love Music: Pinback @ Black Cat, 5/1/11

Pinback @BlackCatDC-16
All images courtesy of Paivi Salonen

Bands using video projectors at their live shows can be hit-or-miss. At their best, you can have a band like Godspeed You! Black Emperor, who count their projectionist as a full-on band member. He moves back and forth between four(!) projectors, mixing up a series of dark images to add to the brooding feel of the music. At their worst, you might as well stare at the iTunes visualizer on your laptop.

As I arrived at Pinback’s show on Sunday night at the Black Cat, the first thing I noticed was the projector. I had mixed feelings about how openers Judgement Day used it; it seemed gimmicky to me at first, but I was convinced by one song, where their playing synced perfectly with their video track. It was sick, to say the least; it showcased their skills as virtuosic musicians with creativity beyond musical composition. Pinback, on the other hand, wasted an opportunity to do anything exciting with their visuals. They weren’t very dynamic as performers either, so their use of a projector felt like a crutch, just to try to make their show more visually appealing.

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Entertainment, Music, We Love Music
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We Love Music: Sweetlife Festival 2011


all photos by author.

Sweetgreen is a locally established restaurant chain that was founded in 2007 by three former Georgetown students, Nicolas Jammet, Jonathan Neman, and Nathaniel Ru. In four short years, they have spread their environmentally conscious and healthy living message through the DMV area as well as into Pennsylvania. With a focus on sourcing locally grown and organic foods, Sweetgreen also provides a casual and relaxed dining experience. The three founders believe in leaving a the smallest carbon footprint possible and providing their customers with healthy food choices.

They also believe in throwing a kick ass music festival every year.

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The Daily Feed, We Love Drinks
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We Love Books About Drinks

Photo courtesy of
‘Temperance Fountain’
courtesy of ‘NCinDC’

It may come as a surprise to you that I have time to read in between all those trips to the Passenger for brunch, but it’s true. It probably won’t come as a surprise, though, that I’ve been reading a lot about drinking and prohibition lately. Two DC area authors have new books on those subjects.

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Special Events, The Daily Feed, We Love Drinks, We Love Food
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Upcoming: Operation Smile’s Grin Gala

Photo courtesy of
‘Lauren Graham and Peter Krause’
courtesy of ‘greginhollywood’

Got plans Saturday night?

The Grin Gala, now in its fourth year, is a benefit for Operation Smile. It is described as “an evening of cocktails, dancing and silent auction.” Lauren Graham, pictured above, is this year’s honorary host. Tickets come in two varieties: general admission ($120, of which $95 is tax deductible), and VIP ($240, of which $215 is tax deductible).

VIP access includes an early reception on the Chamber of Commerce rooftop with top DC chefs and mixologists including Chef Todd Gray and Mixologist Simo Ahmadi from Equinox; Chef Peter Smith from PS 7; Chef Victor Albisu and Mixologist Troy Bock from BLT Steakhouse; and Mixologist Stephen Warner from Columbia Firehouse.

The Social Chair and I will be there as invited guests. Look for us there Saturday night, and a wrap-up of the cocktails and food here next week!

Entertainment, The Features, We Love Arts
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We Love Arts: Ruined

Jenny Jules as Mama Nadi and Rachael Holmes as Sophie in Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater’s production of Ruined April 22-June 5, 2011. Photo by Joan Marcus

There are 683 seats in the Fichandler theater at Arena Stage. The house was packed for Ruined, playwright Lynn Nottage’s 2009 Pulitzer Prize winning play about the atrocities inflicted on women during the Second Congo War (1998-2003). They laughed, they cried, they applauded. They applauded a lot. And then they left. I heard many say “phenomenal” as they exited the theater.

683 seats. In the program, production dramaturg Amrita Mangus notes that “in some villages, as many as 90 percent of the women have been raped.” Eight organizations are listed in the program, including CARE and V-Day, to encourage the audience to act upon what they’ve seen.

I couldn’t help wondering how many audience members would get involved afterwards. There was so much laughter, some of it perhaps nervous, through the first act of the play. So much applause at the end. Would they leave and go back to their comfortable lives, telling others “go see this play!” but not “go get involved!” Would I? There’s a danger with political theater. It allows us to feel involved by the mere act of watching.

Lynn Nottage conducted extensive interviews throughout the Congo with survivors of the brutality of mass rape. Their voices come through authentically in Ruined, and it’s in these moments – especially the monologue by Salima (a riveting Donnetta Lavinia Grays) that opens the second act – that the play is at its most powerful. Continue reading →

We Love Music
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We Love Music: Appleseed Cast @ Rock and Roll Hotel, 4/30/11

appleseed_1
All photos courtesy of The Appleseed Cast

Over their 15-year career, The Appleseed Cast have slowly morphed from their emo roots into a dynamic and powerful post-rock group. I must say, I haven’t paid too much attention to the band since 2003’s Two Conversations. But Saturday night’s show at the Rock and Roll Hotel impressed me – I felt like I was discovering a new band. Their current sound has only sparse vocals, and rarely anything resembling a catchy chorus. It’s all about the swelling guitar lines – with three guitarists, they have plenty of flexibility to create intricate harmonies.

Post-rock shows like this are hands-down my favorite shows to see. I like my music LOUD. But post-rock brings a certain kind of intensity that goes beyond volume. I imagine the creative process for The Appleseed Cast goes like this: “that’s a nice melody you wrote there. Wouldn’t it sound better if we nearly drowned it out with slow, droning riffs?” And it does. It takes a little extra work to hear the melody, but the melody’s more powerful because you had to work to find it. It’s a diamond in the desert.

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All Politics is Local, The District, The Features
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A Conversation with Eleanor Holmes Norton

Photo courtesy of
‘EHN @ Artomatic’
courtesy of ‘tbridge’

Last weekend Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) sat down with We Love DC for conversation over a number of topics particularly  focusing on the recent federal budget negotiations and the resulting protests.

Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton is still angry.  After weeks of negotiations between the White House and both Congressional Republicans and Democrats over the federal government budget narrowly averted a shutdown, Norton believes the District became a pawn in the negotiations with the inclusion of two policy riders in the budget agreement.  These riders banned the District from using local funds to provide abortions primarily for low-income residents and authorized the continuation of the school voucher program which helps pay for private school tuition.  “Congress is too busy messing with the DC code,” said Norton.

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Downtown, Education, Special Events, The Features, We Love Arts
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National Geographic Live: May 2011

©Sunny Khalsa; courtesy National Geographic

May winds down the Spring 2011 National Geographic Live series of programs. If you’re looking for something to do in the evenings, we highly suggest you check out some of their offerings this season. And to provide further incentive, we are providing two lucky readers with a pair of tickets to an event of their choice this coming month!

To enter the drawing, simply comment below using your first name and a legit email address, listing the two events from the following program list you’d like to attend. (Note that there is one event not eligible and we’ve noted it for you.) Sometime after noon on Wednesday (May 4) we’ll randomly select two winners to receive a pair of tickets (each) to one of their selections.

(For ticket information, visit online or call the box office at (800) 647-5463.)

Music On…Photography Moby ($18) (SOLD OUT)
May 9, 7:30 pm
Moby has sold more than 20 million albums worldwide, played over 3,000 concerts in his career, and has had his music included in hundreds of films, such as Heat and The Beach. He has been taking photographs for as long as he’s been making music. See his riveting images and be among the first to learn about his much-anticipated new project.

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